Wolfgun33 Posted May 27, 2012 Share Posted May 27, 2012 First you wanna sand the model lightly with 2000 grit sandpaper and get a real smooth finish. The several light coats of Future. Each coat will dry pretty quick. Then let it set for a couple of days. Then apply decals and then another coat of Future. Thn you can add the wash. I've heard that you can add a little Windex to the Future to thin it and it's supposed to help the Future level out better. You may want to ask this in the "Tools and Tips" section just in case I'm wrong bout this. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
xavi84 Posted May 27, 2012 Share Posted May 27, 2012 I add 2 to 3 drops of windex to future to break up the surface tension. This will help you from getting an "orange pell" affect when the future dries. And your F-8 is looking pretty good, you're a far braver person than me to mix the grey yourself. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Devilleader501 Posted May 28, 2012 Author Share Posted May 28, 2012 Where I live we don't have hobby shops. We only have Michaels and there pretty slouch when it comes to models. About the only colors they sell that I can even use is gray black and white. Some times I have to buy the Testors military paint sets in order to refill my supply of paints. So I just mix them myself and get them as close as I can.As far as the Future this will me my first time doing it this way that way it will look right. I usually just use future to set the decals but I don't want any chance of silvering. So I want to try out the other method and see if it works better. I just hope it works out. If it doesn't is there a way of stripping the future off of it without hurting the enamel paint under it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Netz Posted May 28, 2012 Share Posted May 28, 2012 Make sure your panel line weathering is done before the Future is applied, as if you go too heavy then you could possibly fill those pane lines in. I feel the safest way to have no silvering is to stay with your Future as a setting solution, it's really the best way. If you need to strip Future as always use an ammonia based cleaner, but what type of paint are you using Acrylic or enamel? if enamel the ammonia should not hurt it. Hopefully you wont need to resort to that. Curt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Devilleader501 Posted May 28, 2012 Author Share Posted May 28, 2012 Thanks again for your Help everyone. I just laid one decal on it with future to set it to see how it fairs and is looking good so far. its only been drying for about 30 minutes though. I like this idea better because the decals stay on the model with little to No silvering. After the decals are set i weather like normal and just use flat clear over the areas where the decals have been set at. I really don't care for the shiny look after future is applied over the entire model. Its just doesn't look right to me even when a flat clear has been applied after the future. One more question I have is do you guys ever trim all of the clear portion of the decals off before setting them. I seen somewhere in the directions of one of my other decal sheets to do this for best results, and to avoid silvering but I have never done that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Devilleader501 Posted May 29, 2012 Author Share Posted May 29, 2012 Well so much for the Sundowners Theme unless someone has an extra set of decals. I just fragged one of the tail Decals. This really makes me mad because I'm not sure how I'm going to get a hold of another set of them. I have a bunch of other sets of decals for the F-8 but my father was looking forward to the Sundowner markings. They were super scale decals and I barely touched the thing and it went into 20 pieces. Does anyone know if other decal manufacturers make these decals in 1 4/8th. I am so upset now I was hoping to get the decals on it tonight and now this. Just got the Aft of the aircraft finished up here is a pic. IMG_0066 by Devilleader501, on Flickr And then Disaster strikes! IMG_0068 by Devilleader501, on Flickr I'm not sure what I should do. Maybe my dad wont mind another aircraft but this was a special build. I think I need to look for more VF-111 decals. Man this is such a bummer. JOSH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wolfgun33 Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 Aww man that sucks!! I wish I had a set for ya. I'm sure someone here will. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Devilleader501 Posted May 29, 2012 Author Share Posted May 29, 2012 Thanks Wolf but I'm not giving up yet. I am determined to get more decals. I have been e mailing everyone I can think of. I'm not letting go of this one. I think it was because I followed the instructions though. I have never had a problem with the way I apply decals. But this time I listened to the instructions and it was a major FAIL. It will not happen again. In the mean time I will finish on the touch ups and the rest of the decaling. This subject will not be a failure I will have this thing done by the end of the GB. And it will be done in the scheme I want VF-111 Sundowners. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
phantom Posted May 29, 2012 Share Posted May 29, 2012 Superscale is the only one I know of. At least the onlye one I have seen. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dmthamade Posted May 30, 2012 Share Posted May 30, 2012 The sunburst flash doesn't look too complex,could you mask and paint both sides? I would also try using Microscale Liquid Decal film to try and save the rest. Really crappy when that happens with rare hard to find sheets. Don Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Devilleader501 Posted June 5, 2012 Author Share Posted June 5, 2012 Ok guys I need help. Does this pic look to scale to you. I had to make a photo copy of the rest of the decals I had in order to make this stencil. I also had to trim off almost an 1/8 of an inch off the bottom in order to fit. Does it look to scale and does it follow the lines its supposed to. The color is off because its just printed on regular paper. If you all think its correct then I think I am just going to hand paint the tail of the Crusader so I don't have to worry about finding Decals that are almost Impossible to find. Let me know what you all think. I personally think it looks good but I am still pretty much a noob at this stuff. One more thing If I do paint the tail should I prime it with white or just let the gray stay on it and let the other colors cover everything up. JOSH IMG_0082 by Devilleader501, on Flickr Quote Link to post Share on other sites
phantom Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 I would do a white base coat. That decal you made looks good but paint touch ups will be needed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dmthamade Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Had to look in an old Detail and Scale, that template looks right. I would do a white base coat, will make the colors brighter. How are you going to mask and paint, airbrush or hand? Looking at the picture in the book and your decal pic, it shouldn't be too hard to mask and airbrush. Just noticed it's a "double nuts" CAG aircraft. Don Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Devilleader501 Posted June 6, 2012 Author Share Posted June 6, 2012 To be honest I'm not sure yet how I will mask it. I used to use Frisket film but its not available here anymore. I'm thinking of just using tamiya tape and hope it works. As far as the decals this is going to be a CAG bird that why i liked the tail so much. If anyone has a better idea I'm all ears. The tamiya tape should work good though there all straight lines anyway. I was thinking the white base would have been good only for the decals as they are kind of transparent. With paint I would think coverage should be pretty good and I dont want to Mudd up all of the panel lines and detail. My biggest concern is getting the colors right because I have nothing close to the yellow, green, or blue. I guess we'll see what happens. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Netz Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 Actually you should leave it on, if you look closely the decal film forms a gradual transition to the model surface, like a reducer/ramp, if you were to remove it you'd then have a ledge, and trimming exactly along the edge of the decal print can be a bit tedious and one slight slip or wiggle would then be noticeable, especially if you cut into the color. This is an "Old School" technique that was mostly used on NMF, but these days we have better products to finish our models with, it shouldn't be necessary. Curt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Devilleader501 Posted June 6, 2012 Author Share Posted June 6, 2012 I'm not sure what you mean Curt. I ruined one of the decals and am now faced with having to paint the tail of the plane instead of using decals. The template I showed in the pic was just a stencil I will use in order to actually paint the decals on instead. These Decals are very hard to find and instead of letting this thing go another couple of months in order to find decals I'm just going to paint it instead and hope the rest of the decals for this sheet hold up and dont break apart like the tail decal did. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dmthamade Posted June 6, 2012 Share Posted June 6, 2012 I've had to do tail insignias and sharksmouth using templates. I did what you've done so far with the photocopies, etc. I took the template and used it to make a mask on wide masking tape. I stick the tape to a hard surface (plate glass or steel tabletop), then put the template on top. With a SHARP blade, i cut around the template and install the newly made mask on build, then paint. Pics show just two things i've had to do. These are on a 1/32 Tamiya JASDF F-4EJ. HTH Don Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Devilleader501 Posted June 16, 2012 Author Share Posted June 16, 2012 Nice work Don. My question is should I keep with the current theme or should change just because I have 5 sets of decals. I really like the colors and style of the VF-111 Sundowners I just don't know. I am so mad at the decals I'm almost trying to hold myself back from even buying them again. I can paint and I can mask but its a chore I didn't want to have to go through with this model. I guess my question is if you were in my situation would you do different decals, or continue decaling with what you have in hopes of finding a set of the decals you need and getting it done or if need be painting what you need to in order to get things done. I don't want to be impatient with this thing I have so much invested into it already that i want it to be the best I have built yet. Any suggestions? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dmthamade Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 I would move on to another set of markings. The selection you have show a couple of very sharp colorful birds. I agree with you about the Sundowners, i would like to have a build in their markings, though a F-4 or F-14 would be my pick. You could always plan for another Crusader and look for the decals for a future build. Don Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Devilleader501 Posted June 16, 2012 Author Share Posted June 16, 2012 OK I am going to give myself till tomorrow this time and I will just change decal sets. I really don't want to have to do this because this build was for my father and an aircraft he refueled 30+ years ago. But if I can't locate decals by this time tomorrow then I will give in. I'm not the kind of person to just give up but this thing is in a Group Build and I have to get it done. If anyone has any other suggestions I am all ears. I can paint the tail but I just don't think it will turn out as well as I am expecting. People PLEASE HELP I need your thoughts on this matter. I want to get back into building this model but it has sat Idle for the last 2 weeks because of a decal problem. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wolfgun33 Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 Man that sucks. Sorry to hear about the decal problems. I think you should just chose another squadron and move on. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Devilleader501 Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 Ok guys decided to go with different decals. Now I have a problem though which ones. Please help I'm not sure which ones to use but I am leaning towards the MiG Master series of decals. The other ones look cool as well but I am dumb when it comes to decal results because I have ADD. Please let me know what you think. IMG_0510 by Devilleader501, on Flickr Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jinxter13 Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 (edited) Ya can't go wrong with either the "Checkmates VF-211" or "Diamondbacks VF-102"...."Freelancers VF-21" look real good too; if those are what I'm seeing. Edited June 22, 2012 by #1 Greywolf Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Devilleader501 Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 But Gray What would you do? That is the question. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Devilleader501 Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 But Gray What would you do? That is the question. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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