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1:32 F-16 Build


StuartMont

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Just wanted to show you my progress on the model. I’m going to display the engine on the dolly next to the finished plane. As usual would love to hear comments and suggestions. 
 

thanks,

Stuart

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Thanks Gil.  I appreciate all of the advice provided by you folks on fixing the issue  

PeteJ - are you thinking of a specific color wash?  I’ll also do some research about it. Bought a book on weathering aircraft but still waiting for it. 
 

Stuart

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Actually I use the thinner that I clean my brushes in.  It has kind of a blackish brownish tint to it.  Aircraft engines leak small amounts of oil(brown), hydraulic fluid(red) and jet fuel(basically kerosene)  and collect dirt.  For reference go out an look under your car.  The fluid darkens the dirt and gets into the crevices  of the engine.  When done right it looks like a very subtle shadow at the base of the vertical surface. The flat surfaces tend to get wiped off by the mechanics but they can't get down into the small spaces. 

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I only have used acrylic paint and water to clean my brushes so I’ll look for a wash online. It looks like there’s lots to choose from. I do see that the majority of them seem to be enamel so cleaning brushes will be different. 
 

As always, thanks!

Stuart

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41 minutes ago, StuartMont said:

I only have used acrylic paint and water to clean my brushes so I’ll look for a wash online. It looks like there’s lots to choose from. I do see that the majority of them seem to be enamel so cleaning brushes will be different. 
 

As always, thanks!

Stuart

Stuart, if you did the engine in acrylic then be sure you get the right wash.  You want a water based one, not solvent based.  You could make your own with a mix of 75% distilled water/25% alcohol.  Then just use a tiny drop or two or black and brown paint.  You want the was to be very thin.  Just a very light bit of color in all the grooves. 

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There's a SAFER wash that you can use on ANY type of paint...a SLUDGE WASH.

Al you need are pastel chalks....the kind you usually use to brush/scrub on for weathering. Get the color chalk you want and scrape off some onto some wax paper so you (essentially) have a small pile of chalk dust. Now all you need to do is put it a container (I use a 2-liter bottle cap), add water and 1-2 drops of liquid dish washing soap, stir it all up and it's ready! You can make it as thin or thick as you feel is easiest to get the result you want.

Slather it around details and into recessed panel lines and let dry. You remove it by wiping GENTLY (in the direction of airflow and/or gravity) with a BARELY DAMP paper towel. If you rub too hard and remove too much...reapply and do it again.

The good thing about a chalk "sludge wash" is it will NOT stick to anything permanently. The bad thing is it will NOT stick to anything permanently! So, the trick with this wash is it has to be "sealed" with a clear coat to make it permanent. One other note...the clear coat tends to lessen the effect of the wash (as it does chalk weathering), so you may have to apply more, or go heavier than you thought to get the full effect of the wash. Hope this helps!

 

Gil :smiley16:

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Keep in mind applying the wash is an option...not a requirement. It'll be the difference between whether it looks like a museum display, or whether it was pulled out after usage. YOU get to decide how you want to have it look, despite any opinions here!

 

Gil

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  • 1 month later...

Hey guys, hope everyone is well.

as shown on the instructions i put two polly caps to accommodate the tail wings.  Unfortunately it appears that one of the caps dislodged when i glued the fuselage piece over them.  So the tail wing now, of course, just flops in with no support.  I could glue the tail wing in place and leave the other side moveable.  one other thought i had was to stuff the hole with modeling clay and insert the tail wing into that.

If anybody has other thoughts I’d like to hear them.

Thanks all in advance,

Stuart

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IF (and I say if) you have a good supply of plastic and/or metal tubing you can find a size of tubing that fits "snugly' over the pin of the tail plane, cut a short section of it, and glue it into the hole on the fuselage; effectively making your own "polycap". Otherwise, short of sleeving it, it looks like you'll need to glue it in place.

 

Gil :smiley16:

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  • 3 weeks later...

Good morning everyone.  Thanks for allowing me to present these progress photos for the F-16.  There have been some significant challenges to inexperienced modelers with this one.  The decals on the weapons have also been troublesome.  For example, the fuel tanks have decals placed over uneven surfaces.  Getting them to stick was a real chore.  I would greatly appreciate your thoughts on how to treat this issue.

Please don’t hold back on comments, anything and everything.  As you will notice I have not attempted any washes, etc. as recommended . . . 

Thanks very much guys.

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Looking good. One thing that might help with those decals is to make a slight cut with a very new Exacto blade where it's raised so that the cut parts overlap and fall flat, then add some Micro Sol or Solvaset to get them to lay down. Also, using a very sharp, new Exacto blade to punch holes in the center parts that are raised and adding Solvaset or Micro Sol will help them to be sucked down into the detail. You got this man!

 

Keep it coming!

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Yup, like Mark suggests. Make a few slices or take a pin and poke some pinholes in the silvered areas, then hit those decals with the decal solvent of your choice. That should get them to snuggle down properly. If you’re new to decal solvents, makes sure to read the directions thoroughly before use.

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Thanks guys.  Solvents will be another first for me with this model but appear to be very straightforward so I’ll post results, fingers crossed.  I will take heed to the advice on caution.  I actually bought it in the hopes it would help me remove ruined decals on my F-14 so I’ll make sure I have the right stuff.

I’ll post more progress on this one.

Stuart

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Did you apply the decals over a glossy surface? If not, THAT may be contributing to the decal's not wanting to stick. You ned a glossy surface to help not trap air under decals that can cause "silvering" (how air pockets look under sealed decals; and in the worst cases (over lumps and bumps) can make decals not want to stick down.

If you didn't use any gloss, there's another method you can use on your decals....poke the holes as suggested, but then apply a drop or two of Future floor gloss ("Pledge with Future shine", all purpose floor acrylic gloss). It will seep in and act a as gloss AND an adhesive. The only thing about this method is you will the HAVE to apply a flat coat over it to make those glossy decal spots match the rest of the flat areas.

Best of luck!

 

Gil :smiley16:

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To add to what Gil said about gloss and applying Future if needed, it’s a good idea to coat the whole tank. Otherwise the area will stand out, even with a flat coat on top of the Futured area. Applying a coat of Future over the whole tank, after getting the decal snuggled down with Future as suggested by Gil, will give the whole tank an even tone. 

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Thanks for the responses guys and thanks for explaining slivering, I googled it and found nothing relevant to this conversation.  

As usual though I need to pester you with some questions.  All of the models I have built were done “by the book” in terms of paint.  When I read glossy my mind goes to shiny and looking at my models this doesn’t seem to apply.

1.  In the future is this a procedure that can be used “universally” or rather just at problem areas?  You could see that I’ve whined about decals from the moment I recommenced building planes 😀

2.  If I do this, for example, on an upper wing surface am I now coating the entire upper surface of the plane to even out the appearance?

3.  Is the procedure described by Gil equivalent to the “2 step” decal solutions I see online?

I am embarrassed to say that it takes me a long time to write these posts because I don’t want to insult anyone with stupid questions. If I could go to Las Vegas in August I would personally thank you all for helping me.

Stuart

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No question is stupid.

Here's how I paint and decal my models. 

1. Paint the model.
2. Apply a few coats of Future (I think it is called Pledge Revive-It these days) and allow to dry for at least 24 hours.
3. Apply the decals. 
             a. Soak the item in warm water* for about 30 seconds and remove it to a paper towel to soak. 
             b. Test it with a clean paintbrush, wet with water, and when the decal starts to move, it is time to place on the model.
             c. Wet the area of the model where the decal goes.  If you use the Microscale products, the Micro Set (blue label) is used here.  If not, water is fine.
4. Position the decal.  Use the brush and slide the decal into place.
5. If you see any air trapped under the decal, use the brush to work it out.
6. Now, let the decal sit, face-up, for about 10 minutes.
7. Inspect the decal--it should be starting to settle into and around the details (most aftermarket decals will do this quite well--kit decals, not so much).
8. Carefully apply decal solvent (Micro Set, Solvaset**, Mr. Mark Setter, etc.) on top of the decal.  I use a brush to "float" a "bubble" over the image.
9.  DON"T TOUCH THE DECAL!  It will begin to soften, sometimes wrinkling so badly that you'll question what you just did to ruin the model.  Be patient.
10. After about 30 minutes, examine the decal again. It should be pulling tight to the surface of the model.  
11. If you see any air bubbles, poke the decal with a sharp needle or the tip of a new #11 blade, dab some solvent on it, and let it work.
12.  Allow the decals to dry overnight.***
13. Once the decals have dried overnight, wash off any residual decal adhesive.  I use distilled water and a microfiber cloth to do this.
             a.  If there are any "frosty" areas around the decal where the solvent was, don't worry--another coat of Future will rectify this.
14.  Apply a clear overcoat.  If you're going to weather with artists oils or enamel products ("panel liners", etc.), or of you got frosty patches, use Future.
              a.  If you weather, do your thing and let the products dry before applying your final overcoat.

Now, some tips (the asterisks):

* I always use distilled water when I apply decals.  Tap water contains chemicals, and well water contains minerals that can cause issues.
**I dilute Solvaset with distilled water--I place a few drops into a small container, and dip the brush in water before going into the solvent.
***I divide the decals in four groups--one for the top, one for the bottom, and one for each side.  I tackle one side a night--all the decals that go on the top surfaces one night, etc.  That way, I can leave the model with that side facing up overnight to let gravity assist in getting the decals drawn down tight to the surface.  If you build airplanes, you may need to whip up some sort of prop to keep the sides facing up, but a few rolls of tape or a stack of boxes work--I used to prop them up in one of the kitchen drawers!

There are other methods out there.  One faction of modelers states that clear gloss overcoats are not necessary--and they're correct, to a point.  All a decal needs is a *smooth* surface, but the easiest way to get there is through a clear gloss overcoat.

Some of these same modelers claim that Future is "garbage" (its not), "floor wax" (its not), and all sorts of other things.  What I've found over 20+ years using it as a clear gloss is this--although the bottle says it is safe to walk on in 30 minutes, it has not cured completely in that 30 minutes.  Let is dry for at least 24 hours (more is better).  I've found that the longer it cures, the less it wants to frost under the decal solvent, and the better it stands up to odorless thinners used to weather with oils or "panel liners", etc.

If you don't want to use Future, there are a myriad of clear gloss finishes out there--do a Google search, or ask here, to find out what some folks are using.

FWIW, this is another one of those "ask 10 modelers the same question, and you'll get 15 different answers--all of them valid" deals...

Cheers!
Ralph
 

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Ralph,

Thanks so much for taking the time to write out your procedures. I’m getting very close to finishing the painting so this is all next.

Yeah, I do get your last point, especially when I saw there were so many ways to make a wash for weathering a model (something I have not been brave enough to do yet).  Once I get bolder with the models I need to decide.

Stuart

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Stuart, there are no secrets--well, not with me when it concerns model building.

The key to getting better is to just keep building.  As you move from one project to the next, strive to make it better.  Try new things.  As you do so you add skills and techniques to your tool box, and as you repeat techniques you refine those skills.

I've created and hosted a "Model Building 101" seminar over the years, and if I emphasize one thing more than others, it is this:  There is very little that you can mess up on a plastic model that cannot be fixed.

You've already discovered that the forums are great resources.  Keep asking questions--as I said, there are no stupid questions.

My favorite washes are done with artists oils.  Why?  Because I can control the thinning ratio.  I can apply them straight from the tube for one effect, or thin it heavily for another.  You can't do that with the pre-bottled products available.  And lest I step on some toes, you'll find that a cheap starter set of oils from Michael's or Hobby Lobby will do the same thing as the products offered by MiG, AK, Tamiya, Abteilung 502, etc.  If you want to only get a few colors, start with Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber, Ivory Black, Paynes Grey, and Titanium White--from these, you can mix most "grimy" colors. 

Of course, having a red (Cadmium Red Hue), yellow (Cadmium Yellow Hue), and blue (Ultramarine Blue) also allows you to mix any color in the rainbow.

Use odorless thinners--Turpenoid--to thin them.

As for application, there are tons of videos on YouTube covering weathering.  Night Shift, PLASMO, MMScale Models, Andy's Hobby Headquarters, Flory, the list goes on and on.

I love to watch PLASMO--the modeler, David Damek, is not afraid to try new things.  He's been at it for a few years, and he's gone from respectably assembling kits out of the box to producing 3D printed parts and resin casting.  He also uses whatever is available to him--he doesn't limit his supply locker only to "hobby" products.  The best part of his videos is that he makes it look easy for anybody to do. 

I also use oils when I drybrush.  They stay workable for a while, and if I don't like the effect I can either blend it out to nothing with a soft brush or (in extreme cases) remove it with a Q-Tip moistened with Turpenoid.

When you're ready to try washes and weathering, use an old model as a mule.  Try washes over matte, semi-gloss, and full gloss to see how they lay down over these finishes.  I like a gloss surface, some of the top modelers prefer semi-gloss.  Washes over a matte surface are interesting, as they create a stain "in the paint" that mimics old, worn-in grime and dirt.

Cheers!
Ralph

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