Enzo the Magnificent Posted January 26, 2022 Share Posted January 26, 2022 5 hours ago, Ned said: Today's update is basically just me shouting at yellow paint. I know that feeling! I find that car paint from a rattle can is good for prop tips. Fiat Broom Yellow is my choice. I spray it first and mask over it. That way it prevents a build up of yellow paint against the masking tape or even - horror of horrors - paint creep. However, there is a problem if you use Tamiya masking tape. Attempting to mask yellow paint with a yellow tape is a short cut to insanity! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted January 28, 2022 Share Posted January 28, 2022 On 1/27/2022 at 4:00 AM, Ned said: Anyway - stabilizers are on. A quick zoom around the house to check that they're ok and it's all looking good I’m glad I’m not the only one who does this….. and I’ve got at least 45 years experience at it! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned Posted February 19, 2022 Author Share Posted February 19, 2022 I haven't been in the mood for weeks with one thing and another, and this plane has been looking accusingly at me from the corner of my desk. For some reason I just picked it up and started masking the glass, so maybe we're off again I've made a bit of a pigs ear of it, but I'm sure that nobody will mind. I'm working this afternoon, and then supposedly doing a cross country race tomorrow morning in the wind and the rain, but I might get some primer on it sometime this weekend. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted February 19, 2022 Share Posted February 19, 2022 That’s OK Ned, we all get distracted and lose focus on our current builds every now and again. I just received an original Type 4 boxed Airfix Super Mystere and was pleasantly surprised by the kits overall quality. I’m now looking at other suitably aged Airfix moulds so this has sent me down another path. I’ll recalibrate myself to Matchbox kits again in a day or two, however it doesn’t take much and we are only human. Hope the cross country went well and we’ll see your Beaufighter when you get the chance to post your progress. Cheers.. Dave 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned Posted February 27, 2022 Author Share Posted February 27, 2022 Well, I had a go with some paint, and it all went horribly wrong, so the plane flew quickly back onto the shelf. What have I done to get this mess? I mostly use Vallejo Model Air and generally get away with not being very skilled with an airbrush, but could only find the right colour in AMMO. Is the paint too thick, it looked to be thinned ok in the airbrush. It did seem to gobble up paint, if that's any clue. I put what I thought was enough for the whole model in the cup, but it was gone in no time at all. I did get the same effect using AMMO paint to do the interior, but assumed that it was reacting with my primer. There's no primer on there this time, so it can't be that. I've sanded most of it off (hence the dust!) after leaving it for a week to fully cure, so it's not a disaster, but if it happens again it might finish me off. On the positive side, the paint smells exactly like the poster paints that we had at primary school, so that was a nice memory moment What do you think? Paint too thick? Too much pressure? And yes, I need to get some filler on that join! Building a plane instead of a tank has made me realise what a whole new world of pain joins are between fuselage halves, wing roots, etc. You just don't get that in tank world. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 Yes, horizonal stab joins can be a pain and certainly always the case on older kits like this. It's all good learning but these kits are supposed to be fun, so just take in the gained experience. Now choice of paints are something we acquire over time and I ditched my Vallejo's once I learned how to control my AB. For me, Gunze Lacquer paints mixed in the same brand Levelling thinner is my preferred weapon of choice although it's quite nasty stuff and can stink the house out. I try to spray in well ventilated rooms and whenever Mrs RL is away, hence my insistence that she needs to catch up with her Mother (over an hours drive away) as often as possible! Cheers.. Dave 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned Posted April 3, 2022 Author Share Posted April 3, 2022 Progress! I had another failure with the AMMO paint and nearly gave up, but I binned the paint rather than the model. Then having a new bathroom put in filled the house with dust for 3 weeks so I didn't try to paint anything. I think the Vallejo Duck Egg Green that I've used instead is a bit too green (funny that!) but it's better than an abandoned build. Vallejo Dark Slate Grey on the uppers, and we're smiling again today 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned Posted April 5, 2022 Author Share Posted April 5, 2022 Today's episode of 'Not Knowing The Right Way Of Doing Things' features me spraying the nose. This masking thing has me a bit baffled. I'm glad that I'll be back painting tanks soon Was I supposed to paint the nose first and then mask it off? That would make more sense. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted April 6, 2022 Share Posted April 6, 2022 On 03/04/2022 at 08:59, Ned said: I have to say that despite your tribulations, that is looking good! Lovely smooth texture there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanC Posted April 7, 2022 Share Posted April 7, 2022 I love your pizza box radome masking device. Great idea! 😄 Nice Beau too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned Posted April 21, 2022 Author Share Posted April 21, 2022 Apologies, my updates have been few and far between, mainly because progress has been sporadic. To be honest, I got to a stage that I was dreading - applying gloss varnish - and it just sat there waiting. I never get a good finish, always more like 1970s pebbledash rather than glossy 1980s sheen. It has happened again, but I'm not going to worry about it, and hope that another coat will sort it out. I've bought a new compressor, one with a pressure gauge so that I can at least have a vague idea of the pressure that I'm spraying at. I think that I'm either not thinning enough, getting too close, using too much pressure, or not putting enough on, or probably all 4. I'll get there eventually But, here we are tonight - original 1970s decals on and close to completion. I feel inspired, so I might even have it done this weekend. Fully (over)loaded with rockets and a torpedo as per Matchbox build criteria. 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted April 21, 2022 Share Posted April 21, 2022 50 minutes ago, Ned said: I got to a stage that I was dreading - applying gloss varnish - and it just sat there waiting. I never get a good finish, always more like 1970s pebbledash rather than glossy 1980s sheen. I recommend using a clear lacquer intended for cars. You can buy rattle cans of this sort of thing from your local car parts shop. Provided that you apply it in numerous thin coats, you should get a pretty good finish. I find that "matt" lacquer provides an excellent satin finish. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winenut Posted April 22, 2022 Share Posted April 22, 2022 That is looking fantastic!! Despite some of the hurdles this is really looking the business Can't wait for the final unveil when we get to spy that busy front office! Top stuff 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted April 22, 2022 Share Posted April 22, 2022 Looking good, even the dreaded yellow!* Regards, Adrian * keep well away from British/Canadian WWII trainers! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted April 22, 2022 Share Posted April 22, 2022 1 hour ago, AdrianMF said: Looking good, even the dreaded yellow!* * keep well away from British/Canadian WWII trainers! I have had good results using car paint from a rattle can. Fiat Broom Yellow works well. As it is from a rattle can there is no control over where the paint goes so some serious masking is required - maybe even over the whole model. It is also a good idea to seal the masking tape with clear lacquer from a rattle can to prevent paint creep. However, if you take care with the masking and apply numerous thin coats of yellow, you should get some good results. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned Posted April 23, 2022 Author Share Posted April 23, 2022 11 hours ago, Enzo Matrix said: I have had good results using car paint from a rattle can. Fiat Broom Yellow works well. As it is from a rattle can there is no control over where the paint goes so some serious masking is required - maybe even over the whole model. It is also a good idea to seal the masking tape with clear lacquer from a rattle can to prevent paint creep. However, if you take care with the masking and apply numerous thin coats of yellow, you should get some good results. A quick scan of my stash has revealed no requirements for yellow paint. I was thinking of adding some Japanese tanks to my collection, but you've put me right off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted April 24, 2022 Share Posted April 24, 2022 Looks very nice. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted April 24, 2022 Share Posted April 24, 2022 This Beaufighter looks the business and don’t worry about lack of progress updates, believe me we all do it! Good work and some great advice being offered above. Cheers.. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned Posted May 14, 2022 Author Share Posted May 14, 2022 I'm calling this done! The masking tape is off and the Aires cockpit can just be seen at last Loved this opportunity to put right an old wrong and finally finish a Beaufighter, and also to release something imprisoned in a box for almost 50 years. The decals are the original ones, they've come out fine. A few lessons learned along the way: Don't use Ammo paint because you'll end up sanding it off. After sanding off Ammo paint, clean all of the crud out of the panel lines because panel liner doesn't flow through crud. Paint the nose first and mask it off. Stick to tanks, sausage fingers. But not yellow ones. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Norman Posted May 14, 2022 Share Posted May 14, 2022 Very nice. Nearly done my one too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyW Posted May 14, 2022 Share Posted May 14, 2022 That's a very smart looking Beaufighter. I like the overload underneath, just the same as I did with the Airfix version way back when. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GREG DESTEC Posted May 14, 2022 Share Posted May 14, 2022 Great Beaufighter 👍👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned Posted May 14, 2022 Author Share Posted May 14, 2022 2 hours ago, TonyW said: That's a very smart looking Beaufighter. I like the overload underneath, just the same as I did with the Airfix version way back when. It matches the box art, so it must be correct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted May 14, 2022 Share Posted May 14, 2022 Looks lovely, great work. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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