Narses2's Blog - or what I'm slowly making progress on

[NARSES2]

Not much done in the last 24 hours, real life interrupts - shopping and cleaning. one has to eat and it might as well be off clean plates 

The Miles and the Tornado have been re-primed and I got the rockets for the Mossie painted. Had one of those moments doing this. While looking at the Tamiya instructions (which have the rails in deck tan ? Seems odd so unless I discover otherwise this will be ignored) I noticed they have a white nose band. So I thought "thin white transfer strip will do". Then reflecting on it latter whilst watching the tv I thought "that will take ages, I'll screw it, lose my rag and heaven knows what will happen then". So I probably won't do the white band.

Now this brings me to the "moment". There are modellers on this site who would not have second thoughts about doing the nose band, and would do superb jobs with it - you know who you are. Me ? It would probably spoil my enjoyment of the kit. Now whilst I do try and improve with each kit even though at times it seems like one step forward, two back, there comes a point of diminishing returns. Now this point is different for all of us but I do feel we need to recognise where our own is. Go beyond that point and you lose the fun of the hobby. Now hopefully the point will continue to move farther away but at the moment it's with the thin white bands.

Well there ends Chris's homespun philosophy for the day.

[Gondor]

If the band is to be on the pointy part of the rocket, why not punch a hole of a suitable size for the further back diameter of the band in some card then paint/spray the nose white. After the card has been removed and the paint has dried, repeat the process using a smaller diameter hole then paint the tip of the rocket its normal colour. Sounds fiddly and complicated but is far simpler to do and will probably work 

Gondor

[NARSES2]

I might just try that mate - haven't got a suitable hole punch though (not necessarily a problem) as I've always baulked at the cost

[darthspud]

i baulked too as they are an expensive, but little used item.
Instead, i got a piece of card , laid a thin(ish) sheet of plywood over and under it and drilled through with various sizes. jobs a good 'un.

Have now progressed to a piece approximately the same dimensions as a steel 1ft ruler with varying size holes to use, mainly so i can get it into small spaces.

[NARSES2]

i baulked too as they are an expensive, but little used item.
Instead, i got a piece of card , laid a thin(ish) sheet of plywood over and under it and drilled through with various sizes. jobs a good 'un.

I was thinking of using some thickish plastic card, but hadn't thought of using plywood. So is your finished example a sandwich of plywood, card, plywood glued together ? Or am I missing something ?

[NARSES2]

Well was feeling quite relaxed last night, remembered I had some Xtradecal thin transfer strips and had an hour before what I wanted to watch on TV came on. So thought I'd give the rocket bands a go. If I screwed them, then I'd just walk away. Well went very well, the Xtradecal strips come away from their backing very quickly, are very flexible and went on like a dream. Took 25mins for all 8 rockets, I had to remember how to work out the circumference of a circle, think it's the first time I've used that formula since I left school, so that took 5 mins. I'm really please with the way they've come out. Little thing but makes a lot of difference to the rockets.

Thanks for the encouragement lads 

[kitnut617]

I had to remember how to work out the circumference of a circle, think it's the first time I've used that formula since I left school, so that took 5 mins.

I always use Pye x dia  (3.142 x diameter)

[The Wooksta!]

Mmmmn! Pie!

[Gondor]

i baulked too as they are an expensive, but little used item.
Instead, i got a piece of card , laid a thin(ish) sheet of plywood over and under it and drilled through with various sizes. jobs a good 'un.

I was thinking of using some thickish plastic card, but hadn't thought of using plywood. So is your finished example a sandwich of plywood, card, plywood glued together ? Or am I missing something ?

You are missing something. The plywood mentioned is to stop the card distorting when being drilled through.

Gondor

[darthspud]

Sorry, poorly worded,

yep i used the ply just to hold the thick(ish) card so it didn't rip when drilling through.

i use the card from stationery supply boxes, it sits between envelopes at fixed points so they don't sink in the box.

it's thicker than a cornflake box card, but thinner than corrugated cardboard.

i did try using plasticard, but card is easier, at least for me.

[NARSES2]

You are missing something. The plywood mentioned is to stop the card distorting when being drilled through.

Gondor

Sorry, poorly worded,

yep i used the ply just to hold the thick(ish) card so it didn't rip when drilling through.

i use the card from stationery supply boxes, it sits between envelopes at fixed points so they don't sink in the box.

it's thicker than a cornflake box card, but thinner than corrugated cardboard.

i did try using plasticard, but card is easier, at least for me.

Cheers gents I understand now 

[NARSES2]

Progress 

As expected the Mosquito came together very quickly once all the sub assemblies were done. She can now be primed.

The Miles and the Tornado can start to be painted - PSR finished at last....I hope

The Wyvren is just about there. Next time I sit down at the model bench I will be hanging her wings on. Then it's just the canopy and that monster prop and she's done

[NARSES2]

Not much progress at all this week but I've discovered that both the Miles and the Tornado need a little more work with filler and sand paper  A year or so ago I would have said "that's it, no more psr I'm getting on with the painting" but now I'm going to give it another round-----am I feeling ok ?  You lot are contagious  I've also had to scratch build part of the Tornado's undercarriage as apart from the white metal legs the rest of the gear is etched brass...flat parts for struts etc Not difficult but you shouldn't really have to do it.

I've had to do some psr on the Mossie as well, shock horror. All down to me being an utter idiot and not reading the instructions properly. I saved it but resulted in a small amount of psr 

Wyvren will get her wings hung over the weekend when I've a little more time.

[The Wooksta!]

The only places where the Tamiya Mossie needs filler are the wing/nacelle joins at the back - they *never* fit properly.  Them and the fuselage/cockpit joint, but that's really down to the modeller.  It's meant to clip together but having done quite a few of that kit, I disregard the instructions and go my own way.

[NARSES2]

The only places where the Tamiya Mossie needs filler are the wing/nacelle joins at the back - they *never* fit properly. 

Ahh, cheers Lee that's where mine needed filler. Thought it was down to my screw up. Fuselage/cockpit joint was fine