The Little World

Faced with the choice of undercoats for the Stranraer, I may have chosen the hard one…white.

I use Mr Surfacer 1000 of most of my models and appreciate the smooth grey satin finish it gives. I frequently forget to check it carefully enough for disruptions, but that is carelessness on my part – not a failure of the material. However, I also use Mr White Base 1000 for other jobs. I figure the 1000 number qualifies it as the same material with a lighter shade.

I’ve used it before when I plan to coat with red or yellow colour coat. The white base brightens the colour and you need less paint to cover. However, I also use it for white finishes and therein lies a problem; how do you judge the amount of colour coat going on if it is falling on the same basic shade?

Now that I am using thinner paint, lower pressure, and closer spray distance I find that I need a good cross-light to see where the advance of wet spray is going. I can’t do it well at night, so I reserve white spraying for mornings.

It’s not too dramatic – the lacquer paints are very forgiving. Eventually you get what the tin says, and if you are really desperate, there is a rattle can of the 107 Character White I favour. Expensive, and Over-Spray City when you use it ( put everything else away before you spray ) but it is the shotgun solution.

BTW: Like the natty little wing supports? Scored them out of the dustbin from some picture frames.