Using Mr. Surfacer to create plate seam effect

[chuck]

I am trying to use Mr. Surfacer No. 1000 to create the effect of alternating bands of raised and recessed plating. I emptied almost an entire can of Mr. Surfacer on the 1/350 hull, about 50% of which were masked. I have 3 questions:

1. Despite the quantity of the stuff used, the layer of the stuff actually deposited on the model is still very thin, somewhat thinner than I would like for noticeable overlapping plating effect, and too thin to mask some of the fairly minor blemishes and tool marks I left on the hull. I guess the can is mostly solvent, and there really isn't much pigment to leave once the solvent evaporates. For the future is there some other durable and hard wearing paint that is more substantial and can be used to create a more pronounced overlapping plate effect using less paint?

2. When I peel the tape from the masked area, it left an disconcerting raised edge around the painted area. Experiments using exacto knife shows that approach easily scraps off the main coat in addition to the raised edge, and in any case that approach can't be used on inside curves near the ship's stern. It there some other easy way to remove raised paint seam around the masked area?

3. Also, does anyone know if Tamiya spray lacquer will damage Mr. Surfacer?

BTW, sprayed on Mr. Surfacer has a tendency to avoid very narrow seams on the surface. For example I drilled out a 1mm porthole in the wrong place. To fix the mistake I plugged the hole with a short length of styrene rod of almost exactly the correct diameter. I then used sand paper and exacto to make sure the plug is almost perfectly flush with the surface. Yet when I sprayed Mr. over the hole, the paint showed a marked tendency to avoid the seam between the styrene plus and the plastic hull around it, thus emphasizing the presence of the plug. I suppose this tendency is good for the purpose of preserving surface detail through the paint, but bad if you want to use the paint to cover up seams.

[Peter O]

1. I would try a flat Krylon spray. They make paints that are safe for plastic, or you can use their lacquer on a resin model. You may need to do multiple layers of Krylon. Try it on a scrap model or plastic first, to get the effect you want.

3. Tamiya spray laquer is compatible with Mr Surfacer, and won't harm it.

Sorry, I can't help with the others.

Peter

[Devin]

I just did this effect on a 1/96th scale ironclad hull. Very subtle. I got the raised edges along the tape lines but was able to knock them back with sand paper. I had to go with 4 coats of Mr. Surfacer to get the plating effect. It's too subtle in 1/96th scale for my liking, but it should be perfect for something like a DE or CV in 1/350th scale.

[MartinJQuinn]

Keith Bender does this effect on his models. He's recommended using Dupli-Color sandable primer, which is an auto body primer. Be warned, stuff smells really, really bad...

[beezus]

I've tried the same method with Mr Surfacer. Coats are a bit too thin and it tends to migrate away from the seam.I guess the surface tension is too high. Two things you might try: In an auto supply store look for a product made by VHT,it's called Prime Coat Sandable Primer /Filler. It's in a rattle can. I've used the light gray. Mask with tape and then spray. Let dry,etc. Respray until it levels out with the masking tape. Remove tape. Sand.
I'm also using red bondo to create plating. I'm working on an icebreaker in 1/350 so I need the plates to be abit more pronounced than what you would typically see on a ship. Same method though. Mask above and below,apply,let dry,sand.
Needless to say-try both methods out on scrap before proceeding.
Hope this helps.

[Gerarddm]

It may be too subtle, but try spraying in the direction from the tape to the hull, rather than the reverse. That way you'll get the tiniest bit of "shade" along the tape edge, which helps reduce the paint buildup there. If you spray from the direction of the hull into the tape, the paint will back up at the seam line.