Chuckboy44

Thanks Gil and Eagle! I have done several more practice runs since this posting. I do use Tamiya (regular and flexible) and Blue-tac tapes. Taking Gil's advice, I've been spending more time burnishing the tape and that's pretty much eliminated the problems at the edges of the checkers. Now I have to solve the problem of the second layer of tape when using Ron Bell's "Basket Weave" technique. Now I'm pulling up paint from the first layer of checks when removing tape from the second layer. At this point I'm thinking about Eagle's remarks about 48 hours between coats and giving thought to different primers and paints. I'm having fun with the practice runs and know I'll get to where I need to be at some point. Many thanks again for your help and advice! Chuck

I have finally gotten to the checkerboard stage of this project and much appreciate the advice I've received! I find the masking to be tedious as expected but not really difficult. I'm having a substantial problem with paint leaking under masking and/or pulling off when masking is removed. Can someone give me some pointers? I don't have this problem with other, less complicated masking... Thanks in advance for any comments! Regards, Chuck "Sometimes the easy stuff looks hard and the hard stuff looks easy!" -Anonymous

Dave and All, Big shout out to Micromark! I shipped them my crippled Whisper compressor and they fixed it, sent it back and did not charge me even though It was out of warranty. Great customer service!!! Regards, Chuck

Hi Dave, Thanks very much for your response. I did in fact, buy the compressor from Micromark and I talked with them this morning. It turns out that they have a repair service in house. I shipped the compressor to them today. I'll see how it works out. Thanks again, Regards, Chuck

Hi all, Several months ago I bought a "Whisper" air compressor online and was very happy with it. Last week the pressure regulator broke. Now Very little air comes through and the adjustment knob has no effect. The motor and pump seem fine. It's out of warranty and I'm wondering if anyone knows of a business that might be able to repair it. I have contacted the online source with the same question. If I have to I'll buy a new compressor I'll do it but if anyone has comments or info to share I'd appreciate it. Thanks, Chuck

Mark, I know that such things exist but as a GP I don't have a need for them so I know very little about them. I have this for a suggestion: do a Google search for Orthodontic Supplies and do some browsing.The problem with supply houses is that almost all of them sell only to Docs and have fairly rigorous hoops for potential customers to jump through in order prove that they are really Orthodontists. If you find something that would suit your needs, I'd contact a local Ortho office or two to see if they would be willing order for you along with their own stuff. Sometimes they might even have something useful to you on hand that they aren't using that they'd be willing to part with. Wish I had an easier route to share with you. Regards, Chuck

My good friend Bill McAllister in Dayton, whom I think some of you know, had another thought to share. Dentists use small tightly rolled absorbent paper points for a variety of purposes. They are manufactured in a range of diameters and may be just the ticket. The are fragile so one project may require quite a few of them but I'll give them a try and report back. Bill was grinning a bit when he suggested this method because I have been a Dentist for 43 years and his idea had never crossed my mind... :-) Best regards, Chuck

Ditto what Gil says. Since we're on the topic, I recently bought a bottle of Alclad Aquagloss. It's recommended for coating Alclad to protect from fingerprints and wear and tear, etc. I'm a big fan of Alclad and the Aquagloss works well. Having said that, It sprays like, sets up like, cleans up like, looks like and smells like Future/ Pledge. One man's opinion but I'll use it up and go back to using Future/Pledge because IMO they are the same product. Best regards, Chuck

Thanks to Gil and Robin! I have some rivet detail decals from Archer Robin. Are those what you mean? I still have difficulty getting a consistent "dot" with them in place. Maybe I just need to practice more... :-) Best, Chuck

Hi all, When I have finished the checkerboard paint on the nose of my 1/32nd Tamiya P-51, I d'like to do some tiny silver dots to replicate fasteners that are either unpainted or have had the paint chipped off. Can anyone give me a heads up about how to do this and keep the size of the dots consistent? TIA, Chuck

Will it have a button on the top of the fuselage to make it drop a bomb like the old Monogram (?) kit?? :-D

Thanks Gil and Ron! I invested in the FAQ book (model aircraft porn) and between it and your kind advice I have the info I need. Now all I have to do is make it work! Best, Chuck

Thank you Gil!! I'm on it! Chuck

Hi All, Can someone give me some advice or references about painting checkerboards on my Tamiya 1/32nd P-51? I haven't had much success with decals. The nose, vertical fin, wing and horizontal stabilizer tips all need yellow and black checker boarding. I'm guessing that I should mask off and paint the yellow and followup with very careful masking for the black squares?? I don't really know and any comments, advice, suggestions, etc. would be more than welcome! TIA, Chuck Byram

Thanks Michael! Now I have advice for and against X-Acto knives! As an old Navy buddy of mine says: "Do something! Even if it's wrong!" :-) Best, Chuck

Thanks for the excellent suggestions and comments! I'll be incorporating most if not all of these ideas. Looks like I'll need an Exacto knife though. All these years I thought a surgical scalpel was the hot setup! :-) Best regards, Chuck

Belated thanks again for the advice on this topic. I went ahead and used the decals for the striping and it came out fairly well. However, comma, I now know why you guys suggested painting them and having learned my lesson the hard way, will do it your way and paint them next time! Chuck

Hi Everybody, Question one: I need to make some kind of masking template so I can paint the anti glare panel on the nose of my Tamiya 1/32nd scale P-51. Can anyone give me some suggestions about how to do this neatly and symmetrically? Question two: How to best do the masking and painting of the Windscreen on the same kit? I've done it wrong and now have a new part and mask and want to do it right. First time I cut the mask out with a scissors instead of a scalpel--> raggedy edges. Then I airbrushed too much paint---> gloppy, messy result. What else do I need to know before trying again? Best regards, Chuck Byram, DDS P.S. Tamiya Customer Support has been awesome with getting assorted new parts to me that I had messed up.

Nice!

Thank you Paul! Chuck

Thanks Gil and Dave! I have had success in the past with painted stripes. I'm going to try the circle template and fresh #11 blade on the decals for this project as a skill builder kind of thing. It was also suggested to me by my old friend Bill McAllister in Dayton, OH. I had not thought of the fact that I don't need to cut all the way through the decal paper! Many thanks, Chuck

Hi All, I am building the Tamiya 1/32nd scale P-51D. I'm replicating the late Eddie Andreini's "Primo Branca" with the help of some excellent custom decals from Keith at Red Pegasus Decals in Columbus, OH. (I highly recommend him!) I need to fit the belly invasion stripes flush against the underneath sides of the fuselage stars and bars. In order to do that, I'll need to make some very precise semicircular cuts in the decal paper. Can anyone give me some advice about how to do that? I have a compass that holds an Exacto knife but it's wobbly and not up to the job. Maybe I need a higher quality compass?? Any thoughts and comments are most welcome. Best regards, Chuck Byram

Thanks Mark, I have a sheet of yellow decal and will try out your technique. I'm thinking the accurate tracing of the tips is the key. Chuck

Dick, Thanks very much for your comments and suggestions. I'll take your advice. Another question if I may. Is it just me or is it hard to get yellow paint to flow properly? Whether I'm shooting acrylic or enamel, it always seems to be gloppy and too thick or runny and doesn't cover. I've been using an airbrush for decades and don't seem to have this problem with any other color... Chuck

I've always had trouble doing yellow propellor blade tips. I've done them a lot of different ways and am always dissatisfied. Various kinds of paints, decals, masks etc. and I end up with uneven, messy results. Can someone give me some tips about this? Thanks, Chuck Byram