EricP Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 You can also use acetone, i.e. some types of nail polish remover. Read the label before you buy, some types do not have any acetone at all, especially if they're advertised as being gentle on the nails. For the times when Mr Surfacer 500 doesn't quite fill well enough, I have a small paint jar with Tamiya putty dissolved in acetone. Thin it to a desired consistency ... mine is something like a thick slurry (think McDonald's vanilla cone), that I can use a paintbrush to "paint" over offending seams. Cleanup is with a q-tip dipped in more acetone. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted February 9, 2014 Author Share Posted February 9, 2014 Thanks for those tips guys. I will have to try them, maybe when I come to fixing the wings to fuselage, I'm sure that will need a bit of 'blending'. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jockster Posted February 9, 2014 Share Posted February 9, 2014 Just bear in mind that acetone is NOT styrene friendly so use sparingly. Also, both Acetone and IPA will strip the oils from your hands so use a moisturiser cream after use to make 'em all baby soft again lest swmbo bans you from touching her delicate skin with 'that sanding block you call hands!' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted February 17, 2014 Author Share Posted February 17, 2014 (edited) Made a bit more progress. Wings and radiators cemented together, and a few bits painted. Wings offered up to fuselage for a quick look at the fit. Could be worse: My first 'pilot' for about 40 years, give or take. Apologies to pilots everywhere. Need to paint his seat straps, but he is better than the last one I did! Might have a bash at enclosing those wheel bays, how hard could it be? Thanks for looking. Edited February 17, 2014 by chockhead 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted February 17, 2014 Author Share Posted February 17, 2014 Just bear in mind that acetone is NOT styrene friendly so use sparingly. Also, both Acetone and IPA will strip the oils from your hands so use a moisturiser cream after use to make 'em all baby soft again lest swmbo bans you from touching her delicate skin with 'that sanding block you call hands!' Cheers Jockster, worth knowing before I leave it on for half an hour to 'soak in' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted February 26, 2014 Author Share Posted February 26, 2014 Thought I had better crack on a bit. In very short order I had a Spitfire on my hands, and I was quite pleased with how it so easily fell together. 2 3 Mind you, there's not much in the cockpit. The fit of wings to fuselage looks good, all things considered. I think the prop may even spin around. We'll have to wait for the glue to dry first though! Cheers. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darth Vader Posted February 28, 2014 Share Posted February 28, 2014 Loving this , takes me back to the early 80s ,school summer holidays and Woolworths. Beautiful looking plane the spitfire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted March 5, 2014 Author Share Posted March 5, 2014 Darth Vader, 'sadly' this takes me back to the 1970's. But on the plus side, I did enjoy the 80's. Plenty of Green Stuff needed on the wing to fuselage joint, especially the underside. Found some Acetone nail polish remover in the local chemists. It was cheap and available, so I picked it up (steady). The sales assistant never raised an eyebrow, bless her. What enlightened times we live in. Used the cotton bud method and rubbed the excess Green Stuff off. Much easier and less messy than trying to rub it all down with a bit of wet and dry. I was concious that I might dissolve the model with the acetone, so quickly washed it off with detergent and warm water. No harm done. Top tip, cheers guy's. Then a rub down with some very fine wet n dry. 1 2 3 I have lost quite a bit of the panel line detail, but in some areas that was probably just as well. I think a bit of Mr. Surfacer primer and some panel scribing will be next up. Oh, and maybe 'box' in those wheel wells. Cheers. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper_city Posted March 5, 2014 Share Posted March 5, 2014 This is going well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieNZ Posted March 9, 2014 Share Posted March 9, 2014 This was the first kit I built with my Dad, probably 1981 or something like that. It was in the earlier style boxing, with the full painting on the front. I can still remember my dad teaching me how to brush paint (with Humbrol enamels of course). He did a lovely job of the underside, no brush marks at all. I might have to track one down for old times sake. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted March 9, 2014 Author Share Posted March 9, 2014 CharlieNZ, my Dad made models with me when I was a nipper in the 60's. He favoured the little WW1 bi-planes. Little did he know what he was starting! I made models with my lad, now looking forward to doing a few with the grandchildren (if we get any!). I will save the rest of my older kits for then.....probably. Cheers, and welcome to Britmodeller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted March 18, 2014 Author Share Posted March 18, 2014 Made a bit more progress on the Spitfire. I am just building this for a bit of nostalgic fun, but while I'm at it, try a few new techniques and ideas along the way. Spurred on by my success with nail polish remover, I decided another thing I ought to be doing is blanking off wheel wells, to avoid that unrealistic see-through look. It was a little fiddly, and it crossed my mind that it may have been easier doing it before the wing halves were cemented together. Either method has its pros and cons, I suspect. Anyway, here's how they look after an initial quick clean up. I am also having a go at some very minor re-scribing. Can't get any Dymo tape anywhere. Just some funny looks when I ask if they have any. Probably need to resort to ebay. Anyway, used a bit of masking tape, not ideal but sort of worked ok. Just wanted to try and re-scribe some of the lost detail. And my Polish fighter pilot is looking the part. Do Widzenia! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hotel Papa Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 I'd forgotten how well those were sculpted. My painting at the time never did them justice as yours does now, however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted March 18, 2014 Author Share Posted March 18, 2014 Hotel Papa, yes they come up quite nice don't they. I 'pinched' some figure painting techniques from my son's War Hammer gaming and model making days. When I last tried to do one, gloss brown all-over with a pink face staring out was the best I could manage! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 (edited) For an older kit this is going to produce a fine looking Spitfire. I'm impressed you are trying re-scribing - something I need to have a go at sometime. Good work! Wheel wells look far better too! Kind regards, Stix Edited March 18, 2014 by PlaStix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted March 19, 2014 Author Share Posted March 19, 2014 Broke out some Humbrol enamels and thought I would see how they came up with a bit of hand painting. Not too bad, but I think I will use the airbrush for maybe another coat of grey on top, and then the green camouflage pattern. I could do with the practice anyway! Cheers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted March 19, 2014 Author Share Posted March 19, 2014 For an older kit this is going to produce a fine looking Spitfire. I'm impressed you are trying re-scribing - something I need to have a go at sometime. Good work! Wheel wells look far better too! Kind regards, Stix Thank you PlaStix. The re-scribing is going so-so, I think you really do need the dymo tape to give a firm edge to guide the tool. Cheers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted March 20, 2014 Author Share Posted March 20, 2014 Day off work today, woke up and had a look at the Spitfire. In the light of day the paint job didn't look too bad, so I decided against getting the compressor/airbrush etc etc out and all set up. Its a great thing, but not having a permanent set up is a hassle, for such a small job. So on with some Green for the camouflage bit, and then touched in a few bits, including the spinner. A steady(ish) hand took care of the cockpit canopy. It dried off fairly quickly, as these matt enamels do. A bit too quick really, as it would be easier to hand brush if it didn't start to go off as your still painting it on! Anyhow, I felt confident enough to give it a gloss coat later on in the day, ready for the decals. Here's what I mostly did on my day off! Maybe some decaling this evening Thanks for Looking. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 That's a very good finish on the camo - I initially thought you'd airbrushed it until I saw the text. Can I ask if it's freehand or masked? Kind regards, Stix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smudge Posted March 20, 2014 Author Share Posted March 20, 2014 Very kind of you to say so, Stix. I just followed the picture on the box, and a couple of plans I have in an old book. Using a trusty No.3 brush, freehand. I was tempted to try and knock up some templates, especially if I was going to use the airbrush. But painting by hand, decided against it. I think you need to try and get the pattern right though. Its one of those things that if you just make up a pattern as you go along, it won't quite look right. Thank you! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted March 20, 2014 Share Posted March 20, 2014 Seems to me the result of a day well spent. Nice paintwork Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deacon Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Nice paint job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted March 21, 2014 Share Posted March 21, 2014 Very kind of you to say so, Stix. I just followed the picture on the box, and a couple of plans I have in an old book. Using a trusty No.3 brush, freehand. I was tempted to try and knock up some templates, especially if I was going to use the airbrush. But painting by hand, decided against it. I think you need to try and get the pattern right though. Its one of those things that if you just make up a pattern as you go along, it won't quite look right. Thank you! I'm even more impressed!! You get a much better finish than I do - I tied on a test piece when I was doing my Mk1a and it didn't look good so I ended up using Tamiya masking tape to mask the shapes. Kind regards, Stix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedman Posted March 23, 2014 Share Posted March 23, 2014 It's looking good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted March 24, 2014 Share Posted March 24, 2014 Ahh memories! cracking job you are doing here,these kits still build well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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