Pendraken Miniatures Forum

Wider Wargaming => Non-Pendraken Stuff => Topic started by: pierre the shy on 23 January 2025, 05:35:53 AM

Title: Marking Madness
Post by: pierre the shy on 23 January 2025, 05:35:53 AM
I have recently discovered a modelling task that must at least rival the legendary insanity of adding back banners to Japanese fuedal troops...

Mine is adding roundels, tail flashes and buzz numbers to 1/600th scale aircraft, even relatively large 2 or 4 engined ones.

The 1/600 decal sheets I have from Misc minis and Flightdeck 2400 are printed on a single continuous carrier film so you must cut around each individual decal you need, and they are not very big  @-)  Then you have to get them out of the water and onto the planes the right way round, not always easy when they are white and very light blue.

Been doing a couple at a time, any more and it just becomes too fiddly to concentrate  ~X(
Title: Re: Marking Madness
Post by: Chris Pringle on 23 January 2025, 07:47:02 AM
Oh, yes, I remember it being a joy when I did my 1/600 air forces, years ago. As was painting nose art on the bombers. And drilling tiny holes in the planes' bellies to make them sit on wire flight stands. Have fun!
Title: Re: Marking Madness
Post by: fred. on 23 January 2025, 08:19:35 AM
One suggestion with tiny decals. Rather than using a dish of water to get them off the backing what I have found useful is just to put a drop of water on my cutting board, then put the decal on that to soak. Due to surface tension and small size, there isn't really anywhere for the decal to float off to!

All the other problems remain!!
Title: Re: Marking Madness
Post by: Orcs on 23 January 2025, 10:30:50 AM
It was bad enough doing 500 odd shield decals from VVV on my Early imperial Romans. They were individual and  easy to see.
Title: Re: Marking Madness
Post by: Last Hussar on 23 January 2025, 12:43:37 PM
Maybe just do Cybermen?
Title: Re: Marking Madness
Post by: steve_holmes_11 on 23 January 2025, 01:16:14 PM
I recall doing something similar a decade back when my eyesight was better.

I drew the line at a cross or roundel on the wing.
Title: Re: Marking Madness
Post by: Chris Pringle on 23 January 2025, 01:53:06 PM
Try painting red-white-green chevrons on the wings and tails of Hungarian biplanes.
Title: Re: Marking Madness
Post by: petedavies on 23 January 2025, 02:24:44 PM
I am about to add helicopter deck markings (from FlightDeckDecals) to a dozen or so Navwar 1:3000 Soviet ships.

I say "about to" do it, but they've been on the table since before Christmas waiting... I think I am exhibiting "avoidance behaviour" :)

Cheers,
Pete
Title: Re: Marking Madness
Post by: pierre the shy on 23 January 2025, 07:01:16 PM
That's the next task on my to do list too.

Done some 1/3000th carrier flight decks which are pretty straightforward, but helo decks are a whole lot smaller.....I've been avoiding doing them for a few Christmas's now  :-[
Title: Re: Marking Madness
Post by: slugbalancer on 23 January 2025, 07:24:06 PM
I always made sure the house was quiet and I was in a calm frame of mind before attempting 1/600 scale decals.
Title: Re: Marking Madness
Post by: petedavies on 23 January 2025, 08:29:41 PM
My current excuse is "waiting for some new scalpel blades from Amazon". The internet says I have to use a sharp one to cut out tiny decals..

That runs out on Monday when they get delivered!