Minor/Repaint: P:RiD Arcee W.I.P. Mods

Discussion in 'Radicons Customs' started by Pimptimus_Prime, Mar 30, 2012.

  1. Pimptimus_Prime

    Pimptimus_Prime Banned

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    So, I expected I would be able to get more done yesterday, but a buddy stopped by and kind of distracted me from working. That said, I have quite a bit done now.

    First are the tools and paint I'll be using. I will be using Citadel Paints Mithril Silver as a primer applied with a Standard Games Workshop brush. I have a container of clean tap water to rinse my brushes in and a cotton swab to clean away possible mistakes. I also have Citadel Undercoat Black for painting on to the lightpiping section of the head to create an opaque base to brush the silver on to prevent light bleed through.

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    I use a piece of cotton cloth (from an old t-shirt) for drying my brushes as I have had some bad luck with fuzz from paper towerls before. I use masking tape to protect certain pieces from paint, and we will be using it more in the next sections after this one. For holding parts for painting, I employ bamboo skewers with either alligator clips or blue tack on the end. The bamboo skewers can be found in your local supermarket, you can buy packs of alligator clips at Radio Shack and Blue Tack can be found pretty much anywhere that sells pens and paper.

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    Lastly, for mixing and thinning paints I use an eye dropper and palette. You can find eye droppers at pretty well any pharmacy and this palette is from a Testors model and paint set I picked up on clearance at the local Kmart. You can find palettes in arts and crafts stores like Michael's or in the crafts section of Walmart.

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    Before I begin, I want to talk about thinning your paint. Thinning your paint is an oft overlooked step that can make or break a paint job. When painting several thin coats of paint is much more durable than less, but thicker, coats. Thinner coats dry faster and are less likely to flake, both due to a stronger bond between the coats and due to fitting in tighter tolerances.

    When thinning you paint you usually want it about the consistency of milk. I find with Citadel Paints a ratio of 2:1 or 3:1 paint to water gets a consistency that I like. As with everything you should experiment to find what you are comfortable with.

    I plan on leaving the black pieces on Arcee the base black for now, so on a few of the pieces I will be masking before we start applying our layer of paint. I will be applying tape to the feet, hands, and headlight/wind screen section. I begin by laying out a strip of tape, cutting it into thin strips and wrapping the around the pieces I want to keep paint free. I apparently didn't take a close up of the wind screen assembly, so cover the handlebars, headlight, windscreen and front wheel connector in masking tape.

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    For putting your first layer of paint you aren't trying for full, even coverage. You are just putting down a little paint and letting it stick. It will look terrible, but fight the urge to put more on. Your patience will be rewarded.

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    I started at the feet and worked my way up the body to the backpack. Hand painting is time consuming so I set up my netbook on my work bench and either watch shows or vlogs (G1 on Netflix! Huzzah!) or listen to music or podcasts. Here are a few images of the first coat.

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    I then put the first coat on the gear detail from the knee.

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    I also put a coat of Undercoat black on the light piping section of the head. When it dried I then put a coat of Mithril Silver on it.

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    And here are all the parts with the single first layer.

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    I told you it wouldn't look all that great yet. However, once you get done putting the first layer on the last part, more than enough time will have passed for the first piece to dry. Put another layer just like the first on each piece in order again and it will begin to look better. When you reach the end, repeat the process one more time and you should have a pile of smooth shiny metallic Arcee parts. :) 

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    You may have noticed that I haven't done anything with the wheels. Well that is coming up in the next segment.
     

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    Last edited: May 4, 2012
  2. Pimptimus_Prime

    Pimptimus_Prime Banned

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    Now is where I used the 000 and the 20/0. I used the 000 to paint in the spokes on her wheels, the inside and back of the rim and the back side of the brake calipers.

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    I then used the 20/0 to paint the outside rim edge. If you get a little in the depression between the rim and tire don't worry to much about cleaning it all out as we can fix it in a later step. You do want to make sure you don't get any on the tire itself though.

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    As before, use light coats built over each other and after the third coat you should have a smooth and solid finish. When I took this photo the bottom left tire didn't have all the coats on it. I had forgotten after taking the first tape picture.

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    Now for taping. I took the first picture while waiting for the other rims to dry, so ignore the fact that the rim isn't fully painted. Place a piece of tape gently contacting the highest point of the part you want to cover.

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    Then going from highest to lowest gently rub the tape down with your finger and pressing tightly around edges with your fingernail, a skewer, a toothpick or a cotton swab.

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    After you have covered the piece, gently slice away the excess tape with a sharp blade. If you scratch you paint with the hobby knife you can go easily go back and touch it up.

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    We do the back of the brake caliper the same way, but due to the spokes being in the way I use 2 pieces of tape.

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    For doing smaller details like the side mirrors I cut a small strip of tape, then cut it into smaller segments then layer them over each other on the detail.

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    Next post: More Taping!
     

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  3. Pimptimus_Prime

    Pimptimus_Prime Banned

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    Lay out a strip of masking tape and slice it into lengths approximately the width of the tire. The cut the outside curve of the tire into it.

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    This will give you curved pieces to cover the tire proper. It should take 3 pieces to cover one side of the tire.

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    Flip the tire over and place the curve in the depression between the tire and the rim, using your fingernail or one the implements mentioned previously to press the tape tight. Then starting at one side gently curl over the tape.

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    Fold the remaining corners of tape of the outside of the tire. You can then use the curved pieces of tape left over to cover any uncovered areas.

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    Using these techniques you can cover any part of any figure you need to paint What follows are a few reference pictures to help you decide how you want to do your paint job. Just remember that any part you DON'T want blue needs to be covered.

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    Here are a few pictures I took of the taping process using the same processes demonstrated.

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    And here she is, ready for the next step.

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    Next Post: Spraying Some Blue.
     

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  4. Pimptimus_Prime

    Pimptimus_Prime Banned

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    I usually prep everything in a box. I have skewers for holding parts, blue tack to secure parts to skewers, tape to patch any parts that need it and for some reason a bunch of the tape from when I was spraying the purple on Megatron.

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    Next I go out to my secret spraying location, a creepy shed behind my house. A creepy shed is not required but it is recommended, especially if you live anywhere where the wind picks up suddenly or is rather dusty, or if like me you live in a state where it can rain at any second most of the year. Somewhere wind free but well ventilated will work, like in a garage with the door open.

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    While not Transformers related, my wall of Nerf guns is Hasbro related. I have more in the bins under the pile of random stuff, but these are the ones I have modded for power and range or are just plain more fun. Several are missing because my niece and nephew were attending a birthday party that was Nerf themed, so obviously I had to arm them properly. Also, the picture is blurry because I forgot that I had Macro on.

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    On to the task at hand though. For holding the pieces once they are wet with paint, I took a skewer and poked holes in the top of this old shoe box. Coincidentally I poked all but one of the holes I would need.

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    For attaching parts to the skewers use a very small piece of blue tack. I take a small piece, roll it into a ball and lightly press it around the flat end of the skewer.

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    Then firmly press the blue tack onto or into the part you are going to paint while pinching the blue tack tighter around the skewer end. I always attach and paint each part one at a time, inspecting the tape to make sure it is still firmly pressed down and in proper position.

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    The part is ready for painting. I stand in the door of the shed, so I am sheltered from wind/rain/dust/hail/sleet, and spray so that the over spray blows out the open door. When painting I hold the can at a 45 degree angle and move my arm straight forward, repeating the same motion every time. I move the piece on the skewer to the angles needed to paint the whole piece. Note that when alone it is hard to photograph this process so I did the best I could.

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    Just as before, you want to paint thin even coats, but now you can do them quickly. I spray a first thin coat, wait 30 seconds, then spray again. Repeat this process until you have a smooth glossy coverage. I want to mention 2 different habits I have seen that are good to avoid and are complete opposites of each other. The first is spraying over everything, going out of the way to completely paint over the tape. It's just one of those things some people seem to do without noticing, but can cause paint build up around the tape from over spray. The other is taking special care NOT to paint on tape or holding devices and substances. Again one of the things people do without realizing they are doing it, but it can leave areas too thin around the tape.

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    Now that the piece is painted you want to slide the skewer into one of the holes in the shoe box. When you feel the tip press against the bottom, press it slightly so the pointed tip secures itself into the bottom of the box to prevent tipping.

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    Here are all the parts painted. You will want to leave them alone for a minimum of 1 hour. For that hour don't touch them, don't look at them, in fact try not to even think about them. Just go do something else. Watch a movie or a couple episodes of your favorite show or go get something to eat. I am going to go do some cleaning while I wait.

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    Next Post: Tape Removal and Polishing the X Metals. Yup... Polishing!
     

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  5. Superquad7

    Superquad7 OCP Police Crime Prevention Unit 001 Super Content Contributor

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    Goodness sakes, I'm having tons of fun reading this thread.
     
  6. Pimptimus_Prime

    Pimptimus_Prime Banned

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    I'm glad you like it, and I'm having tons of fun writing it!

    The first thing you will notice when you come back to your creepy shed (or where ever) and look at your parts is that they are dull and lifeless. You might be thinking you sprayed too much on or not enough, but this is normal. We will deal with this a little later, but for now just take a deep breath and relax.

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    So now comes the time to remove the painted pieces from the skewer. Just pull the piece off and set it in the box. then take some blue tack and peel the blue tack off of the skewer. Blue tack likes to stick to blue tack more than anything else.

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    But what if the blue tack stays with the part instead of the skewer? Just take a wad of the blue tack and jam it in the piece, the pull it out. Clean as a whistle.

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    Worried that you might be permanently damaging your blue tack? Well the stuff is like 2 bucks for a package and I still have over half the package unused. But besides that, you can just knead the paint into the blue tack without worry. I have been using this stuff for over a year with no noticeable effects.

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    Now we put everything back in the box and head inside.

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    We will start taking off tape in a minute, but first you may have an unpainted section in the hinge on the wings. Well just blue tack them back on to some skewers, turn the hinge to expose the unpainted area. Give it a quick spray and while it dries we will move on to tape removal.

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    Next Post: Finally Removing Some Tape!
     

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  7. Pimptimus_Prime

    Pimptimus_Prime Banned

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    Next is tape removal and cleanup. I generally use an exacto knife and tweezers, and for cleanup i use a cotton swab and 91% rubbing alcohol.

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    Tape removal is pretty straightforward. Slide the very tip of the exacto knife gently under the edge of a piece of tape and peel it up, then pull it off. Use tweezers if you have trouble reaching tape with you fingers.

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    You may have noticed in that last picture there is a little blue on the silver. No biggy as we still have painting to do and that section will be a darker metal by the time we are done. However the blue on this tire needs to be dealt with.

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    Just moisten one end of the cotton swap with rubbing alcohol and gently rub it against the blue paint until it disappears.

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    There is a very good chance that you will have blue paint that got on to a silver area. Just use your exacto knife to gently scrape the afflicted area, the go back over it with Mithril Silver.

    Well now we have a pile of tapeless but dull Arcee parts. What do we do now?

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    We grab a separate and completely different cotton swab with no alcohol anywhere near it. Alcohol will of course damage our hard work so far.

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    Using the tip of the cotton swab, gently but firmly rub the blue section of paint. You will see that you are polishing the surface smooth.

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    Can you guess which leg has been polished?

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    Some areas may not respond to the cotton swab, or be too tight to fit it in. In those cases the rag made from an old t-shirt comes in handy.

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    Now we have a pile of shiny polished Arcee parts.

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    You probably noticed that there are still some rough edges, but we will take care of those by the end.

    Next Post: Secondary Color Area Base Coating
     

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  8. Pimptimus_Prime

    Pimptimus_Prime Banned

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    I lied last post, first we have some edge and scratch cleanup to do!

    Pretty straight forward, just anywhere you have scratched the paint or there is a little bleed through from the tape, just a light swipe from the paint brush will clean it up. :) 

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    I would have more done, but... Well, I will show you next post...
     

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  9. Pimptimus_Prime

    Pimptimus_Prime Banned

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    I might have been distracted by some work I was doing for a friend.

    He has a Cooler Master CM Storm Trooper case. Everything that is red was black.

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    And of course, what's a case mod without a few lights...

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    I have some things to do tomorrow, so the next update should be Wednesday or Thursday. Until the, have fun and Happy Modding!

    Next Post: Secondary Color Area Base Coating (For Reals This Time!)
     

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  10. Pimptimus_Prime

    Pimptimus_Prime Banned

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    I'm back again! I spaced that it was this week, not next week that a friend of mine is moving in, so I have been scrambling to prepare for his arrival. I have been working on Arcee and taking pictures when I can, and here are some now. :) 

    For starter, you should be familiar with the tools we will be using.

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    We will start with the gas tank and seat area. It took 4 coats for me to get it just right. I can't stress enough that the first couple of coats will look horrible and you have to resist the urge to try for full coverage on the first go. Nothing flakes faster.

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    Every time you put a coat on one side of the gas tank, put one on the other to help pass the time. And if you sanded paint off of the collar like I did, put a coat on there too.

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    And the chest piece needs a little black on it. (I also smoothed the scratch in the paint and painted the recesed ab area Boltgun Metal, but forgot to take pictures.)

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    This next one could be considered detail, but I am going to be putting more work in on the detail section.

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    I painted the inside and out of the brake drums in Boltgun Metal, and we will be getting back to these parts in washes and/or drybrushing. The center 2 are still original color for comparison.

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    Next I mixed up some pink. I can't remember exact ratios because it was late and I forgot to mark down my drop ratio. I usually do it when I mix paints so if I have to remake it to do touch-ups or repainting I can mix it again. I usually just write down the names of the paints I'm mixing on a post it note and put a hash mark next to each for each drop of paint. Thankfully I made a large enough amount tht I stored the rest in a clean empty paint bottle. I call this color Rasberry Creme.

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    It doesn't come across well in the pictures, but I like it and I'm not done with it just yet.

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    The colors you use on all these parts is of course up to you. If you want some parts brighter or darker, go for it! It's your toy so I'm not going to point out all the exact colors and areas I painted, but I do take pictures of all the parts between steps so you should be able to tell where and what I painted. :) 

    Next Post: Probably Details! (Unless I Forgot Something!)
     

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  11. closetrat

    closetrat Well-Known Member

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    This so much fun to flip through - are you gonna paint the round shoulder hinge parts on the side of the chest piece to make them more accurate?
     
  12. Pimptimus_Prime

    Pimptimus_Prime Banned

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    If you mean these:
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    The answer is yes, I just haven't gotten there yet. :) 

    I just wanted to get an update out with the photos I have, as it had been a bit. :) 
     

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  13. TCracker

    TCracker R.I.P., 5/2019 Veteran

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    *mother-of-god.jpeg*

    This is one of the BEST painting tutorial I have even had the pleasure of reading.
     
  14. Pimptimus_Prime

    Pimptimus_Prime Banned

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    Thank you! This is one of the best (Or only!) painting tutorials I have ever written! :-D
     
  15. Roller81

    Roller81 Well-Known Member

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    wow, this is simply awesome. I'm loving the "angel wings" more show accurate look. Someone should really shapeways that cannon you designed. That is by far the best depiction I have seen.
     
  16. Pimptimus_Prime

    Pimptimus_Prime Banned

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    Thank you very much! Actually, now that my Megatron has sold I am going to be doing some casting, and if there is interest I will cast the different arm cannons I'm working on. I will make post when I have something to offer. :) 

    Oh, and

    Thank you. :) 
     
  17. kurttkrueger

    kurttkrueger Well-Known Member

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    Wow, awesome thread is awesome. Thanks for sharing. I'm sitting here looking at my recently purchased PRID Arcee, thinking hmm...
     
  18. zeroXII

    zeroXII metallicon

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    Man, that chromy blue finish looks really excellent.

    Btw, i managed to get my hands on one. Already working on the wing mod, but having some difficulty taking out the wheel from the front fender. The thing just won't pry open, and i don't think applying extra force will help, coz i think i already see minor stress marks. Using the knife to slice it open at the glued sections isn't working out like i thought it would.
     
  19. DMcB360

    DMcB360 Radicon G2

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    yea that ball joint LED is a wicked idea man. im not a giant fan of Arcee as a character but I appreciate this very much as a figure.
     
  20. Pimptimus_Prime

    Pimptimus_Prime Banned

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    Thank you very much, and not a problem. And go for it! It's a ton of fun. :) 

    Thank you, and the fender can be a bit of a pain. I've done a couple more for friends now, and they are half and half barely glued and glued near solid. If you really have to you can cut straight down the split and through pegs in the fender section. You really only need the guide peg in the top section to keep the halves stable when locked together at the axle.

    Thank you. I first used the idea in a custom Ghost Rider I did in High School. When I work on another Arcee I will show the whole shaping and installation process in better detail. :) 

    I'm really glad everyone is enjoying my work, and I should have some more by the weekend...ish :-D