Modeling questions from a newb - Input Wanted

[SpamDaddy]

Haven't found anything specific regarding these questions:

1.) Before painting & lighting a model is it recommended to paint the interior of the model to mute the brightness of the LEDs?



2.) I have no airbrush and it's not something I can put into my budget at the moment. Would you brush individual panels on a model like the falcon or mask it and spray to get the desired finish?



3.) Can you use the hair spray technique when applying finish coat with a brush?



4.) I am US based (Alabama) does anyone recommend a reliable reasonably priced source for styrene?



5.) What is the best thickness for a scratch build?

 

[rbeach84]

Haven't found anything specific regarding these questions:

1.) Before painting & lighting a model is it recommended to paint the interior of the model to mute the brightness of the LEDs?

2.) I have no airbrush and it's not something I can put into my budget at the moment. Would you brush individual panels on a model like the falcon or mask it and spray to get the desired finish?

3.) Can you use the hair spray technique when applying finish coat with a brush?

4.) I am US based (Alabama) does anyone recommend a reliable reasonably priced source for styrene?

5.) What is the best thickness for a scratch build?

My humble offerings:
1. Light 'bleed through' is a concern to be considered. Use of black or silver paint helps reduce the chance you'll see the shine through the skin.
2. Before there was spray cans and airbrushes, there was the 'hairy stick'. Someone with the necessary practice (aka 'skill') can achieve excellent results with a brush. Barring that however, you can get good results with masking & spray cans. Again, however, if inexperienced you should practice on something else (many modelers have a 'test pig' to confirm their techniques) before committing to your main project as your first 'dance partner'. I recommend doing some reading to get some tips on any thing you're trying for the first time - likely someone else can help you out.
3. As far as I know, the 'hair spray technique', which introduces a barrier layer between two coats of paint so you can randomly abrade the top layer to simulate 'chipping', should work with any method of application as long as the top coat doesn't react with the hairspray. Again, see answer #2.
4. Evergreen Plastics supplies strip and sheet plastic to most hobby stores (I know HobbyTown USA typically carries the stuff.) If you Google up 'Evergreen Plastics' you'll find their range described on their website. Also, if you a looking to do some scratchbuilding, or just modeling in general, I highly recommend you obtain a copy of their book. It is an excellent compendium of techniques for modeling with plastic stock. Really, get that book, it will be a great help.
5. Not sure about what you're asking; perhaps I am the wrong thickness (yuck-yuck!) Sorry - but if you are asking about plastic sheet thickness, it depends on what you are doing. Again, that Evergreen Plastics book is a goldmine of information on scratchbuilding & would be a big help.

Regards, Robert

 

[TazMan2000]

1) Yes. But you can also glue tin foil carefully to the inside which will guarantee no light leakage if done correctly.

2) It really depends on the finish you want an the cleanliness of your paintjob. Some parts of the studio MF were masked with a piece of cardboard while airbrushing and other parts were eyeballed.

3) I never used the hairspray technique myself, but I am thinking it would be about the same as long as your brush wouldn't knock any of the salt off.

4) Look through your local yellow pages and look for plastic suppliers. The styrene they sell in hobby shops can be bought in 4x8 sheets in plastic manufacturers businesses. They call it HIPS. High Impact Poly Styrene..

5) It is really a choice you have to make, but start out with 80 thou and get a few thicknesses if you can. It will be used, eventually.

TazMan2000

 

[mmhnc]

Another solution that may be easier than glueing tin foil is going over seams and difficult areas with aluminum foil tape, it's in the HVAC isle or tape isle of your local home improvement store, just get the kind without writing on it as the printing can cast a shadow.

 

[rbeach84]

Hey, I like the idea of using the metal HVAC duct tape - I've got a roll just keep forgetting about it!
Good catch, mmhnc!

Taz, you mentioned salt. That is a different 'chipping' masking technique where you use rock or sea salt (whichever grain size is appropriate), applied to a (water) moistened undercoat then tweaked by knocking off where you don't want the chips, then letting it dry before painting the top coat. The salt can then be brushed off to expose the 'chip' color undercoat.

The hairspray technique, as I understand it, is where the undercoat is sprayed with the hair spray, allowed to dry, then overcoated with the top color. Because the hairspray impedes adhesion of the top coat it is possible to selectively 'abrade' (rub) areas to create 'real' chips - as compared to the salting technique, which is a masking method.

Obviously, given the variables in chemistry involved, either of these techniques should be tested using the specific paints & materials to be used - before attempting on a model. Besides ensuring there are no adverse effects, it allows for a bit of practice & validation of the results.

Attached is an image of a Typhoon class Soviet sub RC model, by master modeler David Meriman, that shows a combination of 'salt' chipping and a similar "tooth-paste spattering" masking technique. The toothpaste (applied by dragging a finger across a 'loaded' toothbrush to 'flick' it onto the model) again acts like a masking agent but provides for a more subtle effect than the salt masking.

Regards, Robert

 

[SpamDaddy]

@taz Thanks for the foil idea...doing that saves all that extra painting which is a definite bonus =D
mmhnc The foil tape is an awesome idea! thank you!
Robert Thanks for all the info. Great stuff! My Evergreen book is on the way! Also I have test pigs coming...well that is to say I bought some kits to bash so I guess I will turn one into a test pig- got these in the mail to me now:

ERTL ESCI 1/72 Model German Tank PZ KPFW IV G

ERTL ESCI 1/700 Model Kit USS Dallas & Soviet Submarines Military

ERTL ESCI 1/72 Model Kit M4A3-E8 Sherman Tank

ERTL ESCI 1/72 Model Kit M4A3 Sherman Tank

ERTL ESCI 1/72 Model German Tank Jagdpanzer IV

ERTL ESCI 1/72 Scale Model Kit Tank MKIV Churchill III

NEW ERTL AMT 1/72 Model AV-8A Harrier

I found a styrene seller on ebay with 8,000 plus sales and 100% customer rating. I bought WHITE POLYSTYRENE PLASTIC SHEET .030" x 12" x 23-11/16" LIGHT DIFFUSING 5 PCS for ( 230954261775 ) for just $17.88! BUT the best part was he has his phone number listed in his item ad and I was able to call and consult with him about the ship I am designing and discuss what I need for it. He helped me select the .030 due to it's thickness (approximately credit card thickness) and suggested I build "ribs" to support my exterior panels. His name is Carl and was really awesome to deal with. I would highly recommend purchasing with him.

Thanks guys for all the help. I am narrowing down my sketches on my scratch project and then I guess I will dive into the unknown!

Lee

 

[SpamDaddy]

To simulate a bullet hole through metal would you recommend heating up the area and then punching through to make it look bent in? Or is there a better way? I did it on a test piece and it seems brittle after the fact and it caused a slightly unnatural bend the the test form.

 

[rbeach84]

If possible, use a foil 'patch' where you are going to simulate metal damage. Alternatively, depending on scale (this works better in smaller scales) thin the plastic until translucent then puncture and 'tear' the hole...

R/ Robert

 

[blakeh1]

Haven't found anything specific regarding these questions:

1.) Before painting & lighting a model is it recommended to paint the interior of the model to mute the brightness of the LEDs?



2.) I have no airbrush and it's not something I can put into my budget at the moment. Would you brush individual panels on a model like the falcon or mask it and spray to get the desired finish?



3.) Can you use the hair spray technique when applying finish coat with a brush?



4.) I am US based (Alabama) does anyone recommend a reliable reasonably priced source for styrene?



5.) What is the best thickness for a scratch build?

1. If I am lighting it, then yes paint the inside. Actually I find metallic colors over a black base really help light block. I've also used electrical tape and tin foil to light block. Best thing to do is dry fit the lights, and see how much leakage your dealing with and where

2. I often skip the airbrush to do markings. I tend to break it out for cases where I can't find a good color straight out of the can, or I need varying shades of a color in large areas and want a nice smooth transition. However, when it comes to the stripe markings on an X-wing or the panels on the falcon, I will just mask it off and paint it with a regular brush. Especially on smaller scale models where you don't have typically have large flat areas. It helps to use good brushes and paint. I typically use P3 paints for example since they brush on very nicely and cover in just one layer many times. They can be found at most gaming stores that sell Warmachine and Privateer Press stuff. I also add in any chipping etc while it's drying since using an xacto blade or pin. it is really easy to do so and the paint hasn't really adhered to the base yet.

These are all things I painted using colors straight out of a spray can for the base colors, then hand brush painted the markings, and weathered with oils/pastels

http://i.imgur.com/LHlVK0L.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/hYnsOtf.jpg
http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo32/blakeh01/Star Wars models/IMG_9273_zps463bd0de.jpg
http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo32/blakeh01/BSG/IMG_0976_zps1d1a4e9a.jpg
http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo32/blakeh01/Star Wars models/IMG_5843a_zpsa1827f35.jpg

 

[SpamDaddy]

1. If I am lighting it, then yes paint the inside. Actually I find metallic colors over a black base really help light block. I've also used electrical tape and tin foil to light block. Best thing to do is dry fit the lights, and see how much leakage your dealing with and where

2. I often skip the airbrush to do markings. I tend to break it out for cases where I can't find a good color straight out of the can, or I need varying shades of a color in large areas and want a nice smooth transition. However, when it comes to the stripe markings on an X-wing or the panels on the falcon, I will just mask it off and paint it with a regular brush. Especially on smaller scale models where you don't have typically have large flat areas. It helps to use good brushes and paint. I typically use P3 paints for example since they brush on very nicely and cover in just one layer many times. They can be found at most gaming stores that sell Warmachine and Privateer Press stuff. I also add in any chipping etc while it's drying since using an xacto blade or pin. it is really easy to do so and the paint hasn't really adhered to the base yet.

These are all things I painted using colors straight out of a spray can for the base colors, then hand brush painted the markings, and weathered with oils/pastels

http://i.imgur.com/LHlVK0L.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/hYnsOtf.jpg
http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo32/blakeh01/Star Wars models/IMG_9273_zps463bd0de.jpg
http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo32/blakeh01/BSG/IMG_0976_zps1d1a4e9a.jpg
http://i359.photobucket.com/albums/oo32/blakeh01/Star Wars models/IMG_5843a_zpsa1827f35.jpg

Thank you for the input, blakeh! That gives me confidence I can do this with a brush without it looking like a tragedy, lol. You do some really nice work! thanks for sharing those pics...can you tell me more about what pastels I should buy for weathering?

I decided to go with paint for the light shielding due to weight issues that might occur as I will be suspending this fro the sealing and wish to keep it as light as possible. I am also puttying in various seems in places. I must say, the pieces of the MPC are disastrously molded! I am not sure how in the world I am going to be able to make my cockpit piece fit the molded cockpit on the top half of the falcon. It's an atrocious job of design.