Tamiya 1:12 McLaren MP4/6 Rebuild/Upgrade

[4321go]

dr_gn said:

Yep, it also fades like crazy apparently - just like most aircraft painted with this stuff do I guess (and Dyno-Rod vans come to think of it).

Tiny, fitted fleece car cover, with scale stitches I think.......

[tyrrell]

Another brilliant get out of jail card played, looking forward to all the super detailing yet to come

[dr_gn]

I'll probably keep it under a cover like a Parakeet.

Anyway, the first gloss coat didn't go too well - I think some fibres from my jumper got attracted to it. I managed to get them off with a bit of tissue dipped in thinners, but it has smeared the clear finish slightly. Shouldn't be a problem though, I'll flat the affected bits back with #1500 and overcoat again. Maybe just wearing my underpants next time.

[dr_gn]

tyrrell said:

Another brilliant get out of jail card played, looking forward to all the super detailing yet to come

Same here! Looking at the stuff included in the Top Studio sets, it quickly became apparent that I didn't have a hope of scratchbuilding it all, but I think if/when the body gets done, progress should be more rapid. It's a deceptively tricky scheme to get right.

[Halmyre]

dr_gn said:

I'll probably keep it under a cover like a Parakeet.

Anyway, the first gloss coat didn't go too well - I think some fibres from my jumper got attracted to it. I managed to get them off with a bit of tissue dipped in thinners, but it has smeared the clear finish slightly. Shouldn't be a problem though, I'll flat the affected bits back with #1500 and overcoat again. Maybe just wearing my underpants next time.

NOW I know who you remind me of...



Although, if that had been you, it would have been a much, much longer scene...

[dr_gn]

Halmyre said:

dr_gn said:

I'll probably keep it under a cover like a Parakeet.

Anyway, the first gloss coat didn't go too well - I think some fibres from my jumper got attracted to it. I managed to get them off with a bit of tissue dipped in thinners, but it has smeared the clear finish slightly. Shouldn't be a problem though, I'll flat the affected bits back with #1500 and overcoat again. Maybe just wearing my underpants next time.

NOW I know who you remind me of...



Although, if that had been you, it would have been a much, much longer scene...

Yep that's pretty much it. Because it would involve rubbing through the base paint while flatting..and then having to re-mask and repaint it:



Ignore the colour on the photo - it's way off reality. Anyway, re-coated with clear, and it's much better than it was:



I was worried that if I applied the decals to a rough surface (it wasn't dry spray, just...rough), it would subsequently take too many more coats to get a good finish. You can sometimes get an unsightly waxy 'floating decal' effect if there are too many coats of clear.

Turns out that even the bits I didn't flat very much were pretty easily covered (as people said), but I needed to prove it to myself I guess. There are a few specks of dust, but I've come to the conclusion that there always will be on a pure white finish like this. So be it.

Tomorrow is decal day. Plus we might be getting a pet rabbit. Very excited

Edited by dr_gn on Wednesday 23 March 23:34

[dr_gn]

And now the relaxing, rewarding bit: Decals.



Ah.

I did what I could with the rest:



It's quite a difficult scheme to get right, despite being simple. I'm still not sure about the alignment of the Marlboro decals on the engine cover.

In the end, I used some of RedFirecrackers decal paper (the spare bits from the Polikarpov decals) to make the chevrons. I cut them out using the Tabu design items as templates:



Then sprayed them with White, Lumo Red and 2K clear:



They are a perfect colour match with the body, at the expense of being a bit thick. Hopefully a couple of coats of clear will reduce the thickness effect.

So...does anyone have any spare decals to sell, or can recommend some decent ones? I also realised there are no Good Year decals for the nose and front wing end plates, so I'd have needed to by more decals anyway. Ta.

[Red Firecracker]

Studio27 do some which include the Goodyear logos;

https://www.hlj.com/product/s27dc215h/Aut

[dr_gn]

Red Firecracker said:

Studio27 do some which include the Goodyear logos;

https://www.hlj.com/product/s27dc215h/Aut

"discontinued"

[Red Firecracker]

dr_gn said:

"discontinued"

Yeah yeah,I was in a rush!

You see, you didn't really say you actually wanted to buy some, sort of.......

There are others available, and the Studio 27 ones are still in stock in dusty shops. A quick search online / of eBay;

http://www.decalpool.com/dp009.htm

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FULL-SPONSOR-DECAL-TAMIY...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Full-markings-Decal-for-...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-12-MCLAREN-MP4-6-FOR-T...

[IroningMan]

Could you not have masked and painted the chevrons directly onto the bodywork at the same time as the rest of the flouro?

[dr_gn]

Red Firecracker said:

dr_gn said:

"discontinued"

Yeah yeah,I was in a rush!

You see, you didn't really say you actually wanted to buy some, sort of.......

There are others available, and the Studio 27 ones are still in stock in dusty shops. A quick search online / of eBay;

http://www.decalpool.com/dp009.htm

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FULL-SPONSOR-DECAL-TAMIY...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Full-markings-Decal-for-...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-12-MCLAREN-MP4-6-FOR-T...

I saw those last night, but I've never heard of the manufacturers. I like the look of the DecalPool set - the red 'looks' like it might be a half decent match, and you appear to get a set of new tyre stickers too.

I've emailed them to see how long it will take to get them from the USA.

BestBalsa prices are always good for a laugh if nothing else.

[dr_gn]

IroningMan said:

Could you not have masked and painted the chevrons directly onto the bodywork at the same time as the rest of the flouro?

I could, but that method gives me one chance to get it right, and too many opportunities to get it wrong! With decals you can at least move them around a bit, and even now if I decide they're too thick (and the new decal set is a good enough colour match) I can soon remove them.

[dr_gn]

I had a look at all the stuff I'd collected so far for these two MP4/6 models:



There's a lot, and it's not all there yet. I think I'll get some RB Motion nut/stud rivets for the main engine and transmission casings; the p/e heads supplied with the Top Studio kit just don't look as good.

I've ended up with a few duplicate parts form both Top Studio and TVF1; the rear dampers for example. In this case, I'd say the TVF1 items are superior, with a very nicely rendered pair of adjuster lock-rings (spring perches), complete with machined c-spanner notches, where the Top Studio item appears to have a single, stepped plain ring. OK, it's a small detail, but that's what it's about..right?

I also decided to try dismantling my original (now "kerbside") model a bit further. I managed to strip the cockpit, which is good, since I can now fully detail it without any access issues:



Despite the quality of the Top Studio Cockpit detail set, a couple of things appear to be missing: The brake balance knob, which is moulded-in rather crudely on the original kit, and the ride-height adjuster knob, which I think may have only been fitted to later versions of the car. Also a few rivets around the gear lever aperture, but that's easily sorted.

[dr_gn]

I've always been a bit skeptical about the scale designations of carbon fibre decals. To my eyes, the 1:12 stuff when applied to these models tends to make them look a bit toy like. Maybe it's the scale, maybe the contrast, maybe a combination. Anyway, I did a quick test:

I've got a Jordan 191 front wing flap:



Which on the underside is unpainted twill weave carbon fibre, typical of that used in '90's F1 cars:



This is 1:12 Scale Motorsport decal:



And 1:20 Scale Motorsport decal:



Based purely on the pitch of the weave, it looks like the 1:12 is actually more like 1:8, and the 1:20 more like 1:13.

Edited by dr_gn on Wednesday 30th March 17:32

[Red Firecracker]

I covet thy neighbours wingflap!

[dr_gn]

Red Firecracker said:

I covet thy neighbours wingflap!

Let's not bring my neighbours flaps into this...

[IroningMan]

I have one of these in my stash, so might well have an interest in any redundant parts from the detailing kits if/when you want to move them on.

[dr_gn]

IroningMan said:

I have one of these in my stash, so might well have an interest in any redundant parts from the detailing kits if/when you want to move them on.

I think a set of Top Studio turned dampers and some bits of photo etch will be about it, but I'll keep them together if you like.

[IroningMan]

dr_gn said:

IroningMan said:

I have one of these in my stash, so might well have an interest in any redundant parts from the detailing kits if/when you want to move them on.

I think a set of Top Studio turned dampers and some bits of photo etch will be about it, but I'll keep them together if you like.

If you would - thanks.