HB Japanese Battleship Mikasa 1902

Brucer,

It looks like a great kit, only I had the room!

You should check out Steve5‘s most excellent WIP for this ship.

Another Steve

Progress so far. Masts aren't done...just took pics of where I am along the way. I'm not the best modeler but I enjoy myself. Happy day all.

Brucer,

Looks like you are making great progress.  It will be interesting to see how you finished this build compared to the others that have been going on.

Marcus

Brucer,

   The kit looks real nice. Your photo's are great, showing all the detail. Thanks for posting the close-up shots. I see you have managed a good fit with the deck and hull. Let us know if you run into any issues with the rest of the kit. Very Nice work.

   Nino

Edit:  I realize you have already assembled and painted the deck BUT, from your photos it may still be possible to add a wood deck...if interested.

I just spotted one at FreeTimeHobbies. It's onsale till the end of this month:

Very Fire's

1/200 Very Fire Wood Deck IJN Mikasa (For Trumpeter 62004)

Thanks Nino,

This is a really fun kit to build. I highly recommend it for anyone who's curious. 

More pics to come. Have a nice day all!!

Bruce

PE is a pain but i think its worth it.

Have a nice day all!!

Bruce

All,

I'm sure this has been asked before but why does PE parts always come on gold metal sheets and not gray/silver sheets?

Bruce

Brucer

All,

I'm sure this has been asked before but why does PE parts always come on gold metal sheets and not gray/silver sheets?

Bruce

 

There are two main metals used in photo etching, brass and stainless steel.  Brass has a color very close to gold, and stainless has a hue like silver.  I have had a couple of sets that were primed.  That is great, because metals are very hard to prime, needing absolute cleanliness and an agressive metal primer.

Also, there are the pre-colored sets, especially for cockpit PE.  Great for instrument panels and seatbelts in smaller scales.

It's bery important to paint the PE before installation. Primer at a minimum. If the parts are to be the same color as the place where they go, such as arrestor details on a flight deck, both can be painted the final color after assembly. But if they are a different color, like gray railing on a blue deck, paint the part before installing.

My usual method is to prime and paint the PE before I remove it from the sheet, then install it and go back with a little brush to touch up any "bright" spots.

Hi;

     I found out a simple way to make paint stick to P.E. regardless of what the base metal is. White Vinegar! What happened is someone spilled some in the garage and didn't notice they'd gotten it all over my P.E. When I painted it not knowing about the spill, I was amazed how well the paint stayed on!

       I now wash parts with a vinegar bath then air dry. paint sticks every time! The Vinegar remember, is Acidic. Therefore it microscopically etches the surface the metals used are made of. This is now a common practice for using P.E. . The simple act of doing this assures all oils from the mfgr/ing process and our handling are completely removed from the metal.

     After doing this DO NOT ! handle the P.E. with bare hands! And remember to wash the parts in good Soapy water before drying and also Rinse very well. This stops the etching and gives you really " ready to paint" P.E.

Those companionway ladders look upside down.

I've always felt they made PE from brass because it was the best material to use the etching fluid. Just what I thought but probably wrong.

All,

Thanks for your reply's. This is for Modelcrazy...it was upside down...rideside up...it was fun to explore PE. Hey...this modeler does builds to make him happy- ith at my skill level-I'm happy with!

Happy Modeling All.

Bruce