Doug's 1/48 Airfix Sea King

[Scratchbuilder]

Airbrush... You need to strip it down to the bones. Leave it in a pot of IPA overnight and then go for a full clean. What has happened is that when cleaning the airbrush the varnish has thinned and not all been washed away. The air still coming out of the brush even though you have not pressed the trigger is the valve sticking. I have this still on a couple of mine and normally if it happens I just flick the trigger to the up position. With the valves I have cleaned them, replaced the rubber ring/seal, left them to dry for days before assembly and still it happens - I now let it dry for a couple of days in the airing cupboard, then dust it with a bit of talcom powder which helps most of the time.
Also check the needle because when you assemble and there is still a bit of moisture left, the needle develops a ring around where it joins the tunnel, again mine is left out untill I am ready to spray, but don't do what I have done on a couple of occasions, started spraying and wondering why all the paint is going over my hand and not on the model - and that is a clean up job.

[Waspie]

Airbrush... You need to strip it down to the bones. Leave it in a pot of IPA overnight and then go for a full clean. What has happened is that when cleaning the airbrush the varnish has thinned and not all been washed away. The air still coming out of the brush even though you have not pressed the trigger is the valve sticking. I have this still on a couple of mine and normally if it happens I just flick the trigger to the up position. With the valves I have cleaned them, replaced the rubber ring/seal, left them to dry for days before assembly and still it happens - I now let it dry for a couple of days in the airing cupboard, then dust it with a bit of talcom powder which helps most of the time.
Also check the needle because when you assemble and there is still a bit of moisture left, the needle develops a ring around where it joins the tunnel, again mine is left out untill I am ready to spray, but don't do what I have done on a couple of occasions, started spraying and wondering why all the paint is going over my hand and not on the model - and that is a clean up job.

Thanks for that Mike. After the final coat of varnish today I again stripped it right down, literally!!!! left it for a wee while, then started cleaning again. Managed to pull off small pieces if drying varnish from around the parts that make up the nozzle.
Before SWMBO starts me on my Friday jobs, I'll strip it down again and soak for the day in IPA as you say than dry and leave it apart overnight.
It's only the varnish so in the future I'll cary out a full strip down and soak procedure.
Doug

Airbrush... You need to strip it down to the bones. Leave it in a pot of IPA overnight and then go for a full clean. What has happened is that when cleaning the airbrush the varnish has thinned and not all been washed away.

OK, it's sat in a bowl of IPA, (covered). I'll attack it tomorrow and see what we get from an overnight soak.

[Scratchbuilder]

Thanks for that Mike. After the final coat of varnish today I again stripped it right down, literally!!!! left it for a wee while, then started cleaning again. Managed to pull off small pieces if drying varnish from around the parts that make up the nozzle.
Before SWMBO starts me on my Friday jobs, I'll strip it down again and soak for the day in IPA as you say than dry and leave it apart overnight.
It's only the varnish so in the future I'll cary out a full strip down and soak procedure.
Doug

OK, it's sat in a bowl of IPA, (covered). I'll attack it tomorrow and see what we get from an overnight soak.

Pleased to help, been through the pain of wondering what I have done wrong on many occasions.

[Waspie]

SitRep. AB has had a thorough clean. I even dismantled the mechanism where the air hose connects to the AB. Unscrewed a small brass screw, removed the spring and rod which depresses when you put in a demand for air!! Cleaned all that then reassembled!! The whole AB was then assembled and tested and all appears to be functioning as it should. Glad I don't use varnish every time I use the damn thing!!

All things being equal, I should be in a position to start on the decals tomorrow. (When I say all things being equal, I, of course mean, if SWMBO allows me time off for good behaviour!!!!!!) I did clean ALL the block paving today. AND. Replace the two valves on the kitchen tap. AND cook dinner. So by my reckoning - I'm in credit!!!

[Steve-the-Duck]

All things being equal, I should be in a position to start on the decals tomorrow.

Be careful what you wish for...

[Scratchbuilder]

SitRep. AB has had a thorough clean. I even dismantled the mechanism where the air hose connects to the AB. Unscrewed a small brass screw, removed the spring and rod which depresses when you put in a demand for air!! Cleaned all that then reassembled!! The whole AB was then assembled and tested and all appears to be functioning as it should. Glad I don't use varnish every time I use the damn thing!!

All things being equal, I should be in a position to start on the decals tomorrow. (When I say all things being equal, I, of course mean, if SWMBO allows me time off for good behaviour!!!!!!) I did clean ALL the block paving today. AND. Replace the two valves on the kitchen tap. AND cook dinner. So by my reckoning - I'm in credit!!!

If it is fine weather, you know what that means - grass cutting...
I did my bit for the gardening fraternity today, I put up two of those lights that blind you when you go out to hopefully find and pick up what the dog has just done - question to SWMBO - How do I find it when I am blind.... Reply - Follow your nose, how do you think the dog avoids it.....
Pleased the a'brush is working again...
Did you hang out the washing, dry the dishes, hoover, clean the windows, clean the inside of the car..... Nope still in debit.....

[Guest]

Glad I don't use varnish every time I use the damn thing!!

This is one of my more minor reasons for not wanting to use varnish unless I need to: you often can’t tell where the stuff has gotten to — and where not.

[Waspie]

Well wasn't yesterday a day to forget!! If it could go wrong - it did. Home - Sea King the works!!
However, on the model front. My first attempt at home made decals was a disaster!!!! Only good thing was I must have put enough coats of varnish on as the didn't run or wash out!! However - and totally my fault, when measuring up the sizes I used the wrong Mk Sea King!! I used the Mk2 1/48 decals as a template!! WRONG!!! The sizes are too big. The Mk5 has smaller side numbers and lettering on the tail due to the fitment of the Orange Crop sensors!! So it was back to the drawing board. This time I used the correct Mk and correct decal size to copy from!!
Another set of decals produced this morning and sprayed with gloss varnish, several layers. Then came the strip down of airbrush and soak in IPA so as to remove residual varnish and avoid AB issues later!!!!

After a couple of SWMBO's only five minute jobs!!! (Where do they get their time measurement from?) I finally managed to get some time in the garage and make a start on getting a few of the Airfix supplied decals on. By gum there are a few very tiny decals. Eyesight was being pushed to the limits with them.
I decided to fit the strips on the rotor blades, which if some can remember me saying, I was going to omit as I couldn't remember seeing them. But after looking at a few of my pics I don't have on PC I see that the Mk2/4/5 all have them. Albeit covered in exhaust muck!!

A few pics of my limited progress.

Pic 1
Rotor Blades


Pic 2
TKS stripes on barn door, (thats engine intake shield). Tail rotor end blade stripes.


Pic 3
Intake warning sign and if you look very closely, the aerial bit on the undercarriage sponson has its 'No Hand Hold' decal on it as has the rest on the tail.


Pic 4
Intake and pilots door jettison markings fitted as is also the 28 volt electric point sign. Unsure of the grey semi-circle - that may yet disappear!!!!!


That little lot took a lions share of the afternoon. That's all for now and hopefully - all Sundays bad fortune is gone and never to be repeated!!!!

[rickoshea52]

Shouldn’t the tail rotor roots be pained red too?

[Waspie]

Shouldn’t the tail rotor roots be pained red too?

Good question nicely phrased! Can’t recall seeing red!!
I’ll have shufty at some colour pics in my albums.
The only spinning red bits I recall were the droop stops!!

[Waspie]

Good question nicely phrased! Can’t recall seeing red!!
I’ll have shufty at some colour pics in my albums.
The only spinning red bits I recall were the droop stops!!

First pic of a mk2 - red roots.
Now to check for a mk5.

Yup, mk5 - red roots.
Another tomorrow job to add to SWMBO’s ever increasing list!!
Thanks Rick :thumb2:

[rickoshea52]

Good question nicely phrased! Can’t recall seeing red!!
I’ll have shufty at some colour pics in my albums.
The only spinning red bits I recall were the droop stops!!

Droop stops on HAR3’s were dayglo orange but I don’t think they are featured on the Airfix Sea King.

[Waspie]

Droop stops on HAR3’s were dayglo orange but I don’t think they are featured on the Airfix Sea King.

To be honest whenever I did marshalling I was always told to look for the actual shape rather than the colour, which I never noticed due to the abundance of grease up there!!!

[Waspie]

Aghhhh. Going back to the drawing board with the decal business!! Tried very unsuccessfully to use my home printed set of black decals. Only partial success and that is coming off tomorrow.oop: The clear film the lettering sits on appears so flimsy it just dissolves when you touch it.oop: I have a delicate hand and no matter what I used it just disintegrates. I used my tweezers, finger, sable paint brush and paper to tease it off the clear backing!!

Pic1 and only one!!
Not at all happy with it. And that's my best one.oop: The others were removed after they partially self destructed. The PW is coming off as I said.


Just walked away after the 5th attempt. No point flogging a dead horse.

I'll have a check of Hannants and sea if they have any 1/48 compatible decals.
Well I tried - failed - but tried.
This modelling lark isn't as easy as it was when I were a lad!!! Eeee, it were reet easy then!!!
An unmitigated pile of poo today.
My Unhappy of Dorset!!!:unamused:

[Waspie]

I suppose my 'Get Out Of Jail Free' card is to simply use the white lettering supplied.