Forum

Painting white metal

Good evening Can someone advise me on the correct method to paint white metal fittings, the fittings I have, had been painted several times,so I have scrapped the layers off down to bare metal,do I have to prime or can I brush paint straight on. Which is best or acrylic. Thanks Roger

5 years ago by Rogal118

Forum

Painting white metal

I found the over acrylic comment interesting I have never had a reaction between acrylic and paints. The only reaction I have seen ( to my chagrin) was cellulose over ( do not do it EVER) over cellulose is fine. Acrylic not using powerful solvents tends to be safe over anything and once "set" pretty resistant to the solvents in paint. However when it comes to a painting sequence I have actually used cellulose ( clear shrinking dope) followed by for base colour then acrylic for details.

5 years ago by Haverlock

Forum

Painting white metal

Hi Roger, Metal fittings of any kind and white metal figures can be painted with either Humbrol type paint () or Acrylic paint,both will need their own primer, but remember😱. you can paint over acrylic, but not the other way (acrylic over ). Most of the fittings I get in my Deans Marine warships are white metal and resin, I use Halfords plastic primer (grey or white) then use acrylic paint from various company's to finish off. Hope this is of some help to you.😊 cheers Peter👍

5 years ago by Rookysailor

Forum

Painting white metal

Hi Rogal, Whatever it is (wood, fibre glass, plastic, white or any other colour metal) PRIME IT! Primers are designed to give the top coat paints something to stick to. Otherwise they will scratch easily and flake off especially from smooth plastic or metallic surfaces etc. or acrylic? Your choice, just make sure both are the same basis otherwise you may get a nasty reaction when you apply the top coat😲 Acrylics are usually easier to use, don't pong, and the brushes can be cleaned in warm water😊 Happy painting, cheers, Doug 😎

5 years ago by RNinMunich

Blog

HMS BRAVE BORDERER

Back to the build. Next milestone, to complete the superstructure and engine covers. The superstructure is essentially a cowl that supports the open bridge and serves as the air intake for the gas turbines. The engine covers fit into the rear of it. The superstructure is full of curves and will be interesting to make. Still trying to save weight, decided to make it out of glassfibre. Rather than first make a plug then a female mould and finally the cowl, wanted to try the technique of making a plug out of styrene foam sheet, then covering it in a glass fibre matt. Once the glass fibre is set, the foam is dissolved out using a solvent and the cowl remains – inshallah! To ensure the foam did not react to the glass fibre resin, painted the finished cowl with paint before sticking the matt down. See pictures. What a mess! The resin had crept under the paint and into the foam dissolving it. When the resin dried the plug had shrunk slightly and had the surface finish of a quarry. First thought was to hurl it and start again, this time in wood. On second thoughts, wondered if the plug could still be used. Decided to build it up with wood filler and from it make a female mould, as originally intended. The cowl would then be made from the mould. Built the damaged plug up and sanded it smooth. As the plug would be covered in fibreglass, the surface finish was not critical. Brushed a coat of fibreglass on the plug and, after drying filled any defects with glaze putty and sanded smooth. Once the finish and dimensions were satisfactory, applied a thicker coat of glass fibre to the plug. This was again smoothed down, waxed with carnauba polish and then covered in mould release. From it the cowl was made. Picture shows plug, mould and cowl placed side by each. The cowl requires reinforcement; the fittings and various mountings then adding before installing. A trial installation showed that it fitted properly the deck and was accurate. A lesson for the next time is to make the plug and mould much deeper than the finished item. That will allow any rough edges, on either the mould or the component, to be trimmed off leaving a smooth fibreglass edge.

5 years ago by Rowen

Forum

Cleaning sails, toy yachts, etc....

Useful to know about Vanish. it certainly worked on my Star yacht sails. Fortunately the sails on the Ailsa yacht are lovely anyway, just some new rigging cord required. I would say the sails were the same as bed sheets. I used some white spirit to clean the deck on the Ailsa. Most of the dirt being handling muck. Then I waxed it with 3M wax...twice. it's wonderful stuff which I bought for our historic narrowboat's new paintwork. it was a wooden boat and when I replaced the cabins and had painted them with Tra-mar Coatings hand made paint, I waxed them with 3M's wax and they went another 3 winters before I sold the boat, with the rain still rolling off in beads. The Ailsa is now waiting for some spar varnish over the repair's creamish paint. I couldn't match it perfectly, but I didn't want to repaint the whole hull. All the repairs are under the waterline so it shouldn't show. The Star...I never heard of them using aluminium for masts. How would they have kept the rigging eyes in place? Martin

6 years ago by Westquay

Forum

Spray paints

If they are s like Plastikote used to be, yes, but as far as I know, Plastikote changed formulae to acrylic, which, if their brush pots were anything to go by are complete crap. I had one that reacted with itself! I complained bitterly to them and they sent me every pot of they had left in the office! Martin

6 years ago by Westquay

Directory

(Racing Boat) Kyosho Jetstream

I restored this from a basket case, luckily the decals were in the box and never used, I reckon its from the late 1980s quite a collectible boat nowadays, runs lovely, has The optional trim tabs which it needs. I painted it with paint then clear coat over the decals pretty model. (Motor: Os 10 with pullstart) (9/10)

6 years ago by Biscuit

Forum

Transfers

If you wish to draw and colour transfers it can be done this way. Place the paper shiny side down and draw your design on the paper side An other one or two pieces of paper beneath will determine how raised the lines will become on the transfer side. Paint in between the raised lines using them as a reservoir for the paint. or cellulose can be used. A drop of Castor oil stirred into the celly will keep it from cracking when dry. When all dry use as normal and seal when in place. Not a good artist? it's amazing what you can do with a pencil and ruler and coins.👍 👍

6 years ago by onetenor

Forum

Painting

I have a Huntsman 31 model I am refurbishing. The paint is peeling off from age, the muppet who painted it only applied one coat (Me), the Humbrol was probably too thick for the fine grain of the birch ply and spruce. I am planning to start with cellulose sanding sealer as it is nice and thin so should get a good key into the grain. So.. What paint should I use over the sealer? Some parts of the ply I want to look like teak deck planking so first I think I need a stain. Then line in the planks with fibre tip pen followed by what type of varnish? Some of the spruce needs to look like mahogany so do I stain it or use some sort of paint? Thanks Steve

6 years ago by steve-d

Forum

Painting

Ah! I thought Fairey might prove the exception to the planking rule. Well, it'll look nice, that's for sure. Paint. I always use and my local auto paint shop will make me 1/4 litre tins up, of HMG, which lasts a long time from a small spray gun. Failing that, Rustoleum do some lovely rattle cans in a range of colours that spray very well and are only just over a fiver a tin. One tin would do you if you're careful. I've just given my Darby One Design its second coat of blue after a rub down and I'm happy with that. Dries very quickly, but is a nice gloss. it is a bit thin, so be very careful how you spray. Better to do two coats than one thick one. But really, if you can get it, HMG is the best bar none. Worth hunting for. Paint, alas, just ain't cheap anymore. Would that we could get tins of Valspar or Japlac, eh? The proper original stuff. Plastikote was a good paint when it was an , now it's acrylic water based muck. No coverage and reacts with itself, let alone owt else. I would be inclined, btw, to do that curved deck in veneer, so all your mistakes will be made before it goes on the boat. in which case, once the planks are made and fit bang on, go up the edges with a black marker pen. it will look like caulking when all is done. Good luck, Martin

6 years ago by Westquay

Forum

Painting

Will post pics of the curved planking when I get in this evening but in the mean time any thoughts on the type of paint I should use on the hull? The subject boat is painted with international 'Toplac' but the smallest tin they do is 750ml (£22.95) so its not getting that. The model was painted with Humbrol but it peeled so perhaps to be avoided.

6 years ago by steve-d

Forum

Cleaning sails, toy yachts, etc....

Here's the yacht after the first coat of red and the keel sprayed with self etch primer ready for the green later, but it's raining, dammit! Martin

6 years ago by Westquay

Forum

Cleaning sails, toy yachts, etc....

My wee red boat after a rub down and a file/sand on the steel keel. This morning I painted the red with HMG and got the green mixed in the same make by my wonderful chap at Kett's Auto Paints. The mast came in two parts, so I did a slight scarf and glued it. When the joint is well set, I'll make a splint and set it in prior to a rub down and a good waxing. The steel (tinplate) parts came with the predictable rust, but with my selection of scrapers and chisels made of broken and worn Swiss files I was able to scrape most of it off back to reasonable shiny steel. The out of shapeness needed only a clout with a cold chisel type of bodywork tool in the right places to restore it to original shape. Loops were filed to lose most of their rust, but not replaced. They'll be Vaselined as a form of anti rust, waterproofing. I have some new 1.3mm cord coming from Caldercraft. I just hope I can remember how it was rigged. I ain't great with knots. The sails were absolutely filthy with some sort of oil based grime, but my dear bride sorted them out with Vanish and a good hand wash. Pics of those tomorrow. I love this stuff.! Martin

6 years ago by Westquay

Forum

Old outboard motor...

Hi Doug, I do have a Hobbyking CNC ally one and now have a brushless inrunner for it. I got it when they were very cheap a while back. Wouldn't pay what they now want for them and Graupner are always way overpriced. I could be tempted with 7 quid for a Hobbies one though, just to see how it goes together. The K&O are gorgeous but collector money and the Alterscale are dummies, albeit nice dummies and also bloody expensive. I sliced the little vintage jobby I bought down the joint line with a fine saw blade in the minidrill today and all is well. it just needs new wires and some grease when I can find some good styrene/nylon grease. The motor is a two magnet Kako, many examples of which I have in store. Even has a nice little built in switch. I reckon 3 volts is probably all the transmission can take. The gears are not, as I assumed bevels, but 2 spur gears! I now have to find a way of making the prop shaft stay on the motor shaft! I'm loving this restoration stuff. Painted the red on my Star yacht today with my best chisel headed sable and got a special 1/4 litre of the emerald green mixed in HMG (the very best there is). Tried to win a lovely Starlet off ebay, but some sod beat me to it last minute. I hope it leaks Martin

6 years ago by Westquay

Forum

Styrene Allergy?

Styrene fumes? You'll only get fumes if you heat it. My chum works a vac-former to make model car glazing and he thoroughly washes every sheet of PVC before forming it. Stops micro-bubbles forming. I use blue nitriles when epoxying. I always found latex melted on contact with most of the things I used, like paint, Marineflex, etc. Nitriles stay put. Martin

6 years ago by Westquay

Forum

Paints

Hmm! Let's 'Cut to the chase'! First; I've never been on a ship, naval or civil, and I've been on a few during my 30 odd year career designing COMMS systems for ships, mostly naval, that used gloss paints OR matt paints. Matt paint, whether for scale or full size, rapidly shows the wear marks where folks tread or grab or where we habitually grab it on models. This rapidly creates a shiny effect, like the seat of your favourite, most comfortable and ancient trousers (which the Missus probably wanted to throw out years ago but you are fighting a REARguard action) 😁 During WW2 the emphasis was on reducing the reflectivity of paints on warships. Gloss on a ship / boat MAY not look any different from satin or matt at a distance BUT; it will reflect sunlight and flash which attracts attention and betrays the presence of the vessel. Furthermore gloss shows the wear and tear marks much sooner than satin. Whether matt paints were available or not in those days I don't know, but even if they were I don't think they would have been used after the initial durability tests on board. Having seen the paint part numbers, all BS381C xxx, specified on the Thornycroft 'blueprints' that Martin sent me, I would say that the paint colours you need Morkullen are RN Light Weatherworks grey BS381C 676 = Colour Coats M01 RN Dark Admiralty grey BS381C 632 = Colour Coats M16 RN Light Admiralty grey BS381C 697= Colour Coats M23 See page 3 of the colour chart, see attached colour charts from Sovereign Hobbies for their Colour Coats paints, which have been derived from original Admiralty paint chips.. Colour Coats are . If you prefer acrylic try Life Colour set CS33 Royal Navy WW2 Set 1. See page 6 of attached Life Colour catalogue. Happy painting, don't forget to post pics / vids of the results👍 Cheers, Doug 😎 PS have a look at the recent HMS Campbeltown 1/96 thread for further detail of the recent discussion on WW2 RN paints. BTW; if I feel after painting that the finish is still too glossy I give it a blast of Lord Nelson satin, or in extreme cases, matt clear varnish. Otherwise I agree with Reilly's comments👍

6 years ago by RNinMunich

Forum

Paints

I use Satin s as they are more durable than Matt finishes, especially on the hulls, but still go over them with clear matt for realism. The 'scale' appearance is the consideration. From a distance a real boat even if finished with a gloss marine would not look glossy. A WW2 boat such as an MTB would definitely have a Matt finish, and always 2 coats. Working models get scuffed in use.

6 years ago by reilly4

Forum

Paints

I use s, always. They don't react with anything. Rustoleum do a range of colours in gloss and satin and are cheaper than any other rattle cans. I get mine from a branch of Boyes. The original was always a satin rather than a matt. Totally matt paint wasn't available then. Martin

6 years ago by Westquay

Forum

Where's our mate?...

Hi peter, 'Deck Blue' changed a few times over the years, there are lighter and darker shades depending on the theatre of operations and if detection from the air was paramount or not. Later in the war, when the axis air forces were largely destroyed and the allies had overwhelming air superiority the emphasis moved to the vertical surfaces to confuse subs and the few remaining surface ships the axis had. Then the emphasis switched back to the horizontal surfaces when the Kamikaze attacks developed. So probably the lighter Pacific variant is what you need for USS Kid at the end of the war. You are lucky that Kidd has been preserved as a museum ship in her 'end of war' state 👍 if you Google USS Kidd I'm sure you'll find the museum site with more colour pics. Also, the display on different web sites will depend on many variables, for instance:- How the sample was photographed; white balance, colour balance, lighting; intensity and type - Kelvin temperature etc. How the photos are digitally interpreted and integrated in the web site. The times of 'The camera never lies' are unfortunately long over! Added to that is how your PC or Dumbphone/tablet displays the web site, similar problems;- Type of display, colour / contrast / brilliance settings etc etc. Power saving settings can affect these! If I were you I would use the Measure 22 scheme as shown on the colour pic and described on the Wiki page. That's apparently what the USN went back to when the kamikaze attacks started. Your basic choice is = Colour Coats, or Acrylic = LifeColor 😉 Personally, I would go for the 1944 dazzle scheme cos it's more interesting and unusual, but then I'm just NUTS! 😁 Cheers, Doug 😎 PS Hofbrauhaus is for the tourists! I've been there maybe three times in 38 years? Once on my very first visit to Munich in 1980, then, after I started working here in 1985, only with customers who insisted on going there. Too loud and expensive, there are many better, less touristic, ones in Munich. Prost allseits! PPS haven't been to the Oktoberfest for years for similar reasons! 30 years ago it was still fun, but not now 🤔

6 years ago by RNinMunich

Forum

Where's our mate?...

Evenin' Peter, Thanks 😉 Not quite 100% yet but getting there. Fit enough to answer your question I think, mainly cos I just bought a bunch of RN and USN paints meself😁 First off, have a shufti at this link, it details all 'Measures' up to # 23 near the end of the Pacific war. There's also a colour pic of USS Kidd wearing Measure 22 which was used on Destroyer Escorts (DE) at the time. https://www.wikiwand.com/en/World_War_II_ship_camouflage_measures_of_the_United_States_Navy In 1944 it was replaced by a Dazzle pattern on the Fletchers, Measure 32, similar to RN Western Approaches pattern, until 1945 when they reverted to Measure 22 but with the revised Haze Gray. https://www.wikiwand.com/en/World_War_II_US_Navy_dazzle_camouflage_measures_31,_32_and_33:_destroyers I also attach attach a colour chart from Sovereign Hobbies who took over the White Ensign Colour Coats range of navy paints. Have a look at page 6. They are made by Snyder & Short from authentic Navy Paint Chips apparently. I just bought a bunch of them in RN colours for my 'Plastic Magic' conversions. Get 'em here- https://www.sovereignhobbies.co.uk/collections/colourcoats-sea/american If you prefer acrylic have a look at the LifeColor Sets # CS24 and CS25 'US Navy WWII'. Chart and catalogue attached. get here for instance- https://www.waylandgames.co.uk/lifecolor-paint-sets/43947-us-navy-wwii-set-1 Happy painting, cheers, Doug 😎

6 years ago by RNinMunich

Forum

St Canute Planking Help?

Doug, I don't decant my paint because you have to wait to de-gas it which I ain't got the patience to do. What made you think I did? I used the Rustoleum straight from the rattle can, but it's very thin and you have to watch its tendency to run. The rest is (HRG) bought from the auto paint suppliers and I mix that with a little white spirit and it takes maybe three hours to dry which is fine. Either airbrush (Paasche Model H) or a small spray gun called a spotting or dent gun. Little compressor for the Paasche Model H and bigger one for the spotting gun. Cheers, Martin

6 years ago by Westquay

Forum

HMS Campbeltown 1941, 1/96 scale

Hi Steve, I'll see what i can do. No promises as the range of Acrylics is somewhat more limited as far as Naval colours goes. One way out is to buy some Naval Paint Chips from Snyder & Short. http://www.shipcamouflage.com/royal_navy1.htm These are taken from the original chips of admiralty paints used to mix the Colour Coats colours. Enables mixing to suit from more basic 'standard' colours. Bit of 'mix it and see' involved. Testors acrylics may be a better bet. They do some Naval colours. Also recommended by the HMS Hood Association. For instance; this would be good for hull and upperworks https://www.hobbylinc.com/testors-model-master-507-c-light-gray-r-n-1:2-oz-hobby-and-model-acrylic-paint-4870 This for the decks? https://www.hobbylinc.com/testors-model-master-light-sea-gray-fs36307-1:2-oz-hobby-and-model-acrylic-paint-4759 There are also some excellent tips on painting scale warships here😉 http://www.hmshood.com/hoodtoday/models/tips/hoodpaint.htm I've just been studying this for my 1/350 Hood, and just ordered a batch of suitable Colour Coats to paint her 'As Sunk' 😭 Cheers, Doug 😎

6 years ago by RNinMunich

Forum

HMS Campbeltown 1941, 1/96 scale

Hey! That's a neat trick, having the 'smokers' down below who can then give you the cigar tubes for the funnels 😁😁 Seriously though folks, nice going so far Steve👍 A while ago I bought some 3D 4.7" guns for my H class destroyer, and was very disappointed to discover that nothing could be moved and the gun shield was virtually filled solid🤔 So back to the brass snipping and bashing. I like the LifeColour as well, colours seem pretty accurate to me and easy to use than . Be a while 'til I start my mini version, no bench space at the moment. Cheers, Doug 😎 BTW: About time you started a Build Blog ain it??

6 years ago by RNinMunich

Forum

Brass bashin' Chris Craft deck fittings...

Just got white metal castings back of the Chris Craft fittings and very nice they are too. They have started to burnish up a treat and will polish well as Paul uses a good quality metal. Nice and hard. Now I have to make the light lenses. Also put the blue bottom on her at the weekend using my one and only pot of Plastikote paint, not the acrylic muck they've turned over to and it went on through my spray gun as smooth as could be. Even my masking worked. Just waiting for a gold pin stripe tape for the boot topping now. The final bit will be masking the deck to paint the covering boards and king plank with the same blue. For those not lucky enough to have a wee pot of proper Plastikote in the paint cupboard, I also got a couple of tins of Rustoleum spray, only 5-25 a pot, (of course) in a nice French blue and a rich cream. These colours will look good on my Darby One Design single stepper "WHO'S DARBY?". Very post War. I think the Oulton Broad One Design single stepper will be Burgundy and the Whippet One Design will be varnished mahogany. I know of no other classes of British stepped hydroplanes. These will all be 1/6th scale as they're all around 12-13 ft. long. I'll probably put the same motors in them eventually. The Darby is well advanced and has a Speed 400, but I may go brushless. Any suggestions for a cheap Brushless/ESC combo will be welcome for, say, 3S Li-Pos. it would be good to see these period boats all racing together. I also plan to make reverse clinker Singer cadet and a Percy See Bugatti engined boat for which I have plans. I'm hoping to get a response from the current keepers of Berylla II about measuring that, too, since it also uses a Lea Francis engine, like the Whippet.

6 years ago by Westquay

Forum

Leaking Boat!

NPJ, Dust isn't a problem until you come to refinishing. Do it all outside. I always spray outside and still do it up wind. Sprayed cellulose grey primer on my Crash Tender on Saturday and primer and off white on my Chris Craft yesterday in a breeze, so stood upwind of it and all was well. Also rubbed down cellulose sanding sealer, dry. Dust just blew away. There's always a way round stuff. Cheers, Martin

6 years ago by Westquay

Response

Chris-Craft Special Runabout

The first brushed coat of primer, rubbed down and another coat sprayed, so I'm not wasting time rubbing down brush strokes. A little filling with one shot putty and a final fine paper rub down and we'll be on with the red for the bottom colour. Martin

6 years ago by Westquay

Blog

Chris-Craft Special Runabout

OK, you know and I know that this is an Aerokits Sea Hornet, BUT, with a little reworking, it becomes a very passable Chris Craft Special (sometimes Custom) Runabout. One cockpit, long engine deck. I think it suits the Sea Hornet shape and proportions very well. Generally, I think too much is expected to be going on with a basic Hornet and the deck furniture is too simplistic. Also, don't be tempted to call this one a barrel back They had one continuous curve right over the transom from chine to chine, whereas this hull and the Special Runabout had a break, albeit a small one at the deck level. Anyway, I redecked the Hornet with 1/16th" ply, leaving the engine hatch long. I also had to make a small hatch at the stern to service the tiller and its connection. Then I realised I would never be able to get to the two starboard screws that hold the steering servo in, so a wee hatch went in over them too. That will be held in with a small magnet and just popped up from inside the engine 'ole hatch. Because the hull needed filling and various repairs, I decided to paint it, but veneer plank the deck. many Chris-Crafts were painted and I think this one in a nice off-white with a varnished Mahogany and pear deck will look just the job with nickel plated deck furniture, made in brass and nickel silver and plated in nickel to look like chrome in scale. Chrome is a) difficult to get these days and b) too bright and garish on a model. The hull has been epoxied and rubbed down then brush panted heavily with cellulose primer surfacer. This rubs down a treat ready for a sprayed top coat or three. Cheers, Martin

6 years ago by Westquay

Forum

46Firefloat Mk2 paint

Unless described as flat, paint was more often a brighter satin than matt and rarely actual gloss. White will always have been an off white as the components of paints were such that it was not possible to get a really bright white. I know that for a fact as my grandad always made his own and until PEP in the mid 60s (Plastic Emulsion Paint) there was no such thing as brilliant or appliance white. Unfortunately getting an decent off white is not easy these days since Plastikote went acrylic and their previously excellent paints started eating themselves on recoating. I now use s exclusively. They are densely pigmented, flexible and modern s dry pretty quickly. I am using a black primer on my Crash Tender, which I will then spray with black "gloss" from the same range, which, once thinned with white spirit, will dry a little less than glossy. I still don't have a matt brick red for the undersides, but it can be made matt-ish with a careful rub down with 1000 grit wet and dry used wet and soapy, but be careful not to sand through, so very lightly does it, even 1000 grit can cut well when new. Decks were said to be Cerrux Light Deck Grey, anti-slip, which means a textured surface. That would be darker looking due to the surface texture's way with the light. The cabin sides were described as "smooth", i.e. same as the decks but not anti-slip. The roofs? Well, on Vosper's drawing "white" is crossed through and "Grey" written in. But, some pics do look white, the best pics look darker by a whisker than the sides and the roofs are clearly textured as they show evidence, as do the decks, of filth which will sit in the texture. You choose. NOBODY has yet given us chapter and verse. The fact is, an already very handsome boat looks so very pretty with white roofs. But they too should be off white if you can get it! Good luck. Fittings, btw can be had from SLEC in Watton in white metal. Basically the old Yeoman fittings, masters now owned by IP Engineering who bought them to cast when they owned Vintage Model Boat Company. Now they've sold that to SLEC, but I don't think SLEC have white metal casting facilities, so probably cast by Ivor still. I have just had a set for my birthday and they're excellent. They do need careful cleaning up as in mould lines need to be filed/scraped/sanded to a decent finish and then given good primered surface. No hook though, but it does include nav and riding lights. This site also has masts for sale in plastic, but I made my own in brass as I will the hook and davit. I have also just had a set of crew figures cast from my patterns and they will be available soon...a driver(Helm), a boss with binoculars and a lazy slob laying around in the after cockpit. Needs a roll-up to finish his look. No idea of price yet as don't know how much rubber to mould or resin to cast for a set. Yes, 1/16th scale. All this to finish a model I had 55 years ago! But I reckon it deserves it. Martin

6 years ago by Westquay

Response

Window Painting!

So you'll be finished on the 29th ?? 😲 Just like Newport News - time and cost overruns 😁 3 coats sounds extravagant to me Ed. Humbrol is pretty thick stuff. Matt covers better than gloss as well, 2 should be enough I think. Cheers, Doug 😎

6 years ago by RNinMunich

Response

54 year old Crash Tender

Here's last night's first spray primer. I like this grey and will use it as the matt finish. Maybe then mask up and use the Baufix Grey for the cabin sides, with, OK, the Baufix white for the tops. I have black primer for the hull and black gloss. When you rub it down it's like soot! Martin

6 years ago by Westquay

Forum

Crash Tender davit info...

mturpin, if you would like to try contacting those organisations/people it would be wonderful. I would do it, but I'm in and out a lot lately and can't seem to settle to anything more than half an hour. So if you would take on that task there would be a lot of grateful people. I've even read recently that one such person claims the decks were bare and the cabin sides were a bluish shade! I painted my removable roofs today and I can see why people choose white! it would look a bit too grey, but that's going to be a purely aesthetic consideration. I have found a method of producing non-slip, using Chines five spice powder! Hate the stuff, but it goes onto some Lidl's coloured lacquer, available for 2 cans for a fiver(!!!) which is proving to be lovely resin rich paint. I'm off back tommorrow to get some white, just in case. I have white cellulose, but can't use that over the . The Baufix paint dries very quickly for an with a lovely finish. I have some excellent matt varnish if needed. Please let us know how your enquiries go. Cheers, Martin

6 years ago by Westquay

Response

54 year old Crash Tender

Boaty, it's amazing how many people HAD Taycol motors, but don't anymore, apart from our chum Doug in Munich. And I'll pick his brains later maybe for info on controlling the Taycol Supermarine in the Crash Tender. Then again, I might just set it off on one pack for slowish and switch in another for faster. I ain't into reverse. Boats don't go backuds. I've had enough real ones to know that! Two of those didn't have any gears. One had a clutch and the other didn't even have that. it starts, it goes, quickish! Always had a paddle handy in the Albatross! I'm not really into the boat club festivals of steering round stuff or backing into docks, so why trouble myself with ESCs which seem to fail often still and weren't around when I had the boat originally. I have gel cells, but the damned things have all gone dead on me, so I might see about Nimh packs when the time comes. I went to get some one shot cellulose putty to fill the cracks and grain bits and the old nail head dips. But my favourite auto paint shop said they hadn't sold it in ages and offered me some acrylic crap in a tube. Not a bloody chance!!! "Gimme the thickest brushing primer you got and it better be cellulose". Yeah, got that, he said. "So why ain't you got stopper?" No answer. Anyway I get this stuff home and it's thick, cellulose (skin forming after 3 minutes) and bang on the right shade of light grey for a Crash Tender. I shall experiment with my Chinchila dust next for the non-slip areas and mix a pot of the primer with a bit of white to do the cabin sides, when I finish spray. For the moment, I very quickly slapped it on with a brush and will leave it for today to harden then start a very big, dusty, rub down session tomorrow. OK a litre of primer ain't cheap, but it's cheaper from a car paint suppliers and it's bang on colour. it'll also do a LOT of boats! I have a black primer in for Vanity, which will also go on the sides of the Crash tender, followed by black gloss , but's a way down the road yet. Talking of old stuff boaty, the white my dad insisted on painting the boat back in the early 60s is hard as rock! He used to get it by the 20 gallon can from a "mate on the docks". We had docks in those days. Dad called it ship . We all knew what he meant. Our entire house was shades of pastel tinted ship ! Tints courtesy of another mate on the docks. He had a lot of mates on the docks. it was difficult to be a Cockney family and not have mates on the docks! Pics later of the slapped on grey primer, which, I should say, argued a bit with the sanding sealer. Nuffin' a good rub down won't sort out. Martin

6 years ago by Westquay

Response

Seaplane Tender 360

Hi Bryan, If you want to do the SOE version she was most likely painted all matt black! The colour of skulduggery 😉 What ever you do, despite your good intentions to retain the 'old patina', judging by the photos you are in for a complete strip back and redo. Just as I have discovered with the PTB I bought. Thought it would just be a 'cosmetic job', flatten back and respray with Pacific green camouflage. Ho ho ho! Pics show what she currently looks like after cleaning off layers of , and discovering that the prop shafts and rudders were misaligned and the chine strakes glued to the paint. 😡 Never mind an engine room fire when I tried to test the 'as bought' motor installation. 😭 Since those photos I have fitted new a new chine strake and started reinforcing the thin hull with glass fibre tissue. Next issue; set prop tubes properly and make an alu bracket to mount both the motors. Then set the rudder stocks correctly. Last thing I want is to dampen your enthusiasm, but that hull looks like it needs oodles of TLC. 🤔 Be aware of what's ahead of you and plan accordingly👍 Deck looks pretty neat, if unusual for a WW2 in service boat! As far as I can tell from the photos it's not just the cabin roof which is warped 😲 cabin and window frames will also need some attention by the looks of it. Before you run that motor I would strip it, clean all parts and check brushes and commutator for wear. See my Sea Scout blog 'Taycol Target motor' for a 'How to'. Should run well with a 3S LiPo, 11.1V. These boats weren't the fastest, 28 - 30 knots I believe. Which is why ST360 was reduced to more mundane duties after try outs by SOE. Don't forget some spark suppression!! Good luck, whatever you decide to do have fun doing it, Cheers Doug 😎

6 years ago by RNinMunich

Forum

Crash Tender davit info...

Spray textured paint? I've seen it all now, but actually I recall seeing something along those lines in the newly opened Wicks in our nearest town, so I might return to have a butchers at their range. Failing that it'll be chinchilla dust sprinkled into grey (slower drying) paint. And I think I might try the all grey, but different shades, just to be doggedly different. Cheers, Martin

6 years ago by Westquay

Forum

Warped wood

OK, Doug, you just sold me on Lord Nelson spray varnish! is it ? Obviously it's external capable, but I never heard of it. it would seem to have done your mahogany a treat! I have brush painted and rubbed down cellulose sanding sealer on all the woodwork on Vanity, but will need to varnish it all eventually and whilst I find brushing varnish with a fine sable an almost therapeutic activity, there's always the risk of it building up in internal corners which is almost impossible to shift. Cheers, Martin

6 years ago by Westquay

Forum

Painting

I have always used rattle cans from Halfords and or The Range. Beware of mixing different types of paints i.e. cellulose, acrylic and . I have had a disaster with mixing paints that took weeks to strip the hull back to sort out.

6 years ago by Flack

Forum

Painting

Most model boat hulls are way too big for an airbrush and in fact, even a spotting gun on a decent compressor can take a while with it's small spray pattern, but a rattler can ain't gonna last long on say a 30" hull. I'd say brush paint with a decent , like HMG. Martin

6 years ago by Westquay

Forum

Sails for Vanity

Hi all, come summer, come the boats. Winter is for slot cars. I have been filling and sanding my Vanity model. Today it got its first coat of black primer and apart from a few tiny blemishes will be fine, so I started thinking about sails. My wife can't get her machine to behave itself, so, bless her, said to buy a suit, but I can't find any guide to prices except a brief mention on Nylet's site about a medium Gaff set and that is 195 quid, which is not possible. So, where do folks go for affordable sails for gaffers and other unconventional non "class" yachts, like Vanity? It's a big old rig. Cheers, Martin

6 years ago by Westquay

Blog

Vanity, Victorian Cutter

Hi all, a 1/16th scale model of the boat I used to live on at Burnham-on-Crouch. 1/8th" Cuban (yes really!) mahogany from 1920s chairs made by my cabinet maker Grandfather. Covered in J cloth and epoxy. J-cloth is very compliant, but yet very strong when soaked in epoxy (WEST System). Lightweight fillered for the bits where the saw wasn't as accurate ripping the strips as it might have been. Black primer.

6 years ago by Westquay

Forum

Spray painting hulls.

Ah, cellulose, of blessed memory. I still have some, come to think of it, but forgetfully, I bought black gloss for Vanity and some primer for it also in black First coat on today. But I will definitely experiment with spraying the final coats. I sprayed an old pre-War Marblehead with and it went on well. You can still get cellulose if you can convince the dealer it's for your classic car. My son has a 1951 Renown so I could always quote all IT'S details to get it, but I don't think they'll post it and I'm nowhere near any suppliers geographically. I couldn't see the point in paying for epoxy tissue so I bought a huge bag of J cloths from Poundland and used that with epoxy. Slarred the epoxy on the mahogany hull (made from old chair legs my Grandad had made a dining suite with) and then laid the J-cloth on the tacky epoxy and slarred more on with an old credit card. All my credit cards are old now and a damned site more useful as epoxy squeegees than they ever were before. Got a few ridges where they overlapped, but filler sorted that out. The hull is still very light, so will need all the large lead weights on the end of a long fin keel (removable) as it carries a big rig, (see avatar). Good luck, Martin

6 years ago by Westquay

Forum

Spray painting hulls.

A synthetic Lawyer, Colin. Ain't they all, mate, ain't they all? I always use as I hate anything water based except my tea. I have a middling sized compressor and tank and use a spotting gun. I could use a bigger spray gun, but I'm too tight with paint wastage. it's silly expensive stuff. Having said all that i just primed my sailing model of Vanity with a brush. Went on a treat, but the final gloss coat of good old British yacht Black will be sprayed. Martin

6 years ago by Westquay

Forum

HMS HOOD by Trumpeter

Hi Peter, The Bissy was only in the Baltic for running up and training. in Unternehmung Rheinübung, foray into the Atlantic and the Battle in the Iceland Straight (sorry Denmark Straight), she would have had the normal light grey plus possibly camo colours, here, yer pays yer money and ya takes yer choice! 'As built' she would have been all DKM Hellgrau / Silbergrau (Light / Silver grey) #50 (that's the Lifecolor #UA 601) on the slipway. All the docus, vids and photos I have found don't seem to show any significant camo paint!? Only pic I ever found of Bizzy in camouflage paint is of the Graupner Premium model. Can't find any official record of it. There is some evidence of cammo paint on her sister ship Tirpitz, but it didn't help her, she spent most of her life bottled up in a Norwegian Fjord where she got flattened by Lancs! Cheers Doug 😎 Re : Maybe attached charts will help you find an acrylic equivalent😉 I will use the Lifecolor 601for mine. PS Bismarck had No later life!! One operation, one ship sunk (Hood 😭😭) and that was that! Can heartily recommend the old 1960 Kenneth More film 'Sink The Bismarck' 👍 Stirring stuff Old Chap, stiff upper lip stuff from the days when we still had a real Navy and hadn't swapped our overseas bases for 50 ancient rust bucket WWI destroyers🤔 By the by: during my 32 years working here (in Naval COMMS systems) I was frequently in the Blohm & Voss HQ in Hamburg, saw several superb yard models of their ships including Bismarck, and many photos, but never a one with camouflage. PPS: as far as i can establish the 'Baltic light grey' was only used on the top sides of smaller U-Boats operating in the relatively shallow Baltic waters. Maybe also a few small combatants such as Schnellboote, Minenjäger etc.

6 years ago by RNinMunich

Forum

HMS HOOD by Trumpeter

Many thanks Doug for the paint info, I notice there are 2 hellgrau on their lists, one light grey and one Baltic light grey, would that be the colour in later life of the ship? it's a pity that they are paints, where lifecolour are acrylic, could you suggest the colours for my Bismarck. many thanks again, Peter👍

6 years ago by Rookysailor

Forum

Adhesive

Yep I've used it to fix water pick ups and outlets also rudder tubes and not had any problems with it sealing brass to wood and plastic to wood. Seems to take modeling paint okay as well once fully cured. But my personal favourite glue is epoxy from pound land, you get a clamp and spatula free with it as well. Happy sticking Colin.

7 years ago by Colin H

Directory

(Naval Ship) hanley

scratch built stand off model of uss handley i believe cant find the plans i used to confirm the correct name, the hull is 3mm balsa for the sides covered with 1mm white card, the bottom is 5 mm balsa. scratch built propeller 3mm shaft and tube to match , scratch built propeller and rudder and fittings, the boat was painted with 4coats of spray primer and 4 coats of light grey with a black bottom. (Motor: tape drive) (8/10)

7 years ago by basilsdad

Forum

Painting Wood and styrene

I use basic for plastics, fiberglass, metal, and wood. Typically Rustoleum, or a store brand like Ace Hardware, etc. If you're gonna clear-coat, check it on a test piece first. Rusoleum changed something a while back and their clear coat sometimes reacts with even their own paints.

7 years ago by Jerry Todd

Directory

(Pleasure Craft) Tarpon

Tarpon, Built from Model Boat Plans, Plywood Keel with Obechie planks 6 x 3 mm, upperworks/cabin balsa frame and .8mm plywood sides. All decks are planked, approx 6mm x 3mm a white wood, with .5mm Mahogony "Cauking".. Open planks and wood were varnished , paint is Wilko spray Gloss with spray undercoat. Happy sailing. Muddy.... (Motor: 777) (ESC: Electronize) (8/10)

7 years ago by muddy

Forum

How do I resolve my varnish problem?

@ Vic, hi if the wood starts to swell it was too wet and the water soaked in 🤔 I use a flat dense sponge damped only, wiped against the grain. But in John's case this now seems to be academic. Looks like he's heading towards paint! (Back to the acrylic/ discussion ?? 😲) @ John; whatever,I hope it is still 'fun' to do and you don't despair and jack it in. Cheers 😎

7 years ago by RNinMunich

Response

muddy 6 Upperworks

Hello, Thank you, BUt the camera lies..! I did think i had cracked it last year, by masking up the the varnished parts after a long drying time, and then continue with the painting..A month or so later, when all was done, i tried to remove the masking tape/newspaper, but found the tape had stuck hard and was a dickens of a job to clean off, it also left residue of glue on the varnish so looked pretty terrible. Talcum powder did work, sprinkling it on the offending residue and rolling it along the deck, but not 100%.. As a footnote, i used Wilko spray on this one's hull with undercoat/primer, all spray cans.. Cheaper than Halfords.. But Halfords were doing 4 spray cans for the price of 3.. The cabin was hand painted with Humbrol .. Muddy

7 years ago by muddy