Some days (venting about a model disaster)

[pengbuzz]

Okay, had to do some re-polishing work on the canopy for my F-14 Tomcat; knowing that decals have a certain tendency to come off with tape, I stuck the part that were to go over them to my pants leg until I felt no tack left, then masked off the canopy and got that polished.

I think everyone knows where this is going...

When I removed the tape (using a hair dryer and peeling slowly back against the hull as to try to avoid the following), it took the names off the canopy rails, the "stars" on either side of the nose, the ejection warning placard off the left side, and somehow managed to lose the"stars" on the wings (STILL trying to figure out that one!!!!)

This is the second round of decals I bought for this project (the first were ruined when 2 years ago, water from our upstairs neighbor's overflowing bathtub leaked through the ceiling and destroyed several projects of mine that the landlord weaseled their way out of replacing!! ), and I do not have funds to replace them or a printer to make my own on. Our library won't let anyone print on decal paper (some genius who builds models in my neighborhood like I do ruined that for everyone) and our local office/ printing places like Staples won't even touch them (same idiot went to them and started a war with them after burning the library).

After all the time (2+ years) frustration, money (dead broke and cannot/ not wanting to have to try to spend even more on this thing) and sheer exertion sunk into this, I'm about ready to throw the damned thing against the wall will all my might and end its' cursed existence.

Anyways... just wanted to vent a bit. Not everything of mine goes according to plan, but this one just hurt.

Thanks for listening folks; gonna go crawl back under my rock.

All I wanted was Maverick's plane from Top Gun.

 

[BOATMAN]

OH Pengbuzz dont smash that lovley model up just think things through as yes i feel for you sir as yes its annoyin if things dont go according to plan but what scale is your tomcat as i have a spare decal sheet i havnt used an i will send them to you an i'll try an help you sir if i can an if you want an if the decalls are the right scale an is your tomcat build on here ?
so sit down an have a think it through an be nice to see some pics to see if i can help you sir an why did you use a hair dryer ?
chrisb

 

[pengbuzz]

OH Pengbuzz dont smash that lovley model up just think things through as yes i feel for you sir as yes its annoyin if things dont go according to plan but what scale is your tomcat as i have a spare decal sheet i havnt used an i will send them to you an i'll try an help you sir if i can an if you want an if the decalls are the right scale an is your tomcat build on here ?
so sit down an have a think it through an be nice to see some pics to see if i can help you sir an why did you use a hair dryer ?
chrisb

I used the hair dryer to soften the adhesive on the tape so it wouldn't pull so hard when I removed it. I was trying to do whatever I could think of to not pull the decals off.

As to the scale: it's 1:48; it's the "Top Gun" Revell kit.

I'll try to grab some pics tomorow...been a very rough day for me.

 

[BOATMAN]

HI WHY DONT you use tamyia maskin tape as ive used that on my big phantom an had no trouble at all ? an yes be nice to see some pics but REALLY YOU SHOULD FINISH THE PAINTING THE MODEL AN SUCH BEFORE FITTIN DECALLS AS THEY ARE THE LAST THINGS I DO ON A MODEL an what type of maskin tape are you usein ? an never use a hair dryer on a finished model peng
chrisb

 

[Rob]

Boatman is right. We're not trying to get all over your case but a hair dryer? What the hell were you thinking? Use Tamia masking tape. Get your body color down and spray the model with gloss clear. Put on your decals. Put on some more gloss clear and let that dry and proceed to whether your model or whatever you want to do cuz your body color is protected and your decals are protected

 

[BOATMAN]

Boatman is right. We're not trying to get all over your case but a hair dryer? What the hell were you thinking? Use Tamia masking tape. Get your body color down and spray the model with gloss clear. Put on your decals. Put on some more gloss clear and let that dry and proceed to whether your model or whatever you want to do cuz your body color is protected and your decals are protected

WELL said Rob we are not tryin to show you up peng we are just tryin to advice you in these matter as this tomcat could still come out a nice model but lets see the pics firstly an sorry about them decal sheet as i had a look this afternoon an they are for a phantom but dont give up modelin as when things get tough just have a little break from it like i did on my big 1/32 phantom as we all make mistakes sooner or later
ATB SIR
chrisb

 

[Edbert]

I've been hearing more often about the decal sandwich, with a gloss-clear below and above. I think one big reason is to avoid the color-shift effect of the decal's edge. I've been doing gloss underneath and dull coat on top, but I am thinking I'll try the double gloss thing.

That said, tape of any brand on top of bare stickers is ALWAYS dangerous, I almost typed "bad idea" which I do sort of think is true. I have had more issues with decals since returning to the hobby 14 months ago that almost anything else I can think of. They should be almost the last thing you do. Only steps after stickers is the overall clear and the fiddly-bits.

One time I ruined a sticker was my F-4B, about half of the giant "NAVY" marking on the aft fuselage was missing, found it stuck to my own thumb! In that case I blame it on having micro-sol on my fingers and handling the model before recently applied stickers had set up enough.

Just saying, stickers are hard, stickers are fragile, handle them with EXTREME care. But please do not destroy your kit, you might have a 30-second feeling of satisfaction, but it will be followed by regret. Just put it away until the pain subsides. I have a $100+ kit in my closet that was 80% done when I dropped it onto concrete floor. It is broken pretty badly, but can be fixed. I started to think I was healed enough to bring it back to the bench for completion, but felt the pain again on opening the box, and it is back in the closet since I have not healed enough yet.

 

[BOATMAN]

WELL GUYS i build the kit an paint what bits are gonna be awkward to get too after the build an then paint an when thats done then yes its decals time but i use decal fix an decal decals set to hold down my decals an no probs so thats my order of building a kit hope this helps you peng an you have heard from the guys above an they are right also to give you advise hope this helps you sir
chrisb

 

[pengbuzz]

HI WHY DONT you use tamyia maskin tape as ive used that on my big phantom an had no trouble at all ? an yes be nice to see some pics but REALLY YOU SHOULD FINISH THE PAINTING THE MODEL AN SUCH BEFORE FITTIN DECALLS AS THEY ARE THE LAST THINGS I DO ON A MODEL an what type of maskin tape are you usein ? an never use a hair dryer on a finished model peng
chrisb

I cannot afford it.

Boatman is right. We're not trying to get all over your case but a hair dryer? What the hell were you thinking? Use Tamia masking tape. Get your body color down and spray the model with gloss clear. Put on your decals. Put on some more gloss clear and let that dry and proceed to whether your model or whatever you want to do cuz your body color is protected and your decals are protected

"What the hell was I thinking?"?!!

1) I gloss-coated before I put the decals down.

2) I used micro-sol before and after laying them down and let it dry per instructions.

3) I gloss-coated after they dried and let that cure.

4) A week later, I needed to fix the canopy, so I did my best to unsticky the masking tape before applying.

5) I used the hair dryer on LOW heat to soften the masking tape adhesive SO IT WOULDN"T pull.

6) It pulled anyways.

Why did you assume I didn't gloss coat?

Anyways... the kit is trashed now, and I think I'm done here.


Thanks for having me. Pengbuzz out.

 

[BOATMAN]

OH Pengbuzz so sorry to see you feelin like this hope you come back on sir what a pity my freind
ATB WISHES TO YOU SIR FOR THE FUTURE
CHrisb