R2 1/350 TOS Enterprise build!
- Thread starter Bryancd
- Start date
Orbital Drydock
Active Member
BCD, this is off to a great start. I love the idea of the gloss white for the windows, hadn't thought of doing it before!
Have you considered using MM metalizer chrome or steel for the grills. On my 1/2 SS Big-E I used the non-buffing steel with the metalizer sealer. It really ties the room together!
Have you considered using MM metalizer chrome or steel for the grills. On my 1/2 SS Big-E I used the non-buffing steel with the metalizer sealer. It really ties the room together!
BCD, this is off to a great start. I love the idea of the gloss white for the windows, hadn't thought of doing it before!
Have you considered using MM metalizer chrome or steel for the grills. On my 1/2 SS Big-E I used the non-buffing steel with the metalizer sealer. It really ties the room together!
No, but now that you mention it, I agree they may look a lot smarter with steel or even a metallic silver on those bad boys. Great idea, I'll try that first. :thumbsup
And yeah, hitting the white window cut out parts with gloss white brining them to life!
In regards to potential nacelle droop, hey actually have an additional part that glues inside the secondary hull where the nacelle struts enter to provide additional support. I had a really hard time getting the shuttle deck to fit into the secondary hull and then getting a decent seal so I am going with hanger doors closed and will keep the completed deck separate for display. There is still a seam on the top I will need to touch up.
Moving right along, cleaned up some of the secondary hull and finished the nacelle struts. They are really nicely made and fit great. They feel very sturdy as well. As much as I would have like to have included the hanger bay, I was more concerned about getting a solid seal on the secondary hull and used epoxy resin to close it up as the weight of the nacelles will be trying to pry it back open over time.
Jason, I'm gonna pull out the cut away Enterprise I bought from you back around 2003, it's a little banged up but for nostalgia you have to see it!
Blackbirdcd
Well-Known Member
I love how the white windows read against the hull. This is a kit that looks fantastic without lights. Nice job!
luke moonwalker
Sr Member
I think most hit with a gloss coat, apply decals... then gloss again and flat after that to avoid silvering. It's the graininess of the flat finish underneath that apparently does it.
luke moonwalker
Sr Member
Yeah... probably not worth it, but wouldn't be to hard or expensive to pull them off and get some replacements from Round 2 or I'm sure there will be aftermarkets like JTGraphics.
ThrakenSal
Well-Known Member
WOW that looks great Bryan!!!!!! I alols like the choice of the metallic orange for the bussard collectors. Can't wait to see her in all her glory.
Smiling Demon
Sr Member
Bryan, you might be the first to complete this model.
Looking real good!!!!
Kenny
Looking real good!!!!
Kenny
Zombie_61
Master Member
The problem is the textured surface on the primary hull. It prevents the decals' carrier film from adhering completely, and clear coating the decals won't correct the problem. If you haven't clear coated the decals yet, a setting solution might soften them enough to make them conform to the surface texture (I've never used setting solution, so I can't speak from experience).
Failing that, the only ways I know of to correct the problem (assuming you can get a set or replacement decals) are a) strip the part(s), sand the surface until it's completely flat and smooth, then re-paint and re-decal, or b) remove the existing decals, cut away all of the transparent carrier film, and apply every letter separately.
In my opinion that textured surface is a bigger problem than the engraved gridlines that a lot of modelers were making such a fuss about, for the reason you've experienced; the folks at Round 2 should have known better.
JMChladek
Sr Member
I've dealt with plenty of pebbly surface kits before. What causes that texture is a type of bead blasting to the parts and plenty of aircraft kits (especially ones from limited run manufacturers) tend to be like that. The way I plan to deal with it in the primer stage is give a coat of primer a good rubbing with at least some 600 grit paper to level it a bit (and maybe a rub with 1200 after to give it a slightly glossier sheen), shoot a second light coat and then move on to paint. Do enough proper surface preparation to the parts before painting and even the roughest texture can be overcome. This kit surface is NOTHING compared to having to sand all the rough texture off of a Monogram space shuttle external tank, which had simulated ET foam texture on it (and I looked like I had a major cocaine binge after that since I was covered with so much white styrene powder).
As for dealing with silvering once decals are already down, sometimes if you can make little tiny pin pricks in the decal film with either a straight pin or a knife (don't press too deep so as not to damage the paint) you can then put a heavy application of decal solvent over the top, which if you are lucky might be able to get into those spots to work its magic underneath the decal. I was able to do it at least once on a model, but I admit the surface I applied the decal was already semi-gloss and that probably helped a bit. What decal "silvering" actually is is reflected light under the decal. It is the same as putting a piece of flat scotch tape over a slightly rough surface. You get an obvious tape appearance as the tape is just touching the high spots, which microscopically looks like a mountain range covered with a clear blanket. Solvent can help the blanket to sink down to touch more of the mountain range, but it probably won't get it all if it is a really rough surface.
A second idea which might also work is to carefully mask over the letters and numbers and mist on some of the base coat to cover over the silvered areas and have it blend in with the rest of the painted surface. I admit it is best done with an airbrush as spray cans are a bit too high flow for this. The other tricky bit is even if a decal seems like it is firmly on the surface and hard down, putting a piece of tape over the top may end up pulling it up anyway and now you have a worse mess on your hands. But, it can work and I've done that as well.
Best way to deal with silvering is to try and minimize it as much as possible before applying decals. So a gloss coated surface (be it Future or a lacquer based coat) helps a lot. Now it doesn't have to look like a car body and likely will look semi-gloss at best. But, get it to that state and usually most decal solvents can work their magic from there. And the current printings of Round 2 decals in kits I've seen issued over the past two years seem to handle such issues just fine.
As for dealing with silvering once decals are already down, sometimes if you can make little tiny pin pricks in the decal film with either a straight pin or a knife (don't press too deep so as not to damage the paint) you can then put a heavy application of decal solvent over the top, which if you are lucky might be able to get into those spots to work its magic underneath the decal. I was able to do it at least once on a model, but I admit the surface I applied the decal was already semi-gloss and that probably helped a bit. What decal "silvering" actually is is reflected light under the decal. It is the same as putting a piece of flat scotch tape over a slightly rough surface. You get an obvious tape appearance as the tape is just touching the high spots, which microscopically looks like a mountain range covered with a clear blanket. Solvent can help the blanket to sink down to touch more of the mountain range, but it probably won't get it all if it is a really rough surface.
A second idea which might also work is to carefully mask over the letters and numbers and mist on some of the base coat to cover over the silvered areas and have it blend in with the rest of the painted surface. I admit it is best done with an airbrush as spray cans are a bit too high flow for this. The other tricky bit is even if a decal seems like it is firmly on the surface and hard down, putting a piece of tape over the top may end up pulling it up anyway and now you have a worse mess on your hands. But, it can work and I've done that as well.
Best way to deal with silvering is to try and minimize it as much as possible before applying decals. So a gloss coated surface (be it Future or a lacquer based coat) helps a lot. Now it doesn't have to look like a car body and likely will look semi-gloss at best. But, get it to that state and usually most decal solvents can work their magic from there. And the current printings of Round 2 decals in kits I've seen issued over the past two years seem to handle such issues just fine.
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