Ok, so this isn't a DIY or mod build, I'll save that for my fall project but it has been fun and I am pleased with the outcome.
So here we go...
Next is on to applying the Jnewboy Magic grime and really learning how it does on the major parts. This will be the next weathering step and first application of product. Remember this is an acrylic product.
But first I'll explain my debacle.
After I had applied the decals I went ahead and used Testors Dullcote. This is my first time using it and I have to say it went well. It has a nice fine mist, good spray pattern and drying time was quick considering the heat and humidity but HOLY HELL it STUNK! Very glad I was outdoors otherwise I'd had probably made my wife sick and maybe killed a few cats.
Anyway to be safe I let it dry overnight. I reviewed a video on YT by Jnewboy of him using his magic grime on a KV1. When I looked at the clearcoat closer it looked like it was possibly not applied enough because I thought I saw tiny gaps at the edge of the turret numbers. Now in his video he suggsests using the same hairspray to seal the decals before using the grime. Ok I was impatient here and just used some hairspray. But I'm very glad I only sprayed 1 side of the turret because the combination of the hairspray on the testors stuff instantly became milky, hazy white. And then melted the decal numbers off the turret-
They just curled up and slid off leaving me hugely pissed off and foaming at the mouth.
Ok so F___those decals. They were from Taigen but were Heng Long quality NOT the same as the Taigen decals used to be and definitely Not a good quality decal. Or And I'm just an idiot and shouln't have combined these chemicals. I'm a Chef, not a Chemical engineer, I should just stick to cooking...
Anyway I'm all sorts of mad at this point and never thought of taking pics of the messed up milky hazy panel on my turret.
But, after about an hour of thinking, poking around the internet and several cigarettes I thought I don't want to lose this paint job. It would be damned near impossible to replicate to this point. So I gotta dig in. So I guessed at the solution myself. First I used acrylic thinner and wiped down the effected area several times letting it dry between cleans. Nothing changed visually or got better but I made sure it was clean and no hairspray residue. The surface was super dry and matte. Now I totally took a shot in the dark at this. I decided to spray the damaged area with Tamiya TS-13 clear that I had laying around and hadn't used yet. As it turns out is made it all better and all my troubles went away. In this case it behaved like a satin clear coat. It quenched the damaged surface and made it good to work with again. So now you'll know the answer to the question that will come up about the turret decals if you actually read this far. All set. Another coat of Dullcote and back in business.
Next is me putting a LOT of faith in this Magic grime stuff-
Embrace the fear...
"Charlie don't surf"- Lt. Col. Bill Kilgore