Q: Posted by John-Paul Evans on March 11, 1998 (Original message)
Anyone have a good technique to paint the gold band just above black hull, I tried taping the white and black parts and leave a very thin gap, but the gold paint runs under the tape, and I think looks sloppy Any Ideas????? I thought maybe spray painting it?

• TIP 1: Posted by John Altemueller on March 13 (Original message)
  You could try railroad pinstripe decals instead of paint. Can be applied in sections and no need to mask.

• TIP 2: Posted by Brad on March 26, 1998 (Original message)
  I think it's best to use 1/32 graphic tape (avail. at hobby Lobby) and paint it then glue it...pretty easy..looks great..

• TIP 3: Posted by Dwayne on March 18, 1998 (Original message)
  Suggest you use a good masking tape, such as model stores sell. Also suggest you mask the area, paint the area and tape THE BACKGROUND COLOR, then when it dries well, maybe hit it with Floquil Barrier (Optional, but I would) THEN paint the gold line. The rununder the tape is therefore the background color already, and the paint seals the edges of the tape before you ever put down the gold. Don't leave the tape more than a day before removing.

• TIP 4: Posted by Don Morlan on April 11, 1998 (Original message)
  The "GOLD" mentioned in the model instruction booklet is not metallic gold, it is more of a YELLOWGOLD, about the color of FRENCH'S MUSTARD. See the TITANIC MOVIE and all the Ken Marschall paintings.

Q: Posted by Andrew on April 13, 1998 (Original message)
What is the best way of painting the brass rim to the smaller portholes once they have been drilled out? I have tried it a couple of times and the hole just fills up with paint, before I can get a good coating.

• TIP 1: Posted by Richard Tonti on April 14, 1998 (Original message)
  I have been working with a small diameter piece of brass tubing (round and rectangular) the same size as the porthole frames and if the paint is mixed so that it is somewhat dry and non drippy it works like a dream and really cuts down on the time as well as making all of the frames uniform. Maybe somethings else is better for someone else though.

• TIP 2: Posted by Don Morlan on April 13, 1998 (Original message)
  First, I made sure that the flat black on the hull was all a good, uniform shade of black (no black touch-ups needed). I then used a very small brush (from the testor's model master product line) and painted the portholes ONE AT A TIME. I made sure that after I dipped the paintbrush in the METALLIC GOLD PAINT, that I BRUSHED THE EXCESS PAINT OFF on a scrap piece (or whatever you want to use). I then just simply "paint the inside of the porthole". I think that that alone should give you some help. Also, if you DO get TOO MUCH paint in the porthole, immediately blow it through to the other side (an admittedly LOW-TECH method). I have found that if you can get the excess paint out of there BEFORE IT DRIES (especially with those ENAMEL PAINTS) you will be much better off. What is also helpful, and what I didn't notice until after I had finished painting all the portholes THE FIRST TIME AROUND, is that if you sit next to a sunny window when you paint the portholes, you notice a lot more of the minor imperfections (missed gold areas) that can easily be touched up on. It is surprising how much the sunlight can reveal than EVEN A WELL LIT WORKBENCH can let go unnoticed. Trust me, you will have to just see it to believe it. Onward, it took me THREE SEPARATE SESSIONS to adequately cover all the small areas inside the holes. Also, be sure to tilt the model at an angle when you paint it. This is one reason it took me three passes to do it all. This way you can be sure to cover the top, bottom, leading edge, and trailing edge of the portholes. Take your time and have fun. It will look GREAT when you are finished. I plan on experimenting with the CLEARFIX soon to simulate glass filled portholes. I assume that the gold paint needs to be thouroughly dry for this

• TIP 3: Posted by Don Morlan on April 13, 1998 (Original message)
  just wanted to be sure to mention the obvious of carefully touching up any gold overpaint with black. You may go back and forth (like I did) from painting gold, then black, then gold, until all the areas are perfectly painted. I guess this is pretty obvio, but I wanted to mention it anyways!

Q: Posted by Mark Teer on March 04, 1998 (Original message)
I have been trying to get a close match to the worn appearance (as you can see in the current movie) but to no avail.

Can anyone provide a suitable mix to achieve this?

• TIP 1: Posted by Matt S on April 14, 1998 (Original message)
  Try using the color Wood. It looks like natural wood. I used it, and it looks great.

• TIP 2: Posted by Richard on March 29, 1998 (Original message)
  You can use a very thin wash of testor's tinting black and allow it to capliate into the recessed area where each deck plank met and then wipe up the excess before dry.

• TIP 3: Posted by Sean W. on March 04, 1998 (Original message)
  I mixed a dark brown with a light beige color. I then used a smaller type brush and painted right along with the wooden planks. I pushed the brush down into the planks a little harder in some ereas to make it a little lihgter.

• TIP 4: Posted by Don Morlan on April 11, 1998 (Original message)
  I don't know where to source the plans that show the position of each and every deck plank on the ship, but I can tell you of how I have done the planks that looks very suitable to me, I start with the tan paint known as LEATHER, which is sold in hobby stores (name brand I will tell you when I get a chance) and is actually a good medium tan color. I then mark off horizontal lines on the deck with a NUMBER TWO PENCIL, to use as a guideline when painting the deck. I then open my LEATHER paint jar and also my FLAT WHITE paint jar and place the upturned (paint rich) lids next to each other. I then dip a TINY BRUSH in each lid and paint an individual plank on the deck. The next plank maybe I use more leather and less white. Every plank is seen as individual and the results are incredible. This also corresponds to what other people have said about the deck planks not necessarily looking WORN but definitely having a character. Afterall, how many times have you gone to the hardware store and seen a (NEW) stack of planks. Take a close look, they aren't all the exact same color. After painting the individual planks, go back with the pencil and LIGHTLY mark in your horizontal lines. It may not be real wood, but it sure as Hell looks like it.

Q: Posted by Wes on April 11, 1998 (Original message)
Many of the square windows in my hull are almost completly closed up with extra plastic. Has anyone else had this problem or did I just get a bad one? If others have encountered this is there any good way of opening them up without having to cut each one out by hand?

• TIP 1: Posted by Richard Tonti on April 13, 1998 (Original message)
  You might try drilling them out with a bit that almost touches the edges of the frame (not so much that it could damage them) and then just follow up by cleaning up the corners with a small flat needle file. I think it may serve to eliminate some toil. This has worked well for me on many other materials in certain situations as well.

• TIP 2: Posted by Roy Mengot on April 18, 1998 (Original message)
  Use a square Exacto minifile file them out from the inside and even bevel the inner edges. It makes the windows appear larger by making the appear to something less than 2' armor plate.

• TIP 3: Refer to page 7 of your instruction booklet on how to get the brown trim on the boat deck windows.

Q: Posted by David DeJarnett on March 25, 1998 (Original message)
Does anybody know how to make or buy the "White Star Buff" color? I tried the mixture in the directions but it doesn't look right.

• TIP 1: Posted by John Morell on March 27, 1998 (Original message)
  Here's something you may want to try.Get Testors or an acrylic type FLAT, light tan color. (The "peach" is a little too dark). Add to the light tan an ever so small amount of YELLOW and gradually work it up to the most acceptable tone to your own eye. I'm sure James Cameron did his homework on "White Star-Buff" just as he had for every other technical aspect of his movie and a close look at what HIS interpretation is can't be too far off the mark. Also, keep some flat White on hand in case you need to lighten up your mixture.

• TIP 2: Posted by Eric Porch on March 28, 1998 (Original message)
  Go to your hobby shop and look at the Floquil brand Depot Buff, a model rr color.Good starting place!

• TIP 3: Posted by Don Morlan on April 13, 1998 (Original message)
  I always like the idea of matching colors (whenever possible) from color photos of Titanic taken from the bottom of the ocean, even if it has been sitting there since 1912. I don't remember where I saw it, but remember the color photo of the yellowish megaphone (Captain Smith's megaphone?) that they showed sitting on the ocean floor? It may be a good match for us to CONSIDER (the yellow megaphone surely wouldn't have any SUNFADE EFFECTS from where it is at the bottom of the ocean). But, I wonder if that wasn't the same shade of yellow, peach, buff (whatever) as the funnels. Just food for thought!

• TIP 4: Posted by Roy Mengot on April 18, 1998 (Original message)
  I used the formula in the Minicraft instruction sheet and worked great! Use an eyedropper and it comes out a great shade of peach.

Drilling -

Q: Posted by steven on March 17, 1998 (Original message)
what is the best way to drill the port holes in the hull?

• TIP 1: Posted by Dwayne on March 22, 1998 (Original message)
  Pin vise hand drills are cheap, but Micromark and most hobby shops sell little push drills that work like Yankee screwdrivers. A gentle push of the handle is converted to a turning of the bit. Faster than hand pushdrilling and better control. Also consider CAREFULLY using a ball-shaped bit in a Dremel tool to thin the plastic from behind until you can just barely see light coming through. Then it doesn't look like your porthole is set in a thich wall of armor plate! Sorry about the repost (Webmaster, please remove the other!) but I mis-spelled Micromark and don't want to make finding hobby tools any harder than it has to be!

• TIP 2: Posted by Scott Shoji on March 19, 1998 (Original message)
  Because of the large number, a Dremel tool would be best for drilling out the portholes. A twist drill or pin vise is not recommended. Ideally you would somehow countersink the porthole from behind giving the appearance of a thinner hull. There are several portholes on the stern of the ship that should be drilled out as well.

• TIP 3: Posted by stuart on March 21, 1998 (Original message)
  I used a small hand drill. very time consuming, but a least the portholes are straight.

Q: Posted by Chaz Bocock on March 14, 1998 (Original message)
I was wondering if anyone has lit their model of Titanic?

• TIP 1: Posted by Don Morlan on April 11, 1998 (Original message)
  CINEFEX MAGAZINE is available at some of the more complete magazine stands (Their TITANIC ISSUE was a real resource) and is each month's issue, no matter WHAT movie is covered, is chock full of hollywood professionals that light models for a living. I don't remember who I spoke to, but one of those guys from one of the ads in the magazine suggested a COMBINATION OF FIBER OPTICS AND A FEW LIGHT BULBS IN THE HULL

• TIP 2: Posted by Alex Lee on March 20, 1998 (Original message)
  I've found a supplier located in U.K. Visit their website at "http://www.flxlight.demon.co.uk/".

• TIP 3: Posted by Alex Lee on March 16, 1998 (Original message)
  You may be better off having a few bulbs INSIDE the model (I'm planning about 6). It is still possible to replace the bulbs depending on how you design the circuit. Fibre optics are good for lighting small points of light but not large ones such as windows and large port holes. However, you may want to try a combination of both.

  If you want to know more about lighting, check out http://www.CultTVman.com . They've got a good write-up on Model lighting.

• TIP 4: Posted by Dwayne on March 18, 1998 (Original message)
  The latest (3/98) issue of Finescale Modeller has a terrific article about lighting the Klingon ship model but the techniques are the same. Basically, line the interior with aluminum colored paint as an absolutely opaque block, then white to reflect and diffuse light (remember, metal is a dark gray) then drill out and cover your portholes, etc.

Q: Posted by Jesse on April 21, 1998 (Original message)
If someone out there has ever used "Light Sheet" or knows a method of lighting the ceilings on the promenade deck please post your results.

• TIP 1: Posted by Michael Turano on April 24, 1998 (Original message)
  Light Sheet is good, but after checking it out, can be VERY expensive, depending on what you want to do. The biggest problem seems to be the connectors that you must leave at the ends of a particular piece. They can do custom pieces, but you need their modules in order to light the pieces.

• TIP 2: Please E-MAIL me if you find a good source of light sheets
  I haven't found a web site that sells or goes into detail about light sheet. If you know of one, could you (or anyone else of course), post it?

Q: Posted by Don Morlan on April 11, 1998 (Original message)
Has anyone thought of using the AMT fiber optic, or maybe LARGER fiber optics to be run up to the bridge wing and LIGHTLY TINTED with some sort of OPULESCENT GREEN (and red for port) PAINT to get some cool working running lights? Might be a workable idea.

• TIP 1: Posted by Dylan on April 11, 1998 (Original message)
  As for the runnings lights, I might try painting the tip of the fibre a really thin transperent green and red.

• TIP 2: Posted by Mike Pell on April 17, 1998 (Original message)
  What about using transparent colour markers for hi-liting the ends of the fibre optic cable for the running lights? They come in various shades found at hobby centers, art stores and the like. Also the gold colour markers might work for the porthole edges to for those not wishing to hand paint them.