1/48 Tamiya Spitfire Mk I

Started by Jaime Carreon · 40 · 10 years ago
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    Jaime Carreon said 10 years, 2 months ago:

    I've been using Scotch blue tape on model airplanes (RC and plastic) for years and have never had any problems other than the ones that were self induced. It sure is cheaper than Tamiya tape or frisket paper. The one and two inch widths will cover just about anything.

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    AL HOFFMAN said 10 years, 2 months ago:

    Your paint work is coming along nicely.
    I have a roll of blue "Duck" tape. Must be different than the Scotch brand cause can't get it to stay stuck at all.

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    Jaime Carreon said 10 years, 1 month ago:

    Decals are on. I coated the the kit markings with some MicroScale decal film before applying them and they went on just fine. Added a quick coat of Solvaset, will let that dry for a while before I apply the final flat coat.

    Al, I've used other brands of masking tape, but none of them work as well as the Scotch blue tape. It costs a little more, but it's worth it.

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    Jaime Carreon said 10 years, 1 month ago:

    Almost a disaster when I got back to the Spit today. Something in the decal setting solution reacted with the Future gloss coat and caused a bunch of white patches all over the wings. Wiping it down with a damp cloth didn't help, but touching up the affected areas with fresh Future took care of it.

    Got the canopy and the cockpit side door masked and painted. Those were the last of the pieces parts to need that. I'll shoot the flat coat tomorrow, then on to final assembly.

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    Rick Wilkes said 10 years, 1 month ago:

    Jaime, just like you I discovered that strong decal solvent solutions will cause Future to fish eye, etc., especially it hasn't fully cured (~48 hours). Good thing new coats a Future melt into the old ones and level out ain't it? :-).

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    Jaime Carreon said 10 years, 1 month ago:

    Rick, I thought I had given it enough time to cure before I decalled. I learn something new each build. There seem to be a lot of little tricks that came about while I was out of the hobby that I need to get caught up on!

    Final flat topcoat went on this morning and she's sitting on her landing gear now.

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    Simon Whitney said 10 years, 1 month ago:

    I dont use Future, mainly because the old brand is not on sale over here and I wont pay over the odds for a bottle off evil bay.
    But saying that, I had problems with Humbrol Acrylic aerosol Varnishes. They crazed like hell.
    I now use Vallejo varnishes and so far no problems (touch wood).
    I still give it at least 24 hours before working over it i.e decals weathering etc.

    Hope to see her finished for the GB.

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    Jaime Carreon said 10 years, 1 month ago:

    There comes a point in any build when you find yourself sitting at the disaster that your work bench has become, looking at a box full of empty sprues and half a decal sheet. The staying up late doing research, agonizing over just the right paint colors, swearing at expensive plastic parts that don't fit or a piece of photoetch that launched off into space (never to be seen again), watching your decal setting solution turn your camo into polka dots and squinting at that itty bitty clear light lens hoping you can get it into an ever more itty bitty hole; all of that is over. All the plastic has hopefully transformed into something that resembles the pictures on the box and will soon be collecting dust on a shelf next to all the other plastic transformations. After all the insanity and headaches, you have finally reached the point where you can say - IT'S DONE!

    Now the process can begin anew. See y'all on reveal day!

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    Rick Wilkes said 10 years, 1 month ago:

    Will be looking forward to seeing it Jaime. What's next?

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    Jaime Carreon said 10 years, 1 month ago:

    There are several things in the works. A friend of mine wants me to build a model of the F4 that his dad flew in Vietnam. There's a Monogram C-47 that will be done in the markings of one of the airplanes I lived on when I was a flight mechanic late last century. And I think I'd like to do some Formula 1 race cars and maybe another PT boat...