Friday 23rd. October - 11:20 pm
I watched a video on You Tube: "How to Apply Humbrol Clear " a product designed to give a gloss finish to a model.
Off I went to the garage with the body colour pieces of my Land Rover. "A second coat can be applied after fifteen to thirty minutes." That first coast didn't look good. I waited as instructed. My garage is a bit cool so I put on a fan heater. I sprayed away thinking to myself "I'm getting the hang of this."
An hour later several parts had assumed banana shape. In insurance terms I had a write-off on my hands. Well thart's how you learn.
I am now awaiting replacement parts from Revell which I understand from their website will be coning from Germany, and in the words of Oates "...may be some time."
Whatever anybody wants to say about plastic modelling I must add that it is not for the faint hearted.
I sign in this morning to read of exploits in the Greater Ranges only to find you have bought a Land Rover.I know you always show a keen interest in those early marks. Probably best for you to change garage if their paintshop has messed up. Did you have fully comprehensive insurance? Any chance of a replacement while you are waiting for those spare parts? I can see this turning into an epic.
ReplyDeleteThe lack of illustrative photos will be forgiven, based on the late hour of posting!
ReplyDeleteI wonder which is easier to source: spare parts for the model; or spares for the real thing, given its vintage?
I’ve never used Humbrol Clear but I can tell you that in my experience Revell Clear does not give a gloss finish. Of course I painted it on which might not be as effective as spraying.If I want a gloss finish I use gloss but that’s rarely required on the models I build.
ReplyDeleteBC - I'm sorry to disappoint you but chance to report on more strenuous activity would be a fine thing. I will be back.
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Gayle - I may get round to doing some photos. Land Rover spares for the real thing are perhaps the easiest to obtain of any vehicle I can think of. I was a member and treasurer of Red Rose Land Rover Club Ltd for six years back in the eighties. We had a lot of fun without going out and trashing green roads. The club was remarkably convivial, in contrast with others I have experienced, especially the swimming club we were involved in with our two children.
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Afoot - in retrospect I would probably have avoided the gloss. The paint on my old Land Rover was hardly shiny. This effort is really just taking me rather expensively through the learning curve after not having taken plastic modelling very seriously on the few occasions I had a go many years ago. I would particularly like to progress to doing some realistic weathering after this one. There is something about the colours of rust and mud that appeals to me. The biggest difference I have noticed is the vast improvement in adhesives and their consideration for providing the facility to apply minute amounts where needed.
Well done Conrad, and BC seems to be managing fine without you - no report yet of him being lost, though he is cutting it fine with the daylight.
ReplyDeleteI still have a few half made Airfix models that one day it would be good to complete. Whilst I have a box of Humbrol paints, I've always used a brush - never attempted a spray...
... I'm a complete amateur.
Phreerunner - Yes, I am a bit envious of BC at the moment. I seem to have been thwarted for such a long time by people putting things in my diary which coincide with the only decent weather window in a several days block of time. BC has many anecdotes which are very rarely repeated but I don't remember any of them reporting getting lost, at least not seriously.
ReplyDeleteI think you are far too active and young to have the need for plastic model therapy - leave the Humbrols safe for a much later time.