Revell U.S.S. Enterprise 1/600 Painting Question - Bussard Collector...

[Albireo]

I'm building this kit and I'm doing it "stock" meaning, no mods or lighting. I'm puzzled on how to paint the Bussard Collectors.
The instructions say to paint the inner clear half-circle orange with the ribs on it painted grey.
Now my question is not so much about the colors, though I'm open to suggestions, but rather I'm stumped on how to go about painting those finely raised ribs. The challenge is that they are raised sufficiently near the edges that a fine paintbrush or even a colored pen would work but they quickly taper down to flat. I'm unsure how to paint them so that I don't get excess paint on the rest of the piece.
Photo attached to illustrate the part.

 

[BarleyBop]

I have not tried it yet, but would anyone have experience with liquid mask and think that it might be appropriate in this situation?

 

[Albireo]

I have not tried it yet, but would anyone have experience with liquid mask and think that it might be appropriate in this situation?

Oh, I hadn't thought about that. And I have some too. I suppose it would come down to how cleanly I could get the liquid mask up to the edges of those ribs. Hmmm...

 

[Eagle-1]

Where did you find a 1/300 Revell Enterprise? SHow me the box, I want one, please!

Merry Christmas to ME!!!

Rob.

 

[Albireo]

Where did you find a 1/300 Revell Enterprise? SHow me the box, I want one, please!

Merry Christmas to ME!!!

Rob.

Sorry, I meant 1/600.

 

[Eagle-1]

Crap.

Ok, Thank you.

Rob.

 

[wjbrandel]

Liquid mask would be the best bet. I use it...a lot.
Lay it down a bit thick, it makes it easier to peel up when you are done and clean up of any scraps is easily done with a toothpick.

I apply it with a silicon sculpting brush, makes it into the tight spots easily.

 

[BOATMAN]

More pics please as you go sir
chrisb

 

[duck]

Paint markers.

 

[Albireo]

Paint markers.

Well, I tried a felt pen and while I could easily rest the side of the tip against the rib where it protrudes the most (at the bottom), when it tapers down to almost flat, that's where I'm having problems.

 

[duck]

Well, I tried a felt pen and while I could easily rest the side of the tip against the rib where it protrudes the most (at the bottom), when it tapers down to almost flat, that's where I'm having problems.

https://ak-interactive.com/product-category/paints/rc-markers/

 

[Albireo]

https://ak-interactive.com/product-category/paints/rc-markers/

I think I'd have the same problem using those.

 

[Z Cochrane V]

Sorry, I meant 1/600.

Mine just arrived from Amazon. Revelle 1/600 Enterprise. Nice looking kit. A little spendy and I noticed the price went up nearly $20 since I ordered mine! I was fortunate that it stayed in one piece! It shipped in the bare model box! You know how flimsy those are! It was beat to crap but the contents somehow survived!

 

[BOATMAN]

HI SIR whats happening on this ship
chrisb

 

[BarleyBop]

whats happening

Hahaha, Boatman, you taskmaster! Give Z V the chance to open the box!

 

[BOATMAN]

WELL someones got to get these builds goin lol as i love the trek
chrisb

 

[BarleyBop]

someones

Ha, I missed the fact that you were probably inquiring about @Albireo , not @Z Cochrane V

 

[BattleScale Collectica]

I'd also tape and liquid mask it.

 

[Z Cochrane V]

I'd also tape and liquid mask it.

Yep, that's what I plan to do. I've never used liquid mask before but my research led me to believe it's a game changer, so I'm looking forward to using it

 

[Albireo]

Ha, I missed the fact that you were probably inquiring about @Albireo , not @Z Cochrane V

I'm still here. I've completed the assembly and painting of all the major components. I will be applying the decals next. I want to do that before final assembly. It looks like it will be easier this way. I'll post photos when finished.

 

[Albireo]

Yep, that's what I plan to do. I've never used liquid mask before but my research led me to believe it's a game changer, so I'm looking forward to using it

I gave up on the idea of trying to get those small lines painted in any fashion. I tried but it was too difficult for me and I didn't think it looked that much better with than without.

The other thing I decided against was painting the outer clear plastic dome any shade of red. Looking at many photos (stills) from the the TV series, I say enough that showed the collectors as being an orange color that convinced me to paint the inner domes an orange metallic and leave the outer domes clear.

 

[Edbert]

Cochrane, as in the inventor of warp-drive?

 

[Edbert]

The other thing I decided against was painting the outer clear plastic dome any shade of red.

I'm not sure I understand what you said completely, but on clear parts I recommend applying the transparent pain on the inside of the clear not the outside.

Also, since no lighting inside the tubes, make it thin, very thin so it does not get dark.

 

[Albireo]

I'm not sure I understand what you said completely, but on clear parts I recommend applying the transparent pain on the inside of the clear not the outside.

Also, since no lighting inside the tubes, make it thin, very thin so it does not get dark.

Yes, I meant on the inside. I experimented with a couple different shades but the red just hid the nice orange of the inner domes and it just didn't look right to me (compared to what I see on the original show).

 

[Z Cochrane V]

I have a question for anyone who is or has assembled the Revelle 1/600 Enterprise. On the front of the nacelles there looks to be a recess for the outer domes of the Brussard collectors to seat onto. But my outer domes seem to be a little larger in diameter than the recess and they don't seem to want to sit all the way down in there. I sanded down around the very outer edge of the domes about as much as I think I dare. But they still don't seem to seat properly. Has anyone else run into this? What, if anything did you do about it? Thanks!

 

[Z Cochrane V]

Cochrane, as in the inventor of warp-drive?

Yes! I'm glad someone caught that. Lol I'm also addicted to No Man's Sky video game and I thought it would be fitting that the great, great, great grandson of the inventor of warp drive should be flying around the universe, so I made it my gamer-tag. It just made sense to use it here also!

 

[Z Cochrane V]

Another question about Enterprise assembly. Is it best to paint the larger components first, then install windows, then assemble, or is it possible to install windows, assemble, then paint, using liquid mask on the windows? I think the paint job would look better if done after assembly, but having never used liquid mask before, I don't know if it works well enough for this way of doing it. I've watched every video I can find about it and it looks like it "should" work. But does it really work well enough? Thanks again!

 

[Albireo]

Another question about Enterprise assembly. Is it best to paint the larger components first, then install windows, then assemble, or is it possible to install windows, assemble, then paint, using liquid mask on the windows? I think the paint job would look better if done after assembly, but having never used liquid mask before, I don't know if it works well enough for this way of doing it. I've watched every video I can find about it and it looks like it "should" work. But does it really work well enough? Thanks again!

I tried using a liquid mask. The problem for me was that the windows are too darn small and I couldn't cleanly get only the windows masked without the liquid spilling out onto the surrounding body. So, I painted the parts first. Then painted the windows and installed them.

On the windows, I found that it was better to paint the white ones on their back or inside part as that made them look more like glass from the outside. The black ones however this didn't work out the same. So those I painted on the front (outside) part using a gloss black.

 

[Z Cochrane V]

Good to know. Thanks!

 

[Edbert]

I have used liquid mask with success on small things before, like gauges on aircraft instrument panels. But in those cases the goo cannot get in between the opaque plastic and the clear. It can be a PITA to get tiny bits out if they are pinched inside.