Vintage Pair's Vampire T11 XH304

[Tomoshenko]

Yes it is stunning. Like the ingenious method you used for making the canopy decals. I've been wondering as to the best way / order of spraying antiglare panels myself. What should be a straightforward job really isn't, as the problems noted by you and Fritag demonstrate. I do like the sound of Fritag's modus operandi though.

[keefr22]

Can see that working with acrylic as I did that with a scalpel on the canopy of the Zero build at Christmas, Could be a different story with enamel. Tempted to give it whirl though.

You could try moistening said cocktail stick with white spirit. Has worked for me in the past many weeks after spraying enamels.

Keith

[Cheshiretaurus]

You could try moistening said cocktail stick with white spirit. Has worked for me in the past many weeks after spraying enamels.

Keith

like it

Good idea, I'll try IPA instead though. dont want to damage the clear plastic with white spirit

[keefr22]

Not sure if IPA will work with enamels? Touch wood I've had no problems with white spirit on clear parts, but I do make sure the cocktail stick is just damp & don't flood the bits with the WS. Maybe try it on the clear sprue first?

K

[MolarDoc]

There is the proof that it is the preparation that counts - Looks like the beautifully sharp masking and painting has paid dividends.

[perdu]

Looks rather "elite" Mark

I would advise using the cocktail stick, cautiously of course, on the paint you want to 'ease' away from the edges

I would try dry first before adulterating it with white spirits too but I don't think a dampened tip cocktai stick will be a problem to you, I have never had a loss of clarity using white spirit on clear plastic and the suggestion is only a dampened tip

Go for it

I have amazed myself lately, I'm finding that I use cocktail sticks on all sort of tasks nowadays

Even using the tip to add paint into small openings

Versatility beckons

[robvulcan]

Cocktail sticks are very useful but if you want to go even finer with paint application or glue application I use guitar string which I have plenty knocking around. But one length or .008 or .009 should last a life time and can be shoved in a wine bottle cork or similar, Milliput perhaps.

Dam sharp though so be careful.

Rob

[Cheshiretaurus]

Tried the cocktail stick dry, IPA, white spirit but didnt get what I wanted so this morning I re polished the wing tips with micromesh from 3200 to 12000 grades and got it back to a nice shiny finish.

My Nav lights were never as clear as Fritags from the start anyway.

As It was to be another grey paint session, I masked the inner main gear doors by putting them in place with white tack and aligning the tape so the line corresponds with the door closed position and also mounted the insides of the flaps, the outsides were done some weeks ago.

But first a job to do.....

As I thought I was done with spraying for a while, I took the airbrush apart for deep cleaning in a container of airbrush cleaner sat in the ultrasonic cleaner. So a quick re-assembly was needed. I normally leave the parts soaking for a few days in cleaner before putting it back together. Next time I'll wait for the results before taking it apart.

Re masked the nav light immediately before spraying so it didnt have a chance to lift and re sprayed all those bit I needed.

Think I have got gloss spraying worked out now, needs lots of thinning 1.5x thinner to paint. thinner is still a 50/50 white spirit & cellulose, with a trace of terebine dryer.

Edited August 13, 2014 by Cheshiretaurus

[lowlevelraf]

Lovely work !

[Cheshiretaurus]

Just taken the masking off, good advise from Fritag, the black will need rework on its forward corners. So plan is to leave this until after the decaling. and satin coat, then a coat of matt black again rather than a clear matt coat.

Nav lights are now much crisper, need to remember to remask these prior to the satin.

Think attention now will turn to the undercarriage and flap bays.

[Miggers]

Great work Mark.

You and Steevo are turning into the master builders of post war Classic British iron.

I always give my masking tape a lick of Kleer to seal the edges.

[Cheshiretaurus]

I always give my masking tape a lick of Kleer to seal the edges.

Think I need start doing that with either klear or previous colour as a standard operating procedure from now on.

[Ex-FAAWAFU]

Special thanks to whoever first recommended tack cloths. I picked some up over the weekend and Ark Royal has lost about 3 oz in dust as a result!

[Cheshiretaurus]

Special thanks to whoever first recommended tack cloths. I picked some up over the weekend and Ark Royal has lost about 3 oz in dust as a result!

Think you can thank Miggers for that most welcome post.

[Fritag]

Looks like a really nice finish on that gloss grey. Nav lights look nicer than mine.

Must admit I'm a bit nervous about the final coat of varnish. Definitely one to practice on something disposeable first. Are you using an enamel varnish as well?

[Cheshiretaurus]

Planning on using Humbrol satin clear cote (enamel), Yes I'm having a little apprehension over it too. A practice piece needs to be sought to simulate the model to test the whole thing from primer right through yellow black grey and decals to the satin coat.

Edited August 13, 2014 by Cheshiretaurus

[robvulcan]

Planning on using Humbrol satin clear cote (enamel), Yes I'm having a little apprehension over it too. A practice piece needs to be sought to simulate the model to test the whole thing from primer right through yellow black grey and decals to the satin coat.

I am sure you know anyway but want to advise against Humbrol Enamel Varnishes as they yellow.

I am sure you don't want this look look like its been in a smokers house.

Why not try Windor and Newton Varnishes they are incredible and don't yellow. I add their flow improver to mine.

You can brush them too, but they do take a few hours to dry but the finish is very good indeed.

[Cheshiretaurus]

As far as I'm aware Rob its just the ones in the metal tinletts that yellow, I'm planning on using the glass bottle ones. but if anyone has any experience of the bottles yellowing please do let me know.

[robvulcan]

As far as I'm aware Rob its just the ones in the metal tinletts that yellow, I'm planning on using the glass bottle ones. but if anyone has any experience of the bottles yellowing please do let me know.

I am sure they yellow too, Its I think all enamels yellow. Acrylics don't, The W&N ones are UV protected too against sun damage and yellowing. If your worried about permanency the Rattle can Humbrol Acrylic sprays are wonderful but don't spray them in humid conditions, Mist them and let them do their work but if you have not used them practice on something else first.

I don't know if you have used enamels or acrylics here I would not recommend using the sprays over enamels because of chemical reactions. But the W&N stuff is pretty durable and non reactive being water based. It gets tougher with age too.

its useful stuff to have and worth getting to have in for odd jobs and things, Not tried their gloss and satin yet but the matt is wonderful.

It was this chap that I think put me in touch with the stuff .

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/70935-brush-painting-camo/

Cheers Rob

[Zone19]

I am sure they yellow too, Its I think all enamels yellow. Acrylics don't, The W&N ones are UV protected too against sun damage and yellowing. If your worried about permanency the Rattle can Humbrol Acrylic sprays are wonderful but don't spray them in humid conditions, Mist them and let them do their work but if you have not used them practice on something else first.

I don't know if you have used enamels or acrylics here I would not recommend using the sprays over enamels because of chemical reactions. But the W&N stuff is pretty durable and non reactive being water based. It gets tougher with age too.

its useful stuff to have and worth getting to have in for odd jobs and things, Not tried their gloss and satin yet but the matt is wonderful.

It was this chap that I think put me in touch with the stuff .

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/70935-brush-painting-camo/

Cheers Rob

Cheers for that Rob great thread to read

[robvulcan]

Cheers for that Rob great thread to read

Yep it helped me out when my Airbrush packed up that's when I wanted to return to brushing and sort a way to brush with no streaks, That's when I turned to Flow Improver, Acrylics with Humbrol sprays and never looked back. Had more fun since rather than fighting with the Airbrush and getting angry.

That said I still want an airbrush but next time I will invest in a better quality compressor. Which made a lot of noise but produced less air pressure than an Ant with Gastric problems.

[perdu]

I find Tamiya varnishes in aerosols work better than Humbrol ones if that is any use to you chaps

I have had Humbrol varnishes going grey when painted over enamels, anyone remember the mess it made of my Xtracolour green Wessex HC2 (pic if you like but I'm sure you wont need it)

[keefr22]

Never had any problems with matt or satin cote (i.e. the glass bottle ones) yellowing, even over white. I 'think', but am not sure, they may be cellulose (or similar) based rather than enamel. I 'think' (again) that it's the oil in the carrier of enamels that yellow rather than the pigments themselves, & the glass bottle varnishes have a different carrier than the ones in the tin (that look yellow before you even take them out of said tin!). You may however find that your base grey coat may eventually yellow under the varnish - I've had that happen, but it may have taken about 40 years (it was a model I'd built as a kid found in my mum's loft when I was clearing it out a couple of years ago - I know it was unvarnished as I had no idea about varnishing back then!!)

Keith

[robvulcan]

I find Tamiya varnishes in aerosols work better than Humbrol ones if that is any use to you chaps

I have had Humbrol varnishes going grey when painted over enamels, anyone remember the mess it made of my Xtracolour green Wessex HC2 (pic if you like but I'm sure you wont need it)

I really need to give Tamiya A try I never heard anything but praise for them I just find the price hard to compare to the £3.99 Humbrols are from Top slots and Trains.

The Humbrol matts and satins can cloud in humid conditions. I find in direct sun they spray fine. Plus if they have gone grey give them another mist coat when dry of the same and if the weather is right they will return to normal colours without the nasty bloom effect (guess how I worked that out had a disaster myself)

Never had any problems with matt or satin cote (i.e. the glass bottle ones) yellowing, even over white. I 'think', but am not sure, they may be cellulose (or similar) based rather than enamel.

Keith

Yes I think your right there I remember when they first brought out their glass bottle varnish and wondered why they did that when they had the tins and a chap said "I think they are Cellulose". Can't remember what they are like to use.

[keefr22]

Yes I think your right there I remember when they first brought out their glass bottle varnish and wondered why they did that when they had the tins and a chap said "I think they are Cellulose". Can't remember what they are like to use.

I'm just going off the smell Rob. I tend to thin them with cellulose thinner & they spray really well (although I only use my old Aztek airbrush with cellulose thinner these days after the stuff ate the rubber O rings in my brand new Iwata when I first used it!) but they spray just as well thinned with white spirit, they just take longer to dry. I do find the mattcote isn't as matt these days as when it first came out, but apart from that they're my varnishes of choice. I have now got bottles of all the 'laquer' based Alclad ones too, & they seem to be like pre-thinned Humbrols. They spray very nicely straight from the bottle. I did however use the matt one on a WW1 build & found the superglue accelerator I use when rigging badly stained the finish - I've never had that happen with mattcote.

keith