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

[NARSES2]

Don't think that's the case here but, could it be excessive glue for the space you're working with? I've had that a couple of times, cleaned up all glue and the parts would fit again...

You may well have a point. I've been using a new glue, which whilst very good for joints that require good "solid" joins has a rather thick consistency. Hard to explain but it does seem to be quite thick ? I think I'll go back to my Tamiya Extra Thin for joints which just need capillary action.

[NARSES2]

Been a bit busy with real life things (or what classifies as real life when retired) lately but managed to get some tool making done this morning before going out.

My supply of sanding sticks were running out so I made a few more.

I got a load of double sided tape from the £ Store and this is slightly different from the usual tape you get, in that it's about 2mm thick and has some "give" in it. I cut this into the size of strip I want and mount it on Costa (other shops are available) coffee stirrers which can be cut to whatever size you want and then stick £ Store emery paper to it in various grades. Very cheap and last for ages. The padded tape is far better for sanding then if you had the emery stuck straight onto the wood. Very good and very cheap 

The double sided tape also comes with a load of double sided stick pads (great value for money) and I stick these to clothes pegs and lolly sticks etc. You can then use these to hold smaller parts whilst you are painting them or sticking them together. The pads and tape are very, very sticky so will last for a few models before you need to replace.

The beauty with this, apart from cost  , is you can make the sanding sticks to basically any dimension you want. I even have some made from cocktail sticks for the very, very fiddly stuff.

[PR19_Kit]

That double sided sounds like a good buy, I'll see if our local £ store has any. 

[NARSES2]

If it doesn't Kit let me know and I'll pick some up for you and bring it to Telford

Also Kit it's Poundland not The Pound Store. £ store was my shortcut I'm afraid. Sorry for confusion

[PR19_Kit]

That'd be great, thanks so much Chris. 

I'll have a look around and get back to you.

[NARSES2]

Well I finally succumbed  I've been looking at the new tool Airfix Me 262 sitting in it's sealed packet since I got it and on Friday I gave in and unsealed it 

Anyway by yesterday lunchtime it was just about built ! Yup it really is that good. Goes together like a dream, the engineering and fit is that good. If I'm honest then perhaps the tolerances are a little to close in that if you get one stage just a fraction out then it will impact on a latter stage ; guess how I know ? Anyway nothing that a smear of P.P.P. and a wet finger couldn't sort out. The rest of the kit has had some Mr Surfacer on the seams as a primer and she's ready for the paint shop. Will be real world as I've built at least two What If's from the Hasegawa kit. Some will say the panel line engraving is to deep, and maybe if you use an airbrush it is, but for a brush painter like me they are fine.

Loved every minute of the build and I can thoroughly recommend it. Looking forward to the two seater they've obviously planned the tooling around.

[TheChronicOne]

Nice!!!  Airfix really has some winners with these new tool kits! I've heard nothing but good stuff (well, aside from USER error) about them. Only one I've built is the Vampire but I want to get my hands on the Royal Navy (right? )  F-4 that they just put out. 

[NARSES2]

but I want to get my hands on the Royal Navy (right? )  F-4 that they just put out.

Yup a FAA one but it's not out yet mate. Due about Telford time I think.

Anyway no real progress but a decision  I've got two kits ready for Telford and I had planned a third on a similar theme (then the previously shown one becomes the reserve) but decided not to push it as it's a very detailed kit with lots of tiny detail parts and etch. Looks great but if it gets done it gets done, if it doesn't it doesn't and it will go to Huddersfield.

[TheChronicOne]

No wonder I can't find any. 

[NARSES2]

Got some work done on the kit that will either make Telford or Huddersfield but also got myself in a right tizz  Was looking for the transparencies and could I find them ? could I heck. After 20 minutes of looking all over the place I'd just about given up and thought I'd need to park the kit, perhaps for good    Then one final good look around and I found them "hiding" in the post dipping box, this is the Tupperware (or similar) bowl  with sealable lid that I put transparencies in after they have had their Klear/Future dip. Now I'd already looked in there twice so how I missed them I've no idea ? Anyway they are found and the build continues 

One thing I do find odd, and not just with this kit, is when a manufacturer includes a quite extensive etch sheet and doesn't include seat belts on it ? 

Anyway on-wards and upwards 

[PR19_Kit]

Now I'd already looked in there twice so how I missed them I've no idea ?

Because they're transparent you looked right through them? 

[NARSES2]

Now I'd already looked in there twice so how I missed them I've no idea ?

Because they're transparent you looked right through them? 

Probably right Kit, either that or I thought they were part of the Whitley transparency sprue that was in there 

[NARSES2]

Zenrat's got me thinking Airfix Typhoons, Tiffie's not those jet propelled things. Anyway having built a load of Academy ones, they made a show a few years ago, I was short of ideas for the two in my stash, however I've been struck by the thoughts of a RNZAF one in Pacific theatre roundels and with "sky blue" lower surfaces and "light grey" uppers courtesy of USN stocks that were laying around ?

[TheChronicOne]

Sounds glorious! Color combo is right up my alley to be sure.

[NARSES2]

Was hoping to get some work done today but not feeling great. My fault so I can't complain, much 

Since I retired 10 years ago, I've probably only lost my temper a handful of times. Anyway I lost it in Marks yesterday over some ridiculously inane management which was followed by customer selfishness. Problem is that if I do lose my rag it tends to have an affect on my blood pressure medication and the day after I feel a bit "weary/heavy", so no modelling today 

However my diary is quite light next week, so hopefully I'll get a lot of work done on the PZL-42