Modelling tips

[46and2]

Hi All

I have two questions about enamel washes over acrylic gloss.

I was using AK enamel panel liner wash yesterday and when removing the excess I used methylated spirits which seems to have removed the Vallejo gloss varnish under the wash but not the humbrol acrylic paint under that.

1. Would white spirit have been better, less agressive on the gloss varnish? (I couldn't get the bottle opened).
2. In future should I panel line on bare acrylic paint and then varnish?

[dr_gn]

46and2 said:

Hi All

I have two questions about enamel washes over acrylic gloss.

I was using AK enamel panel liner wash yesterday and when removing the excess I used methylated spirits which seems to have removed the Vallejo gloss varnish under the wash but not the humbrol acrylic paint under that.

1. Would white spirit have been better, less agressive on the gloss varnish? (I couldn't get the bottle opened).
2. In future should I panel line on bare acrylic paint and then varnish?

I've never heard of methylated spirits being used for removing enamel paint/wash. I don't think it's oil based, so if anything I'd expect it to remove acrylics but not enamels.

For removing oil based (enamel) washes, I always use generic "enamel thinners" bought from my LHS. This works on MiG and Tamiya washes.

I use Klear as an overcoat to the acrylic base, which is completely unaffected by the wash or the enamel thinners. That's my method that I've used for years. I would get some proper enamel thinners (or the solvent that MiG sell specifically for that) and do a test piece. When you're happy with the results, stick to that method for all your models.

If you don't overcoat with a clear coat, the bare paint finish is less robust, and prone to damage when you're messing about wiping the model and adding weathering. Also, if you apply it straight to matt acrylic, it can stain it rather than being able to be removed almost completely (as with on a clearcoat).

[46and2]

Thanks for the reply.

[46and2]

Just to follow up, I used the AK enamel panel line wash and then cleaned it off with low odour white spirit and that did the trick. It doesn't seem to have touched the Vallejo acrylic gloss underneath.

[dr_gn]

46and2 said:

Just to follow up, I used the AK enamel panel line wash and then cleaned it off with low odour white spirit and that did the trick. It doesn't seem to have touched the Vallejo acrylic gloss underneath.

That's good. Stick with that combination then.

[46and2]

Hi all, has anyone had any luck removing acrylic paint from a lacquer base coat? What chemicals are best?

I'm trying (struggling) with a Patrouille Suisse F5 tiger and the paint job requires a very sharp red / white scheme.

I over thinned the red acrylic and it wicked under my masking. I've managed to scrape a good bit off with a toothpick but there are still stubborn/stained bits.

Any suggestions from the masters would be greatly appreciated, if I can get most off i'm happy to reapply an overcoat of white lacquer.

[PH5121]

I was a keen model maker in my youth, and inspired by a trip last week to Ypres and the Somme have been to my local model shop and bought a couple of 1/35th Emhar WW1 British tank kits, (and a Tamiya Panther as it looked cheap at £15.00).

I've not made a model for over 35 years, but have bought various Tamiya kits when I've been in Hobbycraft as stuff I couldn't afford as a kid now looks cheap , and now have quite a stash to build (SAS jeep, Pink Panther Landie, Bren gun carrier, Tiger tank, Panther Tank, Panzer 3 plus numerous 1/72 scale planes, some from my childhood, others from my kids who never took to model making).

I've ordered some books about the tanks, and a Vallejo guide on weathering and airbrushing.
I've never airbrushed, but would like to learn to. I've read the comments on here about them, and once I've read the book on airbrushing I plan to buy one.

For now my question regards paints.
Things seem to have moved on from Humbrol enamels (which I stll have and are still usable). The chap in the model shop said that they'd stopped stocking Vallejo in favour of Tamiya.
Is there a brand which is better than the others? Or are they much of a muchness? Vallejo paints appeal to me as a novice as they sell sets themed to genres, ie, Allied tanks, German infantry, German armour etc

TIA

PH

[Prolex-UK]

PH5121 said:

I was a keen model maker in my youth, and inspired by a trip last week to Ypres and the Somme have been to my local model shop and bought a couple of 1/35th Emhar WW1 British tank kits, (and a Tamiya Panther as it looked cheap at £15.00).

I've not made a model for over 35 years, but have bought various Tamiya kits when I've been in Hobbycraft as stuff I couldn't afford as a kid now looks cheap , and now have quite a stash to build (SAS jeep, Pink Panther Landie, Bren gun carrier, Tiger tank, Panther Tank, Panzer 3 plus numerous 1/72 scale planes, some from my childhood, others from my kids who never took to model making).

I've ordered some books about the tanks, and a Vallejo guide on weathering and airbrushing.
I've never airbrushed, but would like to learn to. I've read the comments on here about them, and once I've read the book on airbrushing I plan to buy one.

For now my question regards paints.
Things seem to have moved on from Humbrol enamels (which I stll have and are still usable). The chap in the model shop said that they'd stopped stocking Vallejo in favour of Tamiya.
Is there a brand which is better than the others? Or are they much of a muchness? Vallejo paints appeal to me as a novice as they sell sets themed to genres, ie, Allied tanks, German infantry, German armour etc

TIA

PH

Welcome back!

On paints I like vallejo myself but NOT the model air type. Find no matter what i do I get blocked nozzles... Too thin too thick.

I use AK INTERACTIVE for air brushing with no problems.

There are lots of other types to investigate.

Am sure people with more experience will be along soon.

[Gary29]

PH5121 said:

For airbrushing, I use nothing other than Tamiya or Mr Color/Hobby. Thinned 50/50 (as a general rule of thumb) with levelling thinner and it all goes down perfect.

I've never got on with AK paint, so I haven't persisted with it.

[Stick Legs]

I use proper modelling paints when it matters but sometimes you just need to cover a big area, or just can’t be faffing around.

Halfords aerosols are very good, and available everywhere.

Here are my top picks:


Ford Polar Gray = RAF Camouflage/Barley Gray
Fiat Broom Yellow = RAF Trainer Yellow
Fiat Capri Blue = RAF Blue for Phantom tails and special schemes
Appliance White = Should be re-named V-Bomber White
Racking Grey Enamel = Light Aircraft Gray (paint last after all the acrylic colours)
Nissan Spark Silver = Bare aluminium
BMW Titan Silver = Painted silver (eg RAF HSS)
Red Primer + Gloss laquer = Chassis orangey red for truck kits
Red Primer = Gloss laquer = Antifoul red for ship kits
Vauxhall Reed Green aerosol is a perfect RAF interior green.


Games workshop make some brilliant aerosols too.

Chaos Black is a brilliant primer / matt Black.

Corax white is a very good primer or light grey such as the ‘white’ bits on US Navy F-4 / F-14 etc.

Hope this helps.

Edited by Stick Legs on Tuesday 14th November 14:26

[MBBlat]

Gary29 said:

For airbrushing, I use nothing other than Tamiya or Mr Color/Hobby. Thinned 50/50 (as a general rule of thumb) with levelling thinner and it all goes down perfect.

I've never got on with AK paint, so I haven't persisted with it.

Same here, except AK real colour are a similar formula to Tamiya/Mr Colour and go down just as well with Mr Levelling Thinner.

What I’ve recently discovered is that AK style acrylics works well for brush painting when used with a wet palette. The tank below was painted in Tamiya with AK used for the figure.

[PH5121]

MBBlat said:

Same here, except AK real colour are a similar formula to Tamiya/Mr Colour and go down just as well with Mr Levelling Thinner.

What I’ve recently discovered is that AK style acrylics works well for brush painting when used with a wet palette. The tank below was painted in Tamiya with AK used for the figure.

That is the kind of finish that I aspire to one day being able to achieve.

[robemcdonald]

I use a mix of different manufacturers, but mainly Tamiya and Vallejo.

[PH5121]

robemcdonald said:

I use a mix of different manufacturers, but mainly Tamiya and Vallejo.

Wow Rob, the painting of Sherman and the figures looks great.

[PH5121]

The airbrushing and weathering book has been delivered.
It's very comprehensive and looks like it will be ideal for a novice like me.

[46and2]

Hi all, I started an F-16 model a few months back but I've over done it with the paint, it's too thick and none of the surface detail is showing through. The trouble is that I did a good job on the gear bays and the cockpit, the cockpit is sealed by the canopy.

If I carefully apply oven cleaner to strip the paint from the outer fuselage and wings is there a chance it affect the gear bays and inside the cockpit?

Is there a neat way of stripping the paint? It's enamel.

[Stick Legs]

Model strip.

Takes everything off. Goes on like clay putty. Then leave overnight in a plastic bag.

Be very careful with the bits you want to keep, use something like Humbrol Maskol over them to protect.

https://www.emodels.co.uk/modelstrip-plastic-model...

https://www.marks-miniatures.com/en/humbrol-maskol...

[46and2]

Stick Legs said:

Model strip.

Takes everything off. Goes on like clay putty. Then leave overnight in a plastic bag.

Be very careful with the bits you want to keep, use something like Humbrol Maskol over them to protect.

https://www.emodels.co.uk/modelstrip-plastic-model...

https://www.marks-miniatures.com/en/humbrol-maskol...

Thanks, I'll have a look at these, the maskol would be useful for other stuff anyway.

[Stick Legs]

You are welcome.

Just be sure to wash it all off.

I used some hand soap & an old tooth brush to clean after use, then left the kit in the airing cupboard for a weekend to dry.

The only negative issue I had once was the canopy ended up with a water spot on the inside which I wasn’t brave enough to remove the canopy to polish out the water spot.

You say you are using enamels, brush or spray?

The only reason I ask is that a good primer can save yoh lots of paint & ensure a good coverage.

Halfords primer aerosol spray is good.

But black basing is an effective technique and especially on aircraft can help to enhance the complex curves.

War hammer make a fantastic black paint / primer in their Citadel range.

https://www.warhammer.com/en-GB/shop/Chaos-Black-S...

Great tutorial as well.

It’s never been a better time to be a modeller as the range of products & techniques are astonishing to someone who remembers the 1980’s.

[Eric Mc]

Even more for those who remember the 1960s!