Hey everybody.

Ive just started a 1/24 scale fujimi Mini cooper. So far everything has been going together great. Hope to get some pictures posted soon

Hunter

Guess this means I'll be doing the airbrushing again.

Hermon

Real funny dad, but im gonna try to do it myself this time.
Gotta get better at the airbrush.

Hunter

Looking forward to seeing some progress pics, no matter who's doing the airbrushing

I hope to get some posted later this week.

Hunter

I've gotten my interior done at last and now I'm on to painting the body of my mini cooper. It is molded in red plastic but i wanted to paint it something different so I have painted a coat of white on it. My plan is to do what Mother (Joe) did on his custom chopper. He painted it silver and then painted a top coat of Tamiya clear green. I plan on doing this but substituting Tamiya clear blue in place of the green. I really hope this works out cause I think it will be really cool. Should have some pictures by tomorrow if everything goes to plan.

Hunter

Ahhhh, father/son modelling issues....at least yours is an easy one, my son wants to destroy what I build{but he's only 3 1/2 and it's not intentional - I hope!}.
Good luck with the AB...practice makes perfect and the only way to get good is to use it. Remember when doing a candy coat{a transparent color over a base coat} to keep the coverage even in thickness...too thick here or too thin there will show up....nice even coats and you'll do fine.

BTW, is that the old cooper or the newer version your doing?

there really only is one mini. i hope it is austin and not bmw!

Thanks for the tips Bob. Ive already applied a base coat and its gone on just perfect.
The mini cooper is a newer model. Jp the mini cooper im doing is made by austin if im not mistaking.

Keep your coments coming guys, ill have a sneak peak of the mini cooper sooner or later.

Hunter

Here are a couple of pictures of my mini. The first one is from last night when the white primer was on. The second is after the silver base coat and the Tamiya clear blue.




I'm going to let it dry and work on the roof and interior for a while now.
And JP I'm afraid it actually is a BMW. My bad.

Hunter

Yup, BMW got the build for this new crop....that's why they run good right off the bat.
Very nice so far. Can't wait to see the green over that.

Thanks Bob. I dont know if i will apply a green coat to this mini. I like the way it looks right now. To get this color, I applied a coat of silver, then painted a clear blue over top.
I hope to be finished soon and get some photos of the finished product posted. Keep your comments coming guys.

Hunter

I'd keep this color if I were you. It looks like an official (new) Mini color to boot. Add some stickies and striping, and it could enter the Dutch Supercar Challenge

Pretty neat idea Richard. I plan on doing the standard mini cooper s version but it gives me some more options as I get more experienced.

Hunter

Hunter your Mini looks very good so far and the paint looks like you have been building model cars for years, soon Dad will be asking you for pointers. I will be watching your entire build.

Thanks Robert
I think it will be a while before he needs my advice

Hunter

I think the color looks great. Judging from the pic, the coverage is even and the finish is smooth, so I'd say it's good work.

BTW, is that someone's AAR in the background?

-YL

Hehehe...........like a circling shark waiting and watching the little baby seal floating on the chunk of ice. Perhaps a salt shaker in the forground would have been appropriate.


The paint on Hunters mini is really an accident but actually turned out pretty cool. He either didn't thin the white basecoat enough or just sprayed it on too thick. The result was a gloopy almost orange peel kind of effect. Rather than clean it off and try again, we decided to leave it. After it dried he applied the silver and then the clear blue. So.......it actually looks like textured paint under a foot of clear coat now and up close it is really pretty sweet.
What he failed to mention is that while he was ABing the mini I wasn't in the room. Somehow a $7.00 bottle of Floquil bright silver paint ended up on the model room floor (tile). I also found the tale tale signs of white overspray on my AAR wheels and tires that were not removed from the desk before the painting started.

............................oh the joys of fatherhood.

Hermon

Thanks Yoni. Im not really sure why he didnt take the cuda out of the picture.
Oh and thanks for the lovely story dad, why did you have to tell everybody.

Hunter

LOL...can relate. My son{3yr } was down here watching me work...his sister{6yr} was supposed to be watching him and keeping him out of trouble{usually the other way around!} ...he grabs a nearly finished sherman tank off the end of the table...as my heart attack subsides as he's setting it back down, he misjudges the end of the table and it teaters off the end and onto the floor....I didn't like how that one had turned out anyway{before, let alone "now"}.
On a happier note, you could wet sand the body to smooth it out and recoat the blue...by removing the blue down to the white, for the most part, you would get a nice finish still...or let it ride as is. If I had a buck for every time I've knocked over a bottle of paint when detailing{using the magnifying light..things around the table get so distorted} or knocked over a bottle of liquid cement, I could probably pay for the new trumpeter diesel train that's coming out. When it's time to spray paint, it's best to move things way out of the way...I spray on the low side of pressure, but sometimes if I kick it up to 20psi or over the over spray can drift...for your stuff or your dad's...it's just best to clear the table when the AB comes out. Not raggin' on yah, it'll just keep anything else there free from overspray.
As for your painting...don't get discouraged since it takes time and talent getting used to using the AB and correctly thinning the paint for use. I personnally think the modelmaster "sand" is the thickest/worst to paint with an AB to this day...I don't know why that stuff is sooooo thick!
Hunter, my 1st paint job was a kenworth K123...I brush painted it with gloss dark brown for the main body color and then used a flat tan for the accent color and thought it was good...so technically, your doing far better than me right now. {of course, that paint job of mine was 30some years ago}

Thanks for the tips Bob
I hope this incident doesnt occur again

Hunter