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Another Lightning F3


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Oooohhh...the first Black Mike;)

Good work so far Bill. The wheelwells look like a less work intensive and sanity-saving than Aires. Although it can't rival Aires for detail (nothing can IMO - I don't know how "they do it"), it is quite effective and convincing what is there. What black did you use? That looks very nice and smooth, and if you micromesh it, you could chrome your Lightning if you wanted to...

Jens

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Oooohhh...the first Black Mike;)

Good work so far Bill. The wheelwells look like a less work intensive and sanity-saving than Aires. Although it can't rival Aires for detail (nothing can IMO - I don't know how "they do it"), it is quite effective and convincing what is there. What black did you use? That looks very nice and smooth, and if you micromesh it, you could chrome your Lightning if you wanted to...

Jens

I love that Micromesh stuff!! Spent best part of two days (in between customers of course!! Best basil Fawlty voice: "What do you mean you want serving? Can't you see I'm building a model!!?!?!") polishing the thing up. I've used Tamiya Gloss Black - and can't help but ponder..If only 111 Sqn had painted their Lightnings the same way as their Hunters........

And yes Alclad CHROME is due its initial application tonight......wish me luck!!

Couldn't help myself -Ii just had to have a look to see what the nose ring looked like with the gloss black.....

100_5511.jpg

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Looks lovely in black, your ring looks great (ooh er missus :D ). Good luck with the Alclad.

Fnar!!!! He's right though, it does look rather nice ;)

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Had a bit of a disaster with my first application of Alclad Chrome! Heres my second attempt - a lot better but a bit too shiny!!!

I've applied a top copat of "Airframe Aluminium".

My aim is to show my F3 as new and highly polished (as Lightnings sometimes were!). I'll pick out a few panels in a different shade tomorrow....

Ready for the Tamiya masking tape's removal....

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Can anyone advise......how easy is it to mask this stuff, as it appears to have lifted some off in areas where the tape overlapped!?!.

Is it worth sealing Alclad, with varnish?

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Bill,

Looks absolutely gorgeous!!!

In my (very) limited experience with Alclad the "shiny" finishes (chrome, polished aluminium and airframe aluminium) need some time to "cure" before being masked. Overnight seems to allow the surface sufficient time to be resilient to masking. I've found that even the "duller" shades are not maskable within 15 minutes as advertised - I managed to put a nice fingerprint on the aluminium wing upper surface of mine last night some 3 hours after spraying :wall:

HTH,

Ian

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Bill,

Looks absolutely gorgeous!!!

In my (very) limited experience with Alclad the "shiny" finishes (chrome, polished aluminium and airframe aluminium) need some time to "cure" before being masked. Overnight seems to allow the surface sufficient time to be resilient to masking. I've found that even the "duller" shades are not maskable within 15 minutes as advertised - I managed to put a nice fingerprint on the aluminium wing upper surface of mine last night some 3 hours after spraying :wall:

HTH,

Ian

Thanks for that Ian. I think I'm used to using SnJ which was rock hard within minutes!!

"I managed to put a nice fingerprint on the aluminium wing upper surface of mine last night some 3 hours after spraying".

Guess what?......Me too!!!

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AH.............wheres my sun glasses :coolio: That's better

Oh Alclad................

OK hears my finding on it over the time line of several cock ups.

1st I find it works best with Tamiya acrylic gloss black as the under coat. Don't know why but that what works for me.

2nd Misting it on is a must, I spray at 20psi and mist it on, the first two coats you can hardly see it. Leaving 2 to 3 minute between coats and building up the layers

3rd Never put a clear coat on top as it will change the the Finnish of the metal, even with a good gloss goat I find it duller than the Alcad on it's own.

and as for masking I only use Tamiya tape and never had it lift on me.

But looking good Bill :thumbsup2:

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AH.............wheres my sun glasses :coolio: That's better

Oh Alclad................

OK hears my finding on it over the time line of several cock ups.

1st I find it works best with Tamiya acrylic gloss black as the under coat. Don't know why but that what works for me.

2nd Misting it on is a must, I spray at 20psi and mist it on, the first two coats you can hardly see it. Leaving 2 to 3 minute between coats and building up the layers

3rd Never put a clear coat on top as it will change the the Finnish of the metal, even with a good gloss goat I find it duller than the Alcad on it's own.

and as for masking I only use Tamiya tape and never had it lift on me.

But looking good Bill :thumbsup2:

Cheers Phil, I have used Tamiya gloss black and that was fine. I checked the thing this morning and applied a small piece of Tamiya tape and it still lifted- and is noticeably patchy where it has lifted! I've already stripped it down once, and may have to do the same again...third time lucky- or I may revert to Halford's Aluminium!!!

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Nige had trouble with Alclad Chrome.... it never set up properly, and he could rub it off with his fingers. Maybe this is a less severe version of that? :hmmm:

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OK Bill, plan 'B' use Post It Notes for masking tape. They are very low tack.

I no using Tamiya chrome is a pain to mask as it lifts a layer and leave it all motley, but I find a bit of a rub with a bit of kitchen roll brings it back to a nice Finnish again. :)

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If I'm not mistaken, Alclad Chrome and Highly Polished Aluminium are supposed to go over a gloss black *enamel* finish, and I believe the Tamiya Spray cans are a sort of acrylic (though a different acrylic from the water soluble acrylics) - could this have anything to do with it? Shame to see that you're unhappy with the durability (or lack thereof) - I thought Alclad was tough as nails?

Jens

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Thanks for the advice chaps! I'm not sure of what action to take next on this. I partiularly wanted a high gloss metallic finish - as seen at Airshows etc., (sometimes!). The chrome looks fantastic for this, but tamiya tape did leave marks - blotchy as Phil says. I may just concede some of that chrome finish by applying a thin coat of satin or gloss acrylic varnish -hope that doesn't bugger thigs up more, but its looking like I may have already reached that point!!

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Bill,

I sprayed some Airframe Aluminium on mine yesterday afternoon - I've just tested it and it is dry and does not lift/mark with Tamiya tape.

The symptoms you decribe are identical to those that I had with the Alclad Chrome on the nose ring of my F6 earlier this year (Cop/Nigel had the same problem) which I believe was caused by the Chrome being part of the "bad batch" of Alclad. This "bad batch" Alclad does eventually dry ................... but it took a month or two in my case :angry: So if you are (very) patient it will save you any further (drastic) action.

HTH,

Ian

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Bill,

I sprayed some Airframe Aluminium on mine yesterday afternoon - I've just tested it and it is dry and does not lift/mark with Tamiya tape.

The symptoms you decribe are identical to those that I had with the Alclad Chrome on the nose ring of my F6 earlier this year (Cop/Nigel had the same problem) which I believe was caused by the Chrome being part of the "bad batch" of Alclad. This "bad batch" Alclad does eventually dry ................... but it took a month or two in my case :angry: So if you are (very) patient it will save you any further (drastic) action.

HTH,

Ian

Thanks Ian, I think I may go down the "Airframe Alu" route.......I've no confidence in the Chrome I'm afraid :fraidnot:

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More pic's to follow...BUT I've tried a new bottle of ALCLAD Chrome and touch wood (and tentatively a bit of my Lightning -guffaw!!), AND I think that it may have worked!! I'll leave it until tomorrow annd I'll attmpt some masking on the lower wings!

Thanks for the advice on ALCLAD y'all!!! It may have paid off!! :)

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  • 1 month later...

Just a quick update.....I've decided to pull my F3 build from the GB, as I have no chance of completing the thing in time. I will finish the little so and so off - but later in the year!

This will hopefuly allow me a bit of concentrated time to complete the Harrier GR1 - We shall see!!

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