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Mike Dowling

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Everything posted by Mike Dowling

  1. Mike Dowling
    I don't know if this helps at all but I was new to soldering in respect to making models. I purchased for Toolzone in the UK their item no. HB288. It is a micro butane soldering iron and blow torch which you fill from an ordinary gas lighter refill. The soldering tip is removable so that you can use the device as either an iron or a torch. I have found the torch to be wonderful with a very small, very hot flame absolutely perfect for models. I found by lining up the pieces to be soldered, add a paste flux to exactly the place you want fixed, a tiny amount of solder which will stick to the flux, apply heat until the solder melts and hey presto, job done. I discovered that the solder will go exactly where the flux was placed which enabled me to do very small soldering work. Hope this helps.
  2. Mike Dowling
    An interesting way of building from the top down! I can't help feeling that the skipper of this vessel is going to have one hell of a headache by the time you have finished half a hull ! He must be getting dizzy already in his little wheel house.
  3. Mike Dowling
    Robin and everyone, I got it today ! The Revell basic airbrush kit you showed the picture of. So far I have managed to dismantle it, lubricate everything as shown on u tube and (!!!!) put it back together again ! Tomorrow I might see if it works !
  4. Mike Dowling
    Thank you for that but for me that requires an import with VAT etc etc and I'll wait and see what the one I ordered is like.
  5. Mike Dowling
    OK, OK I give in !! Thanks Robin for your suggestion. I found on today with a decent discount so it is on it's way to me. Watch this space !!
  6. Mike Dowling
    Amazing work, she is going to look splendid.
  7. Mike Dowling
    Thank you all very much for your comments/opinions/advice. You sure know how to put a bloke off!! It is so complicated I had no idea and by the time you have all the bits and pieces together rather expensive as well. I think I will be sticking to the good old paintbrush with the occasional interference from an aerosol spray paint. One day maybe I will explore some more!
  8. Mike Dowling
    I think I would like your job ! Lots of toys to play with and models to build - can't be bad. Thanks so much for your replies both to me and that on MSW. Something to think about anyway.
  9. Mike Dowling
    Thanks John, I had a look at the link you sent. I had no idea they were so complicated. I can see myself sticking with a paint brush!
  10. Mike Dowling
    Can anyone help with suggestions as to a good airbrush, not too expensive and easy to use for a novice in airbrushing ?
  11. Mike Dowling
    Great I thought, the paint has arrived. Indeed it has but it is totally the wrong colour!! Oh joy! So, covering all bases as it were I have now ordered some more paint (!!!!) and some matt varnish so that if all else fails I can go back and use my original paint and cover it with matt varnish. However this does cause even more delay and I did want to take advantage of the dreadful weather we are having.
  12. Mike Dowling
    Did you see ? There is another guy building the very same kit at the moment. You can swap tips!!
  13. Mike Dowling
    Thanks for that Roger but I can't seem to get it over here in the wilds of Northern Scotland!
  14. Mike Dowling
    I am going watch this as well Keith. Is it your own design?
  15. Mike Dowling
    Thank you Kurt for an informative reply, I am sure that will be useful to all. Roger, I really wasn't happy with my first 'paint job' as it looked dreadful. The problem I was having is that the deck pieces are marked with shallow laser lines indicating planks. If I sanded the joints between the deck sections too hard I removed the lines. After painting the joins still showed far too much so I took the risk and sanded it all back. In fact I managed to retain most of the lines probably because I had sealed the wood prior to painting and got rid of the horrid bumps I had left. My plan is to repaint having marked up some of the lines again with matt iron oxide coloured paint. If it still looks dreadful I still have the option to plank over the whole surface and start again. Unfortunately I don't possess and air brush and to be quite honest I don't have anywhere I could use one safely either so it will have to be a hand brush job applying several thin coats. Fingers crossed !! I am still waiting for the paint.
  16. Mike Dowling
    Hey Roger, did you notice that I sanded it all off?
  17. Mike Dowling
    Marv, I keep hoping I will win the lottery or something and but some really expensive toys like some Byrnes tools !!! I don't think it is going to happen but I still seem to spend too much on little bits and pieces ! Thanks Cathead, I seen to remember Kurt saying something about tar paper or similar. Perhaps if he is watching he will be kind enough to enlighten us. By the way, still waiting for the matt paint I have ordered so I am just doing some of the little bits that eventually will go on the deck.
  18. Mike Dowling
    Thanks Boyd, I am just trying to paint this model in colours true to the original but I do take your point and I often 'alter' the odd bit and piece to suit myself!! Not that it bothers me particularly but if I do have to plank the deck I will have to do the second as well at least. Strangely the top two decks are smooth in the kit but I am not knowledgeable enough to know how that could have been achieved on the original boat. Anyway, thanks for watching and I also reckon the plank size is OK.
  19. Mike Dowling
    Yes you are right my friend, it didn't look bad before I started painting it - except for the lumps of course !!!
  20. Mike Dowling
    Thanks Carl, I have just spent some time remarking the laser lines with a no11 blade and a very sharp pointy thin I have in my armoury and, it doesn't look too bad. SO, matt paint on order and I will try to paint it again knowing that if I muck it up I can always cover it !!! Thanks for all the comments everyone, I will try not to let you down !
  21. Mike Dowling
    Thank you very much Kurt for both the PM and your post. I have used the method you describe for locating holes etc when planking before so I understand exactly what you mean. I have bitten the beginning of the bullet as you will see by sanding the whole thing down rather severely and getting rid of that red paint where it would show. One of the reasons was the dog tooth joint, whilst it might not show much looked horrendous and I just couldn't live with it, also the horrid central bump I had at the prow. So, if nothing else the bumps have now gone. Unfortunately the process has also showed up the variation is laser marked lines and how feint they are in some parts and really strong in others. It occurs to me that I don't really have too plank the whole surface, only the parts that will show and what will be inside the cabins I could then just paint matt black. If I am going to paint rather than stain/varnish I must source some matt iron oxide paint. I bought satin finish without realsing. Anyway contributors, look what you have made me do ! Only joking, it's all my fault! Doesn't anyone know about beech wood ?
  22. Mike Dowling
    chborgm, sorry but I don't understand what you mean, I don't know what you mean by 'tabs'. Thanks for that cathead, that's about what I thought. Any ideas about beech wood anyone?
  23. Mike Dowling
    You sir are a gent! Yes I reckon I could get away with it but..........! No there are no plank ends, something else I don't like about it and I have already tried scoring across the wood but it tears rather than leaving nice ends. The scale of this model is 1:48 so, because I am no good at maths either, how long should scale planks be? Any ideas? I would reckon about 5 inches or 12 cms ?
  24. Mike Dowling
    Thanks for that Carl, I had been thinking about how to make a template in case and I like your suggestion. This kit, apart from the laser marked planks has a lot of guidelines to show were other pieces go later. That is partly why I didn't dare sand the deck any harder in the first place.
  25. Mike Dowling
    Hey guys, here are some pictures warts and all. I would like honest opinions please as to what I should do.

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