How to: Paint mod for the UPO seconds hand. Colour matched

[mastrmindalliance]

Everyone knows the colour on the seconds hand of the UPO is off on both the pumpkin and the B/W. I didn't know just how off it was until I got this Franken with gen dial and hands.

It dawned on me that I could put my trade skills in design to good use here, so I colour-matched the reddy/orange of the gen seconds hand with my pantone books and set about finding a mixture of colour to suit. I scoured every model supplies shop within 100kms of where I live – unfortunately online shopping (for the initial matching) is not an option here, because sites that do reference colour swatch books aren’t using the much superior pantone books.

Initially expecting to have to make my own mix I eventually found a paint that is quite spot on for this use off the shelf. Stoked!. It's ["Revell (No 25) Enamel Paint 32125 Luminous Orange Matte". The paint must be matt as per the gen.

How to do it?

1. Decase, remove hands

• if you have a fine enough hand and eye to paint this in situ, you won't need this tute.

2. Prep

• Flatten a piece of Rodico (better option would be balsa/craft wood here).

• make a tiny divot for the hand post.

• Place the hand firmly on the rodico – you want it to not move, but you want the paintable part resting off the surface of whatever you use – to avoid paint dags.

• Get out your cellotape – not the cheapo dollar shop sticky tape, spend a few extra cents here.

• Get a strip of tape and apply typing paper to the sticky side. You want to cover as much of the tape as you can, leaving only a tiny sticky edge (even the pic below was too much really). The idea here is you want the tape to stick, so you get a nice straight edge, but you want as little sticky applied to hand as possible so you don't damage it on removal - these hands are flimsy. Note: You don't need the tiny pube as below, but it helps.

• Apply your paper/tape to the hand like this a fraction below the apex of lume area, just like gen. try to get it as straight as possible:

• Very important: you must prepare the surface to paint. I painted houses while I worked my way through uni, don’t underestimate this step or you’ll be doing it twice.

Ideally you’d use a light coloured primer for a first coat, then dry, the colour coat next. Instead I used Isopropyl and a lint free cloth just to remove any surface oils, dust or etc.

• Wet a nice corner of your cloth with the alcohol

• Gently wipe over the hand in one direction away from the post. Going sideways or towards to post will damage your hand. Remember – be careful.

3. Painting.

• use a fine, top quality, non-synthetic brush. Synthetic brushes leave brush strokes. Shake the paint, don’t use the paint from the underside of the lid (there be unmixed paint), use it from the paint tin itself.

• note that the painted surface is not resting on the Rodico. If you were using balsa wood, you’d want to make another divot under the painted surface

• apply the paint ‘dry’, it means you don’t want to load the brush heavily with paint. We are going to apply two thin coats, not one thick one

• long smooth strokes

• Use single strokes for the entire length of painted surface – don’t 'play' with the paint or the finish will be bad – long singles strokes only.

• allow 24 hours to dry between coats – this paint is enamel.

• put on second coat for a nice full finish.

• allow to dry, inspect your work:

Pretty good match eh?

In sunlight:

In the dark:

Hope it helps someone. If you do the mod, please post a pic here?

[maxman]

Awesome pictorial...really awesome

Thank you so much for this fine post....well done mate.

Mike

[blue_sphere]

Looks great!

[krpster]

Nicely done! Looks bang on. Thanks for the post.

[hiker01]

[MAHLER]

Thanks! Excellent information!!

[bamcky2k]

great pics and info, i had the very same idea a while back! 2 other options for the paint are vellejo fluro orange and citadel firey orange (i used the citadel with a matt varnish). its a superb and very simple (and extremely cheap) basic mod but does indeed make rather a big difference-a noticable one imo. great stuff!