SPA Modeler

speedgraflex wrote:Is there a layer of Mr Surfacer on top of your stretched sprue pieces? Also, how will you sand to blend with existing primer (yellow arrow)?

Not yet, what minor gaps that don’t look bad without the Mr Surfacer will look terrible to you after so then I add the appropriate size of stretched sprue into the gap with the Tamiya extra thin cement. The stretched sprue will be turn into a melted cheese like consistency if you mess with it which works well to force fill the gap flat with a metal tool (I use the back side of one of my tweezers) to manipulate and massage it. Then after 10 minutes and quickly sand starting with 800 grit and working up to polish. Yes it looks like crap now but a little time and elbow grease and it will look better than it did with the gap.

As far as sanding to blend the primer, I don’t. I thin the Mr Surfacer with Mr Leveling Thinner, shoot it to cover up and after 10 minutes I use a small cloth (the ones you get with the screen protectors for smartphones) and buff the surface really quick. Since I go for a color variation when I paint it is about intentionally going more/less on each panel since I no longer pre shade models anymore.

So when I do start applying paint, I start by highlighting all access panels/fuel doors etc first, then goto each panel one by one and paint close to the panel line with out getting on it, then I fill the inside lightly in a random snake pattern til the panel has good variation of paint down. Sounds time consuming but it actually goes pretty quick. After all the panels in that particular color is done I go back over (since the first “coat” is only to set the variation) moving the airbrush in the direction of air flow over the wings, stabilizers, cowl, but on the 109 the large fuselage sections aft of the cockpit is when I go vertically in line with the panel lines.

All good Bruce, though the black mr surfacer is not a putty (i dont think anyway) it sprays just like their normal line of paint. I could be wrong so if you or someone knows for sure it would be news to me. Criticism is welcome so don’t be shy, sometimes you guys see thing I don’t notice til the next day or two. What is the horizontal area you are talking about? Just so we are on the same page and that I didnt’t miss something.

Yellow-horizontal
Red-vertical
Circles-areas that appear to be filled in or maybe not

Ah ha, yup those are being worked on still

All good Bruce! Also the stuff is mr. finishing surfacer 1500 black, I highly recommend it especially if you airbrush! The stuff is in the same category as the Mr Leveling Thinner.

Great work,

The canopy installation sequence is a winnerI think. I shall give it a whirl on my next 109. The whole build is looking great and an example of careful planning,execution and problem solving.

Regards,

Thanks, though there would be less problem solving if I would stop making problems! Lol.

Bruce this shot is just for you!


(There is five there, that leaves me 4 more in the stash... going to have to load up on some E-3s now!)

Fixed the issues as best I could, I stopped when I was starting to think “Just a little more.” Kinda like Murphy’s law but in modeling I learned that is where you stop. What I did was mask off that thin line, hand painted the Mr Finishing Surfacer (I will just say MFS from here on oht), removed tape, watch for the surface to look dry and then applied some Tamiya extra thin over it. Let that dry and then sand with 800 grit followed by 1200 (or maybe it was 1400?) and inspected. Did it again and then polished the area, sprayed another coat of MFS and called it good.

That’s that, no more work til my paints arrive which is two days away! It’s been so long since I ordered from Hannants, anyone remember how long it takes for items to reach the USA from the UK? I need my decals!!

Looks like you got the canopy all sorted out, I can't see any gaps or Hitchhikers as Bruce called them (I like that term think I'll start using it to describe them as well)