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It has undergone a lot of changes over the years. I have always used it as an acrylic gloss varnish... not sure why I stopped on this build, probably because it seems so unsophisticated compared to the modern varnishes everyone uses now, but really it is excellent.

 

I use it for canopies, too. A dip in Future/Pledge makes for brilliantly hard and shiny cockpit canopies... clearer and shinier than real life actually, but I cant help loving it.

 

It is also very cheap compared to varnishes and if you are building a ship, especially in 200 scale, they are massive and you need a LOT of varnish!

 

Here is what you are looking for in the supermarket...

 

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And this is what happens when you dip a Spitfire MkIX canopy in it (the other two parts are masked on the model, but this is the sliding section... Pretty shiny isnt it! 😀

 

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In real life it looks super smooth... much smoother and clear than a standard canopy... Its worth buying Pledge just for canopies...!

 

 

 

 

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18 hours ago, Dansk said:

Thanks christer

which part do you mean? I havent added all the aerials and small parts and lights etc until the end as i always knock them off. 

this version has bomb racks also to be added later

I was thinking about the PE hooks, 2x PE7 that is added later on, but you answered it anyway. 

I was going to add them before primer, but I see now that it would be a mess trying to mask the stripes with those hooks in place.

Silly me.

 

By the way, is there any chance that this A/C flew with stripes on top of the wings?

It was in service before June 6.

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Yeah i’ll add the bomb hard points after decalling christer. 

 

 

But I’ve had it with eduard decals, they used to use cartograf but now they make their own and i’ve just had hell with them. Shrivelling up, not moving, washed out colours that are home printer-like, white outlines on roundels. I screwed up the rear codes so much i’ve had to use numbers from a different scheme ☹️ 

49938810491_b9849deb3f_b.jpg


So it’s killed my enthusiasm on this one. Next time I’ll use AM decals and paint my own roundels.
I’ve even had one break up from soft masking despite a coat of gloss over it.
This can be fixed with paint though.

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But saying that since last time i have the leading edge yellow and red markings painted.
I love post-it notes for preventing overspray but despite being so weak they still pulled off that coated eduard decal.

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So a disastrous session, but i’ll continue decalling 😞

 

Edited by Dansk
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Hi Paul,

That is very disappointing. Decals - the worst part of modelling. Anyway, if necessary, painted roundels are a good option. Keep at it. You've got an exceptional build happening.

Ray

 

 

 

 

 

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Hmmm very strange, Ive only had one issue with Eduard decals and that was three years ago on my very first Eduard kit. A Fw.190 in 1/72, the decals were so thin that they folded and i couldnt unfold them. Ive built about a dozen in 1/48 & 1/72 since then with never a problem. Im very sorry to hear of your issues Dansk and if I can help let me know ? 

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I doesn't help Paul but I too have not had trouble with the Eduard decals, same kit same decals. I might of got a good print job. I also don't go anywhere near the decals until another gloss coat was over the decal to seal it. 

 

Decals_1

 

Decal solutions - Mr Mark Setter and Mr Mark Softer (not Microsol). Softer, since its "NEO" reincarnation, does not seem to be as potent as it used to be. I read somewhere this was intentional for thin European decals. 

 

Ray

 

 

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Thanks for the support guys. Those look ace ray. Yes mine were really thin and folded so easily. This was on top of 2 klear coats, and using microset. You can see in one of the pics the bottle i started using of mr mark softer neo. That helped just a touch. Noticeably i tested another set of decals at the same time, aeroscale was it? Cant remember, but they were awesome and problem free. I used a D under the nose from that set. Well its all done now and that underwing roundel is touched up. So next up another gloss coat after microsol has dried tomorrow.

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Decals can be a real pest, either making or breaking a model. I find it’s luck at times but I’m definitely following gloss, gloss, microset microsol gloss matt next as usually I just do microset then Microsol. 
 

I have only built 3 eduards and the latest on here I tore both topside roundels 

 

Loving your build 

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10 hours ago, Dansk said:

Thanks for the support guys. Those look ace ray. Yes mine were really thin and folded so easily. This was on top of 2 klear coats, and using microset. You can see in one of the pics the bottle i started using of mr mark softer neo. That helped just a touch. Noticeably i tested another set of decals at the same time, aeroscale was it? Cant remember, but they were awesome and problem free. I used a D under the nose from that set. Well its all done now and that underwing roundel is touched up. So next up another gloss coat after microsol has dried tomorrow.

Paul, really glad you found a path out of the decal maze. Looking forward to the finish pics. Must be close now. Ray

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Playing catch-up with threads having been distracted (exhausted!) by the weekend's Blitzbuild!

 

15 hours ago, Dansk said:

I’ve had it with eduard decals

I agree wholeheartedly about Eduard's decals, for a company that makes such great kits how can they compromise so on the decals? Maybe they should read this forum more. I'm sure you'll get it sorted but it's not what you need and takes the fun away.

 

13 hours ago, Ray_W said:

Decal solutions - Mr Mark Setter and Mr Mark Softer (not Microsol). Softer, since its "NEO" reincarnation, does not seem to be as potent as it used to be. I read somewhere this was intentional for thin European decals. 

Interesting observations Ray. I wonder if the companies are dumbing down the decal solutions? I'm sure Microsol used to be more potent (or it's time I replaced it!). Having read on BM that you need Mr Mark Softer for Tamiya decals (I have a Tamiya Corsair in line for the coming STGB - starts on Friday :blink:) I bought some. I'd read that it was fairly potent, so I applied it very carefully to the old Academy decals I just used - it had absolutely no affect at all! The Microsol softened them slightly, but not quite enough.

 

Anyway, best of luck for the rest of the build Paul, look forward to seeing another cracker!

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13 minutes ago, Johnson said:

Mr Mark Softer for Tamiya decals

Charlie,

 

A few more observations.

 

I know there is/was a belief that Microsol lost its potency over time. 

 

I don't think the NEO range is a dumb down but rather an improvement based on issues with non-Japanese decals. There was a view that Mr Mark Softer could damage the thin decals and was bad news with the likes of the old ICM. The new type NEO is definitely not that aggressive. I wonder if it does anything.

 

I really do like the Setter NEO. I'd rush out and get another one when the current is finished. Tip: Shake the bottle continuously when using. 

 

I used the Tamiya decals on their latest Spitifire Mk I with Setter with no issue. I can't recall if I also used the Softer, maybe Tamiya Mark Fit. The results were good. No photo sadly as that kit's finished back in Australia.  Whether Softer works on the 20 plus year old decals, I don't know. It's been a long time since I have had decals wrinkle up then satisfyingly pull down tight. Now it's much less of a show. Can't complain though, the results have been good. l note that Tamiya offer a more aggressive solution Mark Fit (strong) which I have not tried.

 

In Japan GSI still offer Softer and Setter without the NEO label.  Your bottle of Softer probably says NEO, like mine, if not, then I think it will do a great job on the Tamiya decals. If it does, say then I'm interested to see just how it performs.

 

And, just to give you total confidence for the Corsair build, I have already chickened out and have Montex masks ready.

 

Ray

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34 minutes ago, Ray_W said:

I don't think the NEO range is a dumb down but rather an improvement based on issues with non-Japanese decals

You're quite right Ray, I was being loose with my description!

 

I have the Mr MARK SOFTER NEO and Mr MARK SETTER NEO but have yet to use them as instructed. I used the SOFTER more as Microsol would be used, after applying the decal and the instructions are to use as the decals are going on - would have made a difference I wonder? Possibly not with such old decals. I should have tried the SETTER but was worried about trying it on a model without experimenting on a mule first. I ended up using Microsol as a setter/softener and got limited results.

 

Looking forward to the Corsair, but could be a while as I have a Spit 24 to complete.

 

Cheers (and apologies again to Paul for the hijack!)

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No problem with the hijack, its all good and relevant. And thanks for the good advice vibes and help.

and thanks for the kind offer steve.

I had another goof on this, there was a hole in the mask on the canopy so that bit got primed painted and varnished. So i sanded it all off and polished it and with a dip in klear its looking pretty good again. Wonderful stuff again.

 

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The rest of the aircraft had a flory wash and a matt varnish and some chips and exhaust smoke and the exhausts painted and things. 

 

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The gears on now as are the bomb pylons and the upper aerial mast.

 

Still a few things to go

Note the white around the tail decals too.

 

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Must remember to add the mirror here and remove the masking.


49942110746_2d2e59165a_b.jpg

 

nearly there.

 

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I don’t know what paints you are using Paul but I suspect acrylics!
If so you can also use alcolhol for mishaps on canopy’s, my experience is that you rub it off in a jiffy.

I use it on all sorts acrylics..anyway it is saved and it looks A okay 👌 

 

cheers, Jan

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Paul,

Nice build. Great recovery from last night. It certainly looks the part. If you forget that mask just say the pilot wanted a little more windscreen armour. 

Ray

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3 hours ago, janneman36 said:

I don’t know what paints you are using Paul but I suspect acrylics!
If so you can also use alcolhol for mishaps on canopy’s, my experience is that you rub it off in a jiffy.

I use it on all sorts acrylics..anyway it is saved and it looks A okay 👌 

 

cheers, Jan


thanks jan i didnt know about that, i’ll try that should it happen again. Nice!
 

and thanks chaps, shes done now hurrah.

if i get chance i will put some bombs on but i’ll stick some shots in the gallery for now bombless but the racks are there...

 

 

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I lost my impetus after the decals but i think she ended up ok. Well you live and learn.

thanks to everyone for the encouragement and good advice throughout, always warmly accepted and appreciated it means a lot.

And thanks to the hosts for a sterling effort and super job all round!

My review is utterly fabulous kit 😃 and crappy decals! 🤬

see you all in the corsair gb 👋

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Very good result Paul! Excellent finish.

 

29 minutes ago, Dansk said:

see you all in the corsair gb 👋

Looking forward to it but must finish another Spitfire first.

 

Cheers,

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Paul,

Great result. Hopefully Mojo restored. I'm like Charlie. Current one and one more Spitfire before jumping over to the Corsairs. That's assuming life doesn't get in the way.

Ray

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On 5/25/2020 at 10:46 PM, Bill Livingston said:

Here is what you are looking for in the supermarket...

Cannot find this product Bill, but I've heard (somewhere on BM) that Quick Shine Floor Finish (sold by Lakeland - here) is the same. Do you happen to know if this is correct?

 

Thanks

 

(sorry Paul - more hijacking!)

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I just checked where I bought some (Amazon) but they seem to be out of stock... as do everyone else.

 

Clearly, it is as hard to find as Clear once was. You would think they would make more of it, wouldn't you.

 

During my search, I found a model shop with some. It ay be worth trying them, but I would imagine it will be at a premium and therefore may not be worth it. The whole point originally was that it was an excellent 'varnish' at a very low cost....

 

https://www.modelfix.co.uk/pledge-klear-is-pledge-revive-it/

 

As far as the alternative you posted, I have no idea. It would probably be worth buying some and testing... an acrylic high gloss varnish is always useful if it is any good and is inexpensive.

 

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