Plastic Modeling

[Kiske]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Not "foil" Bare Metal Foil.

I'm aware of the product. I have 4-5 different finishes on hand. I don't think mine is 6"x11 though. Bare Metal Foil i the brand with a 55(?) chevy on the front. They have them at the local hobbytown.

I much prefer Hasegawa's Tryfinish films, personally speaking. I keep their Hologram film instock at all times which is the same thing but had a reflective prismatic finish similar to a rainbow reflecting in oil slick for placing over camera lens effects and even headlights. It's not very useful in scale modeling outside of gunpla and sci-fi though. Kinda similar to the aurora films.



https://www.hlj.com/hologram-finish-sheet-hsgtf14
https://www.hlj.com/duralumin-finish-hsgtf2

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Kiske

I'm aware of the product. I have 4-5 different finishes on hand. I don't think mine is 6"x11 though. Bare Metal Foil i the brand with a 55(?) chevy on the front. They have them at the local hobbytown.

I much prefer Hasegawa's Tryfinish films, personally speaking. I keep their Hologram film instock at all times which is the same thing but had a reflective prismatic finish similar to a rainbow reflecting in oil slick for placing over camera lens effects and even headlights. It's not very useful in scale modeling outside of gunpla and sci-fi though. Kinda similar to the aurora films.



https://www.hlj.com/hologram-finish-sheet-hsgtf14
https://www.hlj.com/duralumin-finish-hsgtf2

Interesting. Never heard of it. I could use the prism one for heat colouring on jet engines (like they show) and the metal ones are interesting but rather limited in variations. There are about 8 different BMF ones so it is better to mix and match. What I found really interesting is the green one they have. I always struggle with helicopters or aircraft that have the green tinted upper canopy since the clear paints are so hard to get a perfectly even coat. This looks far easier to use. And it is relatively cheap as well!

https://www.hlj.com/top-shade-finish-green-hsgtf930

[Kiske]

I haven't used it. It's also very rare for me to even work on a car old enough to have a green windshield tint.

I tend to use Tamiya's acrylic paints for clear colors. I hated them until I figured out a few tricks to making them work better.

1. MR. Color Resin Primer. It is a clear primer for garage kits but a nice base for clear plastics (coat inside of glass) without the risk of having to sand them.

2. Think the Tamiya paints with AK Real Colors' High Compatibility thinner. For whatever reason it does a better job of breaking up the pigments which tend to ruin a transparent finish.

3. I also dip my canopies instead of spray them with a urethane clear afterwards. I used to dip them to color them also (future+clear paints) but the result was usually less than stellar.

It's been a while since I did a canopy but the last one I did was on some 1/72 Macross kits.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Kiske

I haven't used it. It's also very rare for me to even work on a car old enough to have a green windshield tint.

I tend to use Tamiya's acrylic paints for clear colors. I hated them until I figured out a few tricks to making them work better.

1. MR. Color Resin Primer. It is a clear primer for garage kits but a nice base for clear plastics (coat inside of glass) without the risk of having to sand them.

2. Think the Tamiya paints with AK Real Colors' High Compatibility thinner. For whatever reason it does a better job of breaking up the pigments which tend to ruin a transparent finish.

3. I also dip my canopies instead of spray them with a urethane clear afterwards. I used to dip them to color them also (future+clear paints) but the result was usually less than stellar.

It's been a while since I did a canopy but the last one I did was on some 1/72 Macross kits.

I use Tamiya paints about 80% and Modelmaster the rest. Mostly just due to colours available. I used Future on all my clear parts (and tinted on all my painted ones for that matter) and have used it as a dip for tinted canopies. The problem is that when it is only a partial tint then masking and spraying clear is the only way to go. Have never mastered that but I don't do it often. The green film looks perfect for the purpose.

[StraightOuttaCanadaEh]

Been slowly working on this V1 Rocket Bunny with a 2JZ swap. Just settled on the wheels (Work VS-TX in matte gunmetal). Painted in Honda Phoenix Yellow



Carbon trans tunnel cover with "suede" shifter and ebrake boot + knob, dash mounted gauge pod and Bride Zeta 3 seats. Some JDM red checkered floor mats as well. Deep dish steering wheel with quick release hub.





Heat wrapped the turbo manifold



2JZ even has separate ignition coils



Will post when it's done (in 2025 lol)

And here is a tasty Z tune painted midnight purple III with bronze TE37 cause why not!

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by StraightOuttaCanadaEh

Been slowly working on this V1 Rocket Bunny with a 2JZ swap. Just settled on the wheels (Work VS-TX in matte gunmetal). Painted in Honda Phoenix Yellow



Carbon trans tunnel cover with "suede" shifter and ebrake boot + knob, dash mounted gauge pod and Bride Zeta 3 seats. Some JDM red checkered floor mats as well. Deep dish steering wheel with quick release hub.





Heat wrapped the turbo manifold



2JZ even has separate ignition coils



Will post when it's done (in 2025 lol)

And here is a tasty Z tune painted midnight purple III with bronze TE37 cause why not!

Sweet!

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Picked up some Milliput to try out on filling gaps. Rather messy, but seems better than the Tamiya putty I've used in the pass. Didn't exactly fill the rear bumper gap that well, but better than before.

Also cut up some styrene and made a simple rear spoiler since this kit doesn't come with one.

[StraightOuttaCanadaEh]

People in the hobby that I know actually just use automotive bondo. Cheaper and easier to work with than these expensive hobby putties. Haven't tried myself but seen the results

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Originally Posted by StraightOuttaCanadaEh

People in the hobby that I know actually just use automotive bondo. Cheaper and easier to work with than these expensive hobby putties. Haven't tried myself but seen the results

Never thought about that. Just assumed they're much stronger and could possibly eat away at the plastic. The Milliput I got should probably last me for the rest of the kits that I have since only one of them is Aoshima. The rest are Tamiya, so I shouldn't run into any fit and finish issues

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by StraightOuttaCanadaEh

People in the hobby that I know actually just use automotive bondo. Cheaper and easier to work with than these expensive hobby putties. Haven't tried myself but seen the results

Originally Posted by Kaotic Lazagna

Never thought about that. Just assumed they're much stronger and could possibly eat away at the plastic. The Milliput I got should probably last me for the rest of the kits that I have since only one of them is Aoshima. The rest are Tamiya, so I shouldn't run into any fit and finish issues

Yes you have to be carful with Bondo and some plastics. The Bondo is so aggressive it will indeed eat right through them. I have used glazing and spot putty before but even some of those can be pretty strong.


Pretty much just settled on using the Tamiya stuff over the years since it is designed for use with plastic.

It is funny you hate the Aoshima kits so much. I actually prefer them over the Tamiya ones and they are 1000 times better than the old school American company car kits. Mind you I have only built the one BRZ so far.

[turbos86]

Agree with Tcoat with regards to bondo. Putty meant for hobby/plastic use is safer to usefor plastic models kits. Tamiya putties usually gives excellent results, but they have different types of putties for different jobs. Most people make the mistake of just going for their basic white putty in a tube, because it's readily available and cheap, but that's just really only good for filling tiny holds. For filling larger gaps, Tamiya's polyester putty does a better job. And for bodykits or major modifications, they have 2 part epoxy putties.


Aoshima is another whole can of worms. Anything they've newly designed and produced in the last 10 or so years are almost as good at Tamiya. Everything else before that or re-release in a new box (pretending to be a new design) are horrible for fit and finish. The Chaser is, unfortunately, the latter.

[StraightOuttaCanadaEh]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Yes you have to be carful with Bondo and some plastics. The Bondo is so aggressive it will indeed eat right through them. I have used glazing and spot putty before but even some of those can be pretty strong.

yeah you might be right. My circle of modding peeps deal exclusively in 1/18 scale, which is mostly diecast metal, recently with some plastic being introduced. The bumpers, where most of the work is being done, are 99 times out of 100 plastic though, but it might be a different type of plastic from Tamiya kits and such.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by StraightOuttaCanadaEh

yeah you might be right. My circle of modding peeps deal exclusively in 1/18 scale, which is mostly diecast metal, recently with some plastic being introduced. The bumpers, where most of the work is being done, are 99 times out of 100 plastic though, but it might be a different type of plastic from Tamiya kits and such.

It is usually ABS on the diecast. The plastic models are usually polystyrene and much thinner.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Yes you have to be carful with Bondo and some plastics. The Bondo is so aggressive it will indeed eat right through them. I have used glazing and spot putty before but even some of those can be pretty strong.


Pretty much just settled on using the Tamiya stuff over the years since it is designed for use with plastic.

It is funny you hate the Aoshima kits so much. I actually prefer them over the Tamiya ones and they are 1000 times better than the old school American company car kits. Mind you I have only built the one BRZ so far.

Originally Posted by turbos86

Agree with Tcoat with regards to bondo. Putty meant for hobby/plastic use is safer to usefor plastic models kits. Tamiya putties usually gives excellent results, but they have different types of putties for different jobs. Most people make the mistake of just going for their basic white putty in a tube, because it's readily available and cheap, but that's just really only good for filling tiny holds. For filling larger gaps, Tamiya's polyester putty does a better job. And for bodykits or major modifications, they have 2 part epoxy putties.


Aoshima is another whole can of worms. Anything they've newly designed and produced in the last 10 or so years are almost as good at Tamiya. Everything else before that or re-release in a new box (pretending to be a new design) are horrible for fit and finish. The Chaser is, unfortunately, the latter.

I don't necessarily hate Aoshima. I like how they have modded models from the box. Just the fit and finish hasn't been that good for me. Then again, the Rojam Crown and this Vertex Chaser are either discontinued or re releases. Same for the Rodextyle S15, so I'm already expecting some issues with that one too.