| DEBENLLC BLOG Update: June 22, 2008 Thank you again for visiting our website! As our Dealer Network slowly expands beyond our US borders, we have added yet another international Dealer to carry our Doctor Ben's product line. See the below icon: FSM: Parts & Pieces? This means just what it says. We have over 20 partial kits; partially started kits; kit boxes, with/without instructions and templates, castings and any other details provided in the listing. You can quickly find what we have listed on the bottom of the left column: Z Newly Listed Items! In case you haven't noticed it yet, we have a brand new category on the website, "How-To DVDs". Our friend and fellow modeler has begun to put a set of How-To videos together. While Darryl & I don't do things the exact same way, his videos are a very worthwhile value and I highly recommend them. I had already watched all of them—several times each—before we decided to add them to our product line. Each one is only $19.95 and a very wise investment in your modeling education. Just a reminder that the brand new 'Ready-To-Use Weathering Solutions' (SEE RIGHT) on the www.DrBens.com website are similar in use to the Realistic Rust, Instant Age & Weathered Rust, the new finishes are: Granite Ballast Grey; Huck's White Wash, Grimy Dusty Buff; and Pond Scum (a must for every waterfront scene). Each of the four new solutions lists for $6.49 in a 4 ounce container or the set of all four for $23.95. Below you will see the Featured Link for the Doctor Ben's Weathering Solutions. There's a wealth of information already there and more on the way. And Yes, we are working on a "Weathering Stain Set #2" with all new colors. Modeling Tip of the Week! Resin Wood Finishing cast resin to look like wood can be a challenge. Sometimes the manufacturer does some stressing of the wood for you, but many times they don’t. This is because there are so many folks out there who wish to construct the kit as a brand new model. If you are happy with what is provided to you in the kit then full speed ahead. If not, stressing resin will require some extra efforts and that is a different topic. Presuming that you have already washed and primer-ed the walls there is a trick that has been around for ages and that is using rubber cement to create peeling paint. This technique can also be done with an airbrush and salt, but not everyone has a airbrush so we discuss the rubber cement technique. Start off by dry brushing an off-white color on the primed resin wood siding allowing this to dry to the touch. Now using the rubber cement and the brush attached to the bottles cap randomly drag the rubber cement the direction of the wood grain on the wall, especially in areas of the wall where water may splash up on the wall and on the south side of the structure. Allow the rubber cement to dry to the touch. Now with another color (the actual color that you want the structure to be) dry brush the direction of the wood grain not completely covering the white basecoat and allowed to dry. When this first coat is dry to the touch, use the same finish color to dry-brush on a second color layer. If you think another coat is necessary go ahead remembering that the south side of a structure will experience much more that the north side and the north side may have mold/mildew where the south side will not. When you have the color the way you want it, use the eraser of a pencil to erase off the painted/dry rubber cement beings sure to erase the direction of the wood grain leaving small bits of rubber cement on the finished wall. When you have finished this step, turn the casting upside down and using a Doctor Ben's Micro Blaster with some VERY diluted Instant Age and the wall section "upside down" (you can use a brush for this but I find a Micro Blaster faster and more natural looking) cover the wall section with the diluted Instant Age #1052 and allow to dry. That's it! If there is something that I have left out or that you think we should mention here, please drop me a line or spend a nickel on a phone call, we would be happy to oblige. Happy Modeling! | 
