• SUBSCRIBE TO SHIPS IN SCALE TODAY!

    The beloved Ships in Scale Magazine is back and charting a new course for 2026!
    Discover new skills, new techniques, and new inspirations in every issue.

    NOTE THAT OUR NEXT ISSUE WILL BE July/August 2026
  • Win a Free Custom Engraved Brass Coin!!!
    As a way to introduce our brass coins to the community, we will raffle off a free coin during the month of August. Follow link ABOVE for instructions for entering.

Dumas #1249 Racing Run About.

Time and patience… considering I am new to this, I think I’m doing OK… so far…
That is one superb model, illustrating the precision and prettiness inherent in the planking. Very well done.

If I may make a suggestion, it looks as if your varnish is showing a slight orange peel effect which could be the grain texture telegraphing through. To remove it requires careful rubbing back using 400 grit, then maybe 600. Thin the varnish and use a quality brush to apply further coats, allowing 24 hours between coats. If your finish has sufficient body you could move to a wet abrasive for the final stages.
If you look around for finishing systems for car paints, there is plenty of explanation. Be good to have a glass like finish just as on the original.

Jim
 
Thank you very much Jim.
Appreciate your comments and advice.
I have given it a very gentle rub down and another coat. Yes it is the grain of the mahogany coming through I think…
I think I might leave it at this now.
For me, completely new to this type of finish and detail, I don’t want to overdo it and mess it up!
Here are the pictures of what she looks like now…
Regards,
Namery.

IMG_4920.jpeg

IMG_4921.jpeg

IMG_4922.jpeg
 
That’s good.

Next time around then. It was a good while in my day job apprenticeship years before the need to do things like grain filling before applying finishes, and taking care to de+nib on every coat and thinning lacquers , and French polishing and making up dust excluding tents, and top coating in the morning when the airborne dust has settled, and.. and…

Enjoy!

J
 
Last edited:
That is one superb model, illustrating the precision and prettiness inherent in the planking. Very well done.

If I may make a suggestion, it looks as if your varnish is showing a slight orange peel effect which could be the grain texture telegraphing through. To remove it requires careful rubbing back using 400 grit, then maybe 600. Thin the varnish and use a quality brush to apply further coats, allowing 24 hours between coats. If your finish has sufficient body you could move to a wet abrasive for the final stages.
If you look around for finishing systems for car paints, there is plenty of explanation. Be good to have a glass like finish just as on the original.

Jim

That’d good.

Next time around then. It was a good while in my day job apprenticeship years before the need to do things like grain filling before applying finishes, and taking care to de+nib on every coat and thinning lacquers , and French polishing and making up dust excluding tents, and top coating in the morning when the airborne dust has settled, and.. and…

Enjoy!

J
Hi J!
I have got some 600 grit paper and have taken your advice so thank you!
I’ve given her a gentle rub down and a further coat.
Have to say it really has made her come up again so thank you!
You really know your stuff and it looks like you have a wealth of valuable experience. So the fact that you took the time to reply and pass on some of your advice is much appreciated.

‘Till the next one!

N.
 
Nice work, Namery! I've done 4 similar lake boats, 2 Dumas, but took the lazy way out. To avoid measuring all the curved deck plank edges one at a time, taped the planks & caulking together, on a workbench. With a carefully made template over them, cut the taped planks & caulking out, then glued to the deck. Luckily, works out fine, no gaps at all. (Used spar varnish, nice gloss, and. no, I'm not recommending my way!)
 
Last edited:
Nice work, Namery! I've done 4 similar lake boats, 2 Dumas, but took the lazy way out. To avoid measuring all the curved deck plank edges one at a time, taped the planks & caulking together, on a workbench. With a carefully made template over them, cut the taped planks & caulking out, then glued to the deck. Luckily, works out fine, no gaps at all. (Used spar varnish, nice gloss, and. no, I'm not recommending my way!)
Hi ENJAY49,
Like the idea of the template and the cutting and caulking
I did each plank individually but was determined to go slow and gentle.
Have to say she’s come on again after I heeded the finishing advice given by the kind input given in another reply to my thread.
Thanks for your feedback. Be good to see your creations!
I’ve got to put the running gear in and a long way to go but again, slow and steady…
Thanks again.
Namery.
 
Hi ENJAY49,
Like the idea of the template and the cutting and caulking
I did each plank individually but was determined to go slow and gentle.
Have to say she’s come on again after I heeded the finishing advice given by the kind input given in another reply to my thread.
Thanks for your feedback. Be good to see your creations!
I’ve got to put the running gear in and a long way to go but again, slow and steady…
Thanks again.
Namery.
You're right, slow & steady is critical. but if I can save save time without negative results, I'll take it. (On my Victory, I cut out the gunports with a Dremel sircular saw, saved so much time!). Funny, back when I was first painting cars, I was shocked when told to sand my nice, glossy clear coat!
It's been some 25 years since I built these, need some repair now, grandkids would run amok down in the recreation room. Been meaning to get them done when I can get time, and take some pictures (or I could show them as the rug rats left them).
Seeing what you've done so far, she'll come out great!
 
Niiiice! When I built that I remember my disappointment with their castings. Haven’t done a model of theirs yet that had decent castings. In fact usually horrible. You may consider…. When I complained about the “chromed fittings” they sent me another set without the chroming done. That allowed me to buff the parts bright and shiny followed by clearcoat. They looked way better. Also, there are a couple of castings for “step plates “ where people would step to board the boat. A big improvement over the castings was a piece of thin black plastic (mine had a slight texture to it) with Bare Metal Foil folded over the edges to replicate the metal trim. Way more to scale and realistic looking. Another good one was using a rotary tool with micro milling bits to hollow out between the spokes on the banjo steering wheel by hand. I think I broke a dozen of those bits doing it but the result was awesome. I have bunches of pictures of the finished boat if you want to see anything in particular. Just let me know.

IMG_0901.jpeg

IMG_0227.jpeg

IMG_8869.jpeg

IMG_8851.jpeg
 
Back
Top