Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate This Thread
Hop To
Page 2 of 3 1 2 3
#4464131 - 03/05/19 09:12 PM Re: 1/72 F/A-18C... and airbrush questions... [Re: malibu43]  
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,603
malibu43 Offline
Senior Member
malibu43  Offline
Senior Member

Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,603
SoCal
So, pretty much all of the paint work, aside from tanks, pylons, and ordinance, is done. I need to paint some dark gray or black on the inside of the canopy opposite the gray that was spray painted to give it a fuller look and so it looks nicer inside the cockpit. I placed the canopy for a test fit, and the left side is warped/flex inward a little bit and doesn't line up with the the edges of the cockpit. Does anyone have any tips to correct this? Can I heat with a hair dryer and try to pull it out a little?

Also - any good tips for what to use to clean up the canopy frame lines? It's a little sloppier than I would have liked. Will rubbing alcohol take the enamel off?

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]


Sager NP8671 17.3" Notebook, i74720HQ (3.6GHz), GTX 970M (3.0GB), 8GB DDR3 RAM, 1TB 7200RPM HD, TrackIR 4, CH HOTAS and rudder pedals
Inline advert (2nd and 3rd post)

#4464173 - 03/06/19 01:11 AM Re: 1/72 F/A-18C... and airbrush questions... [Re: malibu43]  
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 19,381
Ajay Offline
newbie
Ajay  Offline
newbie
Veteran

Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 19,381
Brisbane OZ
My F-111 canopy is the same Malibu. I was thinking of using hot water and then placing some weight on it for a couple of days and crossing my fingers. Can you chip away at the enamel paint with a toothpick? Maybe dip it into some thinners while chipping away?


My il2 page
Seelowe Campaign
Cliffs of Dover page
CloD
My Models
Tanks/Planes/Ships


#4464310 - 03/06/19 09:18 PM Re: 1/72 F/A-18C... and airbrush questions... [Re: Ajay]  
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,603
malibu43 Offline
Senior Member
malibu43  Offline
Senior Member

Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,603
SoCal
Originally Posted by Ajay
My F-111 canopy is the same Malibu. I was thinking of using hot water and then placing some weight on it for a couple of days and crossing my fingers. Can you chip away at the enamel paint with a toothpick? Maybe dip it into some thinners while chipping away?


I read that if soaked in hot water or heated too much/too long, plastic parts may try to revert to their original form. However, that was more for vacuum formed canopies. I'm not sure what kind of stresses would be present in these injection molded parts and how they might move or deform if allowed. I am thinking of trying on of two things (or maybe a combination of them). 1) Sand a scrap piece of wood down to the width of the cockpit and place the canopy over that so it stretches out to the right width and then hit it with a hair dryer, and or 2) glue a very small piece of scrap plastic to the inside edge of the cockpit so it just barely sticks up and then use that as a "lip" to help hold the cockpit in the right place and open.

I started trying to clean up the paint with a toothpick and thought it was maybe scratching the plastic. However, I read online to make a sharp chisel out of scrap plastic from the same part tree the canopy came from, and to use that to rub paint off. Since its the same plastic, it won't scratch. I may or may not do that, as the cockpit framing actually looks pretty good with the old Mk I eyeball from normal viewing distance.

I need to get the canopy and pilot visor issues figured out (and neither one will be easy), as they are pretty much the last things to do before I start applying decals and then hang tanks and ordinance.


Sager NP8671 17.3" Notebook, i74720HQ (3.6GHz), GTX 970M (3.0GB), 8GB DDR3 RAM, 1TB 7200RPM HD, TrackIR 4, CH HOTAS and rudder pedals
#4464383 - 03/07/19 10:47 AM Re: 1/72 F/A-18C... and airbrush questions... [Re: malibu43]  
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 19,381
Ajay Offline
newbie
Ajay  Offline
newbie
Veteran

Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 19,381
Brisbane OZ
Good luck man, i thought of making a jig of sorts as well and using that to help form it while it (hopefully) set.


My il2 page
Seelowe Campaign
Cliffs of Dover page
CloD
My Models
Tanks/Planes/Ships


#4464407 - 03/07/19 03:22 PM Re: 1/72 F/A-18C... and airbrush questions... [Re: Ajay]  
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,603
malibu43 Offline
Senior Member
malibu43  Offline
Senior Member

Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,603
SoCal
Originally Posted by Ajay
Good luck man, i thought of making a jig of sorts as well and using that to help form it while it (hopefully) set.


So I tried this last night and it worked. I wrapped masking tape around a small piece of scrap wood until the ccanopy fit over it just tight enough to stretch the sides a little and make it a snug fit. Then I hit it with the hair dryer for a about a minute. It actually made it too wide and I had to try to heat it again while I was squeezing the sides. Still not a perfect fit, but better than it was. I would definitely recommend trying this, but start small and go in increments so you don't have to back track like I did. You can also see in the picture below where handling the canopy while it was warmed resulted in some of the paint smudging or peeling off.

Even after this, the fit of the canopy to the fuselage and windscreen is total garbage. I'm sure some of it is sloppy workmanship on my part, but the parts have some issues as well. Here is where I got it to:

[Linked Image]

I decided (despite a little voice in my head telling me not to) to back to the light-weight spackle. I tried to fill in some of the lines and uneven spots, and then I'm going to remask the canopy (and any other nearby bits that aren't dark gray) and hit it with one more blast of spray paint.

On top of all that, I got some hazing on the inside of the front of the windscreen from (I guess) a little much glue in the vicinity. Not from touching it with gluey fingers (I was very careful about that), but just the white residue that these types of glue can leave on nearby surfaces when the glue dries. I'm a little bummed - I've been really careful and have been really happy with the way the rest of the model has turned out. And then this canopy has completely gone to #$!@...

Last edited by malibu43; 03/07/19 03:25 PM.

Sager NP8671 17.3" Notebook, i74720HQ (3.6GHz), GTX 970M (3.0GB), 8GB DDR3 RAM, 1TB 7200RPM HD, TrackIR 4, CH HOTAS and rudder pedals
#4464509 - 03/08/19 07:49 AM Re: 1/72 F/A-18C... and airbrush questions... [Re: malibu43]  
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 19,381
Ajay Offline
newbie
Ajay  Offline
newbie
Veteran

Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 19,381
Brisbane OZ
Fix Glue on Canopy Might help?


My il2 page
Seelowe Campaign
Cliffs of Dover page
CloD
My Models
Tanks/Planes/Ships


#4464548 - 03/08/19 03:26 PM Re: 1/72 F/A-18C... and airbrush questions... [Re: Ajay]  
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,603
malibu43 Offline
Senior Member
malibu43  Offline
Senior Member

Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,603
SoCal
Originally Posted by Ajay
Fix Glue on Canopy Might help?


I've gotten that hazing off before with just some rubbing alcohol. The problem is that everything is glued on and I can't get to that part of the canopy anymore. Especially now that that I filled in some of the cracks and re-masked and re-sprayed the canopy frame.

The filling and re-spraying was a success. The canopy looks much better now, overall. I'm trying to decide if that hazing on the front of the canopy is worth pulling things apart to try to fix. If it was just prying something off and re-gluing, I'd go for it. But I really don't want to re-mask everything again and put more spray paint on. I feel like I'm pushing my luck each time I do that, and the next time around a small mistake is all it would take to create a much bigger problem than a little hazing...

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]


Sager NP8671 17.3" Notebook, i74720HQ (3.6GHz), GTX 970M (3.0GB), 8GB DDR3 RAM, 1TB 7200RPM HD, TrackIR 4, CH HOTAS and rudder pedals
#4466649 - 03/20/19 02:38 PM Re: 1/72 F/A-18C... and airbrush questions... [Re: malibu43]  
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,603
malibu43 Offline
Senior Member
malibu43  Offline
Senior Member

Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,603
SoCal
So... It's been a while. I had to take a little break after a set back.

I ended up popping the front windscreen off and tried to get that haziness off with rubbing alcohol. It worked a little, and I probably should have just put it back together then. But... I was reading on the internet, and a lot of folks said not to use nail polish remover as the acetone with attack the plastic. But then one guy said it is OK as long as you don't leave it on for long. Hmmm... OK. Why not give that a shot? I barely touched a q-tip with nail polish remover to the spot with the haziness, and BAM! Instantly the entire inside of the windscreen fogged up. I tried right away to clean it with alcohol, but it was too late. Whole thing was fogged up...

So, I went back to my sometimes-best-friend-sometimes-worst-enemy, the internet. All I could find was to start sanding with 300 grit, then 600 grit, then toothpaste, then Future floor polish. That was way to much work and I didn't want to buy floor polish, so I started looking for replacement 1/72 canopies for an F/A-18-A/C. Couldn't find anything. So I started in with the sanding and toothpaste. After the toothpaste, it was still pretty rough looking, so I hit it with some Meguire's Ultimate Compound. That actually got it looking pretty good. It looked clear when it was still a little wet, but then some haziness would return after it dried for a few hours. So then it took a few more days to track down some floor polish locally. Couldn't find Future (now sold as Pledge Floor Gloss, BTW), but I did find Holloway House Quick Shine. After more reading on the internet I was finally able to determine that this product would work just as well as the future. So I bought some, dropped the windscreen in a cup of it, then let it dry for a day. After all that, the testors spray had been rubbed off, so I just mixed the best match I could with my acrylics and redid the framing by hand. Here's where I landed:

[Linked Image]

It's a little dirty at this point, but oh well. I might bush some Quick Shine on the outside of the main canopy when I'm all done to clear it up as well.

So yesterday I started decals. So far it's going OK. The red highlights on the tail were a pain to position to try to get them as close to lining up on the edges as I could. And then there's some hanging off the back. After the first one, I realized I needed to pre-trim them to get rid of the clear around the edges. I initially only bough Microset (no Microsol) for this project, but yesterday I went ahead and ordered some microsol from Amazon to try and get these to conform as much as I can. Then I plan on trimming whatever isn't laying down and filling in gaps on the leading edge and top with a little red paint. The rest of the decals will benefit from the Microsol as well.

[Linked Image]

Last edited by malibu43; 03/20/19 02:42 PM.

Sager NP8671 17.3" Notebook, i74720HQ (3.6GHz), GTX 970M (3.0GB), 8GB DDR3 RAM, 1TB 7200RPM HD, TrackIR 4, CH HOTAS and rudder pedals
#4466654 - 03/20/19 02:43 PM Re: 1/72 F/A-18C... and airbrush questions... [Re: malibu43]  
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,603
malibu43 Offline
Senior Member
malibu43  Offline
Senior Member

Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,603
SoCal
Looks a little better in real life than it does in this picture...

[Linked Image]

Last edited by malibu43; 03/20/19 02:44 PM.

Sager NP8671 17.3" Notebook, i74720HQ (3.6GHz), GTX 970M (3.0GB), 8GB DDR3 RAM, 1TB 7200RPM HD, TrackIR 4, CH HOTAS and rudder pedals
#4466777 - 03/21/19 04:36 AM Re: 1/72 F/A-18C... and airbrush questions... [Re: malibu43]  
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 19,381
Ajay Offline
newbie
Ajay  Offline
newbie
Veteran

Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 19,381
Brisbane OZ
Looking good Malibu! Nothing like spending half your modelling time researching on how to fix a mistake biggrin Cameras seem to be the best at picking faults and have zero mercy or respect. I look at my models and go, wow, that actually looks good, then i look at a picture and go , oh..i missed this, and over there and got some paint and glue on this bit....


She'll look wicked once you get some ordnance slung on the beast! and maybe a really light wash to make her pop.


My il2 page
Seelowe Campaign
Cliffs of Dover page
CloD
My Models
Tanks/Planes/Ships


#4466831 - 03/21/19 02:17 PM Re: 1/72 F/A-18C... and airbrush questions... [Re: Ajay]  
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,603
malibu43 Offline
Senior Member
malibu43  Offline
Senior Member

Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,603
SoCal
Originally Posted by Ajay
Looking good Malibu! Nothing like spending half your modelling time researching on how to fix a mistake biggrin Cameras seem to be the best at picking faults and have zero mercy or respect. I look at my models and go, wow, that actually looks good, then i look at a picture and go , oh..i missed this, and over there and got some paint and glue on this bit....


She'll look wicked once you get some ordnance slung on the beast! and maybe a really light wash to make her pop.


Thanks Ajay.

I'm really itching to put all the "things that go boom" on (or in the case of a hornet, "things that carry gas and a couple that go boom"). It's gonna look cool. I'm trying to be patient though with all these final details so I'm happy with it once it's sitting on my desk. I'm really hoping the Microsol helps with the decals on the tail, as I can see that being the next place that I get stuck on.

One question, when you say a light wash to make it pop, are you talking about a coat of Dulcote (or something similar) or something more involved? I've read lots about people doing clear coats and washes and such at the end, but I've never done anything like that. I'd want something very simple, cheap, and hard to screw up for the first time.


Sager NP8671 17.3" Notebook, i74720HQ (3.6GHz), GTX 970M (3.0GB), 8GB DDR3 RAM, 1TB 7200RPM HD, TrackIR 4, CH HOTAS and rudder pedals
#4466848 - 03/21/19 02:57 PM Re: 1/72 F/A-18C... and airbrush questions... [Re: malibu43]  
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,603
malibu43 Offline
Senior Member
malibu43  Offline
Senior Member

Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,603
SoCal
So, I don't why I didn't think of this until just now, but I could have decanted some of the dark gray paint out of the spray can and brushed that on for the canopy framing instead of struggling with masking and ultimately brushing on acrylic of a different color. Oh well. Not gonna mess with it now. But as I wrap this up, I'm sure there will be other opportunities to go back and touch up some spray paint spots.

That is all.


Sager NP8671 17.3" Notebook, i74720HQ (3.6GHz), GTX 970M (3.0GB), 8GB DDR3 RAM, 1TB 7200RPM HD, TrackIR 4, CH HOTAS and rudder pedals
#4466850 - 03/21/19 03:00 PM Re: 1/72 F/A-18C... and airbrush questions... [Re: malibu43]  
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 19,381
Ajay Offline
newbie
Ajay  Offline
newbie
Veteran

Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 19,381
Brisbane OZ
Goon would be better to talk to about washes as i am in my infancy with them..but..you can whack up something decent fairly easily. Have a quick look at my Konigstiger build thread. I made up a wash of water based acrylics for the wheels, water, a drop of dish washing liquid and some dark acrylic colours. The wash i made was about 7/1 water/paint as i was going for a grotty look, but with your plane you are just using it to help highlight some details so maybe 10/1. Seal your paint well with a clear coat first then just brush the wash on, mainly into the panel lines and such and then wipe off the excess when it is dry with a wet cloth. A matt finish will just soak it up and ruin your paint job. You can buy pre made washes as well but i prefer trying all the homemade alternatives first and seeing how they go.


Here's a pre and post wash pic (not mine)


Attached Files 21212121.jpg
Last edited by Ajay; 03/21/19 03:08 PM.

My il2 page
Seelowe Campaign
Cliffs of Dover page
CloD
My Models
Tanks/Planes/Ships


#4466882 - 03/21/19 04:47 PM Re: 1/72 F/A-18C... and airbrush questions... [Re: malibu43]  
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,581
goon Offline
Apex avoidance specialist
goon  Offline
Apex avoidance specialist
Member

Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,581
Stone, UK
Hi Malibu,
For simple, and reversible, washes look at Flory Models products. They are like a very fine clay, in suspension. You just brush it over the model, allow to dry, and remove with damp kitchen towel or cotton buds. You can create neat streaking effects by letting the wash accumulate on the cloth, or really clean it back so that only the panel lines and details remain highlighted. If it goes wrong or you don't like it, you can remove it altogether. It's vital it goes on to a good gloss finish though, or, as Ajay says, it stains irrevocably. (There are other brands of clay wash available, perhaps easier to get where you are, but memory fails me when it comes to naming them.)

Have fun!

Gareth


cheers
Gareth

UNDERSTEER - is when you hit the wall with the front wing.
OVERSTEER - is when you hit the wall with the back wing.
HORSEPOWER - is how fast you hit the wall.
TORQUE - is how far you can take the wall with you.

Read my scale modelling blog at www.latibuliser.com or mfhmazda787.com
#4466932 - 03/21/19 10:05 PM Re: 1/72 F/A-18C... and airbrush questions... [Re: malibu43]  
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,603
malibu43 Offline
Senior Member
malibu43  Offline
Senior Member

Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,603
SoCal
Thanks Ajay and goon. Makes sense.

I do have the Quick Shine already, so, if I'm feeling brave when I'm all done, I could brush on a gloss coat of Quick Shine, do a wash... and then I'm assuming I'd need to get some Dulcote or something to take the gloss down?


Sager NP8671 17.3" Notebook, i74720HQ (3.6GHz), GTX 970M (3.0GB), 8GB DDR3 RAM, 1TB 7200RPM HD, TrackIR 4, CH HOTAS and rudder pedals
#4466936 - 03/21/19 10:17 PM Re: 1/72 F/A-18C... and airbrush questions... [Re: malibu43]  
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,581
goon Offline
Apex avoidance specialist
goon  Offline
Apex avoidance specialist
Member

Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,581
Stone, UK
Exactly, and it will seal the wash in (if needed, not all do). If you're brush painting it's worth considering aerosols for the clear coats, gloss and matt, just to even things out.


cheers
Gareth

UNDERSTEER - is when you hit the wall with the front wing.
OVERSTEER - is when you hit the wall with the back wing.
HORSEPOWER - is how fast you hit the wall.
TORQUE - is how far you can take the wall with you.

Read my scale modelling blog at www.latibuliser.com or mfhmazda787.com
#4467006 - 03/22/19 01:59 PM Re: 1/72 F/A-18C... and airbrush questions... [Re: malibu43]  
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,603
malibu43 Offline
Senior Member
malibu43  Offline
Senior Member

Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,603
SoCal
Decals done!
[Linked Image]

Ordinance all painted light gray (missing GBU-12's still). Needs a little touch up/detail paint here and there and then time to load it all on.
[Linked Image]


Sager NP8671 17.3" Notebook, i74720HQ (3.6GHz), GTX 970M (3.0GB), 8GB DDR3 RAM, 1TB 7200RPM HD, TrackIR 4, CH HOTAS and rudder pedals
#4467745 - 03/27/19 02:13 PM Re: 1/72 F/A-18C... and airbrush questions... [Re: malibu43]  
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,603
malibu43 Offline
Senior Member
malibu43  Offline
Senior Member

Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,603
SoCal
Well, aside from order couple of GBU-12's and slapping those on, it's all done! Pretty happy with how it turned out. By far the best I've ever done (and the most patient I've ever been... 6 weeks!). I may brush on some Dulcote at some point to take the shine off the decals... Doing a wash sounds interesting as well, but not sure how I fell about trying to brush Quick Shine over the entire thing.

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]


Last edited by malibu43; 03/27/19 02:14 PM.

Sager NP8671 17.3" Notebook, i74720HQ (3.6GHz), GTX 970M (3.0GB), 8GB DDR3 RAM, 1TB 7200RPM HD, TrackIR 4, CH HOTAS and rudder pedals
#4467811 - 03/27/19 11:56 PM Re: 1/72 F/A-18C... and airbrush questions... [Re: malibu43]  
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 19,381
Ajay Offline
newbie
Ajay  Offline
newbie
Veteran

Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 19,381
Brisbane OZ
Looks great Malibu! The decals really finish it off and the ordnance will be the icing on the cake. Nice project.


My il2 page
Seelowe Campaign
Cliffs of Dover page
CloD
My Models
Tanks/Planes/Ships


#4467911 - 03/28/19 03:21 PM Re: 1/72 F/A-18C... and airbrush questions... [Re: malibu43]  
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,603
malibu43 Offline
Senior Member
malibu43  Offline
Senior Member

Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,603
SoCal
Thanks Ajay!


Sager NP8671 17.3" Notebook, i74720HQ (3.6GHz), GTX 970M (3.0GB), 8GB DDR3 RAM, 1TB 7200RPM HD, TrackIR 4, CH HOTAS and rudder pedals
Page 2 of 3 1 2 3

Moderated by  RacerGT 

Quick Search
Recent Articles
Support SimHQ

If you shop on Amazon use this Amazon link to support SimHQ
.
Social


Recent Topics
Carnival Cruise Ship Fire....... Again
by F4UDash4. 03/26/24 05:58 PM
Baltimore Bridge Collapse
by F4UDash4. 03/26/24 05:51 PM
The Oldest WWII Veterans
by F4UDash4. 03/24/24 09:21 PM
They got fired after this.
by Wigean. 03/20/24 08:19 PM
Grown ups joke time
by NoFlyBoy. 03/18/24 10:34 PM
Anyone Heard from Nimits?
by F4UDash4. 03/18/24 10:01 PM
RIP Gemini/Apollo astronaut Tom Stafford
by semmern. 03/18/24 02:14 PM
10 years after 3/8/2014
by NoFlyBoy. 03/17/24 10:25 AM
Copyright 1997-2016, SimHQ Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.6.0