Instrument bezels

[Gary V.]

I recently tried a method that was kind of described on some modeling site, somewhere. I didn't have success with it and wondered if anyone else could help...

 

I painted the instrument console black(MM enamel). I then clear coated it in a gloss spray on arcrylic. Then, I painted the whole thing dark sea gray. I let it dry (the last coat) for a few hours. I tried using ename thinner to remove the gray and expose the black instrument bezels... What I got was a goopey grayish mess where the intruments are .

 

I used MM spraypaint and some art store spray arcrylic and I think the thinner is floquil enamel thinner.

 

I have seen great results with this technique, well, except for my attempt..

 

Desparately trying to "get it right"

 

Gary V.

[Mark B.]

QUOTE (Gary V. @ Aug 20 2003, 02:50 PM)

I let it dry (the last coat) for a few hours.

 

 

Gary are you talking about "Painting Photo Etched Instrument panels" by by Robert Kwikkel over on the ARC site? It is a great way of doing instrument panels, but you let the enamel coat dry to long.

 

As Mr. Kwikkel says: "Let it dry, so that you can touch it without leaving finger prints. Now take a tightly woven cotton cloth, damp it with white spirit and wipe it over the instrument bezels. You remove the grey enamel without harming the acrylic clear. And look at that tight panel, everything that's etched in to it is grey." This is something like 5 or 10 minutes, if that long, vice the "few hours".

 

Also you sated

QUOTE

I painted the instrument console black(MM enamel).

 

I would use arcrylic for the first, background, coat also.

 

HTH

Mark B.

[Gary V.]

Thanks! I'll give that a try. I am actually using the original plastic kit part.

[Mark B.]

It works just as well on the kit plastic parts as PE. It also works on resin replacment parts.

Good luck,

 

Mark B.

[Gary V.]

Thanks again, Mark. I'll give it another try!

[William G]

I use this when I am doing cockpits in 48 and 32, as well as on the 1/12 scale f-16 Pit I built when I was in Japan back in the 80's

If the instrument markings are white, I spray the part flat white first using regular enamel, then when it is dry, I clear coat ( Dull or gloss) let it dry a day or two.

after this spray the face color. ( Flat Black, Tamiya acrylic), let dry then shoot with the clear coat again. let dry.

On most of the aircraft I do the gauge faces and the panel are black so I dont have to do much masking, otherwise it is another step, or three.

After the clear coat has dried I break out some 600 grit sand paper and carefully using small motions I rub off the first layer of the clear, and the black.

Once that has been sanded away I use a damp tissue ( Use only water for this) and remove any dust.

If I need to touch up say the rings on the instrument faces it is easier to break out the 5/0 or 10/0 brush and do that then trying to pick it out totally.

Also at this time I can add any color as well that the gauge face might need.

I try to put slip marks and range bands on after I put a drop of clear on each gauge and let it dry.

kinda gives more depth to the gauges.

 

Hope that this helps ya too.