Plastic modeling

[RDCanecutter 26376]

8 hours ago, Goofyboy said:

Nah... went all in on a plastic model. He can be incredibly patient and focused if he’s into what he is doing. If he like this, I think he will thrive on it. If he doesn’t, he will get frustrated quickly and I get to build it.

Yeah, my first model was a Monogram Piper Tripacer, the one with the hunters and the dead mountain lion. I was 5. Badgered my Mom into helping me build it-- she showed me how to mix paints to get new colors, but I wouldn't listen to anything else, so I ended up with an airplane covered in yellow and purple fingerpints and bubbly paint. (LSU color scheme was coincidental-- I thought as a child, so it looked good to me.)

Next construction was when I was maybe 8. Me and Dad sat at a card table for multiple nights building a 1/32 Bf109 vs Spitfire duo, going as deliberately as if we were disarming bombs. Everything was by-the-book. I remember they looked decent to me, but no idea since they probably died during the puberty Toypocolypse.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

9 hours ago, Goofyboy said:

Nah... went all in on a plastic model. He can be incredibly patient and focused if he’s into what he is doing. If he like this, I think he will thrive on it. If he doesn’t, he will get frustrated quickly and I get to build it.

Yep gotcha, just remembering, and remarking on how similar the two projects can be from that description.  Pine wood derby is usually a stealth father competition.

[Shoxthemonkey 1976]

1 hour ago, RDCanecutter said:

Yeah, my first model was a Monogram Piper Tripacer, the one with the hunters and the dead mountain lion. I was 5. Badgered my Mom into helping me build it-- she showed me how to mix paints to get new colors, but I wouldn't listen to anything else, so I ended up with an airplane covered in yellow and purple fingerpints and bubbly paint. (LSU color scheme was coincidental-- I thought as a child, so it looked good to me.)

Next construction was when I was maybe 8. Me and Dad sat at a card table for multiple nights building a 1/32 Bf109 vs Spitfire duo, going as deliberately as if we were disarming bombs. Everything was by-the-book. I remember they looked decent to me, but no idea since they probably died during the puberty Toypocolypse.

The Tri-Pacer was one of my first as well. I liked to find the obscure models like the Ryan Navion and the like. My Grandparents bought me the same Revell P-51 for about 6 birthdays running. My brother sent me another for my 60th.

[Butch Had Not 2969]

Good news is that my jet is coming along.  Bad news is that it's looking rough in spots.  Uneven landing gear,  seams not fully closed up, and other stuff mostly paint issues. 

But it's getting there. 

[InkaUtexas 25852]

Just started a 1/72 scale diorama with my daughter. WW2 Russian front. German ambush of Ruskie armor. Not sure if going to go fall 44 or spring 45. Ruskies will have air support. IL-2 kit arrived!  I am excited! 

Are we allowed to post pictures here?

 

(not of daughter....)

Edited August 16, 2019 by InkaUtexas
Cuz surly....

[Butch Had Not 2969]

8 hours ago, InkaUtexas said:

Just started a 1/72 scale diorama with my daughter. WW2 Russian front. German ambush of Ruskie armor. Not sure if going to go fall 44 or spring 45. Ruskies will have air support. IL-2 kit arrived!  I am excited! 

Are we allowed to post pictures here?

 

(not of daughter....)

Please post pics of the diorama. Part of the reason I started this was to see other people's work as well. 

 

[InkaUtexas 25852]

24 minutes ago, Butch Had Not said:

Please post pics of the diorama. Part of the reason I started this was to see other people's work as well. 

 

Will do. We are starting the base this weekend so will send over a few. 

 

[RDCanecutter 26376]

I sorta-kinda found some process pictures. These are technically plastic (resin) 1/100 Brown Water Navy for a Vietnam tabletop wargame. Wanted to paint them so you could smell the fish sauce and river rot. These had lots of options so I turned to rare earth magnets. Managed to get the polarity right on all of them first time, alert the media.

[Braff Zacklin 13551]

Very nice work, RD. You forgot to include 1/100 versions of Martin Sheen and Laurence Fishburne on one of the PBRs, though. 😎

What do you use for your washes? I go back and forth between convenience (pre-mixed enamels) and control (home-mixed oils).

[RDCanecutter 26376]

1 minute ago, Braff Zacklin said:

Very nice work, RD. You forgot to include 1/100 versions of Martin Sheen and Laurence Fishburne on one of the PBRs, though. 😎

The horror.

2 minutes ago, Braff Zacklin said:

Very nice work, RD. You forgot to include 1/100 versions of Martin Sheen and Laurence Fishburne on one of the PBRs, though. 😎

What do you use for your washes? I go back and forth between convenience (pre-mixed enamels) and control (home-mixed oils).

These were done with basic acrylic craft paints like Americana, everything mixed by eye.

The important missing step that I forgot to photograph was the chalky white undercoat, I do that after the black spray undercoat. The white stage is where I build up highlights, and either make the surface look smooth or grubby. The stain is just an afterthought, almost all the shading is done with the white undercoat.

[Braff Zacklin 13551]

You're using acrylics for base and weathering? Are you applying a protective layer of varnish in between?

[RDCanecutter 26376]

3 minutes ago, Braff Zacklin said:

You're using acrylics for base and weathering? Are you applying a protective layer of varnish in between?

Nope. Car primer over base material (plastic, resin, metal), multiple layers of acrylics over that. When dry, spray on matte acrylic clear coat.

Most of these things are game pieces and get handled, I have some that are 20+ years old, still holding up.

Edited August 28, 2019 by RDCanecutter

[Braff Zacklin 13551]

1 minute ago, RDCanecutter said:

Nope. Car primer over base material (plastic, resin, metal), multiple layers of acrylics over that. When dry, spray on matte acrylic clear coat.

Most of these things are game pieces and get handled, I have some that are 20+ years old, still holding up.

Oh, so your base is probably an enamel (most rattle cans are enamels), and then you're weathering/detailing/highlighting with acrylics, and then sealing that up with a varnish. Gotcha.

For a moment, I thought you were going acrylic on acrylic, and that usually causes problems because the newest layer will often activate the older layer underneath.

[RDCanecutter 26376]

Just now, Braff Zacklin said:

Oh, so your base is probably an enamel (most rattle cans are enamels), and then you're weathering/detailing/highlighting with acrylics, and then sealing that up with a varnish. Gotcha.

For a moment, I thought you were going acrylic on acrylic, and that usually causes problems because the newest layer will often activate the older layer underneath.

Ah, I didn't even think of that. I admit that I am pretty much a self-taught modeler and I may not be the guy to imitate on technique. I just want things to not fall apart, and to look good from two feet away.

[Braff Zacklin 13551]

Whatever you're doing, it's working. I was just curious about your washes cuz I'm frustrated with the pre-made enamels (e.g., Tamiya Panel Line Accent Color) I've used.

Self taught is the best way. All the YouTube vids in the world won't confer skill, else I'd be a whiz with an airbrush by now.

[TwiceHorn 31429]

Don't get off the boat!

Impressive work, RD!

[RDCanecutter 26376]

4 minutes ago, Braff Zacklin said:

 All the YouTube vids in the world won't confer skill, else I'd be a whiz with an airbrush by now.

Do 1,000 more.

[Braff Zacklin 13551]

7 minutes ago, RDCanecutter said:

Do 1,000 more.

That really is the gist of it. I tend to go in spurts, and have been stalled out on a P-51D for a few months.

[elfenix 34221]

12 minutes ago, Braff Zacklin said:

That really is the gist of it. I tend to go in spurts, and have been stalled out on a P-51D for a few months.

shart thread is elsewhere

[RDCanecutter 26376]

31 minutes ago, elfenix said:

shart thread is elsewhere

Crossing the threads, here's a plastic model:

[Braff Zacklin 13551]

Question: Is that shit or chocolate soft serve from Golden Corral?

Answer: Yes.

Edited August 28, 2019 by Braff Zacklin

[El Diablo 4232]

Can I play war correspondent when the shooting starts? And I'm talking about the tabletop game, not the spurts. "Hanoi Hershey Bar" does have leave a ring.

[Butch Had Not 2969]

Running into problems brush painting with white. Advice to paint better? It doesn't coat the piece and can see through it more often than not. 

[Braff Zacklin 13551]

15 minutes ago, Butch Had Not said:

Running into problems brush painting with white. Advice to paint better? It doesn't coat the piece and can see through it more often than not. 

In general, lighter colors are more difficult to brush paint. The simplest (and costliest) solution to your problem is to get an airbrush.

If the subject isn't too large or too small, a paint marker might do the trick. I occasionally use these for detail work in cockpits (they are surprisingly opaque):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001VB4T86/

Often, adjusting the viscosity of your paint can help mitigate the streaking/unevenness. Thinner is better ... until it's too thin. Multiple coats will probably be needed.

Use the biggest brush that's practical. Fewer strokes tend to leave smoother coats.

Once you've painted an area, leave it be until completely dry and avoid trying to brush it smooth. In many cases, the coat will "self level" as the paint dries and cures.

Some brands/types of paint spread better than others. Citadel's Ceramite White is an example of a good acrylic white that brushes well. My Vallejos do, as well. Historically, I had the most difficulty with light enamels. Experiment and find what works best for you.

[RDCanecutter 26376]

2 hours ago, Braff Zacklin said:

Once you've painted an area, leave it be until completely dry and avoid trying to brush it smooth. In many cases, the coat will "self level" as the paint dries and cures.

This is what I think is happening. Gotta let it dry before you add more paint. Otherwise you're just adding more pigment to the low spots as it drifts away from the raised areas where the plastic shows through.

[Braff Zacklin 13551]

Been stalled out on a 1/48 Airfix P-51D build for almost half a year, so credit to this thread for reinvigorating my mojo.

Started back up this week and am about to prime and paint the exterior. Going with a NMF, so after shooting flat gray primer to highlight imperfections, I'll be laying down gloss back primer, buffing that, and then aluminum base.

There's raging debate among wonks and rivet counters regarding Mustang wing detail. Most came off the assembly line with a majority of the upper and lower wing surfaces puttied, lacquered, and painted silver to assist with laminar flow. Some argue the wings should be smooth as a baby's butt, while others counter the workmanship was not that thorough on account of mass production and time limitations.

I tend to favor the latter, so I used plastic putty to partially fill in rivets and panel lines. It's essentially a latex product that mitigates recesses but isn't good for leveling or building because it isn't sandable/workable once dry. Basically, you apply it and then use a wet cloth to remove the excess. Super easy to work with and the perfect choice for this job.

Below are some closeups of the cockpit and canopy. To avoid longcatting the thread, I've placed them inside a spoiler tag.

Spoiler

Sadly, sitting on the workbench for several months has attracted lots of dust and lint. Not sure the best way to remove the unwanted articles as tweezers and forced air often do more harm than good. Any suggestions would be welcome.

Will post updates of the next steps.

Edited September 5, 2019 by Braff Zacklin

[Texas_Rocks 346]

This brings back some warm memories. Some of the best B-Day/Christmas presents were plastic models that I had previously spied. My mother paid a lot of attention to that kind of thing and was usually spot on with the gifts. :-(

[Braff Zacklin 13551]

P-51 has been primed, first in flat light grey to reveal problem areas and then gloss black to prep for the naked metal finish (NMF).

Was not as tidy as needed when gluing the clear canopy parts to the fuselage. Fortunately, managed to clean up most of the overage.

Underside after priming and applying green zinc chomrate base to the wheel wells

And one prop and spinner, which have since been painted aluminum in prep for their base of flat black.

Will post some gloss black-primed pics tomorrow, before and after buffing, unless y'all think it's overkill and would rather just see the final result.

[RDCanecutter 26376]

I like the step-by-step photos.

[Braff Zacklin 13551]

Lots of mistakes, unfortunately.

Apparently failed to clean the airbrush well after shooting the green zinc chromate, so when I shot the gloss black primer hours later, it left a grainy texture. Worse, I wasn't wearing magnification (my eyes don't see so well closeup anymore) and didn't observe the screwup until it was too late.

No worries, I thought. I'll just smooth it out when I'm buffing the primer for maximum shine, which I've done in the past with a lacquer-based Alcad primer. Only this time, I was using an acrylic primer, and for some reason, I thought trying out the wool buffing pad on my electric rotary tool would be a timesaver. Scuffed the shit out of it.

So this little P-51 has become a "research vessel." Oh, well.

At least the aluminum base and gloss varnish went on well enough. Varnish needs a couple of days to cure. After that, I'll paint the wings silver, the anti-glare panel black, exhaust panels steel, and different shades of aluminum on various panels.

[Braff Zacklin 13551]

Disappointment in recent turn of events was so high, I came very close to abandoning the Mustang. But I stayed the course and am close to the decal/weathering stage.

Here she is from topside, taped up and ready to have the wings painted silver. Note the scuff marks from the rotary tool and the gritty texture near the wing roots.

Bottom side:

Nearing the end of the panel highlights:

And done. Still need to paint the canopy frame black (you can see the thumbprint I left when my finger slipped during painting, but I think it will brush out).

And with prop mocked into place. Even painting that turned into an ordeal, but this is getting long enough, so that's a story for another day.

For tomorrow, plan to drill and paint the exhaust manifolds, paint the prop tips, and then chip the prop and maybe affix the landing gear and covers. Also need to paint the sliding canopy frame.

What are y'all working on?

[RDCanecutter 26376]

Looks good to me.

My next project could be:

--Wooden Viking ship model (wood is sort of like plastic, sure.)

--Barnabas Collins Vampire Van

or finish any one of the following:

--Phantom comic strip figure

--B-25 in 1/144th scale

--3 P-40s in 1/144th.

I'll let the Hive Mind decide.

[Braff Zacklin 13551]

Are the 1/144th aircraft part of a diorama? Would love to see a step-by-step miniature "build" one of these days, but those all sound fun. 

[RDCanecutter 26376]

Just now, Braff Zacklin said:

Are the 1/144th aircraft part of a diorama? Would love to see a step-by-step miniature "build" one of these days, but those all sound fun. 

The P-40s were game pieces for a miniatures war game that I used to play. The bomber is just something I built because I wanted to. All of the 1/144 planes stalled out after I primed them.

[Braff Zacklin 13551]

Some finished parts for the P-51:

Prop and spinner with decals and chipping.

Inside of gear doors.

Spoilered a few pics of the process to keep the post smaller.

Spoiler

Exhaust manifolds. The one on the left is right off the sprue, the one on the right has been cleaned up and drilled.

Prop and spinner during and after painting.

Inside of gear covers before wash.

 

[Chad Fuck 17658]

Oof. Zinc chromate interior and the gear doors?

Better watch out. Mustang rivet counter Mafia signal just went out.

[Braff Zacklin 13551]

37 minutes ago, Chad Fuck said:

Oof. Zinc chromate interior and the gear doors?

Better watch out. Mustang rivet counter Mafia signal just went out.

The debate rages endlessly on that: bare metal, green zinc chromate, or yellow zinc chromate. Since they made over 15,000 Mustangs, I imagine all were correct at one time or another.

[Chad Fuck 17658]

43 minutes ago, Braff Zacklin said:

The debate rages endlessly on that: bare metal, green zinc chromate, or yellow zinc chromate. Since they made over 15,000 Mustangs, I imagine all were correct at one time or another.

There was a thread on another forum for warbirds where the rivet counter restorers went after the model guys and vice versa.  I think that thread lasted two years.  Many AvGeek tears were shed.  

 

[Braff Zacklin 13551]

14 minutes ago, Chad Fuck said:

There was a thread on another forum for warbirds where the rivet counter restorers went after the model guys and vice versa.  I think that thread lasted two years.  Many AvGeek tears were shed.

Only two years? You should read the discussions on aotake.

 

On second thought ... don't.

[TwiceHorn 31429]

Impressive work, Braff.  

[Butch Had Not 2969]

On 9/19/2019 at 2:04 PM, Braff Zacklin said:

The debate rages endlessly on that: bare metal, green zinc chromate, or yellow zinc chromate. Since they made over 15,000 Mustangs, I imagine all were correct at one time or another.

I was at the museum of flight in seattle a few weeks back, I should have taken detailed photos. 

[RDCanecutter 26376]

Don't even start talking about Caunter pattern British tanks.

[Braff Zacklin 13551]

9 minutes ago, RDCanecutter said:

Don't even start talking about Caunter pattern British tanks.

Sounds like something a blue caunter advocate would say.

[RDCanecutter 26376]

31 minutes ago, Braff Zacklin said:

Sounds like something a blue caunter advocate would say.

Blue caunter is prettier. Went well with pink LRDP trucks.

[RDCanecutter 26376]

Cover me, I'm going in.

[Braff Zacklin 13551]

Breakin' out the resin. Bettah getcho mask on, boy.

[RDCanecutter 26376]

11 hours ago, Braff Zacklin said:

Breakin' out the resin. Bettah getcho mask on, boy.

These are styrene, iddy biddy 1/144th scale.

[Braff Zacklin 13551]

2 hours ago, RDCanecutter said:

These are styrene, iddy biddy 1/144th scale.

http://www.miniwing.cz/douglas-a-1e-skyraider.html

[RDCanecutter 26376]

4 hours ago, Braff Zacklin said:

http://www.miniwing.cz/douglas-a-1e-skyraider.html

Ah. Thanks for the info. Looked styrene in the bag.

I won't be doing any sanding, so most of the fun will come from sniffing the glue.

[Braff Zacklin 13551]

Polystyrene almost always comes on a sprue or tree of some sort. Resin comes attached to those bases or whatever they are called.

An unsolicited tip: When you saw the pieces from their respective bases, please wear a mask and use a wet blade to keep the resin dust/particles from flying around and getting into your lungs. That shit is horrible.

It's OK to sand, but again, make sure you are wet sanding and, as always, wear a mask.