For the Dreadnought Campaign, I'm doing the Tamiya 1/350 Missouri, and I'll be doing LOTs of aftermarket PE work, which will mean I'm going to be working "above decks" for a LONG time.

My question is sequence. Specifically, when to paint and when to assemble.

The instructions would have you paint the hull, glue the deck and then continue with the superstructure and details.

It seems to me that if I do that, there will be NO way to avoid all kinds of handling the hull over the remaining months of the build and getting fingerprints, etc all over it.

I'm not about to wear gloves, and fixing the ship into some sort of cradle doesn't seem like it will totally solve the issue.

It occurred to me that what I might do is paint the hull and put it aside completely, and just work on the decks/superstructure as though it were a separate unit, and once all that is painted/assembled, fit the completed "upper works" onto the completed hull as the final step.

Has anybody done this or does EVERYBODY already do it that way? Good idea, dumb???

The other question is how do you get everything painted properly? I'm doing Measure 22 which means that horizontal and vertical surfaces are going to be different colors. I can mask and spray that with an air brush, but not with all the small AA guns etc in place.

Do you mask, paint, and then add the small stuff and "paint in place", or paint the small stuff "off line" and then add it already painted.

Or some combination?


I added all the aftermarket stuff to my 1/350 Enterprise several years AFTER I'd already built it, and as a result the model got "handled" a lot, and there must be a "school solution" to how to do this based on experience.

Suggestions?

Tom

Hello Tom
Well, I am new here but I think I will start the answers. If you are about to use photo-etch sets then forget most of the general instruction papers. What I suaully do is to work a structure alone then when it is finished put it on the ship. I would start with the hull and work around it only (building, sanding, photo-etch, painting, weathering...in that order if you like). Then work apart with the other structures in the same way and start adding them to the hull until it is all done. Then you will have the rigging and minor details that you can cover without damaging what is done already. If you are painting the Missouri in a dazzle camo scheme then I would advise you to pick up a ruler and make the painting compatible with all the structures and respective scheme but do not glue them until you have completed painting them or you will have loads of work masking the all ship. Mask tape is good but can do harm to small pieces specially photo-etch. My two cents on this.

Filipe

Tom,

I'm no expert, but here's my plan for the TR NC (bear with me here) with her '44 dazzle scheme ...

-- Plan the final display base (done) & get components (part done).
-- Make a working base from balsa (done).
-- Prep hull to mount on final and/or working base (done tomorrow).
-- Assemble lower hull, upper hull & 3 deck sections; get them all cleaned up, filled, sanded, etc, etc ...
-- Also do all the mods for PE, etc, on the deck (anchor chains, etc)
-- Paint the hull & deck

-- Meanwhile, or sometime, start on all the turrets, superstructure, etc, doing each separately.
-- Figure out best way to paint & do it at lowest level.
-- Join sub-assemblies as I go ...
-- Mount to deck when appropriate ....

-- Add the little PE ladders 'tween decks, etc
-- drop the guns, catapults, cranes, boats, etc, in last, wherever possible ...
-- touch up paint by hand ...

I always make some sort of balsa base to build on, whether it be ship, tank, or whatever .... holds the thing neatly, protects fragile parts, acts as a 3rd hand, etc ....

For the NC, I think I will use Glad Press 'N Seal to cover the painted hull while working above it ...

And the armor & aircraft guys think they have it tough !!!!

John

I'm trying something a bit different for this Bismarck. My usual first steps I'm still following which is to build all the upper deck sections as separate components and paint them The deck I went ahead and assembled and sprayed it the deck color. I'll go back later and paint all the detail on it over. I'll probably do the hull next as I have all those colors and Baltic stripes to do. Still have to come up with a plan for the National Markings on the bow and stern. I've got an idea, something to do with a quarter and the airbrush. Plan will be after I get the hull done, I'll finsh up the deck then assemble those. Last step will be to add the completed and painted superstructures and guns The very last step will be the main deck railings which I will prepaint prior to assembly

Greetings, Tom...
My feelings fall with the others as far as following the assembly steps with any model...I don't really know who draws them up for the company's but obviously not by an experienced modeler...
As far as painting before gluing it really depends on what I'm building... I always dry fit all of my parts before any painting or gluing together...but as a rule, if there are small parts being fit together, such as a superstructure with different colors for the deck(s), ship walls, etc., I will paint before I glue...only because my eyes and hands are not as steady as they used to be, and I find it much more easier to do so...I normally would paint a ships hull before gluing on the deck pieces also, unless there was a camo pattern that was going to be added to the subject...
I guess it all depends on what works best for you, and what you are working on...for example, I'm working on a Warrior MCV that is basically Desert Tan overall, so most of the construction was done before I even thought about an airbrush...and I usually will put the first coat of paint on small parts while they are still on the sprue, such as tools, etc., only because it's easier for me..
On my New Jersey that I'm building for the Dreadnoughts Campaign, the pieces all dry fit like a dream, so I completed the construction on the lower hull and finish painted the entire assembly, and now I am working upon the upper hull, which I basically gave it a couple of good coats of base color and working from there...I will assemble the cannons and deck assemblies one at a time and paint as I go, because I already know that the fit is good...After the whole kit is done, then touch up if necessary...hope this helps you some, but I'm sure that you will have to find which method works best for you!
Gunny

Hi Tom!

Although you've got some very good hints, this is how our friend Mike Taylor (modelguy2) works:
1/350 DKM Bismark with WEM PE Set

Remember, he is a pro-builder

The most important of all, is for you to study the instructions, cross reference with the PE instructions, know the parts and the sub-assembly locations and disposition, and after all this (which is a lot) make your own solution, the one that will make you feel confortable working.
One's perfect method could turn out others Hell!
X

Skipper

Great comments one and all, THANKS

The article by Mike Taylor is especially helpful. THANKS Skipper!!!

I'm going to study these in some detail and formulate my "strategy", but I'm getting a pretty good sequence in mind. I just wanted to make sure I didn't make mistakes that others had already discovered.

The people on this site are so generous with their advice and information, and it really does help to make this hobby what it's supposed to be.

Something to enjoy!!!

Tom

Tom:

One thing on the build part.

I have the FD plans for the NC in 1/350 & I made a couple copies.

I am going thru the kit instructions, the WEM instructions, and my references & checking them vs each other & the plans & pictures/references.

After deciding what to do, I annotate the kit plans with what PE will be used to modify the kit, then annotate the PE with what kit step it matches to.

Then, I color code my overall plan sheet with things I'm going to change. Orange = add, yellow = change/replace and make an note as to what I'm doing.. A lot of this will be used as a "brag book" if I ever enter it in a contest.

I mean, I'm at the ladder & chain & locker & door level of detail here .... One of the reasons I have to do this much work is that the WEM instructions only address the major PE parts -- there are a lot of little things (doors for one) they don't discuss at all & I have to go thru & figure out what I have & what I want to do ...

Also, to clarify. After painting assembling/painting the hell, I canj work upwards & mark each higher structure so the paint scheme matches -- in theory at the top it all works out !!!!

John

Must be the military training, because I've done the same thing. I've taken the original kit instructions and marked it all up with notes. And I've cross referenced all the PE set instructions and marked out with a yellow highlighter all the original kit stuff that's going to be replaced with aftermarket stuff.

Great minds think alike.


Tom

or feeble minds, that need all the help they can get ....

John