Scratch decaling 
Bummer about the paint. Been there, done that; what a mess.
Jesper,
The decaling turned out just as good with perfectly straight black edging in a fraction of the time needed for masking, painting and clean up. I was just really lucky that the paint didn’t get to the model. Now that would have been a major disaster for sure.
joel
The progress you’re making on the car body is turning out very well Joel. Dude…I can surely empathize with bench top mishaps like knocking paint over. My biggest CONTINUING fault is when using PE pieces I’ll place them on the bench top and not pay attention. I’ll then put my hand or elbow or forearm down on the bench not paying any attention and almost always pick the PE part up on one of those mentioned body parts. From there …??? Sometimes I’ll get lucky and find the part stuck to my hand, forearm or elbow. Sometimes…NOT!! 
You’d think I’d learn after the 20th frickin’ time. lol
Looking forward to more bro.
Joseph,
It’s always a treat to have you stop by and checkout my current build. So glad that you like what you saw so far.
You really made me laugh with the PE vanishing pcs. I’m working with PE on this build, and I’d swear that at times Merlin lis lurking behind me. One moment the little devil of a piece is right in front of me, and then POOF, it’s vanished. Most of the time for the life of the build, then just magically reappears.
And speaking of small PE, I’m having a really hard time filing the edges smooth where the nib is still from cutting it off the sprue. I just ordered some medium Diamond files for that job as the regular hobby files just can’t cut it. Do you have any other suggestions on getting rid of those nibs without bending the small piece?
joel
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Joel, a glass nail file is what I use for smoothing off the pe tags, holding the piece near the edge with small pliers. The ones you get in the cosmetics section in supermarkets etc. They’re fine as they’re for filing nails smooth without creating snags, and very hard as they’re glass. I also like them because they’re completely flat and rigid. In fact I use them all the time.
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I just started using a really sharp pair of scissors just this morning and it worked bad a$$!! The nail nippers seems like a good go for those smaller PE parts.
I can get just so close with scissors, even the Tamiya PE ones and I also have special PE clippers. It’s that annoying little nub left over that drives me nuts. I can only file one way or I bend the part which I can barely see. Been using regular modeling files but they really can’t handle the PE very well.
I’m heading over to CVS today and I’ll look for one of those glass files which I’ve heard about but never tried, and a new pair of better nail nippers. Hopefully between the two I’ll get the part smooth enough. Then there’s always the fun of gluing them in place before i loose it. I’ve even lost a few small parts right on my work bench !!
joel
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Hi Joel - the best thing I have found for cleaning up PE is diamond files . I have a cheap set from Harbor Freight that have served me for years . Cuts through hard Stainless like butter .
Cheers- RT
Richard,
Thanks for another option. I actually have a Harbor Freight not 5 min from the house.
So how’s Grand Pa doing these days?
joel
Well, I finished up the decaling of the numbers, gloss coated the two body shell sections with my now new favorite: Tamiya Lacquer LP-9 Clear Gloss. I’m still looking for a supplier of Gunze
Super Gloss III in a bottle and Finisher’s, neither of which I’ve ever been able to get a hold of. But the Tamiya LP-9 is the best I’ve tried to date. Gave the lacquer a full week to dry and cure, then just a very lite wet polishing with Micro Mesh 12,000, followed by the Gravity 3 part polishing paste system, and finally their excellent liquid wax. One more coat of wax will be applied once the build is at its final stage. As you can see from the pictures, the two shells still align and fit nearly perfectly. No major twist/warp issues this time.
Next up is the cockpit.
Thanks to all for stopping by and checking out the 917K’s progress to date. As always it’s greatly appreciated.
joel
6 Likes
Decaling and paint job are again top notch, Joel 
Very well done, as always 
BTW, is that Tamiya LP-9 an enamel paint (solvent based)? As I see a flame symbol on the bottle it can’t be acrylic?
Torsten,
As always, you make my day by stopping by and checking out my latest build.
The Tamiya LP paints are pure lacquer based just like the Gunze
line.
joel
Great stuff Joel, as usual your body finishing techniques came up trumps!
Cheers, D
D,
Much appreciate your thumbs up. Painting, decaling, and finishing are what I really prefer in modeling these days. These are the areas where I spend most of my model time.
joel
1 Like
Said it before but I’ll say it again- you da paint & decal man !
2 Likes
Richard,
why thank you sir. Paint and decaling is by far my favorite part of a build. So much so that I’m for the 1st time considering a few limited run resin kits that are basically curbsides, but cars i really want, and the kits are north of the $150 mark plus shipping.
joel
At our age costs need to be considered but you don’t want to be the richest guy in the graveyard…
Joel loving what you do here and the determination despite all the set backs is awesome. Its really taking shape nicely now.
On another angle, is the new released Revell kit of this a repop of this kit or a totally new kit? Do you know? I know the markings are totally different of course.
Cheers Keith
Keith,
Thanks so much for your really positive words on my 917K build. Being a life long Porsche lover, but unfortunately, never a real life owner (wife still says she would kill me if I bought even a used one), the 917K in Gulf Wyer markings are a true icon for me. Although, it’s only #2 on my list. The 908/3 with Jo Siffert driving at Sebring is my all time favorite.
The Revell of Germany’s Porsche 917K is the Salsburg Team version which was the other official Porsche factory team, a long story all by it self, are the Fujimi Molds, but with their own in house decals. I’d only wish that between the two companies one would modify or make a new mold section so that we could finally have a 917LM long tail version, or even a whole new set of molds for a 917L. I’d be in for a min of 3 kits of each ASAP. And I know that Michael of Indy Cal would have several sheets out in no time flat.
joel
Wow!! That looks just great Joel!! I haven’t heard of the Tamiya LP-9 gloss until now but may look into this when the Wet Look Clear I’m using now isn’t available any longer.
You ever get those nail clippers? I’m gonna be picking a new set of those up as well and giving that a shot.