Whats Lying on your Workbench MK IV

[derex3592]

@Thom Well.... I've been playing around with it today, with some red and blue Mission model paint. You gotta thin it a little bit or use some flow improver, but no issues thus far. It just passed the "WIFE" test of me explaining it to her and getting the OK to use it in the house on a limited basis! So that's a HUGE win! 😁 

[Urashiman]

On 7/15/2023 at 6:05 PM, derex3592 said:

Show and tell day from Prime Day sales! Little magnetic parts holders that have flexible metal stands! Brilliant! I bought 2 sets, $12 each. Also picked up (both from Barbatos Rex's recommendations video) for $47... an airbrush and USB-C rechargeable portable mini compressor with 3 adjustable PSI settings. Now the airbrush is, let's be honest, crap. It sprays, at one speed. Basically a point 03 single action. Fine, whatever. The real draw here is the mini compressor! Because look what screwed right onto it after some trial and error.. My Iwata Eclipse! Unfortunately my GSI Creos point 02 won't quite line up with the threads. Darn. Whatever, this now gives me an EASY way to spray small parts indoors at my model desk (100 % true acrylics only of course) Vallejo / Mission Models etc... NO SMELL and water or Windex cleanup. No more BAKING TO DEATH in the garage in the heat for me for small part painting! YAY! 

Nice - I was thinking about purchasing one of these as well. How long does the charge hold up?

[derex3592]

@Urashiman - Well, I haven't used it much yet, the manual says an hour, so I'm expecting maybe half of that. Also, probably greatly depends on which PSI you run at. I have noticed that its lowest setting, "22PSI" is more like about 12-15PSI with a real world air compressor. Still, only talking about painting very small parts with it, so I'm still anxious to get into a build where I can use it.

[Big s]

4 hours ago, derex3592 said:

@Urashiman - Well, I haven't used it much yet, the manual says an hour, so I'm expecting maybe half of that. Also, probably greatly depends on which PSI you run at. I have noticed that its lowest setting, "22PSI" is more like about 12-15PSI with a real world air compressor. Still, only talking about painting very small parts with it, so I'm still anxious to get into a build where I can use it.

I’m curious about it too. It sounds like a pretty good tool for when you don’t have the space or maybe a lot of time and just want to do something quick. I have a feeling that more complicated paint ing techniques and maybe the use of metallics might be easier with a standard compressor, but maybe things like a quick primer coat or top coats or even just a standard base coat might be pretty good. Also like you said the little parts that you just want to get done real quick would probably be great as well.

[wm cheng]

That's amazing @derex3592 - never even knew these tiny compressors existed!  Love to hear more user experience from them.  12-15psi is all I ever shoot at anyways.  Alclad are shot at that 12-15 and I hardly ever go above 20psi.  I have a giant SilAir from Italy the 80's that's like 30-40lbs and the size of a mid-sized computer tower (although half of it is a storage tank) - so this is crazy miniaturization.  Unfortunately my Iwata HP-BC just bit the dust from 1986 - the price is the same then as it is today?!?!  I guess its time for a new one.

[Big s]

2 hours ago, wm cheng said:

That's amazing @derex3592 - never even knew these tiny compressors existed!  Love to hear more user experience from them.  12-15psi is all I ever shoot at anyways.  Alclad are shot at that 12-15 and I hardly ever go above 20psi.  I have a giant SilAir from Italy the 80's that's like 30-40lbs and the size of a mid-sized computer tower (although half of it is a storage tank) - so this is crazy miniaturization.  Unfortunately my Iwata HP-BC just bit the dust from 1986 - the price is the same then as it is today?!?!  I guess its time for a new one.

They started popping up fairly recently. They’re mainly marketed as a women’s beauty supply product, mainly for airbrushing nails.

I swear, most of the tools I’ve been using for the modeling hobby have come from the women’s beauty section. Nail clippers, tweezers, glass file and soon to be a portable airbrush compressor to name a few

[derex3592]

@Big s SAME! Don't forget the makeup sponges! I LOVE those things! 

[Big s]

2 minutes ago, derex3592 said:

@Big s SAME! Don't forget the makeup sponges! I LOVE those things! 

Totally. A grind of mine showed me a while back that you can use a make up compact just like the tamiya weathering sets. It’s wild that we’re just giving our kits beauty makeovers.

[derex3592]

Speaking of Tamiya Weathering Kits.... I have a question 🙋. So I was using one yesterday to dirty up my next submarine model with 3 different shades of mud sand and something else. It looked great, but when I went to clear coat to seal it in along with the decals and then go back and flat coat the whole thing, my lovely weathering kinda all faded away and can't be seen. Both gloss and clear coats were Mr Hobby brand thinned out and airbrushed so no weirdness there. Should I NOT clear and flat coat after weathering? Or should I clear coat to seal decals in then flat coat and THEN add the weathering and just call it a day? It seems to only be a problem on darker color kits in my experience.....Armor guys have to know about this... Opinions welcome. In the mean time, the Enterprise A Refit has joined the 1/1000 fleet!..... Gonna need a bigger desk...🤔 🙄 😂 

[Big s]

33 minutes ago, derex3592 said:

Speaking of Tamiya Weathering Kits.... I have a question 🙋. So I was using one yesterday to dirty up my next submarine model with 3 different shades of mud sand and something else. It looked great, but when I went to clear coat to seal it in along with the decals and then go back and flat coat the whole thing, my lovely weathering kinda all faded away and can't be seen. Both gloss and clear coats were Mr Hobby brand thinned out and airbrushed so no weirdness there. Should I NOT clear and flat coat after weathering? Or should I clear coat to seal decals in then flat coat and THEN add the weathering and just call it a day? It seems to only be a problem on darker color kits in my experience.....Armor guys have to know about this... Opinions welcome. In the mean time, the Enterprise A Refit has joined the 1/1000 fleet!..... Gonna need a bigger desk...🤔 🙄 😂 

They work best on dull coats. And make sure to go a bit lighter since the top coat will darken them, kinda like adding water to dirt and then the mud is quite a bit darker. It takes some experimenting to get things right and sometimes it just takes adding another layer. 

[MechTech]

@derex3592 I put the Tamiya powders on last. You just can't clear-coat some things - it takes away the effect. Especially when I did my robot diorama from the dessert. The powders made the tires look realistic. Clear coating them too wouldn't have worked out. - MT

[derex3592]

Ok, so 1st quick test of little compressor and using my Iwata Eclipse. Quickly thinned 6 drops of Tamiya Light Grey with 6 drops Tamiya acrylic thinner and sprayed two cockpit parts for an upcoming 1/72 F5E Tiger II build. Easy peasy. (Hindsight being 20/20 I could have used 3 drops each, 6 was waaaaay to much!)  No muss, no fuss. Worked great! I sprayed at the "26" PSI setting which I maintain is only about 15 real world PSI. Also, main reason for doing this was to try my 1st ever 3D printed DECAL! Newsflash! These things are awesomeness! Now I know it doesn't fit exactly on the plastic instrument panel, that's because the one I got isn't technically made for the Hobby Boss brand F5E. Whatever, close enough. I've already ordered a matched set for my 1:48 scale Hasegawa F-22 that's in my stash! 😁 

Edited July 18, 2023 by derex3592

[wm cheng]

@derex3592 I also found that the weathering pastels work best on matte/flat surfaces and a light dusting of matte/flat clearcoat works best over top of what you've weathered - any gloss coat really diminishes the effect and doing the matte coat over top of the gloss coat doesn't seem to bring it back - I've done this mistake too and you live and learn.  Yes, I love these new 3D printed cockpit decals (had to piece together ones for my F-4J in 1/72 as they didn't have ones for it at the time) but I've found Quinta to really be the best of all the brands trying to provide these upgrades.

 

Finally finished the Nu-Galactica - not the greatest of kits (I've been spoiled with Japanese kits that just goes together!). Lots of huge gaps, internal sprue gates to cut off and shaved an entire deck off the nose and ground away so much plastic just to the head to align correctly with the body. The Admiralty turret guns were a highlight to use, but the string of dollar store LED lights were too dim to see in the daylight (you get what you paid for) afterwards. The Acreation Models decal set were great and added a lot of depth to the ribbed areas, however there was a variation in darkness between the 3 sheets and lots of areas were left missing without decals - I had to scrounge up and not use decal that where in hard to see places to piece up missing decals in more hero areas.  There were hundreds of ribs to cut out individually that my neck is so sore now from the days/weeks I spent hunched over in my magnifying glasses cutting and applying the decal strips.  Funny, I always had this deep metallic finish in mind when I first watched the show, and the model turned out similar to what I had in mind, but upon reviewing the references now afterwards, its much more matte and bluish grey. I did do an overall dry-brushing of bluish grey filter and hand painted matte clearcoat between the ribs over the decals and spot matte/flat coated the paneling to create more variation in the sheen especially when viewed from certain angles.

[Chronocidal]

That is absolutely gorgeous!

Are any of those kits still available these days, or have they just gone out of production?  The last time I looked them up, the Eaglemoss pre-built versions were cheaper than the kits.  

[derex3592]

FANTASTIC job and attention to detail @wm cheng!  Truly a site to behold! 

[Thom]

Agreed! Very nice job on the Bucket!

@Chronocidal As rare as hen's teeth and twice as expensive!

[Big s]

1 hour ago, Thom said:

As rare as hen's teeth and twice as expensive!

Careful, your letting your age show 

[electric indigo]

@wm cheng You turned this truly mediocre kit into a work of art. Now get her in space, i.e. put a black cardboard sheet behind her and adjsut the levels in Photoshop!

 

[Urashiman]

@wm cheng that is an awesome galactica!

 

@electric indigo glory to your house!

[electric indigo]

Camo #1

[Ignacio Ocamica]

95% done. The parts are held together for the pics. Two coats of primer, still have to wetsand for the finish. Have to finish the gun too.

I'm on vacation with the wife and kids so I'll resume work in a couple of weeks.

[Thom]

@Ignacio Ocamica that is a great looking sculpt!

[MechTech]

@wm cheng Your Galactica came out great! The finish has nice levels of depth and doesn't look like there's a clear coat over it to make it bland.

The lighting levels are actually at realistic levels when compared to real life subjects. You never see that stuff anyhow until the lights go down. I think you nailed it!

@Ignacio Ocamica Your soldier is looking good! That is a cool sculpt! - MT

[Thom]

@wm cheng what @MechTech said. Your lights looks realistic. They should be an accent anyway, and not the main focus. Looks great.

[derex3592]

Ok, 2nd indoor painting with mini compressor / Eclipse test.. Temperature outside in garage... HotterN'Hell. Temperature at model desk.. 72 degrees with ceiling fan on medium... LOL 😂. I mottled the red underside of sub #3 this morning using Mission Models paint Red Oxide German WWII, (which is far more accurate than Tamiya Hull Red IMHO) Battery lasted fine for this. Down to one bar so realistically maybe 30 minutes of airbrushing.. maybe... depending on PSI used. Do I have as much control as I do out in the garage with my point 02 GSI Creos and real compressor with tank? No. Am I sweating like a pig? No. Definitely gotta thin down the paint maybe more than usual but hey I'm happy enough with the results so far. Especially for $47...

[electric indigo]

Camo #2 in progress. The Jungle calls...

@derex3592 That texture looks good! How's the handling of the airbrush with the compressor attached?

[derex3592]

@electric indigo- I'm going to try my first ever "grownup" airbrush camo job sooner than later on my F-5E build, don't laugh at me when you see it.....

 

It's heavy no doubt, little bit of adjustment to get used to, but nothing crazy. I'd give good money to have a hose that would go from one to the other, but as far as I can find, no one makes such a thing or the proper adapters to do such a thing that I have been able to find yet....

[foundshaian]

@wm cheng If you will let me feed your ego, I believe this is the Mona Lisa of BSG builds that i have seen. It is aesthetically beautifull.  The dimness of the lights are very pleasing and reflect nicely off of the metal paint. And the variation of textures between the different sections of the ship flow together perfectly. The aged and grungy metal, and the heroic sillhouete of the ship, gives it a underdog appearance and makes it feel like a last hope. Overall, I love this build. pls do more kits like this!

 

Edited July 23, 2023 by foundshaian

[electric indigo]

Convertible Air Support

[foundshaian]

@electric indigo It's basically a flying convertable, with some malicious intent.  I'm excited to see how it progresses. Personally I'm looking forward to see it after weathering. Please keep us updated. Also, can you take some upclose pictures of the cockpit details?

[MechTech]

@derex3592 That effect looks great! I'm also glad you're not fryin'!

Be careful with the Mission Models paint! Everyone I know refers to it with four lettered words - if you get me meaning. It seems to easily peel off, so try to avoid masking it if you can. One vendor practically gave his whole stock away to a friend for REAL cheap - to include the case it was in😉

@electric indigo Your tweety is looking smooth! - MT

[Big s]

1 hour ago, MechTech said:

@derex3592 That effect looks great! I'm also glad you're not fryin'!

Be careful with the Mission Models paint! Everyone I know refers to it with four lettered words - if you get me meaning. It seems to easily peel off, so try to avoid masking it if you can. One vendor practically gave his whole stock away to a friend for REAL cheap - to include the case it was in😉

@electric indigo Your tweety is looking smooth! - MT

I’ve heard they work really well when used with lacquer thinners and top coated. I know what you mean though, since I used to brush paint kits and tried thinning with water. That stuff was horrible. 

[derex3592]

I think a LOT of misunderstanding comes when people have bad results with acrylics. I for one HAAAATTTEEED Tamiya acrylics in the beginning. GIVE ME BACK MY MODEL MASTER ENAMELS I would scream to the heavens with no avail...But as one grows older and a bit wiser, (and watches LOTS of dependable YouTube model channels), one begins to understand how to use each brand of paint effectively. I ALWAYS prime my models before paint, mostly with Tamiya Fine Surface Primer or now MR Hobby 1500 through an airbrush. Utilizing proper hobby masking tape and not over the counter painters tape is also a place a think folks get into trouble.  CURING time is also something that people I think don't give enough attention to,  God knows I didn't for a number of years. Also FINGER OILS and acrylics don't mix well either. All these pros out there wear gloves at ALL times handling the model after painting. There's a reason! Learning and applying all this, I haven't had paint peeling problems in years, and I mask and paint a lot. 

[Big s]

3 hours ago, derex3592 said:

I think a LOT of misunderstanding comes when people have bad results with acrylics. I for one HAAAATTTEEED Tamiya acrylics in the beginning. GIVE ME BACK MY MODEL MASTER ENAMELS I would scream to the heavens with no avail...But as one grows older and a bit wiser, (and watches LOTS of dependable YouTube model channels), one begins to understand how to use each brand of paint effectively. I ALWAYS prime my models before paint, mostly with Tamiya Fine Surface Primer or now MR Hobby 1500 through an airbrush. Utilizing proper hobby masking tape and not over the counter painters tape is also a place a think folks get into trouble.  CURING time is also something that people I think don't give enough attention to,  God knows I didn't for a number of years. Also FINGER OILS and acrylics don't mix well either. All these pros out there wear gloves at ALL times handling the model after painting. There's a reason! Learning and applying all this, I haven't had paint peeling problems in years, and I mask and paint a lot. 

There are right ways and wrong ways and new methods all the time. I’m still not at a point where I like using acrylic paints, mostly due to the ease of lacquer paint, but I also think that the pros outweigh the cons for those that know what they’re doing with them. I think the two biggest pros are definitely cost and safety. You definitely can’t just start using lacquer paints in the living room and a quick trip to Michael’s with ten bucks gets you a pretty full range of colors.

[derex3592]

I guess the BIGGEST factor to me is EASE OF PURCHASE. Down here in good old Texas the two hobby shops that still exist pretty much ONLY sell acrylics nowadays. If I want lacquers or enamels, I have to go online and wait for them to ship.