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Shite in Miniature II


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Well guys, bad news. 

 

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As my repaint stack grew, the repainting stopped. I needed more colours. A lot more colours, and I couldn't do that with spray cans. They cost too much and they take up too much space. So I spent the equivalent of eight Halfords spray cans on an airbrush setup. It's great - no paint smell, the paint cost is negligible, colours can be mixed and it's all water based so it's easy to clean. 

 

Here's the first car to roll through my new paint facility. Eddy's Matchbox Mazal:

 

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There's no paint on the wheels, they're just reflections. It still needs polishing but I was too excited to leave it unassembled.  The interior is painted with Molotow liquid chrome to make it pop through the orange glass. 

 

So what's the bad news? You're going to be seeing a lot of this from now on! 

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Looks good, go on then, tell us which one you got?

 

This one: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Switzer-Double-Action-Airbrush-Kit-Compressor-With-Tank-AS186-Paint-Nail-Tatoo/132166170957. Definitely get one with the tank. The compressor is fairly quiet, but with the tank it's only running every now and again. 

 

Looks really good that. Could pass as an original Lesney as they loved 70’s colours and chrome stuff. What paint do you use? Does it provide a durable finish?

I'm using this acrylic paint from Hobbycraft. Thinned with washer fluid and then clearcoated with ordinary spray lacquer so it's just as durable as car paint. I am intending to experiment with glossy acrylics and no lacquer. 

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That’s not bad. So I’m guessing it requires no primer as well?

 

Due to the absence of new Matchboxes in the U.K. anymore now they’ve seemingly wound up U.K. operations I was going to pick some old stuff up and do a few customs for Sierraman Jr. She would probably like the picking a custom colour thing as well.

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One Below? New one on me I’ll have to look if they have a shop in Sheffield.

 

Edit: Well fuck me blind they’re opening one 5 minutes from my house. I’ll pop in next week.

It is the latest venture by father and son entrepreneurs Christopher Edwards Jnr,  36, and Christopher Edwards Senior, who founded Poundworld Retail Limited before it was sold to American private equity conglomerate, TPG Capital in 2014.

Independent chain One Below opened on Saturday, March 16 in the former Poundworld unit.

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That’s not bad. So I’m guessing it requires no primer as well?

I’ve been priming them, but I haven’t tried without. The main reason for priming is that the airbrushes paint is so much thinner you can’t get away with small scratches and casting imperfections so you need a decent layer of primer to hide that.

 

That's given me something to consider, my repaint pile is getting too much for rattlecans as well.

Definitely. It pays for itself very quickly, and the compressors have a high resale value so you won’t lose much if you change your mind. I tried to buy a used one for ages, but they always got bid almost to new price.

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Purple meths, for 24-48 hours, in a sealed jar.  Doesn't damage the plastic - with the exception of making some early Lesney plastic wheels go soft, easily sorted by rinsing them off and letting them air dry for 24 hours, after which they firm up again - is a good low cost, low odour, method.  Tends to work well on modern paints and repaints, not so great on really old paints.  You can re-use the meths as well, so you don't have to dispose it after every car.

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Courtesy of the Ramrod Collection, I've got this on my desk to build.  Because I'm making use of what was in the box it's not going to be a police car, it's going to be a High School Hot Rod.  I have a very clear vision for how this one will look.  I've been warned this kit isn't the best and the fit and finish on some parts is certainly not great, however, that should work in my favour because of how I want the end result to look.

 

Is that the Monaco? I did this one many years ago with various bits from the parts box:

 

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AMT 1:25 Dodge Monaco by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

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I'm finding that if a car has been Humbrolled, caustic soda will strip it in anything from five minutes to an hour.  If all it wears is original factory paint, the caustic doesn't seem so keen.  I haven't found an answer yet.

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Another charity shop haul. I can't believe the Bagheera still has it's opening plastic hatch.  :-D

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I thought all the Sierras had a red interior to make the back lights red?

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I repainted the Rolls to match the one my MOT testers have (wonderful place to sit waiting for an MOT)  and gave it to them they were chuffed.

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Spotted:  it is indeed that kit.  I found a video tonight that's going to be VERY useful for some of the detail I wanted to incorporate but wasn't sure how.  There's quite a bit of useful info on this channel, as it happens, including how to make a moderately convincing vinyl roof from masking tape.

 

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