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Lancaster Resin Wheels


fishplanebeer

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Dear All,

 

I have just bought replacement Aires resin wheels for my Airfix Lancaster (the 1980's version) but have never used resin parts before so wanted to check if I need to do anything special to them before painting other than cleaning/degreasing as usual please? As for the wheels themselves they look spot on and superior to those in the kit although I gather those in the new kit are excellent.

 

Also if anyone has any tips on how best to paint the wheels so that they look more realistic it would be appreciated as I normally paint them black and then add some dark-ish grey pastel dust to the main tread area to simulate wear but this still leaves the side walls looking rather unrealistic and far too black and matt in scale.

 

Thank you and stay safe.

 

Kind Regards

Colin.

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Cannot help you with the weathering, but I never paint tyres black. Back in about 1977, I was told or read somewhere the using Humbrol 67 Tank Grey gave a better appearance and used that instead. When I switched to acrylics I started using Revell Anthracite which is still my go to, it is a very, very dark grey and very matt. Vallejo do a black grey and Mr Hooby do a Tyre black in both ranges. I think Tamiya do one as well. 

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Depending on what kind of paint you use, you might want to prime them using something with enough bite to provide good adhesion to the resin.

 

I never use straight black: I mix black with a small amount of white to get an off-black (I also use this for black propellers). Then after painting the tires, I drybrush with a dark gray. I use Gunship Gray FS36118. I also may do a light drybrushing of the middle part of the tire (that comes in contact with the ground) with a lighter gray, perhaps Dark Gull.

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Make sure you give them a good de-greasing wash first. 

I use caustic soda. I mix a very weak solution and let resin parts soak in that for a while, with the occasional swish around. Then rinse in clean water

I usually prime/undercoat with Humbrol 33 enamel Matt Black

Revell 09 Anthracite is a good colour for tyres.

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13 hours ago, fishplanebeer said:

Also if anyone has any tips on how best to paint the wheels so that they look more realistic it would be appreciated

 

My standard process is following:

  1. Paint the tire in tire black or any other very dark grey.
  2. Put a toothpick in the axle hole, then spin it slowly and spray a slightly lighter gray perpendicular to the thread surface (if You keep the airbrush perfectly perpendicular, this leaves the portion next to the wheel-hub in a darker grey with a soft edge),
  3. Protect it with lacquer
  4. Add washes, pigments and/or other effects. 

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Regards,

Aleksandar

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Many thanks for all the great advice which means my tyres will now actually look as if they are made from rubber!

 

Just to add that as I didn't have the Revell colours suggested I tried using some  Xtracolor Tyre Black instead, which I'd bought ages ago and forgotten I had, and as the base colour it works a treat and just as suggested. Will now apply a lighter shade to the tyre walls and then some pastel dust to the tread area to finish them off.

 

Thanks again.

Colin.

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