Eezebilt RAF Fire Boat

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

Bow and some cabin roofs repaired!

Little bit of Isopon P38, rubbed down with 120/ 240 grit nail files (Amazon) and 800 wet and dry.

Think I can get back getting ready to spray the hull.

Tim

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

<p style=”text-align: left;”>I sprayed the hull with some water based white primer. This seemed to go on really well, left it overnight. Next day I noticed some crazing in a small patch and the white primer showed all the imperfections I couldn’t see before.</p>
So I  have rubbed down again and filled in some of the bigger imperfections, resprayed with Halfords Yellow filler primer and rubbed down with wet and dry (used wet). Think it is ok now.

Need to get some Halfords Red Oxide primer for the bottom of the hull and decide whether to air brush the black for the hull sides.

Think it will be too hot over the next few days.

Tim

[Richard SimpsonModerator @richardsimpson88330]

I’ve always been a fan of Halfords rattle cans, especially primers.  The grey works for navy upperworks and the red oxide is fine for below the water line.  I would use the black primer for your upper hull.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Halfords do a matt black rattle can which is very good and is intended as a top coat. It has a very faint sheen which looks great on a model. I used it on my still unfinished ss Almeda liner – see below.

Hycote sell exactly the same product but cheaper.

MATT BLACK

Colin

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

Thanks

Sounds like I need 2 cans.

Tim

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

I have sprayed the hull with Hycote red oxide and Matt black.

Looks ok except I decide to varnish the red, before starting the to paint the black. On removing the tamiya tape I have lost some of the varnish. Don’t know if I left the tape on too long .

The varnish I used was a Satin polyurethane from Vallejo. Not used before but it says it’s permanent and very resistant.

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Tim,

It could depend on how long you left the varnish to cure. It dries quickly but can take a while to cure properly and bond with the red oxide. The red oxide is a primer so should provide a good base for the varnish. I suspect there is some incompatibility there.

I tend to use the Hycote (previously Halfords) matt lacquer as a top coat but it does need a good shake otherwise too much of the matting agent can really dull the surface and give it a grey appearance.

Frustrating isn’t it?

Just no substitute for doing a test piece in these circumstances.

Colin

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

Colin

I’m hoping I can blur the edges with very fine Wet and Dry, the recoat.

We will see.

Tim

[Richard SimpsonModerator @richardsimpson88330]

I agree with Colin Tim, probably the varnish needed more time.  If I’m putting masking tape onto fresh paint I usually leave it for a least a couple of days before applying the tape.  Dry is only the first part of the process, fully hardened takes quite a lot longer. Did you read the Model Boats Magazine article on masking in the April 2026 edition?

You might get away with a wet and dry feathering but ideally you should do it as much as possible with a flat backed tool such as a wooden coffee stirrer.  Holding the paper by hand can tend to follow the imperfections and, by the time you have flattened the edges, you have also removed too much either side of it.

just take it carefully.

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

Richard

I will get that magazine out, and give the coffee stirrers a try with very fine Wet and dry.

Strangely it has not peeled all the way around. One side is only a small patch. The other side is the worst, with a larger patch which runs onto the bottom.

Normally I would varnish once I had sprayed both the red and black.  I will just put it down to old age!

Tim

 

[Richard SimpsonModerator @richardsimpson88330]

I read an article in this months Airfix Model World magazine where the contributor was building a model of a Porsche saloon racing car.  He actually started off by confirming that he intended ensuring that things were suitably hardened before moving on.  Then he made a complete mess of the bodywork by ignoring that and ended up having to buy another kit to do the bodywork again again.

I think we all fall into the same traps occasionally, even the professional builders.

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

Richard

Feathering going ok just a bit more to do.

Got held up painting some Harry Potter figurines for my youngest Granddaughter. Nearly finished them but need to make some small cartons to put them in.

Tim

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

I have revarnished the areas of varnish loss and it looks ok now.

I will varnish the black next whilst the red fully hardens.

Tim

[Richard SimpsonModerator @richardsimpson88330]

Glad it worked out Tim.  Always a stressful time when paint goes wrong.

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

Yes the varnish going on the black well. I am leaving a couple of days between coats. Probably being over cautious now!

Need to repaint the deck and put the cabin windows in next.

Need to sort out some RAF roundels .

Tim

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

Well I thought the varnish was going on the black well.

It’s been left for 2 weeks and seemed to be ok.

Noticed a small blemish where the side meets the deck. This became quite a large loose area.

I have now removed all the varnish on the black, just by rubbing lightly with fine Wet and dry (2500 grade) or a finger. It came off in quite big pieces.

I am now doing a trial, on the stern with another Vallejo Acrylic varnish I have used on figures.

My Dad used to say these kind of problems were character building but he never said what type of character!

 

Tim

[Richard SimpsonModerator @richardsimpson88330]

We used to say that about the North Atlantic in the middle of winter, when you get thrown out of bed in the middle of the night.

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi All,

That’s the reason I stick to all oil based paints , as they like each other 🙂

Regards  Ray

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

First time I have had this problem.

The Italieri S100 conversion I did used Acrylic paint and an acrylic water based varnish with no problem.

I hoping that the third acrylic varnish I have used will be Ok.

Tim

[Richard SimpsonModerator @richardsimpson88330]

Good luck Tim.  I hope it works out for you this time.

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

Looks like the third varnish has worked. !

No signs of peeling at all .

Tim

[Richard SimpsonModerator @richardsimpson88330]

That’s a relief Tim.  I’d give it a few days just to reassure yourself.

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

<p style=”text-align: left;”>It is about a 10 days or so now. So I think I am ok.</p>
Tim

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