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That engine looks amazing Kev, detail is incredible.....  Regards Alan
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 Rank: Master       Groups: Registered
Joined: 25/11/2018 Posts: 1,284 Points: 3,878 Location: Southeast UK
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Many thanks for all of your great comments guys, very much appreciated as always.  
Kev.Per Ardua Ad Astra
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Rank: Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 25/11/2018 Posts: 1,284 Points: 3,878 Location: Southeast UK
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CaptnBirdseye wrote: ... One day (finances permitting) I fancy buying one of these kits. How do they compare to Pocher? (if you've ever built both?) I'm afraid I've never built a Pocher kit Gray so I wouldn't be qualified to comment on them or to make any comparisons with MFH. I have looked at many Pocher builds on the 'net over the years and they do seem to be of a similar level to MFH in terms of detail and they do look equally as impressive when finished. They are both similar in being 'multi-media' kits though from what I've seen the Pocher kits do sometimes include some injection moulded plastic parts, whereas MFH tend to be just a mix of white metal, resin and PE parts, but both companies produce some fantastic models. Roy would be the one to talk to about Pocher kits as I know that he's built several in the past? Kev. Per Ardua Ad Astra
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Rank: Master Groups: Registered
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RM1 wrote: ... You mentioned a Custom wash to enhance the finish. can I ask what you used to make up that wash? In the past I have tried a Tamiya "Panel Line accent" as they call it. I got reasonable results but hoping to find something better.
Malc.
Hello Malc,
Being a semi-professional artist, I have a large collection of paints at my disposal, some of which I also use in my modelling projects. Oil paints are great for making washes, better than acrylic. The older type oil paints that used 'linseed' oil as their binding medium are perfectly fine for the purpose of making washes but as the linseed oil has quite a protracted drying time it can be a bit of a pain having to wait a long period for it to dry at each stage when modelling. For some years now there has been a new(ish) type of oil paint called 'Alkyds' which are the same as normal oil paints but use a kind of resin as the binder instead of linseed oil. These were invented to increase the speed at which the oil paint dries but without any loss in consistency, etc. On a painting, alkyd oils will be touch dry in about 24 hrs, far less than the old oils which can take days or weeks. For this reason I use Alkyds to create my washes which when applied very heavily thinned can be dry even quicker, in just a few hours, ready to apply any sealing coats of varnish, etc.
BEFORE using this method, make sure that the underlying paint on your model has either been sealed by a clearcoat or that it is not an 'oil based' paint, as the thinners in this mix will loosen/remove the paint if it isn't protected from the wash? Using acrylics as your base colours will be fine and won't need sealing before the wash or use an acrylic clearcoat as a barrier to the wash then you'll be fine. I have found that metallic paints such as Alclad 2 or AK Interactive seem to be fine without a barrier layer being applied as long as they are fully hardened before applying any wash, and the wash is only applied in small amounts?
I make my washes from the same two colours each time, being 'Payne's Grey' and 'Burnt Umber' in a roughly 60/40 mix. That should give a darkish colour with a small hint of brown to it which looks very natural and just like the sort of grime/dirt/shadow that collects around all of the details on the model? You can of course play around with the ratios to get either a slightly darker, almost black shade by adding more Payne's Grey, or if you wish a slightly browner hue by adding more burnt Umber? That mix is then heavily thinned to a consistency just slightly more watery than single cream?. Once that is evenly mixed, it is just a case of using a long haired 'rigger' type brush, which can hold a good quantity of paint, and then just touching the brush tip against any details/panel lines whereby it will just flow naturally into and around them. If you find it doesn't flow very well, then the wash needs to be thinned more or vice versa, if it doesn't seem to have much colour to it then add more paint or less thinner? It is a matter of practicing and trial and error until you find the right consistency to make the technique work properly? If you just want to highlight small details then just tipping the brush against them will be sufficient to wick the wash around them, but you can also do a larger 'area wash' by first brushing some NEAT thinners across the whole area to dampen it, before then touching the loaded brush, which should be bigger and broader, against the area. This will allow the wash to flow to all of the corners, nooks and crannies much easier, but it does sometimes make the underlying paint in the open expanses of that area appear darker when dried so you need to allow for that in your choice of base colour? if you do an area wash and find it's made the whole area too dark you can rescue it a bit by letting it dry to about 95% then use a cotton bud dampened with neat thinners to remove any unwanted wash from open areas thus leaving it only in and around the details?
The two 'Alkyd' oil paints that I use for my standard wash mix:
The thinners that I use. This is a 'turpentine' based thinners, suitable for all oil paints but the strong smell of turps has been removed in the manufacturing process, hence the name 'Sansodor' which is French - sans odor - meaning 'without smell'! This is quite an old jar that I've had for a few years, the newer ones are plastic with a black and white label, but still the same product:
The long haired 'rigger' type brush that you need to use for this technique:
This is roughly the right consistency for your wash. When brushed against the side of your mixing dish (I use small foil pie trays as they are cheap and disposable), it should flow down amongst the ridges evenly back to the base of the bowl. That's when you know you've got it about right! Also, if the wash is sitting in the ridges in the same way that you want it to sit around any model details then these types of tray will help you in gauging the consistency more accurately before applying the wash to the model only to find that it's too thick or two thin? Just look at the ridges in the tray! Remember that the wash will dry slightly lighter than when it is wet, so don't panic if you think it's too dark initially?
That's all there is to it really and as I say, it's just a case of practice and playing with the colour ratios and consistency until you get something that you are happy with. Try using an old model that you no longer want with lots of pronounced details on which to try out your washing technique? Buying the oil paints and thinners will be more expensive than buying a jar of Tamiya 'Panel Liner' but then you'll have enough to make washes for the rest of your modelling life ... and beyond?
Sorry about the lengthy article Malc, but I hope that helps?
On the subject of oil paints and thinners, etc, I thought you might like to see one of my older pieces of F1 art that I've painted in the past Malc. 2006 I think it was?:
Please do not attempt to copy those images anybody as I own the copyright on them!
All the best,
Kev.Per Ardua Ad Astra
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 Rank: Super-Elite   Groups: Registered
Joined: 31/05/2010 Posts: 5,679 Points: 17,011 Location: Wiltshire
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Kev Wow that is some stunning painting. Love how you have got that high level of shine into the picture. Tony Happy Modelling
BUILDING: Hachette Spitfire Mk 1A, Constructo Mayflower
SUBSCRIPTION COMPLETE (Awaiting building): USS Constitution, Sovereign of the Seas, 1:200 Bismarck (Hachette)
COMPLETED: Porsche 911, E-Type Jaguar, Lam Countach
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Hi Kev, Fantastic explanation of your technique with creating a wash. Thanks for taking the time with such a thorough description. I'll immediately get to the online art stores for supplies.  ( brilliant paint job on that Helmet...wow.. )
Malc.
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Rank: Administration  Groups: Administrator, Administrators, Forum Support Team, Global Forum Support, Global Forum Support Team, Moderator, Official Builds Joined: 24/08/2009 Posts: 1,929 Points: 5,799 Location: UK
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Kev, could I talk you into expounding on the wash topic, and creating a how-to post?
Stay well,
Mark
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Rank: Master   Groups: Registered
Joined: 29/03/2011 Posts: 1,053 Points: 3,165 Location: Glenvista JHB
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Hi Kev, Thank you for sharing your wash technique. This is an area of my modeling that can definitely do with some improvement  Kind regards, Garth "Measure twice, cut once!!!"
Finished!!! HMS Victory,
Current build: Black Pearl.
On hold: Bismarck, Golden Hind, Flying Scotsman, Victory Cross Section, SOTS, Tiger 1.
Wish list: USS Constitution.
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Rank: Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 25/11/2018 Posts: 1,284 Points: 3,878 Location: Southeast UK
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Thanks for looking in and your kind comments guys, very much appreciated as always and glad to be able to help with the wash technique.
@ Mark - I'll see what I can do sometime in the next few days, maybe the weekend, very busy with other stuff at the moment but I'm sure I can help with a 'how to' topic on the subject.
Kev.Per Ardua Ad Astra
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Stunning artwork Kev, looks so real. Mark Regards
Markwarren
(Mark) Admin
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Rank: Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 25/11/2018 Posts: 1,284 Points: 3,878 Location: Southeast UK
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Markwarren wrote:Stunning artwork Kev, looks so real. Mark
Thanks Mark, very much appreciated. I really need to concentrate more on my art but an overwhelming desire to build models holds me back sometimes? I suppose it's what makes you happy that counts though!
Kev.Per Ardua Ad Astra
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Rank: Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 25/11/2018 Posts: 1,284 Points: 3,878 Location: Southeast UK
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Hello all,
Moving on with the build. In this update I enter stage #3 and encase the main engine unit with the rear chassis section and add a few more details.
Section #3 assembly instructions:
The main kit components for the rear chassis assembly before cleaning up and preparation:
For some reason MFH have designed this model to have concave dimples to represent what should be domed rivet heads, which can be seen in the photos below. I thought about adding small drops of 'Bondic' UV activated glue to replicate the rivet heads, a method I've used before and which works quite well. However, the whole model has rivets represented by concave dimples and there are hundreds of them especially on the main bodywork of the car, as you will see later and to be honest I don't think I could face the monotony of going down that route! I have seen one of these kits built as standard with sunken rivets and whilst it's not correct, it doesn't really detract from the finished model so I think I'm going to stick with what I have in the kit? I can live with it.
Some shots of the parts assembled, painted using Alcad 2 'Polished Aluminium' and lightly pin washed to bring out the details. The main firewall and forward engine mounts are only temporarily placed for these photos as I need them to be fitted AFTER the engine is in situ otherwise it would be impossible to do so!:
The photo below shows the completed assembly of the coolant header tank and associated pipework for connecting to the cylinder head outlets. The kit includes some quite clever PE jubilee clips that need to be fitted and whilst being quite tricky they do succeed in making this area look more realistic. I also added the thin coiled wire (from fuse wire) that is shown in my reference photos but not included in the kit. I'm not sure but I think it is a small bore pipe that leads to a temperature sensor?:
First three photos below show the engine now fully (and permanently) fitted into the rear chassis section, with the coolant system parts in place along with a clear fuel pipe from the in-built nearside fuel tank, up to the fuel pump that is fitted on the engine:
Next photo shows the gear selector linkage, which can only be seen when viewed from beneath:
The next two photos show the throttle cable connected up to the linkage on top of the fuel metering
unit. The instructions show that it should just droop down from it's fixing, across the cylinder head and then go through the firewall. I thought this a bit odd due to the heat that would be coming from the exhausts in that area and that it ought to be clipped up somewhere out of the way, but reference photos showed the loosely hanging route to be correct!:
A few more general shots of the completed engine and rear chassis section:
That is it for this update, in the next one I will be starting on section #4 which details the building and fitting of the gearbox along with various other fittings and pipes at the rear of the car.
Thanks for looking, all comments and criticisms welcomed. Stay safe.
Kev.
Per Ardua Ad Astra
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That is looking stunning Kev, excellent work.  Mark Regards
Markwarren
(Mark) Admin
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Rank: Super-Elite  Groups: Official Builds, Administrators, Moderator, Global Forum Support, Registered Joined: 04/06/2011 Posts: 4,707 Points: 14,267 Location: ipswich
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More amazing work. I know it's extremely unlikely (never) but this would make a great 1/8 part work model.
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Rank: Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 25/11/2018 Posts: 1,284 Points: 3,878 Location: Southeast UK
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Many thanks Mark and Roy for looking in and your comments, greatly appreciated as always.
@ Roy - This MFH kit is very impressive in size and weight at 1:12 scale - a 1:8 scale model would be even more awesome!
Kev.Per Ardua Ad Astra
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Stunning work with that engine Kev, it certainly looks the biz..... .. Credit to you..... Regards Alan
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Rank: Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 25/11/2018 Posts: 1,284 Points: 3,878 Location: Southeast UK
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Many thanks for looking in and your great comments Alan, which I always appreciate from you. It has been great fun building this engine with it's high level of detail, but the engine side of the build is drawing to a close soon. The gearbox has now been fitted and a few ancillaries still to add over the next few days, then it's time to move on to the main chassis.
Kev.Per Ardua Ad Astra
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Rank: Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 25/11/2018 Posts: 1,284 Points: 3,878 Location: Southeast UK
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That's a very impressive build of the engine/gearbox Kev. Love the super tidy wiring and hoses.
Maybe that second "shaft" on the left side of the gearbox is Pipe? gearbox oil or something like that?
Great watching this coming together.
Malc.
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Stunning work again Kev. that looks a lot bigger than it actually is. Mark Regards
Markwarren
(Mark) Admin
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