Best approach to painting

[Phil Crowther]

Good evening all. Allow me to introduce myself. I'm recently retired after 41 years in the NHS and in celebration I decided to stop drooling over the images of the latest Armortek release and take the plunge. I'm currently eagerly awaiting my C8Morris Quad and have been going through as many posts in every forum I can to get a hint of what I've let myself in for!

I am an inveterate 1/35th modeller with a penchant for armoured recovery vehicles and WW2 'Funnies', so I was thrilled to see the Bergepanther when it came out. Sadly I couldn't persuade the wife that it was a good investment. So when the Quad a dormant idea was released..... Large scale 25lber, limber and Quad. Just like the Airfix kit of my yoof and the Tamiya kits of later life.

However..... As I read the various posts I am a tad confused as to what is the best approach to priming these large kits. Do I clean, prime and base-coat each part prior to assembly or do it in sub-assemblies? My Quad will be painted in one of the desert sand colours so leaving it unpainted is not an optio.

I would really appreciate anyone's thoughts on this subject as I'd hate to get it wrong.

Thanks, Phil

[michael hilton]

Hello Phil, welcome to this band of brothers, not to forget the ladies, they have more patience than I thought possible. I also eagerly await delivery of the all new 'Quad'.
I worked for the NHS, in the Ambulance Service for 34 years. Like yourself retirement came along and as a life long model builder, aircraft, boats, etc, I ventured into the unknown....Armortek, that magic word where all things are possible. Mark, captain of the universe and his trusty aide de camp Gill, are beyond brilliant.
Suffice to say that this Forum offers the very best advice and practical help, so ask away.
Briefly, I clean, prime, undercoat, and finish coat all those parts which may become inaccessible as you make progress. When your kit arrives read and follow the instructions carefully, if there is something not fully understood, ask the Forum.
The research invested in Armortek models is thorough, well tried and tested. Enjoy every moment.
Regards, Mick

[Stephen White]

Phil, welcome, as Mick said.

Can I draw your attention to the Knowledge Base? It's designed to offer the collective wisdom of Forum members in the form of best practice guides. Although it's a work in progress (probably always will be), there are topics on most things. You might find this one useful on preparing and priming:

http://www.armortek.co.uk/Forum3b/viewt ... =34&t=5802

The purpose of preparing and priming is really threefold, to minimise the chances of dissimilar metal corrosion, to protect the metals and to provide a suitable key for the application of paint. Whether you clean and prime each bit or do it by sub-assemblies is not clear decision. The principal is to get primer onto every surface and I tend therefore to do a trial fit, disassemble, clean and prime and re-assemble, so most parts, including fasteners, have protection. Where fit or tolerance is critical, such as with bearings and bushes, I assemble first and prime the resulting sub-assembly. The motto is probably prime everything but assemble dry where tolerance is important.

As for basecoat and finish, it's a question of accessibility. I tend to apply a basecoat to sub-assemblies as I go on, and then apply finishes and weathering at the end but am changing my approach. Some of the very best builders weather as they go along. It makes for a far less daunting task at the end and it allows you to concentrate on an area and not repeat yourself over the whole vehicle.

Hope this helps.

Stephen

[Phil Crowther]

Thanks Michael and Stephen, that is a start at any rate. I'll wait and see what comes out of the box before finalising my plan of attack.

It's good to hear of another survivor of the ambulance service, Michael. Obviously it's the modelling that got us through!

Phil