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PACHYDERM PACKS A PUNCH. FINISHED?PHOTO HEAVY p22


Badder

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The Ice Sprigs then....

 

The box says it contains 75 Scrigs, but there are more like 100, which is really handy if you've CA'd yours on the wrong way around and have to remove them - inevitably damaging some.

The 'locating indents' on the reverse sides aren't really 'one directional' and so it is possible to fit them the wrong way around and not realise. I only realised when I started adding them to the second track length and, referring to the diagram noticed that they were positioned differently to what I had expected.

 

The little sprue gates do need cleaning off.

4eitX2C.jpg

 

So the Ice Skegs pictured below (the 'A's on their sides) should be pointing towards the rear of the vehicle, (in this case to the right) rather than the front (left)

XYLgrkG.jpg

 

The point of a scalpel was used to lever the Spegs off. I inserted the point from the inner side of the tracks (bottom of photo) so any damage would be hidden under the vehicle rather than exposed on the outside. Some Spogs came off cleanly and were re-used. Some were cleaned of excess CA and were also reused. Damaged ones were replaced.

 

 

WEATHERING THE TRACKS.

With the Ice Scrags replaced, I set about the weathering. As I've said before, I will only be weathering these to a 'pre-muddied' state for now.

Unfortunately, I do not have photos leading up to their current state, but I will take some when I do the next track run.

 

 

My aim here was to create a general 'track colour', whilst expecting some metal to show through. I also wanted to recreate the 'sheen' seen on tracks where they wear - often mistakenly reproduced with silver dry-brushing or graphite.

 

So, I'd given the tracks a few water-thinned coats of Tamiya Dark Iron. In the photos above you'll see that I next gave them a 'dusting' with Silver. This was more of an after-thought and probably a waste of time, but I did it anyway.

 Next, I gave the tracks several washes, all diluted with water; Burnt Umber Acrylic Ink, Tamiya Flat Earth, Humbrol Dark Earth Weathering Powder. I then applied a Matt Acrylic Varnish and a Black Acrylic Ink wash. Finally, I dry-brushed the tracks with Burnt Umber, concentrating on those areas contacting with the ground, the return rollers/wheels and sprocket teeth etc.

DhEBAvv.jpg

 

Burnt Umber dries with a slightly gloss finish and so it was perfect for replicating the sheen on areas of wear. Looking at the photo above, the tracks' contact points with the ground can be seen to be quite definitely 'dark brown'

Below though, the angles of light and camera have been altered and some of those areas now appear to be silver.

niatOw0.jpg

 

And again....

DCS25Cs.jpg

 

Og0BWjS.jpg

 

jvktN7R.jpg

 

In black and white photos, these areas of sheen would show up as white, or pale grey, and have been misinterpreted as being worn 'silver' metal.

There is a discussion on this topic - which @PlaStix might be kind enough to share here, as I am a luddite and it would take me half an hour to work out how to do it.

 

Anyway.... onto the second track length, and taking photos of the progress there. When both sets of tracks are in the same state I will continue with weathering them in tandem.

 

 

TFL

Badder

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On 1/6/2019 at 11:55 AM, Badder said:

Back to the hull.....

 

A recap:

I gave the hull a preliminary application of mud - made with Woodland Scenics' Soft Flake Snow, mixed with white Acrylic paint, Winsor and Newtown Acrylic Matt Medium, and Daler Rowney Antelope Brown and Burnt Umber Acrylic Inks. Once dry, I used a stiff wet brush to rub back certain areas - the underhull especially - removing mud from the raised access hatches where the hull would have scraped against undergrowth, rock/rubble, raised ground etc. I kept the rubbing limited to a 'front-to-back' directionality.

 

The grains of plastic (the 'snowflakes') are all pretty much the same size and so the resultant 'mud' was predictably granular in appearance. But things weren't going to stay that way. Finer mud would be applied over the top, using my Japanese Grit Paints.

 

I chose a red/brown Grit Paint, being the best choice available to tie in with the burnt umber washes to follow. The paste-like Grit Paint was applied neat with an old, stiff, splayed out brush and given a blow-dry with the AB.

KMaBp0g.jpg

 

 

Washes of Antelope Brown and Burnt Umber and Black acrylic inks followed. Unfortunately, it became apparent that one side of the hull was muddier than the other and so I had to reapply some more Grit Paint to that side. Washes balanced 'the look' with the other side.

u00fF4d.jpg

 

dGvn1vU.jpg

More washes followed, but this time in conjunction with some rubbing back of the suspension units (to remove some excess mud)

 

 

That's the stage I am at now.

Next will come a dry-brushing of the suspension units and other raised areas with dunkelgelb and some pin washes of the same. Finally, there'll be a fairly widespread wash with Humbrol 'Oil Stain'.

 

TFL

Badder

 

 

Hi Badder,

 

I never thought I could be excited by mud but this is superb!! :clap: Has me wondering whether I should have a go at making my build 'dirty' (I say Matron)

 

This is another build I'm taking away notes from :wink:

 

 

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8 minutes ago, Robert Stuart said:

There is a wonderful depth of colour in your tracks Badder

 

DCS25Cs.jpg&key=68302b54241eba0d84d1981b

 

Ignore the red and yellow plastic (which does help them stand out), the colour in the tracks themselves is excellent.

Hi Robert,

Yes, the photo could have done without the red and yellow distractions. I'm therefore impressed that you've picked out the 'depth of colour' as I myself couldn't find it in the photos!

It shows up better in real life, but not as much as it will do. There'll be a few more washes yet.

 

Rearguards,

Badder

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3 hours ago, the South African said:

Duh duh duh duh I'M lovin it. (insert macdonalds' theme song notes). As always your work is neat and tidy mate! 

 

Regards:

Shaun 

I'm not sure about your last sentence Shaun! Well, I am. It's surely wrong!!! 🤣

Right now it looks like I've been digging for coal with my bare hands! Plus, you've surely missed my earlier photos with the mess on the outside of the fighting compartment?

 

But I WILL accept your comment!

 

Rearguards,

Badder

1 hour ago, SA80A2AR said:

looking very good badder

Thanks SA80,

Much appreciated.

 

Rearguards,

Badder

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There now follows one of the most boring picture posts of all time....

 

1st wash: Daler and Rowney Burnt Umber Acrylic Ink (photographed when dry)

MT2D8tr.jpg

 

2nd wash: Tamiya Flat Earth XF-52 (Freshly applied)

v6To8nU.jpg

 

And followed up with Humbrol Dark Earth Weathering Powder and water wash.

DuegCNB.jpg

 

 

Winsor and Newton Matt Acrylic Gloss applied and dried:

STqR0oa.jpg

 

Daler Rowney Black Acrylic Ink wash applied and still damp in places:

iySJoBA.jpg

 

Raised areas dry-brushed with Burnt Umber and tracks placed together for colour match test:

jvj6ob2.jpg

 

To come: a Winsor and Newton Acrylic Gloss Varnish, pin washes with Daler and Rowney Black Acrylic Ink and also Dark Earth, then, a matt varnish and a final dry-brushing with the Burnt Umber.

Probably, I could have left out a couple of stages and moved them towards the end of the process, but hey. layers are good. Plus I enjoyed it.

 

TFL

Badder

 

 

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OKAY CHAPS, A CHANGE OF PLAN

 

After much consideration, deliberation, contemplation, cogitation, and mastication of the cud, I've concluded that trying to depict this Nashorn as having been driven through snow, thawing snow, wet mud and puddles, is 1) Too complicated. 2) Too challenging. 3) Over ambitious and 4) Stupid - when considering that there are few better opportunities to depict a German AFV in full winter camo, set in a full winter diorama.

 

Nevertheless, I DID have a go at replicating wet, muddy and snow impacted tracks, just in case I somehow managed to pull it off successfully.

This was NOT a silly idea, for the reason stated above, but also because I had to try it now BEFORE the tracks are fitted. My tracks have to be threaded through very narrow gaps between the fenders and the first return rollers, so any bulky mud/snow effects would have to be added AFTER the tracks have been fitted. Better to try the effects now and see what they turn out like, than to add them to a finished vehicle, and mess them up!

 

So, I took one track length and gave it a go, knowing that success would still mean having to remove those effects prior fitting. But I utterly failed - or rather, I did achieve wet and muddy tracks with a bit of compacted snow, but ended up covering the lovely track details. I had hoped that the extra wide tracks would give me room for manoeuvre on that score, but no.

 

Of course, I should have realised all of this at the start of the build, but hope can be a blindfold to reality (I just made that line up. Remember, you read it here first. You may quote me. 10p per quote in royalties please!)

 

So, gone is the wet mud and thawing snow theme, and in comes a dry powdery snow, frost and ice theme. (Remember, I was intending that this Nashorn could occasionally stand in for my Sherman in my thawing snow diorama 'Pit Stop'. The new theme then, will demand dry tracks, with maybe a bit of compacted snow, and a bit of frosting on the hull (over the top of old caked on mud) These effects should be easy peasey.

 

The 'test' track will have to be totally cleaned then, back to bare metal, and repainted as per the earlier photos. Luckily, the tracks are metal and so I can give them a good soak in a solvent and not have to worry about dissolving them!

 

Hopefully the test track will be back to the state it was by the end of play Sunday er...today. Is that the time? Crikey!

 

In between seeing to that, I'll be getting the ammo done.

 

 

TFL

Badder

 

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  • Badder changed the title to PACHYDERM PACKS A PUNCH. CHANGE OF PLAN!!
3 minutes ago, wimbledon99 said:

Noooooo!! All that hard work!! Such great effects achieved to date. No doubt the revisions will be as good :wink:

Hahaha....

No, really, none of it will be difficult. The hull has already had a bit of extra 'browning' and will get some light frosting.

As for the 'ruined' track length, the hardest bit will be getting it back to bare metal - and a soak in solvent should er solve that! Re-painting it will be a doddle.

 

Reaguards,

Badder

 

 

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Just Super job on the tracks. They seem to have gotten better with each layer of color.  Thank Heavens you got the Ice Skegs "straightened" out.  Though if you'd have thought of it you could have put the tracks on in rever…..Oh, never mind, I get it now. Regardless the tracks are a thing of beauty- for those that love tracks-, so well done.

 

In response the possible graphical  location of a habitation called "Fig Newton" I am at a loss. There is a town of Newton in the State of Massachusetts.  it is believed by some to have been named after sir Isaac Newton. But be that as it may, the delicious Fig Newton snack was named after the town of Newton, Massachusetts.

Nabisco (or  National Biscuit Company as it was known at the time) bought out the Kennedy Biscuit Company. Kennedy Biscuit Company held the recipe  and the machine to make Fig Newtons.  So as a common practice National Biscuit Company took to naming several of its products after towns in Massachusetts. 

So what does this have to do with the current Tank Track Extravaganza?  To illustrate: the coating used in the colouring of the tracks takes them from a light hue to a more dark richer hue; this is analogous to the colour of the fig paste within the Fig Newton. Then the refining of the earlier too dark mud on the vehicle body, to a lesser lighter hue could be  compared fairly to the outer baked part of the Fig Newton. 

So once again the knowledge gained in researching and building a model provides a greater understanding of our world than one might at first glance supposed. 

 

off to the gym- just to watch anything else just tires me out too much

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15 hours ago, Prop Duster said:

Just Super job on the tracks. They seem to have gotten better with each layer of color.  Thank Heavens you got the Ice Skegs "straightened" out.  Though if you'd have thought of it you could have put the tracks on in rever…..Oh, never mind, I get it now. Regardless the tracks are a thing of beauty- for those that love tracks-, so well done.

 

In response the possible graphical  location of a habitation called "Fig Newton" I am at a loss. There is a town of Newton in the State of Massachusetts.  it is believed by some to have been named after sir Isaac Newton. But be that as it may, the delicious Fig Newton snack was named after the town of Newton, Massachusetts.

Nabisco (or  National Biscuit Company as it was known at the time) bought out the Kennedy Biscuit Company. Kennedy Biscuit Company held the recipe  and the machine to make Fig Newtons.  So as a common practice National Biscuit Company took to naming several of its products after towns in Massachusetts. 

So what does this have to do with the current Tank Track Extravaganza?  To illustrate: the coating used in the colouring of the tracks takes them from a light hue to a more dark richer hue; this is analogous to the colour of the fig paste within the Fig Newton. Then the refining of the earlier too dark mud on the vehicle body, to a lesser lighter hue could be  compared fairly to the outer baked part of the Fig Newton. 

So once again the knowledge gained in researching and building a model provides a greater understanding of our world than one might at first glance supposed. 

 

off to the gym- just to watch anything else just tires me out too much

Yes and newton are a sight more tasty too.  Great job on the Nashorn by the way. Your way of making mud is quight good.  

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18 hours ago, Badder said:

Hahaha....

No, really, none of it will be difficult. The hull has already had a bit of extra 'browning' and will get some light frosting.

As for the 'ruined' track length, the hardest bit will be getting it back to bare metal - and a soak in solvent should er solve that! Re-painting it will be a doddle.

 

Reaguards,

Badder

 

 

Will Detol work as a solvent, or are you going for something harder?

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32 minutes ago, Robert Stuart said:

I know it's a Hummel wearing the wrong tracks (for you) and in mild weather camo, but are you aware of this image?
 

hummel-early-spg-wire.jpg

 

Could this supply inspiration?

What an ugly brute, when compared to the beautiful Nassy.

 

Hi Robert,

I often look at photos of AFVs in the snow, as I've got several kits in the stash which will all end up in winter camo and snow scenes. I think the Hummel above is fresh out of the local bus station garage (re-purposed as an AFV maintenance shed) where it was also given a wash and a fresh lick of paint.

I thank you for the photo, however, I won't be giving the tracks a coating like that. That would hide too much track detail for my liking. What I'm thinking of is the weather is much, much, colder and the Nashorn has driven across frozen ground where the snow is powdery and wind-driven and only settles in sheltered areas.

 

As for the 'ruined' track length, no I did not use Dettol to remove the paint.

I have been known to use it, in my youth,, that as well as bleach, furniture polish, hairspray.... often making some very volatile concoctions!  But no, being metal there was no worry over the tracks melting/dissolving/going soft/falling apart. I soaked the track length in Enamel thinners for a while (this was because I'd given them a going over with Humbrol Enamel Gloss Oil Stain wash. The thinners did the trick and I was able to remove the enamel wash and the underlying acrylic paint and varnish coats with a stiff brush.

 

The track length has been base coated with Dark Iron again, and now awaits the washes to get back to its previous condition.

Today, I've mostly been concentrating on the 88mm shells.

 

Rearguards,

Badder

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20 hours ago, Prop Duster said:

Just Super job on the tracks. They seem to have gotten better with each layer of color.  Thank Heavens you got the Ice Sprags "straightened" out.  Though if you'd have thought of it you could have put the tracks on in rever…..Oh, never mind, I get it now. Regardless the tracks are a thing of beauty- for those that love tracks-, so well done.

 

In response the possible graphical  location of a habitation called "Fig Newton" I am at a loss. There is a town of Newton in the State of Massachusetts.  it is believed by some to have been named after sir Isaac Newton. But be that as it may, the delicious Fig Newton snack was named after the town of Newton, Massachusetts.

Nabisco (or  National Biscuit Company as it was known at the time) bought out the Kennedy Biscuit Company. Kennedy Biscuit Company held the recipe  and the machine to make Fig Newtons.  So as a common practice National Biscuit Company took to naming several of its products after towns in Massachusetts. 

 

 

Quote

So what does this have to do with the current Tank Track Extravaganza?  To illustrate: the coating used in the colouring of the tracks takes them from a light hue to a more dark richer hue; this is analogous to the colour of the fig paste within the Fig Newton. Then the refining of the earlier too dark mud on the vehicle body, to a lesser lighter hue could be  compared fairly to the outer baked part of the Fig Newton. 

So once again the knowledge gained in researching and building a model provides a greater understanding of our world than one might at first glance supposed. 

 

 

 

 

Genius! ^^^^^^^

 

 

Hi Steve,

I've corrected your misspelling of Ice Skegs. Don't worry, I don't blame you for the error. I've been deliberately misspelling, or rather, misnaming them from almost the first mention of them pages and pages ago. But either no one has noticed, or they have noticed and haven't bothered to correct me. Maybe you are just playing along and have deliberately misnamed them too?

Whatever, it's been a little bit of fun for me, if no one else!

 

I remember now, where I heard about Fig Newtons, and the town of Newton Mass. The Big Bang Theory. I seem to have mistakenly thought the town was called Fig Newton.

We have loads of towns over here that gave their names to food... Dundee Cake, Pontefract Cake, Bakewell Tart, Kendal Mint Cake, Chelsea Buns, Worcester Sauce, Yorkies and Chipping Sodbury's.

 

 

Rearguards,

Badder

 

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2 hours ago, Panther II said:

Yes and newton are a sight more tasty too.  Great job on the Nashorn by the way. Your way of making mud is quite good.  

Thanks Panther,

I do like making mud. Putting it on, painting it and making it look believable is a different challenge!

 

Rearguards,

Badder

3 hours ago, SA80A2AR said:

oof.  bold change of plan

 

Not bold... just easier!

 

Rearguards

Badder

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As mentioned earlier, I got the set of tracks with the 'experiment that failed' cleaned back to bare metal and re-applied the Dark Iron base coat. Rather than get them back to their original state, I decided to leave that until tomorrow. Instead, I returned to the 88mm shells.

 

I will be showing the Nashorn 'mid-battle'. its crated ammo all used up, and the crew having switched to the ammo in the racks. Tamiya's AM brass shells are obviously a lot better than the kit's plastic shells, so I will be hiding the kit's shells at the bottom and rear of the cabinets and saving the brass ones for the front, and for the loaders.

 

BELOW:

The kit's plastic shells have been given a brush with Daler and Rowney 'Bell Bronze' acrylic ink. The finish isn't too bad TBH, but the colour is slightly off. This won't matter too much as they will be hidden by the brass shells. 

At this stage, I was more concerned with painting the silver tips on the HE shells, and white 'tips' on the AP shells. Rather than paint them I dipped each tip into a small blob of the required colour paint.

Ok7Qqf6.jpg

 

The AP rounds tidied up:

EHVx1Ev.jpg

 

Under magnification, they look to need a bit more tidying up, but in truth they are fine actual size. Anyway, singular 'errors' can be hidden by rotating them away from view.

 

 

Ammo cabinet loaded up, just for the look of the thing. The brass shells are at the front and the plastic ones hidden behind.

As you can see, the shells don't rest on the tiny narrow shelves at the firing pin end. I believe Dragon do provide a wider shelf here as do some PE manufacturers. I will be scratching something to prop them up. Whether that will be visible or not remains to be seen or not.

K0MwYVc.jpg

 

BTW, those shells weren't finished. I've now panted the black up to that final collar.

 

 

And whilst waiting for the HE rounds to dry, I added a bit more colour to the mud on the hull. There's more to come.

QfPwkBp.jpg

 

1qQh08r.jpg

 

 

TFL

Badder

 

 

 

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On 12/01/2019 at 10:34, Badder said:

There is a discussion on this topic - which @PlaStix might be kind enough to share here, as I am a luddite and it would take me half an hour to work out how to do it.

Hi Badder. Sorry for the delay in replying but it's been a busy weekend and everyone on here has been really busy and it's taking a while to keep up!

 

I think the post you are referring to in your post above is this one:

 

Let me know if it isn't.

 

Excellent progress all round though and I like the work you have done on the tracks and shells. The colours on the mud on the sides of the hull are looking interesting too. :thumbsup:

 

Kind regards,

 

Stix

 

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