graf spee need help

Good for you, keep experimenting.

Wayne, I've tried every kind of tape and it always comes back to tamiya. There's just too much at stake for failure (not an option).

J- There's a site called Swanny's Models; in their forum there's a "coupon" or at least a link and a code word that you can use to get Badger a/b's at a BIG discount. The 105 is a great brush- my main one. Be aware that when you buy it it is just the brush and cup- you'll also need a water trap and a hose and a converter to the output of your own particular compressor. But really worth it. Badger brush is a great tool.

thanks for the tips.  keep em coming

im actually like starting new. im buying every little thing. i have my paints in one of those japanese plastic boxes under my bed. the only cool place in my room. as for the tamiya tape im waiting for the store to have it in stock. saving for a badger 105 i found in a art store. i have that pye slate seal stocked in our "shop". i have a xacto knife and a self sealing silicon mat on the way(courtesy of a  friend).

i put a couple drops of dishwashing soap in every new bottle of tamiya and this helps with brush painting though i would not try a large piece like a hull. i use tamiya tape for the actual paint line and 3m to cover the rest. i keep my cutting board and tapes in plastic bags until ready to cut. the tape roll never touches anything except the sealed bag. i have a tape cutting designated xacto, a number of rolls of tamiya (hobby lobby 40% coupon weekly, liquid masks, and a burnisher in my masking box. i am experimenting with frog tape and initial results look promising given my less than refined techniques. it didn't pull up any paint on the underbelly of my I-16. i also have a

Actually Tamiya is my least favorite paint. Gummy and thick, and only can be painted with Tamiya thinner.

I think earlier there was a recco for Testors light ghost in the rattler.

 

ok like you all have said take my time. i am.     saving for a airbrush. ive looked around for stuff. guess the crappy stores here sell tamiya tape but they always out of stock.  that normal 3m masking tape bled. so im looking for an alternative.  can scotch blue painters tape work? or will it peel of the paint? no suretape razors edge here.  no i cant order online anymore. i used to order every month was bestfriends with post office girl. but since i changed address the post office here is sh@$#@$@. and its located in a crappy part of town. 

im gonna try the pye slate seal acrylic coat. no future shine here.  and since people say that tamiya paint is best sprayed then maybe i wont have problems.  

Gunze or Tamiya paints only? Not much choice there. Both handbrush pretty badly in my experience, with Gunze being only slightly better. With those options I would say spray cans and masking are your best bet. With a little patience, a new sharp x-acto blade and lots of masking tape, you should do ok. Thanks for the kind words on my build- it only took two years... (but a good portion of that was sidelined)

As far as correct colors, White Ensign makes all the Kriegsmarine correct colors but most places do not stock them. You will have to order those online. I used the old Testors Acrylic Marine Colors,but do not recommend them for two reasons,one being that they are discontinued, and two being that they have very poor adhesion. Primer is a must with them. You can approximate using Tamiya or Gunze colors. USN Gray Blue for the mid gray (main hull and superstructure disruptive pattern), Panzer Gray for the dark gray and Light Ghost Gray for the base color of the superstructure and turrets.

saw your post beautifuly done. also doing the same camo. all grey is just to bland

yeah i my itchy finger made me do it.  im saving up for  a new airbrush but by the time i get it the ships over lol. got all the pieces glued  and painted  now i WONT hand brush the deck. but is there any color thats "correct" the reason i tried hand brush is that i mixed my hull red. there are still a couple of brush marks but its been subdued because of the thick paint. also my room is like a kiln. mixed paint in palette dried in about 3 min.

yes  3m didnt flake my primer it  bled a few in but its where the black line goes so no biggie. im putting this down for now. because of the lack of proper equipment. i go to 4 stores where they only sell gunze or tamiya products.  or i just buy a tamiya wood deck tan spray then get this over with. 

 my first ship build so i said to my self that i should do this the "right" way. i have done lots of planes but  only to a point use whats available. no primer, no top coats no washes.  we do have a spray gun and a 20 gallon compressor. actually we  have a automotive shop. its been closed for years but machines till there. drill press, grinders, circular saws, welding machines, etc.  

You're a brave soul to handbrush Tamiya. Personally the only paints I like to handbrush with on anything bigger than a 1/35 figure are Humbrol enamel or Polly Scale acrylics. Nor am I a fan of 3M tape. I doubt that it will pull up your primer (unless it is an acrylic from Testors), but in my experience 3M tape either leaves a residue or bleeds at the edge. I have found that Tamiya's masking tape is far superior in both cases. As far as your brush strokes go, hopefully it will have self leveled a bit as it dried and cured. If not try sanding down a bit with some very fine sandpaper and then a re coat with a thinner version of what you used before.

I just finished that kit a bit over a month ago if you want to have a look at the build and issues that I encountered.

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I am still "new" to ships myself but have plenty of aircraft and armor builds under my belt.

 Bondo is right,,, have a drink, enjoy it, and take your time on the build and paint. Ship builds should not be rushed. Take it slow and relax.

this is my first post ever.

aww now im scared i used mr surfacer 1200 and i pressed the tape down to stop runs. can i use normal red oxide??? we have gallons.  

or do i just keep painting coats till it looks full and thick ? im staring at it right now. comtemplating should i go out and look for better brushes or just toss the model into the bin and stick to airplanes. we are a family of pilots, a/c mechanics so i have made lots of airplane and helicopter models.  and this ship is kicking my butt for some unknown reason.   

if  get fed up ill color this ship neon green and decal it with hello kittys

 

Well, first of all pour yourself a scotch and sit back and reflect that you care about yor Academy Graf Spee. 99.99 % of human kind never even reach the plateau you are on.

By the way, haven't looked at your other posts but welcome aboard.

Bottom paint: any color is ok as ship bottoms look nothing like any of our models. But all ship model bottoms look the same. I like a product here in the US called Rustoleum primer. It's available in any hardware store. Sure I use other paints a lot, but it's a good brown oxide color.

3m tape over primer? Depends on the primer. If it's Tamiya it'll lift it off. But if you use it over the Rustoleum and then paint the gray, should be ok.

As for the gray dkm color, try light ghost gray in the rattle can.

Again, welcome aboard and the magic about ship models is that they take a long time.