Mike, I finally located the rear seal on my airbrush in question. I definitely hear you regarding getting it out ok, but not being able to get it back in!
I’m trying to get my head around why a bad seal would add to splattering. I don’t have a good grasp on the inner workings of airbrushes. Can anyone shed some light? (Yes Don, this should be posted in the appropriate forum section, and I may do so [;)] )
Clemens, the seal in question is part number 123450. It appears on the exploded diagram on the H&S website, but is not shown in the exploded diagram in the owners manual that comes with the Evolution Silverline 2 in 1.It was unclear from the exploded view where it actually resides, I finally found it yesterday. Disassemble brush completely, you can see the teflon seal (123450) by looking down into the rear of the body. It appears to be held in place by one of those set screw looking things with a screw slot. My concern is that I may have damaged it by running a miniature pipe cleaner through the body through-hole. I get a LOT of paint on needle in the body, but haven’t seen any bleed back past the seal, so I’m not sure.
No problem on 2 week delay, have a good trip, mate.
Joe, I get the hint! Bound and determined to finish my 190, then off to procure a Stuka. As I mentioned somewhere the other day, I don’t want to get a reputation as a GB dropper-outer around here!
Anyone,… and speaking of Joe’s paint match concerns on the MM Acryl (and I assume we are talking about RLM 74 and 75, right?), I am having a similar concern with my Vallejo 74 and 75. I might get ambitious and post a pic later. I don’t know how accurate Eduard’s neat-o paint scheme artwork is/are, but my results so far bear very little resemblance to same. [bnghead]
Greg, first of all, that seal has a really nice part number! [;)]
The manual included with the Evolution is rather simple and the online-manuals are the real deal regarding things like part diagrams. Sounds like everything’s fine with your seal. I never used a pipe cleaner on my AB because I never had the need to do so and my needle always gets covered with paint when I try airbrushing Vallejo paints (one of the many reasons I personally only use them for winter whitewash camouflage and brush painting).
I got all the pics up before leaving and posted them here.
Still trying to get this bird done to save face. I’m baffled with paint colors. Here’s the Eduard instruction page of the version I am trying to do (which is going to be a laugh as I am a total camouflage not to mention mottling rookie).
And here is where I am at. This is Vallejo Model Air RLM 74 and 75. It bears no resemblence to the Eduard color instruction colors, nor to Mike’s colors posted a couple pages back, which I assume should be the same, more or less?
Any input would be very much appreciated. I’m not to the stage of being super-critical of much of anything yet, OTOH, I don’t want to be totally off-base, either.
Here’s last night’s attempt at the beginning of the mottling. I was really hoping for the base blue to show up more, and it isn’t bad in the pic but in real life 'tis a disappointment so far.
The bottom and side base (RLM 76) isn’t very close to what eduard is depicting either…
Now that’s looking extremely nice, mate! Really amazing stuff! Eduard’s colors in the instructions can’t be trusted! They look nothing like they should in all of my instruction sheets…
Regarding the mottling: I’d suggest you build it up in a lot of layers to get that random appearance the real bird has.
Look at the pics I sent you of this aircraft too. 3 of them are color photographs. The side color in your pics is extremely close to what the pictures show, so I’d say it’s looking really nice color-wise as well!
Clemens, I had no idea if Eduard’s color depictions are to be trusted or not, so your input on that matter is extremely helpful, my friend. Thank you!
If you say I am on the right track, I feel better for sure. Probably be a lot of retries on the mottling***, still fighting with the Vallejo vs mottling as you and I have discussed so many times. (but there will be a limit, don’t want to cover all that great Eduard detail with too much paint, and no way am I going to strip and start over!)
Just FYI, I tried my first attempt at preshading, was a total disaster and had to make it disappear with a too heavy application of the primary colors. So maybe I’ll try my hand as some post-shading.
I’ll have to track down those pics you sent, kinda forgot about them. [:$] Old age and all that.
Hi guys, I made some progress on a number of fronts today. I re-preshaded the A-8 over the MM 75, and will homebrew the 74 and 75 on the formulas I used a few years back. I finished soft-masking the fuselage of the 152 and sprayed the 82 and 83 – there’s more than likely plenty of touching up to do, I’ll unmask tomorrow and see what we are.
I found a service centre with a technician who knows his way around the Paasche VLS, and I can courier the unit to them along with the spares and a description of the problem. Hopefully a new needle and centre seal will solve the splattering problem, which I would have to say was persistent today. If not working with masks the issue would be severe, and if I’m going to freehand the mottle (is there any other way, really?) then I need to be sure it’s not going to be a spot of camo in the midst of a constellation of paint dots…
I should be getting it away this week, maybe even tomorrow, and fingers crossed the problem is resolved.
Jeez! You turn your head for a day in here and BAM! There’s a ton of posts to catch up on. Greg, your camo looks great so far on the wings. The mottle technique (and I use Vallejo almost exclusively) is good for somebody who’s never attempted it buddy. What I do now is crank up the air pressure to about 30 psi and barely open the needle of the AB to where a very small amount of paint is let through and get in fairly close. The paint/ thinner ratio has to be mixed on the thin side for this to work so keep that in mind here. The trick is to keep the AB moving. Rigidrider is a pro with this technique and that’s who I picked it up from. PM him for additional details that I may be lacking here but I was in the same boat you were concerning mottle patterns. This technique does work.[;)]
Your progress is looking great and I’m looking forward to more pics.
Thunder it’s good to hear about your progress as well. Looking forward to the pics.
Clemens I can’t wait to see your progress as well brother.
Oops, I now remember you and Doug mentioning the 30PSI technique. And AI forgot to thin the Vallejo Air too. Probably a re-try in order.
I have read some recipes here for Vallejo to all but eliminate dry-tip. All involve Liquitex Flo-Aid, I think. Do you have any magic recipes, Joe? I’d forgotten you use Vallejo too, mate.
Oh Yeah, There certainly is some dynamite work still going on here. I love it.
Mike: Your A-8 and 152 are looking excellent. Great work. Man, I regret that you are having issues with your AB. Hope you get it back quickly. That’s why I keep a couple of my older airbrushes (Aztek & Binks) around. Just in case I need to send the Badger in I can at least keep making progress.
Greg: It’s just outright wonderful to see you building. Your progress so far appears awesome to me. Can’t say as I can offer much assistance as far making mottling. I haven’t ventured into that arena yet. But, yours sure looks rather nice to me. Always seems to me that one can drive themselves batty trying to get that RLM color just right. So many interpretations and opinions.
Clemens: I’m greatly anticipating seeing some of your fine modeling. Seems like forever since I’ve had the opportunity to feast my eyes on some of your work. Good to have you back in here keeping at it.
Joe, your encouragement is always mucho appreciated, my friend. Am surprised to hear that your, one of my mentors here, hasn’t mottled? Find that hard to believe, but if you say so, mate. [:D[
I am beginning to understand what you mean about RLM colors. Been doing some online reading past couple days. Early war, mid war, late war, interpretations, no actual chips still in existence, etc. Mind-boggling for a wacky perfectionist wanna-be like me. [8-|]
I’m afraid it is so Greg. Heck, My FW 190 was the first Luftwaffe aircraft I’ve built. Greg, I really like the book “The Official Monogram Painting Guide to German Aircraft 1935-1945” by Kenneth Merrick & Thomas Hitchcock. It appears extensively researched and comes with color plates. I find it to be my go to reference. It’s rather difficult to find and can be rather pricey. I consider it and Merrick’s 3 volume series “Luftwaffe Colors” to be quite excellent.
Wow, learn something every day. Never would have guessed that was your first Luftwaffe build. Certainly not from your results!
That book looks like quite the gem. I found some online, color me sticker-shocked. Maybe someday though… [:O] <------ Me, after seeing the price of the ‘used’ volumes of the aforementioned book. [:P]
Yes indeed Greg. The price some folks are asking definitely inspire a “Gulp” effect. I put the Monogram book on my X-mas wish list and my mom got it for me. As for the 3 vol. set, I just monitored Ebay and Amazon and, coupled with a good bit of patience, managed to snag one of each for about $20.00 a piece. Merrick also has some other excellent books out there on Luftwaffe camouflage.
Thanks for the additional info, Joe. I guess at this point I 'd like to get more accurate, but am too cheap to spend the $ on the reference matl. This may change in time, however.
Serioulsy,Joe, that 190 was your first Luftwaffe build. I would not have guessed it.
Those books certainly do go for damn silly prices. I was able to get hold of Vol 2 of Luftwaffe camo and markings, but getting hold of Vol 1 and the cockpit colours books. Same goes for a lot of the Classic publications range of Luftwaffe colours. I just don’t understand why they don’t re print them.
Thanks Bish and Greg. Those are indeed high praise coming fron you all. You see, since I started building again back in 2009 I have only completed 5 models. 4 aircraft (2 RAF, 1 IJN and 1 Luftwaffe) and a U.S. sub. There are 3 that I have started but have yet to finish. More surprising to me is that I have yet to build anything in my favorite subject: USN aircraft. Thus, the Hellcat. Like I’ve said before I just don’t get a lot of bench time so it takes me on average 1 year to complete a build. But, I really wanted to hone my skills before I jumped into the aircraft I really have a passion for.
I completely agree Bish. I’ve been rather curious why the hesitance to put these magnificent books back into print. Although the demand may not be overwhelming there is a demand nonetheless.
