rosco01 Posted November 30, 2021 Report Share Posted November 30, 2021 Hi folk, my turn to ask some questions... painting clear plastic kit parts. I am in the process of another Revo white kit and have just about finished it. I've hit a stumbling block - Revo 911's come with a coloured rear bar across the tail and two front curved indicators on the front. The factory assembled models have these coloured red and orange..... but the white kit is clear, without any coloured film supplied to colour them. I have purchased some SMS "clear red" and "clear orange" and intend to paint these parts from the inside. However, SMS "premium" range paint is a true acrylic (with harsh solvents) and I fear I may fog or damage these lovely parts. Can any suggest how to colour these please.... at present, my thoughts are to coating the insides with Pascoe's floor polish and over coat with SMS premium clears a couple of days later. This trick works fine over Patto's decals - the floor polish seems to provided the clear needed barrier against agressive solvents... frats, Rosco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vinno Posted November 30, 2021 Report Share Posted November 30, 2021 Have you got any old clear parts you could test it on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosco01 Posted November 30, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2021 Thanks for the reply, Vinno - yes, I'm playing around with parts of the kit... the unseen parts of the windscreens and some of the sprues... but these are very limited in Revo kits. I'll post up what I find... so far, I have coated a number of parts with Pascoe's floor polish - leave them a couple of days then I might try some of SMS clear red and clear orange on them.. I expect that it is usual practice to colour the underside of clear parts? and leave the outside to give that plastic lens look? frats, Rosco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosco01 Posted November 30, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2021 Ok folk, I put a question up on the SMS facebook site concerning colouring clear plastic parts. From what I have been replied with, SMS will not affect them..... but it has been suggested to "mist" two light coats onto the clear plastic before hitting them with more solid coats... repeat until satisfactory. It has also been used to "tint" the main windows... The clear SMS colours I have are very "thin"... allowing successive coats until the desired body is attained. My method of using floor polish was shunned to some extent - but also accepted by others.... I'll report back with results in both methods... and maybe some pix to give illustration of my findings... frats, Rosco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miked Posted November 30, 2021 Report Share Posted November 30, 2021 Old modelers trick - try using colored sharpie or felt tip on the inside of the clear lens - but test on something clear first to see if shade is what you want. Or alternatively paint inside with silver then apply the clear red or orange on the outside- supposedly gives it more depth, again experiment before try on the real thing. Quote Slow is Smooth, Smooth is Fast! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manimmal Posted November 30, 2021 Report Share Posted November 30, 2021 I simply brush on tamiya acrylics, no problem. Quote My mum says I'm an excellent driver Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosco01 Posted November 30, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2021 Thanks fella's... I have used texta's before with arguable success. As for painting with silver first - I tried that some time back for headlight lenses... with Molotow chrome. Sad thing was - the rear of the lens was chrome... where I wanted it chrome was dull silver.. I now make up styrene card disks and coat them with Molotow - and glue them to the back of the lens... using canopy glue.. works a treat. frats, Rosco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisguyw Posted November 30, 2021 Report Share Posted November 30, 2021 A second vote for Tamiya clear acrylics.............have used them for years on clear parts with zero issues...either hand brushed or air brushed. Cheers Chris Walker Most recently I have used Tamiya clears on this 997.....tailights, and headlight covers. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangermouse Posted November 30, 2021 Report Share Posted November 30, 2021 I use the Tamiya clears without any trouble. Its what they recommend in their kits Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosco01 Posted November 30, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2021 Thanks fella's - I have made a quantum leap into SMS paints. I understand that clear Tamiya can be used successfully and works fine. In another forum, I have also been informed that SMS clear acrylics do likewise. I am grateful for your replies and will proceed to colour my lenses. Question - is it usual practice to colour the inside of the lens? I suspect so. Chris, that 997 looks amazing. Can you tell me a bit more about the aluminium plate you have it sitting on. I note that it has a slot channel with something on what would be the contact rails which is coloured yellow. My suspicion is that this is some form of masking tape, and I am bewildered on its function... The only thing I can fathom is to prevent the braid from shorting through the aluminium block - but why you would apply power to a model sitting on it...well, I hahave an inquisitive mind... frats, Rosco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manimmal Posted November 30, 2021 Report Share Posted November 30, 2021 I always coat the inside to ensure high gloss and depth. Ordinarily i'll brush molotow chrome in the aperture, not the back of the lens, however sometimes this isn't the best option. Quote My mum says I'm an excellent driver Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisguyw Posted November 30, 2021 Report Share Posted November 30, 2021 40 minutes ago, rosco01 said: Question - is it usual practice to colour the inside of the lens? I suspect so. Chris, that 997 looks amazing. Can you tell me a bit more about the aluminium plate you have it sitting on. I note that it has a slot channel with something on what would be the contact rails which is coloured yellow. My suspicion is that this is some form of masking tape, and I am bewildered on its function... The only thing I can fathom is to prevent the braid from shorting through the aluminium block - but why you would apply power to a model sitting on it...well, I hahave an inquisitive mind... frats, Rosco Hi Rosco,.......to answer your first question,...yes colour/paint the inside of the lens, ...looks much better, and, lasts much longer !! As far as the aluminum set-up block,............I use it for setting front end ride height.....one side has a 5 thou. relief cut either side of the slot (for braided tracks), and the side you see has no relief, but I have placed some masking tape on either side of the slot to replicate the raised rails/copper tape of the track this car was set to run on. Most good commercial tracks will have similar blocks (acrylic/alu. etc.).....one side flat, one side with a relief (the blocks do come with various relief depths depending on the particulars of your track).......I have a few for various braid depths. This makes accurate front end set-up easy.....and more importantly,....precise !! Cheers Chris Walker FYI,...a pic of the other side of the block, showing the relief (left side) cut beside the slot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosco01 Posted December 1, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2021 Thanks again, chaps..... I hope to do some airbrushing on Friday - we are baby sitting for the next two days (3 y.o. - attention demanding and always asking where I am if I try to disappear)... Chris, I have a Mill and some aluminium - I might make up one of these blocks. I suspect the 0.005" recess is for the thickness of the braid used on your models?.... so it ensues positive (and negative) contact with the braid onto the power rails.... I have not gone to the extreme of setting models up for differing tracks - I simply don't have access to anything but my own plastic Scalextric "sport" track... The degree which I go to in order to set my cars up is probably overkill for plastic track... bit they seem to run smoother and can turn out better times when they are set up - as opposed to how the factory does... some pretty ordinary models have come out of boxes on delivery - truing tyres and aligning axles seems to be the first things which produce the greatest gains..... then we start looking at motors and mesh... etc, etc, etc.... I have no idea on weight distribution yet.. I recently purchased some 1mm lead strips... and will seek information on how best to set a model up when distributing whatever is needed around a model. From memory, I believe I read from one person that they tend to aim for a 60/40 balance.... the 60 being the front.... Ok, back over to you...... frats, Rosco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisguyw Posted December 1, 2021 Report Share Posted December 1, 2021 14 hours ago, rosco01 said: Chris, I have a Mill and some aluminium - I might make up one of these blocks. I suspect the 0.005" recess is for the thickness of the braid used on your models?.... so it ensues positive (and negative) contact with the braid onto the power rails.... I have no idea on weight distribution yet.. I recently purchased some 1mm lead strips... and will seek information on how best to set a model up when distributing whatever is needed around a model. From memory, I believe I read from one person that they tend to aim for a 60/40 balance.... the 60 being the front.... Ok, back over to you...... frats, Rosco Hi Rosco. If you run primarily on Sport track, you will not need to cut any relief into the aluminum, as Scaley rails are not recessed............the purpose of the recess or tape on the aluminum block is to mimic the track surface you are running on (recessed braid or raised rails) ......it has nothing to do with the braid on the car. As far as weight balance, most good cars end up being around a 40/60 balance (40 FRONT. 60 REAR), but do not regard this as gospel,........build and test your cars without any weight added,....test,.... and the car will let you know what it needs as far as weight/weight position. Variables include.....track design/grip, motor power, gear ratio, tyre grip, chassis dynamics etc. Cheers Chris Walker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosco01 Posted December 1, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2021 Thanks Chris - more of the hidden black art explained. I'll just mill out a 2 mm trench for the guide on a piece of 10 mm ali bar I have in my stock. Anything else I might add for convenience. As you very well know (and put me onto) I have the 1/32 scratchbuilder's ceramic board - works a treat. Still a little unsure of how to use the wheel blocks - I ordered extra sets of them along with additional pins and the bending jig. Getting the location of a bend exactly where needed in piano wire still confuses me, and I make many mistakes - do you have a trick for placing piano wire against the pin prior to bending.. My method is to mark where the start of the bend is and sort of rotate that mark around the pin to locate where it will commence the bend... not very exacting. I'm certain there is a better method in setting up wire in the jig, but it's beyond my comprehension. I have fallen in love with Revo models - I love the "non-plastic" chassis - everything is screwed down and there isn't any need for bracing the rear axle mounts in relation to the motor.... I am yet to run one, but believe they will be a little noisier. I have seen a You-Tube vid where small silicone spacers have been fitted between the body mount screws and the body..... Also, I'm not totally convinced the "sprung" guide pin is the way to go... my preference has always been to effect as little freedom of the pin in the pin guide... It may suit my Scalextric track - there is very little "constant" in the surface of the power rails as the car goes around the track... the rails tend to undulate a little - no matter how careful and cautious I have been when assembling, dismantling and storing my track pieces over the years... plastic is not the rock solid constant that a routed track is.... and the "floating" guide of Revo models may very well aid in this undulation.. I'm not sure how the model will track in the groove with such an arrangement. As for weight - thanks, I had it the wrong way around... but fortunately, haven't started messing around with adding weight to models.. I suspect, like wheel balancing on our infernal combustion road motor machines - the smallest amount to achieve the desired result is to be aimed for..... Ok, thanks again Chris - as always, you information is most appreciated and considered mentoring.. frats, Rosco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisguyw Posted December 1, 2021 Report Share Posted December 1, 2021 1 hour ago, rosco01 said: I'll just mill out a 2 mm trench for the guide on a piece of 10 mm ali bar I have in my stock. Anything else I might add for convenience. Rosco, If you are running on Sport track, milling a 2mm trench is far from ideal....... you are trying to make the set-up block as close to the surface of you track as possible, otherwise your front end ride height will be "off". As Scaley track has slightly raised rails, I would just mill a slot in the alu. for the guide blade, and put strips of tape along the slot, to mimic the raised rails of your Scaley track.......as I have done with the "yellow" tape in my earlier post. Cheers Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosco01 Posted December 1, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 1, 2021 Thanks again, Chris - I may have created confusion in what I posted above - yes, my intention is only to mill out the guide blade slot - using a 2 mm bit. I can then do as you suggest and apply masking tape to replicate the contact rails of Scalextric Sport track... but it tends to vary a bit - not ideal, more suited to "playing" slot cars than anything of a more serious application... much appreciated, frats, Rosco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosco01 Posted December 2, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2021 (edited) Just one further question if I may, Chris?... When you trenched out the recess for your guide blade - how far back along the plate did you go? I intend to go only as far as a model will reach with the rear wheels at the other end of the plate, and only to the depth that a wooden guide blade will reach... leaving the base below that intact. I purchased three 200 mm x 100 mm x 10 mm aluminium plates today - work begins tomorrow. frats, Rosco Edited December 2, 2021 by rosco01 amend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalbfellp Posted December 2, 2021 Report Share Posted December 2, 2021 The slot for the guide to go into should be 1/8. Not 2mm. I does not really matter how long the slot is, but should allow the Longer aftermarket guides to fit. Quote Phil https://www.hobartminiaturecarclub.com/ Email Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisguyw Posted December 2, 2021 Report Share Posted December 2, 2021 (edited) Hi Rosco, Phil correctly answered your question. PS Most set-up blocks have the slot simply cut through the entire depth of the material......easier than milling , and you don't need a milling machine !! Cheers Chris Walker Edited December 2, 2021 by Chrisguyw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosco01 Posted December 2, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2021 Thanks Chris - I do like to play with my mill.... for the most - my use of it is an over-engineered drill press... I will attempt the 1/8" guide slot, and also trench down far enough for the aftermarket guides. Any suggested distance that the slot should extend back to? frats, Rosco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisguyw Posted December 3, 2021 Report Share Posted December 3, 2021 16 hours ago, rosco01 said: Any suggested distance that the slot should extend back to? frats, Rosco A bit longer than your longest guide blade. Cheers Chris Walker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosco01 Posted December 3, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2021 Thanks Chris... I'll probably go back a bit further than I was going to - it would make sense that a model with the guide well forward would be different to one where it is further back... heaven forbid, I might one day put an old Scaley car on the block!.. one with the two pins and round base plate. frats, Rosco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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