Author Topic: Panda Cougar JERRV  (Read 20822 times)

Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: Panda Cougar JERRV
« Reply #25 on: July 13, 2016, 06:09:30 PM »
Wow that gap certainly is challenging.

Given your incredible work so far, I'm sure your approach to it is best. If it was mine, I'd try filling it with Tamiya putty and smoothing it out. Once given a nice coat of dark OD, it might actually pass for a weld seam. All my fixes are horribly cave-man.

I've no doubt you'll overcome this with style!

Brian da Basher


Offline Gingie

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Re: Panda Cougar JERRV
« Reply #26 on: July 14, 2016, 12:14:07 AM »
I'd fill that gap with strip styrene first before trying putty

Offline Frank3k

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Re: Panda Cougar JERRV
« Reply #27 on: July 14, 2016, 01:09:15 AM »
If the top is still loose - you can run a pencil (or a slow drying marker) along all the surfaces that my be hitting the top, then force the top down and see where there's a mark. Remove the excess material and repeat. It's like what dentists do to check your bite.

Offline 35th-scale

  • On first name terms with someone called Nathan...
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Re: Panda Cougar JERRV
« Reply #28 on: July 28, 2016, 07:42:05 PM »
Thanks Gents. At the last point it was attached front, right and rear so was not coming off. First step was copious amounts of glue and pressure down the left side. Then styrene strips the liquid green stuff followed by more sanding and while not the neatest job, but it will at least let me finish it. Lots of repairs needed after the struggle of getting the two halves together.





It was worth stepping back for a week.

So for anyone else attempting a Panda Cougar start with the inside and get the body halves attached before doing the suspension, fenders, bins, lift rings, steps....basically anything on the outside. And constantly dry-fit....sand, cut, file, dry-fit again, repeat....

Offline 35th-scale

  • On first name terms with someone called Nathan...
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Re: Panda Cougar JERRV
« Reply #29 on: July 29, 2016, 09:29:15 PM »
This is going to fight me every step of the way....

The front windscreen in incompletely cast. One side is missing ant these stand out from the hull.

How it should be:



The other side:



And after repairs ready for painting:




The controls for rotating the turret were not very well thought out. OK if leaving hatch closed but will need filling with open hatch. Pity I didn't spot it before assembly




So the struggle continues.....stay tuned for further updates

Offline Old Wombat

  • "We'll see when I've finished whether I'm showing off or simply embarrassing myself."
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Re: Panda Cougar JERRV
« Reply #30 on: July 31, 2016, 03:05:37 PM »
I long for the day I have a build that doesn't throw at least a few curve balls at me! :icon_crap:
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline Frank3k

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Re: Panda Cougar JERRV
« Reply #31 on: July 31, 2016, 11:53:44 PM »
This kit has been putting up a fight. It's good that you're persevering, though.



Offline 35th-scale

  • On first name terms with someone called Nathan...
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Re: Panda Cougar JERRV
« Reply #32 on: August 04, 2016, 05:51:58 AM »
Well it's time to start painting the outside using my shiny new airbrush





And the first attempt didn't go so well.



Guess I should have practiced more first. Also tried with Mig primer on the turret and that was even worse.

Offline The Big Gimper

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Re: Panda Cougar JERRV
« Reply #33 on: August 04, 2016, 07:25:59 AM »
Did you happen to park at anytime in downtown Detroit overnight? All your tires are missing., :o

Great perseverance and work. Keep it up.
Work in progress ::

I am giving up listing them. They all end up on the shelf of procrastination anyways.

User and abuser of Bothans...

Offline Volkodav

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Re: Panda Cougar JERRV
« Reply #34 on: August 04, 2016, 10:45:31 AM »
Yep, looks like my ship did, orange peel.  It wasn't even the section I was painting, paint was pooling in another area I wasn't looking at.

Offline Frank3k

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Re: Panda Cougar JERRV
« Reply #35 on: August 04, 2016, 11:21:32 AM »
Are you using acrylics?
  If so, are you using a compressor or a can of air?
    If a can of air, there's your problem - the propellant can be oily.
  else, the surface of the model is oily.

If you're using enamels, and a compressor, then you should check the water trap (or you should have a water trap on the compressor).

I paint with acrylics, because it's easier to undo my inevitable mistakes with denatured alcohol (methylated spirits).
My main acrylic paint is Vallejo; their paints cover well and are relatively inexpensive. The downside is that they're delicate, even after they're dry. Vallejo makes several polyurethane primers, but they can be finicky. Other acrylics that I use are Tamiya and Testor's Acryl.

The best primers I've found so far (as good or better than the gold standard, Mr. Durfacer) are the Badger Stynylrez primers. They're acrylic, but dry quickly and produce a flat, hard surface that conforms to fine details. Acrylic paints stick to it well.

Offline 35th-scale

  • On first name terms with someone called Nathan...
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Re: Panda Cougar JERRV
« Reply #36 on: August 04, 2016, 03:51:01 PM »
No, hasn't been near Detroit or inner-city Dublin :)

I used Mig acrylic and a compressor without priming. But using Mig acrylic primer on the gun tub was even worse. I have since cleaned up the gun tub and restarted with "Ultimate" primer which went down perfectly. Not sure if its the different brand or the fact I had to clean off the old primer cleaned the plastic of any residue also. Have also sanded the orange peel and will re-spray tonight. Funny part is the orange-peel is in a mix of spots....some where it would have got lots of handling during construction and some where it would barely have been touched. It's just going to take a bit of getting used to this airbrush Mullarkey :)

Offline Old Wombat

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Re: Panda Cougar JERRV
« Reply #37 on: August 04, 2016, 11:04:29 PM »
So far I only airbrush my colour coats, primers come from the good-ol' rattlers.

Best results, to date, are with Tamiya grey primer out of the rattle-can.

The Tamiya white is a bit iffy, as it sometimes goes on like yours did, although I have recently noticed that by making 3 or 4 long-range passes with the can leaves a very fine, fairly even coat which seems to be suitable for most enamel/acrylic paints to adhere to & which gives a good base for closer passes of white primer to adhere to, if a solid white base coat is required.
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline Claymore

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Re: Panda Cougar JERRV
« Reply #38 on: August 05, 2016, 06:52:27 AM »
I'm with my ol' Wombat friend in that I too use Tamiya grey primer out of a rattle-can. Easy to use, goes on well and is an excellent base for further acrylic top coats using my airbrush - a tad expensive but does such a good job that it's worth it in the long run.
« Last Edit: August 05, 2016, 02:10:17 PM by Claymore »
Pass the razor saw, there is work to be done!

Offline 35th-scale

  • On first name terms with someone called Nathan...
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Re: Panda Cougar JERRV
« Reply #39 on: August 06, 2016, 03:55:15 AM »
This is what I used to prime the cleaned up gun-tub after the Mig primer was a disaster



Came out quite well too



Offline 35th-scale

  • On first name terms with someone called Nathan...
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Re: Panda Cougar JERRV
« Reply #40 on: August 06, 2016, 06:11:33 AM »
And now back to the hairy sticks to start detailing 😀



Took a bit of sanding and re-spraying bits but happy with the result

Offline Claymore

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Re: Panda Cougar JERRV
« Reply #41 on: August 06, 2016, 06:37:59 AM »
Sweet!  :)
Pass the razor saw, there is work to be done!

Offline 35th-scale

  • On first name terms with someone called Nathan...
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Re: Panda Cougar JERRV
« Reply #42 on: August 06, 2016, 08:17:56 PM »
Thanks Claymore. The Ultimate primer did the job for me.

Do you folks wash the plastic before starting a build?

Offline Volkodav

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Re: Panda Cougar JERRV
« Reply #43 on: August 06, 2016, 10:36:52 PM »
Much better!

Looking good

Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: Panda Cougar JERRV
« Reply #44 on: August 07, 2016, 07:14:52 AM »
It's amazing to me how you've overcome all the challenges involved in this build.

The result is so clean you'd never know about all that which is the very definition of skill in my book.

Brian da Basher

Offline 35th-scale

  • On first name terms with someone called Nathan...
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Re: Panda Cougar JERRV
« Reply #45 on: August 07, 2016, 08:16:42 AM »
 :-[

Offline Claymore

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Re: Panda Cougar JERRV
« Reply #46 on: August 07, 2016, 03:08:39 PM »
Do you folks wash the plastic before starting a build?

I have done in that past when a kit seemed to be particularly slimy but usually no.  The good old rattle-can primer covers all!
Pass the razor saw, there is work to be done!

Offline finsrin

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Re: Panda Cougar JERRV
« Reply #47 on: August 07, 2016, 03:20:56 PM »
Do you folks wash the plastic before starting a build?

I have done in that past when a kit seemed to be particularly slimy but usually no.  The good old rattle-can primer covers all!

My painting needs all the help it can get.  I most always wash plastic.

Offline Old Wombat

  • "We'll see when I've finished whether I'm showing off or simply embarrassing myself."
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Re: Panda Cougar JERRV
« Reply #48 on: August 07, 2016, 04:33:02 PM »
Do you folks wash the plastic before starting a build?

Sometimes. ::)

Mostly I forget. :-[

But my worst case with Tamiya white occurred on a thoroughly washed model :o (because it was oily to the touch & there was even some slight damage to the kit from the release agent), although I didn't wipe it down with methylated spirits after washing, which I've heard is a good thing to do.
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline 35th-scale

  • On first name terms with someone called Nathan...
  • I wonder what scale he builds in???
Re: Panda Cougar JERRV
« Reply #49 on: August 10, 2016, 08:22:17 PM »
Thanks for that feedback gents.

Slowly adding bits and pieces and also started the weathering