Personally, my favorite time to build models is late at night, when everything is dead quiet. Did that until a couple of years ago when my back got a little worse, and I started dozing off at work. Lol. So it's perfectly normal to want to build at 1:30 am.

following this thread, Toshi.

allan

Personally, my favorite time to build models is late at night, when everything is dead quiet. Did that until a couple of years ago when my back got a little worse, and I started dozing off at work. Lol. So it's perfectly normal to want to build at 1:30 am.

following this thread, Toshi.

 

 

 

Toshi

To my fellow forum members,

My paint booth just arrived today via Fed Ex.  As advertised, it was sitting in the box in it's suit case carry mode.  After I opened it, it took a few simple steps to assemble the paint booth.

I did not even read the manual.  Once I plugged the paint booth in, I could feel the pull of the fan.  All the proper extensions were available.  There are three types, Type 1 with no extension hoses, Type 2 with all the proper extension hoses, and type three comes with a LED light.  

You can actually purchase two booths and connect them both, it will make for a large massive paint booth.  Upon my next step which will be the use of a actual spray session, I'll keep forum members up to date.  Thank you all, and have a safe holiday weekend.

Toshi

I actually have two hooked together for my booth. Works great and room for big builds. You will love using it.

BK

BrandonK

I actually have two hooked together for my booth. Works great and room for big builds. You will love using it.

BK

 

 

Toshi

Bish

That's the same one I have Toshi. Its my first Spray booth and I find it a really nice bit of kit.

 

Toshi

Today, Mrs. Toshi and I had our all American breakfast of Bacon and Eggs.  We basically chilled out then left to my son in laws home to celebrate a day early and eat a very late lunch, early dinner.  

Upon our return home, I immediately went straight to work on the Spitfire.  I'm at the point of simply installing the cockpit and closing up the fuselage.  Of course as we all know, things almost never turns out that easy.  The rest of the work will resume tomorrow and as always, I'll be doing a step by step building process.  

Please see my efforts below.  Thank you forum members for your support. 

Toshi

I saw this technique via the "How to build a Spitfire" schematic, unfortunately I broke the smallest bit in my pin vise tool kit.  I'll be ordering one from eBay this evening.  

I tapped drilled these small holes just to show some depth.

Really looking great Toshi. The belts look fantastic. 

Looking good Toshi! I've tried filling the lightning holes in areas like the seat with a black wash but drilling them out does look much better. 

Good luck with you cool new spray booth and I like your choice on finishing- the shark mouth Spits had to be the most best looking of all. Trust the British to build a beautiful fighter but leave it to the Aussies to put the final totally badass touch to it!  

Gamera

Looking good Toshi! I've tried filling the lightning holes in areas like the seat with a black wash but drilling them out does look much better. 

Good luck with you cool new spray booth and I like your choice on finishing- the shark mouth Spits had to be the most best looking of all. Trust the British to build a beautiful fighter but leave it to the Aussies to put the final totally badass touch to it!  

 

Today, Mrs. Toshi had to go to work, so I'm at home assembling the spitfire.  Currently AB within the confines of our condo is just great.  I can't imagine how well the paint booth works. I can't smell a thing!  I'm also cooking up dinner as well.  Tonight's meal is Japanese style curry with chicken Katsu.  Desert is deep fried Malasada.  Malasada is a well known after dinner desert in Honolulu, Hawaii.  It's basically soft bread dough deep fried and rolled in sugar to be eaten hot.  

between cooking and modeling, I'm somewhat fatigue so I figured to take a few more build picks and fill everyone in on the Spitfire build, please see the Mk. VIII below.  Thank you forum members and please be safe on this beautiful holiday weekend today.

Toshi

I'm finally breaking the paint booth in for a test trial.  Not only does it look cool, it definitely does it's job beyond the call of duty!

Here are the sides of the canopies being assembled.

As you can see from the photo above, I'm trying to mimic what the pro builders are depicting in the Tamiya handbook in regards to a additional scratch build method.

As far as fit being a concern, there are no issues nor concerns regarding the 1:32 Tamiya products as they are exceptional.  What you see below is a quick dry fit of the cockpit prior to glueing everything down and finally cementing the two halves of the Spitfire together.

Just a quick FYI, I hopefully am planning to make this model with a weathering effect for the interior as well as the exterior, a first for me.

To my fellow forum members,

I had a hard time getting to bed, I ended up watching the OSU vs VT (Ohio State University "Buckeyes" versus Virginia Tech "Hookies") game last night.  I'm not a huge fan of NCAA College Football.  I just had it on as I'm anxiously awaiting for the first game of the NFL season.  It's this Thursday on the NFL Network, Pats vs Steelers (New England Patriots vs Pittsburgh Steelers) I have not always been a fan of football.  Actually of any sport.

I grew up playing Jazz at a very young age with my dad and I was always watching a National Geographic and or The Underseaworld of Jacques Cousteau show.  Remember those iconic programs?  The sitcoms that were my favorites were All in the Family, Good Times, One Day at a Time, and so on.  Of course I would watch the all American cartoons that only played on Saturday.  Remember that as well forum members?  Their was no CTN (Cartoon Network) back in the day, and the three TV stations (ABC, NBC, and CBS) used to sign off at midnight playing the National Anthem.  Not 1000+ cable channels playing 24/7 like we have today.  I used to watch PBS just for Sesame Street, Mister Rodgers, and The Electric Company.  Those were the days!

I felt sports was a waste of my time as my music became my life long endevour.  It wasn't until 2009 that I became a rabid fan of the NFL.  You see, as I raised my family, anytime my children wanted to play a instrument, I would try to steer them away from music, especially jazz.  Don't get me wrong, I would never trade that part of my life away, it's the lifestyle of a musician that can literally destroy ones physical, mental, and spiritual soul.  Ah, the nightlife! Ah, the female companionship!

Because of this, my children ended up in sports.  Except my daughter, I told her as long as she played in band just for fun, I would support her decision. Ohio is a very strong NFL or NCAA football associated state.  Really!  Only the NFL HOF (Hall of Fame) is located but an hour away from my home in Streetsboro, Ohio.  The HOF resides in Canton, Ohio.  I had to learn the various sports my children played in so as to be able to support their efforts. 

My son played football, cross country, and wrestling.  My daughter drove me crazy!  She was the school newspaper photographer, yearbook photographer, DJ at the schools radio station 88.9 alternative rock eventually making her way as the musical director, concert band, marching band, jazz band, cross country, track and field, basketball, was a courtesan in the prom queen's court, and a soccer player.  Of course it was all Mrs. Toshi and I that needed to provide her with transportation (Soccer mom and dad) and being there as a support group.  

I fell in love with the NFL!  It was a game in 2009 between Minnesota Vikings vs Greenbay Packers.  That game was special to me, here was a gray haired old man playing quarterback for the Vikings being the oldest QB ever to play in the league.  Of course his team, Vikings won the game.  This QB became an inspiration and motivation for me.  If this guy can play football at the age of 40, there's nothing stopping me from doing what I wanted to do.  This idol of mines was none other than Brett Favre, I was hooked!

Till this day, I'm still a Favre fan.  If you reside in Northeast Ohio, you must be either a Cleveland Browns fan or a Pittsburgh Steelers fan.  I just happened to be a huge fan of all 32 NFL teams.  What does this have to do with model making?  It's all relevant with FSM forum members DNA.  No matter what type of builder you are, planes, tanks, cars, and so on, it's our passion that drives us to exceed not to mention having a member that you hold up on a pedestal as the king/queen of model making.  

Building these models over the last 6 months has taught me that not only is this a form of therapy in fine motor skills and cognition, this new hobby teaches me in that I must have patients as well as discipline in finishing My model kits, this is what playing jazz feels like to me.  It was Brett Favre that inspires me everyday to do better than the day before.  Most importantly is knowing, understanding, and execution of the secret to life!  

living life and having fun at the same time is a life secret that continues to permeate every inch of my body.  Life is way too short not to, thank you so much forum members in allowing me to not only post my builds but also sharing my stories to you all.

Toshi

I had to drop in and say HI Toshi and watch you build one of my favorite aircraft, the Spitfire.

Your builds somehow reflect that of a jazz muscian, like jazz, you play to some structure and a set of rules, but jazz allows you to express, go all out with what you want to do, you show that you have freedom to experiement and test your abilities yet come out with a beautiful piece of work.

I played jazz as a drummer, and enjoyed being able to be expressive, yet stay in that structured musical pocket.  I enjoy model building the same way and many of my builds resemble the music Ilisten too.  Many have artistic license that drive the reality judges nuts but were fun the build and in the end, a pleasure to look at.

Keep having fun, I really am enjoying your Spitfire build.

Scott

Toshi - Glad you like your spray booth, If you didn't get it as part of the booth, I saw that they have an accessory available that offers a flattened discharge tube that allows placing it in a door opening, or window slightly opened. That would be a great help in positive evacutaion of fumes and smells from your hobby area. Just a suggestion. 

I'm 74, love jazz from 60's, faves are Poinciana, from Ahmad Jamal live at the Pershing album, next Brubecks Take Five. 

For some time in the sixties I was based in L.A., often took in live shows at Shelly's Mann Hole, then in Wa. D.C., went to see Charley Bird at the Showboat. Fun times.

Love how the 'Spit is coming along, really nice work. Although I do kind of miss the "new model every 24 hours from Toshi" forum. (:>)

Thanks for the post and photos.

Patrick

Dear Toshi

I appreciate the Bio info about yourself and your family.

I came back into the hobby over a couple years ago because my 9 year old son wanted to start building models the passion returned and has been instrumental in more Father Son time together not to mention the "mental health and relaxation". One of the side effects has been the reduction a few points in my blood pressure which my Doctor noted and wondered what I was doing different lately. AND I told him. He laughed and then told me he used to build too !!

I had a HUGE collection of enamel paints by Precision and Compucolour all stashed away.

They are EXTRAORDINARY paints and dead on accurate. But since returning to the hobby I wanted my son to be safe and discovered that acryllic paints have become exponentially better than they were back in the late 80's and 90's.

Vallejo and Tamiya are really outstanding. Hatacha(?) from Poland look to be really nice too. Anyway I still want to use some of my enamels and like you can't spray outside once Winter comes to the midwest. That spray booth looks very interesting where can I purchase one similar?

The Spit looks great. You have a wonderful teaching style easy to follow and please DO NOT underestimate yourself you are a very good modeler!!!! I learned a long time ago to have fun enjoy this great hobby which gives us so much joy!!

scottrc

I had to drop in and say HI Toshi and watch you build one of my favorite aircraft, the Spitfire.

Your builds somehow reflect that of a jazz muscian, like jazz, you play to some structure and a set of rules, but jazz allows you to express, go all out with what you want to do, you show that you have freedom to experiement and test your abilities yet come out with a beautiful piece of work.

I played jazz as a drummer, and enjoyed being able to be expressive, yet stay in that structured musical pocket.  I enjoy model building the same way and many of my builds resemble the music Ilisten too.  Many have artistic license that drive the reality judges nuts but were fun the build and in the end, a pleasure to look at.

Keep having fun, I really am enjoying your Spitfire build.

Scott

 

Do you still play the drums?  At MENTIS, my therapy facility, I've been urged to start up my musical career once again.  I told the therapist that when the time comes...

Playing jazz allowed me to travel all over Europe and the east, with my band, "Jazz Attack".  As for music and model kits, as I stated above, everything was relevant.  This is the only other reason why I became a executive chef.  To create!

As for models, the art of artistic vision comes to mind.  As you correctly stated, having fun is the key mantra, there's already enough drama in the world and I wish not to add anymore to it.  Thank you sir for your wonderful reply, I truly enjoyed it! Take care my friend.

Toshi

patrick206

Toshi - Glad you like your spray booth, If you didn't get it as part of the booth, I saw that they have an accessory available that offers a flattened discharge tube that allows placing it in a door opening, or window slightly opened. That would be a great help in positive evacutaion of fumes and smells from your hobby area. Just a suggestion. 

I'm 74, love jazz from 60's, faves are Poinciana, from Ahmad Jamal live at the Pershing album, next Brubecks Take Five. 

For some time in the sixties I was based in L.A., often took in live shows at Shelly's Mann Hole, then in Wa. D.C., went to see Charley Bird at the Showboat. Fun times.

Love how the 'Spit is coming along, really nice work. Although I do kind of miss the "new model every 24 hours from Toshi" forum. (:>)

Thanks for the post and photos.

Patrick

 

Thank you for the read and reply.

Toshi

BlackTulip109

Dear Toshi

 

I appreciate the Bio info about yourself and your family.

I came back into the hobby over a couple years ago because my 9 year old son wanted to start building models the passion returned and has been instrumental in more Father Son time together not to mention the "mental health and relaxation". One of the side effects has been the reduction a few points in my blood pressure which my Doctor noted and wondered what I was doing different lately. AND I told him. He laughed and then told me he used to build too !!

I had a HUGE collection of enamel paints by Precision and Compucolour all stashed away.

They are EXTRAORDINARY paints and dead on accurate. But since returning to the hobby I wanted my son to be safe and discovered that acryllic paints have become exponentially better than they were back in the late 80's and 90's.

Vallejo and Tamiya are really outstanding. Hatacha(?) from Poland look to be really nice too. Anyway I still want to use some of my enamels and like you can't spray outside once Winter comes to the midwest. That spray booth looks very interesting where can I purchase one similar?

The Spit looks great. You have a wonderful teaching style easy to follow and please DO NOT underestimate yourself you are a very good modeler!!!! I learned a long time ago to have fun enjoy this great hobby which gives us so much joy!!

 

As for the paint booth, I purchased mine from eBay, you can also Google TCP.  They sell every thing needed for airbrushing including the very same paint booth I purchased.  

Your kind words in reference to my building skills is much appreciated, it's members like you that drives my ambition to get better in every build.  Thank you for sharing as well as the read and reply!

Toshi

Here's a few more photos of what I have been able to complete today, please see below for a review.  Thank you forum members for your interest in my builds, I always look forward to members reply!

Toshi

Toshi

Here's a few more photos of what I have been able to complete today, please see below for a review.  Thank you forum members for your interest in my builds, I always look forward to members reply!

Toshi

 

 

This is how far my progress is as of today.  There's not much to show, more pics to follow as I progress .

Thank you,

Toshi

Nice work, your skills have improved greatly in a very short time.

Mike

Thank you so much "Buckeyes", to have a distiguish member like you commenting on my builds in a very positive manner tells me that at the minimum, I'm doing something write.  Thank you for the read and reply!

Toshi

This weekend, I told Mrs. Toshi to take the time off to relax I will take care of her as she works long hours.  Of course when she goes to take a nap, I will immediately head straight to kitchen to whip something up!  

This evening was the first game of the NFL season.  It ended with the New England Patriots In their first win for the 2015 season!  They did a great job, I decided to clean up the kitchen and then work on my project.  

I bet forum members goes through issues like this, explained above on a daily conundrum.  Here is my addition for the day, I plan to work into the wee hours of the morning.  I think?

Tosh

Its interesting how Tamiya makes sure that the landing gear is supported with a steel pin.

To my fellow forum members,

I've been messing around with the Spitfire engine over the last couple of days.  Besides my Tamiya reference book, the Internet has been a big source of visual inspiration.  It may not be accurate per actual build but I must admit, building the Tamiya 1:32 Spitfire has been a load of fun, especially on this day.

While assembling the Mk. VIII, I get to also watch the opening regular season of the NFL.  This is my favorite time of year.  Especially while building model kits.  Well, enough of the NFL, and I'll go straight into my Spitfire progression.

I did a little bit of scratch building with the Merlin engine, this is what took up most of my time.

The next step, I need to take is to build up the Spitfire cowling and prep the Mk. VIII for pre-weathering by highlighting the panel lines.  Once that's done, I'll start the tedious process of AB the aircraft without destroying the intricate panel lines.  Wish me luck forum members, up until this point, I've been unsuccessful in the panel line weathering.

Toshi