Help out a newbie?

to the forum Mooble! 

mooble117 wrote:

I've just purchased my 3rd model. The first one was a revell Enzo, which came out really bad and i never finished it. The second was another revell enzo, which came out better, and i finished it, but still pretty bad. I've now purchased a revell(USA) ferrari 612, and i want this one to turn out good. Since i'm on a kid's budget(14), i can't afford airbrushes or spray paints, i've only got testors enamels, and some brushes. What advice can you give to a novice.

In all honesty, I would try to buy a spray can of paint for the body as it will give nicer results than brushing. You could spray the car outside on a nice day without any breeze blowing (I have done that many times).

Also; i have i few questions.

I'll try to answer the best I can keeping a low budget in mind. 

1.)How can i make the decals stick better and go on smother?

Start with a smooth paint surface. Make sure you soak the decals in warm water long enough that they almost slide off the backing paper by themselves. Use a damp Q-tip and wet the surface of the model where the decal will go. Use tweezers to hold onto the edge of the paper just around where you cut out the decal. Hold it parallel (flat against) to where you want to apply it. Use the damp Q-tip to help slide the decal onto the model. Then carefully roll the Q-tip onto of the decal to help set it in place. Follow up with a dry Q-tip.

2.) would any clearcoat be good when i am finished?

Save your money and buy a high-gloss enamel spray can to paint the car. After the paint cures for about a month, borrow some of your parents car wax and shine away.

3.) Do i need to thin the pait at all?

Not usually, I brush straight from the bottle. I would like to add, make sure you are using quality brushes and not those white handle included with paint kit Testors brushes.

4.) With the other two models, the glue (testors non-toxic cemet(which comes in a tube, link at bottom of page)) caused the paint to come off, causing; a. white spots where the plastic shows through and b. paint smearing onto other parts of a differint color. How do i avoid that?

All of Testors model cement will soften and remove the paint. The trick is to keep paint off of where you plan to place the drop of glue. You can even scratch the paint off the area to apply the glue.

5.) a lot of parts require painting one part, for example, satin brown, and other satin gray. What is the best way to do that (masking, using fine brushes etc.)?

I've been doing this for a long time so I tend to skip the masking routine. I usually will paint the area one color first - say the satin brown, let that dry for a few hours or over night and then paint the second area - say the satin grey. Yes, I use all different size brushes some of which are very fine.

6.) how long should i wait for the paint to dry before gluing to parts together.

Humm, there are a few variables to consider such as - how thick is the coat of paint, temperature and humidity. To play it safe, I would wait a few hours or better yet, overnight for some large parts. Usually after a few hours if you touch the paint (inconspicuous area) and it doesn't feel sticky or you don't leave a fingerprint, then it should be safe.

Thanks everyone The model: http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXLRN7&P=W The glue: http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXHE38&P=0

I have had better luck with Testors Model Cement 3512 or 3501, well the red tube. It smells more but holds better and drys a bit quicker.



This is the type of brush to avoid - same "type" as this.



You will have better results using brushes similar to these. Take a look in the arts & crafts section of such a place as Wal*Mart. You can find some decent brushes there for oil paints.

Hi there newbie -mooble117
 I know what it's like starting out and on a tight budget
my advice is for the glue buy the liquid type that you get in a little jar that has a brush in the lid ,you will not use to much and will not melt the plastic which ithink is happening with the testors tube glue(reacting to much with plastic) I use the Tamyia extra fine glue and comes in diff size's and will not break the bank to much.

With decals make sure that you get all of the airbubble's out from underneath decal useing the Q-tip,if there are any that you cannot get out get a sharp pin and prick the bubble and set back down with a wet q-tip

You will get a better model if you don't rush things
I pre paint parts while they are on the sprue tree as much as I can, let sit at least overnight (may feel dry but you will leave marks in/on paint if handled to soon)
start attaching parts ,touch up paint on prts that need it let sit overnight to let glue cure/set,then decal.

Some of my builds take months,have got one on bench atmoment that has been there since 2004 and not even half fin
You have come to the right place by asking quetions on how to improve the models you are making,some may of been put off after first one not turning out.

Anyone here will only to willing to help out for the future modelers ,
Shayne

First off, to the forums! Pull up a keyboard and stay a while.

Modeling on a tight budget is tough. Always being forced to take shortcuts with the expense of tools and paints that would enhance the model, can be pretty frustrating. Can I suggest offering to help out more around the house for an increased allowence, also offering to do yard work for your neighbors for some additional cash? The goal is to get more money, and 14 is a fine age to start doing that. Okay, enough prodding, to your questions!

jhande has offered some great advice, I hope I can too!

mooble117 wrote:

1.)How can i make the decals stick better and go on smother

Questions 1 & 2 are related. The smoother the surface the better the decal adhesion. If you can't get a smooth finish the decals will "silver" because the rough surface allows air to get underneath the decal, and that can also cause the decal to fall off. I suggest clearcoating before you decal to give the surface a gloss surface for the decal to adhere too. More on that in a bit.

Use a shallow bowl of tepid water, that's warm, but not too hot. This will help the adhesive on the decal loosen quicker with less loss of the adhesive in the water. Trim out the decal carefully and useing tweezers to hold on, place the decal completely in the water, but for how long? The instructions will offer something brilliant like "a few seconds". I would try 10 seconds, but you will need to adjust the time based on the size of the decal. Less time for a small, more for a large, that sort of thing. Next remove the decal and place it decal side UP on a piece of paper towel and let it rest for "a few seconds" again that time will need to flex with the size. This allows the adhesive to become fluid and you'll want to poke (gently) at the decal to see if it moves freely. Next use those tweezers again to hold the backing sheet, slide the decal onto the model. You may want to put a couple of drops of that decal water on the model to assist is sliding the decal in place. Once you've got it where you want it, take a piece of paper towel (a torn off corner will suffice) and "wick" away most of the water. You might have to do this a few times. Then use a moistened Qtip and roll the tip (like a steamroller) over the top of the decal to push out the excess water. You can also use a brush. Gently now! The decal is soft, fragile and easily moved! Once the water has been removed, go away and let it dry. Don't touch it, don't even look at it! Give it at least an hour to dry. Then carefully examine the area. If you do see some silvering, take a very fine pin and poke the decal to relieve the air. Then take white vinegar and brush on a little using a flat tipped paint brush. That will help re-soften the decal and hopefully you can squeeze out the remaining air. Once you're happy with the decals, clear coat it again to seal in the decals and give them that "painted on" look.

mooble117 wrote:

2.) would any clearcoat be good when i am finished?

Yes, and no... Brushing on the modeling type clear coats is difficult without leaving brush strokes. This is where you'll want to invest in rattle cans. One idea would be to use Future Floor Finish, which is an acrylic paint really. It has good self leveling tendencies so it can be brushed on (use a wide brush with fine hairs), and I've heard that some people actually use it on their floors. You can read about it HERE.

mooble117 wrote:

3.) Do i need to thin the pai(n)t at all?

Depends. I need more information about what kind of paints you use. If you're stuck brush painting I would suggest enamel paints and thin them with some paint thinner (other people will have to help here I use acrylic paints exclusively!). Thinning paint helps the paint flow better, and better flow is a smoother surface. You don't need to thin for painting small pieces like engine parts and such.

mooble117 wrote:

4.) With the other two models, the glue (testors non-toxic cemet(which comes in a tube, link at bottom of page)) caused the paint to come off, causing; a. white spots where the plastic shows through and b. paint smearing onto other parts of a differint color. How do i avoid that?

I would use a liquid cement such as Testor's Liquid Cement or Tamiya Extra Thin over the tube adhesives. A LOT easier to work with and excess cement evaporates away. Careful as it's solvent based and too much glue leave gluey fingerprint marks. Also try to avoid gluing painted parts, the glue will smear the paint every time.

mooble117 wrote:

5.) a lot of parts require painting one part, for example, satin brown, and other satin gray. What is the best way to do that (masking, using fine brushes etc.)?

Depends on the area to be paint. Mask large areas, fine brush for small. Also Google "dry-brushing" for this technique. It can really enhance engine and dashboard details.

mooble117 wrote:

6.) how long should i wait for the paint to dry before gluing to parts together.

I would try painting AFTER glueing, but that is sometimes difficult. I would wait overnight and then scrape off the paint on the areas that get glued together.

Read through the forums, also go and join up on http://scaleautomag.com/ for some more auto related tips and ideas. Slow down and enjoy the build, rather than rush through it and not like the end result. Airbrushing is highly recommended and is normally expensive. If you have a Harbor Freight close by, go and check out this AIRBRUSH KIT. Frankly it's not a very good brush, but it's cheap, it does spray large surfaces better than a brush paint job can. I'll even go so far as to say it's better than rattle cans! And yes, I do have one! I use it for clearcoating Future with. I bought the kit for the bottles and hose actually and the airbrush was kind of a bonus! The kit comes with a propellent can adapter, but you can also buy tire chuck adapters and buy a large truck tire and fill it for free at the local garage. That should get you enough time to spray one model. Bonus if your dad or neighbors have a compressor they will let you use. While you're at Harbor Freight grab a pack of THESE. I have a set of these and use the self locking tweezers for decals, and the thin bent ones for positioning small pieces.

Good luck and don't be afraid to ask more questions. There are a lot of talented people here who like to help!

mooble117 wrote:

I've just purchased my 3rd model. The first one was a revell Enzo, which came out really bad and i never finished it. The second was another revell enzo, which came out better, and i finished it, but still pretty bad. I've now purchased a revell(USA) ferrari 612, and i want this one to turn out good. Since i'm on a kid's budget(14), i can't afford airbrushes or spray paints, i've only got testors enamels, and some brushes. What advice can you give to a novice. Also; i have i few questions. ) Thanks everyone The model: http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXLRN7&P=W The glue: http://www2.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXHE38&P=0

I hope I can help you out here, but these guys have already offered up some excellent advice.
1.)How can i make the decals stick better and go on smother?
A clear coat before the decals will help, but a good paint job is key. You might check out some of the cheaper spray paints at walmart (meijers, autozone, kmart... whatever is close to you) They are usually a little cheaper and come in much bigger amounts than models sprays. Just be easy and don't put on heavy coats, some of them might be hard on the plastic.

2.) would any clearcoat be good when i am finished?
A clear coat will help protect the paint and decals, but just be sure you get an acrylic clearcoat, (Future would be good, like Bgrigg said, and I think Testors makes acrylic clear coats in bottles to)

3.) Do i need to thin the pait at all?

It depends on the type of paint your using, if its model master enamels, probably not, just don't put it really light, and try to keep all your brush strokes going in the same direction. Jhande is right, you can buy a pack of good brushes at walmart for around $5 with a bunch of diffrent sizes, its all I use and have good luck with them.

4.) With the other two models, the glue (testors non-toxic cemet(which comes in a tube, link at bottom of page)) caused the paint to come off, causing; a. white spots where the plastic shows through and b. paint smearing onto other parts of a differint color. How do i avoid that?
Try using smaller amounts of glue, or get the applicators for the testors tube glue. You can even use a tooth pick to apply it in very small quantitys.

5.) a lot of parts require painting one part, for example, satin brown, and other satin gray. What is the best way to do that (masking, using fine brushes etc.)?
I would say it will be safer to mask until you develop a steady hand, practice makes perfect.

6.) how long should i wait for the paint to dry before gluing to parts together.
If you masked parts, touch the masking tape first, if its dry, then touch the model somewhere you won't see a smudge or fingerprint.

Do you have a hobby store close by you can go to. If you do, or you happen to be by one some day, drop in and browse around, take a look at all the tools and ask questions, most shop owners don't mind helping out a future customer. You can also shop online and look for parts.

www.hobbylinc.com is my favorite, as well as www.squadron.com Good luck and keep posting any questions you might have, that is what this forum is here for!

P.S.

thanks for your help everyone!

one more question. in one part it says chrome (the peice is crome plated) but below it, it says in parenthisis (satin black) and the rest of the peice is supposed to be painted too. Should i paint directly on the chrome, prime the chrome, or bleach the peice to get rid of the chrome, then prime and paint it?

Not knowing the kit you're working on (well I know what kit, just not much about it!) the chrome may be an alert to look at the chrome sprue, or an option to leave the piece chrome or (I see a red door... and I want to) paint it black. Sorry, that's an old Rolling Stone song, and I couldn't help myself. If it's just a little piece you could try painting or primering over the chrome. I wouldn't use bleach as I seem to recall that the bleach attacks the styrene (where's Triarius when you need him?). Try Windex with Ammonia or Castrol Super Clean.

mooble117 wrote:

one more question. in one part it says chrome (the peice is crome plated) but below it, it says in parenthisis (satin black) and the rest of the peice is supposed to be painted too. Should i paint directly on the chrome, prime the chrome, or bleach the peice to get rid of the chrome, then prime and paint it?

Could it be that the part itself is chrome plated, but the directions suggest that you paint only a section of that part satin black? Look at the picture of the part in the directions, is a section greyed out? Is it possible that where it states to paint it satin black that there is an arrow pointing to a section of the part? That's what I have come across in my years of auto modeling anyways.

Satin of flat black will stick to the chrome piece, although it can be rubbed off. What I usually do it only a section of the chrome piece needs painting - I wipe it down with Iso and then scuff the chrome with either a file or sand paper. If it's easy enough, I'll just scrape it off with my razor blade.

  First I agree with the reply on the orange testors tube working better then the blue and the brush handle color. You may want to check out your local arts and crafts store in their clearance area / asle. I got professional painter quanlity brushes regulary $2-$3 each for a dime each in 8 different sizes.            The more experienced bulders in my club all use the inexpensive white glue like you buy for school on the exposed areas with a tooth pick expecially when installing windows or headlights. It disapears and does not mare or leave glue dents if you get it on too heavy  They teach our beginning bulders this.. Hint; you can usually clean up any bobos carefully w/ water without messing up the body. Also please be careful as it is not as strong as the Testors but easy to reglue again with the white glue. HINT HINT very good for last minute repairs at a contest or show as does not show and dries fast.