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Badger's next build - 1/72 T-55 (model 1958) and 19 other friends


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5 hours ago, Sgt.Squarehead said:

All being well I'll be rolling with the T-54 tomorrow, probably take me 48hrs minimum before fitting the track.....Any advice for OKB resin, I'm planning on having hot water and a hairdryer to hand, but if you have any other tips I'm all ears, they're far too beautiful & a bit too costly to casually cock up!  :unsure:

 

PS - I was poking around on the Modelcollect site and I noticed this page:  http://www.modelcollect.com/shoes

 

PPS - No I don't know what it has to do with shoes either?  :rolleyes:

 

Ooh - that looks interesting on modelcollects site. Weird title though.

 

Sadly, although I own a few sets, I've not used OKBs tracks yet so can't really offer much advice.

 

I think I would go hot (but not boiling) eater, followed by a plunge into cold to set the resin. I've used this many time to straighten resin bits that are out of shape. Sometimes it needs a few goes.

 

The only issue I see is the need to not attach the upper hull so there is room to work. Sadly I have a couple of built models (dragon of course!) that I fully built only to have the tracks crumble on me so these will be more "interesting" to fit the OKB tracks to.

 

Looking forward to seeing how you get on.

 

All the best

 

Ben

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1 hour ago, Sgt.Squarehead said:

I wish we actually knew what causes DS-100 to crumble.....I've got several kits with DS-100 tracks that are still fine, none have crumbled AFAIK, but why?  What did we do differently?  :shrug:

Randomly I have two of the same kit, bought at the same time, stored together and both sets of tracks are sealed.

 

One has "dried out" and shattered and the other is fine.

 

Trying to get replacements is impossible with Dragon's "We'll just totally ignore you" customer service so I have gradually been picking up OKB replacements. Just a shame they are a touch on the expensive side otherwise I'd use them on every build!

 

Looking forward to the other Valentine sets coming out so I can do my Bishop and late model tank.

 

All the best

 

Ben

39 minutes ago, Soeren said:

Very nice, the t-5X just look great in any scale 😁

Many thanks - I do rather like the T-55 as it just looks "right".

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11 hours ago, badger said:

Trying to get replacements is impossible with Dragon's "We'll just totally ignore you" customer service so I have gradually been picking up OKB replacements. Just a shame they are a touch on the expensive side otherwise I'd use them on every build!

It actually can be done, I got a set of Panther tracks out of them.....But they fought tooth and nail, sent the wrong tracks once and then sent equally damaged examples of the right ones before they eventually gave in and sent a mostly useable set. 

 

Contacting Dragoncare is not a great investment of one's time overall.  ;)

 

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I tried once for a replacement for a part that was missing from the sprue, which was still sealed in the bag!

 

Sent a receipt and everything to no avail.

 

Contacted Gemma at the importers and had a replacement part in two days!

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Back to some modelling then:

 

All this talk of resin made me remember that I needed to add a rolled tarpaulin/bed roll/tent something to the rear of the turret.

 

A dig in the stowage box found this piece of generic value gear stowage which looked right.

IMG_20180721_210748

The only problem was that it was flat and the turret rear is a double curve.

 

Cue several sessions in boiling water to soften it, followed by some bending then a plunge into ice water to set it.

IMG_20180721_210811IMG_20180721_211615IMG_20180721_211621

 

Pretty pleased with that.

 

More later hopefully

 

All the best

 

Ben

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That does look good - amazing how a simple addition can lift a build.  Glad to see your well and truly 'in the groove' with this one mate.

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43 minutes ago, BIG X said:

That does look good - amazing how a simple addition can lift a build.  Glad to see your well and truly 'in the groove' with this one mate.

Many thanks mate

 

I'm really enjoying this build - there's a great deal of satisfaction in combining bits or chopping and changing to make the build the best it can be.

 

I've made a bit more progress. Sadly I rather mangled the detail around where I removed the sight so I ended up drilling out the whole piece. I then cut a piece from the spare revell turret roof, sanded it to shape and inserted it into the hole.

 

Luckily it worked and now makes fitting the sight a doodle.

2018-07-21_11-00-27

I also started work on the searchlight. I want to use the revell one as it is more detailed and includes the linkage to the main gun barrel which trumpeter didn't include.

 

To do this I needed to cut the mounting legs from the trumpeter piece as revell have them moulded on the turret.

 

These are now attached and just need the light and linkage and attaching which I'll do tomorrow.

 

Theres a bit still to do on the turret and I also need to make some new towing cables from braided fuse wire.

 

All the best

 

Ben

Edited by badger
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That linkage is a fiddly looking thing.....In the Black Dog T-55 Enigma it's provided in etch, which is just too flat, so I'll probably be plundering one of my Revell kits for a replacement.

1 hour ago, badger said:

Theres a bit still to do on the turret and I also need to make some new towing cables from braided fuse wire.

I'm stripping speaker cones tomorrow for @bazer, do you want some fine copper wire? 

 

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7 hours ago, Sgt.Squarehead said:

I'm stripping speaker cones tomorrow for @bazer, do you want some fine copper wire? 

 

Ooh - yes please. That will be very useful indeed.

 

Many thanks

 

Ben

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1 hour ago, Silenoz said:

Nice work on this one, so the OKB-tracks are early ones, and Revells are late ones? Just to be sure. Still need to find out which ones I'm supposed to use in my project.

Many thanks.

 

As for tracks - the trumpeter ones are early (Omsh) and the revell are the later ones (Rmsh).

 

Not sure about OKB as I don't have them for this build.

 

Hope that helps

 

All the best

 

Ben

 

Ps - this thread might help

http://www.armorama.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=SquawkBox&file=index&req=viewtopic&topic_id=146319&page=1

 

 

Edited by badger
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28 minutes ago, Silenoz said:

Just looked it up, OKB tracks are early style

Cool - will bear that in mind in case the trumpeter ones don't work.

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Some more progress tonight.

 

Have cleaned up and attached the commanders spotlight, sight and the main searchlight (which still needs its linkage to the gun barrel fitting).

IMG_20180722_222058

 

Have started drilling out the kit tow cable ends and have filled a seam line on the front fenders. Cleaning this up resulted in the loss of detail which will be replaced with some wire.

IMG_20180722_222022

 

Also had a root around in my etch sets and found something to add the missing tie downs from the turret sides.

 

All the best

 

Ben

 

Hopefully more tomorrow.

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1 minute ago, Sgt.Squarehead said:

What are you doing for the light guard?  It's a simple design but need fine parts.  :hmmm:

Bit unsure on this which is why I've left it off.

 

Might try making my own using the revell part as a template as this seems easier and more consistent than trying to thin the plastic down.

 

There's a few bits still to do on the hull but the turret is not that far off finished now.

 

All the best

 

Ben

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Happy to photocopy the Black Dog or OKB etch fret, which would give you a template for use with some drinks can. 

 

TBH it might look better made from formed rod or stretched sprue, as the real thing is not flat & square.

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Thanks for the offer but the kit part should be ok to take measurements and  work from.

 

I was thinking stretched sprue but that depends on wether I can pull enough that is a consistent thickness.

 

If not I might have a play with some wire. Drilling some mounting holes would help line it all up and revell have helpfully marked the top ones out already.

 

I'll have a go tomorrow I think

 

All the best

 

Ben

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7 minutes ago, Sgt.Squarehead said:

Happy to photocopy the Black Dog or OKB etch fret, which would give you a template for use with some drinks can. 

 

TBH it might look better made from formed rod or stretched sprue, as the real thing is not flat & square.

I'd forgotten OKB did an etch set - oh well, bit late now.

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On 22/07/2018 at 22:30, Sgt.Squarehead said:

What are you doing for the light guard?  It's a simple design but need fine parts.

Just for the Sarge! 

 

IMG_20180726_012410

 

IMG_20180726_012609

 

2 hours work with 0.2mm albion alloys rod to make the lightguard.

 

First one I made I couldn't get the top bars on as the frames were slightly different heights so in the end I carved some scrap plastic to make a former and used that to make new ones.

 

Also added the turret tie downs (just noticed I've knocked one off !)

 

2018-07-26_01-33-22

 

Rather pleased with that.

 

Off to reattach the gun barrel then it is most definitely bed time!!!

 

 

 

All the best

 

Ben

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