Nagato CAD line fix.

sfcmac wrote:

CAD stands for computer animated drawing.

Actually, in this case it means computer aided drafting or computer aided design.

Timothy,

Again, all models contain flaws. That is not in dispute. But, there is a serious line to draw between those flaws that are attributable to limitations of the molding process and those that are willful or careless inaccuracies such as those CAD lines.  It was simply not impossible from a molding standpoint to erase those lines prior to casting.  Whoever had the responsibility to check failed in that responsibility; there is no justification for such a mistake.  Whether they look cool or not is irrelevant, whatever the design team might believe.

However, I love the kit otherwise! The parts fit is exceptional; except for the CAD line fiasco, the overall detail is exquisite!

Bill Morrison

All kits have errors. Some of it is compromise between what can be molded and what looks good. Some of it is just items that get overlooked. No doubt they thought the lines looked cool and most modelers did too, until they checked photos and saw that they were not there on the real ships. At this point, they approved the tooling for the hull and it is unlikely that they will change it. Way too exspensive for a part that size.

 I can't speak to this manufactures checking process, but this typically happens when the engineering team and toolmakers are not familiar with the subject. On a CAD drawing, those lines are readily visiable as they define the geometry of the hull. So it is possible that until the test shots of the hull were made, no one noticed that they were in the final part.

Well I can sort of understand why they didn't catch it at the outset, I guess. Like everything, including the Toyota Prius which is built in China, never mind protestations of war crimes, Hase no doubt subcontracted/subcontracted the kit and it may very well be being cast in Indonesia.

But still, you all better say never again.

I made that same comment in an earlier thread.  The CAD line problem is not a minor detail flaw found in every kit; it is a careless manufacturing defect.  Many of us agree that Hasegawa should have immediately corrected this problem prior to distribution instead of passing this major problem on to its customers.  That the company failed to do so shows me a tremendous lack of respect for its customer base, and I have resolved never to buy another Hasegawa product until they fix this problem (including for those of us who paid the exhorbitant price for this otherwise excellent kit).  That they repeated this mistake in the MUTSU kit is just a slap in the face.

Bill Morrison

I got the first part. I've got a floor full of bright young kids flogging Autodesk software in an ever tightening effort to make $.

But what happened? They used the digital files and the contour lines ended up in the dies, I guess?

It's a not uncommon thing. I served as a third party witness in a case where an architectural firm designed a big marble floor in a bank, drew half of it with the idea that the other half was a mirror image, but forgot to include that note. Went out to bid, guess what?

But why did Hasegawa get away with this? They otta be giving out replacement hulls, I'd think.

 CAD stands for computer animated drawing. Like those you see when the old PBS Battlefield show would come on. The mistake was the lines were mistaken as hull plating and recessed pretty deeply into the hull. If you look at the pic the apparent hull plates are the issue.

 Those lines that look like recessed plates  are not supposed to be there. Pretty major goof on such a nice and expensive model.  I just saw that Academy has a fix for the suspension goof on their  Grant and Lee releases. Maybe there is still hope.

Perhaps smooth glossy would be a better term to use. PAF will flow into cracks and scratches thus the smooth serface when dry and a gloss reflectance.

gsharris wrote:

I have found a quick and inexpensive way to mask out the Nagato CAD lines. The product is called Porc-a-fix (PAF) from KIT Industries and is a procelain touch-up glaze. It is sold at Home Depot in a 15cc bottle for $4.50, is the consistancy of motor oil, does not shrink and dries in about two hours to a flat gloss finish. I masked off the area of the Nagato hull above the water line and brushed on PAF in three lifts using a wide fine brush. This did not completely cover the CAD lines but did raise them from the hull so that light sanding with a wet 400 grit block removed most of the lines without damage to the rest of the hull in about 15 minutes. Three coats of paint with Future on top of each coat has covered the rest of the lines. The entire process took about three days. I have used PAF before to fill in ejection pin marks without sanding and no shrinkage. I also found that the kit bulkheads provided an excellent means of holding the hull while applying the PAF, sanding and applying the finish paint.

Please excuse my ignorance, but just what is a "flat gloss" finish?

Thank you for that information!  I am going nuts trying to fill those CAD lines with thin putty.  I will try your method.

Bill Morrison