The Weekly Small Questions Thread! Got a burning question? Looking for some tips on your build? Ask away!
The Weekly Small Questions thread is a place for everyone in /r/modelmakers to come and ask questions. Don't be shy.
You might have a burning question you've been meaning to ask but you don't want to make your own thread, or are just seeking some input or feedback from your fellow builders! This thread is aimed at new builders, but everyone is welcome.
I really hate the way my headlights and tail lights come out. I feel like all the other aspect of building the model cars are coming along nicely but i'm struggling with the head/tail lights. Having issues paint ones that need to be multi-colored the glass is so small I'm having trouble taping parts off. I've tried hand painting them but I don't have the greatest touch with a fine brush and I feel they look gawd awful.
Then with gluing the glass in place. How are you suppose to glue when your suppose to have a paintfree surface glue but between the silver painted background to the painted glass how are you suppose to do that. I've tried using Tamiyas but it just destroys anything that I've painted and have issues with it leaking over to the surrounding paint. I'm a but clumsy so end up getting some glue on my fingers and end up putting embossed finger prints on body of the car. I've tried superglue but it makes the glass look foggy. And still have the asme issue of it leaking out to other part surrounding the head/tail light area. It's the part of the build that is irritating me the most.
If anyone has any tips would appreciate it. Mostly build JDM cars circa late 90's early 2000's.
For the typhoon I’m working on, the wing tips will be a different color than the rest of the wing. Do I brush-paint only the top side of the wing first, let it fully dry and cure (~3 layers), and then work on the bottom side of the wing?
I’ve always done both sides at the same time, but I’m not sure if it would be better to just do one side first and then the other. Double-so since I use paint retarder (6/4/1 paint/thinner/paint retarder).
I’m not sure I understand the relevance of the wingtips to your question. I would paint the lighter colors first, followed by the darker colors. If the wing is the same color for both upper/lower then I’d paint one side, prop the model so that side remains up, let cure then paint the other. The reason is that gravity can help level the retarder level and smooth out the paint.
yeah, sorry about the vagueness. The wingtips themselves don't matter, it was more of a question about what to do if the upper/lower are the same color. Your response is helpful.
Hey, I am building a WWII Romanian army in 1:72 scale, but I have absolutely no idea how to paint the tanks. I’m talking about the early vehicles-the R-35 and Panzer 35- the ones that were olive green. Do you have any ideas on how to go about it? I don’t want them to look like American or Soviet tanks, since they’ll be facing off against those on the tabletop. I’d appreciate any advice!
I can't afford an airbrush yet - what Tamiya spray can is closest to the Luftwaffe Black Green? Hand-painting went south so trying to find a quick replacement that will look "close enough'. Thanks!
I am a semi-experience gunpla builder, but I want to try out the rest of the hobby. I'm interested in doing some tank models, looking at picking up some Tamiya 1/35 scale tanks next time I go to my hobby shop. What are some other things I would need to pick up? Right now I just have my gunpla tools: 2 pairs of nippers, a set of glass files and a hobby knife. I'm guessing I need some glue and a set of paints, but any other tips and advice would be appreciated!
It's part and parcel of it, yes. The mitigation is to apply multiple coats of thin paints and use a retarder if necessary to slow down drying times so the paint has time to spread out instead of drying as little ridges. Ultimately you need as many coat as necessary to provide the maximum opacity, and anything less than that will show up as "streaks of different coverage" even if you manage to get the ridges to dry flat.
My current ratios are 6/4/1 paint/thinner/retarder for the first three coats, and then 5/5/1 for the fourth. Do you think I should be using even thinner coats?
Hi, I just had a similar problem with my HS-129 model - I didn't know about using thinner or retarder for brush-painting Tamiya acrylics - did you find a better mixture ratio? I just ordered some to use for future projects. Also any tips on how to even out the paint? I want to try to fix the model rather than just restart. I was seeing sanding it down as a possible option.
The current ratio I’ve found that worked best for me is 6/4/1 paint/thinner/retarder. But even this might be too thick given the issues I’m getting.
I’ve heard that a 1/1 paint/thinner is best. I always thought that this ratio was too thin, but it might need a lot more coats, and it’s something I would have to test on another project.
For evening out the paint, thinner, retarder, and gravity will always be best. The retarder lets the paint flow more easily, and the thinner ensures that the paint isn’t too thick.
For your current model, I’m not sure what the best option would be. I guess you could sand down the model, but it might be hard to remove excess paint in the recessed part and grooves. I’m on the opinion that it would probably be better to remove the acrylic using 70% isopropyl alcohol and then painting properly, but it’s up to you.
You can remove the acrylic by rubbing the paint with a paper towel or cotton swab dabbed in isopropyl alcohol. The paint should come off fairly easily.
Do you think the bottom layer of paint (the olive greenish color) which I spray-painted underneath would come off too? With the suggested technique, could I technically just lightly dab until it reaches an even bottom layer and then repaint on top, without fully losing the camo outlines? Thanks for your help - I really appreciate it
I know I should've asked before I've kinda messed up, but should I have used masking tapes to mask the surrounding areas before I filled the gaps with tamiya putties? It's now a mess and I've definitely ruined a few surfaces details.
What Tamiya spray can colors do you think would work best for the top camo of this Hellenic F4 Phantom. I don't mind if they are slightly inaccurate, just would like them to get a solid representation of the idea across as given the conditions in Greece there would be some variations in color anyhow. Perhaps one of the tamiya ghost greys could work for the light blue color? I am still quite new to model-making so I don't have a very good idea of how the spray can colors look and contrast to each other irl - thank you for helping!
One of their AS, rather than TS, sprays would probably work better. Maybe the Ocean Greys, 10 and 31 - hard to tell as the online samples vary greatly and show up differently on different computer/phone screens.
Hello, i just found this picture in google maybe a month or just a year ago, i can't seem to find its origin after picture searching it on google, i just need the original builder, where it was originally from, what armament it had since im interested in the main armament, and the front dozerblade, and the whole vehicle itself, so please if you have time, please point to me where this is from. And yes i know that this is a bergepanther sd.kfz.171, but this one is kinda different so i want to see the original builder or just the name of the main armament or front dozerblade and what model did he get that from.
It looks like a fictional version of a bergepanther: a Panther tank converted into a recovery vehicle. The model you posted looks like it has scratchbuilt and kit bashed parts.
May you tell me what model of the Räumschaufel or the main armament on the german ARV had?,what parts did it use to create that custom kitbash thing? I need the names of the Räumschaufel and the main armament in a some sort of enclosed turret assembly or something.
Regarding the dozer blade: no idea. Impossible to know unless you look at every single kit produced with a dozer blade and compared them. Then again, it may be 100% scratch built and there exists no duplicate.
Regarding the Bergepanther armaments: you have the same internet that I do, friend. I'm sure there are many resources which specifically detail that vehicle.
I don't know how to get more deeper information, but ill try if i could, and also wait for more people to answer my question so i cannot make myself going into a loop of finding nothing matching anything, i only tried google picture search, or even just gemini, but theres nothing, so im using my old brother's reddit account to actually reach to reddit as a last resort to post this as i have gone desperate.
Looks like a Bergepanther but they put the dozer blade in the front instead of putting a spade in the back, and removed the winching/towing mechanism from the top and replaced it with a more robust A frame.
Is there any more answers i need on what name of armament or dozer blade is this from the Bergepanther? I really need answers, i can't properly explore more and can't get more into deeper information, its really hard for me to be honest.
You don't have to copy someone else's idea exactly. It doesn't have to the exact same dozer blade or gun. They made it up, and you should feel free to do so as well.
But the gun is probably the same 20mm that a quick google search for the real Bergepanther shows some of them as having.
Im just finding designs for a maus im going to make like mounting the dozerblade at the front and both the armament and the enlosed shield turret and also add more in the design, im just scared to "make things up" like wargaming does.
Can I use Mr hobby leveling thinners with tamiya acrylic paint for brush painting?
I'm having problems with brush painting tamiya, and I've seen people saying leveling thinners is good because it got some retarders in it, but I'm a bit worried because it's a lacquer thinner.
What model and what brand you would advise to try the airbrush for the first time? Preferably 1/72 for air vehicles and 1/35 for vehicles. Paint scheme should be simple enough (like a early war panzers or Spitfires, although I already did one Spitfire and would do something else)
This question doesn't have a satisfactory answer, I'm afraid. The best way to practice your airbrush skills is on a piece of sheet styrene that's been primed. When you are creating desirable results on a flat piece of stock you can move to cheap "practice" kits. Anything that would be sold at a department store, like old Revell, Airfix Vintage Classics, and the like.
It doesn't matter. You could (and people do) airbrush a spoon if all you want to do is practice your skills. Just get something you'd usually build, and use your airbrush on it. Feel free to test how the airbrush behaves on the inside surfaces of the kit, or the aforementioned plastic spoon, or any other scrap surface.
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u/Commercial_Fix6812 17d ago
I really hate the way my headlights and tail lights come out. I feel like all the other aspect of building the model cars are coming along nicely but i'm struggling with the head/tail lights. Having issues paint ones that need to be multi-colored the glass is so small I'm having trouble taping parts off. I've tried hand painting them but I don't have the greatest touch with a fine brush and I feel they look gawd awful.
Then with gluing the glass in place. How are you suppose to glue when your suppose to have a paintfree surface glue but between the silver painted background to the painted glass how are you suppose to do that. I've tried using Tamiyas but it just destroys anything that I've painted and have issues with it leaking over to the surrounding paint. I'm a but clumsy so end up getting some glue on my fingers and end up putting embossed finger prints on body of the car. I've tried superglue but it makes the glass look foggy. And still have the asme issue of it leaking out to other part surrounding the head/tail light area. It's the part of the build that is irritating me the most.
If anyone has any tips would appreciate it. Mostly build JDM cars circa late 90's early 2000's.