Subject: SMML27/03/98VOL131 shipmodels@wr.com.au ============================================================================ MODELLERS INDEX 1: Making decals 2: Lindberg Bismarck 3: "Glossening" flats 4: Model listing 5: Flats, gloss, and decals 6: Black Swan Class Frigates. 7: Blue Devil ============================================================================ TRADERS & ANNOUNCEMENTS INDEX 1: Re: Signature block 2: Gulfstream Closeout Blowout!!! 3: Re: Mail Addresses. 4: US and Royal Navy Colour Chips ============================================================================ MODELLERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: DKrakow105 Subject: Making decals Hello, Somebody out there had some success making decals with a color laser printer. What type of printer was that again? I accidentally erased the issue! Greetings from Germany! Dave ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: drwells@hogpa.ho.att.com (David R Wells) Subject: Lindberg Bismarck Ronnie Hiatt wrote: >> I try to support my local Hobby Shop when possible. I travel the 27 miles, all excited, money burning a hole in my pocket, just can't wait to get a couple USS Lionfish kits and a couple PT-109'S, Tamiya's USS MISSOURI, a couple planes I needed to finish a specific project. When I get there, there's ONE Tamiya ship! ONE! the Enterprise. No Lionfish Subs, No PT-109'S, I did buy (gamble) on a Lindberg 1/350 Bismarck, Has anyone ever built this kit? Looks fairly simple, at least it's a one piece hull, a big + far as I'm concerned. Are there any special fittings made for or will work with this kit? << I regret to admit I've built one. (OK, I build an older Lindberg 1/384 Bismarck, and I'm assuming that this is not a new molding, and that Lindberg just wrote a more popular scale number on the box.....) Sadly, this is a typically bad Lindberg kit. The shape of the hull is fundamentally wrong. The raised panel lines are completely wrong. They're supposed to resemble welded steel plates, but they even put them on the wooden decks. Detail ranges from minimal to non-existant. I'm afraid that it's a dog. Paint it up as best you can, and sail it in the swimming pool. Don't spend excessive amounts of time on it, because it's just not worth it. BTW: It's a slightly better Tirpitz than a Bismarck, but it's wrong for either one. OTOH, if you're feeling silly, the length and beam dimensions are just about right for a 1/570 H-44. Yeah, the shape of the hull is still wrong, but you could find a Revell 1/570 Bismarck/Tirpitz for DP and AA guns and details, scratchbuild a new deck, and have some fun that way. That's what I did. Not a serious model, but it was fun. (OK, it's still not finished, but it's on the "someday" list.) David R. Wells ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: KDur597268 Subject: "Glossening" flats Hey'all - Just to chime in ... as a long time a/c modeler I too have always had to deal with this problem. The Gunze "semi's" take decals very well. For shades that were from other lines, mixed or for other reasons dead flat, this thread should at least include one mention of good old Future Floor Wax - works great in the above role. One other technique I've used to minimize the color-altering effects of gloss coats is to polish the area that will take the decal with either very fine steel wool or sandpaper. Like the finer-than-600 grits the car guys use. 0000 Steel wool does it too. Just be sure to brush/blow away all that residue!!! HTH Ken Durling ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: Gene Larson Subject: Model listing At one time I found, and thought I placed on the NRG sources list, the site that lists almost all the plastic and resin ship model kits available. Now I can not find it. I would appreciate the URL. Gene Larson, Alexandria, Virginia mailto:Genenrg@Naut-Res-Guild.org Nautical Research Guild, Inc. http://www.Naut-Res-Guild.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5) From: "Jeff Herne" Subject: Flats, gloss, and decals I tried the flat/gloss/decal/flat method a long time ago and met with disasterous results, it ruined a 1/350 Tamiya Enterprise flight deck. Never again... Here's a method taught to me by an old aircraft guy...I swear by it. I have models going on 15 years old that haven't shown any decal problems. Paint your model with flat paint, as you normally would. In the areas where you are going to apply decals, lightly sand the paint with the finest (2000grit or higher) polishing cloth you can get. Several companies have model car polishing kits you can get...anyway, sand lightly, just smooth the surface of the paint. The good part about this is that if you do sand off too much, you repaint without any hassle. After smoothing the paint surface, soak your decals in warm water mixed with Elmers brand white glue, a few drops of glue to a standard bowl of water. Then apply the decals normally, you can even use setting solutions if you need to. The white glue dries clear under the decals, and fills the small airpockets that cause decals to 'silver' and eventually lift off the model. Once the decal has dried, you can remove residual white glue/water stains with a cotton swab and some rubbing alcohol. Once this is done, you can apply Dullcote. I use Testor's Metalmaster Sealer as a clear sealant, it dries quicker, is considerably thinner than Dullcote, and is airbrush ready. It dries fairly flat, although it's luster tends to vary from bottle to bottle, this may be due to temperature and/or humidity. Hope this helps... Jeff Herne Contributing Editor - Warship http://warship.simplenet.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6) From: "F J Hueso" Subject: RE: Black Swan Class Frigates. Charlie: Though isn't directly related with you request, I send you this hoping it helps : In Model Shipwright, Number 85 (september 1993), there's a "Modeller's Draught" article about the HMS Starling (plan included) and some photos, including a close-up of the breech of a twin 4in mounting. And Greg, regarding my thoughts about SMML, only one thing: Thanks for your effort. Regards, Javier ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7) From: "David & Alicja Lombard" Subject: Blue Devil >> I also have the USS MELVIN "Blue Devil" Destroyer in 1/125 I am building for static display only, (not sailing it in the swimming pool ;-) Are there any accessories/fittings/ideas to make it look a bit better? or a LOT better? << From what I've read, "poor" is a charitable description of the fidelity of the "Blue Devil". The hull length and beam are inconsistent. The bow is too fat. It has one too many rudders. The turrets are wrong. ... You get the idea. An article (I thought it in Model Ship Builder, but now I can't find it) described one modeler's efforts to improve upon it. David Lombard Rossmoor, Orange County, California ============================================================================ TRADERS & ANNOUNCEMENTS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1) From: ModelerAl Subject: Re: Signature block >> Would be nice but AOL does not support a signature block. << AOL 4.0, which I'm using in Beta, *does* support this. Al ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2) From: montreal@usit.net Subject: Gulfstream Closeout Blowout!!! (Imagine large booming voice used for Tractor pull ads...) GULFSTREAM OOP CLOSEOUT BLOWOUT! (all prices include US shipping, foreign orders add 10%) NY residents add 8% sales Tax German Type VII U-Boat - US $25 German Type IX U-Boat - US $25 USS Bainbridge - US $45 USS Ward - US $55 Elco PT boat 1/96 scale - US $55 USS Atlanta - US $150 USS Houston - US $175 USS Miami - US $210 WHEN THEY'RE GONE, THEY'RE GONE!!! Contact Ted at Commanders Series Models 551 Wegman Rd, Rochester, NY 14624 USA BTW: HMS Sheffield started production today, 26 March, 1998. Why wait??? All this, and under 25 lines! What a bargain for you! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3) From: John Knoepfle Subject: Re: Mail Addresses. ALROSS2 writes: >> Let me preface this comment with my lack of knowledge of how to write HTML. Given that, is it possible to simply set each respondent's e-mail address as a link? This would make it a lot easier to respond directly. << Some mail programs know how to burst a collection of messages like this list (called a digest) into the individual mail messages. Then you can read each message individually and reply to them using the mail program's normal reply mechanism. The mail program that I use is VM which runs inside the emacs editor. It has no trouble bursting this list into messages. jk ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4) From: "Rob Mackie" Subject: US and Royal Navy Colour Chips We have finally published a complete set of both US and Royal Navy colour chips on the Warship web site. Click on the "What's New" button on the Warship home page http://warship.simplenet.com to view the chips. Study them and protect yourself from midnight raids by the dreaded Colour Police. Rob Mackie http://warship.simplenet.com The Site for Ship Modelers ============================================================================ End of Volume