Hello to all, from South East England.

[madMARTINmarsh]

Good day to you all.

Just introducing myself. My name is Martyn, I live in Kent: a small market town called Ashford.

I used to make Airfix models many years ago but the lack of availability of decent tools/products in my town at the time (yay for the Internet!) meant I couldn't get them to look good so I stopped.

Recently (March or May 2021, I dont register time well) I started making/painting Warhammer 40K models, I've spent quite a bit on modelling products (let alone on actual models) that I thought might make this hobby easier for me but I am still facing issues (mainly with airbrush primer, I have tried a few brands but I've run into issues with all of them) due to my disability (I have a nervous system disorder: Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) that has left the right side of my body basically useless so I do all of my modelling with my left hand, my prior weaker hand... its a challenge, but I love it. I am also Schizophrenic and on the Autism spectrum (somewhere, at my age I dont really care enough to get a detailed diagnosis as I dont think it would help me much) so I'm a real party, sit me in a room on my own and I'm never bored hahaha.

 

I'm looking at getting back into scale modelling and I'm going to start with a British modern classic: a Challenger 2. Once I've figured out the primer issues, I may simply go back to spray can primer because I've spent so much money on airbrush primer and lost so much time trying to figure out why this stuff won't work that I don't get much actual modelling done. Soo much time stripping failed priming etc.

 

I'm 40 years old so a grumpy old fart but I like a laugh as much as any Briton and I am a master of sarcasm (which of us isn't on these rainy shores, we dont have much else to brag about 🤣) and self depreciating humour.

 

I'm very happily married with 4 kids (6,11,14,18) and I'm trying to get all 5 of them into modelling too, with limited success, but I'm nothing if not persistent, we need more meat for the grinder... or plastic for the bin, many sprues are mounting up that I have no clue what to do with.

 

Ive babbled enough and I'm not sure what else to say about myself so I'll leave it there.

 

Best wishes to you all.

Edited March 3, 2022 by madMARTINmarsh
Spelling corrections

[ArnoldAmbrose]

Gidday Martyn (Martin?), welcome aboard. Sorry to hear of your medical/health issues. As for being a grumpy old fart at 40, I was at about 25, which was 40years ago. 😀 And your sarcasm - that's an art form. 😁 I hope you and your family enjoy it here, I have. Regards, Jeff.

[IanC]

Welcome Martyn,

 

I'm also in the lower, softer half of the UK - a large, depressing town called Bracknell. 

 

I'm glad you've decided to get back to a bit of plastic bashing despite everything. As it happens, I rarely use a primer. I find clean plastic takes my usual Tamiya paint fairly well, although I often undercoat with a dark grey first. 

 

Anyway, good luck with the (aptly named?) Challenger! 😀

 

Best wishes,

 

Ian

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Hello Martyn …  from the city of Chicago USA. Im an military aircraft builder myself. I have something like 500+ lead/pewter Dungeons & Dragons figures in my collection most painted. Personally Ive been Airbrushing since 1987-88. Ive owned six airbrushes made by four companies. Personally I don't really prime except on seams when Im building, Ive never been personally impressed by priming and have run into the same issues you have. However its a different thing for each and everyone one of us so each to there own. If it helps any Im 50 and Disabled myself, so at least know I that I have an idea of what you may be dealing with. 
 

Dennis

[RidgeRunner]

Welcome Martin!!!!  

[Pete in Lincs]

Martin, it sounds like you'll fit into the madness on here very well. Just remember, you volunteered!

And, modelling with just one hand sounds like a real challenge, so I'm impressed.

I use Hycote rattle can primer in grey or white, with Tamiya Acrylic paints. You'll find it on the bay or Amazon. 

Dig in, do your thing, and enjoy. Pete

 

[madMARTINmarsh]

On 04/03/2022 at 08:48, ArnoldAmbrose said:

Gidday Martyn (Martin?), welcome aboard. Sorry to hear of your medical/health issues. As for being a grumpy old fart at 40, I was at about 25, which was 40years ago. 😀 And your sarcasm - that's an art form. 😁 I hope you and your family enjoy it here, I have. Regards, Jeff.

How do, Jeff.

Martyn is the correct spelling but I'm not bothered when people spell it with an I, I'm too old to let it bother me these days 🤣. I'm not sure where my mum got that spelling from but it I like it, not so much when I have to spell out my entire name (which is far too long, the old dear had no consideration for young me, learning to write my name... twas a huge pain in the bottom) but it's become a habit to automatically spell it to people when on the phone etc.

Thank you for the welcome message and the regards, right back at you 👍

[madMARTINmarsh]

On 04/03/2022 at 11:57, IanC said:

Welcome Martyn,

 

I'm also in the lower, softer half of the UK - a large, depressing town called Bracknell. 

 

I'm glad you've decided to get back to a bit of plastic bashing despite everything. As it happens, I rarely use a primer. I find clean plastic takes my usual Tamiya paint fairly well, although I often undercoat with a dark grey first. 

 

Anyway, good luck with the (aptly named?) Challenger! 😀

 

Best wishes,

 

Ian

Hello, Ian. I hope you are well.

I've been to Bracknell, I used to work for a company called APTA, we delivered plant pots all over the country and Bracknell was one of our Friday drops. Small towns seem to be dreary places no matter what, don't they.

 

I am yet to try painting properly without primer but you have me intrigued, I had a quick stab at it on a model I was given in my local Games Workshop shop. I'm guessing they didn't wash the miniature after they assembled it, I can't blame them for that but it did mean that the paint simply slid around on the miniature. I'll have to give it a try on a well prepared model. Thanks for that.

 

I'm yet to try Tamiya paints. So far I've been using Scale 75, Vallejo and Pro-Acryl, the latter being my favourite so far. I may have to order some Tamiya products; a YouTuber I watch (Barbatos Rex) speaks very highly of Tamiya and Mr Hobby so I've been casting envious eyes at them. I'm running out of space to store paints now so I'm trying to juggle my paint buying obsession with not enraging my wife 🤣 she started it though, she bought me a case of Vallejo paints and then the set of Pro-Acryl, she's an enabler so she needs to accept her fair share of the blame 😝

 

Best wishes, Ian.

 

Martyn.

[madMARTINmarsh]

On 04/03/2022 at 16:50, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Hello Martyn …  from the city of Chicago USA. Im an military aircraft builder myself. I have something like 500+ lead/pewter Dungeons & Dragons figures in my collection most painted. Personally Ive been Airbrushing since 1987-88. Ive owned six airbrushes made by four companies. Personally I don't really prime except on seams when Im building, Ive never been personally impressed by priming and have run into the same issues you have. However its a different thing for each and everyone one of us so each to there own. If it helps any Im 50 and Disabled myself, so at least know I that I have an idea of what you may be dealing with. 
 

Dennis

Hello from rainy and windy England to the windy city, Dennis. I hope the weather is treating you well over the pond.

 

When you prime seams, what is the logic behind that? If you don't mind explaining of course. No problem if it's too much bother.

 

I was disappointed with the most recent primer I bought. I got some AK Interactive primer and the finish on it was beautiful, really matte and it levelled out really nicely. As soon as I started to apply paint, the primer wiped off. I'm not sure if it's something I did wrong, maybe my air pressure was too low? I'm still trying to work out airbrushing, my wife bought me a really nice airbrush and compressor for my 40th birthday, I'm thinking, in retrospect, that maybe I should have started with something cheaper to get the hang of it.

 

How do you find modelling with a disability? It's basically my only hobby these days, I really enjoy it when my good hand isn't shaking like I'm trying to swat a fly.

 

Best wishes,

Martyn.

13 hours ago, RidgeRunner said:

Welcome Martin!!!!  

Thank you, RidgeRunner. Nice to 'meet' you.

[madMARTINmarsh]

6 hours ago, Pete in Lincs said:

Martin, it sounds like you'll fit into the madness on here very well. Just remember, you volunteered!

And, modelling with just one hand sounds like a real challenge, so I'm impressed.

I use Hycote rattle can primer in grey or white, with Tamiya Acrylic paints. You'll find it on the bay or Amazon. 

Dig in, do your thing, and enjoy. Pete

 

Hello, Pete.

 

I hope I fit in, I've been looking for a modelling community that is friendly. I tried Reddit; I didn't get on too well there, I found that people didn't really want to take the time to answer my questions (I have a lot of them so it probably got annoying) in a thorough way and I'm a weirdo so if I can't understand why I should do something, I don't do it. It's a silly way if thinking I suppose but I like to understand the 'why' of a technique before I try it.

 

I have been looking at Tamiya paints as well as Mr Hobby but I've got to spread the buying out a bit more or my wife will send me to live in the garden with the slugs and snails. 

 

Modelling with one hand is quite difficult but it's easier than computer games, that's a real pain. I've found that modelling has helped a lot of some of my mental health issues, it helps give me something to focus on (it helps block out some of the hallucinations I have. I'm a shut in, in the last 8 years I've only left the house to go to hospital appointments or the doctors so I have no social life) it's a good distraction opportunity, whack on a bit of Pink Floyd or Guns N' Roses and I get lost in the world in modelling for hours at a time. And it gives me something to do with my wife and kids that isn't just watching a film. It's helped us connect in new ways, I'm grateful for that and wish I'd done it much earlier.

 

Best wishes, Pete.

 

Martyn.

[Pete in Lincs]

Martyn (see, I spelt it correctly this time), The Hycote (Acrylic plastic primer) works well with other acrylic paints that I've tried too.

Or there is the Halfords version, but Hycote is cheaper. Pink Floyd? Now we're talking!

Cheers, Pete

 

https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/50gAAOSw5uxdCjtH/s-l500.jpg

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

1 hour ago, madMARTINmarsh said:

When you prime seams, what is the logic behind that? If you don't mind explaining of course. No problem if it's too much bother.

I tend to prime seams using a similar color to my camouflage or black for a nmf base coat. The reason being is I found if I didn't the paint would be absorbed and create a Matt stripe ghost seam. I tend to use a scratch coat sometimes if my plastic is very close to my camouflage base color. 
 

1 hour ago, madMARTINmarsh said:

I was disappointed with the most recent primer I bought. I got some AK Interactive primer and the finish on it was beautiful, really matte and it levelled out really nicely. As soon as I started to apply paint, the primer wiped off. I'm not sure if it's something I did wrong, maybe my air pressure was too low? I'm still trying to work out airbrushing, my wife bought me a really nice airbrush and compressor for my 40th birthday, I'm thinking, in retrospect, that maybe I should have started with something cheaper to get the hang of it.

Ive used everything from cheap automotive enamel primer to Tamiya primer and gotten mixed results nothing worth doing it regularly. In fact last two times I used Tamiya it literally boiled on the models and I wound up sanding and cleaning up the mess. So much so that to clean it took longer than the actual building. Ive used acrylics and still do to a degree but Im about 80% and progressing to 100% lacquers. I cant get enamels here so thats where Im at with paints. Acrylics work best in a medium sized needle A/B. .3 or greater. The pigments aren't as fine and can cause some big headaches, ask me how I know ? As for adhesion issues, sounds as if its not biting into the plastic ? 
         My advice is this A/b’ing is a very steep learning curve. Something akin to being asked to fly a 747 mid flight. Its best to keep a little notebook with your equipment and to write down brand, type of paint, and pressure. If it works great keep it if not scratch it out and try to play with air or paint ratio’s. You can look back and find something this way in the future if you need to use the same brand. I also have a notebook with color mixes so I can track down a color if I need it again. I have three A/brushes my go to is a.2 needle, my Neo is .35, and my professional is .5. I have a basic constant on compressor so nothing special there. You can get away with cheap brushes sometimes but they are hit & miss and likely to cause more frustration when learning. Once you get the skills you can get a second brush for clear coats or priming. 

 

1 hour ago, madMARTINmarsh said:

How do you find modelling with a disability? It's basically my only hobby these days, I really enjoy it when my good hand isn't shaking like I'm trying to swat a fly

I started modeling in 1979 when I was 7-8 yrs. old. I was pretty serious and continuous until 2005, I walked away due to competitive burnout. I went back in 2014 after I was disabled and for me at least the skills were there and adaptable. I need the hobby to escape my reality as its pretty boring and sad. I have non-essential tremor’s among others. Broken back including 130 broken bones in my body, with multiple other health reasons. which cause spasm’s and shaking. My Doctor prescribed a medicine that helps for the most part. The few times it doesn't Ive learned by bracing my arm against the side of my desk can help to when doing detail painting. 
 

The weather isn't too bad here, cold but getting warmer everyday. Im centrally located and can reach multiple museums in other states to do research. There is an actual Type IXc German U-boot in Chicago (U-505), which I hope to model someday soon. If you ever get here let me know I can point you in any direction for research or to meet to talk shop. 
 

Dennis

 

PS - You can quote someone or do this @Corsairfoxfouruncle by adding the at symbol to get mine or anyone’s attention. 
By the way Im a huge Floyd fan. 

Edited March 13, 2022 by Corsairfoxfouruncle

[Jeff J]

Welcome, Martyn!

 

Also, another upvote for Pink Floyd here... 🤘🏻

[madMARTINmarsh]

@Corsairfoxfouruncle

Thank you for taking the time to explain the rationale behind the process, I'm going to give it a try on the Challenger 2.

I bought some Monument Hobbies/Pro-Acryl primer to try, I haven't used it yet but their acrylic paint is so good I thought it's worth trying their primer too. It's expensive stuff here in the U.K. though, £12.99 for 120ml which is the priciest primer I've come across so far. Fingers crossed it works, I've already ruined a couple of expensive models (im quite angry about losing my Ahriman model to primer that won't strip, ive tried Dettol, Biostrip and IPA) testing primer (Stynylrez ruined the chrome on my airbrush cup too; I've got a Cult of Paint Infinity airbrush, the once highly polished chrome cup is not scratched to buggery. The stuff wouldn't come off no matter what I used, it stuck to the airbrush better than it did the model!) so I'm going to try this new primer on some plasticard.

 

Anyone that likes the Floyd is alright in my book 👍

 

 

[madMARTINmarsh]

@Jeff J

Thank you for the welcome, Jeff.

 

I'm quite partial to a bit of Mike Oldfield too, Tubular bells is a great album. I miss the days when an album was an experience rather than a collection of unconnected songs. I sat one of my kids down to listen to 'The Wall' and spent half the time listening to the album pausing it to explain the meaning behind it and when offensive words are used, that's not the singers actual thoughts but a demonstration of how insane/petty people can get in their persecution selection methods; essentially the song in question (I'm sure you know the one, In The Flesh) is the vocalist playing a character. When I was his age, I inherently knew that the vocalist was 'playing' a character but that seems lost today. Maybe because I had music videos, and I'd seen the film which helped a lot.

 

Sorry about going off on a tangent there, I do that a lot 🤣

[Pete in Lincs]

Tangents happen a lot on BM! 😀

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

20 hours ago, madMARTINmarsh said:

im quite angry about losing my Ahriman model to primer that won't strip, ive tried Dettol, Biostrip and IPA)

Ive heard oven cleaner works but require the kit to be placed in a sealed bag/tub for a good length of time. Simple green cleaner works but not sure if its available where you are located ?  Of course I recommend you test on a piece of scrap or unseen corner of the kit you're working with. Just to confirm it wont be causing damage ? 
 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Green-13022-Purpose-Cleaner/dp/B0000CFLYJ

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

20 hours ago, madMARTINmarsh said:

@Jeff J

Thank you for the welcome, Jeff.

 

I'm quite partial to a bit of Mike Oldfield too, Tubular bells is a great album. I miss the days when an album was an experience rather than a collection of unconnected songs. I sat one of my kids down to listen to 'The Wall' and spent half the time listening to the album pausing it to explain the meaning behind it and when offensive words are used, that's not the singers actual thoughts but a demonstration of how insane/petty people can get in their persecution selection methods; essentially the song in question (I'm sure you know the one, In The Flesh) is the vocalist playing a character. When I was his age, I inherently knew that the vocalist was 'playing' a character but that seems lost today. Maybe because I had music videos, and I'd seen the film which helped a lot.

 

Sorry about going off on a tangent there, I do that a lot 🤣

Did something similar with the wall to help my 12 yr old daughter understand she wasn't alone with mental illness. She is an absolute fanatic about Floyd now and I took her to see the wall live in 2010. I saw Floyd live in 94 myself, Waters in 07 on the “Dark side of the Moon” tour and the afore mentioned Wall tour. Ive seen David Gilmour in 06 here in Chicago so Think Im a qualified fan. Im trying to get tickets for when Nick Masons “Saucerful” tour comes through again, he cancelled temporarily due to a covid wave here in the states. 

[madMARTINmarsh]

@Corsairfoxfouruncle

Unfortunately Simple Green Cleaner isn't available here in the U.K. but I've tried Biostrip and it seems to work okay, no nasty residue once it's been rinsed. There is no saving my Ahriman model though, I put him in Dettol and it seems to have changed the plastic, it now has a harder layer on the surface than it did and the plastic cement doesn't melt it. Very odd.

 

I tried Pro Acryl Prime today, it hasn't cured yet but so far it was a dream to use, a tiny bit of flow improver and a tiny bit of thinner (4 drops primer to 1 of each thinner and flow improver) and I didn't have any dry tip at all after priming 5 miniatures. It went so far too. It's very matte and the black primer is almost Mouso black! I'm actually looking forward to painting over it because it seems to have the slightly absorbent surface I like for primer.

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Well sounds like the Bio-strip is similar to what simple green does. Im not familiar with Dettol but sounds like I wouldn't like it anyway’s. I am happy to hear about your Priming being successful, looking forward to hearing how it goes ? Do you have a Work in progress or should I look here for updates ? 

[madMARTINmarsh]

@Corsairfoxfouruncle

Dettol is a weird one, it's not a paint stripper, it's an anti-septic disinfectant liquid. It stinks to high heaven. https://www.google.com/search?q=dettol&client=ms-android-samsung-ss&prmd=nsiv&sxsrf=APq-WBva128CDQsLD5vtpjVADUNfoRNi7Q:1648807394714&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjJmMKYzvL2AhVUT8AKHfdkAEIQ_AUoA3oECAIQAw&biw=320&bih=737&dpr=2.63#imgrc=8k

 

Is there a section on this site for work in progress projects? I'll have a look and post a link here if I find it, and once I've put a post together.

 

12 years old with mental health issues sounds really hard for your daughter; mine didn't manifest until my early 20s so I'd had time to 'establish' who I felt I wanted to be. Handling growing up as well as mental health issues, my heart goes out to your daughter and you. I hope they aren't too dibilitating for her.

 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Here are the best places for Work in progress threads the first is for armor so would be best for your Challenger.
 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/forum/277-work-in-progress-armour/

 

And one for figures. 
 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/forum/587-figure-work-in-progress/

 

My daughter has developed her coping mechanisms but she does have those certain days that it just weigh her down. 

[Longbow]

On 3/25/2022 at 3:00 PM, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Ive heard oven cleaner works but require the kit to be placed in a sealed bag/tub for a good length of time. Simple green cleaner works but not sure if its available where you are located ?  Of course I recommend you test on a piece of scrap or unseen corner of the kit you're working with. Just to confirm it wont be causing damage ? 
 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Simple-Green-13022-Purpose-Cleaner/dp/B0000CFLYJ

I’ve used Simple Green a few times, and it works to strip, but the smell makes me gag….

No damage to the styrene, but not sure about resin. 
It does tend to leave a soapy, slippery, film on the kit that has to be washed off with hot water and dish soap. 
 

I’ve actually turned to Denatured Alcohol to strip paint. It also works as my Airbrush cleaner after using Vallejo paints 👍

[madMARTINmarsh]

I'm back again 😄

I've painted a few models since I last posted here but I haven't made a start on the Challenger 2 model yet; my wife bought me the combat patrol boxset Thousand Sons so I've been fiddling with that and then 3 of my kids insisted that I paint each of them a Space Marine, in this process I have discovered that Pro-Acryl paint and Citadel shade paints really don't get on; because the Pro-Acryl is so matte and seems to be designed for layers to slightly absorb into each other (I assume this is to make blending easier?) it completely absorbs Nuln Oil or other shade paints. Instead of flowing and collecting in the recesses it is acting as a stain. I would add a picture to show what I mean but for some reason I can't get my one drive account to link a picture without also giving access to all my other pictures, my wife wouldn't like some of those being out in the wild 😅

 

I'm adding a link to my Instagram account here incase anyone is interested in viewing some of the models I've painted. My most recent model is the red Astartes with a yellow knee, on the Aquila you can see what I mean by the Pro-Acryl being absorbant, I had to re-apply the ivory to the tips because the shade paint soaked in to the paint and spread through that colour. I'm guessing that gloss varnish between paint and shade paint would stop this but I've ruined quite a few of my miniatures trying to apply varnish so I'm reluctant to try it again on finished models, at least until I've got it right and even then, I like matte but I've read that matte varnish isn't very robust. I intend to use the miniatures for war gaming so the varnish on my models needs to be resilient to this clumsy prat dropping them 🤣

 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madmartynmarsh/

Edited May 18, 2022 by madMARTINmarsh
Because I'm a spanner I forgot to include the Instagram link.

[Latakia]

Martin