Landlubber Mike

It’s logs like this that made me want to try plastic models. Incredible job!

Thanks! I ended up going with Tamiya. I’ll have to check out that resource.

Thanks guys! This has been a little bit of a pain. Maybe I'm overthinking it, but trying to go for the particular shade of Maizuru in the Vallejo realm is going to be harder than it looks without paint chips. I thought I found the answer in that conversion chart, but as rcmdrvr pointed out, the colors in that conversion chart refer to Vallejo Model Color, and not Model Air - doh! I found some paints in the Model Air range that look like close analogs to the Model Color paints, but comparing colors on a computer screen is probably not all that accurate. So, I think what I'm going to do is just go with the Tamiya paint (either the spray can or the bottle), and maybe pick up Vallejo colors and other items to add highlights and lowlights, weather it, etc. It's my first plastic model, so I'll try to go easy on myself.

Sorry to come with more questions. I ended up spending a few hours researching options for the various colors, etc. for my upcoming IJN Shimakaze build. The main hull color is "Maizuru Naval Arsenal." It looks like there are a few options I can use: (1) Mr Color SC03 (what the Hasegawa kit references), (2) Tamiya XF87 (bottle), (3) Tamiya TS-99 spray can, or (4) mix Vallejo French Mirage Blue (900) and Intermediate Blue (903) in 1:1 ratio according to this helpful Vallejo conversion chart: https://img.fireden.net/tg/image/1474/29/1474297046471.pdf There's also a Model Master Maizuru bottle that's available, but it looks like it's enamel and I want to stay water based for now. I'm still leaning towards sticking with Vallejo for the range and general availability of colors, but was wondering about the Tamiya spray can. I saw a video of someone who built I believe the same kit using Mr. Surfacer 1000 as primer, then only used Tamiya spray cans to apply colors. Are the Tamiya paint cans good, or since I'm getting an airbrush anyway, should I just go with bottles of paints that I can airbrush with a thinner line of paint? Also, if I decided to go with the Mr. Color or Tamiya paints instead of mixing Vallejo paints to get the same shade, would I be able to use Vallejo paints and weathering applications on top of the Tamiya? I'm going to be working on a Revell F-18 fighter with my daughter, and it seems much easier to collect the paints I need for that build through Vallejo (and so maybe I should just stick with Vallejo to the extend possible). Thanks in advance as always!

Thank you all, this has been incredibly helpful. Lazy Saint, I agree about the beauty of forums like this. Honestly, I can't fathom starting in this hobby (wood or plastic models) pre-internet. I fumble around quite a bit now - I can only imagine how much I'd fumble around if I was stuck trying to figure things out alone. So a big thank you again to everyone for their generosity of time to share their experience and techniques!

Kurt and Craig, thanks very much! This is incredibly helpful. Of course I now have some follow-on questions if you don't mind: 1. If you prime the PE while on the fret using something like the Tamiya spray primer, once you remove a particular part from the fret, do you need to touch up that one spot where the part attached with primer? If so, do you have to use a brush-on primer? Or are the spots where attached so small that you are usually ok? 2. If I'm going to be priming PE frets and something like a plane or a ship's hull (or superstructure) for for 1/350 model, is it easier to just go with a Tamiya rattle can? Or is that thicker than priming through the airbrush? 3. Any recommendations on whether to start out going with Tamiya versus Vallejo? Thinking practically, it looks like I can pick up sets of Vallejo paints through Amazon prime, whereas Tamiya is on a bottle by bottle basis which might come from Japan. On that basis I might just try starting with Vallejo unless Tamiya is much better? 4. I'm assuming that if I decide to go with Vallejo for paints, I can still use a Tamiya primer? From the little I understand, it seems like you should stick within a brand when using thinners with paints, but seems like primers can be different from the paints. Really appreciate all the help. It's a little overwhelming starting out, when I've barely used paint on the wooden model ships except for Admiralty paints (and never thinned them), and used Testors enamels decades ago straight from the bottle when I did plastic models as a kid. This looks fun, especially with airbrushing, weathering, etc.

This is really helpful Lazy Saint, appreciate it! Love your planes! My daughter and I just started working on an F/A-18E from Revell and I hope our work turns out half as nice as yours! I ended up sourcing a bunch of PE and other add-ons so I think the kit has potential to come out pretty nicely. Couple of more questions if you don't mind: 1. Should I clean or pre-treat the photo-etch as well? Is there residue, etc. that needs to come off? What is usually recommended for that? 2. For paints, should you always use thinner regardless of whether you are hand painting or airbrushing? I guess what I'm wondering is, if you are using something like Vallejo Model Air which can be used in the airbrush straight from the bottle, do you have to then thicken it for hand brushing? Or do you just do extra coats if hand brushing? Thanks again!

I actually kinda like it with the dark wood 😛 Either are great kits, especially if you upgrade the Fly kit (I went with the Pegasus for the figurehead). You can get plans for either ship from the NMM if you want to build a more accurate model. The Pegasus is close to being spot on, but there are a few changes I made to my deck and bitts to conform to the NMM plans.

Ikea has a few good variable height desks. There is one with a hand crank and one with an electric crank. A friend of mine has the hand crank one and likes it (I believe he fixed his own top to it also). Based on his recommendation, I drove out to Ikea and looked at the tables. I ended up deciding on a different table that I believe was a little larger, that you can manually raise up and down (but not by crank). I didn't see the need to be regularly adjusting the height of the table - probably just to lower it when doing final rigging - so why spend the extra money for the hand crank one. Take a look at the reviews if you're interested in the electric one - a lot of reviewers ended up having problems with it, which scared me away from that model. It could just be that they overloaded the table and overworked the motor. It didn't seem to be a system designed for heavier work, and the one in the store seemed to have issues. People at my office have electric desks and those seem much more robust when it comes to the motor, etc. I'd probably go with a heavier duty model if I wanted an electric crank.

Thanks guys, this is really helpful. I really appreciate it!

I’m going to try my hand at plastic models and had some questions about how to approach painting plastic and PE add-ons. I’m still in the process of figuring out an airbrush, but intend to do as much with an airbrush (or rattle can?) as possible. I’ve been reading lots of build logs and other resources online, but am still a bit confused with the basics. 1. Cleaning PE? Does the PE need to be cleaned before using? Any recommendations on what to use? And do folks clean a PE sheet at a time, rather than clean individual pieces? 2. Prime both PE and plastic? I’m assuming it’s best to prime PE, but do you also have to prime plastic? The PE add-ons for my kit are so small (gratings have openings that seem the size of a strand of hair) - any recommendations for super thin primers? 3. General recommendations of paint and primer brands to use? I’ve used Vallejo in the past and liked them, and saw that they had a Model Air line that I think can be used directly in airbrushes without thinning. Is Vallejo Model Air good? Tamiya? Other brands? Also, any recommendations on primers? 4. How to find colors? I saw some kits refer to certain colors. Is there a resource that says Brand A’s paint X is comparable to the shade of Brand B’s paint Y? Any resources on typical paints/colors used for modern fighters and WWII Japanese ships? 5. Sealing painted parts? How do you guys seal your models? Do you use a spray can to spray it down at the end? Or so you seal as you go by brush? 6. Weathering decals? Are there ways to weather decals? In some cases they seem awfully bright if you’re going to weather the rest of the model. 7. Gluing PE to PE or plastic? Any recommendations on gluing PE to PE? PE to plastic? I have CA, and just order some Gator Glue. For plastic to plastic, I have some Testor’s glue and Tamiya Cement. Many was thanks in advance!

So I’ve decided to go to the true “dark side” and try out a plastic model with infinitesimal PE add-ons. Can anyone recommend a good optivisor? There are a million on Amazon so thought I’d ask around here first. I don’t mind spending a little extra to get something of better quality. Thanks in advance!

Joe, what a beautiful build! Congratulations! What's next? Hope you are feeling better. Best wishes to you.

Looking good. I think it takes a hull under one’s belt to appreciate what goes into nice planking. For straighter plank ends, you could look into getting something like a Chop-It or use something like a disc sander. I have the Chopper from Northwest Short Line that is pretty helpful: https://www.amazon.com/Northwest-Short-Line-Chopper-II/dp/B004P3SRI0 Love the name by the way...

Really nice work Kevin! What PE sets did you get? I just got back from vacation and the Shimakaze was waiting for me. I’m going through the kit now. Seems fairly straightforward. I got the Hasegawa PE set, Hasegawa linoleum deck, and the Infini Detail Up set. There is a little overlap between the two PE sets but man, the Infini set has really amazing upgrades. My guess is that I’ll need glasses with one or two steps of higher prescription when I’m done with it.

You can buy metal and other decorations from Euromodel.

Nice progress! Love the Mogami - what an interesting subject!

No, but I'd probably at least need a keg orator

Looks really awesome! A 63" finished kit would have my wife making me live in the garage though.

No Idea and Kurt, many thanks for your insights. Really appreciate it! No Idea, sorry to have missed your post from earlier today.

Thanks Jack that looks great! Like the fact that it collapses - I was a bit worried about trying to find a place to store one of those box-type ones.

Very cool! This PE and other add-on stuff is a whole new world from the plastic models I build as a kid. I went with wood models because I didn't want to do the insert tab A into slot B thing, but now with the accessories, books on the modeling subjects, etc., this looks like a lot of fun. Then again, after looking at some of the PE pieces being hair thin, maybe I'm just a masochist. For the Shimakaze, I ordered the Hasegawa detail set and the linoleum deck. I also ordered an Infini Detail Up set for it - was very hard to find the kit, but found it for a reasonable price from a seller in the UK. I also bought the Top Drawings and Super Drawings in 3D for the Shimakaze just to torture myself a little more.

Nice Javlin, I'm in for the ride on this one. I looked at this kit but ended up going with the Hasegawa Shimakaze (also a Japanese destroyer) for my first plastic model.

Thanks again for all the tips and resources, very helpful! I'm leaning towards just going Iwata for both the airbrush and the compressor. The Iwata compressor I'm looking at is not the most inexpensive, but it gets good reviews and seems to be a quality product. Like most tools, I just prefer to spend more on quality and hopefully only have to buy once. Couple of follow on questions if people don't mind: 1. Any dealers of Iwata products in the US that people will recommend? Everyone seems to generally have the items for the same price that Amazon carries them, but I get a little nervous buying things like these on Amazon when there is a risk that the sellers might be selling counterfeit products. 2. If I'm doing scale ship models, do I need to buy a spray booth? I can see buying one when painting smaller parts of the model, but when it comes to painting a hull that's 20-30+ inches, what do people do aside from spray outside? Thanks in advance! Mike

Very nice work! Thanks for sharing. I have one that I'm working on, need to get back on it.