Ducati Desmosedici

[Richy C]

Great start Graham , looks fantastic - nice and clean and sharp , looking forward to the next stage mate

see I told you that you would take to it like a duck to water

Richy

 

[Fenlander]

For any beginners out there who think that people like me who have posted a few completed models just turn them out without much effort, let me show you just how I mess things up so stupidly.

I have been carefully priming, rubbing down and finish spraying the fairing and seat/tank unit for my Honda NSR500 in the worst colour to spray, white.

I had reached the point where it was looking so smooth, shiny and solid white lusciousness with the final coat when I dropped it just as the last spray hit the surface. Of course it dropped in the worst place possible and was immediately covered in just about anything you would care to think of, and a few you possibly would not.

The result? Let it dry while I head-butt a wall for a few hours and then out with the sanding sticks and get rubbing down again. This was not an accident, it was not the will of the Gods, it was not inevitable. It was a stupid mistake that no matter how many kits you have under your belt, is still a stupid mistake. Lesson to learn? No matter how confident you feal, a bit of plastic covered in wet paint hitting the floor can still make a grown man cry. Still, my fault time to get on with it and sort it.

 

[Gern]

We've all done similar things Graham. In my case it cost me my just-finished STAP and 'droid which took a 4 ft nosedive to the floor.

I think you're right though. The only thing you can do is to carry on as if the extra work is just another stage in the build.

Would it be worth setting up a separate forum so we can keep all these uglies in one place? One where everyone can see what can go wrong and what might be done to prevent it or repair the damage?

And of course it would show any beginners what can happen to anyone - regardless of how good they are - and maybe persuade them to stick with their builds after some disaster and work through it?

Gern

 

[yak face]

OOOOH!!its making me wince just thinking about it ,graham!im sure itll come out great, cheers tony

 

[Richy C]

Graham my friend I know how you feel mate , SNAP although not quite the same , I will post up on my DBS thread the nightmare I`m having in the next day or two, I`m sure you will get round it and turn out a fantastic bike

have a look on Ryans advice needed thread , I`ve tried the alclad paints and given my thoughts

Richy

 

[Ian M]

ouch!

Just a thought and something I have done on more than one occasion. If it was just painted and still wet enough to pick up all the crap it hit on its journy to the floor, could you not have just washed the paint off with thinners, (or was it a hot thinner?). I have done this with Humbrol, Vallejo and those Xtracrylixs I got the other week. (Fag ash right in the middle of the wing!!!).

Im sure it will come out fine. A good finish is often the result of several attempts (and a bottle of scotlands finest).

Ian M

 

[Fenlander]

No I didn't try to wipe it off. I prefer to let it dry and then sand it. If it doesn't work out then I will have to get some stripper and get the lot off as I cannot afford to lose a great deal of detail. Having said that, I have now started re spraying and it is not looking too bad. Just cannot afford to do this with the Ducati though. Just shows that using the Honda as a test bed is working out fairly well. I have learned a lot.

 

[Fenlander]

Getting close to the finish with this Honda 'test bed' kit. Have to say it is a lovely kit and far better than I expected. OK, some issues with mould lines and fit but realistically it was only intended as a learning tool ready for the Ducati. It has been a pleasure so far though but I still need to get it all fitted together.

As you can see, the seat/tank unit I dropped in the dirt wit wet paint is now looking a little bit better.........

 

[bikerbart]

Tell you what mate, for your first attempt at a bike kit i would say...blinking good on ya!! Looking fantastic, and to recover that fab white finish having lost it to the floor is simply brilliant. Really looking forward to seeing this one finished mate, i bet it is giving you lots of inspiration for doing that stunning looking Ducati.

 

[Fenlander]

Cheers Martin. Have to say when I dropped it, it wasn't one of my better days lol. You are right though, I want to get stuck into the Ducati very soon. Have so much on at the moment though. Will have to see what I can reschedule...

Anyway, just a few fiddly bits to do now and it will be done. Sad that all that work and detail will be hidden under the fairing but hey ho... It can be taken to bits to see it again one day I suppose. Will post final pics around the weekend.

 

[Ian M]

Thats looking the bee knees mate!

Any chance of a piccie with a ruler along side it. Either thats a big bike or you have a tiny keyboard !

Ian M

 

[yak face]

Hi graham , this is looking fantastic, only one problem though-- its making me want to do a bike kit!!!!!!LOL, keep it up ,looking forward to seeing it all together , cheers tony

 

[Fenlander]

Cheers guys, Tony, give it a go. Totally different from building military, reaaly nice change.

Ian, the bike is about 6.5 inches long, each square on the cutting mat is 1cm s that should give an idea. Also the iMac keyboard is fairly small lol, not as small as the one they do without a keypad which I am considering to increase my desk space.

 

[Richy C]

Great work Graham , I love it , I knew you could get it back after your little mishap , looking forward to see it finnished now mate

Richy

 

[m1ks]

Re the fairing hiding the underneath bits you've worked so hard on.

I don't know about this kit specifically but Tamiya bikes do tend to have fairings fitted by screws so that you can display with them removed if desired but change the display with a twiddle of a few cross head screws.

Good going with them fiddly decals round the tank, what decal softener do you use Graham?

 

[Fenlander]

Microsol Mike, a kit like this would have been impossible to decal without it. Took just over two hours to do the decals, not perfect but I am happy with them.

You are also right with the ability to display with the fairing on or off. On the Honda, all the fairing clips on but the front wheel has to be taken off to fit it. It isn't an easy fit so I may leave it covered on this one as it could easily scratch the paint up swapping it around. The Ducati is slightly different as it has a split fairing so the two side panels are separate and can easily be removed as they are held on by screws. Having said that the Honda does have a clear fairing as well as the painted one so it could be used but the box section alloy frame hides so much, it really isn't worth it. Nice to have a spare full fairing though lol.

 

[garethm]

Hi Graham, I am building the Duke at the moment, I have used the extra forks as they are worth it also I bought the pe and marlboro decals from crazy modeller, and apart from the pe being very thick and difficult to cut it has made quite a difference, I am having nightmares with the pe chain at the moment but when finished I will take a piccy and send to the forum. One word of warning, be careful spraying the bodywork the screws attaching fueltank/seat cowling to the frame are only 2.5 mil, and if the paint builds up on the tank the srews are to short? Plus try Alclad, the chrome is excellent. Keep modelling.

 

[tr1ckey66]

Hi Graham

The bike's looking fantastic! and well done you for averting disaster! Can't wait to see the Ducati.

Cheers

P

 

[Fenlander]

Cheers Gareth. I am having a bit of trouble finding the add on bits for the Ducati, everyone is sold out. I did order the forks from somewhere but after a couple of weeks I git them to admit they didn't have any and give me a refund. I would be happy building it OOB but I do need to get the chrome exhausts right. Never tried Alclad and find the whole concept a bit scary to be honest. May have to bite the bullet and get some. I did pick up a bottle at the Coventry show but then there was another chrome, and another and a cleaner and an undercoat.... it just went on and on. The paint for the exhaust is going to cost as much as the kit and will probably poison me (I am an Acrylic sprayer lol)

 

[garethm]

Hi Graham, the Honda looks great. I know Alclad is not cheap but I built tamiya`s Enzo a short while ago and removing the exhausts and wheels left lovely grey marks where they would be seen,so I primered them (halfords grey) sprayed with a dark humbrol enamel (I hate spraying enamels) then when dry on goes the Alclad chrome. Wear a mask though I didn`t and it affected my asthma, silly me? but the effect is stunning, will put a piccy of the Enzo when I am brave enough. I always look at other peoples work and think mine is rubbish, and i am not a perfectionist. For the Duke`s exhaust I will use humbrol stainless steel, I think it may be more effective. I have today attached the red trim on one wheel, its fun! be warned? plenty of micro sol. Keep on modelling>