Easiest way on small deck details..

IF you're not picky ... and have an airbrush ... all-over gray and all those pesky little details disappear!

Otherwise, as Ed said. I switch between 10/0 and 15/0 red sable brushes (my hobby shop stocks the Floquil brand and they're great), make sure the paint is not too thick, control my breathing between strokes and above all take my time. I typically wear out one 15/0 brush after one or at the most two 1/700 ships. But I have to admit, the 1/700 Haskell AKA I've been hacking away on for what seems like forever may consume two brushes all on its own.

ipms40049 wrote:

whats the easiest way to paint all the small deck fittings and such on a small 1/700 scale ship? im building the  USS Wichita CA-45 .

At that scale, a fine pointed brush and not too much coffee.

Mike Ashey's method in the Kalmbach book Building Ship Models - An illustrated guide uses hundreds of tiny tape snippets to mask around the deck fittings before airbrushing the details.  I've used the method on 1:350 & larger models.  It is time-intensive but the results are worth it.