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Aston Martin DBS


mrmike

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For those of you who know me, lately, I have taken to adding a short story to some of my WIPs. My new project comes with a new storyline featuring a new character and not related to any of my previous storylines. This WIP is focused more on the build than the story. The story is only to show what is influencing my WIP.

The Build

The kit is the Tamiya Aston Martin DBS.

DBS01.jpg

The paint is Tamiya TS-30 Silver Leaf. The interior will be shades of dark gray.

DBS02.jpg

If I have any disappointments about this kit, it has to be the body. The mold lines are quite noticable. It is unfortunate since the body is molded in a nice shade of metallic gray that would look fantastic if polished.

DBS03.jpg

The Story

Mr. Allen is a long time spy who has worked for just about every letter agency and for some agencies that don't officially exist. His last mission, though technically a success, nearly cost him his life and after a considerable amount of time recouperating from his wounds, he is given an office job for the Department. But, coping with the cold winter in Washington, DC is difficult and he retires from the Department to a warmer climate in the Florida Keys. But, getting there will require one last "job". Finding the double agent in the Department who almost got him killed.

More to come.....

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Thanks Luis! There will be plenty more story and even more build progress. Right now I am focused on the body work. The mold lines are quite prominent and require a bit of sanding. I think I have gotten them all and hopefully a coat of primer will show me no mold lines!

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Thank you guys! I hope I can keep the story entertaining along with the WIP.

The Story

Instead of returning to the field, Mr. Allen is given a short term job at the Department while he going through physical therapy for his injuries. A Friday night invite out for drinks after work provides a welcomed change of pace and an opportunity to get to know his co-workers. He sees his handler's assistant walk into the grille followed shortly thereafter by his old nemesis, a former Russian agent now a free lance spy. They sit together at a table near the back and judging by his nemesis' movements, he is not happy about something. The master spy excuses himself, gets up and moves towards the restrooms and as he passes near the assistant and his nemesis, he snaps a couple of pictures of them with his cell phone.

The Build

All my hard work seems to have paid off! A coat of Tamiya White Fine Surface Primer reveals no flaws. Unfortunately, I am out of white primer and I must find a substitute.

DBS04.jpg

DBS05.jpg

I started finding and painting other parts with Tamiya TS-29 Semi Gloss Black.

DBS06.jpg

More to come.....

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The Story

Saturday morning is sunny and cold with Mr. Allen sitting in a cafe' having coffee and a danish. A burly looking man enters the cafe' and walks over to the master spy and sits down. "It's too early for me on a Saturday morning, says Jason Barony." Mr. Allen pulls a folder out of the newspaper he is reading and hands it to Jason. "This will open your eyes." Jason opens the folder and looks at the pictures that were taken the night before. He pulls out his cell phone and dials a number. "I need to see you immediately! One hour." He looks at the master spy and says,"Let's take a ride."

The Build

I painted the body and parts this morning Tamiya Silver. This is two mist coats and one wet coat.

DBS07.jpg

DBS08.jpg

DBS09.jpg

More to come.....

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Thanks Peter and Charlie!

Charlie, I am looking for suggestion on primer since the Tamiya primer is no longer imported. I have used automotive primer for 1:1 bodywork and I fine it to be quite thick. If I can find a primer that is close to the properties of the Tamiya primer and available in white. I can pit up with a little bit of thickness, just as long as it doesn't hide details like molded scripts.

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it's coming along great. i like where the story is headed. keep up the great work.

as for primer. i have heard a lot of good things about the plastikote. i am going to give it a try myself.

but, if you really want some tamiya primer you can try ebay. i have seen it on there, but have not bought any myself.

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Thanks Luis! I have been using Tamiya primer for years and it is getting expensive and I should find a substitute. I keep hearing about sandable primers from Duplicolor and Plasticote that other modelers use but no one decribes the properties of the primer. I used Duplicolor primer on my 1:1 '98 Dodge Dakota and found it to be a little thick for using on a model. Maybe I have been spoiled by the Tamiya primer. :blink:

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Thanks Luis! I have been using Tamiya primer for years and it is getting expensive and I should find a substitute. I keep hearing about sandable primers from Duplicolor and Plasticote that other modelers use but no one decribes the properties of the primer. I used Duplicolor primer on my 1:1 '98 Dodge Dakota and found it to be a little thick for using on a model. Maybe I have been spoiled by the Tamiya primer. :blink:

Quite possible, Mike, as the Tamiya primer really is quite thin from what I've seen.

I use Plasti-Kote almost exclusively, and never found the sandable primers to be that heavy, although a bit lighter-body than Dupli-Color. I find what helps thin any primer is warming the can in water for about 10-15 minutes at about medium heat, and that seems to not only thin out the contents of the spray can, but it comes out more smoothly and you get more of the paint out.

I know Plasti-Kote is available at the VIP on 101-A in Merrimack; I've seen it there when I've stopped off on my way home from Amherst. Most CarQuests also stock it. I have to head to Nashua tomorrow and I may make a detour to re-stock.

Off and on, I've seen Valspar gray and white lacquer primer at Michael's, which is similar to the sandable primer, but thinner still. It's also a bit less expensive. I've used this several times and it's an excellent product.

Charlie Larkin

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Thanks Luis! I have been using Tamiya primer for years and it is getting expensive and I should find a substitute. I keep hearing about sandable primers from Duplicolor and Plasticote that other modelers use but no one decribes the properties of the primer. I used Duplicolor primer on my 1:1 '98 Dodge Dakota and found it to be a little thick for using on a model. Maybe I have been spoiled by the Tamiya primer. :blink:

I personally am going to stay in the model lineup for finish primer, I am trying the Testors one coat system white primer, I haven't tried it yet, but will let you know when I do how it works out.

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Thanks Luis! I have been using Tamiya primer for years and it is getting expensive and I should find a substitute. I keep hearing about sandable primers from Duplicolor and Plasticote that other modelers use but no one decribes the properties of the primer. I used Duplicolor primer on my 1:1 '98 Dodge Dakota and found it to be a little thick for using on a model. Maybe I have been spoiled by the Tamiya primer. :blink:

I use Duplicolor Primer exclusively. The only time I use their sandable primer is if I know that I'm going to be doing a lot of sanding. What I usually use is Duplicolor Primer Sealer which is the same thing as their primer but thinner. Goes on more like Tamiya's Gray Primer. Might want to give it a try.

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A trip yesterday to a Walmart Super Center gave me an opportunity to venture into the paint aisle. I perused the spray cans for a while looking for primer. I had decided not to purchase any automotive primer since it does have a tendency to be thick in nature. My thought process was to fine a plastic primer (ie; resin) for outdoor funiture. I found a can of Krylon Indoor/Outdoor primer and a can of Rust-oleum Plastic Primer (last one on the shelf @ $2.00).

DBS10.jpg

I tried two coats on a piece of black parts sprue to check coerage and thickness.

DBS11.jpg

Both worked quite well with the Krylon being a brighter shade of white. Both covered the same, but the real test will be applying color to the primer and to see how it reacts. That I'll do today. Enamel shouldn't pose any problem so I'll try some lacquer on this primer and see what happens.

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I have read about other builders encounter with the metal lettering for the intake manifold and I decided I would completely read the instructions and follow them to the letter. Well, things didn't go as I had hoped. I lost two of the letters...1-T and 1-O. I fought with these tiny letters for almost twenty minutes when I stopped, sat back in my chair, and started thinking.

DBS12.jpg

My decision was to take the remaining letters and scan them into my computer and print them out onto a piece inkjet decal paper.

DBS13.jpg

They do not have the relectiveness of the actual metal transfer, but they will be a lot easier to apply. I think these should have been included on the decal sheet as well. I now hope that this kit is not going to start fighting me!

More to come.....

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Very interesting decal issues, Mike. I'll keep that in mind, as a long-term purchase of mine is one of these kits- I think this one of the nicest-looking current-production cars.

I'll be curious to see how well that Krylon primer works under the Tamiya lacquer, although they claim that lacquer is mild enough to place directly on plastic.

Enjoying the build-up so far.

Charlie Larkin

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no prob on the advice. i too went to walmart lately and saw thes two primers and held off on buying them. now that your testing it out, im going to wait and see.

tamiya laquers are plastic safe. i use to spray them straight to the plastics with no ill effect. if sprayed in thin layers, it comes out great. the color i have problems with was the chrome yellow. was a bit runny even with thin layers. but if sprayed with a primer base, it's good.

the intake looks good. the decals are a good idea.

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I figured that the hottest can of lacquer I have must be the Testors One-Coat Fiery Orange. I gave my test sprue two quick shots of paint and let it be to dry. The finish was smooth and glossy with no scarring or distortion. Both primers held up and passed the test! I almost used some MCW paint, but I didn't want to go through the trouble of setting up the airbrush just to tear it down again and clean it after two quick shots of paint.

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