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New old guy here with a couple questions


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Hi everyone, First off may I say this community and forum is (for me at least) just what the doctor ordered...lol.... I am re-entering the plastic modelling world after some 20 or so (heavy on the or so side...lol) years. I picked the Revell 1/48 AT6/SNJ Texan(Harvard since I'm a Canuck) for my teeth cutting, however am having difficulties (tremendous I might add) masking off the canopy as the lines in this kit just don't seem to be raised enough to cut the masking in a proper fashion any tips? Secondly any tips for painting the parts that are supposed to be canvas to actually make them look more like canvas?......I apologize if these questions have already been asked and answered, my google fu is weak...lol Again thank-you for providing an old guy a place to learn and re-learn techniques I am looking forward to becoming immersed in this wonderful hobby once again.

Thanks,

Paul

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Hi Paul,

Welcome to the forum and back to modeling. One method is to do the edge of each pane with very narrow strips of tape. Then fill in the centers with bigger pieces. That way you don't have to cut along the frames. Another way that has worked for me is to apply Baremetal foil over the whole pane. It is very thin and conforms well. Then I go around the edges with a fine Sharpy marker. Then I dampen a piece of paper towel with a little alcohol an wipe off most of the Sharpy. This leaves just a narrow line around the pane that is easy to see. When you cut, use a really sharp blade and hardly any pressure at all.

PS. If you're an old guy like me, get an Optivisor or equivalent. It makes the work a lot easier.

HTH

Don

Edited by Don Wheeler
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In an effort to help new - old, beginners, I wrote an article called "How to Build a Model Airplane" with a link posted here on ARC. It has about 300 photo's in it showing different processes.

Go to the "General Discussion" forum here on ARC and in the "Pinned" articles at the top you'll see the "How to... " article there. Click the link in the post, enter password 151555. when it opens. scroll to the bottom and look for the "Save file to your PC: click here" ONLY CLICK ON THE "Click Here" PART OF THE PHRASE. and the PDF will download for you.

Because it's a free download service you might get a couple of stupid ad windows (if you don't pop-ups turned off), but nothing nasty. This article will help you a great deal and has hundreds of photos throughout it. I have been told its the best article ever written about building models - ever! ...and I agree! The article is written for beginners specifically.

It should answer all of your questions, including masking. The only thing I've reconsidered since I published it is how hard I was on acrylic paint use. I have since converted to Tamiya acrylics and begrudgingly admit I love them, although I still recommend enamels for beginners (Model Masters brand). Let me know what you think about the article.

Edited by Miccara
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Hi everyone, First off may I say this community and forum is (for me at least) just what the doctor ordered...lol.... I am re-entering the plastic modelling world after some 20 or so (heavy on the or so side...lol) years. I picked the Revell 1/48 AT6/SNJ Texan(Harvard since I'm a Canuck) for my teeth cutting, however am having difficulties (tremendous I might add) masking off the canopy as the lines in this kit just don't seem to be raised enough to cut the masking in a proper fashion any tips? Secondly any tips for painting the parts that are supposed to be canvas to actually make them look more like canvas?......I apologize if these questions have already been asked and answered, my google fu is weak...lol Again thank-you for providing an old guy a place to learn and re-learn techniques I am looking forward to becoming immersed in this wonderful hobby once again.

Thanks,

Paul

Last question first, Sir.

There is no 'fabric' texture to control surfaces and the like. The stuff is so saturated with cellulose dope and paint it might as well be plastic sheet to both the eye and the touch. Fabric parts should be a little paler than metal parts of the same basic color, that is about all. You can make the raised 'rib' a little paler than the rest, if you want. What is actually raised up is a strip of cloth, like the doubled seam on a pair of jeans, that is sewn over the fabrc covering, around the structural member below, to anchor it down firmly. On a well maintained machine there will be no sag between ribs, although when the thing is actually in flight, the pressure of the air can make the ribs stand out a bit more starkly.

I do not do a lot of full canopy work, as I mostly build open cockpit machines. What I use for framing wndscreens is clear decal film, painted to the right color (sometimes in two coats, for interior color and exterior color), covered with Micro-Scale decal medium, and cut into thin strips. When thickly painted, it usually does not adhere well, and so I put a little Elmer's glue where it is suposed to go, and that tacks it down nicely.

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Like Don said, magnification is so helpful doing detail work such as masking. To help me see, I have an optivisor, reading glasses, and sometimes I even use some surgical loupes (I have a few pairs that I use in the OR so sometimes I'll take a pair home if I think about it...). I find that I use the reading glasses more and more these days since my wife usually has a pair sitting around and so I can "borrow" -- one might say appropriate -- them as needed.

Regarding the actual masking, have you tried to mask using bare metal foil? I find that it is so thin that it shows very subtle surface details so you can see were to cut more readily than if using tape. Removal is a little more difficult than with tape but any adhesive residue is easily cleaned with Goo-Gone.

HTH

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Thanks everyone for the warm welcome and helpful advice, That pdf is very informative and well done, I appreciate all your effort and work that must have went into making it. Lots of great info there.........well I'm off to the hardware store for a bottle of future and a optivisor in preparation of tackling this canopy ....again...lol....Thanks eveyone!

Paul

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