phantom Posted January 6, 2019 Share Posted January 6, 2019 Decals look much better then I expected. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted January 6, 2019 Author Share Posted January 6, 2019 Yah, I was concerned. That's why I did the one on the stabilizer--try small in case they went south. The fit is nice, but they are goopy and the finish is a little rough. But, I do think I'll finish with them... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted January 6, 2019 Author Share Posted January 6, 2019 It's getting to be Miller Time! I've got enough decals on that I want to let them dry list I damage them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Els Posted January 6, 2019 Share Posted January 6, 2019 I am glad that you went with the Miller Time decals. I wanted to see what it would look like in that scheme and it looks good. Sometimes those old decals go on rough but they settle down fine. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spectre711 Posted January 6, 2019 Share Posted January 6, 2019 Great job handling those decals. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted January 7, 2019 Author Share Posted January 7, 2019 The decals are almost all on. All but 2 went on nicely. The top left wing stripe and bottom right wing stripe (left on the this view) are very prune-like Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted January 7, 2019 Author Share Posted January 7, 2019 Prune-like, like this... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kurt H. Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 Ouch .. that is some pretty gnarly texture. Did it eventually settle down and smooth out a bit? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
phantom Posted January 12, 2019 Share Posted January 12, 2019 Couple more coats of decal solution. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted January 12, 2019 Author Share Posted January 12, 2019 That's what I've been trying. Between leaving it alone for a few days during a business trip, and Micro Sol, it has improved. But, it may just be that's just as good as it gets. The good news it's only 2 of the decals, but bad news is that one's up top. There was a little voice telling me to paint those dang stripes! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted January 18, 2019 Author Share Posted January 18, 2019 Striving to be better, oft we mar what's well. I'm going to have to live with that hideous upper wing stripe, lest I take a major step backwards. The exhaust is painted and the engine is on. One thing I've never been happy with are my renditions of recognition lights. I've tried painting, reflecting things, and all manner of approaches. I was pretty happy with wing-tip lights on my XF5F painted with red and green Sharpies, so I figured I'd try that with the recognition lights. As they apparently had shiny bezels, I cut disks of Al foil with the #6 punch on my Waldron punch set and glued them in place for the bezels. I then colored more foil with sharpies, punched disks with the #5 punch, and glued them atop. I need to get a good marker for the "amber" light, but these aren't too horrible... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted January 24, 2019 Author Share Posted January 24, 2019 Made up masks in Inkscape for the 3 mid canopy components and cut them onto Frisket on my Silhouette Portrait. As you might have guessed, the six flat panels on each side of the vac canopy are different widths, as are the left and right side panels heights on the aft-middle canopy. Since I have 2 more of these kits in the stash--along with 2 more vac canopies--I'll add the forward and aft canopy sections to the mask when I do the next kit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted January 25, 2019 Author Share Posted January 25, 2019 Hm, looks like I missed a mask on the rear section! Glad I made masks in Inkscape! I'll cut another set for the rear section and redo it... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kurt H. Posted January 25, 2019 Share Posted January 25, 2019 ouch... bummer about the missed mask. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted January 28, 2019 Author Share Posted January 28, 2019 (edited) Finally gave up on the prune-like upper-left wing stripe and applied the gloss clear coat. It is what it is... Next I made up the belts from flattened 20 mil solder. I used a knife handle to roll it to 6 mils thickness and 36 mils width. I then used the buckles from the Lion Roar PE set. To get a buckle on, I'd bend a U into the solder, slide the buckle on both ends of the U, and then pulled it flat. The end buckle was easy, just make an L, slip on the buckle, and fold it back. Edited January 28, 2019 by dnl42 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted January 30, 2019 Author Share Posted January 30, 2019 Finished! Woohoo! Here are the seat with their seat belts It's Miller Time! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
phantom Posted January 30, 2019 Share Posted January 30, 2019 Right on time, great job! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stalker6recon Posted April 24, 2019 Share Posted April 24, 2019 On 1/28/2019 at 12:49 PM, dnl42 said: I'd bend a U into the solder, slide the buckle on both ends of the U, and then pulled it flat. Now how absolutely cool is that! Wow, this looks like the best method of making seat belts that I have seen so far, and the additional buckles that make it real, is awesome. Thanks so much, now I just need to find solder in that size and practice, practice, practice! I love how solder is very pliable, no matter what shape you need, it retains it without a fight, very nice! This puts to rest my question via the HDMI post, I just hope others follow this link, it is invaluable. I do have one other question. Back when I was building models more than thirty years ago, we did not have the internet to learn from, and modeling was strickly a local only hobby, especially for those who had no means to travel or even buy magazines. Every penny went into kits and supplies. Anyway, I used to try different methods of fighting with decals, and that is what it always was, a fight. Anyway, I did the tiny pin holes before putting them in water, hoping to get air to escape easier when applying, this worked to some extent. I even tried lightly sanding the decal sheet to remove the sheen and allow air to escape, and this also had success, unless my memory is faulty. I do not remember if we had solutions such as microsol and microset available back then, if we did, I never used it, probably couldn't afford it. My point is, since I have never used these products, and the videos/photos always speak of the crinkling of the decals as they melt into the mold of the plastic. This is going to scare me half to death. How do you know when the decal is still working into position, and when it needs more solution? Are the brands other than microsol/set good alternatives? I have seen products like Mr setter, and some from Tamiya as well. Even different strengths. Do you know which ones are safe and which ones I should use in an emergency? When to break out the big guns (extra strength) solution for large and/or problematic decals? Thanks, as always, one answer always leads to more questions! Anthony Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted April 25, 2019 Author Share Posted April 25, 2019 I tried my usual Micro Set/Sol as well as something new for me, MarkFit Strong. I should have gotten some Solvaset... I think that stuff has been around forever. I remember some stuff back in the day--it was in a bottle with a glass "applicator" built into the lid. Worked amazingly well. Anyway, the MSI stuff is my standard today. Works every time except when it doesn't--like on Tamiya decals. I also have lead wire from UMM-USA. This is available in various sizes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stalker6recon Posted April 25, 2019 Share Posted April 25, 2019 Again, thanks for the help, I know it will come in handy! Anthony Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steve29 Posted September 12, 2020 Share Posted September 12, 2020 Thank u so much 😍😁 nice job, I'm about to start building one like it and I don't want to make mistakes, I'm beginner in modeling Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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