(AIR) Instrument panels...what's your best way of painting them?

[Terry Sumner]

What's your preferred method and what materials do you use to paint an
instrument panel completely? Not interested in using kit instrument
decals or photo instruments, etc. Just simply painting kit supplied,
photoetched or resin instrument panels.

I have had pretty good success using regular artists oils for painting
knobs and switches etc, but have trouble with trying to do a good job
with the instruments, bezels, etc. on the panel itself.

TIA,
Terry
Terry Sumner IPMS35079
Chapter contact, So. N. E. Scale Modelers
Bay Colony Historical Modelers

[Mike]

I use silver or black(or whatever colour you need) markers/paint pens
for the bezels or other raised detail. If the kit includes decals for
the instruments I usually punch them out with my Waldron punch set and
place them individually into the proper locations. I then apply a drop
of Humbrol Clearfix inside the bezels to simulate the glass.

Mike

[Rommel1234]

>What's your preferred method and what materials do you use to paint an
>instrument panel completely?

Some kit panels with fine raised details in the instrument faces have turned
out nicely for me by painting the faces of the instruments with the color of
the fine details, overpainting with the background color, then carefully
scraping away paint from the raised details. Gee, that doesn't sound very
clear! Say black faced dials with white lettering, for instance. Paint it
white, let it cure, paint it black, let it cure again. Using a curved exacto
blade (the curved edge is easier to control), lightly scrape the face of the
instruments. The black scrapes away from the raised details, and the white
shows through. Depending on the detail, this can really look good. Add a
little color if desired, and make a lens with white glue. Sometimes a kit is a
handy color, and only one coat of paint is necessary, just scrape and let the
plastic color show through. Too much paint build up is the only real problem
I've had, and sometimes overscraping....

James B

[MgicBox]

If you like raised instrument panel details, especially Monogram quality, like
I do, I first paint the cockpit whatever color it needs to be. Then I paint the
cockpit instruments, followed by a drybrush technique using light gray or
silver. This highlights the raised detail. I then pick out certain instruments,
like buttons, with red or yellow, depending on what color they're supposed to
be painted.

HTH!!! =)

Ryan F.
IPMS USA #37225
Mgi...@aol.com -- The Magic Box...Building Models of Mass Construction!

Missing kit parts? Check out J-marc's Parts Yard at:
http://www.zercom.net/~jmarcp/ FREE parts but pay back the postage, please =)

[Michael Smith]

I have had good results doing the same thing,except instead of
scraping,I lightly use 1200 grit sanpaper to remove the top paint
layer,or I use the finest grade("cabinetmaker") steel wool..I think it's
grade 0000.
Michael Smith

[Wayne C. Morris]

Terry Sumner <tsu...@cyberzone.net> wrote:

> What's your preferred method and what materials do you use to paint an

> instrument panel completely? Not interested in using kit instrument
> decals or photo instruments, etc. Just simply painting kit supplied,
> photoetched or resin instrument panels.

Try painting the background and interiors of dials first, then dry-brush
the raised surfaces. Dry-brushing gives you a bit more control.

Another method is to paint the raised surfaces furst, not worrying about
how sloppy you are. Then use a series of washes to paint the
background. Use two different types of paints -- say, enamels for the
details and acrylics for the wash -- so that the wash won't dissolve the
paint from the details. If you accidentally get a bit of the wash on
the details, just wipe it quickly with a finger or a damp rag.

[William H. Shuey]

Lee Kolosna wrote:
>
> I paint the instrument panel the proper color (usually "scale black"), then
> pick out the raised instruments with a white Berol color pencil. I find it
> is easier to control than drybrushing. Finally, a spot of Future applied
> with a sharpened toothpick gives the illusion of glass, although I've been
> told that expoxy makes a better glass front.
>
> Lee K

>
> Terry Sumner wrote:
> > What's your preferred method and what materials do you use to paint an
> > instrument panel completely?

I guess everybody has their own angle on this job. I use a silver Berol
Pencil and a spot of Micro-Scale's Crystal Clear. I can't seem to keep
Future from running all over the instrument panel.

Bill Shuey

[Lee Kolosna]

[DonSS3]

"William H. Shuey" <whs...@erols.com> sent:
>Date: 8/8/98 12:49 AM Eastern Daylight Time
>Message-id: <35CBD8...@erols.com>

>I guess everybody has their own angle on this job. I use a silver Berol
>Pencil and a spot of Micro-Scale's Crystal Clear. I can't seem to keep
>Future from running all over the instrument panel.
> Bill Shuey
>

I use super glue for the "glass" after drybrushing where appropriate. I used to
use Kristal Kleer, but when I use wet tissue to mask a cockpit opening, guess
what happened to my IP glass... 8-p

Don

According to Hemingway:
"There are only three true sports; Auto Racing, Bullfighting and Mountain
climbing. All the rest are children's games at which men play."