Mercator
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Everything posted by Mercator
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What about the weight used by divers, I was able to find them cheap at garage sale. But that is in the US and at a landlocked State where most people had no clue what they were used for.
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- Union Steamship Company
- Stepcraft 840
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Welcome from an expatriate from Belgique, Bruxelles.
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Spray booth are to redirect fumes and paint overspray (trapped in the filter), wood dust will clog the filter and overtaxe the motor. A shop vac would be a better option.I build a booth that I connected to a quiet shop vac, Freud and Festool make some excellent quiet one but they are$$$$$$$ but a "silent" shopvac would be the way to go in an apartment.
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Beautiful work and welcome to the site from a next door neighbor.
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Primer is for better adhesion, this is not necessary with wood specially if you are using acrylic. Myself I use a wood sealer (acrylic bases) called Americana by DecoArt less than $10 for 236ml (8fl oz). I used two different ways, first try I used to seal the wood and then paint, the second time I used the sealer to thin the paint. Both time I had great results, used Vallejo paint. I also found out that Vallejo "Game colors" have better coverage. The sealer is cheap enough that you can experiment without breaking the bank.
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How many kits do you have on the go at the moment?
Mercator replied to CaptnBirdseye's topic in Wood ship model kits
Well, just finished a Vanguard Fifie, a Teutonic Knight on horseback and working on a WWI German tank with full interior. Also finished a display case for the Fifie. My plans are to complete the WWI tank in a diorama (will include water!) or should I say a vignette. Next will be the Vanguard Nisha and a display case then a 90 mm Ramses II with his chariot and 2 horses. Like to jump from wood to styrene then metal. Those Vanguard fishing boats are great for a beginner like myself, the Nisha has a couple runs of ratlines, just enough for practice without going crazy. -
Waterslide Decal Paper
Mercator replied to hof00's topic in Painting, finishing and weathering products and techniques
I am using home made water slide decals for some very complicated heraldic design on a medieval Teutonic Knight Standard bearer on horseback. I am using blank water slide decal paper and a Canon Pixma photo printer with the cartridges for photo printing ( CLI are the cartridge for photo and PGI are the one for regular printing). I download the design I want then reduce it to the correct dimension. When it come to apply the decal, use warm water, trim as close as possible from the design, apply over a gloss surface (you can apply a dulcoat later) also good to use a decal solution such as micro sol and micro set so it conform and adhere well to the surface on which you apply the decal. Be aware of the law in your country concerning the reproduction of printed material. I am not using any commercial reproduced heraldic design but what is available on the Teutonic Order website. -
Hello JayBee, I am myself a long time and could say an experienced modeler. Styrene and resin ships (some of them heavily modified). Airplanes and the occasional armored vehicle (WWI tanks with interior), figurines mostly medieval and Napoleonic. But wooden ship models is a new ball game and I started last year myself. I would recommend something simple to start with good instructions. Myself I started with a Vanguard fishing boat, it allowed me to practice on planking (double planking), painting wood, "easy" rigging, finding out the different tools that I need, and a lot of posted material of modelers who build the same model with good advices. Indeed I was interested by such ship as the Bounty or Endeavor but resisted the temptation and I do not regret my choice.
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Welcome from the Far West. Like yourself I started with plastic and resin kits. Myself I am also new to theof the hobby (wood instead of styrene) and this is a great site to get advises, there are also great tutorial on YouTube.
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Welcome aboard from a fellow Belgian living in the Far West of the US. Visited the "old country" with my wife and stepdaughter 3 years ago. They loved the sites, the beers, the frites, and of course the mussels! Everyone we met was very nice and helpful.
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Tamiya and Vallejo have good primers. Tamiya use spray cans, Vallejo primers (white, grey and black) can be applied with a paint brush. Tamiya cannot be applied very easily with a paint brush and will frustrate you. So my advise use Vallejo for the paint they hand brush very well,they ship very easily being acrylic. Heller plastic need to be primed if yours acrylic paints, you will have a much better adhesion and a smoother finish, specially if you hand paint.
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Welcome to the site. There are several of us in the Boise area that have formed a small club with similar interests. Some are experienced modelers while others are beginners. We meet every last Wednesday of the month at 13:30 at the Church of the Nazarene in Eagle on the old State Street. Sometimes the meetings is canceled due to the room being used for Church functions (so far everything is ok for this month). Hope you can make it. USMC late 70's to early 80's.
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What paint brushes to get?
Mercator replied to Ed Gibbons's topic in Modeling tools and Workshop Equipment
Ed, I cannot afford the costly sable paint brushes but I have been happy with some of the middle range paint brushes. I look for discount at my local art supply store. One advise is that only use a specific brush for a type of paint, ex. do not use the same brush for enamel or acrylic. Also good maintenance will go a long way. I clean the brush with "The Masters Brush Cleaner and Preserver" after each uses. I paint figures (new in the ship modeling arena) and use mostly the following brands. Of course much of the work I do is painting fine details. I use lacquer primer (on metal figures), a first coat of acrylic then oil for depth and shadows. Vallejo and Mig for acrylic and Windsor Newton or Rembrandt for oil. Occasionally I use Humbrol (matt enamel) Windsor Newton serie 233 and Loen-Cornel 795 for paint brushes. Hope it helps. Presently struggling with the Artesiana Latina Botter (do not have instructions). -
How to install pedestal stands
Mercator replied to LMDAVE's topic in Modeling tools and Workshop Equipment
I use lamp filial if the keel is not wide enough I have cut/filed a grove in the filial to adapt the keel. They are brass so not too hard. Another solution is to use stainless or brass wire and use epoxy. -
Hello Dimitris, glad you joined, a lot of resources and great modelers. From the Far West of the US by way of Belgium.
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Gorgeous and beautifully engineered kit. Being new to the hobby (wood models) only two "simple" kits done, I will try my skills at one of the fishing boats first. Maybe both of them. The Sphinx would be the pinnacle of my modeling endeavor. Love the inclusion of PE parts having a lot of practice using it with styrene models.
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The first thing that comes to my mind is , why? Squadron was a nice place to shop many, many years ago. Then it went downhill fast by selling items that were not related to the hobby while hobby related items became less available. Then they had the gimmick "ready for order". Squadron acquired a very bad reputations and finally went bankrupt. For us ship modelers (wood, plastic, and resin) Squadron never was a go to place. I do which Chris good luck in his endeavor, I do not like to see people fail, he is a smart guy and appear to be savvy in this type of business. But I am still puzzled, it would be like Ford spending millions to launch a new car model and call it the Edsel.
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Air brush vs paint & brush
Mercator replied to jefferyt's topic in Painting, finishing and weathering products and techniques
I have done many types of models, medieval figures , WWI airplanes, horses, and of course many types of naval subjects. Both paint brushes and airbrushes have their use and I use both. You buy a single action airbrush (a good one) for less than $100, the expensive side is the compressor. For wood models (only 2 so far) I have not needed an airbrush. Tamiya paints in spray cans are amazing, make sure you keep the can warm, put the can in a cup with warm water over one of those cup warmer, makes the paint flow better. Just like the Seems ok to me (cute cat, I like those orange boys) you van achieve amazing results with oil paints and acrylic washes. There is another technique by which you change the hue bu over painting with a very diluted color (10% paint 90% thinner). -
Crack filling technique
Mercator replied to Don Case's topic in Building, Framing, Planking and plating a ships hull and deck
I have problems when mixing glue and wood dust, do you add anything to the glue such as soapy water? -
Hello from Northern California Foothills
Mercator replied to bobandlucy's topic in New member Introductions
Welcome, this is a great site for any ship/boat modeler. My brother in law reside in Gardnerville and we drive through the Sierras often to visit family in the bay area. -
Welcome to MSW. Myself I joined this year and finished my first model. Modeling of any kind is a great and in the long run a inexpensive hobby. Like yourself I have teached myself woodworking on 1:1 scale project, my last one was a custom cabinet for my modeling tools, paints, etc... A long time modelers of styrene (sound better than plastic!) models and metal figurines.
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I am speechless, amazing work very original and great display. Myself having great interest in the medieval world I can only applaud the research and the and the way you approached the build. Hope to see more of your work.
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I am a long time modelers, strictly styrene and resin. Ships airplanes and armor (WWI). Did a lots of figures (medievals). Lately decided to try my hands at something new. So I set my sight on the Artesiana Latina Swift (the older one). A wonderful kit for beginners, within two months it was completed. Made mistakes but learn from it and was happy with the end result. A neighbor was impressed with the model and gave me the Artesiana Latina Zuiderzee Blotter that he found in his attic. Some of the parts are missing so as the instructions. Challenging but again very rewarding when I find a solution. Those are small and easy to display, also by having a relatively easier kit that you can complete is rewarding and encouraging. As a newcomer my recommendations are, start something simple that you can complete, simple rigging, use your newly acquired knowledge to by appropriate tools, do not get discouraged the learning curve can be steep!
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I have purchased several of their kits. Interesting subjects but poor to not existent quality control. The resin detail parts are mostly useless and there are much filling to do on the hull. They replace defective parts. The PE is very good. Long hulls are usually "banana boats" because of their shape. If you are interested in good quality resin kits Kombrig are available in 1/700 and 1/350, sadly the new rep in the US does not seems interested in maintaining their stock. If you can get one of the YS ships they are exquisite but sadly not in production anymore.
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Why do some manufacturers make single plank kits?
Mercator replied to Meriadoc Brandybuck's topic in Wood ship model kits
As a newcomer to the hobby I will go for double planking. It offers me the opportunity to be able to practice twice on the same model. I do need a lot of practice!
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