Trumpeter 1/350 The Sullivans Issues

[Biscuit]

A couple of people commented on my ship, so here's the update. I lost all momentum waiting for some supplies and am now trying to finish by a deadline for a competition. The deadline was today, but I can have until Monday morning.

Problem #1 is that a couple of the colors are off, but there's nothing that can be done at this point.

Problem #2 is that there are a couple of horizontal lines across the hull. Not having much time and not sure what to do, I decided to free hand it. It looks bad and is a different consistency than the first paint I put down. Its also uneven.

I am thinking it is a lost cause that will best serve as a learning experience. For next year's comp, I may do another destroyer and use what I have learned this year. Overall, its been great and I have found a life long hobby. I just wish I hadn't waited until the last minute to pick it up again.

[McCoy]

A failed modell is never failed per se but a good experience instead n' you can allways test stuff on a scrap modell later on instead of dabblin' with a live modell.

[Whiterook]

McCoy is absolutely right...the learning curve is just that, a learning experience. My first attempt at building a bookcase resulted in the unit keeling over in a heap of scrap. I learned from it, and knew what not to do next time. I'm sure there is a lot of life left in your ship, and you'll make her sea worthy yet. It's not worth stressing over, so take your time and come back to it when you're ready.

[cyberia]

Originally Posted by Biscuit

A couple of people commented on my ship, so here's the update. I lost all momentum waiting for some supplies and am now trying to finish by a deadline for a competition. The deadline was today, but I can have until Monday morning.

Problem #1 is that a couple of the colors are off, but there's nothing that can be done at this point.

Problem #2 is that there are a couple of horizontal lines across the hull. Not having much time and not sure what to do, I decided to free hand it. It looks bad and is a different consistency than the first paint I put down. Its also uneven.

I am thinking it is a lost cause that will best serve as a learning experience. For next year's comp, I may do another destroyer and use what I have learned this year. Overall, its been great and I have found a life long hobby. I just wish I hadn't waited until the last minute to pick it up again.

Biscuit, for the horizontal hull lines, go to a local auto part store that has a detailing department, look for the black racing stripe. They come in all sorts of widths and are thin enough not to show a rise like most tapes.

A perfectly straight hull line every time from bow to stern.

[Whiterook]

Geeeeeez, I would have never thought of auto stripe detailing! hat a great idea. I was planning on masking and painting the waterline on my aircraft carrier model I'm planning on doing, but this merits exploration. Is it adhesive-backed? My only worry would be, I would imagine you need a very steady hand, unless the tape pulls up fairly easily before final placement.

[Geek44]

After 35 years of modelling, I still consider every kit as an experiment. Sometimes they work...sometimes not so good. The guys are quite right Biscuit...you can use it later to test new ideas on if you're really unhappy with it. Or...if you're really motivated, you can strip the paint off and start again. There are ways to take off old paint that don't damage the model at all.

[cyberia]

Originally Posted by Whiterook

Geeeeeez, I would have never thought of auto stripe detailing! hat a great idea. I was planning on masking and painting the waterline on my aircraft carrier model I'm planning on doing, but this merits exploration. Is it adhesive-backed? My only worry would be, I would imagine you need a very steady hand, unless the tape pulls up fairly easily before final placement.

Adhesive backed, and designed to be lifted off and replaced by those detailing cars. Once in place, I like using a guitar pick to carefully press it down snug.

And to give credit where credit is due, it was my wife's idea once while she watched me painstaking trying to paint one of those hull lines free hand.

[Whiterook]

Well, your a braver man than I, trying to free hand a waterline! Of this upcoming carrier project, this probably had me the most worried. I had horrible visions of black paint bleeding through my tape unto my nnice clean red hull! Not to mention trying to get the tape nice and straight. I saw a good tip in FSM that mentioned to use a helping hands stand to hold a pencil, and draw a line...didn't look inviting. I like the detailing tape idea...I'll be making a visit to my neared autoparts store...well, call first, anyway!

[Biscuit]

Wow, thanks for all the tips guys! I will look for that auto tape, Paul.

I think I will be doing my best and turning this one in for the contest, but then use it for a dummy next time I build a model. There are a couple good fletcher class destroyer models between 1/350 and 1/96 that I am going to look at next time. Building the same ship over again has to increase the learning curve (I hope!).

After, I made the initial post I used the buffing side of one the files and that took some of the excess paint off the altered waterline. I think that will work to clean it up at least. Had it in my head that the file could only be used to clean up glue lines and such.