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Painting side panel badges


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For those who want to try the "foil under the paint" trick,  note that you still have to carefully trim the foil edges to align with the script.  The profit in doing this is that you can leave foil inside of letters, and then leave the paint visible there.   I actually have a model that someone thought they could just slap a strip of foil across the script like a band aid... you can see it bright as day!  Paint will not hide the foil edges.

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10 minutes ago, Tom Geiger said:

For those who want to try the "foil under the paint" trick,  note that you still have to carefully trim the foil edges to align with the script.  The profit in doing this is that you can leave foil inside of letters, and then leave the paint visible there.   I actually have a model that someone thought they could just slap a strip of foil across the script like a band aid... you can see it bright as day!  Paint will not hide the foil edges.

Good to know. I have it trimmed pretty close, but maybe I'll see if I can get it a little closer before I start slinging paint. 

I'm planning to use primer, two-three coats of lacquer, and then a couple topcoats of clear enamel. Funny how that would completely hide the scripts on a dozen kits I could think of, but it won't hide the edge of foil! (Notice I'm not doubting you--I believe in the natural perversion and cussedness of the universe, and in Murphy, so I believe what you're saying.) B)

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I've been thinking about this topic. Next time I try it I think I will put the foil on bare plastic or just after the primer. Then mask it carefully and only remove the mask before the last coat or two of paint. That way the foil can have as deep of recesses as possible in the center of the script. Easier to remove the paint and more definition.

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In case you want to practice on some throw-away material...most sprues have tabs (with raised numbers) to identify parts. Put some BMF on 'em, paint, polish, use balsa and thinner, whatever floats your boat. That will help you get the "warm and fuzzy feeling" when approaching this task.

Another thing I've forgotten to mention in previous posts is the shape of the balsa. I tend to use the edge 1/8" balsa, rather than the flat part, and the tip is rounded very much like a popsicle stick. I hold the stick as though it were a pencil, which allows me to concentrate on a small area, without having to worry too much about whether the balsa is flat. As the removed paint starts clogging up the balsa, I just sand it of on an emery board and continue to march.

Edited by BigTallDad
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3 hours ago, Tom Geiger said:

For those who want to try the "foil under the paint" trick,  note that you still have to carefully trim the foil edges to align with the script.  The profit in doing this is that you can leave foil inside of letters, and then leave the paint visible there.   I actually have a model that someone thought they could just slap a strip of foil across the script like a band aid... you can see it bright as day!  Paint will not hide the foil edges.

Exactly!

I neglected to mention that.

Thank you for bringing that up Tom.

I've seen too many attempts at this technique where the modeler did exactly as you mentioned and threw down a big rectangle of foil expecting the paint to cover the edges.

It does not.

 

Steve

Edited by StevenGuthmiller
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7 minutes ago, StevenGuthmiller said:

Exactly!

I neglected to mention that.

Thank you for bringing that up Tom.

I've seen too many attempts at this technique where the modeler did exactly as you mentioned and threw down a big rectangle of foil expecting the paint to cover the edges.

It does not.

 

Steve

x 2! 

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3 hours ago, Snake45 said:

I'm planning to use primer, two-three coats of lacquer, and then a couple topcoats of clear enamel.

If I could make a suggestion Snake, I would save the foil until right before the last coat or two of color.

The less paint that you have to remove from the foil, the easier it will be.

Not only that, but if you foil before primer, there is the possibility that you can get a thin line of primer "peeking" out around the script after paint removal.

I've had that happen which prompted me to start doing it this way.

I always lay down my primer & initial color coats, followed by foil & then one or two more light coats of color.

Then clean your scripts off before spraying your clear coats.

Easy as can be.

 

Steve

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22 minutes ago, gtx6970 said:

I do mine before ANY paint or primer goes on. Trim as close to  the emblem as a I can using my lighted magnifier and a new Xacto blade in my cutter

BUT, i use a rattle can almost exclusively so that may be a factor

The primer and color coats on my Corvette will be rattlecan, but the clear enamel will be airbrushed. I'm pretty sure I'll be okay. B)

We'll see, I guess. It's a glue bomb rebuild, not something ultra-rare, so I'm not risking a lot. 

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2 hours ago, Snake45 said:

The primer and color coats on my Corvette will be rattlecan, but the clear enamel will be airbrushed. I'm pretty sure I'll be okay. B)

We'll see, I guess. It's a glue bomb rebuild, not something ultra-rare, so I'm not risking a lot. 

You can do it either way.

I have done it both ways.

Just wanted to give you an option to make cleaning the scripts much easier.

 

By the way, the '62 Ford & the '61 Buick that I have posted in this thread were both shot with rattle cans.

This technique can be used exactly the same way no matter how the pant is applied.

 

Steve

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  • 1 month later...

Here's how my first attempt at the technique turned out. I'm happy with it. 

Kitchen foil and Micro Metal Foil Adhesive, burnished onto bare plastic with a toothpick, then trimmed to one solid block around all the letters. 

One coat Walmart flat black primer, three coats Testor One Coat Fiery Orange, three or four coats (airbrushed) of Model Master clear Top Coat enamel. 

At polish time, I worked the area over with #1500 Wetordry, used wet, till I got down to the black primer, then brought it home with Wright's Silver Cream. I can't see any evidence of the edges of the kitchen foil, and I know where it is! B)

Revell68VetteHT25.jpg.ec05d9d1cd4adffd6f9f6ca757e99f59.jpg

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1 hour ago, 64SS350 said:

But I think the cops might have something to say about your license plate:D

I left that as a reminder of the model's humble glue bomb origins. OB had glued the LP bezel on the outside of the body, and upside down to boot--along with the taillights! :blink:

Why did I buy the thing in the first place? I loved the maroon paint on it. Was gonna just polish it out and slap some weekend Snake-Fu on the thing, but as you can see, THAT plan just didn't work out. :lol:

Revell68VetteHT09.jpg.7ebe5c070214607bcae7983811985790.jpg

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