GU-11

Sounds like Revell just isn't worth the risk. I could hardly handle some of the old Arii Macross kits from the 80's with their warped parts and all. A kit from the 70's can only be worse. BTW, I just saw some pics of the Bandai SW kits. Both the TIE and X-Wing look sweet! And they even come with a specialized display base. And being Bandai kits, they'll probably be a joy to built, with discreetly placed sprues and well concealed seam lines...for the most part. That said, they ARE on the smallish side, at 1/72 scale.

That's beautiful work on the Arado E.555, modelglue! I just love prototype Nazi aircraft designs. They all have this futuristic look about them, but yet still retain an unmistakeable feel of the 40's.

Holy... How's Revell still in business? Selling 36-year old designs is ridiculous. And they're not particularly cheap, either. I never knew the scale system for model kits was "relative". And adjusting the scale just to fit a model into a box? Really? I'm glad I've never bought any Revell kits. The good thing about scifi model kits is that scale issues between different designs aren't as noticeable as "real world" vehicles. Ah, that explains the Kleenex...

Definitely getting the converter one of these days, then. Revell's packaging looks like it hasn't changed with the founding of the company. That said, it kind of works since they mostly sell vintage kits and WWII vehicles. Are the kits any good, though? I'm planning to get one of their TIE fighters during HLJ's black Friday sale this year. On second thought, maybe I should go for the new ones Bandai is releasing soon. I'm metrosexual and proud of it! ...sort of. Past 30, you'll have to slather all sorts of stuff on you to keep from drying up like a dead tree. That said, i draw the line at lip balm. That's just one step away from eyeliner and plucking your eyebrows.

Yeah, I know there are step-down adapters, and I even found one both online and locally. The thing is, it wasn't worth the investment. The portable compressor wasn't that great to begin with (no moisture traps, no pressure adjustment, and can't be run consistently for more than 30 minutes), and not only do I have to buy the step-down adapter, I'd also have to get the SWA-3 AC adapter in order to plug the compressor into the step-down adapter. On top of that, the one I found at Rakuten required that I buy up to 5000 yen (or was it more?) worth of products before they'll ship anything to me. The one I found locally was an adjustable converter that lowers the voltage to 110v. I almost bought that one, until someone from another hobby forum told me even a 10v difference might fry the compressor. But after reading what you said and checking online, the guy was either misinformed or pulling my leg. Although I've already got a new compressor and spray booth running on local voltage, it's still good to know. I can still buy the converter and make use of the portable compressor once in a while outdoors in the patio when spraying heavy coats of primer or lacquer paint (cleaning the spray booth after a heavy paint session isn't exactly fun). As for the Aztek, that thing has a very date design to it. It's like something out of the 70's. Just as well, Testors is almost unheard of over here. Tamiya paints are all I've been using due to easier availability, and as far as matte and silver paints go, they're pretty good. BTW, are Tamiya's plastic pipettes solvent proof? I've been looking for glass pipettes to transfer lacquer thinner, but so far I only have the one I snagged from an empty bottle of skin moisturizing...lotion...that I found at my sister's place during a visit.

I live in Malaysia, which uses 220v-240v just like the UK (former colony and all that). Yeah, sorry, I mean voltage, not wattage. The thing that really pisses me off is that while Tamiya has a local outlet here, they don't sell their spray booths or compressors here. Because they can't be bothered to modify them for foreign voltages. Tank compressors are really easy on the ears, too. They're not that loud to begin with, and if you set the psi to 15 or less, you get a peaceful and quiet spray session for at least 10 minutes before the compressor kicks in again to top up the tank. I'm always worried that my airbrushes can't take 60 psi, so I use the blow option of my Karcher vacuum cleaner for blowing dust out. Including candy in product packages is a European thing? That's a tradition I could get used to. Many thanks for the pointers! Should I apply medium to heavy coats or light coats if I apply by brush--just worried about runs. Also, is it safe to flush the AB with acetone? It won't harm the metal, but I'm worried about the packing o-ring, That looks like a clone of Tamiya's trigger-type airbrush, except it's a side-feed. 34 USD is a really good price for it, except the shipping to Malaysia will easily double that price. I think the old budget basic trigger airbrush that came with my Tamiya portable compressor will do. It's by far the easiest to clean, among all 3 of my airbrushes, which makes it perfect for spraying hard-to-clean stuff like primer, decanted lacquer paint and Future. You can actually strip it down to its brass "central block" (basically the AB's paint chamber) and soak it in the strongest solvents. The nozzle is easily three times the size of average 0.3mm nozzles, making it a cinch to clean and handle. I heard that Aztek's aren't even designed to be disassembled and cleaned. And if you take them apart, you void the warranty. Before I bought my HP-CS and HG III, I once considered getting an H&S Ultra, as it's advertised as the brand's most affordable airbrush, but without any compromises to quality. I ultimately decided against it after realizing how hard it would be to get replacement parts. Not that quality airbrushes from good brands will need replacement parts very often if you take care of them, but if an when you do, it's going to be a nightmare trying find them. In fact, the only reason I decided to order my AB's from HLJ was because they agreed to get replacement parts for me if I needed them.

That'll certainly save me the trouble of cleaning up the airbrush. I've heard some say that it's a little tricky cleaning Future from an AB, even with Windex. That said, I suspect they've been using the kind that doesn't have ammonia. It's easy to buy the wrong one unless both versions ar available on the same shelf. The nozzle threads directly into the main body? I don't think I've ever seen such a design before. The problem with buying compressors online is the different wattage between countries. As much as I wanted to just buy a compressor from HLJ, I had to spend well over a year making do with a portable, battery-operated compressor (you can't imagine how fun it is to be running low on power during the middle of a paint session ). Thankfully, I stumbled onto an art shop at the local mall and bought a compressor with an air tank. The airbrushes there sucked, so I saved up a little and got a couple of decent ones at HLJ. BTW, just out of curiosity, at Harder and Steenbeck airbrushes that much better than other brands? I know they're high-end and well engineered, but do they really make than much of a difference performance-wise to modelers? One thing I do know is that they do come with everything but the kitchen sink. A review once mentioned that the airbrush the company sent him for reviewing included a small packet of Life-savers. Sure, nobody turns down candy, but...why?

Good to know I'm on the right track. I kept thinking that even that tiny bit of texture was orange peel, and that I was still doing something wrong. I also try to stay away from sports cars and vehicles with showroom quality paint jobs. Thought I was doing the smart thing by sticking to mechs only. And then I had to foolishly go and buy an Armored Core Aaliyah Krasnaya kit, and another two DMK kits...all of which have to be painted in warm, glossy colors! Haha, I'm starting to feel like a teenager who expected his girl who expected to wake up with perfect hair and makeup in the morning! I probably won't go as far as sanding and polishing between each coat, but I will hand-brush a coat of Future and see if it's self-leveling properties might give the surface a smoother texture. Regarding airbrushes, I recommend going for the Iwata Eclipse HP-CS. I bought one myself after reading and watching a lot of good reviews and comments on youtube and other modeling forums. The drop-in nozzle was what really sold me on it. Minimizes wear and tear from contact between nozzle and needle, and has no threads to wear out--makes for very convenient cleaning and maintenance, too. Although I haven't started using it yet, it gives some beautiful results when I tested it with food coloring on a piece of paper. It's at times like these that I feel like an absolute noob...aw, who am I kidding? I am a noob! So, a thinner layer of paint? Got it. The mist and medium coats look mottled, but I guess the final wet coat takes care of that. Can I apply Future with a paint brush? I heard that Future is very hard to airbrush without spidering because it's so thin.

That's certainly a relief! I was starting to think maybe I should just quit model building and take up knitting. Seems like that super-gloss finish I've been looking for requires a lot more work than I thought. I'm going to try brushing a coat of Future on the test spoon and see if it gives a glossier finish. That's about as far as I'm willing to go for a glossy paint job, since I haven't bought any polishing compounds right now.

Thanks for the pointers, mickyg! The only uses I have for Future is as a protective gloss coat, and for tinting clear plastic. For the former, I won't need to dilute it, but I'll need to do so for tinting, since, as you said, it helps dissolve the clear color. BTW, I'm still getting orange peel, even when mist coating! I'm not even sure how that's possible. It's not the usual matte finish, but the mottled texture of orange peel. At 1:1 paint to thinner ratio, it shouldn't be thick enough to orange peel a mist coat. I'm thinking maybe blow-drying the surface between coats might not work for gloss paints, since you're supposed to give the paint time to level out for a smooth finish. Next time, I'll just give the paint 2-5 minutes between coats and see if that makes a difference. UPDATE: I think I should thin the paint even further. Although, I'm not sure if going past 1:1 would make the paint too thin. I'm starting to think maybe I've been expecting unrealistically glossy results. I googled some pics of test spoons sprayed with Tamiya gloss acrylic, and they also have a slight texture on the surface. The pic isn't mine, but this is close to the best result I've gotten, after leaving it to dry overnight. is this actually normal?

A Vader cameo, voiced by James Earl Jones himself? Nice.

Sadly, it's very hard to find Model Master stuff where I'm at (Malaysia), and alcohol-based paints are nearly impossible to ship internationally these days. Speaking of wear and tear, how long have you had your airbrush? I hear that it's a bad idea to tear down your AB for deep cleaning all the time, unless you have an airbrush with a drop-in (aka self-centering) nozzle, like the Iwata Eclipse HP-CS. Most times, flushing and wiping down the needle and nozzle are said to be good enough for at least another 2-5 paint sessions. In fact, the instructions manual for my Tamiya HG III specifically discourages constant dis-assembly. I also hear that lip balm makes a good stop gap solution for worn seals. Just apply a little of it around any leaky joints. Tamiya sells a red sealant that sort of works like Teflon tape, which you apply onto the threads of a nozzle. It comes as part of a set called a cleaning kit. You can find it at hlj. I've been wanting to ask this for a long time: will using lacquer thinner for flushing and back-flushing eventually corrode the packing o-ring (aka the rubber seal that keeps the paint from flowing into the back of the AB)? Most modern AB's have Teflon o-rings, and I'm pretty sure my HG II and HP-CS do, but I still have my doubts. For now, I've only dared to back-flush using methylated spirits. I've been using lacquer thinner to wipe down the needles and nozzles of airbrushes, though. Definitely cleans better than methylated spirits. Have you tried sealing the joints with lip balm. Apparently, it works. Also, Tamiya gloss acrylics are a little finicky when it comes to thinners. Thinning them with anything other than their own brand of acrylic thinner, and the gloss is turned to a matte finish. BTW, many thanks on the tips in diluting Future. Can I use anything else besides Mr. Leveling Thinner? Gunze stuff isn't as easy to find as Tamiya over here.

That's wonderful news! Certainly saves me some money on thinner. I should also cultivate a habit of stirring the paint in my AB's cup. The thing is, I usually use no more than a few drops, so it's not easy to stiff such a small quantity.

It doesn't gum up with water, does it? Vallejo's acrylic thinners come in really small bottles, and it would be much easier to make do with (tap?) water in a pinch. Speaking of water, I just read about airbrush users preferring to thin their acrylic paints and clean their airbrushes using distilled water. Something about calcification inside the airbrush. Sounds kind of ridiculous to me; I mean, you're not going to be soaking your AB in water or anything. Even when testing out the seal between the nozzle and needle after reassembly, you'll usually flush the water out of the chamber and blow-dry it for a few seconds, making sure the chamber's dry before setting the AB aside. Heck, I even flush a couple drops of methylated spirits through the AB to make sure any water droplets will be evaporated.

Good point. I'll try blow-drying the paint between coat, as you suggested. I've tried putting on light mist coats only, but it always leaves a matte finish. I've heard that Vallejo always curdles if thinned with anything other than it's own brand of thinner and water. There are a couple of horror stories in certain modeling forums saying that if Vallejo curdles inside an AB, it might actually "kill" it by permanently gumming up the inner workings.

A stupid question: Will the paint inside the airbrush's paint cup dry out between coats if I just leave it in there while I wait for the paint to dry? Should I add a drop or two of retarder just in case?

@derex: Ain't that the truth! I just thought I'd give acrylics another try, since I need to practice and get used to my new pen-type airbrushes anyway--cleanup with acrylics is definitely easier. TBH, I'm about ready to just decant lacquer paint from a spray can and save myself the grief, although all those jars of gloss paints will go so waste. I think I bit off more than I could chew by mixing 2 colors. I'll go for a 100% lemon yellow thinned 1:1 and try to get a smooth coat of paint first. Many thanks for the link! @modelglue: That's a gorgeous paint job! Frankly, I have far less problems airbrushing matte paints than gloss. I just can't seem to get a smooth, glossy coat--spray too light a coat and it goes flat, too thick and it gets orange peel. Sometimes I wonder if it's just easier to airbrush matte paint and seal with Future. As EXO pointed out, I should have thinned the paint more and did it like how others spray model cars using rattle cans--mist coat, medium coat, wet coat. Having the fan turned on while airbrushing was probably a bad idea too.

Oh I definitely agree that it's ugly. It's also obnoxious and probably overpriced, which is why it's perfect as an Autobot alt mode in "a Michael Bay film."

Something like this, maybe? It's Japanese, and it's a sports car.

Thanks so much for the pointers, EXO! Come to think if it, I'd gone way too heavy with the second coat, and didn't give it time to dry. The paint was also probably too thick. When cleaning my airbrush, I was shocked to find that the inside of the nozzle cap was caked with a thick layer of paint...thick enough that I had to scrape chunks of it off with a toothpick. Strangely, it looked pretty thin in the mixing cup. Thanks again!

I've been trying (again) to get some decent results airbrushing Tamiya gloss acrylics, and I've been getting an orange peel effect on the finish. Now I did do the necessary research and lowered the air pressure to just 7-10 psi, went as close as 2-3 inches, thinned it to the consistency of milk (leaves a thin film when swirled around the container), and I did medium-heavy coats. The colors I've been trying to paint are the dreaded yellow and orange, although they should spray nicely if everything is done correctly. I heard a rumor that mixing Tamiya acrylics will result in orange peel, and I was trying to mix orange with lemon yellow, hoping ot get a richer tone of yellow. The humidity was about 40-50%, which I think should be okay for airbrushing. So, what am I doing wrong? Another thing: I'm hearing conflicting things about mixing Tamiya acrylics with lacquer thinner. Tamiya's official site, as well a a couple of other youtube videos, say that the lacquer thinner makes the paint dry much quicker than when thinned with acrylic thinner, something I don't want when trying to get a nice glossy finish. Most other forum posts, however, claim that Tamiya lacquer thinner actually super-extends the drying time of the paint, making it ideal for gloss paints, as the slow drying time allows the paint to level out. Which one is true?

Just caught the 1 hour pilot (?) at Disney XD. Not bad. Not great, but not bad. It's definitely very kid-friendly, with a couple of silly plot holes (stormtroopers missing a holocron during a so-called body search...that doesn't involve frisking for some reason). Never watched CW, so I can't comment on that.

The only discernible truck parts I can see are smokestacks. And yeah, there are no wheels on AoE Prime's bot mode at all. If you notice, his transformation is mostly just like DOTM Megatron, with the truck parts simply folding into his chest cavity. For what it's worth, at least the original Bayverse Prime was able to be realized in toy form as ROTF leader class Prime. It was at least a much more plausible design with most of the truck parts accounted for, except the rear wheel covers. And even then, it was a really complex transformation. With AoE Prime, the whole truck is mostly gone. BTW, thanks for link! The dual model thing is basically a borderline misnomer, The so-called "dual model" is just that you can display Optimus "naked", ie. without his armor/truck parts--really, it's not exactly a pretty sight.

If AOE's designs are anything to go by, DMK kits will be the only representations of the movie figs that I'll be buying from now on. AoE Prime might as well be a Gundam design, given how few car arts there are on him. Which reminds me, I'd better get around to pre-ordering the kit soon.

Just brought MP Wheeljack back from the store. There's a bit of "fuzzy" overspray on the top of the Alitalia A logo on his right door. It's the hazy lines customizers purposely try to achieve when painting cammo patterns on a tank by keeping the stencil a small distance above the surface. Does anyone know if methylated spirits are strong enough to remove TF paint? I'm planning to mask the part up with tape and carefully swab off the overspray with a Q-tip dipped in methylated spirits or whatever that's not too strong for the plastic. @Gakken: I wish I'd pulled the trigger on the TT Grimlock reissue, or at least got the TRU Grimlock. He'd make the perfect accompaniment to MP Wheeljack. FOC Grimlock's way too small.