James River Branch: Tools and Supplies

Supplies: 91% Alcohol

Most people will recognize this as ordinary rubbing alcohol, or isopropyl alcohol, which has many uses for modelers. It's a cleaning agent that removes oils and evaporates quickly and completely, so it's good for prepping models for painting. For me, it sees the greatest use as a wetting agent for ballasting: I simply spray straight alcohol onto freshly-placed ballast, and when it's fully wetted, I'll apply 50-50 diluted white glue or matte medium. 91% alcohol is useful as a paint stripper, yet with care it can also remove lettering from rolling stock without damaging the paint.

Just getting started? Isopropyl alcohol is readily available in pharmacies, supermarkets and discount stores such as Walmart and Target.