Hello, Gree!

It's been a delight to following your building efforts from the other side of the world; difficult to reframe from buggering up your thread with too many compliments; and a great source of inspiration. Many thanks for posting this thread, and for staying on queue with great photos and descriptions. Where did you learn to write such thorough and clear specifications?

Here's a major reason for watching so closely. I haven't got many boxes stored in the basement, but this one's been collecting dust for awhile. Not sure when I'll get started, but this thread will be the primary resource when that day comes to pass.

Thanks Jugjock, an encouraging word means a lot. I remember you saying a long time ago you had one of these stashed away, I hope you are able to get started soon.

Not sure what you mean about writing clear specifications, but I guess I just write about what's going on at the time. I know I go on a bit, but hopefully a few people may find it helpful!


I've masked up the insignias on the top and bottom of the wing. I might get a chance to shoot the white on tonight at some point.

Well I Did Say This Was the Practice Plane
Well tonight I ruined my paint job on the wing. The silver paint (or rather chrome paint as it is called) is a funny thing. It seems very soft no matter how long you leave it for, and this is not helped by rubbing it back.

I put on the insignia masks for the top and bottom of the wings, and airbrushed some Tamiya flat white thinned with Tamiya acrylic thinner. Apart from underestimating how much paint was needed, and some slight orange peel in the white from not enough thinner, it turned out ok - nothing that a rub with steel wool won't smooth out.

The problem came when I removed the masks. They pulled a whole layer of the silver finish off with them.

Now the wing is ruined, unless I mask out the white and repaint the silver. I am too angry to think about it now. I'm walking away....

Gree, my heart bleeds for you mate, yes, sealing in the paint before applying the the masks might have worked, but is'nt hind sight a wonderful thing. Silver paint is notorious for poor adhesion, I've had it happen on cars/bikes even after great effort has been put into the rubbing down. when it happens you come very close to chucking the whole lot at the wall. I'm so glad you did'nt. this is just another set back that you'll laugh about in a few weeks time (no you f....kin' wont)
You could now seal the lot in with clear, damaged areas and all, repaint the silver (lightly so you don't get a reaction with the clear.) and then carry on, hopefully your masks wont pull off the paint again. I found that with masking/line tape, before appying to the surface, gently pull it between thumb and forefinger to make it slightly less tacky. I do'nt know if this would work with the masks.
Gree, be very careful when masking with newspaper, it does'nt seal like proper masking paper and you could end up with newspaper and or print on the model when you unmask. I'd buy some proper, or better, scrounge some from your local bodyshop, they have it on huge rolls in various widths. You do'nt want a bunch of adverts for the local supermarket on your wing!!!
I'm so sorry for you with these problems, mainly because I was about to say something detremental and sarcastic about your build, just because I was getting fed up with saying how bloody brilliant/profesional/etc it was, but now I feel it would be in bad taste!!
Gree, you're a very clever bloke and you'll get over this. Keep smiling. It sometimes helps I've found, to kick the crap out of next doors cat when this sort of thing happens, and it happens to us all. now f...k off and get repairing!

Jeff

Hey Gree ,
Great thread dude , I have questions .
But first to help with your problem , Id mask your white , but please use Tamiya Masking Tape , have you got any ? have you used it before , its pricey but it works really well .
Like Jeff said , silver paint is a er to deal with .
Also your weathering will help hide any minor stuff once you respray as well.
How long had the silver paint had to dry ? could need a hot room for a day or two.
Good luck , its gonna be awesome .

Thanks guys. I think I was pretty tired and fed up last night. It looks like crap but I don't think it will be that hard to fix. I tentatively rubbed a couple of the affected areas with steel wool again and it reduced the effect quite a bit. The paint turns into a liquid state when it is rubbed back (so my silver fingers tell me anyway!). Jeff, I usually put the masking tape on my shirt a couple of times before I stick it on which works well. But with the mask it was harder to do because it was hinged to the wing. But int he future I will de-tack it. Thanks for joining me in the swearing, it helped a lot!

I may mask the white, scrub it back and give it another mist of silver, and then rub it back too. It should be fine - just a real pain.

For the blue I'll cut the masks right down, and then lay down tape first, and stick the mask to that. Or I might try putting clear on first, but I wonder if that'll help or not... I think I am not going near it today!

By the way Mackone - what questions did you have?

So how is she coming along Gree

I have quietly been following this thread and really admiring the workmanship and effort put in to your models. - Since you are at a painting stage I have a question. I recently painted a section of my P 47 and then used Luster Kote clear flat. I now find that I want to change the colour. Can I light sand and paint over the clear coat with krylon or Rustoleum and then just clear coat again ?? I would appreciate some help with this. Thanks : Eric

Gree, the paint thing sucks an egg, especially b/c you can SEE the end in sight. You'll just have to get creative in your weathering. Love the build man.

the other Jeff

Hi guys...

ihaveahellcat - It hasn't come along since my last post. I really got fed up and have walked away from it until the mood strikes me again. In the meantime I have rebuilt one of my FPV planes to get flying again (man I'd almost forgotten how to deal with all those electronics after this scale stuff!). I don't think I'll get back to the wing or plane until after our sunroom is rebuilt (which has been delayed a couple of weeks). However something may happen between now and then.

A lot of the bad silver can be fixed by rubbing back with steel wool but the paint is pretty thin and goes back to the primer in some places. I will be masking it and respraying the silver. Then I'll be sealing everything with clear before I do the blue on the insignias. I also got to thinking and realised sealing with clear would also probably make the transfers go on much easier without me denting the wood! The fuse will definitely turn out better!


Oletbird - The short answer is I don't know I'm sorry... I am very new to all this. It's my first build (hence all the mistakes!). However I'd guess you can rub back the paint and then repaint with no problems. My advice would be to spray some of the exact paint on a test piece of wood or something and then respray it, to make sure the paint will take.


the other Jeff - Nice one Jeff - like the new name! Thanks for the encouraging words. Really on reflection the problem is not the end of the world and can be fixed easily enough. It just knocked the wind out of my sails a bit because I was so pleased with myself... Might be a lesson in there somewhere!

I'm always really glad to know you're along for the ride...



Don't worry lads I'll let you know when there is progress to report. But it might not be for a couple of weeks (this time I mean it!).

oletbird I'm not sure either, but Gree has the best idea and that is to try it on something of no value exactly the same way you've painted your model. I always assume it WILL react and wrinkle the clear coat. Is Krylon and acrylic paint? (like single pack car paint) if so, it will possibly react with the Luster Kote.
If your paint has had sufficiant time to harden, and you use a very fine scotchbrite type pad to scuff up the surface, you could be o.k. but spray only very light coats allowing plenty of time between coats. I hope someone else on here can help you more than me.

Limey Jeff

Limey Jeff it is from now on - or just Limey for short.

Whatever makes you happy Gree,

Anything's better than Pommy bastard!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Limey Jeff

Gree and "Limey Jeff" -- I appreciate the fast response -- I think I will take your advice and try it on something other than my model . I would rather have a botched up experiment than a messed up paint job. BBy next week I'll know if eing that I am inherently lazy and hate to do things 2 or more times I just thought I would ask here and see if anyone had done this before. Krylon has acetone and Toluene - not sure about the Rustoleum. By next week I'll know . I too think the answer is in repainting with several very light coats. Thanks again , I'm back to watching all the great developments in this thread.
Eric