Moto GP / GP bike enthusiasts

whats up guys,

just wanted to share some progress pics.

comming along pretty good i think so far.

installed the fork set. i really like the extra detail plus i like the fact

that the axle blocks can be painted seperatly.

Seabee yes as far as I can see it is the same for 2006.

Does anyone have any inside info as to which 2007 800cc bike Tamiya will launch first? My guess is the championship winner Stoner Ducati but who knows?

Thanks BushPig, that's the one! Don't think it would've changed to the 05 bike and for once my gut was right... Nice progress on the Duc!

Time for a bit of an update to the Ducati 888. Progressing a bit slowly but here goes.

Body parts primed and then the first few coats added. Needs a few more then the final clear coats and decal application.

left and right side of the engine, a few bits still to be added. Like you Joel i am not sure i got the flat brown shade right, any comments guys?

Wheel rims and rear shock assembled

And finally the frame starting to take shape. As i said initially I know this should be white but the guy I am building it for was adamant he wanted red!

Seabee this should be what you are looking for.

 

Niiiice work Joel! Can't believe that's the same chunk of resin engin you showed us initially!

Been quiet this side, slowly crawling forward at times on the M1. Quick reference question though... The piece at the bottom of the rear cowling for the M1's, right down the middle - well, the part you see if you look at the bike from low angle at the rear, above the wheel. I can't get a nice enough shot. In short - is it black (as I suspect) or blue?

Apart from that - anybody here worked with Crazy Modeler's decals before? I've just done the two-part seat decals... Absolutely awesome decals! Very soft, so must be handled with care, but it's stunning stuff! Here's to not buggering up any of them...

I guess I'll just keep posting

Finished the scratch built pipes off with some Alclad II and installed them with super glue on the engine.

I wheathered them slightly with the Tamiya wheathering station burnt metal and burnt blue.

Frame is a story of its own... I spent some time during prep work to bend it right but during painting it must have set again. Making it somewhat straight took off most of the alumium paint and I have to repaint that before I can continue. As the airbox and engine is one piece the frame can't be finally assembled until the engine part is ready for mounting.

/Joel

The story continues... Bad images but some progress on the etch details.

Engine and Clutch cover. I had some bad luck with the Alclad II Polished aluminum this time. I think I put it on too close to the black paint and it came out like chrome. It looks terrible but I will not go through all the steps again to make it better. You have to live with this guys...

Chain

Close up..

Link sections is made out of four sets of etched images of the whole chain linkage. Inner two (containing the sprockets) was painted navy grey and the outer two was painted the same solid green as the livery. The chain etch contains four tiny holes so that you can put a wire through each hole and in that way align the four pieces. In theory at least as the etch is SO fragile around the holes so that it bends as soon as you touch it (Have I mentioned my fingers doesn't play the piano...??) I got them together alright anyhow. The rear sprocket has two extra pieces to give it some depth and the front sprocket has a bolt head attached.

Chain will get some wash and is then ready.
/Joel

Time for some updates on the green monster don't you think?

I've painted the frame and swing arm black and then Alclad II polished alu but I haven't taken pictures of them yet. I started the preparation of the rims. This is somewhat hard to explain... ZX-RR rims are similar to the M1 rims but they are drilled out on the sides facing the next spoke and not on the side towards the viewer when looking at the bike from the side. I have no idea on how to drill them out but I decided to atleast fill the M1 rims. I used mr Hobby putty wich looked like this:

When sanded out it turned out like this. Ready for some primer and some extra filling and sanding.

The white metal suspension is a really ugly piece. Can't think of how to paint that spring.

...so I cut it off and will put some brass tubing and a spare spring into it instead.

Engine block is, as you know by now, molded in one piece. This call for some painting extravaganza if compared to the Tamiya kits. As I mentioned before I've painted the air box, and the sliders that go inside the frame, black. The air box got some cf treatment after that.

I've picked out two spots that have bigger areas to cover with other paints than Alclad. It is the clutch plate and the oil sump. From my references (read Pitwalk collection) it is pretty hard to determine the exact color to use and I must say I'm a bit so so regarding my final choice. As you can see from the following pictures the clutch plate got some desert yellow and the sump got navy grey. I think both should have been slightly darker but who will notice :dunno: :dunno:

Front fender (wich weighs it's fair amount...) has been painted black and then cf:ed. Dunlop markings from the kit sheet.

Last but not least (though it is kind of small...) the tachometer has also been painted black and got some cf added. This will get the meter added from the pe sheet and also a bracket on the back side.

/Joel

thanks guys for the kind words.

i ordered the tamiya detail-up front fork set

for the yamaha.

i should get it tomorrow.

jason.

Joel,
Re getting decals to stick to tyres, for the model pictured, I applied Klear (Future) to the area of the tyre where the decal would be and let it dry. This will give the decal a good surface to grip to. Then applied the decal and let that dry. Applied more Klear over the decal to seal it. And finally when that was dry, lastly I applied a flat coat over it to take off any shine. Worked fine for me.


Have just gotten back into my modelling chair recently after a long absence and hope to post up a few progress pics of the Aprilia soon.

Joel. I have never really had a problem with adhesion, except of course as I said for the Michelin block type. I recall in the old Moto gp GB I think Andrew had a problem with decal adhesion on his Sienna Ducati and eventually resorted to a little white glue applied to the decal. Maybe this is a route to go, or maybe crystal clear ( the stuff airplane guys use for canopies and which incidentally I use to glue in my bike canopies) I guess you would have to be careful how much you put on so as not to get smudging.

Thanks for your inputs Bushpig. My problem is most often not to attach the decal per se but rather to get them to stick. But I'll see where your tricks can get me.

Regarding the painting of forks I've seen some beautiful results but I can't seem to remember where. THe PE parts are great looking but I can't lay aside that it makes the whole building process a bit easy.

/Joel

Hey Invertman, as Joel says nice work and in such a short space of time even more inspiring. I am just so slow by comparison!

Joel I can answer on the first question. I found them a bit tricky in the beginning. I tend to try and slice the carrier as close to the actual decal as possible, this allows easier placement. I then lightly press down into place with a blunt toothpick and then with the rounded back of a nail, gently does it! My final trick is to then wet out the tissue backing and allow it to soak for a few seconds, then gently peel it off. I find wetting it out allows it to release so much easier thus avoiding lifts, curls and cracks like I used to get. I have never sealed the decals before. I must say I have only ever successfully applied the alternate Michelin decal (in the blue square as opposed ot the Michelin Pilot letters) once, dont know why I just cant seem to get them to work. Hope this helps.

Second one I have sprayed clear orange onto silver before (cant remember which kit specified it) but it does not come anywhere close to the metal part. Not sure if Alclad has a suitable colour in the their range.

Hi guys!

I would like some of your kind insights on two issues.

1. Tire decals. I never seem to get these ones to stick properly. No problem to lay them down but they always seem to roll up in the ends or just crack somewhere in the middle. Also I see a lot of modelers weathering the tyres and in that way sealing the decals in. Have you tried this, and if so what kind of paint did you use and with what result?

2. Golden forks. With the PE fork sets entering the arena Tamiya has put some preassure on us who want to be kind of old school and skip those expensive (cheating?!) parts. The range of Tamiyas golden colors is leaving me unsatisfied but I've read about someone painting clear orange over silver leaving a great golden color. Have you tried this and is it as easy as painting clear orange over a silver leaf base or is there some other trick to it?

/Joel

Looking really good Invertman. Clean and subtle! Engine looks great. Keep it coming!

And again, welcome to the GB!

/Joel

ok guys, a couple more pics

then i'm off to bed.

it's been a pretty productive day at the bench, haven't

spent that much time modeling in years, a whole saturday afternoon.

well,here are the last two.

some more pics guys.

going ok so far.

whats up guys,

wanted to post some progress pics of the yamaha m-1

this is my second bike kit, the first one i didnt finish.

anyway, heres the pics.

Hey Invertman as Joel says just get building and posting, everyone is welcome. Joel I wish your Santa knew my address! Welcome back to the bench, I am sure the whole community has missed your contributions. I am also on hold again as work has taken me to China for 3 weeks. Will be back and building by mid November though.

invertman wrote:

is it too late to get in on this gb. if not i would like to submit a yamahayzr-m1 valencia edition. thanks.

Of course you're not too late! Just start posting some progress pics and please try and post your ideas and thoughts along the way so that we keep up the great sharing we've acomplished so far in this thread! Welcome again!

Last week I picked out the old ZX-RR build again. I feel a little rusty after six months of absence. But I'll dig into it. So far I've started reshaping the rims. Instructions tell to use the M1 rims and they have some similarities but are NOT the same. My thought is to keep the shape of the M1 rim but to fill out the hollow parts of the M1 rim to make them a bit closer to the ZX-RR ones. Not perfect, but better.

is it too late to get in on this gb.

if not i would like to submit a yamahayzr-m1 valencia edition.

thanks.

 

Bushpig; Those exhausts looks fabulous! I'm very impressed.

/Joel

Hi Guys. as I said I don't normally do in progress updates as you will see I tend to follow a pretty hap-hazard way of eventually getting a bike together. Anyway will give it a bash with this one and hopefully spark some debate and tip sharing as we go. So progressing slowly on the Duc 888, have prepped various body parts, engine block etc so can get down to some serious painting now. I have completed the exhaust set up so share my progress, apologies for the quality of pics.

Glued together, filled and sanded a few joins and ready to go.

Next laid on a coat of tamiya x32 titanium

Masked off areas I wanted to stay chromed and the weld joins

Then using Tamiya x26 clr yellow, x23 clr blue, x27 clear red and finally x19 smoke airbrushed in the heat staining. Finally added the decals and this is the complete result

Seabee Looks good despite your trouble with the visor. One thing you might want to consider is making a new one from clear sheet and and bit of heat over a positive mould (guys do it all the time for aircraft). I saw it done on a build in Tamiya model magazine last year and is effective, you would then just need to order a replacement decal set.

I also have a number of builds lined up for friends before I get going on my own again. Making slow progress with the ducati 888

Okay, so here's the LCR. No fanfare, you guys will rip me a new one for the screw-ups. I am only posting the pics to make everybody sympathise. I messed up. If you look at it from a distance, you don't see the visor that much and my wife was impressed - liked the colours, I think!

 

First one where you can see the damage most:

The opened bottomside:

Full side-on view:

 

 

I am between two for the next victim - M1 05 (replacing Laguna decals with the "normal" ones) or 06 Kawa... With an 04 G-version also in the waiting, incl Top Studio detail set, it may very well be the 05 M1 next. To build two very similarly coloured bikes in a row will be just too boring!

Okay, so we stopped talking sport... No further comments needed.

Good news is that I tried the 2K and it came out great! Thinned with laquer thinners as the shop told me I could do. The bad news is I messed it up on the windshield of all places. It came out real crappy and try as I may, I only succeeded in damaging a (small) decal. No luck on polishing it out. Fortunately I am now nearly done, because this, together with the decal I screwed up really makes this one feel like a failure.

Well what a week to be a South African sports fan (are there any English rugby supporters out there?) yeah Bokke (and Proteas in the cricket!). Good for Rossi on Sunday as well, too much to late I fear though. What would history tell us if he had switched to Ducati instead of yamaha in 2004, who knows. Shame for Casey as it turns out he had clutch problems, seems Hoffman had similar problems, decided to quit the race and got fired for his troubles.

So spring has sprung at last in Cape Town and suddenly my modelling bench looks appealing again. I am starting a commission build of the Ducati 888 for my neighbour. Did not get far with the Foggarty thing so have agreed with him I will do the Falappa version of the triple 8 but will leave the Police decals off, purists close your eyes now. Thats the way he wants it I am afraid! I don't normally do in progress pics but maybe will on this one, open it up for comment and advice. Once I am through with this one I may even get the nasty old NSR out and finish it.

Later chaps

SeaBee wrote:

So is 2K thin enough to a/b as is?

I would have to say no here. I haven't tried spraying it without thinner but it looks too thick.

Andrew Collodel wrote:

PS What is a screamer?

It's the nick for the open exhaust system, where the pipes open up in a mega phone instead of going into a muffler.

Andrew Collodel wrote:

If I could put my hand up and ask, why is good old x22 clear gloss enamel never discussed amongst you master modellers?

I don't use enamel or acrylic clear as I think it is too easy to set fingerprints in. I often have to handle the cowlings quite a bit when installing them and I hate to get those prints into the paint. Enamel is better than acylic in this matter but I've stayed with laquer clear from Modelers' for the last couple of years.

/Joel

Hey BushPig, that's great to see an Afr word in the forum! (And what about Zim beating the Aussies last night in the T20 WC game?! And since Bangladesh beating the WIndies...) But as we speak about it, I was wondering about the future of Future. The more I looked at it, the less I liked the finish. It does not give that same deepness, as Collie very aptly calls it, as TS13, which I am used to using. So maybe it's not the same thing as available overseas - as stated by your guru. Going to try the 2K I got from the auto store on the LCR... but saw just now I have the 2K clear and the hardener, but *duh* not the thinners. So is 2K thin enough to a/b as is? Or does "normal" auto paint (basecoat) thinners work on the 2K clear as well? So back to Collie's theory of ease-of-use... hmmm...

And having gotten into the LCR again at last, I had to mess up one deal completely last night. Not an easy-to-hide one either. So for those that think "aah, it's just to cut the decal, I won't really touch it..." Don't even come close to a decal that's been micro-sol'ed!

And man, I have to agree with your view on all of us being overly critical of our own work!