1/200 Scale Group Build from 2015-17

[BB62vet]

Steinerman wrote:

Hey Guys, Have any of you ever tried Frog Tape to mask off your hulls? I've got a couple rolls of the stuff that would be better than me spending more $$$$

NO! - Never heard of it. I'll be using either Tamiya or the blue tape (3M?).

[robertmelvin]

While I prefer Tamiya tape, as most of us seem to do, I have used Frog tape and have a roll on my hobby bench. The only thing I would say is that you need to be very careful to burnish down your edges to prevent paint from leaking under the edge. Other than that it does a very acceptable job and is a good bit cheaper than Tamiya tape. Hope this helps.

Bob

[Channell]

Hey Guys, Have any of you ever tried Frog Tape to mask off your hulls? I've got a couple rolls of the stuff that would be better than me spending more $$$$

I've used "delicate surfaces" masking tape from the big box home store but I've also been burned before by using cheap masking tape that has left sticky residue on my models and/or allowed paint to creep underneath.

Do yourself a favor and get Tamiya tape... yea it's expensive but there's a reason we all use it. Going cheapo with tools/supplies on a very expensive top-of-the-line kit is like putting low octane gas in your high-performance auto... you will suffer for it.

[steinerman]

Hi Jason,

First off, Frog tape is anything but cheap! If you do any painting around the house, it's the best there is for masking. But, I do agree with you. Compared to what I've got invested so far, a roll of tape is peanuts. I'll go with what I should use.

Now, I've been studying your build thread and in it you mentioned that you made your hull cross section templates 95% of the 1:200 scale. Why did you go 95%? Why not the full size (1:200) scale?

[Fliger747]

To answer his question... probably, he planked over the frames. Actually better to make the frame templates 1:200 then remove the plank thickness before cutting out. Where this makes some difference is in thin sections such as skegs.

Cheers: Tom

[Channell]

That's right, I made it smaller because I nailed narrow wood planks over my cross-sections like the wooden lathe of a plaster wall and then covered it all with auto body putty. I had to leave some room for the thickness of the planks/putty so the whole mess would blend seamlessly into the uncut edges of the kit hull in the end.

[Fliger747]

Plugging away on the micro surgery that is the Pontos 20 mm Orlikon. Have 20 of the 30 little buggers done. Keep finding new "stuff" to add, for instance a coaming hatch between turrets one and two I had somehow overlooked.

T

[tegunn]

Plugging away on the micro surgery that is the Pontos 20 mm Orlikon. Have 20 of the 30 little buggers done. Keep finding new "stuff" to add, for instance a coaming hatch between turrets one and two I had somehow overlooked.

T

Don't forget the rivets attaching the gunshield...

[steinerman]

I know these models are big scale, but even with 1:200, there are some really tiny parts in these kits. I don't know how you can even attempt them without a strong light and a magnifier. One can only stand in awe of the modelers who put so much detail into their 1:350 scale models.

[Fliger747]

I recommend a magnifier hood. If now you can see that well closeup, at the end you will not.

T

[BB62vet]

Ditto what Tom said - get an Optivisor or go blind

[steinerman]

Good morning Folks,

It seems like I'm always coming here asking a question or needing advice. Sorry about that, but I have another one:

Somewhere in this site, I'm not sure where, I read that a poster mentioned a CO2 bottle for an air supply. I'm assuming that this isn't your little can of air that lasts for 10 minutes, right? I'm trying to figure out what to do for an air supply for my air brush. I have a big air compressor but it's not portable - and DEFINITELY not suitable for indoor use other than the garage. Plus, it drives the dogs bonkers every time it starts up. This is what I used to paint my Scarab. I set up a spray booth out in the garage. And I didn't use an air brush. I have an automotive touch-up gun that I used for that boat, but it's not suitable for small, very fine work.

The problem here is that I don't want to have to go out in the garage every time I want to spray something on this model. What I'm thinking of doing is buying one of these 5 gallon portable air tanks, filling it to about 80-100 lbs with the air compressor, and using it (with a reducer and filter of course) as an air supply for my air brush. It'd be a lot cheaper than buying a small compressor.

Do you think this is a viable alternative? Would it last longer than 10 minutes before I had to go fill it up again?

Thanks

(By the way - in case you're interested, it's 55 degrees outside right now (10:15 AM) here in Grand Rapids. Fall is definitely coming!!!)

[Fliger747]

Get one of those 5 gallon or larger portable tanks and charge it from the compressor. You will need a good quality pressure regulator. No need for CO2.

[tegunn]

Steinerman, try Harbor Freight. We have them here in Texas, and they have stuff online as well. They sell an affordable compressor, with moisture seperator..check them out

http://www.harborfreight.com/15-HP-58-P ... 69434.html

and you get a pretty decent airbrush with it..
Randy

[Fliger747]

As the airbrush uses pretty low air pressure, you can fill the 5 gal tank from your compressor up to say 120 PSI and it will go for some time. Has the advantages of being quite portable, inexpensive and probably available at your local auto parts joint. You do need to rig up some fittings to fill and adapt the airbrush hose and pressure regulator, but chump change pieces from Home Despot or wherever. Also gives me freedom to not have to airbrush near where the compressor is or have hoses all over everywhere.

Have all but two of the Pontos 20 mm done. Due to a miscount on my part I needed 32 instead of 30, and have all the parts I need but the bases, which I can adapt from some kit parts or turn on the lathe.

Need to make two more roller chocks and two open chocks. Time consuming little buggers, but is that part of the point of the hobby?

Cheers: T

[Fliger747]

The miscount was worse than I thought on the 20 mm, turns out to be 34 instead of 30. What I did was forget there are 4 at the base of the stack on the 01 level, I only counted all the ones on the main deck plan.

Fortuitously the plastic Trumpy 20 mm have a base sufficiently similar in size to be used in place of the brass ones, so just finishing the last two.

[BB62vet]

Tom,

Your ALASKA is really shaping up nicely!! The PE parts certainly add that next dimension in detail. Relly impressive!

Hank

[Fliger747]

Till the Alaska book shows up, coming to a slowdown of adding stuff, though there are enough Navsource etc photos to add some details such as the spare barrel tubes. Procrastinating on reshaping the stack top contours. Don't think it will be too bad.

[steinerman]

Doggone Tom, that looks nice! Beautiful work!!!!!

[Fliger747]

Thanks gentlemen, so much help from various places on this site and from it's members for encouragement and assistance. Best bunch around!