McLaren MP4/6 Ayrton Senna Fujimi 1/20

[Peterpools]

1 hour ago, BlrwestSiR said:

Here in Canada, anything sent from overseas that's more than $40 CAD (about$30USD) is subject to taxes and duties along with any brokerage fees calculating those taxes and duties. It's that last bit I hate as all the courier companies automatically charge you for that and sometimes it's a ridiculous amount.

If your order is sent via post, there's a good chance the duties and taxes don't get charged as Canada Post doesn't check all packages coming into the country but it might take longer to arrive. 

 

Carl

Completely agree and I do remember all the costs and hoops we had to jump through with the Apache kit. 

 

[DocRob]

3 hours ago, BlrwestSiR said:

The engine is looking nice with the exhausts on. In the pics, they seem a bit bright but you said they're more shaded in person. 

 

1 hour ago, Peterpools said:

Engine exhaust fit from my limited knowledge and experience in building race cars, have always been temperamental and quite finicky, both to paint and install. Fit looks spot on to me but as with Carl, I'm not seeing the heated metal effect at all. 

 

Thank you Carl and Peter, the exhausts were even worse with the 1/12 Tamiya Renault, it seems, it´s the phase of the build, which you have to master with F1 kits.
With airbrushing the different shades, I went more for depth, then for heat coloration. The pictures of used engines didn´t show many heat induced colors, but a brownish silver look and that was what I tried to reproduce. 
If there is not a lot of heat color staining, it is a sign for well designed components without too many heat traps involved.

Cheers Rob

[DocRob]

I think, I mentioned a while ago, that this build was supposed to be a fun build, but guess what, this beast keeps fighting me on all angles.
After finishing the engine, I decided to give the Studio 27 carbon decals a try. There are over 80, luckily cookie cut with a very nice representation of different carbon patterns, along some rivets and fasteners. So far so good, but the decals are very thick and brittle. I broke many while applying. 
First things first, the preparation included removing cast textures on some of the plastic parts with files, sanding tools and chisels, then use Tamiya LP 1 gloss black as a basecoat. It´s best to develop an applying pattern for the decals, because they are slightly oversize on purpose to cover the edges as well. I started at the bottom sides and went up. It´s very time consuming as the brittle decals had to be bend around the edges with different numerous applications of strong decal softener and added heat from an hairdryer. When that is finished, you can go up further with decaling with the same exhausting procedure.
I then applied a layer of AK Real clear flat for the finish and as protection. I finished further parts not shown here, but will continue with the body pan and then on to the cockpit.

What you see on the pic are no decal seams, but different carbon patterns, some more glossy than others.

Cheers Rob

[BlrwestSiR]

Rob, that's one complex decal job. Great job on the application. 

I did something similar on a Porsche GT-1 where instead of painting the bodywork, it was done with carbon decals instead. So much work. 

[Peterpools]

Rob

Brilliant decal work - those CF decals surely look like a bear to do but your system won the day. 

[DocRob]

22 hours ago, BlrwestSiR said:

Rob, that's one complex decal job. Great job on the application. 

 

15 hours ago, Peterpools said:

 

Brilliant decal work - those CF decals surely look like a bear to do but your system won the day. 

Thank you Carl and Peter, it´s indeed a lot of work, but the casted on pattern with paint would only be sufficient for a car with a body never to be removed.
Carl, I have some similar car kits in stash, for example two Tamiya AMG Mercedes GT3 with Good Smile and another similar finish and a GT3 BMW also in Good Smile livery.

Cheers Rob 

[Bomber_County]

22 hours ago, DocRob said:

 

Thank you Carl and Peter, it´s indeed a lot of work, but the casted on pattern with paint would only be sufficient for a car with a body never to be removed.
Carl, I have some similar car kits in stash, for example two Tamiya AMG Mercedes GT3 with Good Smile and another similar finish and a GT3 BMW also in Good Smile livery.

Cheers Rob 

Rob, looking amazing, I’ve come to the conclusion the cars especially F1 are a different animal from AFV’s and aircraft. Learning a lot from your builds…….thanks

[KevinM]

Looking good/Nice Rob just wish I could get more excited about the cars but having been in the industry for 40+ years well.............

[DocRob]

1 hour ago, Bomber_County said:

Rob, looking amazing, I’ve come to the conclusion the cars especially F1 are a different animal from AFV’s and aircraft. Learning a lot from your builds…….thanks

Thank you Phil, cars are indeed a completely different breed, with a lot of emphasis on finish and replicating materials. The F1 cars are even more different, because, if you want to show engine, monocoque, drive train and other innards, you have to perform another approach, as everything needs to be build like the real one, not only cockpit, wheel wells and maybe an engine with planes. 
This needs careful planning of building and painting steps, but it´s a welcomed change at least to me.

Cheers Rob

[DocRob]

37 minutes ago, KevinM said:

Looking good/Nice Rob just wish I could get more excited about the cars but having been in the industry for 40+ years well.............

Thank you Kevin, I´m not much of a car nut myself and motorsport doesn´t interest me at all, except maybe for 80´s F1 and some classic cars, but car building and painting is entirely different than other subjects, which are mostly ´closed´, and I like variety.

Cheers Rob

[DocRob]

Ok, due to the twins-GB, the McLaren build is boxed and paused. It gave me a lot of grief, but i felt, that now the fun part of the build would have started, but that´s for later.

Cheers Rob