I'm out of the hobby

Grue

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Joined
Jan 27, 2020
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It's been years since I picked up a model and I wanted to get back into it. I got three or four kits for Christmas and have been working on them and they've been coming out....ok. Just ok.

Last night I was laying down those horrible wallpaper decals on he Refit Enterprise and I used Vallejo decal solution. Turned the decal into rubber and there were bubbles aplenty underneath. A piece of the decal broke off when I was applying more setting solution.

Models and supplies like tools and paints are expensive. If I had a little more skill and a lot more money, I could stick with it but to completely eff up a model just from one decal...

So, I'm out.

See ya.
 
So what are the other kits you were working on ?
Just set the Refit Enterprise aside -- it can be stripped and reworked later .

Trust me , you don't know how many times I've mumbled " What tha ? - yeah ,great --- you gotta be kidding ! " while enjoying the results of unexpected disasters .
 
Grue, don't give up, my friend! As urumomo said, just set that one aside, and start on something else.

Skills that you had developed years ago will take some time to come back to full force, so give yourself some slack about kits 'coming out just ok.' Being at the work bench should be a no pressure place, where you can shut the world off for a while and indulge in a pastime just for yourself.

If there are kits that you REALLY want to make a full-on project out of, that's fine, but give yourself credit for completing each and every one as you go. Just do the best you can with each one, and watch your results improve as you go along. I suspect that you will do very well.:cool:

soarguy
 
More times than I would like to remember, I've sworn at a piece of plastic for either drying too fast, or breaking too easily, or drying too slow, or being not the right colour,...
Patience, and the knowledge that it can be redone.
Don't give up
 
It's been years since I picked up a model and I wanted to get back into it. I got three or four kits for Christmas and have been working on them and they've been coming out....ok. Just ok.

Last night I was laying down those horrible wallpaper decals on he Refit Enterprise and I used Vallejo decal solution. Turned the decal into rubber and there were bubbles aplenty underneath. A piece of the decal broke off when I was applying more setting solution.

Models and supplies like tools and paints are expensive. If I had a little more skill and a lot more money, I could stick with it but to completely eff up a model just from one decal...

So, I'm out.

See ya.

Well, welcome back!

To the specific problem you mention, the decals, and the decal solution, when I get air trapped under a decal, I'll use a fine sewing needle to poke holes in the decal and release the air. That could be bubbles, or even folds in the decal. I've also used a sharp, new #2 knife blade as necessary. That goes along with additional application of my setting solution, till the decal cures to a smooth finish. Also, I use Solvaset, so I can't speak to Vallejo's product. But I really like how it works.

I look forward to seeing your builds!

Best regards,
Brad
 
I hate those stupid wallpaper decals- in fact I hate building most Refit era models because you have to spend more time with that fussy aztecing than it takes to build the entire kit. The wallpaper decals were supposed to make things easier but introduced another set of problems.

It's easy to get discouraged- lots of things can go wrong at every step of the way. I have been building models since the early sixties and still encounter problems and frustrations. There is not a single kit I have that does not have some issue with it that stands out to me even though most people do not even notice.
The ironic thing is that I build because I enjoy the process of building, not the finished result. Next in line after my current project is the large Bandai Star Destroyer with a whole slew of problems awaiting me to enjoy.- at least it does not use wall paper decals!
 
Pretty sure everyone has had that same reaction when applying large decals, bud. Even with years of experience, and all the Most Expensive Toys™*, you'll still come across things that throw you off your game. I live in Guelph and we've got a big dumb open quarry pretty much right in town that throws dust all over the place. You wouldn't believe how many times I've finished a super smooth high gloss finish just to notice I've got dust trapped in a sweet paint job. Every time that happens I put the hobby down for a few hours.

Decals are hard. Big decals are harder. Big decals on complex surfaces are extra.

*note: the only expensive things you should buy are an air brush & compressor, and a good sable brush for detailing, everything else can be cheap.
 
Glad to hear you haven’t given up on the hobby after your decal snafu Grue (Hey! That rhymes!)
Like most of us I’ve had my share of AAAAARRRRRRRRGH! moments over the decades.
i don’t know if I‘ve ever done a perfect job applying Aztecs. There’s usually at least one that tears, fragments, or wrinkles no matter how hard I try. Luckily I am usually able to fix them so they look alright to the casual observer.
I use MicroSOL and SET followed up by Solvaset with generally good results.
 

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