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Mr Hobby Products

Focus On: Mr Hobby Products from Gunze Sangyo

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Gunze Sangyo are the Japanese company behind the excellent Mr Hobby products, an essential range for any serious modeller.

In fact, modelling materials are really just a very small part of what they do; the company is part of a conglomerate doing everything from silk and textiles, to nanotechnology and industrial coatings. You can use Mr Hobby to paint an OO-scale train, or go to the parent company and repaint the real-world rolling stock of a whole country !

Mr Hobby products provide a range of high-tech solutions to specific modelling needs and problems. Key products in the range include;

Mr Surfacer

Probably their signature product, Mr Surfacer is designed to smooth out imperfections in a surface to be painted while not being so thick as to obscure detail. It comes in three thicknesses; Mr Surfacer 500, Mr Surfacer 1000 and Mr Surfacer 1200, with 500 being the heaviest duty, and 1200 being quite fine. It is also available as Mr Primer Surfacer 1000, which also acts as a primer, and Mr Finishing Surfacer (in black and grey) which is the finest grained version to give the smoothest finish.

Several of the Mr Surfacer products are also available in aerosol form, which we keep in stock in our Camberley shop, but can’t put on our website because aerosols are classified as hazardous goods and we haven’t yet found a legal way to send them in the post.

Mr Mark Softer and Mr Mark Setter

These are decal application fluids. Mr Mark Setter is the adhesive, while Mr Mark Softer softens the decal material to allow it to sink into the details of the surface for the most realistic effect possible. To use them, apply a small amount of Mr Mark Setter to the area on the model where the decal is to go, place the decal in place and adjust it while the solution is still wet, then remove any excess. You can then use Mr Mark Softer to soften the decal and make it conform to the surface.

Gundam Panel Line Markers

Compared to using a paint brush, Panel Line Markers make it easy to put permanent even-width lines onto a model.  They work best on painted, primed or keyed surfaces, rather than bare metal or plastic. The ink they use is opaque and pigment-dense, and don’t have the problem of ink spreading that some normal markers give you. When you’re using them, keep a soft eraser handy; any mistakes can be removed with one but only if you act fast !

Panel Line Markers are available both in multi-coloured sets, or as individual markers in the most popular colours (black, brown and grey).

Mr Masking Sol

Mr Masking Sol is a liquid masking solution which can be painted onto a surface to mask ready for the next layer of paint to be brushed or airbrushed on. It comes in two types, Mr Masking Sol Neo and Mr Masking Sol R. The main difference is that Mr Masking Sol Neo tends to be slightly easier to use and remove, while Mr Masking Sol R is ammonia-free to reduce the risk of leaving marks on the underlying paint layer.

Mr Color Levelling Thinner

Mr Color Levelling Thinner is designed as a high quality cellulose thinner for lacquer-based paints. But that isn’t what most modellers use it for !  It is most often mixed with Kneadatite (green stuff), turning it from a semi-solid sculpting putty into a slime which can be used for fine gap filling (for example around the arms of multi-part figures, or the gap between the wings and fuselage of model aircraft), and for filling air-bubble holes in resin parts.

Mr Metal Color

Mr Metal Color is one of my favourite Mr Hobby products ! This is a metallic paint which can be applied by brush or airbrush. It dries in about 10 minutes to a dull, matt finish. Then you you buff it with a soft cloth to bring out a realistic metallic shine. The more you buff it, the shinier it gets ! It’s great not just for large flat areas like US Century series jets, but can also create amazing effects for detailed figures, particularly late medieval knights where it gives a realistic depth to plate armour.

 

Vallejo Model Air Whole Range Deal (including new colours)

Choosing Airbrush Paints – Which One is Right For You ?

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Choosing airbrush paints is very much a “Marmite” affair; the brands and ranges some people love, are hated by others. There are numerous factors which can make a difference, and quite a number of paint ranges to choose from. This post is intended to pick out some of the “standard” ranges and look at some of their characteristics, and the type of subjects and techniques they work best on. It won’t cover metallics (which we wrote a blog article about that you can read HERE), or some of the more specialist paint ranges, and will mainly cover ranges we sell here at SnM Stuff (partly because we’re biased and like those ranges, but mainly because they are the ones we have the most experience of).

 

Factors Influencing Your Choice

What are you painting ? Different subjects need different colour ranges and types of finish.

What kind of airbrush do you have ? The size of nozzle and needle in your airbrush will affect which types of paint work best. Smaller nozzles (0.2 or smaller) work really well with inks and transparents, but get too easily clogged by more pigment-heavy paints, while larger nozzles are much more tolerant of clogging but can flood when used with inks.

What is your air source ? Your air source, whether compressor or can, will make a difference for what is appropriate when choosing airbrush paints. The simplest compressors tend to have less sensitive pressure setting controls, and can “pulse” the air as the piston moves. More expensive compressors will have tanks or other mechanisms to smooth the airflow and make it more stable, as well as usually having better moisture traps. I would suggest avoiding re-purposed industrial compressors; they may have huge tanks to deliver stable airflow, but will rarely be able to set pressures low enough to give you the control you need. Don’t even get me started on canned air ! It’s useful in an emergency or for a one-off project, but delivers a continually diminishing pressure, can suffer from icing, and can be expensive in the long run.

What is your personal technique and preference ? This is the intangible one; everyone develops their own unique technique when it comes to using an airbrush. Some techniques definitely work better with certain paints. Whether it’s the density of paint sprayed in a single pass, or the distance you tend to spray at, subtle variations in technique all help to explain why airbrushing is an art rather than a science.

 

The Paint Ranges (with links !)

Vallejo Model Air

Vallejo Model Air is the standard against which other brands of paint tend to be measured. The range of colours is primarily geared to modern armoured and aircraft subjects, with lots of muted greys, browns and greens, although there is a healthy selection of primary colours.

Notionally airbrush ready, we’ve found in practice that most airbrush setups need the paint to be thinned a little further. Model Air is particularly easy to use, and with a low surface tension (particularly when a drop or two of Vallejo Flow Improver is added) can be sprayed quite heavily before problems occur. Model Air can sometimes suffer from tip drying, where the paint dries on the needle and nozzle of the airbrush and eventually clogs it. Correct thinning and an occasional careful wipe of the needle and nozzle with a little kitchen roll usually solves this issue.

Vallejo Game Air

Game Air is very similar to Model Air, and can be freely mixed with it. The main differences are the selection of colours (brighter and more suitable for fantasy or sci-fi models), and the acrylic resin used as a medium, which is slightly more durable and dries to a particularly matt finish. Game Air colours are matched to the equivalent colour codes within the Game Color range.

Ammo Of Mig Jimenez

Mig Ammo acrylics come in dropper bottles similar to Vallejo, but normally include a stainless steel ball bearing to make mixing easier. The range is heavily geared towards WW2 and modern military and aviation subjects, with very few bright primary colours. Unlike Vallejo airbrush paints, they need to be applied in very light layers and built up slowly. The best way to think of it is that each droplet needs to land and dry before the next droplet hits. This seems to be down to the paint having a very high surface tension, but it’s okay for different paint ranges to have different characteristics ! Properly applied, Mig paints give a really excellent finish, and the research behind each colour means your models should end up with unparalleled authenticity. I’ll give a special mention to A.Mig-224 which is the best Russian Cockpit interior turquoise I’ve seen to date.

Tamiya

Tamiya acrylics are spirit-based rather than using the water base more common with acrylic paints. The range is split into two parts; those with an “X-” prefix are gloss, and those starting “XF-” are matt. The gloss part of the range is dominated by bright primary colours, useful for modellers doing cars, bikes and similar. Of particular note are the clear colours, XF-23 to XF-27, which are brilliant for all kinds of techniques, from coating clear plastic on indicator and brake lights, to coloured glazes on sci-fi models. The matt part of the range is primarily suited to military and aviation subjects, with plenty of Japanese Navy colours included which are hard to find in other manufacturers’ ranges. Tamiya acrylics brush on acceptably well, but they are well suited to airbrush use, going on easily and smoothly. However, don’t try and mix them with water-based acrylics or clean your airbrush with cleaners designed for water-based acrylics, the results won’t be nice !

Citadel Air

Citadel Air paints are spirit-based acrylics in a similar fashion to Tamiya. Their key feature is that they are a perfect colour match to their equivalents in the main Citadel paint range, meaning you can spray a model with Citadel Air and do any touching in with standard Citadel paints.

LifeColor

The first impression when you open LifeColor is that it looks like emulsion paint. But it’s actually a water-based acrylic. There’s a huge range, although we just focus on selling the sets, which are well presented and well researched to contain colours relevant to the subject of each set. Our experience with LifeColor is that it works best if you thin it with their own thinner and then build it up in thin coats. Avoid the temptation to thin with just water, which works fine if you’re brushing it on, but less well if you’re airbrushing.

Humbrol

It may have been around for about 50 years, but Humbrol still has a valuable place in the arsenal of airbrush paints !  It is incredibly popular with model rail and automotive modellers, with a huge range of colours available. Thinned with Humbrol enamel thinners, it sprays in a remarkably trouble-free manner to give a very smooth finish. Because it is much slower drying than acrylics (generally needing to be left overnight to dry fully), tip drying is never an issue and you don’t have to race to clean your airbrush before the paint inside dries. We stock it in our Camberley shop, but sadly Royal Mail and most couriers don’t allow it to be sent by mail order.

 

This post is just a quick overview, but will hopefully help when you are choosing airbrush paints. Comments and feedback are welcome !

 

Alclad II - Chrome For Lexan 30ml

Spanish Metal Wars – do we have a winner ?

Spanish Metal Wars – do we have a winner ?

This article on the Metal Wars going on between modelling paint manufacturers was originally published in a recent email newsletter, but I thought I’d re-post it, because not everyone is signed up (I’m very much a believer that newsletters should be an opt-in thing, no-one should be forced to get them !)

Over the last few months, you’ve probably noticed all the Spanish companies have released new ranges of metallic paints, all claiming to be the best you can get, to the point where I’ve started calling it Metal Wars. My view is that each range has advantages and disadvantages, and which you choose is a mixture of personal preference, your techniques, and the subject you are painting. I thought I’d offer you a summary of the key products below; the links open new windows taking you directly to the relevant category on our website.

Vallejo Liquid Gold – One of the first ranges to offer a truly shiny metallic look, different to conventional metallic paints which tend to have a slightly “grainy” finish, Liquid Gold is designed for application by brush. It is unsuitable for airbrushing because airbrushes don’t get the pigment particles (microscopic flat flakes rather than rounded particles) to lie flat as they land, and the pigment is harsh on the seals of your airbrush.

Liquid Gold gives an amazing finish, but is highly vulnerable to moisture when still wet; even licking your brush can cause a whole pot to clump and become useless, and we’ve had a couple of batches that have gone off in storage so although it’s so good, if Vallejo’s new Metal Color turns out to be good for brush painting on, we’ll probably stop stocking Liquid Gold.

Gunze Sangyo Mr Metal Colors – I know Gunze Sangyo are Japanese rather than Spanish, but I thought it fair to include them in a review of metallic paints.  Mr Metal Colors are a small range of lacquer colours which can be applied by brush or airbrush. They go on matt, and can then be buffed with a soft cloth to a high shine. The more you buff them, the shinier they get ! Ideal for models with textured surfaces where you really want to highlight the edges and raised areas, and also good for rounded panels (e.g. on model aircraft) where you are aiming to boost the impression of light reflected from the peaks of some panels.

AK Interactive True Metal – Another buffable paint, this time a highly innovative wax-based oil paint (actually more like a paste). Easy to work with, they can be brushed on or (as we’ve found by experimenting with it) thinned with turpentine and airbrushed. They can be buffed to a higher shine than the Gunze Sangyo colours, and will keep coming off on your hand until gone if handled, so it’s worth thinking about sealing the result with varnish if the model you are painting is likely to be handled, unless you want it to keep getting shinier !

Alclad II – Long known for the incredible realism of their finish, Alclad II make an extensive range of lacquer-based metallics. The high-shine ones are designed to be lightly sprayed over a high-gloss black base coat to give a mirror-like finish. Aluminium and other matt finish metallics should be applied over a smooth matt base coat; if desired, they can be lightly buffed with micromesh cloths, and doing this to different panels in different directions can create highly realistic finishes.

Alclad has gained a reputation of being very much an “expert” product. It needs the primer coat to act as a barrier if you’re spraying it onto plastic (otherwise it’ll dissolve the plastic nicely !), it goes on very thin meaning it can be unforgiving if any dust gets onto it before it dries, and it definitely needs to be used in a very well ventilated area !  It’s also notoriously difficult to ship internationally, because it is so high in volatile solvents. But the results make it worthwhile, and this is why Mig Ammo have teamed up with Alclad and are now offering the best-selling colours under their label as a joint venture.  We already stock the full range direct from Alclad, which means we actually have all of them already at highly competitive prices !

AK Interactive Xtreme Metal – The most recent offering from AK Interactive, these are a range of metallics designed to go head-to-head with Alclad and work in very much the same kind of way, but are enamels rather than lacquers.  That should mean they aren’t as pungent and won’t eat your plastic. They are also advertised as being safe to mask as soon as they are dry (a tip for masking – if your tape pulls paint up, stick it lightly to the back of your hand a couple of times before laying it down, to take the “edge” off the glue). We have seen a couple of issues with the first batch of Xtreme Metal we received, which had congealed in the pots in a very similar way to Vallejo Liquid Gold; hopefully this was a one-off due to AK’s enthusiasm to get the product onto the shelves, and we haven’t seen any further issues with subsequent batches.

Vallejo Metal Color – Freshly arrived from Spain just this week, unlike the others, it is an acrylic paint, which makes it low-odour and easier to work with and clean up than the others.

We haven’t tried brush-painting with these (yet….) but did some tests with airbrushing. Their new gloss black primer is in the same family as their acrylic-urethane primers; with a little flow improver added and the air pressure dialled up a bit it went on really nicely to a good glossy finish. We found we needed to leave it longer than we’re used to with their matt primers before applying the Metal Color.

One coat of Metal Color worked brilliantly over chainmail on a model as a zenith highlight.  Three light coats gave an incredibly smooth and shiny chrome finish; applying their new Metal Varnish over the top dulled it very slightly, but provided good protection as we handled the result in the shop for a few days – we noticed that the area we left unvarnished stayed shiny but picked up a very slight discolouration as it was intensively handled over a few days. It’s a bit like the purple/blue you get on hot chrome exhausts, so this could actually be a very attractive and useful unintentional effect, and easily avoided by applying the varnish as intended.

So which of these paints is the overall winner in the Metal Wars ? I’d say a lot depends on how you’re using it and what you want the end result to be like. For realistic high-shine metallics, it’s a total toss-up between the Vallejo, Xtreme Metals and Alclad. Alclad wins if you want hyper-realistic “duller” metallics with the greatest range of colours and ability to buff light effects in. For the buffables, if you want a brighter finish on models which won’t get handled, it’s AK’s True Metals, but the Gunze offering for less shine but better durability. But for ease of use and ability to be sprayed indoors without poisoning yourself, I’d definitely say Vallejo Metal Color is the overall winner !

Buying an airbrush

Some Things to Think About When Buying An Airbrush

Buying an Airbrush – Model Making’s Revolution

The big phenomenon in modelling over the last three or four years has been the huge growth in people buying an airbrush and using them in their day-to-day modelling, as well as the range of paints and materials available. We are regularly asked which are the best to buy, and the truth is that there is no single “right” answer, it depends on what you want to do, your budget and what you are comfortable with using to get the best for your personal technique. But there are a few pointers I can give you;

  • Buy the best quality equipment you can afford – something like an Iwata is likely to be better engineered, more reliable, last longer, and be far less frustrating to use than a cheap Chinese copy.
  • Start basic and upgrade when you need to – it’s easy to spend a lot on airbrush equipment, but the reality is that if you have quality kit, getting good results is 90% technique and practice, and only 10% about having equipment with all the bells and whistles.
  • Pay as much attention to buying the right compressor as you do to getting the right airbrush (and only use compressed air canisters if you really, really have to !)
  • A smaller nozzle size doesn’t mean you can do more detailed work. Select your nozzle based on the thickness of the paint you’ll be using; for most modelling purposes, a 0.3 to 0.4mm nozzle is ideal, smaller sizes are vulnerable to clogging. Detail comes from getting up close. You may need to turn your air pressure down to avoid flooding the items being sprayed.
  • Consider spares availability. It’s no secret that we focus heavily on Iwata airbrushes at SnM Stuff, and one of the key factors is that we can get spares easily; we aim to keep needles and nozzles on hand for the models we stock, and can almost always get any other parts for Iwata and many Badger models within 3-4 working days.
  • If you can, have a permanent set-up. We regularly hear from people who have bought airbrushes but haven’t got around to using them, and the reason is almost always down to two barriers; the hassle of setting it all up, and lack of confidence. Lack of confidence is simply solved; just pick it up and practice on something that doesn’t matter ! Having a permanent set-up makes this massively easier, from a psychological perspective as well as a practical one, and as long as you have a corner with good lighting and ventilation isn’t as daunting as it sounds.
  • Brand-matching thinners and cleaners to the paint you use will help you get more predictable results, and flow improver is your friend !
  • Accept that not every job can be accomplished with an airbrush. No matter how skilled you are, there will still come a time when a good old-fashioned paint brush will be the right tool for the job !

If you’re thinking about buying an airbrush, come and visit us.  We’ve got a good variety in stock, can easily order others, and can give you a chance to handle them and see if they feel “right” in your hand. If you ask nicely, we even have a couple you can try before you buy !

Alclad II - Holomatic Spectral Chrome 30ml

Alclad II FAQ

This Alclad II FAQ was originally a page on the previous version of our website, and it seemed like a good idea to update and re-post it !

We sell the range of Alclad II lacquers and supporting products on THIS page. It is great stuff, but it’s not something you just slap on. With attention to preparation, using the right products for the job, and taking your time to experiment and learn how to use them, you can get some truly stunning results. The information below is by no means exhaustive, but should help give you a few pointers to get the best results.

 

PREPARATION

Preparation is key to getting a good finish with Alclad II.

  • Ensure the object to be sprayed is thoroughly clean and dust free.
  • Special attention must be paid to ensuring all surfaces are free of grease, mould release agents, oil or finger marks.
  • Once clean, use a lint-free cloth or similar to handle the model to avoid putting new finger marks onto it.
  • Apply the correct primer for the type of Alclad being used and the surface being sprayed.

 

PRIMING

Injection Moulded Plastic and similar materials

You MUST use a primer before spraying Alclad onto injection moulded plastic. It’s strong enough to dissolve or craze the kind of plastics kits are made from !

Regular Alclad Finishes

You can use any of the following primers;

  • ALC302 – Grey Primer
  • ALC306 – White Primer & Microfiller
  • ALC309 – Black Primer & Microfiller
  • Tamiya or Gunze Sangyo plastic primers
  • Car Primer, white or grey (Halford’s finest !)

If you use plastic primers or car primers, once dry they should be lightly polished with 1000/1200 wet & dry paper to give a less absorbent smooth surface (again, ensuring no dust is left behind).

High Shine Alclad Finishes

You can prime with;

  • ALC303 – Clear Base
  • ALC305 – Gloss Black Base

Other high quality enamel paints can also be used, but it is strongly advised to carry out some testing on scrap plastic of the same type as your kit to ensure it provides enough coverage to protect the plastic from being eaten by the Alclad and gives a result you are happy with.

Prismatic Alclad Finishes and Holomatic Spectral Chrome

Should be primed with ALC305 – Gloss Black Base. These finishes require a very smooth dark gloss base coat; 2-3 light coats of Gloss Black Base should be used.

Lexan Polycarbonate

Alclad is designed to be sprayed straight onto the INSIDE of lexan polycarbonate bodyshells without a primer (but make sure it is clean and grease free !). A backing coat is then applied afterwards.

Candy Enamels

The Candy Enamels are designed to be used over ALC700, Bright Silver Candy Base.

Shake the base thoroughly before use. Do not thin. Surfaces must be completely clean. Apply 1 medium coat by airbrush at 20-30PSI to clean bare plastic. Drying time will normally be 15-30 minutes. As the carrier evaporates the shine will develop. Allow to cure for 1 hour before coating with Alclad Candy Enamels. Avoid using in excessively damp or humid conditions. Finger marks on the bare plastic will appear in the final finish.

 

SPRAYING

  • Alclad II should be applied by airbrush at a pressure of 12-15 PSI.
  • Spray from 2-3 inches from the model using a narrow to medium width spray fan.
  • Use your airbrush as if it were a paint brush to spray in a methodical manner.
  • For Lexan Polycarbonate body shells, apply 2-3 light coats to the inside of the shell, and once dry apply an appropriate backing coat.
  • With Candy enamels, shake thoroughly before use and do not thin. Spray light even coats at 20-25 PSI, at 5 minute or more intervals. Leave to cure for at least 2 hours before handling.

 

FINISHING

Injection Moulded Plastic

  • Regular Alclad finishes don’t need to be buffed; tonal variation can be gained by polishing selected panels with Micromesh (ALC301)
  • Regular Alclad finishes can be masked over and painted.
  • The Prismatic finishes and Holomatic Spectral Chrome (ALC205) should have 2-3 light coats of water based clear (ALC600 Aqua Gloss) applied once completely dry.

Lexan Polycarbonate

  • Regular Alclad – back with 2-3 light coats of any paint (experiment to find what will give you the finished look you prefer)
  • High Shine Alclad – back with 2-3 light coats of black or silver
  • Prismatic finishes and Holomatic Spectral Chrome – back with black or silver water based paint.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Decal setting solutions.

Can be used with regular Alclad, but are not recommended for High Shine Alclad.

Aqua Gloss Clear.

Unlike the rest of Alclad’s products, this is a water based lacquer which dries in about 15-20 minutes. To get best results, you really do need to read the instructions and do a few tests !

  • Can be used as an undercoat for Alclad II lacquers, and as a sealer for the High Shine colours.
  • Can be used on matt finishes as a pre-decal sealer coat.
  • Can be used to apply a gloss sheen to model aircraft canopies and other transparent kit parts, applied either by airbrush or dipping.
  • Protects transparent kit parts from cyano-acrylate fumes.

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