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Seemed Like A Good Idea At the Time - Modelling Products that quite aren't what they should be or intended to be


Ray_W

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While working on my current build this subject sprang to mind with two products that have had immediate impact. Again. So decided to vent my frustration with the broader BM community. 

 

The first, Eduard printed decals. As much as I really like what Eduard do, their current decal printing does, I'm sorry, leave something to be desired. Rubbery carrier film, sometimes peelable, colours iffy, can be out of register. These can really undo all your good hard work and sap the joy out of this hobby. Great kits, let down by their recent decals as much as I want to make them work. Good incentive to just buy overtrees, add a few extras and avoid the special boxings. I am sure this is not what they wanted.

 

The second, Tamiya application bottles. The seal drops out and can get skewed going in. Shake a bottle of Tamiya Panel Line Accent Color (which you must and regularly) without the seal properly engaged and you get covered in the contents. Yes, you can get needle nosed pliers and skew the plastic ridge in the cap to hold the seal but really not good enough. I keep waiting for a design change. Further, with the same bottles, and one that catches me regularly, is accidently touching the higher part of the cap application brush stem against some part. Result, a big drop of glue or wash. Oh, how I hate this. The result, better to not use the cap brush and submerge another fine brush to unknown depth into the contents and then apply to control what's going on. 

 

Both examples are from excellent companies, they can do better.

 

Ray

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26 minutes ago, Ray_W said:

Tamiya application bottles. The seal drops out

 

That's strange, I've used extra thin, quick set extra thin, xylene decanted into the bottles, Tamiya cement (rarely)  and sprue goo, made in the bottles almost every day for the last 20 years and never had a problem with the seals. I wonder what it is that we are doing differently? 

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Yeah I've had that happen with the seal in Tamiya Extra Thin and Quick Set Extra Thin bottles.  Having been a member of a certain person's pay site forum I gather it's a common thing with those bottles.

 

Not wanting to turn this thread into a bad mouthing of people's products, but UMP Dark Dirt wash totally didn't work for me.  As much as I begrudge stating it, there's a better alternative out there.

Edited by RobL
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17 minutes ago, Bertie Psmith said:

That's strange, I've used extra thin, quick set extra thin, xylene decanted into the bottles, Tamiya cement (rarely)  and sprue goo, made in the bottles almost every day for the last 20 years and never had a problem with the seals. I wonder what it is that we are doing differently? 

 

These seals don't fail. They dislodge from their seated position. Worse with Tamiya Panel Liner as I expect they stick to the top of the bottles and come part of the way out. Result the seal does not lodge home correctly.

 

10 minutes ago, RobL said:

Not wanting to turn this thread into a bad mouthing of people's products, but UMP Dark Dirt wash totally didn't work for me.  As much as I begrudge stating it, there's a better alternative out there.

 

Not so much bad mouthing as to where there is experience that genuinely provides an issue with the product. There are so many variables in the hobby that products work differently for different people and their respective techniques. I also usually persevere to see if I can make a product work. Eduard decals for example. Also, what's in the Tamiya applicator bottles I really like, it's just the, well, bottles.

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The Infini Models Easy Cutting Mat Type B- the one with the circles. I found it to be 1: not very easy at all (the scalpel blade kept riding out of the grooves, which, IMO, are too shallow) and 2: the circles are actually a series of straight lines, rather than a smooth circle. I know some people like it, but I thought it to be a great idea, very poorly implemented. If they used a manufacturer with a more precise laser engraving device, it might have worked. As it is, if I want actual circles (which was the whole point!), I have to resort to my compass cutter, which I find fiddly, but not as fiddly as the Easy Cutting Mat.

 

And yes, the seal ring on Tamiya Extra Thin is a pain in the backside.

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2 minutes ago, lasermonkey said:

I have to resort to my compass cutter, which I find fiddly, but not as fiddly as the Easy Cutting Mat.

 

Seems a good idea but I have not bought one for the reasons you state.

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3 minutes ago, Bertie Psmith said:

I didn’t even know that they were removable

 

Only when you don't expect it. 😢

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On 11/05/2022 at 11:07, Ray_W said:

While working on my current build this subject sprang to mind with two products that have had immediate impact. Again. So decided to vent my frustration with the broader BM community. 

 

The first, Eduard printed decals. As much as I really like what Eduard do, their current decal printing does, I'm sorry, leave something to be desired. Rubbery carrier film, sometimes peelable, colours iffy, can be out of register. These can really undo all your good hard work and sap the joy out of this hobby. Great kits, let down by their recent decals as much as I want to make them work. Good incentive to just buy overtrees, add a few extras and avoid the special boxings. I am sure this is not what they wanted.

 

The second, Tamiya application bottles. The seal drops out and can get skewed going in. Shake a bottle of Tamiya Panel Line Accent Color (which you must and regularly) without the seal properly engaged and you get covered in the contents. Yes, you can get needle nosed pliers and skew the plastic ridge in the cap to hold the seal but really not good enough. I keep waiting for a design change. Further, with the same bottles, and one that catches me regularly, is accidently touching the higher part of the cap application brush stem against some part. Result, a big drop of glue or wash. Oh, how I hate this. The result, better to not use the cap brush and submerge another fine brush to unknown depth into the contents and then apply to control what's going on. 

 

Both examples are from excellent companies, they can do better.

 

Ray

Why not glue the back of the seal into the lid; see if that works?:idea:

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