SPA Modeler

speedgraflex wrote:The difference between kit gray and black primer versions is monumental. One looks good but the other takes on a whole new level of energy—sheep dog to Rottweiler! Congratulations and keep going!

I am 100% with you on that and boy am I glad my Mr. Surfacer didn’t chew up and spit out that plastic!

Now, I’m not married to black basing. I mean, like for the propeller for the Corsair. I primed that in gray Tamiya primer from the rattlecan because I prefer how the Chrome Silver and Flat Aluminum looks when you spray it over that. It doesn’t go black on me under certain light. So when I do my Raiden for example, gray will go down, then Flat Aluminum for chipping purposes, but then some black over that in certain places.

But back to point- for a project like this, and a lot of the other stuff I do, spraying over black is my preferred method for the exact reason you mentioned. And I’m really looking forward to seeing where it enhances this particular paint scheme too.

Step #1 is complete! Will clear coat later on after the football game.

Round 1 of salt chipping is done!





I am not sure yet if I want to use hairspray for the next layer of chipping with the Trope yellow, or salt again. But I have plenty of time to mull that over.

Lookin' good.

Thanks Lyle! It’ll be interesting to see this little guy with the yellow Trope color over that, and chipped-out. I’m lucky that I learned early that it is better to have a fuzzy idea of how you want the chipping to look, just a general idea of layers and where you want them, and leave it at that because in the end, it ends up looking how it looks all those grains of salt, where the water decides it wants to pool, and so forth, it all adds up to a whole lot of variables which are terribly difficult to control.

Round 2 of the paint chipping on the feet is complete and the work is sealed in Tamiya Clear.

I ended up using the Aqua Net as the chipping medium instead of salt. I wanted more flexibility this go-round. Big chips, little chips, minuscule scuffs, basically all the stuff that salt isn’t really appropriate for. My theory, basically, is that the Panzer Gray they sprayed on these tanks at the factory is tough paint, applied under the absolute ideal conditions. The Trope Yellow however, is field applied and I’d venture to guess that those aren’t the best conditions for painting armor. So I had this idea last night that the paints would wear differently. The salt chipping gave me nice chunks, like what would happen if rocks and shrapnel and metal wreckage would be forever banging the paint. And then I went a different route with the top coat of Trope Yellow. The edges aren’t as uniformly defined. Like it didn’t take as much to make it chip. And some of the Panzer Gray is still visible as is the iron oxide primer color. I’m happy with the results and I’m glad I stretched this out over a couple days.

The formula I used for the Trope Yellow color was:

Tamiya XF-03(Flat Yellow): 2
Tamiya XF-52(Flat Earth): 2
Tamiya XF-02(Flat White): 1

And the thinner to paint ratio was 2:1 thinner:paint

Up Next: the legs I guess.

Indeed, with salt technics one could never get that, sort of smooth chipping!
Looks very good, I like also the colours used.

But, euhm... Aqua Net ?





- Kari

Yeah buddy! Aqua Net is an American hairspray brand. It came under fire in the 1980’s because of the chlorofleurocarbon content. Apparently bands like Mötley Crüe, Poison, KISS, and Twisted Sister -not to mention every pre-teen and teenaged girl in the country- were using so much of the stuff that it was eating a hole in the Ozone Layer.

Anyhow, they still sell it.

I was using AK Interactive’s “Heavy Chipping Fluid” with solid success. However, I noticed that it was clouding up in the container, and when I’d spray it, it wouldn’t spray smooth or work as well. So whenever I did my last round of chipping on my Corsair, I used my wife’s hairspray. Aussie brand. It worked well. And later at the grocery store, she asked me if I wanted some hairspray for my models. It’s cheaper and you get more of it. And I saw the Aqua Net, and said “BOOM! Aqua Net! If it’s good enough for Mötley Crüe, it’s good enough for my models!” and I grabbed a can.

I spray it into my airbrush, and it sprays smooth and thin, and dries super fast. Two coats and a misting coat for a nice, workable, reliable result.

Thanks Kenny, got it!

And euhm.... in hairspray technique I am a total novice.. No, not even a novice.. a nobody... As I have never tried it...

- Kari

Well, if you ever do, I have some tips because I’ve botched this so many times on my paint mule:

1. Spray it directly into your airbrush cup and airbrush it on. Don’t bomb it on from the can. Got that one from our friend John.

2. Keep the PSI around 10.

3. Give it two coats, then a light misting coat.

4. It dries quickly BUT- spray a section of your paint mule with it after you spray it on your model. Wait a few minutes, then touch the spot on your paint mule where you sprayed it. If it feels dry, you’re good to go!

5. After you lay down your top coat, give it a few minutes to dry, but don’t let it sit overnight. That has never, ever worked for me.

6. Apply water to the area with a brush. Wait several seconds, then get after it with a stiff brush.

A word on paint:

I spray Tamiya acrylics as you know. They soak up water. I don’t think this would work with lacquers or enamels. Conversely, I seal my layers with a lacquer clear coat. That way if I don’t like the next layer I can wipe it off with Windex and not ruin the work I’ve done previously and also- the lacquer clear between layers also helps keep you from wiping away the paint under all those layers you already worked so hard on, whenever you’re chipping the next layer. Learned the hard way on that one with my first Corsair build.