Testor's 1/48 Travel Air Mystery Ship - what would you do?

[Cap'n Wannabe]

Major fail with the painting....I was laying down a coat of gloss red, and it didn't stick in places. Gonna have to rub it back and start over..

 

 

[dutik]

Sh$t happens

 

You will overcome this too!

 

BTW, there are different tactics to overcome the carpet monster. A bright flooring helps a lot. A strobe or flashlight applied sideways over the floor helps a lot to recover parts. In case you don't own one you working light (which is usaulla a bright one) will do the trick too. Hardcore modellers use an apron that is tied to the workbench (a so called "jewellers apron"). But dont't Forget to untie the Apron from your neck before trying to leave the workbench  Another trick is to cut small parts inside a plastic bag. This prevents tweezer launchs into the outer space.

 

Regards

- dutik

[Cap'n Wannabe]

Well, a bit of sanding and another paint job kinda saved the day.  Except for the small ding I made when I mishandled the model.....more sanding once this coat has dried.

I seem to be having a bit of trouble with Tamiya grey primer out of the rattle can - it just doesn't go on as smoothly as I'd like, and sometimes pools...making more work for me.  Geez, modelling is frustrating!!

[Cap'n Wannabe]

After putting it away for a while, I've dragged it out again.  The issue I faced after painting the red was that it didn't come out anywhere near as glossy as I would've liked.  I attempted to polish the right wing with my Dremel, with not-so-good results...

 

Switching to Micromesh sanding cloths, I managed to bring the left wing up to a reasonable shine.  There are still some flaws in it, though..

 

The thing is, the polishing process has removed the paint and primer on the wing tip.  So my question is, how can I restore the paint?  I guess I could just spray it back on, but...

Any and all suggestions welcome!

[Guest Jessie_C]

I'd say strip it back to bare plastic, micromesh the plastic, prime, micromesh the primer (use white primer for the best red coverage) and then finally spray the red on and micromesh. You'll probably need several coats.

[Hardcore]

For glossy shine you need many thin coats. I noticed that when applying future on a Ju88 c-6. It looked better after each one.

[GuildAero]

I use a jewellers' apron that my Mum made me many years ago, but yes you must remember to untie it from your waste before you make a cuppa or rush to the 'phone (That big thing attached to the wall that doesn't travel well).

 

As to paint, I have found the Tamiya rattle cans work a treat if they are very well shaken and then left in a jug of hot water for a while. Take out, shake, put back. Dry quickly with a teacloth before spraying, then as always pretend you're a robot and spray starting one side and go over in long sweeps, not too quickly, start before the model, end after the model.  Get that right and they will gloss as smooth as a baby's bum first time, but you have to get that right. Orange peel with a Tamiya can or a well aimed Halford auto paint can is a result of poor technique, unless the paint has gone off which is most unlikely.  I have always hated Tamiya little glass pots of paint, but was given a tin of spray and was very impressed, but then it stinks of pear drops, so is the world's best paint, cellulose, of generally blessed memory.

 

I use Tamiya when I need a special colour I don't already have, such as the Le Mans Models Bugatti French racing blue. Tamiya for the light blue and after a week's hardening, Zero for the dark blue. The Zero tends to be a bit dull, so after a week of hardening and a day decalling with partial success (damned things were made of rubber I reckon) I clear coated with my favourite Akrifan single shot pre -thinned gloss. 20 quid a litre, last you for ever.  All shot from a spotting gun, except the Zero, which I shot from my old "classic" Paasche Model H, of which I have two and wouldn't be without.  Final finish like glass and hard as too, but without that ghastly "bucket of lacquer" finish most model car companies use.

For primer, I always use self-etch on EVERYTHING. Plastic, Ureol (Renshape), resins of any kind, metals, fillers, whatever one of my scratchbuilds is made of, yes even wood. I also use it to represent rib taping on some larger models, by taping off the bays and spraying the ribs, leaving a ridge of thick primer, to show under the general coat of primer, more self-etch. It's all I have or have ever used. I'm on my third litre!  Some of that went on old car parts too.

 

I suggest you bang some crap kits together that cost nuttn. and then spray away with different paints and mixes, but vary your style of movement until you crack it.  And for Heaven's sake, don't squiggle about like some poncey chef seasoning a steak or one of these useless TV types respraying an old chair (that would always look better in varnish). BE A ROBOT.

 

Cheers,

Martin