Airfix BBMF & WW2 Airfield Set

[Wolster]

Well, I have done a green top coat and here it is masked off for the light grey. Took some bloody time, I hope it comes out good. It is actually driving me mad as I have just found out it should have a black square on the port wing and a black rudder. I will brush these on now.

[Geek44]

Seems to be going well Wolster. Have you heard of using blu-tack as a mask? Works like a charm and gives a softish edge which looks good in smaller scales. The only thing you need to watch is that the model gets very heavy when fully masked. This makes handling tricky and if you drop it, the damage is usually worse.

[Whiterook]

Looking good Wolster!!!

A word of advice...go real easy when you pull that tape off. I used some "packing" tape once, and it chipped the paint. I used blue "Painter's Tape" on some of my carrier, and it was a little better than packing tape (especially if you "blot" it first on a clean surface), but still pretty tough stuff on paint. The drafting-type tape isn't too bad, as it has much less adhesive on it than normal tape, so that it won't tear the drafting paper when removed. I understand Tamiya (and probably some other model manufactureres) make tape specifically for modeling...I'm picking some up on my next trip to the hobby store.

[Geek44]

The Tamiya tape is great but you still need to watch the removal...it's flexible where drafting tape isn't, but the drafting stuff is nicely low tack.

[Whiterook]

Hmmm, I wonder what outweighs the other? I'm picking up some Tamiya tape, if they have any, this Saturday at the hobby shop. Car is due for servicing, and I volunteer to let my wife sleep in late while I bring the car in. Of course, she fully relizes I'm not being chivalrous here, as much as coping a free trip to the hobby store!

[MAGNA]

Originally Posted by Whiterook

Hmmm, I wonder what outweighs the other? I'm picking up some Tamiya tape, if they have any, this Saturday at the hobby shop. Car is due for servicing, and I volunteer to let my wife sleep in late while I bring the car in. Of course, she fully relizes I'm not being chivalrous here, as much as coping a free trip to the hobby store!

Gee Em, none of us would ever do that (oops, gotta go, my halo's slipped again and I'm choking on it).

[Wolster]

Finished the grey and removed the mask. Some 'bleeding' and the tape did pull of one bit of green. The blu tack worked well to cover the undercarriage bay and cockpit. I did try masking it with blu tack Nick but found it made a greasy mark (on my Mig 17 test model!).

I mucked up the grey a bit in so much as I thinned it too much and it took over 2 days to dry!!! Still, learning all the time and enjoyed using the air brush!!

I still have a good bit of work to do on this as well as build the Spit and Lanc!!!! Off to work Sunday for 5 weeks then have family over most of next time off so this could be the last I get to work on it for the next 3 months.

[McCoy]

You should use new blue tack 'cos the reason for the grease is your grease n' moisture from yer fingers when you work with it. Blue tack shouldn't leave grease stains by itself.

[Whiterook]

Good point Urban....Steve, using rubber gloves while applying the blue tack should help quite a bit, but I'm stateing the obvious. Regardless mate, that's some fine work considering you're using an airbrush for the first time. Kudos!

[Aussie Dave]

Don't be so hard on yourself mate, it looks very good considering you have never used an airbrush and this is your first time using one.

Originally Posted by Wolster

I mucked up the grey a bit in so much as I thinned it too much and it took over 2 days to dry!!! Still, learning all the time and enjoyed using the air brush!!

Over 2 Days to Dry???... What type of paint are you using?

It doesn't sound like too much thinners in the paint mixture you're using in your airbrush Steve, more like your original full-strength grey paint hasn't been mixed properly.
(The paint solids have settled to the bottom of Jar/Tin.)

This has happened to me before when I didn't check to see the sediment that forms at the bottom of the paint container had been folded and mixed back into it properly.
(It took days to dry and was still a bit tacky/sticky even then.)


Cheers,
Dave