PlaStix Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 (edited) The current plan is that I'm going to make this Cromwell during my lunch times at work. It's not quite a tray on my lap, in front of the TV, but it's going to be about the only time I get to make this with four builds going on in three other GBs.I have made one of these before and thoroughly enjoyed it and thought, at the time, I'd like to make another - and this GB seems as good an excuse as any to make one now.The kit arrived today:I will need to wait until Monday before making a start. I'll post a photo of the limited equipment I shall use once I've got it sorted out.On a side note; Mrs PlaStix has expressed an interest in taking part and she is planning on making Airfix's Mary Rose kit - she's hoping the kit will arrive before the weekend. We'll get a thread started for her once the kit arrives. She has made kits before and she thought this GB sounded like a great idea.Can't wait!! It should be fun trying to make a kit like in the old days!!Kind regards,Stix Edited April 13, 2016 by PlaStix 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazdot Posted March 17, 2016 Share Posted March 17, 2016 Welcome six nice one good to see its not just a/c in this 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted March 17, 2016 Author Share Posted March 17, 2016 Hi Darren and thank you for the welcome. I have taken some photos of the sprues and tools I will be using. General view of the sprues: The detail on this kit is rather good: ....and the tracks are done in such a way to make them really easy to fit: The decals: ....the star for the top of the turret is going to be really 'interesting' to apply without using decal solutions - it has to go over some fairly deep detail! Sample of the instructions: And finally the tools I will be using: Really looking forward to working on this kit from next Monday and to following everyone else's builds. Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_W Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 In the good old days, Airfix would have moulded this in green so no paint would have been needed. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazdot Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 That's actually quite a nice looking kit stix will be watching this one 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S5 modeller Posted March 19, 2016 Share Posted March 19, 2016 I've built one of these, and the majority of the build can be done in one sitting. It goes together well. Matt 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted March 21, 2016 Author Share Posted March 21, 2016 (edited) In the good old days, Airfix would have moulded this in green so no paint would have been needed. Very true - I would have made life a bit easier. Not tried the paints with this one yet but two of the ones included with Mrs PlaStix's Mary Rose kit seemed okay once she'd stirred them. That's actually quite a nice looking kit stix will be watching this one I have made one before and I can confirm it is a really nice kit - one of the reasons I wanted to make another! I've built one of these, and the majority of the build can be done in one sitting. It goes together well. Matt Thanks Matt........knowing the speed at which I work it will probably take me the whole moth to get this complete! Made a bit of a start - gluing the lower hull together. The first thing I noticed is how difficult it is to work with the glue! It's difficult to apply, it's a bit like gluing things together with Blutack (it seems very thick) and it takes forever to set. Oh well - still enjoying making this again. A few photos of progress so far. The detail for 1/76 is really good. Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix Edited March 21, 2016 by PlaStix 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_W Posted March 21, 2016 Share Posted March 21, 2016 Coming together nicely. It is a well engineered kit and I built one myself a while back. The track solution is very imaginative and works well. I remember the old days of heating a Mecanno screwdriver over a candle stub and welding godawfull rubber band tracks together. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazdot Posted March 21, 2016 Share Posted March 21, 2016 Good start stix nice one the glue is a challenge isn't it? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted March 22, 2016 Author Share Posted March 22, 2016 (edited) Coming together nicely. It is a well engineered kit and I built one myself a while back. The track solution is very imaginative and works well. I remember the old days of heating a Mecanno screwdriver over a candle stub and welding godawfull rubber band tracks together. Thank you John. Yes the track solution from Airfix in this kit is really clever - I wish there were a few more kits with tracks like these - especially in the smaller scales. And yes I remember trying to get the rubber band tracks to stay together!!....Not fun...... Good start stix nice one the glue is a challenge isn't it? Thank you Darren. Yes the glue is an 'interesting' substance. I'm getting to grips with it slowly. I've decided I'm not going to try and use it if I have any gaps - they're just going to remain gaps! A bit more progress. I'm trying to stick with things I normally do but I'm having to build in a slightly different way in some places. First off I'm trying to keep as many parts attached to some of the sprues (like I normally do) to give me something to hold while I am painting: I'm going to paint these parts and the lower hull before attaching the running gear. I don't know if you can see in the above photo but some of the sprue attachment gates are really thick in places and quite difficult to cut through. Often there isn't enough space to get my cutters in so I'm having to cut them off with a knife - not ideal. A couple of example photos showing the large attachment points: Before I start any painting I decided I was going to fit these parts to the upper hull: .........and glued in place: I've started to use a cocktail stick to apply the glue which is helping. I'm not spreading the glue along the joints just putting small blobs in strategic places! It doesn't seem to want to spread! I've also glued some of the small U shaped cable attachment points and tow hook to the rear of the lower hull: ......and the U shaped cable attachment points on the front: Normally I'd fit a lot of these small parts after painting but I know I'd get the glue all over the paint with this set up. Anyway....still thoroughly enjoying building this kit in this way! More tomorrow I hope. Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix Edited March 22, 2016 by PlaStix 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob G Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 For those parts with large attachment points that are close to the sprue, I tend to snip the sprue first, to free the part plus the attachment points, then get in there and clean it up. In the case of part 24 in your photo, I'd cut next to each side of the attachment points, removing the centre section of the sprue entirely, then get in and shift the rest. If that makes no sense (which is a real possibility, it's 03000), I'll pinch your photo and repost it with some red slash marks to show where I'd cut. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted March 22, 2016 Author Share Posted March 22, 2016 For those parts with large attachment points that are close to the sprue, I tend to snip the sprue first, to free the part plus the attachment points, then get in there and clean it up. In the case of part 24 in your photo, I'd cut next to each side of the attachment points, removing the centre section of the sprue entirely, then get in and shift the rest. If that makes no sense (which is a real possibility, it's 03000), I'll pinch your photo and repost it with some red slash marks to show where I'd cut. Hi Rob. Thank you for the sage advice. I will try that method next. I did manage to cut it off but I ended up carefully scoring along the edge of the piece until it separated.Kind regards, Stix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazdot Posted March 22, 2016 Share Posted March 22, 2016 Makes a nice change doesn't it with small parts I tend to leave them on sprues as much as I can they don't get lost so easily that way may have to get me one of these 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted March 23, 2016 Author Share Posted March 23, 2016 (edited) Makes a nice change doesn't it with small parts I tend to leave them on sprues as much as I can they don't get lost so easily that way may have to get me one of these Absolutely! It is a very nice little kit. Only had a bit of time on this today. I managed to get the lights, light guards and side mud guards glued onto the front: .....and the mud guards onto the rear: More tomorrow. Kind regards, Stix Edited March 23, 2016 by PlaStix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazdot Posted March 23, 2016 Share Posted March 23, 2016 Good work stix keep going 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted March 24, 2016 Author Share Posted March 24, 2016 Good work stix keep going Thank you Darren. I'm hoping to get more done over lunchtime today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazdot Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 I am going ro coax my daughter into action this weekend lol 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted March 24, 2016 Author Share Posted March 24, 2016 (edited) I am going ro coax my daughter into action this weekend lol Excellent news! What is she thinking of making? I've not had much time again today but I fixed the rear section onto the back of the upper hull and started work on the front of the turret: Then I did some test fitting of the upper and lower hull sections: Everything seems to fit pretty neatly. I do know I haven't fitted the front machine gun yet but I kept breaking it the last time I built this kit!! I won't get chance to work on this kit now until next Wednesday but I've got plenty of other kits to work on at home!! Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix Edited March 24, 2016 by PlaStix 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stosh65 Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 Looking good. I can't wait for the tracks to go on. Always a source of much naughty language on the few tanks I've built. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sean Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 Looking good Stix, it's making me think about starting mine.. Sean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S5 modeller Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 Looking good stix, you got further with yours than I did. Matt 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazdot Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 Nice work stix my daughter will be doing the tomahawk 11b and my stepdaughter is doing the mustang 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted March 30, 2016 Author Share Posted March 30, 2016 (edited) Looking good. I can't wait for the tracks to go on. Always a source of much naughty language on the few tanks I've built. Thank you Stosh. The tracks on this kit are much easier to do........I hope! Looking good Stix, it's making me think about starting mine.. Sean Thank you Sean...........yes go for it!! Looking good stix, you got further with yours than I did.Matt Thank you Matt. What happened with yours? Nice work stix my daughter will be doing the tomahawk 11b and my stepdaughter is doing the mustang Thank you Darren. Have your daughter and stepdaughter started theirs yet? Today I got more done on the turret: I only need to assemble a couple more bits and then it should be time for painting. Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix Edited March 30, 2016 by PlaStix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S5 modeller Posted March 30, 2016 Share Posted March 30, 2016 Looking good. Mine kinda got lost. I got up to the painting stage, then had to vacate my modelling room. It got packed up with some other Stuff, and I haven't seen it since. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazdot Posted March 31, 2016 Share Posted March 31, 2016 Brilliant work stix looking forward to paint now 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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