Whats Lying on your Workbench MK IV

[derex3592]

@wm chengOhhhhh MAN does that bring back memories!  THOSE extra decal sheets --- whooooo hooo! PARTY TIME! Hahahaha! @electric indigo is right, the kit decals are CRAP, watch out. 

[Thom]

@wm cheng All those gaps are meant to be there!

[Thom]

2 hours ago, pengbuzz said:

I just had to scrub off all the paint I did because it was creeping over the raised panel lines. Thinking about sanding it flat, but I don't have any aztec decals or lifeboats per se.

Really frustrated right about now...

I forget which modeler it was, here or on another site, who pedicelled in all the aztec on his Star Trek ship. It looked really good too. Barring that, if you have time, masking tape, an exacto blade and plenty of patience...😉

[pengbuzz]

2 hours ago, Thom said:

I forget which modeler it was, here or on another site, who pedicelled in all the aztec on his Star Trek ship. It looked really good too. Barring that, if you have time, masking tape, an exacto blade and plenty of patience...😉

With my hands the way they are now, neither is an option. Not to mention all the aztec lines are now gone.

I may either donate this or just toss it. My patience, focus and dexterity are deteriorating steadily and I may simply either cut back or eliminate modeling entirely.

So tired of fighting...

Anyways, let me go take down my pics here...no one needs my sorry -ass attempts at bad comedy in the world of styrene.

[Thom]

35 minutes ago, pengbuzz said:

With my hands the way they are now, neither is an option. Not to mention all the aztec lines are now gone.

I may either donate this or just toss it. My patience, focus and dexterity are deteriorating steadily and I may simply either cut back or eliminate modeling entirely.

So tired of fighting...

Anyways, let me go take down my pics here...no one needs my sorry -ass attempts at bad comedy in the world of styrene.

Sorry to hear that! Do yourself a favor, don't throw it out and don't get rid of it.

I don't know how your computer system is for printing, but there is a page on Starship Modeler that has aztec images for the D that you can save and print onto decal paper.

About half way down.

https://www.starshipmodeler.com/tech/cz_mask.htm

You'd probably have to size them right, but if you can print them onto deal paper, that could be a way to go.

[pengbuzz]

3 hours ago, Thom said:

Sorry to hear that! Do yourself a favor, don't throw it out and don't get rid of it.

I don't know how your computer system is for printing, but there is a page on Starship Modeler that has aztec images for the D that you can save and print onto decal paper.

About half way down.

https://www.starshipmodeler.com/tech/cz_mask.htm

You'd probably have to size them right, but if you can print them onto deal paper, that could be a way to go.

No ink for the printer (hasn't been for nearly a year now); and I went to Carlos' aztec templates on SSM (firs thign I thought of). But they are in all different resolutions (400 dpi, 300 dpi, etc), and they don't match up with one another let alone the ship. I was actually trying to get them all to fit on 4-5 sheets of decal paper (and nearly succeded), but when I realized they were badly mismatched and off, I gave up. .

Even worse: I couldn't find anyone who had the aztecs for the 1/1400 E-D that didn't go multiple times what I spent on the model.

Thanks anyway Thom, but if i can't get the stuff I need to build my projects without continually running into shortfalls or needing help (which is a pain for everyone!), then I need to accept the fact I'm done. That and my hands are acting up.... just sick of it.

Anyways, let me get off the boards now and let the real modelers (like you) post.

[Big s]

1 hour ago, pengbuzz said:

No ink for the printer (hasn't been for nearly a year now); and I went to Carlos' aztec templates on SSM (firs thign I thought of). But they are in all different resolutions (400 dpi, 300 dpi, etc), and they don't match up with one another let alone the ship. I was actually trying to get them all to fit on 4-5 sheets of decal paper (and nearly succeded), but when I realized they were badly mismatched and off, I gave up. .

Even worse: I couldn't find anyone who had the aztecs for the 1/1400 E-D that didn't go multiple times what I spent on the model.

Thanks anyway Thom, but if i can't get the stuff I need to build my projects without continually running into shortfalls or needing help (which is a pain for everyone!), then I need to accept the fact I'm done. That and my hands are acting up.... just sick of it.

Anyways, let me get off the boards now and let the real modelers (like you) post.

Don’t cut yourself short. Frustration and questioning your own abilities are a sure sign of being a “real modeler”. Sometimes you have to put things aside for a short time and compose yourself and often a solution will come. I know things for you are tough and may be getting tougher, but I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one that has confidence that you’re still able to turn out a great project here and there.

[Thom]

10 hours ago, pengbuzz said:

No ink for the printer (hasn't been for nearly a year now); and I went to Carlos' aztec templates on SSM (firs thign I thought of). But they are in all different resolutions (400 dpi, 300 dpi, etc), and they don't match up with one another let alone the ship. I was actually trying to get them all to fit on 4-5 sheets of decal paper (and nearly succeded), but when I realized they were badly mismatched and off, I gave up. .

Even worse: I couldn't find anyone who had the aztecs for the 1/1400 E-D that didn't go multiple times what I spent on the model.

Thanks anyway Thom, but if i can't get the stuff I need to build my projects without continually running into shortfalls or needing help (which is a pain for everyone!), then I need to accept the fact I'm done. That and my hands are acting up.... just sick of it.

Anyways, let me get off the boards now and let the real modelers (like you) post.

Peng you do great work, even with limited resources and problems. I'd say that you overcome quite a lot in spectacular fashion and I walays love to see your kits going together. And as to 'real' modelers, you build more than I do! If you are not a real modeler than I don't know what is.

As to the Big D, take time if you need to, and I'd say don't worry anymore about the aztecing. Maybe give some pre-shading or just go straight to the main color and finish her up. You can make her look good no matter what! Plus, you can always do a refurb later when ability/money/time allows.

Thom

[sketchley]

8 minutes ago, Thom said:

Peng you do great work, even with limited resources and problems. I'd say that you overcome quite a lot in spectacular fashion and I walays love to see your kits going together. And as to 'real' modelers, you build more than I do! If you are not a real modeler than I don't know what is.

As to the Big D, take time if you need to, and I'd say don't worry anymore about the aztecing. Maybe give some pre-shading or just go straight to the main color and finish her up. You can make her look good no matter what! Plus, you can always do a refurb later when ability/money/time allows.

Thom

Agreed.

Reading this, it got me thinking: is it possible to create some type of cardboard cutout with a rudimentary template for spray painting the aztecs?  Something that doesn't require a lot of cutting, but you can use like an eraser shield to wipe paint on the surface (or rubbing charcoal or whatever).  Something that is just wide enough to do a small wedge of the saucer each day.  The next day, flip it over (or move up or down a bit) and repeat to build up the aztec details.

[Chronocidal]

13 hours ago, sketchley said:

Agreed.

Reading this, it got me thinking: is it possible to create some type of cardboard cutout with a rudimentary template for spray painting the aztecs?  Something that doesn't require a lot of cutting, but you can use like an eraser shield to wipe paint on the surface (or rubbing charcoal or whatever).  Something that is just wide enough to do a small wedge of the saucer each day.  The next day, flip it over (or move up or down a bit) and repeat to build up the aztec details.

I've considered doing something like this a few times.  I think where you run into issues is just leakage, since unless you tape everything down, the pattern might still get messy, and need a ton of cleanup.

Unfortunately... the Galaxy class saucer is also that screwball oval shape, which means that even if you can make a re-usable pattern, you still have to make a pile of unique patterns to cover the whole thing.  

[sketchley]

7 hours ago, Chronocidal said:

I've considered doing something like this a few times.  I think where you run into issues is just leakage, since unless you tape everything down, the pattern might still get messy, and need a ton of cleanup.

I understand.  What I'm getting at is just a handful of squares in a relatively small area.

To mitigate leakage, perhaps using a thinned down paint?  This may require multiple passes to 'build up' the desired panel (aztec) design.  It will never be as good as a set of decals, but I'm approaching this from the angle of "what's easiest and cheapest to do, that won't put excessive strain on the hands."

7 hours ago, Chronocidal said:

Unfortunately... the Galaxy class saucer is also that screwball oval shape, which means that even if you can make a re-usable pattern, you still have to make a pile of unique patterns to cover the whole thing.  

Yes.  That's why I mentioned an eraser shield: small area, thin, and flexible.

The mental image I have is one of the ones with the square shape cutouts:

Edited April 24, 2023 by sketchley

[Big s]

Could enamel paint work in a similar way that people were doing the sleeves on the sinanju and geara Zulu kits from gundam unicorn. Basically paint a main color, then the other color in enamel and wipe away the enamel from parts that aren’t desired in that color 

[wm cheng]

Hey @pengbuzz I hear your frustration, I'm really sorry about that.  You amaze me with your perseverance, you've always tackled crazy hard projects and saw them through.  I always look for the easy way to do things (expensive nice kits or lots of aftermarket upgrades) and take shortcuts when I can, so you are kind of an inspiration to the hard work one can achieve with just determination and guts.  You are always building and showing us your work and its great!  I might only get to one model a year if I'm lucky or work is slow and I only got to two or three because of the time off during the pandemic.  Don't sell yourself short, being someone who is constantly building (regardless of the outcome) is always better than someone who just "armchair" builds and comments on others.  Remember you build stuff from scratch too - just masking tape and you're brain, not a lot of people can see something in 3D and make it physically.  Feel free to take a break, a breather when you get frustrated to re-group - sometimes the break for me allows me to come up with a new solution to a problem I've been having with a model.  I took a 20yr break between high school and when I picked up modeling again (part of the reason I'm pretty stuck in my old ways and techniques when there's so much new products and techniques I should try and learn)  Every failure you've built adds to your body of experience that you know what to avoid in your next build.  Do take care of your health and get medical attention if you are losing your dexterity - that's one of the fears of mine that I've accumulated such a pile of kits that I say it will be my retirement projects but if I don't have the use of my fingers in my old age, I'd be devastated!  All the best.

[derex3592]

Sunday mornings fun with photoetch 4 sided box railings! OMG..... I almost gave up... LOL 

Edited April 24, 2023 by derex3592

[pengbuzz]

I appreciate the ideas and advice folks, but here are the issues I'm facing:

1) "Drawing on" the aztecs is not going to be possible: even doing this at a larger scale, the pencils won't lay down right on the paint. Not to mention the myriad changing shapes plays utter havoc with my focus and perception.

2) A template or "shield": I tried this and the various panels change so frequently that I would have to make custom ones for nearly every panel of the ship! They go inverse on the opposite side, so that means I could not use it for the other side. Not to mention my hands and wrists throbbing painfully after 5 minutes.

3) Paint: tried this and I cannot control the paint enough for it to look decent. It becomes a royal mess and I'd sooner just give the model away to Goodwill than do a half-effort job on it.

4) Leave it blank/ "pre-shade": I tried both of those on one nacelle and it looked so weird, I stripped it back down to bare plastic.

5) Decals: no longer being made, and the few I saw for sale cost more than 4 models at the price I bought this one!!! O.o

6) Print my own:

Decal paper - 3 sheets @ 9-10 dollars, local hobby shop (same price pretty much online once you add in shipping), and I would need at least 4 sheets (11 x 8.5)

Printer cartridges - Black, Magenta, Yellow and Cyan Carts f/ Canon MG2500 series: $30.00 for both if I use Amazon (which my wife will not use due to an issue where she got rooked by them and swore them off).  Otherwise, more expensive elsewhere.

And I don't have the money for them to begin with; my last ten bucks for hobbies went to this model.

7) Hand painting: my hands cannot tolerate that. I can barely type now, my fingers and wrists are so swollen from my last attempt.

So my final option is the following:

8 ) The model is set aside indefinitely, with the option of donating it to Goodwill or simply throwing it out and listing the project as cancelled, as I cannot justify it taking up room that's not on a shelf (which is at a premium as it stands).

 

Edited April 25, 2023 by pengbuzz

[Thom]

25 minutes ago, pengbuzz said:

I appreciate the ideas and advice folks, but here are the issues I'm facing:

1) "Drawing on" the aztecs is not going to be possible: even doing this at a larger scale, the pencils won't lay down right on the paint. Not to mention the myriad changing shapes plays utter havoc with my focus and perception.

2) A template or "shield": I tried this and the various panels change so frequently that I would have to make custom ones for nearly every panel of the ship! They go inverse on the opposite side, so that means I could not use it for the other side. Not to mention my hands and wrists throbbing painfully after 5 minutes.

3) Paint: tried this and I cannot control the paint enough for it to look decent. It becomes a royal mess and I'd sooner just give the model away to Goodwill than do a half-effort job on it.

4) Leave it blank/ "pre-shade": I tried both of those on one nacelle and it looked so weird, I stripped it back down to bare plastic.

5) Decals: no longer being made, and the few I saw for sale cost more than 4 models at the price I bought this one!!! O.o

6) Print my own:

Decal paper - 3 sheets @ 9-10 dollars, local hobby shop (same price pretty much online once you add in shipping), and I would need at least 4 sheets (11 x 8.5)

Printer cartridges - Black, Magenta, Yellow and Cyan Carts f/ Canon MG2500 series: $30.00 for both if I use Amazon (which my wife will not use due to an issue where she got rooked by them and swore them off).  Otherwise, more expensive elsewhere.

And I don't have the money for them to begin with; my last ten bucks for hobbies went to this model.

7) Hand painting: my hands cannot tolerate that. I can barely type now, my fingers and wrists are so swollen from my last attempt.

So my final option is the following:

8 ) The model is set aside indefinitely, with the option of donating it to Goodwill or simply throwing it out and listing the project as cancelled, as I cannot justify it taking up room that's not on a shelf (which is at a premium as it stands).

So, option 8 it is. Thanks for everyone's input.

Project: TERMINATED.

I wish things were going much better for you Peng, but hang in there.

PM sent.

 

Thom

[pengbuzz]

45 minutes ago, Thom said:

I wish things were going much better for you Peng, but hang in there.

PM sent.

 

Thom

PM received and replied to bro.

 

[pengbuzz]

UPDATE: required medical attention for my hands. Typing a bit slow qt this point due to the cortisone shots (needles HURT), but overall reduction in pain and stiffness from the arthrtis.

A little good news though: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1395610846/amtertl-11400-scale-standard-uss

now i just need to find the money (and rest my hadns a bit)/

stay tunaed...

[Big s]

1 hour ago, pengbuzz said:

UPDATE: required medical attention for my hands. Typing a bit slow qt this point due to the cortisone shots (needles HURT), but overall reduction in pain and stiffness from the arthrtis.

A little good news though: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1395610846/amtertl-11400-scale-standard-uss

now i just need to find the money (and rest my hadns a bit)/

stay tunaed...

Take it easy and get well soon 

[Thom]

4 hours ago, pengbuzz said:

UPDATE: required medical attention for my hands. Typing a bit slow qt this point due to the cortisone shots (needles HURT), but overall reduction in pain and stiffness from the arthrtis.

A little good news though: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1395610846/amtertl-11400-scale-standard-uss

now i just need to find the money (and rest my hadns a bit)/

stay tunaed...

Bought one of those sets as well, though now I need to find either one of my Big D models - if I haven't forgotten about selling them off at some point... Also bought one for the E-E, for when I ever get to that one.

I'd recommend caution though with them. Use a small decal as a test to see if it needs any 'special' treatment.

[pengbuzz]

4 hours ago, Thom said:

Bought one of those sets as well, though now I need to find either one of my Big D models - if I haven't forgotten about selling them off at some point... Also bought one for the E-E, for when I ever get to that one.

I'd recommend caution though with them. Use a small decal as a test to see if it needs any 'special' treatment.

Yeah...let me know if you find them.

[Thom]

11 hours ago, pengbuzz said:

Yeah...let me know if you find them.

Haven't! They are hidden somewhere in the dim recesses of my cobwebbed-memory, either buried in a far and silent corner of the world - or having been sold off years ago because I didn't think I would build them. Doh!

[pengbuzz]

21 minutes ago, Thom said:

Haven't! They are hidden somewhere in the dim recesses of my cobwebbed-memory, either buried in a far and silent corner of the world - or having been sold off years ago because I didn't think I would build them. Doh!

Understood; PM sent to you.

Don't worry Thom; one way or another, you'll have an E-D for your project!

[foundshaian]

Hey, I found this from a very dark dank corner of an antique shop on Route 66.

Its a Doolittle raid version of CV-8 Hornet from 2001. I think it's a knockoff version of tamiya's USS Hornet, but i am unsure, i really dont know that much about ship models.

I'm currently sanding and fixing the overall shape of the pieces, but there are many issues, especially with the flight and AA decks because there's injection pin marks on peices that are easily damaged from sanding due to their size. There also are no decals as its literally the only thing that was left out by whoever had this kit first.

But apart from some serious molding issues, it was cool to find this in such an odd place, even if it is bootleg.

 

 

 

Edited April 27, 2023 by foundshaian

[Thom]

Nice find! And the deck on that bootleg Hornet sure is spacious!

[Chronocidal]

Oh.. wow.. yeah, "MiniHobby Models".. I recognize that name.  I have a Flanker made by them.. it was like $5.. and I still got ripped off. XD

 

[foundshaian]

@Thom It is infinitely spacious. You could eat off it.

 

@Chronocidal Do you have any images of the flanker? Id like to see how scuffed Minihobby's other kits are.

[Chronocidal]

So, it might be possible to make something decent out of it, but the molding is just bizarre.

The main thing I noticed is that the "Super Flanker" kit is actually a standard Su-27 with a flat sheet of plastic you glue along the leading edge to extend it for the canards?  I mean, I don't know that much about Flankers in general, but I don't think that's how aircraft upgrades work.   It just looked like a really really cheap molding.  The nosecone looked so lopsided I thought it got left out in the sun.

This guy seems kind of optimistic about it, but the only other review of this kit I remember seeing was someone who gave up on making an actual flanker, and used the parts to make some sort of steampunk airship.

 

Edit: Someone has built it up here, and done a decent job with what he had to work with, but yeah, this is not a good molding.

https://archive.aeroscale.net/forums/233002/

 

 

Edited April 27, 2023 by Chronocidal

[pengbuzz]

30 minutes ago, Chronocidal said:

So, it might be possible to make something decent out of it, but the molding is just bizarre.

The main thing I noticed is that the "Super Flanker" kit is actually a standard Su-27 with a flat sheet of plastic you glue along the leading edge to extend it for the canards?  I mean, I don't know that much about Flankers in general, but I don't think that's how aircraft upgrades work.   It just looked like a really really cheap molding.  The nosecone looked so lopsided I thought it got left out in the sun.

This guy seems kind of optimistic about it, but the only other review of this kit I remember seeing was someone who gave up on making an actual flanker, and used the parts to make some sort of steampunk airship.

 

Edit: Someone has built it up here, and done a decent job with what he had to work with, but yeah, this is not a good molding.

https://archive.aeroscale.net/forums/233002/

 

 

Not to mention in the cover artwork there, someone bent the engines! O.o

[foundshaian]

(EDIT) This is not a direct knock off of trumpeters kit and i am apparently blind as i mistook what i saw as being their kit but i was looking at this one. So this thing is f^<ked beyond measure. The texture seems rough and gravely and the nose cone is pancaked. But apart from that, if the sources I found on its specs are true, then it is accurate to the real 711 Prototype of the Su-37 which was a modified Su-35 which are both mods of the Su-27 airframe. The cannards are actually super thin on the real one and with this being the 37 prototype, it does have thrust vectoring engines with both of these upgrades being for better control.

Edited April 27, 2023 by foundshaian

[derex3592]

Enterpriseseses update pic.... Refit is primed but engineering section still needs seam work around the nacelle pylons. OG is proceeding to primer soon - ish, and the Bottany Bay has it's base coat on.

Edited April 27, 2023 by derex3592

[Thom]

Noice progress! Will be nice seeing them sitting side by side.

[Chronocidal]

8 hours ago, foundshaian said:

(EDIT) This is not a direct knock off of trumpeters kit and i am apparently blind as i mistook what i saw as being their kit but i was looking at this one. So this thing is f^<ked beyond measure. The texture seems rough and gravely and the nose cone is pancaked. But apart from that, if the sources I found on its specs are true, then it is accurate to the real 711 Prototype of the Su-37 which was a modified Su-35 which are both mods of the Su-27 airframe. The cannards are actually super thin on the real one and with this being the 37 prototype, it does have thrust vectoring engines with both of these upgrades being for better control.

So it's not that the canards are super thin.  It's the fact that they did this to add the extension to the airframe where they attach.

These two parts right here?  Butt-join against the stock Su-27 leading edge, and then the canards glue to that.  I can't find any photo that looks anything like that separation joint on the real plane, because that entire section would have had to be rebuilt to house the canard actuators.  It's just a bizarre add-on piece they included instead of making a new fuselage.  You pretty much have to glue those on, putty the entire area, and then scribe any panel lines that should be there from scratch.

6 hours ago, derex3592 said:

Enterpriseseses update pic.... Refit is primed but engineering section still needs seam work around the nacelle pylons. OG is proceeding to primer soon - ish, and the Bottany Bay has it's base coat on.

Looking good!  I want to ask before you get too deep into the TOS kit, have you checked the nacelle alignments?  When I started building mine, I realized the stock tabs/snaps to put the nacelles onto the pylons leave the nacelles rotated at a pretty decent angle (and that's completely separate from any front-to-back alignment issues).

I'm actually thinking I might use some scrap lumber and build a jig for the ship, to hold the nacelles in place once glued.

Edited April 28, 2023 by Chronocidal

[foundshaian]

@Chronocidal I see what your talking about. That exist no where on the real plane. That's literally garbage or kit bashing junk.

[pengbuzz]

19 hours ago, derex3592 said:

Enterpriseseses update pic.... Refit is primed but engineering section still needs seam work around the nacelle pylons. OG is proceeding to primer soon - ish, and the Bottany Bay has it's base coat on.

Looking good so far, derex!!

BTW: on the TOS-E: when I did my warp nacelle Bussards, I painted the inset parts in an orange-yellow and used foil strips on the "blades", with the backing disk painted black. I then used a combo of decanted gloss clearcoat and Sharpie marker orange (insert from inside marker removed then ink squeezed into clearcoat) to coat the inside of the outer Bussard dome. I used flat clear to "frost" the outside of the dome; that's how I got this effect: