Federation Commander

Wolverin61 wrote:My friend in the model club told me that you can put Future floor wax on the mini where the decals are going to go before you put the decals on and they'll go down better. I bought a bottle to try it but haven't yet (since I still haven't found my decals.)

Yes, that works very well. You can airbrush or brush it as an overall gloss coat, or you can use it just on the areas where the decals will go. Brush on a thin layer and apply the decal right onto the wet Future. As the decal and the Future dry down together, any tiny air pockets under the decal film are filled... therefore no silvering.

I use the glosscoat - decals - microsol - dullcoat method. Usually works pretty well.

I've heard of using Future as a substitute for gloss coat, but I always assumed it was applied, then allowed to dry before doing anything with decals. Working with it while still wet sounds pretty messy. But if it works...

As for the original question, I use Testors Light Gull Grey for my Feds. No mixing, very consistent out of the bottle, holds up well to handling.

Hmmm... go figure. I use flat paints adn a matte sealer - no gross application at all and I yet (knock on wood) to have a problem with the decals silvering... Of course, I don't use them often. Other than null numbers / names - most of the trim on mine is painted on.

Future is also the key-ingredient in "Magic Wash", my favorite way to add shading to a mini.

Found my paint jar and notes. I've been meaning to write the mix down someplace I couldn't lose it. The internet is hard to lose...



This mix is based on Paul Newitt's research, presented on the CultTVMan website.

Thanks for the paint formula, 'dood.

SWO_Daddy wrote:I've heard of using Future as a substitute for gloss coat, but I always assumed it was applied, then allowed to dry before doing anything with decals. Working with it while still wet sounds pretty messy. But if it works...

It's not too messy if you use a very small amount of Future. However, that is really more like a "quick and dirty" method. Personally, I almost always airbrush the whole miniature or model and let it dry.

you know, Will... if it didn't mean stripping 60 or 70 Federation minis -I'd consider redoing all of mine in that color... but as it is; I think titanium white is the way they're gonna stay.

I think your ship has sailed to far to change coarse now Tony. Yours look great the way they are. I mainly needed something to keep me consistent on mine. I'm almost out of mixed-paint and I'll need to do another batch before I start my next major air-brushing binge, once the weather breaks next year (unless my secret plans for a spray booth pan out).

djdood wrote:I think your ship has sailed to far to change coarse now Tony. Yours look great the way they are. I mainly needed something to keep me consistent on mine. I'm almost out of mixed-paint and I'll need to do another batch before I start my next major air-brushing binge, once the weather breaks next year (unless my secret plans for a spray booth pan out).

What you really need to do is find someone in a warmer, more southern environment that has an addiction to pewter. Then you could pay this person to airbrush the base coats on all your minis and ship them back to you for the cost of a few new pieces of tin...

Scoutdad wrote:What you really need to do is find someone in a warmer, more southern environment that has an addiction to pewter. Then you could pay this person to airbrush the base coats on all your minis and ship them back to you for the cost of a few new pieces of tin...

That's a great idea, Tony!

Now if he could only find someone that would fit the bill....

Wolverin61 wrote:

Scoutdad wrote:What you really need to do is find someone in a warmer, more southern environment that has an addiction to pewter. Then you could pay this person to airbrush the base coats on all your minis and ship them back to you for the cost of a few new pieces of tin...

That's a great idea, Tony!

Now if he could only find someone that would fit the bill....

hmmmm...

Well, I would need to not owe that someone a pair of DDF conversions first and foremost.

djdood wrote:Well, I would need to not owe that someone a pair of DDF conversions first and foremost.

This from SVC's post on the BBS:

Report on minis masters

Klingon F5W: Good, release on 16 Nov.

ISC BB: Good, release on 15 Feb 2010.

Andro terminator: Good, release on 15 Feb 2010.

Fed Destroyer (not sure what combinations of the four saucers): Good, release on 15 Feb 2010.

Juggy: Works fine, BUT, the "neck" is so small that it breaks in shipment, every time. I am trying to arrange to have Tony rebuild the neck.

This means that I can finally make a few DDF's of my own!

Cool! Now we just need to get the DDF into FC.