I think I might have been working my compressor to hard, it started making screaching noises while I was pre-shading my Corsair. Then I could smell burning, the contact brushes were arcing badly. I finished the pre-shading on my Corsair but like a fool decided that I would just spray the prop and spinner of my Spit (I knew I wasn't going to get the pre-shading done). That's when disaster struck, it just stopped Nothing I could do but strip down my airbrush and clean it best I could and curse I will be stripping down my compressor some time today, if I can, just to see if there is anything obvious. I'm not a maintenance engineer but in the past I've fixed a few things. I'm hoping it's just worn out contact brushes. Even if that's all it is I won't be able to replace them, due to my out of work status.
I will be posting pics of my pre-shaded corsair later, with an update on this, I'm just hoping that I can sort it out
Anyway here's the update on my Spit.
After sprying with Halfords plastic primer (acrylic car paint) there was a previously unseen seam still showing on the nose.

After half an hour, when the Squadron white stuff had cured I sanded it smooth, finishing off with 0000 grade wire wool. There is a dezus fastener missing in the centre of the cowl. I have a special tool made just for replicating dezus fasteners, It is a hyperdermic needle that has had it's point removed then the end beveled to sharpen it. It's fitted onto a piece of square rod, for a handle. Simply place in position, twist, while applying pressure. Then take a pointy tool and create an indentation in the middle of the ring. It's not perfect and it's a little under size (need a larger needle) but by the time i'm finished painting and weathering it will look the part..

Any comments welcome, especially if you know anything about diaphragm compressors
Mal

Don't ya just HATE when a critcal piece of equiptment goes down?
Good catch on that seam.I think I see that starting on mine too.Are the missing dzuss fasteners on either side of the top cowl? Maybe that seam was SUPPOSED to be there?

I wont be posting pics of my pre-shaded Corsair, There doesn't seem much point as I wont be able to finish by the deadline of the group build. Yep my compressor has gone to it's grave. I managed to get it running again, as good as new :-) so I thought I had better let it run just to make sure it wouldn't die on me. After less than 2 minutes it started to sound a little rough then quite quickly it was screaching again then the carbon brushes were arcing again then that got worse and then pow, sparks and a puff of smoke and it was dead
I have a few models that I don't need the compressor to finish, so I'll get them done. Until I can get a new compressor group builds and campaigns are on hold I hope to have a job by the end of next week, with a bit of time to build up some funds, about 3 months minimum, looks like around August until I'll be modelling properly again.
Right forget that, can't do anything about it, so back to this. Definatly only the one required, TankCarl, the top engine cowling is a single piece, you could just use a drill to put in an indentation, or even leave it off. You could even just use a silver pencil to make a dot, for a paint chipped festener. Most of them would be mostly devoid of paint anyway.
I was actually quite surprised to see these seams, I thought I'd done a realy good job of eliminating them. To think I never used to use a primer :-)
Mal

Hold fast,Holdfast.
There is a product called Propel which is a compressed propellant by Badger.Maybe you can find a source for it?

:-) Tankcarl, thanks for the thought but I used that stuff in my early days of airbrushing, never again. If I could afford to buy enough of that stuff I could buy a new compressor :-) I wouldn't be able to use it, can't regulate it sufficiantly.
I'm putting pressure on my daughter, if I make her feel guilty enough well you never know
Mal

Howdy Mal. Sorry to hear about your compressor. Do you suspect sabotage? Your fluvian assmbly line hasn't been getting paid for all the work they have been doing and wrecked your compressor? Hopefully you'll get that job and be back in business right away. By the way I finally finished my Sea fury and will posts pics when i can.

Hey Mal,

Looking good, sorry to hear about your AC, sounds like you ran out of brush, hope you didn't burn the armature up, that might have been the toasty smell you were getting. Hang in there and keep stroking, Brush painting just takes a little longer

That tool is simple and ingenious. Great idea. I've got three old needles from the vets that I picked up and didn't know what to do with them until now.

The spit looks good.

Mal, great work so far. Good catch on the seam-a good reason to prime because it will show them.

Sorry to hear about the AC. I bought mine at WalMart and it runs great. Better yet-I picked it up for only $80. It's the campbell Hausfeld 2003.

So far so good, I honestly wouldn't get frazzled over the compressor, because it will all work out in the end. I know, so far this month has been horrible for me, on the model front and the female front. I understand, but you have comrades here!

Looks nice, hope to see the finished pics!

~Chip :-)

Jay


I haven't done any serious brush painting since coming back to the hobby 20 years ago. That was only the first kit I built, a SAS pink Panther. It would be nice to use this as an excuse to get back into brush painting, but my technique for painting and weathering simply requires the use of an airbrush.

Ryan


Your right, I don't pay the fluvians and I did suspect sabotage. I flogged half a dozen of them just in case and threatened them with having to build armour.

Bryan


I never used to use a primer, but it is certainly proving worthwhile. My main reason for using it though is for paint affects :-)

Chip


Chip you don't know how true that is. Yesterday I was given a mini airpump (can't really call it a compressor). It's made by Revell and apparently they withdrew it because it wouldn't work? I hooked it up to my holding tank and although at max it can only deliver 1bar, today I have managed to spray the undercarriage of my Me 262 1a/U-4, so all is not lost. I can only run it for 20 minutes and the paint has to be well thinned, so coverage takes time. I will brobably only be able to do, say, the underside of one Corsair wing at a sitting but at least I can get it done. Thats if this little thing can take the pace, I will still be pushing it to complete my Corsair by the deadline, but I will give it a go :-)
Mal