My very first build; Fisher Porsche 908 and I'm sorry...

[aurfalien]

First, I'd like to apologize in advance to any one who may find offense with what I did to Paul's beautiful kit. I took way too many liberties and in short, bit off more then I could chew being my first build ever.

Boy did I learn a lot, felt and still feels like a crash course. All in all I'm happy with having both learnt alot and built this with my own hands.

Many thanks to just about every one here as I've found inspiration and gold nuggets in your posts.

I spent 3/4 of the time stripping, dissasembling and painting about 1/2 a dozen times. Had many melt downs and tragedies but I finally managed to get this far. I'm putting the model down for a bit and moving on as I'm burned out on it.

Things that stand out most in no particular order are;

1) Primer is very critical to an order of magnitude as it dictates how the paint will lay down, flow and look.
* I used cheap primer with disastrous results.

2) Be patient and let the paint fully cure.
* I smeared/pulled paint off before it fully dried.

3) Test fit everything and I mean everything before applying glue/paint.
* Speaks for itself.

4) NEW, don't mess with non hobby clear gloss coat unless its been used here with success.

Its funny, these things have been discussed ad nosium but I still repeated the mistakes. A poor student of history indeed.

Critisims and comments are very welcome.

PS: UPDATE, I was going to apply decals today and read where I should spray a clear gloss. I tested the Americana Gloss Acrylic on some spare plastic and it looked great. However it orange peeled and started to remove paint from the body when I used it on there. It had a very poor reaction on lacquer based paints

So I'm stripping via Simple Green and having to start over

And it took me a while to get the paint looking like it was. Next time I'll use hobby based stuff like Mr Hobby Clear Gloss. Man I'm sooo upset!!!

Edited May 25, 2015 by aurfalien

[Ace-Garageguy]

Honestly, it looks good for a first-ever build. Really. It also seems like you have a good attitude about your shortcomings, and rather than saying good-enough or getting discouraged and giving up, you're going to correct what you don't like. Good man. You have learned some invaluable lessons by doing that no amount of reading-about-it will drive home.

Since this is your first effort, and you're happy to go back into it to correct your mistakes, you'll be building first-rate models in time. Nice work.

[aurfalien]

Thank you very much. Coming from you that's HUGE as your builds are amazing.

Am I fine stripping the paint off resin with Simple Green?

is there something more suitable?

Man I'm soooo sad!

Edited May 25, 2015 by aurfalien

[afx]

Not bad for a first effort. May I ask why you chose an expensive resin kit for your first build? That's like learning to drive in race car.

I always recommend mastering basic construction before taking on more advanced techniques. You will use basic skills in every build. If you don't get the basics right nothing you add after that will cover up the shortcomings.

Edited May 25, 2015 by afx

[philo426]

I like the paint.It has an aged Navajo white look that really fits a vintage racer.

[aurfalien]

Well, I know its been said to start on a cheap basic kit but I would only put the time and effort needed into something I love. And I love the Porsche 908.

I also love the 1/24 904 which I have but the 908 was calling me.

Plus I wanted to build an engine for it so I kit bashed from a Heller 907/8. I thought the fuel lines/thin fishing wire direct to the fuel trumpets was a bitchin detail!

This hobby of ours requires heart and dedication to look proper.

But you are right, resin is not for the faint of heart.

But you know, this is how I've always operated with just about everything.

I like the paint.It has an aged Navajo white look that really fits a vintage racer.

Thanks dude, its being striped now, tragic! I'm about crying!

Its Tamiya Racing White.

[philo426]

Be cool!I have a felling this one will turn out to be a head turner!

[cobraman]

I think it looks pretty darn good !

[philo426]

Indeed!

[aurfalien]

Very very nice of you all and thank you very much!

I'm afraid to use anything else to strip it other then Simple Green, I only wished it would hurry up.

I was going to do a much simpler kit for my next one. But me being me, I've decided to see if I can kit bash a Fujimi Ferrari 512S chassis with a VMC/Volkl Ferrari 612P body!

Yes you heard it here first . I was talking to some guy about his slot kits on eBay who seemed very knowledge-able and he mentioned this would work.

So we shall see.

While I'm waiting on those kits to arrive and for my 908 to strip, I've a Fuji Chaparral 2D de-tree'd and washed so I can do a dry run on assembly using Mirco-Liquitape. I'd like to try that technique to see how the workflow feels.

I'm also eying a Ferrari 350 CanAm slot body and Alumilite to cast its front end and rear deck. So then I can kit bash it with a 330P4 and have a cool full detail 350 CanAm.

My goal is to do a Porsche/Ferrari/Porsche/Ferrari to mix it up. Then throw in some other cars like a Chaparral, Matra, Ford GT40 etc...

Edited May 26, 2015 by aurfalien

[chunkypeanutbutter]

If the Simple Green goes too slow,you could try Purple Power.

[250 Testa Rossa]

I'm in the same boat, so you don't have to feel so bad.

[jbwelda]

that looks really pretty nice for a first build and of an expensive and difficult kit.

heres something though: be VERY careful what clear you spray over that white. many if not most will cause a yellow cast, if not immediately then with time (possible as little as weeks). if you are only clear coating to have a smooth finish to apply decals, work on getting your color coats smooth and skip the clear. or if you used clear I have found Tamiya gloss clear is pretty neutral, Future/Pledge/whateveritscalled airbrushed on even more so. but since you are having repeated issues with paint (its the hardest part most times so don't feel too bad) I would try to minimize them by using as little paint as possible, meaning, no clear coat.

you made some good points too, let me expand on them a bit:

>1) Primer is very critical to an order of magnitude as it dictates how the paint will lay down, flow and look.
> I used cheap primer with disastrous results.

especially on resin bodies it is essential. and honestly, cheap rarely works. Tamiya is the "go to" brand for good stuff

>2) Be patient and let the paint fully cure.
>* I smeared/pulled paint off before it fully dried.

yeah man another problem especially in high humidity places or times. get a food dehydrator, you can find them for cheap on amazon or ebay, and they will allow you to fully cure your paint, even enamels, in one to two days instead of multiple weeks. you want it to cure to the point it doesn't smell or give off fumes.

>3) Test fit everything and I mean everything before applying glue/paint.
>* Speaks for itself.

one problem...that fit is going to close up when you paint it, so you will have to do a bunch of test fitting later in the process as well and also clearance checking and adjusting. forcing parts together after they have gained paint depth size will result in chipping the paint. perhaps you have experienced that already.

>4) NEW, don't mess with non hobby clear gloss coat unless its been used here with success.

BINGO! even if its been reported to be used "with success" I would find some good clears and stick to them. again Tamiya is the goto, but Testors wet look lacquer works well too (beware of carp nozzles though and be careful laying on over enamel...Testors makes (or made, its hard to keep up) an enamel wet look clear too but it doesn't look as good as the lacquer to me).

great work on that model though, the engine is looking sweet and again don't get too bothered if your paint doesn't come up to your expectations, some of us spend our entire lives not looking forward to the next paint job

jb

[aurfalien]

Wow thanks JB. How is the Mr Super Clear Gloss compared to the Tamiya?

Wouldn't I need a clear after the decals to protect the over all finish? I was pretty happy with the paint as is before the clear coat attempt.

Perhaps I'll save it for another model as I already opened it and get the Tamiya. At this point I'm very leery of using stuff that may cause issues.

I'll get the Tamiya clear for this one.

Looks like test fitting is an on going process so it seems the most conducive approach is to;

1) General test fit before paint.

2) Fine test fit after paint.

Does this seem ok?

[jbwelda]

Brian, I have never used the Gunze clear so I don't know...I would suspect it would work as well as the Tamiya but not sure. its only really critical over white, the yellowing I mean, so that's why I mentioned it.

you are right about the iterative nature with the painting/fitting.

you can clear coat over the decals if you want but they probably don't really need it for protection, in most cases you won't be handling the body too much during assembly, or if you think you will, you might hold off on the decals until most of the rest of assembly is done.

one thing about the Tamiya clear though: don't expect a super shiny look like the Testors/Model Master "wet look" stuff. the Tamiya is much more subtle, which would better match the subject anyway since race cars like that never looked shiny after the day they rolled out of the shop, if even then. but I would try to avoid the clear coat if possible.

something to look into too if you are not familiar with their workings are decal solvents, and setting fluids. I think the solvent is more usable than the setting stuff, but MicroSol and MicroSet are two I use all the time. the Sol will make the decals literally melt down on the paint, which is good, but you have to be a confident, patient man to keep from ruining the decals. depending on how much "graphics" you are going to use, the decals may or may not conform easily down to the surface over curved surfaces. the microsol will solve that problem but you better do a bit of testing before tackling the real thing.

jb

[RAMBENNA]

way cool build so far

[Dogfish_7]

Nothing to be sorry about here!

[aurfalien]

If the Simple Green goes too slow,you could try Purple Power.

Thanks chunkyPB.

Is it safe to use on resin?

[jbwelda]

never had any problems with Castrol super clean aka purple power on resin or plastic, but it wont even budge Tamiya paint...need some 91% iso alcohol for that usually. csc works great on model master enamels and krylon etc.

jb

[aurfalien]

Oh cool, thanks jb!

I noticed my paint was moving slower then a snails pace so I took a wee bit of lacquer thinner/toothbrush and after some time got it pretty clean.

Its soaking in Simple Green one more time as the nightmare primer seems to be coming off. Rustomleum will only hold nightmares for me now.

Man, what a painful lesson indeed.

[aurfalien]

This project is on hold for a bit.

Simple Green warped the tail fins and messed up the rear. The rest of the body is fine.

This is sorta beyond my skill-set/pay-grade to fix, totally bummed. Seems a very severe punishment for choosing the wrong gloss coat.

I'm stunned and dismayed to an order of magnitude.

Curious what is truly safe in stripping resin? Is this normal?

PS In terms of fixing, I'm very welcoming of suggestions. I was thinking to cut the fins off and make a pattern that I can cut from a styrene sheet. The current fins are pretty rubbery.

Edited May 29, 2015 by aurfalien

[philo426]

Yes that may be the best option.Dunking it in hot water may cause warpage in a different place and you certainly do not want any more of that!

[chunkypeanutbutter]

Well, you could do the template thing. Other option, and it's kinda hopeful: ask the caster if he has a messed up body he'd sell to you, say, one with the front warped and the rear okay.

[aurfalien]

Thanks much for the nuggets.

After a good nights sleep, I'm approaching this as an interesting problem to solve.