today's work

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

@HeWhoShallNotBeNamed,

Dropping another Seaview question for you.

During a late night research session, I came across an old post from you regarding a D&E Seaview Sub-Driver Kit available from Caswell Plating for the 1/128 Seaview model by Moebius. I went over to Caswell to see if it was still available but I didn't find it listed on their site. This post and the linked PDF Build Manual was from 2008 so I wasn't totally surprised.

Is this kit still being manufactured, perhaps by someone else? Or has it been replaced by a new, better version?

Just for reference.


Thanks,


Tim

Tim,

We worked as a vendor to the Caswell company initially. Eventually, Mr. Caswell sold his 'submarine' side of the business -- as well as our services -- roughly ten years ago to Mr. Martin of Nautilus Drydocks, who became the sole distributor of D&E Miniatures products, including our line of fittings kits.



Eventually, after my retirement (soon after my partners death), I sent all tooling and most masters of the fittings kits (the SEAVIEW fittings kit among them) to Mr. Martin. What became of all that, I do not know.

You're on your own, pal.

David

[TAGood827]

@HeWhoShallNotBeNamed,

Dropping another Seaview question for you.

During a late night research session, I came across an old post from you regarding a D&E Seaview Sub-Driver Kit available from Caswell Plating for the 1/128 Seaview model by Moebius. I went over to Caswell to see if it was still available but I didn't find it listed on their site. This post and the linked PDF Build Manual was from 2008 so I wasn't totally surprised.

Is this kit still being manufactured, perhaps by someone else? Or has it been replaced by a new, better version?

Just for reference.


Thanks,


Tim

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

[trout]

Putting on decals, I like a gloss coat. Even weathering there are times a gloss coat is beneficial, panel lines as an example. Gloss allows the paint to go into the grooves and clean up easier. On a flat finish, it will "stain" the finish and darken areas you may not want impacted.

[DrSchmidt]

With respect to weathering, gloss surfaces are actually great, with one exception being filters. But when it comes to dry brushing and pin washes, gloss surfaces make it much more easy to get colors to where you need them and nowhere else, and that's because of the inferior wetting angles of fresh color on a glossy surfaces. The color does not run but stays where you applied it.

Filters are different, because here you want a good wetting on the surface, you want the thinned color to spread by itself.

So I usually start with a semi gloss finish, apply filters, then I apply a glossy clear coat, then pin washes and dry brushing, and finally a satin or matt finish.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Well that’s new to me. Why do you use gloss at the beginning? I always found gloss to be a pain in the butt to sand. Also, if it’s still sticky after 48 hours, it becomes contaminated, and has to be removed. When I used to paint model cars, I found that putting it in a room with good air conditioning and low humidity did the trick. But fisheyes always showed up.

I use 2K Acrylic Urethane auto paint -- most of those colors are gloss. After the colors go on I scratch the surface with #2400 grit sandpaper used wet. And proceed from there.

[Das Boot]

Well that’s new to me. Why do you use gloss at the beginning? I always found gloss to be a pain in the butt to sand. Also, if it’s still sticky after 48 hours, it becomes contaminated, and has to be removed. When I used to paint model cars, I found that putting it in a room with good air conditioning and low humidity did the trick. But fisheyes always showed up.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen you use a gloss color. Also, that particular shade is a new one on me. Excellent build.

Base colors go on glossy, they'll be wet-sanded, weathered, markings, and finally given a well flattened clear-coat at the end.

[Das Boot]

I don’t think I’ve ever seen you use a gloss color. Also, that particular shade is a new one on me. Excellent build.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

What kind of model are you performing repairs on in the last pictures? Victor III/Akula semiscale?

My first r/c submarine. Now in the care of its current (third) owner, Jake brought it over for repairs and a new paint-job. This old girl is over 35 years old.

[JHapprich]

What kind of model are you performing repairs on in the last pictures? Victor III/Akula semiscale?

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

[Das Boot]

It's not the destination so much as it's all about the getting there.

Ralph Waldo Emerson?