My first model in 45 years! Whaaa?

[Can-Con]

You're not alone in having to strip and re-paint stuff. I've done several models where I've had to strip and re-paint 2 or 3 times before I'm satisfied with the paint.

,,and don't worry about not getting comments and feedback. I've had a lot of build threads where there's very few comments during the building process. ?

[4knflyin]

7 hours ago, Can-Con said:

The alcohol isn't much good for enamel. I've always used Easy Off with no problems.

I don't think I'd use the Testors thinner or mineral spirits for stripping, might melt the plastic.

Good to know! Thanks. I see much paint stripping in my future, so the gallon jug of IAP won't go to waste.?

[4knflyin]

On 1/8/2024 at 1:28 PM, Bainford said:

First of all, don't be concerned about the apparent lack of participation in your WIP thread.

Often you come to the conclusion that putting 200 hours into a build with a compromised paint job is not nearly as satisfying as putting in 220 hours into a build with a great paint job. Though a pain in the butt at the time, the end result is a model you are even more proud of, knowing you went the extra mile to get it right.

The real nuisance is when the model has a lot of repairs, corrections, or custom work involving putty. Most paint strippers damage most putties, requiring all that work to be redone. In some of these cases, sanding off the damaged paint may be the best way forward. It depends a lot on the type of body and its details that can be damaged by sanding. 

It looks like your body panels are ready for primer again (it's usually not necessary to remove all traces of the previous primer job). Give the parts a quick wash and scrub with mild soap (absolutely must be silicon free) and warm, running water. Rince well using a fine nail brush to get into all the crevices, dry with a lint-free cloth, and let air-dry thoroughly. Give it a quick wipe with IPA on a lint-free cloth. Then apply your primer. Once the primer is on, you can assess the quality of the surface finish, and do some fine follow-up sanding if needed. Re-prime if necessary. A final light rub with 1000 or 1500 grit sand paper, used wet. A final thorough rinse and dry, final wipe with IPA, and you're ready for paint.

<link>

Thanks for ALL of that. I appreciate it. My only concern re: the lack of feedback, is the lack of feedback. After this build, I should feel a lot more comfortable about my choices. However, right now, more has changed in the model world than I forget about building models in my youth. Not only that, but the whole airbrushing angle: the paints, thinners, manufacturers, etc., and last but not least, airbrushing technique!!

So I don't trust myself at junctures like this. Maybe one of the only things I've got right about all this. Attached is a photo of the first coat of primer on the engine cowl. Right after I wrote the post you replied to, the sun came out and my work did not survive that. I was immediately clear that I had some serious work to do. For the inside of the cowl, for the black paint, I simply sanded it. And that's what I'll do for the monocoque. 

If I could ask you for a quick reaction to the photo, in particular whether seeing the effects of the previous primer making those spots darker, will it cause me problems getting the color coats to be even?

Thanks again. Like I said, what I'm learning on this build should stand me in good stead from the next build on. I've read a ton, I've done tons of research, and I've spent a small fortune on the things needed to do it right. I'm just still lacking some of the bare basics, the kinds of things where the judgment of somebody like you and the other guys who have responded only comes from experience. There's no substitute for seat time!

This is what it looked like after I recovered from seeing it in the sunlight:

 

And this is what the first light coat of primer brought to the fore:

 

To me, the inside is the most interesting. I filled the "sprue holes" with putty, only to realize that was already insufficient. So I did what all you guys do, and at which I just can't get the hang of, I filled over the putty with accelerated CA. Then I sanded, and sanded, and more sanding. This is the interesting part to me: when it wasn't going so well, I picked up a little "chisel" and used it as a planer. Unbelievable! Chiseling off the excess CA is so much easier for me. Nary a mark from an errant chisel stroke. Awesome find.

 

The taped off edges was my lame attempt at keeping the mating point clean after having spent 30 minutes with the chisel cleaning them out.

 

And this is the cowl backlit. I'm not too concerned about the fixes. In fact, even the highlighted areas where there was leftover primer, I think it's going to take a huge portion of the yellow paint to get even depth no matter what I do. So really, if you have an observation or two, that'd be great. Otherwise, I'll assume I'm actually in a pretty good place now. I'm tellin' ya, I would NOT have stripped the parts if not for you guys... and it was absolutely, no doubt about it, the right thing to do.

Edited January 9, 2024 by 4knflyin
"plane" to "planer," for those who may be confused by it. I haven't returned to flying.

[4knflyin]

6 hours ago, IanH said:

I am not familiar with the paint strippers mentioned above, a local hobby shop here in South Africa sells an unbranded bottle containing oxytol. 

I kid you not, I have stripped a body which I had primered with Tamiya grey primer, red Tamiya LP paint as well as automotive 2k gloss coat in less than 10 minutes. 

There is no need to sand afterwards, the paint is gone completely, I just agitate it a lit with a brush, and that's all. 

I too have painfully made the decision to strip knowing how much effort went into what I am throwing away, but from this you get experience, confidence, etc. After the hard times easier times will come, as each step in this process becomes a new skill. 

OK, I've never said no to an oxy, but that stuff I'm going to have to look up. 10 minutes?! No sanding?! I'm all in. 

Thanks for the info.

PS: South Africa... very cool. I'd make a wisecrack about Pastorius, but no.

[4knflyin]

3 hours ago, Can-Con said:

You're not alone in having to strip and re-paint stuff. I've done several models where I've had to strip and re-paint 2 or 3 times before I'm satisfied with the paint.

,,and don't worry about not getting comments and feedback. I've had a lot of build threads where there's very few comments during the building process. ?

Yeah, I hear you. I only worry because there are so many bad decisions you all would not make that I would, unaided. That's my one and only, sole concern. It's also nice getting to become a member of the community, but right now I'm hyper focused on getting going with some confidence. That's where you guys are irreplaceable. 

[Bainford]

14 hours ago, 4knflyin said:

Thanks for ALL of that. I appreciate it. My only concern re: the lack of feedback, is the lack of feedback. After this build, I should feel a lot more comfortable about my choices. However, right now, more has changed in the model world than I forget about building models in my youth. Not only that, but the whole airbrushing angle: the paints, thinners, manufacturers, etc., and last but not least, airbrushing technique!!

So I don't trust myself at junctures like this. Maybe one of the only things I've got right about all this. Attached is a photo of the first coat of primer on the engine cowl. Right after I wrote the post you replied to, the sun came out and my work did not survive that. I was immediately clear that I had some serious work to do. For the inside of the cowl, for the black paint, I simply sanded it. And that's what I'll do for the monocoque. 

If I could ask you for a quick reaction to the photo, in particular whether seeing the effects of the previous primer making those spots darker, will it cause me problems getting the color coats to be even?

Thanks again. Like I said, what I'm learning on this build should stand me in good stead from the next build on. I've read a ton, I've done tons of research, and I've spent a small fortune on the things needed to do it right. I'm just still lacking some of the bare basics, the kinds of things where the judgment of somebody like you and the other guys who have responded only comes from experience. There's no substitute for seat time!

This is what it looked like after I recovered from seeing it in the sunlight:

 

And this is what the first light coat of primer brought to the fore:

 

To me, the inside is the most interesting. I filled the "sprue holes" with putty, only to realize that was already insufficient. So I did what all you guys do, and at which I just can't get the hang of, I filled over the putty with accelerated CA. Then I sanded, and sanded, and more sanding. This is the interesting part to me: when it wasn't going so well, I picked up a little "chisel" and used it as a plane. Unbelievable! Chiseling off the excess CA is so much easier for me. Nary a mark from an errant chisel stroke. Awesome find.

 

The taped off edges was my lame attempt at keeping the mating point clean after having spent 30 minutes with the chisel cleaning them out.

 

And this is the cowl backlit. I'm not too concerned about the fixes. In fact, even the highlighted areas where there was leftover primer, I think it's going to take a huge portion of the yellow paint to get even depth no matter what I do. So really, if you have an observation or two, that'd be great. Otherwise, I'll assume I'm actually in a pretty good place now. I'm tellin' ya, I would NOT have stripped the parts if not for you guys... and it was absolutely, no doubt about it, the right thing to do.

Yes, you need a couple more coats of primer on that body work until you have good solid, even colour. Even colour of any base coat or primer is important, as a patchy result will often transfer to the final finish (especially with yellow). Painting the inside of the body with black helps a lot, but even primer application is important. Apply light coats. If the primer lays down dry and dusty/gritty (as the photo appears), you may need to get in a bit closer when spraying. Either way, a bit of light sanding with 1000 or 1500 grit sandpaper between coats and before final paint will keep things smooth. Sand wet, and rinse/dry parts very well before paint or further primer coats.

It is also necessary to achieve solid, even primer coats to properly assess any places that need further work prior to paint. Small scratches and very minor imperfections can sometimes be sorted with another coat of primer. For small repairs, such as the spot at the top edge of the intake cowling, I use Gunze Sangyo Mr Surfacer. It comes in several 'grits' (grain size, I guess), but I use 1000 or 1500. It is basically a very thick primer that I spot-apply with a brush to fill small divots or deeper scratches. When sanding, it feathers out beautifully. It's good for filling the ejector pin marks on the underside of the bodywork, too. It shrinks while it is drying, so I apply a thick, heavy spot, allow it to dry/shrink, then sand it flat. It is a lacquer that dries quickly (though not CA quick, which I suppose it why many people use CA for such things). Just one man's method, of course. There are numerous ways to sort such things.

Taping off the mating surfaces is not lame, just good forethought. 

You are doing well.  Keep in mind that anything I say is just my way of doing things. Other builders will have other methods or techniques, and you will absorb and draw from these. There is almost no end to ways of 'skinning this cat'. There are definite wrong ways of doing it, but if you ask ten modellers the right way to do it, you will get twelve different answers. If other methods, or your own ideas, clash with any advise I offer, then those methods or ideas are not necessarily wrong. Just different. Eventually, every builder settles into their own methods or ways of doing things that works well for them, usually a mish-mash of things they've heard and read over the years that solidify into their own personal methods. This is why forums work so well at developing our own personal skills and techniques. We are all the result of a mash-up of everyone else's methods and experiences.

[4knflyin]

2 hours ago, Bainford said:

Yes, you need a couple more coats of primer on that body work until you have good solid, even colour. Even colour of any base coat or primer is important, as a patchy result will often transfer to the final finish (especially with yellow). Painting the inside of the body with black helps a lot, but even primer application is important. Apply light coats. If the primer lays down dry and dusty/gritty (as the photo appears), you may need to get in a bit closer when spraying. Either way, a bit of light sanding with 1000 or 1500 grit sandpaper between coats and before final paint will keep things smooth. Sand wet, and rinse/dry parts very well before paint or further primer coats.

Yes! To all of it. I intentionally put down a light layer incase... incase you know what. lol. I've been wondering about sanding each layer — know I feel comfortable in my understanding! And you nailed it, I thought I was being clever by dusting it from afar, at least a foot, but I your explanation of the negative effects of that were something else I was actively wondering about. Thanks.

 

2 hours ago, Bainford said:

For small repairs, such as the spot at the top edge of the intake cowling, I use Gunze Sangyo Mr Surfacer. It comes in several 'grits' (grain size, I guess), but I use 1000 or 1500. It is basically a very thick primer that I spot-apply with a brush to fill small divots or deeper scratches. When sanding, it feathers out beautifully. It's good for filling the ejector pin marks on the underside of the bodywork, too. It shrinks while it is drying, so I apply a thick, heavy spot, allow it to dry/shrink, then sand it flat. It is a lacquer that dries quickly (though not CA quick, which I suppose it why many people use CA for such things). Just one man's method, of course. There are numerous ways to sort such things.

Yes! God how I've wondered about that stuff. Keep seeing in mentioned (remember, I've read a ton of stuff over the past 6 mos.) but not fully understanding it's use. And "spot-apply with a brush," I didn't expect that. Again, thanks.

 

2 hours ago, Bainford said:

Taping off the mating surfaces is not lame, just good forethought. 

You are doing well.  Keep in mind that anything I say is just my way of doing things... This is why forums work so well at developing our own personal skills and techniques. We are all the result of a mash-up of everyone else's methods and experiences.

And another, Yes! Just this single post, not to mention your and others' prior posts, illuminated (and that's a carefully chosen word, not always my strength, lol) for me tools and techniques I was unsure or didn't know even to ask. It's one thing to have read a lot about others doing their work, but so much more impactful, as in making an impression on my mind, when it's in relation to what I'm doing. It's the best learning method for me.

Finally, another thanks for your gratuitous kind words! Until your next post...

[4knflyin]

Well, that was a nice surprise and a perfect time to receive it... "Posted just now." LOL. Out of suspended animation. YAY!

[4knflyin]

3 hours ago, Bainford said:

I use Gunze Sangyo Mr Surfacer. It comes in several 'grits' (grain size, I guess), but I use 1000 or 1500.

I just went to order some. Did you mean Mr. Finishing Surfacer?

EDIT: Further research shows you meant what you wrote. Didn't mean to interrupt.

Edited January 9, 2024 by 4knflyin

[4knflyin]

I didn't die. I didn't give up. And I'm still not finished with this "practice kit."

And, believe it or not, I didn't even stop. No "took a couple weeks off" or anything. Some days I barely got started before disaster struck and demoralized me too much to continue. Every day I thought about this thread and that I owe it to myself to be documenting the experience, and then just said I'll get to it tomorrow.

So, this is just me checking in. I'm determined to fill in the high and low points soon. When I do, some may wonder how the kit didn't end up in the trash.

For now, here's where I'm at in pictures. I think I probably have another week to go. It does not hold up to close inspection, but I'm determined to do as many different modeling skills as possible before moving on to my next project... where making the same mistakes as I have on this car will be much, much more costly. 

Oops, I forgot to include the front wing. In these pics, there are decals from five sources : Shunko, Tamiya, MFH, Scale Motorsport, and, I think, Tabu. The carbon composite patterns alone are from three of them.  Zoom at your own risk. Que the striptease music...

Edited February 19, 2024 by 4knflyin