Global Scale Modeller

Ayup,
After some gentle nagging in the livestream chats, I've actually opened a box and started a new build!

Le proof!


Not much to show yet, only been at it an hour or so, and I already needed to send off another emodels paint order... seriously, who expects to need brown paints on a yammy?=) Seeing as I'm fairly colour blind, I'll be mostly following the destructions for the paints, otherwise it might end up green and pink or something....

Engine mostly done, still needs a few touches here n there, and there's a coat of alclad polished aluminium on the frame and swingarm.



The engine block is supposed to be a 50/50 mix of Tamiya X-11 Chrome Silver and XF-52 Flat Earth. I've got some xf52 on order, but not expecting it until after the bank holiday weekend, so being impatient I used what to my colour blind eye was the closest I had, XF64 – Red Brown and mixed that with some x-11. The flash of the pic isn't showing the true colour I think, I think it looks pretty good, so that's all that matters isn't it=)

I'll be giving them a coat of aqua gloss clear coat when they have finished curing, then I'll be trying something new to me... a dark oil paint wash on the engine to hopefully bring out more detail and shadow effects. wish me luck=)

Black oil wash applied then maybe 75% cotton bud'd off, leaving it looking suitably "used" I think. The rads' got a light grey oil wash too, which was also lightly rubbed off...



This was my first time using oil paints to weather anything and I must say I'm impressed how easy and effective it is. Tiny dob of oil paint, splash of turps thinner in a little pot, stir then brush on. grab a cotton bud and gently remove it until it looks "right". easy peasy oily squeezy.

...And it fits=)

Slowly coming together. Lots more to do yet, and I've not even looked at the bodywork yet... so many scary decals...*gulp*

She's looking good, Dik/ayup.

Looking good.

Doing a great job Dik, looking good to me. Good luck at "decal" time:) aka:James Buckingham

Thank you guys=)

Please call me "Dik", the "ayup" thing is just my greeting, and somehow my google/youtube nickname... no idea how to change that without crossing the streams and causing world wide interweb warpage- or something. Not that I mind "ayup" but we are friends here, and all my friends call me dik=)

Anyways, here's a quick pic of my attempt at heat staining using Tamiya clear paints. Not perfect by any means, but not bad for a first try I think. Just a dry fitting of most of the oily/noisy bits:

Any advice or criticism welcomed, of course!

looks great just watch the decals mine was very brittle aka Paul shapland

Thanks Paul, yeah mate I'm not looking forward to decal time. Be a good few days at least yet though, I've not even opened the bag of fairing/tank/seat bits yet=)

If I mess them up, I could always turn it into a "garage job", with a bare paint fairing sat on a stand next to the naked bike. Hey it's good to have a plan B...

Another one i've managed to miss ! Sorry Dik, looking good though
Have you tried the tamiya weathering set D for the heat staining of the exhausts ? The reason there is so many of them is i tried to build four honda RC211V's at the same time because i thought it would be quicker painting four of everything at the same time to save time cleaning the airbrush but it didnt work, it took me twice as long as it would have if i had done them one at a time

Can you post a pic of the oil washes you use as i'd like to give them a go at some point ? Keep up the good work

Thanks John=)

I've just added that weathering set to my not so little list of stuff I NEED to get.

The oil wash I used on the engine was just a drop of Abteilung 502 Black oil paint and a few drops of the matching "odourless thinner", both from emodels. https://www.emodels.co.uk/abteilung-502 ... l-110.html The rads were washed with Faded Grey Abteilung 502 oil. I was surprised how easy and effective oil washes are=)
I did buy a few other colours too, and a couple of jars of various Vallejo pigments to add to my collection of "stuff" for when I attempt to add a bit of road muck and rust when I feel brave enough in future=) I also have some Ultimate washes which I really should open and attempt to use "soon"...

Your multi bike build pile looks scary awesome. Nice job!

DikDolan wrote:Thanks John=)

I've just added that weathering set to my not so little list of stuff I NEED to get.

The oil wash I used on the engine was just a drop of Abteilung 502 Black oil paint and a few drops of the matching "odourless thinner", both from emodels. https://www.emodels.co.uk/abteilung-502 ... l-110.html The rads were washed with Faded Grey Abteilung 502 oil. I was surprised how easy and effective oil washes are=)
I did buy a few other colours too, and a couple of jars of various Vallejo pigments to add to my collection of "stuff" for when I attempt to add a bit of road muck and rust when I feel brave enough in future=) I also have some Ultimate washes which I really should open and attempt to use "soon"...

Your multi bike build pile looks scary awesome. Nice job!

just put an order in.
like you i ended up with a list the lenth of my arm including alclad metals and even another airbrush !

Yeah, the multi bike build was a mistake looking back, only really the engines were the same colour's. I'll take a picture of the four together

Looking great Dik. I have found that the dark blue decals seem to be the most brittle. aka James Buckingham:)

Thanks guys.

John please do post pics of your stable.
James, I'd love to see your RC166 too mate!

I'll be starting of the body work today I think, so decaling is still a good few days away yet. The last couple of days have been spent fitting footpegs, handle bars, silencers etc. No pics yet, sorry.
I may have mentioned, I hate decals, they scare the crap out of me=)

Dont worry too much with the decals just dip them in warmer water (slightly warmer than luke warm) and i'll be suprised if you have any bother.

Here's the funless four dik ! Just realised thats the first time i've seen them together myself finished This one touch payment has a lot to answer too !

Lovely bike grouping John, and very nice haul of painty stuffs=) Thanks for the pics!

And yup, "buy/pay" buttons will be my downfall too=)

DikDolan wrote:Lovely bike grouping John, and very nice haul of painty stuffs=) Thanks for the pics!

And yup, "buy/pay" buttons will be my downfall too=)

Lol, i genuinely was only looking to buy the black and grey oil washes that you were kind enough to post the link for but then i noticed the airbrush with the 0.5mm nozzle and it just got out of hand after that !
I've been wanting to try the alclad paint for a while and after seeing the finish you got on the headlight of the honda monkey i was pretty much sold

i like the staining on the e xhust they look good

After a month of no progress, I've finally felt up to carrying on. It's decaling time..... eek!!



As usual, I'm struggling to get them to conform to the curves without kinking or ripping, despite using warm water, micro sol/set and a hammer. Ah well, there must be some trick I haven't got yet.
Onwards.

Looking nice dik i have the same problem whith decals they just dont want to bend and curl up in a corner lol

I hate decals but your bikes look great

Thanks guys=)

I think I'll quit for today, don't want to push my luck anymore.. Seat and fairing tomorrow (probably)

How did the stuborn decal end up ?

Not managed to do anything today. Been feeling a bit shaky so decided best not to attempt anything requiring bravery or skill. Hopefully tomorrow...

DikDolan wrote:Not managed to do anything today. Been feeling a bit shaky so decided best not to attempt anything requiring bravery or skill. Hopefully tomorrow...

Ah, wise move mr D

I hate decals best of times.

Me too Dave=)

I've made a start on the seat decals, and it's not going well so far. The micro set and sol don't seem to have any effect at all, the only way I've found to soften them enough to even lay half flat is to use a hair drier.
No pics yet, I'm just on a quick sausage sarnie break then back to giving her a blow dry and a poke with a cotton bud=)

Good to see you back in the saddle for this build
Looking through the posts, you are nailing this build and it will look spectacular when finished
Chin up

I'm not suggesting you do this but in the past i have mixed set and sol and put it through the airbrush at low pressure. It did work but it was a last resort and it was only wing mirror decals which wasnt the end of the world if they didnt work out. They were the vodaphone ones on the revell ferrari F1 2002.

Straight Tamiya X20 works as well to soften up resistant decals...just need a good gloss under it so not dissolve paint

Here's a quick cropped pic of the seat decal.



After the hair drier and lots of swearing, it's not toooooo bad. A long way from perfect, but I can live with it I think, and the thought that anything I try to improve it would likely make things much worse... =)

At the bottom of the pic you can see the edge of the lovely thumb print I just made in the paint. Maybe the microsol did have an effect... on the paint. Ah well, hopefully a bit of micromesh'ing will fix that.

Couple more decals on the seat, then I'm quiting for the day. Faring decals are the ones I'm dreading the most, and they are up next. *gulp*

It doesnt look too bad at all ! The micro sol can take overnight to fully settle

Thanks John. I've just put the last couple of decals on the seat, and given it another good brushing over of micro sol. Now to fight the urges to push n poke at it till tomorrow! I'm still not convinced the microsol is actually doing anything to these decals. On previous ones, they went wrinkly then slowly smoothed out, these just sit there mocking me saying " Is that all you got, punk?".... yeah that's all I got!

Lol ! Fight that urge !!! Ye who laughs last and all that !!!!!!!

Dik that new camera to good mate lol . I would wait for decals to dry a bit then maybe use a pin to sharp pointy thing the bubbles and put some more sol on

Lol paul yeah mate, the new camera is great. I think I was better off when I couldn't see up close so well=)

As John said, I'm fighting the urge to do anything else to it tonight. I'll see what she's like tomorrow, then think about doing more or just hoping the aqua gloss I'll be slapping on in a few days will do.
Thanks for all the advice and encouragement guys. It helps to know I'm not alone=)

I take my hat off to you for the great build anyway.

Quick snap of the current state of progress.



Wrinkly and torn in a few places, so "must try harder" on my report card I guess...

I think this is done now.









A lovely kit again from Tamiya, only problems I had were the decals, which is down to my lack of skills I guess. A bit of heat from a hair drier, patience and some harsh language got them mostly sorted=)

Sweet!!!

Great job and decals like those put me off building one.

That looks good mate nice one