F1 - Leyton House CG901B (1/20) - Progress Pics
Captain Mark
10-24-2005, 07:52 PM
Tamiya 1/20 Leyton House CG901B
Howdy all,
Time to give this beautiful blue machine a third attempt…
As you can see from the pic below I’ve tried a couple of times before (looong ago), with various levels of success or lack thereof. At least I’ve got a bunch of spares that will, and have already, come in handy!
I plan on doing a few little “extra’s” to this kit. I’ll be using Bare Metal Foil for the first time, as well as some Carbon Fiber decals also. I’ll also be chopping up suspension springs and scratch building something a bit better than what the kit offers. I’m not sure about engine plumbing and wiring yet, as reference pics are hard to come by, and this is a skill I’ve yet to learn.
Anyway, on with some pics.
Previous attempts…
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH01.jpg
I’ll also be using aftermarket decals from Museum Collection. These also come with somewhat dodgy looking seatbelt “ribbons”, and some photoetch belt parts. I’m not happy with these, so will be buying another aftermarket seatbelt set.
I’m of two minds about Museum Collection… the first set of these decals I had came with HUGE holes in the decals! Apparently this was within acceptable standards for MC, so they wouldn’t replace them… WTF! The online store I dealt with did replace them however… with a set that the ink has run on! Again… WTF! Other MC decals I’ve bought however have been fine, so I dunno. Just the luck of the draw I suppose. Still, if I can avoid MC in the future I defintely will.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH02.jpg
Now to get the building started… and there are some problems to fix right off the bat. You’ll notice on the following picture where the nose doesn’t fit correctly onto the cockpit section. Dodgy, and easy to see in person, but fixable with some stuffing around.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH03.jpg
The most effective way to fix this I believe is to glue the two halves of the cockpit together first, then glue the nose on , and sand it all flush – this presents more challenges…
The suspension arm in the following pic is virtually impossible to insert when the cockpit is glued together…
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH04.jpg
So… we have to chop it up!
Simply cut away the small “sticky-outty-bits” you see in the yellow circles, and it’s problem solved! The piece can be put in place when the cockpit is glued, and this doesn’t appear to cause any structural problems. I’ve had the luxury of testing this on two previous kits remember, so I’m confident in this fix so far.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH05.jpg
There’s only one other suspension piece that needs cutting, which you can see in the following pic. I recommend that once the cockpit and nose is glued, painted and polished, that you THEN put this suspesion piece in place and use some super glue to glue it back together. Otherwise you’ll have a hell of a time (or it may be impossible) if you’ve put the seat in and glued it all to the floorpan.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH06.jpg
Before the nose goes on though, I had to make the bottom of the cockpit thinner so there was a better fit to the nose. I managed this by wedging a piece of 240grit sandpaper in as you can see in the following pic, and sanding away, test fitting the nose at regular intervals. Note, for those who may try this, that one side needs sanding more than the other – pay attention to this, and note the side my sandpaper is sanding in the pic!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH07.jpg
And finally the nose goes on… a coat of Tamiya Coral Blue… some polishing and rubbing back…
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH08.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH09.jpg
For those of you not yet converted to sanding your F1 tires, this is what you’re missing out on. I used 240 and 400grit sandpaper to sand this section for simple demonstration of how much better it can look. You may also want to mount the tire on a drill and spin it round on some sandpaper – it’s a lot quicker this way, and more fun!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH10.jpg
Next it was time to finish the floorpan. A quick coat of black first up, and then tearing my hair out trying to paint the silver heat shield sections. In the end I gave up and ordered some Bare Metal Foil (matte aluminium). I used Tamiya masking tape to cover the exact area on the floorpan I wanted to have covered with the BMF. I then took the tape off the floorplan and put it onto the BMF sheet.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH11.jpg
Once this was done I cut neatly around the masking tape template I’d made, and CAREFULLY peeled it from the BMF. (PRACTISE THIS FIRST!!!) Luckily I had the luxury of practising on one of the old Leyton House floorpans I’d started yonks ago. Ultimately though, the BMF lifts off the part easily if you stuff it up, but the main trick is not tearing the BMF while handling, and laying it down without creases in it.
And the finished floorpan…
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH12.jpg
Hope you’re all enjoying it so far. Comments always welcome.
Next I’ll be tackling the green areas on the rear wing, nose and cowl, and will have my first attempts at laying down some CF decals.
Cheers all,
Mark
Howdy all,
Time to give this beautiful blue machine a third attempt…
As you can see from the pic below I’ve tried a couple of times before (looong ago), with various levels of success or lack thereof. At least I’ve got a bunch of spares that will, and have already, come in handy!
I plan on doing a few little “extra’s” to this kit. I’ll be using Bare Metal Foil for the first time, as well as some Carbon Fiber decals also. I’ll also be chopping up suspension springs and scratch building something a bit better than what the kit offers. I’m not sure about engine plumbing and wiring yet, as reference pics are hard to come by, and this is a skill I’ve yet to learn.
Anyway, on with some pics.
Previous attempts…
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH01.jpg
I’ll also be using aftermarket decals from Museum Collection. These also come with somewhat dodgy looking seatbelt “ribbons”, and some photoetch belt parts. I’m not happy with these, so will be buying another aftermarket seatbelt set.
I’m of two minds about Museum Collection… the first set of these decals I had came with HUGE holes in the decals! Apparently this was within acceptable standards for MC, so they wouldn’t replace them… WTF! The online store I dealt with did replace them however… with a set that the ink has run on! Again… WTF! Other MC decals I’ve bought however have been fine, so I dunno. Just the luck of the draw I suppose. Still, if I can avoid MC in the future I defintely will.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH02.jpg
Now to get the building started… and there are some problems to fix right off the bat. You’ll notice on the following picture where the nose doesn’t fit correctly onto the cockpit section. Dodgy, and easy to see in person, but fixable with some stuffing around.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH03.jpg
The most effective way to fix this I believe is to glue the two halves of the cockpit together first, then glue the nose on , and sand it all flush – this presents more challenges…
The suspension arm in the following pic is virtually impossible to insert when the cockpit is glued together…
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH04.jpg
So… we have to chop it up!
Simply cut away the small “sticky-outty-bits” you see in the yellow circles, and it’s problem solved! The piece can be put in place when the cockpit is glued, and this doesn’t appear to cause any structural problems. I’ve had the luxury of testing this on two previous kits remember, so I’m confident in this fix so far.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH05.jpg
There’s only one other suspension piece that needs cutting, which you can see in the following pic. I recommend that once the cockpit and nose is glued, painted and polished, that you THEN put this suspesion piece in place and use some super glue to glue it back together. Otherwise you’ll have a hell of a time (or it may be impossible) if you’ve put the seat in and glued it all to the floorpan.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH06.jpg
Before the nose goes on though, I had to make the bottom of the cockpit thinner so there was a better fit to the nose. I managed this by wedging a piece of 240grit sandpaper in as you can see in the following pic, and sanding away, test fitting the nose at regular intervals. Note, for those who may try this, that one side needs sanding more than the other – pay attention to this, and note the side my sandpaper is sanding in the pic!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH07.jpg
And finally the nose goes on… a coat of Tamiya Coral Blue… some polishing and rubbing back…
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH08.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH09.jpg
For those of you not yet converted to sanding your F1 tires, this is what you’re missing out on. I used 240 and 400grit sandpaper to sand this section for simple demonstration of how much better it can look. You may also want to mount the tire on a drill and spin it round on some sandpaper – it’s a lot quicker this way, and more fun!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH10.jpg
Next it was time to finish the floorpan. A quick coat of black first up, and then tearing my hair out trying to paint the silver heat shield sections. In the end I gave up and ordered some Bare Metal Foil (matte aluminium). I used Tamiya masking tape to cover the exact area on the floorpan I wanted to have covered with the BMF. I then took the tape off the floorplan and put it onto the BMF sheet.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH11.jpg
Once this was done I cut neatly around the masking tape template I’d made, and CAREFULLY peeled it from the BMF. (PRACTISE THIS FIRST!!!) Luckily I had the luxury of practising on one of the old Leyton House floorpans I’d started yonks ago. Ultimately though, the BMF lifts off the part easily if you stuff it up, but the main trick is not tearing the BMF while handling, and laying it down without creases in it.
And the finished floorpan…
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH12.jpg
Hope you’re all enjoying it so far. Comments always welcome.
Next I’ll be tackling the green areas on the rear wing, nose and cowl, and will have my first attempts at laying down some CF decals.
Cheers all,
Mark
Zurbert82
10-25-2005, 12:06 AM
Awesome, I can't wait to watch the progress on this as I have one on the shelf waiting to be built :) Looks like you are off to a good start, as you have some experience :-D
mickbench
10-25-2005, 03:58 AM
Mark,
Good luck with the rebuild. Should be a little less stressful then the BAR hopefully…
Keep us posted of any updates etc..
Good luck with the rebuild. Should be a little less stressful then the BAR hopefully…
Keep us posted of any updates etc..
mic329
10-25-2005, 07:56 PM
You've got a good start and keep it up :D
Mikusen
Mikusen
robrex
10-26-2005, 01:32 AM
great start!
Captain Mark
10-26-2005, 05:48 AM
Thanks for the positive words guys!
I've been test fitting a few parts, and thought I'd once again help feed everyone's need for eye-candy. Nothing too dramatic here just yet, but some generally nice pics all the same.
I've completed most of the nose and cockpit, except for the CF decals. For better or worse, I've clear coated it in Tamiya enamel clear (having used Coral Blue lacquer and Green enamels for top coats). As you'll see I've actually got a very good glossy clear coat on, so am debating whether or not to actually polish it up. It's not quite mirror smooth when you look at it in person, but it photographs very well. We'll see how lucky I feel a few weeks down the track as to whether I break out the compound and 12000 grit sandpaper...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH13.jpg
I had some problems with the hi-tech decals (I think that's the correct term), in that once they set, I pulled up the protective film and the yellow BP decal came with it! I think all the MicroSol I used was still doing it's work actually.
Lesson: make sure you leave the decals for quite a while, say at least a day, before pulling the protective film off these kinds of advanced decals.
As part of the yellow decal was ruined, I was forced to cut small sections from the kit decal (MUCH lesser quality) and jigsaw it all back together over the aftermarket decal. It actually came up much better than expected, especially after the clear coat!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH14.jpg
And the engine has been started also. The center metallic grey section is perhaps a bit too metallic, and a bit too grey... but these engines are so sparse at the best of times, unless a LOT of detail work is done, so I added a bit more metallic grey for a greater contrast of colours and hopefully a better looking engine.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH15.jpg
I'm debating whether or not to put a wash over the engine or not - I figure these engines don't get very dirty at any point, but then a slight wash may help to bring some details out. We'll see.
I'm also starting to plan what plumbing and detail work I'll be doing. I've got a number of engine pics for reference, but they're all a bit dodgy, so we'll see. Although even if I get a few things incorrect, there's very few people on the planet who will be able to tell me I'm wrong... hehehe
I'm actually REALLY enjoying this kit! Everything seems to be going right... for once. Not like that resin dog I've now banished to the darkest reaches of my cupboard!
Lets hope this successful trend continues for the entire build!
All comments very much appreciated.
Cheers for now!
M
I've been test fitting a few parts, and thought I'd once again help feed everyone's need for eye-candy. Nothing too dramatic here just yet, but some generally nice pics all the same.
I've completed most of the nose and cockpit, except for the CF decals. For better or worse, I've clear coated it in Tamiya enamel clear (having used Coral Blue lacquer and Green enamels for top coats). As you'll see I've actually got a very good glossy clear coat on, so am debating whether or not to actually polish it up. It's not quite mirror smooth when you look at it in person, but it photographs very well. We'll see how lucky I feel a few weeks down the track as to whether I break out the compound and 12000 grit sandpaper...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH13.jpg
I had some problems with the hi-tech decals (I think that's the correct term), in that once they set, I pulled up the protective film and the yellow BP decal came with it! I think all the MicroSol I used was still doing it's work actually.
Lesson: make sure you leave the decals for quite a while, say at least a day, before pulling the protective film off these kinds of advanced decals.
As part of the yellow decal was ruined, I was forced to cut small sections from the kit decal (MUCH lesser quality) and jigsaw it all back together over the aftermarket decal. It actually came up much better than expected, especially after the clear coat!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH14.jpg
And the engine has been started also. The center metallic grey section is perhaps a bit too metallic, and a bit too grey... but these engines are so sparse at the best of times, unless a LOT of detail work is done, so I added a bit more metallic grey for a greater contrast of colours and hopefully a better looking engine.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH15.jpg
I'm debating whether or not to put a wash over the engine or not - I figure these engines don't get very dirty at any point, but then a slight wash may help to bring some details out. We'll see.
I'm also starting to plan what plumbing and detail work I'll be doing. I've got a number of engine pics for reference, but they're all a bit dodgy, so we'll see. Although even if I get a few things incorrect, there's very few people on the planet who will be able to tell me I'm wrong... hehehe
I'm actually REALLY enjoying this kit! Everything seems to be going right... for once. Not like that resin dog I've now banished to the darkest reaches of my cupboard!
Lets hope this successful trend continues for the entire build!
All comments very much appreciated.
Cheers for now!
M
Sennake
10-26-2005, 06:08 AM
Looking good! I have that kit somewhere on my "to do" stockpile so obviously I'm gonna follow this thread closely...
Sennake
10-26-2005, 06:13 AM
You may also want to mount the tire on a drill and spin it round on some sandpaper – it’s a lot quicker this way, and more fun!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH10.jpg
Be very careful with that! I used this method a few years ago and before you know it, the diameter of the tires is to small, because the drill takes away the material very fast! I prefer to sand the tires manually...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH10.jpg
Be very careful with that! I used this method a few years ago and before you know it, the diameter of the tires is to small, because the drill takes away the material very fast! I prefer to sand the tires manually...
mickbench
10-26-2005, 09:50 AM
Looks great, top job on the paint work. What are high tech decals? Not heard of them before. I'll have to do a search and see what those are.
Sanded tyres do look a lot better. I didn't sand my RA272 tyres, as they looked good already, but I'm currently (well trying to) buidling a C5-R and I will sand the tyres on this, no doubt about it..
Keep up the great work.
Sanded tyres do look a lot better. I didn't sand my RA272 tyres, as they looked good already, but I'm currently (well trying to) buidling a C5-R and I will sand the tyres on this, no doubt about it..
Keep up the great work.
Captain Mark
10-27-2005, 07:04 AM
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH. ..!!!
I can't believe it... I've managed to work around all the small issues I've had with the Museum Collection decals, until now. Long story short, they printed a large engine cowling decal slightly out of shape, and missing a vital slice so it could conform properly.
Unfortunately I only picked it after about 45 minutes of pushing and proding, lots of Micro-Sol, etc... the end result is a decal that's set incorrectly with creases in it, and paint work that's slightly ruined around decal.
I'm not even angry anymore, just REALLY dissappointed, and a little bitter at MC for such woeful decals I handed over my money for. I'm just stunned that they've made such glaring errors! And the decals aren't exactly cheap either!
Anyway, I'm going to forget the engine cowling for now, even though I've got another primed and ready to top-coat. I'm going to continue with the build - I figure if I'm forced to delay the cowling for so long and display the model without it, then I'll just have to put more effort into detailing the engine!
In the spirit of looking for the positive I'm going to post some pics of the rear wing end plates I've recently finished. It's not much, but it'll make me feel better... [grin]
Cheers all,
M
I can't believe it... I've managed to work around all the small issues I've had with the Museum Collection decals, until now. Long story short, they printed a large engine cowling decal slightly out of shape, and missing a vital slice so it could conform properly.
Unfortunately I only picked it after about 45 minutes of pushing and proding, lots of Micro-Sol, etc... the end result is a decal that's set incorrectly with creases in it, and paint work that's slightly ruined around decal.
I'm not even angry anymore, just REALLY dissappointed, and a little bitter at MC for such woeful decals I handed over my money for. I'm just stunned that they've made such glaring errors! And the decals aren't exactly cheap either!
Anyway, I'm going to forget the engine cowling for now, even though I've got another primed and ready to top-coat. I'm going to continue with the build - I figure if I'm forced to delay the cowling for so long and display the model without it, then I'll just have to put more effort into detailing the engine!
In the spirit of looking for the positive I'm going to post some pics of the rear wing end plates I've recently finished. It's not much, but it'll make me feel better... [grin]
Cheers all,
M
mickbench
10-27-2005, 03:13 PM
Ah now I bet that has really peeved you... You buy what you think are better decals, and they are not..
These upgrades to F1 cars etc are not cheap.. I've paid £50 for a Tamiya F1 2000 super detail kit, and the FW24 is even more..!! Tis not a cheap hobby this..
My credit card is taking a massive beating...
These upgrades to F1 cars etc are not cheap.. I've paid £50 for a Tamiya F1 2000 super detail kit, and the FW24 is even more..!! Tis not a cheap hobby this..
My credit card is taking a massive beating...
pettercardoso
10-27-2005, 03:19 PM
Mark, if you need some reference pictures, please feel free to download them here (ftp://ftp.ua.pt/incoming/reference/). I just ask you to be quick, as the server will get cleaned up tomorrow.
BTW, nice paint..:)
Best Regards,
Pedro
BTW, nice paint..:)
Best Regards,
Pedro
D_LaMz
10-27-2005, 06:57 PM
nice!
Toine
10-27-2005, 08:48 PM
that link is just awesome! I didn't know there was a link like that!
Really, you are my hero for today! :D
Really, you are my hero for today! :D
RallyRaider
10-28-2005, 12:16 AM
Great progress thread. :D Your March (;)) is coming along great guns.
That reference link won't work for me in either browser or FTP. :dunno:
That reference link won't work for me in either browser or FTP. :dunno:
pettercardoso
10-28-2005, 03:59 AM
Captain Mark
10-28-2005, 06:19 PM
Hi all,
pettercardoso: excellent reference pics, there's a couple there I've not come across before, and every little bit helps with this particular project!
mickbench: Hi-tech decals function basically the same as regular decals, only when they've properly set and dried you can peel a very thin protective film from them. This leaves only the also very thin coloured decal left behind, and helps to give it a much more painted on look. I've found that Micro-Set/Sol works fine with this type of decal and causes no problems. I didn't actually realise these decals I'd bought were the hi-tech variety until I accidentally found that I'd pulled the film off one and my heart about stopped...!
It's not the best pic (it was damn hard to take a good shot!), but you can sorta see below where I've partially peeled the film from the No. 15 decal...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH16.jpg
Update time! Well a small update anyway...
It was time for me to break out the CF decals for the first time, and I'm getting some reasonable success from it! Here's the process I took:
First I had to make a template from Tamiya masking tape. You can see below I've put the tape on the area I want to have the CF decal put on. The tape must be cut to shape, so I simply used a pencil to trace the outline I needed, which wasn't hard as I just followed the plastic piece around as required. It's hard to see the pencil line in the pic, but you get the idea.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH17.jpg
I then carefully peeled the tape from the model and placed on my cutting mat. Again, hard to see the pencil, so I just went over it again to make a definite line, then used my modeling knife to trim off the excess.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH18.jpg
Once I had the exact template I was after (this process is very similar to the BMF process shown on the previous page), I stuck the tape directly to the CF decal sheet, and used my knife to cut the decal to the exact shape I was after. Forgot to get a piccy of this step, but it's not hard to figure out.
Then it was just a matter of peeling the tape from the cut out decal, soak the decal, and place it on the model. A bit of MicroSol and we're all done!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH19.jpg
It's only partially complete so far as you can see, and looks a bit dodgy all peice-meal like this, but I think it's going to come up great when it's complete and some other parts are attached, etc.
I'm hoping to get this kit finished by about the end of November, so hopefully the updates will keep coming thick and fast!
Cheers all,
M
pettercardoso: excellent reference pics, there's a couple there I've not come across before, and every little bit helps with this particular project!
mickbench: Hi-tech decals function basically the same as regular decals, only when they've properly set and dried you can peel a very thin protective film from them. This leaves only the also very thin coloured decal left behind, and helps to give it a much more painted on look. I've found that Micro-Set/Sol works fine with this type of decal and causes no problems. I didn't actually realise these decals I'd bought were the hi-tech variety until I accidentally found that I'd pulled the film off one and my heart about stopped...!
It's not the best pic (it was damn hard to take a good shot!), but you can sorta see below where I've partially peeled the film from the No. 15 decal...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH16.jpg
Update time! Well a small update anyway...
It was time for me to break out the CF decals for the first time, and I'm getting some reasonable success from it! Here's the process I took:
First I had to make a template from Tamiya masking tape. You can see below I've put the tape on the area I want to have the CF decal put on. The tape must be cut to shape, so I simply used a pencil to trace the outline I needed, which wasn't hard as I just followed the plastic piece around as required. It's hard to see the pencil line in the pic, but you get the idea.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH17.jpg
I then carefully peeled the tape from the model and placed on my cutting mat. Again, hard to see the pencil, so I just went over it again to make a definite line, then used my modeling knife to trim off the excess.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH18.jpg
Once I had the exact template I was after (this process is very similar to the BMF process shown on the previous page), I stuck the tape directly to the CF decal sheet, and used my knife to cut the decal to the exact shape I was after. Forgot to get a piccy of this step, but it's not hard to figure out.
Then it was just a matter of peeling the tape from the cut out decal, soak the decal, and place it on the model. A bit of MicroSol and we're all done!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH19.jpg
It's only partially complete so far as you can see, and looks a bit dodgy all peice-meal like this, but I think it's going to come up great when it's complete and some other parts are attached, etc.
I'm hoping to get this kit finished by about the end of November, so hopefully the updates will keep coming thick and fast!
Cheers all,
M
Merkava
10-28-2005, 07:37 PM
Nice! Good technique on those cf decals. I'm sure they will be stunning when complete.
More please! :biggrin:
More please! :biggrin:
hueb_s
10-29-2005, 07:59 AM
Your technique is right, but one thing is to mention: Make sure you've prepared a very glossy surface to stick the CF decals on, best is some gloss black or even just a clear gloss coat. I've had several heart stopping accidents where the decal came off while rubbing out the protective clear coar over it or even while placing another decal on it. CF decals (like ANY decals) need a very good and glossy surface preparation before.
Captain Mark
10-31-2005, 01:17 AM
One thing I've been meaning to mention... the green used on this kit is Revell Color (enamel) number 61 - Emerald Green. It's a very close match, and looks great against the Coral Blue.
This pic shows the nice contrast...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH20.jpg
Cheers.
This pic shows the nice contrast...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH20.jpg
Cheers.
mic329
10-31-2005, 03:20 AM
Mark
The colour scheme looks great! Keep it up!
Mikusen
The colour scheme looks great! Keep it up!
Mikusen
Captain Mark
11-03-2005, 07:30 AM
I've just finished laying the last decals on the rear wing (they're still wet as I type!), and it looked so good with the carbon fiber I thought I'd share it with you all!
I've gone a bit CF crazy now that I've found it's not an impossible mission to lay CF decals down on challenging surfaces and get good results. I'm about 90% happy with the results I've had so far... if that makes sense.
Anyway, here's a teaser of the progress on the kit so far...
(The CF is a little hard to make out on the inside of the wing end plate - it was the best I could do with the lighting available. I'll get some more daylight shots soon enough.)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH21.jpg
And my Scale Motor Sport PE and fabric harnesses arrived... yummy stuff!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH22.jpg
Cheers all!
I've gone a bit CF crazy now that I've found it's not an impossible mission to lay CF decals down on challenging surfaces and get good results. I'm about 90% happy with the results I've had so far... if that makes sense.
Anyway, here's a teaser of the progress on the kit so far...
(The CF is a little hard to make out on the inside of the wing end plate - it was the best I could do with the lighting available. I'll get some more daylight shots soon enough.)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH21.jpg
And my Scale Motor Sport PE and fabric harnesses arrived... yummy stuff!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH22.jpg
Cheers all!
mic329
11-03-2005, 08:33 AM
Hi Mark
The wing is looks nice! I can't wait to see more pics about it!
Mikusen
The wing is looks nice! I can't wait to see more pics about it!
Mikusen
mickbench
11-03-2005, 07:16 PM
This is looking very nice and clean. I see you place your completed parts on kitchen paper, I do that as well. Helps prevents chips and getting dirt on the bottom etc.. Well I think it does anyhow.
And how do you keep your cutting mat so clea?. I’ve had mine for 9 months, and now I need a new one. It’s a right mess.
These SMS belts look very nice as well.. Might have to spend more money and get me some of those..
And how do you keep your cutting mat so clea?. I’ve had mine for 9 months, and now I need a new one. It’s a right mess.
These SMS belts look very nice as well.. Might have to spend more money and get me some of those..
Captain Mark
11-04-2005, 07:48 PM
Thanks guys!
mickbench: Not sure how I keep it so clean. I don't find that I need to do a lot of painting on it I suppose, and I always paint on paper towels, etc, so nothing really gets spilled on the cutting mat.
Time for another update.
I've got a lot of parts in a half completed state, so a lot of what you see here is just fitted together without any glue as yet. I'm pretty happy with my first attempt with carbon fiber decals, but you'll have to excuse the odd small blemish.
I'm at about the point where most things are nearly complete and all that's left is to detail the engine (after the decal disaster I'm not completing the engine cowling, at least until 2006/7-ish). I think though, that I've perhaps gone too far with the engine building, and if I start drilling holes and trying to add some things I'll destroy my current work and be unable to fix it. We'll see though, there's still some scope for detail work, given my meager(sp) abilities in this area.
Enjoy the pics!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH23.jpg
The rear wing is just sitting there, so it's a little scewed forward. Will be fixed when it's permanently attached. I also put a slight wash through the silver section of where the drive shaft will go into the gearbox. My brushing skills are generally rather crappy, so the wash helped hide my sometimes questionable work... hehe. I aimed to keep the wash to a very small amount, so as to give the effect of shadow more so than dirt/grime, and it came out reasonably well.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH24.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH25.jpg
I've used the latest SMS Hi-Definition Composit Fiber Decals, and while they're of exceptional quality, I find them a bit bland to be honest. I think next time I'll use their older version which appears to have a bit more of a contrast between the white and black of the fiber weave.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH26.jpg
For those of you yet to try CF decaling, my further suggestions are to have a number of knife blades handy as you'll go through them quite quickly when cutting the decals out and making templates. And you must be as precise as possible when cutting the templates and decals out - they are somewhat forgiving, but the more accurate you are, the easier your job will be by far.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH27.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH28.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH29.jpg
All comments and feedback welcome of course.
Cheers,
M
mickbench: Not sure how I keep it so clean. I don't find that I need to do a lot of painting on it I suppose, and I always paint on paper towels, etc, so nothing really gets spilled on the cutting mat.
Time for another update.
I've got a lot of parts in a half completed state, so a lot of what you see here is just fitted together without any glue as yet. I'm pretty happy with my first attempt with carbon fiber decals, but you'll have to excuse the odd small blemish.
I'm at about the point where most things are nearly complete and all that's left is to detail the engine (after the decal disaster I'm not completing the engine cowling, at least until 2006/7-ish). I think though, that I've perhaps gone too far with the engine building, and if I start drilling holes and trying to add some things I'll destroy my current work and be unable to fix it. We'll see though, there's still some scope for detail work, given my meager(sp) abilities in this area.
Enjoy the pics!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH23.jpg
The rear wing is just sitting there, so it's a little scewed forward. Will be fixed when it's permanently attached. I also put a slight wash through the silver section of where the drive shaft will go into the gearbox. My brushing skills are generally rather crappy, so the wash helped hide my sometimes questionable work... hehe. I aimed to keep the wash to a very small amount, so as to give the effect of shadow more so than dirt/grime, and it came out reasonably well.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH24.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH25.jpg
I've used the latest SMS Hi-Definition Composit Fiber Decals, and while they're of exceptional quality, I find them a bit bland to be honest. I think next time I'll use their older version which appears to have a bit more of a contrast between the white and black of the fiber weave.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH26.jpg
For those of you yet to try CF decaling, my further suggestions are to have a number of knife blades handy as you'll go through them quite quickly when cutting the decals out and making templates. And you must be as precise as possible when cutting the templates and decals out - they are somewhat forgiving, but the more accurate you are, the easier your job will be by far.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH27.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH28.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH29.jpg
All comments and feedback welcome of course.
Cheers,
M
pettercardoso
11-05-2005, 08:27 AM
Hey Mark! I'm really impressed with the paintjob. You said you cleared it with enamel? It looks superb!
I have to agree with you on the new SMS carbon decals, they look too bland and boring. Maybe on some parts they may be more acurate look-wise, but overall it's not that great :S
Keep us posted!
Cheers,
Pedro.
I have to agree with you on the new SMS carbon decals, they look too bland and boring. Maybe on some parts they may be more acurate look-wise, but overall it's not that great :S
Keep us posted!
Cheers,
Pedro.
mickbench
11-05-2005, 10:15 AM
Mark,
I noticed your 300ZX in the background..
Anyhow - CF decals look fine to me. Nice work so far, paintwork looks perfect..
Keep us posted on the progress..
I noticed your 300ZX in the background..
Anyhow - CF decals look fine to me. Nice work so far, paintwork looks perfect..
Keep us posted on the progress..
Captain Mark
11-05-2005, 04:40 PM
Oh I meant to mention also that I mixed a few extra things into the yellow airbox. It calls for mostly for mostly deck-tan with a hint of orange. This is ok, but from the pictures I saw I decided to add a splash of yellow and also some flat base, and it's come out much better.
pettercardoso: that's right, cleared with enamel. I'm not sure I'd recommend it though. After nearly a month it still leaves finger prints and I won't be polishing it. I think the key to my reasonably good shine is to have polished the blue (lacquer) underneath to a very high shine first. You'll notice I've NOT done the same to the enamel green on the nose and in none of the shots is it as shiney and reflective as the blue. The clear top coat was applied with moderate to good quality/results - which is what leads me to believe that my preparation of the blue played a big role in the finished product.
mickbench: I didn't think anyone would notice my Z from those shots! Well done - you're my new best friend for the week! hehe
I should have the SMS seatbelts and cockpit finished in a day or two and will post a pic of that. I must admit that while the seatbelts look MUCH better than the kit mouldings on the seat, they do take some getting used to and are only marginally forgiving. And they are the single most fiddly things I've EVER come across in my life!!!
Unfortunately I don't have much in the way of detail pics of the cockpit, so it will have to stay essentially bare.
Till next time folks...
pettercardoso: that's right, cleared with enamel. I'm not sure I'd recommend it though. After nearly a month it still leaves finger prints and I won't be polishing it. I think the key to my reasonably good shine is to have polished the blue (lacquer) underneath to a very high shine first. You'll notice I've NOT done the same to the enamel green on the nose and in none of the shots is it as shiney and reflective as the blue. The clear top coat was applied with moderate to good quality/results - which is what leads me to believe that my preparation of the blue played a big role in the finished product.
mickbench: I didn't think anyone would notice my Z from those shots! Well done - you're my new best friend for the week! hehe
I should have the SMS seatbelts and cockpit finished in a day or two and will post a pic of that. I must admit that while the seatbelts look MUCH better than the kit mouldings on the seat, they do take some getting used to and are only marginally forgiving. And they are the single most fiddly things I've EVER come across in my life!!!
Unfortunately I don't have much in the way of detail pics of the cockpit, so it will have to stay essentially bare.
Till next time folks...
mickbench
11-05-2005, 06:20 PM
Enamel clear will dry - in about three months.. It's a very slow curing paint, and takes a long time to go hard.
Acrylic clear is better as this hardens off in around 14 days. After two days its good enough to work with and apply decals etc.. Problem with both of these is that when polished you have to be real careful, as they will never be as hard as laquer.
And I remember your 300ZX from when I built my 300ZX as you provided some ref pictures of the engine..
Acrylic clear is better as this hardens off in around 14 days. After two days its good enough to work with and apply decals etc.. Problem with both of these is that when polished you have to be real careful, as they will never be as hard as laquer.
And I remember your 300ZX from when I built my 300ZX as you provided some ref pictures of the engine..
Captain Mark
11-10-2005, 06:51 AM
Just finished the seatbelts/cockpit, and the front suspension, so snapped off some shots for show and tell.
I didn't have any real photos of the cockpit of this machine, so it's stayed relatively bare during the build.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH30.jpg
I flat refuse to use the kit seats with the molded seatbelts, so as mentioned above ordered some fabric seatbelts from SMS. I found them to be excessively fiddly, and prone to having slivers of fabric come away and give a somewhat hairy/cobweb like appearance. Try as I might to cut them all off, they still came back. I've heard of people using a lighter to burn them into submission, but I'll stay clear of this for now. Other than those two issues I think they're quite good quality. Although having said that I think I'll try a different brand next time, just to compare, and find the brand that works best for me specifically. Oh, and there's nearly 20 PE pieces in the seatbelt assembly you see below by the way. You'd never think it to look at it.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH31.jpg
These aftermarket harnesses certainly do take some getting used to, and you really have to find the 'knack' for it. Comes with practise I suppose.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH32.jpg
Front suspension - my method of gluing the nose first up, and putting suspension in last did work. Although it was a bit of a nightmare getting it all in, and I had to do some touchup painting where I lost a little paint from some of the suspension arms. Just a tip in case you try to copy my method... put the steering arm in before you glue the previously cut suspension piece! Anyway, somehow I came out of it relatively well, and the front end of the Leyton House is coming together nicely.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH33.jpg
A few odds and ends arrived from HLJ today. Some new tiny drill bits for helping me with the plumbing on the engine, and also some Sakatsu "computer connectors" to help bring some extra life to the engine bay, etc. Here's hoping my fledgling skills will justify the expense of these!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH34.jpg
I'm now slowly working my way from the front of the car to the back, completing everything as I go. Or pretty close to it. Hope to get another update in under a week.
Cheers all!
I didn't have any real photos of the cockpit of this machine, so it's stayed relatively bare during the build.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH30.jpg
I flat refuse to use the kit seats with the molded seatbelts, so as mentioned above ordered some fabric seatbelts from SMS. I found them to be excessively fiddly, and prone to having slivers of fabric come away and give a somewhat hairy/cobweb like appearance. Try as I might to cut them all off, they still came back. I've heard of people using a lighter to burn them into submission, but I'll stay clear of this for now. Other than those two issues I think they're quite good quality. Although having said that I think I'll try a different brand next time, just to compare, and find the brand that works best for me specifically. Oh, and there's nearly 20 PE pieces in the seatbelt assembly you see below by the way. You'd never think it to look at it.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH31.jpg
These aftermarket harnesses certainly do take some getting used to, and you really have to find the 'knack' for it. Comes with practise I suppose.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH32.jpg
Front suspension - my method of gluing the nose first up, and putting suspension in last did work. Although it was a bit of a nightmare getting it all in, and I had to do some touchup painting where I lost a little paint from some of the suspension arms. Just a tip in case you try to copy my method... put the steering arm in before you glue the previously cut suspension piece! Anyway, somehow I came out of it relatively well, and the front end of the Leyton House is coming together nicely.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH33.jpg
A few odds and ends arrived from HLJ today. Some new tiny drill bits for helping me with the plumbing on the engine, and also some Sakatsu "computer connectors" to help bring some extra life to the engine bay, etc. Here's hoping my fledgling skills will justify the expense of these!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v609/captain_mark/LH34.jpg
I'm now slowly working my way from the front of the car to the back, completing everything as I go. Or pretty close to it. Hope to get another update in under a week.
Cheers all!
mickbench
11-10-2005, 04:42 PM
Hi Mark,
This is looking really nice… You are doing a great job, and it all looks very good.. The seat belts looks a right pain to get right. Keep up the great work, it’s going to be a great model when completed.
This is looking really nice… You are doing a great job, and it all looks very good.. The seat belts looks a right pain to get right. Keep up the great work, it’s going to be a great model when completed.
tehSAC
11-03-2006, 02:34 PM
such an old topic but i was intrested if you had any updates. i plan to start this model soon.
thanks
thanks
Captain Mark
11-03-2006, 04:24 PM
Hi tehSAC,
I've not made much progress on this one recently. I've put it on hold to finish off a few more projects, of which I have only one to go which is half complete. When that's done I'll be tackling the Leyton House and will post my progress here.
Thanks for the interest, and feel free to fire any questions my way!
Cheers,
Mark
I've not made much progress on this one recently. I've put it on hold to finish off a few more projects, of which I have only one to go which is half complete. When that's done I'll be tackling the Leyton House and will post my progress here.
Thanks for the interest, and feel free to fire any questions my way!
Cheers,
Mark
Shunter
11-03-2006, 07:32 PM
One of the most gorgeous cars ever built. Mark your work so far looks excellent, i have enjoyed the read and the pics. Look forward to the next installment.
billypee
11-04-2006, 11:17 AM
Hi Captain,
Thats a fine Leyton House you have there. The colour scheme is nice and gaudy---a bit like the Jordan 191---which is always good for brightening up your display cabinet (and not quite as masochistic as tackling the colour scheme on the B188) :lol:
I don't have this kit but I would like to build it someday... but I have another 10 or so to get through first :banghead: so I am not planning an eBay splurge quite yet.
All the best,
BillyPee
Thats a fine Leyton House you have there. The colour scheme is nice and gaudy---a bit like the Jordan 191---which is always good for brightening up your display cabinet (and not quite as masochistic as tackling the colour scheme on the B188) :lol:
I don't have this kit but I would like to build it someday... but I have another 10 or so to get through first :banghead: so I am not planning an eBay splurge quite yet.
All the best,
BillyPee
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