PACHYDERM PACKS A PUNCH. FINISHED?PHOTO HEAVY p22

[Ozzy]

Nice job on the tracks,

[Badder]

4 hours ago, FrancisGL said:

Hi Badder,

That envy, your new AB seems an excellent machine, and the result you're getting seems to be worth the expense.
For my part I have a pair of AB-300 (of the Chinese) with 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 mm needle, and so far I have done very well, although recently, the 1st that I bought, although with some replacement, is not That was before, so I decided to buy something new, and without doing a beastly expense.
I saw one that was even cheaper than these AB-300, (€ 26), and with a 0.3 mm needle, including hose and full 0.2 mm set, it's a Fengda FE-180K (obviously Chinese), and with retention back to adjust what moves the needle, very useful for accurate shots, plus a lower front regulator for the amount of air ...
The 1st feature that I really liked, I saw it only in the ABs of H & S, but at what price ....
The difference with the AB-300 is substantial, the better, only that it is more difficult to clean.
That is why, if you think you have a "battle horse" AB, I would say it is a good option, and thus reserve "the jewel in the crown", for delicate works ....

 

The view of the more or less complete vehicle gives a pretty good idea of how everything is going, that layer of yellow is making it look different.

The mud layer is ... incredible ... so dirty ... when it's finished it's going to look very real, I think.

In the end, I see that you have opted for the Friuls, and for what you mention, it has been a perfect choice, like the look and lace that I see in the pictures...

Cheers Badder 

 

Hi Francis,So

It's not often I have some 'spare money' with which to buy something relatively expensive. I don't buy things on credit you see. So, when my old Aztek gave up the ghost, I was very lucky to have the money there and then to buy a new, better airbrush'. I returned to this hobby after a stint of doing artwork - which my Aztek also couldn't cope with, so I wanted a really good airbrush that could cater for both model-making and artwork. The Evolution fitted the bill nicely, and as spares are readily available for every single piece of the airbrush, I figure it should last me the rest of my life (10-50years)

 

I could have gone for the H&S Infinity, which has the 'pre-set; feature you mentioned ('retention back') but that isn't worth the money in my opinion. It's a few more things that can go wrong, or need cleaning, and, it will need adjusting for every different paint mixture/type. Ultimately, one should always have a practice spray before aiming it at a model/canvas and 'muscle memory' quickly kicks in so one is able to repeat the same action without the need for a mechanical stop.

 

Thanks for your kind praise of my work so far, but rest assured the hull, wheels, mud etc will look entirely different to anything I've shown so far. As you know, I'm a great (or rubbish) one for building up multiple layers, and even removing layers almost entirely in the process!

 

I would have replied earlier, but I had to knuckle down and get the first set of tracks done. They are done. I now have to test fit them to the vehicle.

 

 

Rearguards

Badder

[Badder]

Well, I've got the tracks made up for both sides, minus the ice 'scrags' for now.  The inner sides will need the pins trimming flush as well.

 

I won't say it's been an easy, or interesting job - the sheer number of pins to insert is challenge enough without the odd bit of wire playing silly beggars. But I did sort out a method for construction that suited me, and learned a couple of 'tricks' that made things go just a little bit quicker. So, if I ever get Friuls or something similar again, I won't spend the first hour or so assembling just six links like I did here!

 

But the resulting tracks are luvvverly, even unpainted.

 

 

 Below is the first set 'draped' on the Nashorn, just to give some idea of the 'look' of the thing with the wider tracks. At this point I was testing to see how many links I would need to add to get a bit of sag along the return.

So, 2 or 3 links would do the job.

 

 

Finally, here's my method of construction. Some may find it easier than that shown on some videos.

The 'method' came about whilst trying to speed up what is quite a fiddly process.

 

My thinking was that I didn't want to waste time cutting up scores of individual pins before hand, as my numb fingers wouldn't be able to pick them up. Tweezers would be only a slight improvement, and it all takes time picking out a single pin from a pile.

Moreover, a single pin can get damaged when pushed into the links, and it can be very difficult to remove, or is damaged beyond use.

Far easier and quicker then, to cut the pins AFTER the wire has been fuly inserted!

 

I'd hold two mated links in my left hand, as well as the coil of wire with the loose end near the links.  My right hand would do all the work ,taking the loose end of wire and inserting it into the hole. I'd then grasp the wire in flat pliers, about 3mm from the hole, and push the wire further in using a  twisting motion. If anything went wrong I could simply pull the wire out again and either ream out the hole and/or snip of the bit of damaged wire, and try again. Once fully inserted (checking to see that 'brass' is visible at the inner retainer) the wire was snipped off close to the link and a blob of medium CA was toothpicked onto the end.

 

I joined the tracks links in pairs to start with, then joined the pairs to form quads, then joined those to form octuplets, etc, etc. I did this because it becomes harder and harder trying to add just one link to an ever growing chain.

 

 

 

 

TFL

Badder

Edited January 5, 2019 by Badder

[Ozzy]

Nice job on the tracks Badder, thanks for your how to guide very useful.

[Hewy]

Ohh, look good, sit good, nice job. 

BTW  I like your furry green  cutting mat, cool

Edited January 5, 2019 by Hewy

[PlaStix]

Great job on the tracks Badder. They do look very good. 

Kind regards,

Stix

[Badder]

56 minutes ago, Ozzy said:

Nice job on the tracks Badder, thanks for your how to guide very useful.

Thanks Clive,

Certainly easier than one video I watched.  The guy drilled out every single link, filed off every single gatemark, and cut every single pin to length before he started putting the tracks together. Drilling every hole out was madness - I only found 4 that needed drilling, only a dozen or so gatemarks needed filing down as they interfered with the fit - the rest were small enough not to interfere and were therefore invisible once the links were joined, and why cut all the pins up beforehand when you can just shove the wire in place and snip the end off?

 

 I wonder if he did it 'the worst and slowest way possible' but put it out as a serious video,as a joke?

 

Rearguards,

Badder

 

21 minutes ago, Hewy said:

Ohh, look good, sit good, nice job. 

BTW  I like your furry green  cutting mat, cool

Thanks Glynn,

I'm not going to put the ice 'scrags' on until I'm ready to put the tracks on permanently.  I think there are 37 of them, or some weird number. Whatever, I have to work out the spacings for them. I don't think that's enough to do alternate links in all 4 corners and the return slope, where they will be seen. I would have to go for every 3rd link possibly.

 

BTW, tha 'furry green cutting mat' is actually my wif'e's trouser leg. I assembled the tracks on her thighs as she slept because they were at a comfortable height for me to work at.

 

Rearguards,

Badder

[Badder]

23 minutes ago, PlaStix said:

Great job on the tracks Badder. They do look very good. 

Kind regards,

Stix

Thanks Stix,

I am looking forward to seeing what I do to them. I have only a vague idea at the moment!

 

Rearguards

Badder

[FrancisGL]

A very useful note, when I did mine (ISU-152), I cut the wires at the beginning, and it happened to me with what you mention.

Cheers Badder 

[Badder]

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.

 

 

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.

 

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

 

 

[Badder]

6 minutes ago, FrancisGL said:

A very useful note, when I did mine (ISU-152), I cut the wires at the beginning, and it happened to me with what you mention.

Cheers Badder 

Hi Francis,

Sometimes it pays to watch a video and NOT follow it! 🤔

 

Rearguards,

Badder

[Badder]

Here's the Grit Paint I used previously. Japanese speakers, please feel free to translate the label.

 

One side of the hull prior to the last treatment with Humbrol Oil Stain.

 

 

 

The hull underside, prior to a dry-brushing with dunkelgelb and a final wash.

 

 

After that, it's back to the tracks and the addition of ice 'scargs'

 

TFL

Badder

Edited January 6, 2019 by Badder

[Badder]

Well, there's been some rapid progress today, and there's more to come before beddy byes.

 

I've been painting and weathering the drive sprockets, return rollers and the road wheels (and their hubs) whilst waiting for the hull to fully dry. It has to be dry before I apply the Humbrol 'Gloss Oil Stain' Wash.

This wash won't be used to simulate oil stains. As I discovered whilst making the floorboards in my 'Pit Stop' diorama, the oil stain wash is excellent for making things look wet, much better than a gloss varnish. So the muddy hull will get a patchy treatment with that.

 

I figure that having driven through thawing snow, puddles and mud, the Nashorn has been 'laid up' in an ambush position for some time, waiting for an,  enemy who has only now entered the killing zone. During the wait however, the water splashes,/snow and ice melt, on the hull have mostly run off, or have partially re-frozen. Any wetness then, will be prevalent towards the lower parts of the hull.

 

Meanwhile, I've painted up the return rollers, the road wheel hub caps, the idlers and the drive sprockets with dunkelgelb. I am now in the process of weathering them. One thing I am concentrating on, is the chipping and heavy wear of the dunkelegelb on the idlers where the tracks and their guide horns rub against them, and I'm doing the same with the road wheel and return roller 'inners' and the drive sprocket teeth.

 

After reading some interesting discussions on accurate colours for exposed metal on tanks, I will be sticking with the darkened burnt umber for the chipping/wear of the wheels/rollers/sprockets.

 

I hope to have the majority of this work by the end of tonight, and get the ice 'sprogs' fitted to the tracks.

 

Pics later.

 

TFL

Badder

Edited January 6, 2019 by Badder

[Badder]

Grrrrrr!

I can't open my bottle of Humbrol Gloss Oil Stain Wash.

Yes, I am pushing down hard on the lid first!

I remember now, that I had this issue last time, and it took and age and a severely injured hand to get if off.

 

Any tips?

 

Badder

 

 

ps, I may have exaggerated with the use of the word 'severely'.

[PlaStix]

Hi Badder. As I would have expected - your mud effects on the lower hull look really superb. Really convincing. Good to hear your made good progress with the running gear too.

1 hour ago, Badder said:

I can't open my bottle of Humbrol Gloss Oil Stain Wash.

I know where you are coming from - some of Humbrol's lids are awful to open. I had some Decalfix I couldn't get into without a fight!

Hope you manage to get into yours.

Kind regards,

Stix

 

 

[Badder]

4 minutes ago, PlaStix said:

Hi Badder. As I would have expected - your mud effects on the lower hull look really superb. Really convincing. Good to hear your made good progress with the running gear too.

I know where you are coming from - some of Humbrol's lids are awful to open. I had some Decalfix I couldn't get into without a fight!

Hope you manage to get into yours.

Kind regards,

Stix

 

 

Thanks Stix.

 

All on hold until I get this bottle open!

I cut around the bottom of the lid with a scalpel... and the outer white plastic lid came off. The slightly rubbery clear plastic inner didn't. That's glued or welded on I reckon!

I'm now having to cut that off in a spiral until I get to the unwelded bit.

 

Rearguards,

Badder

[Prop Duster]

Badder

 What a sight; all that magnificent  color er colour on the interior; just WOW! 

 Your experience with you new airbrush is impressive as well.

The mud is, is, is MUDDY- well done ( though I'm not surprised, I'm in awe). Just a wee thought, while applying the mud did ya hear, every so faintly the call "Don't come in here with those muddy boots on" "Must you find every mud puddle on the way home?" AWW,The sounds of me misspent youth 

You procedure with the tracks and the wire is the most sensible way,  With "normal" geriatric, fingers, "pin pickin'" is not the thing a great modeler should have to endure (or even us acolytes), just for the sake of some metal "clanky things" .

 

I'll be looking to the next progress report with medium   Great anticipation  

As me ol'dad used say: "Get yer hand out the cookie jar"  No I haven't a clue what that has to do with anything either, but accede to it if you feel you must, or not.

 

[Badder]

I got the lid off. I ended up having to scalpel away enough to get some pliers under the inner liner and then cut and lever my way up to the very top. The lid may as well have been welded on, the gloss enamel of the wash having got into the thread and set like glass.

 

The time spent doing this has preveted me from getting all of the return rollers painted and weathered, and no hubs have been fitted to the wheels. So, I'm not going to post any more pics tonight. I will finish off the running gear tomorrow and will post the pics then.

 

TFL

Badder

 

[Badder]

Hi Steve. @Prop Duster

Sounds like your having  a spiffing time ...  fun!

 

I confess I'm not familiar with that song you quoted. It sounds like something Dolly Parton might have sung. Not my cup of tea, my friend!

If we're talking boots, or walking, my kind of song would be 'Don't tread on me' by a band from Los Angeles, whose name might be derived from Tamiya's XF-56 paint. No more clues!

 

Thanks for your kind comments and your usual high jinks - always entertaining!

I'm reminded of something my father used to say to me, when, as a child, I would cry and scream if I got something in my eye.

'What are you crying for?'

'I've got something in my eye, dad!'

'I expect it's a horse and cart.'

 

I was about 27 when it finally dawned on me what he meant.

 

 

Rearguards,

Badder

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 6, 2019 by Badder

[Badder]

I'm gonna spend the rest of the evening fixing Ice Scrigs to the tracks

 

TFL

Badder

[Badder]

But here's some photos I took earlier (and only just remembered)

 

I chipped and wore the dunkelgelb from the idler wheels' circumferences, and from the inner faces of those 'rings'.

 

 

 I also chipped and wore the teeth on the drive sprockets (again where contact is made with the tracks)

 

The tyres will need touching up.

 

That really is it for tonight. Thanks to all those who contributed, or just popped in for a look.

 

Badder

[PlaStix]

Great work with the painting and weathering of the running gear. Looking very good. 

Kind regards,

Stix

[Prop Duster]

5 hours ago, Badder said:

But here's some photos I took earlier (and only just remembered)

 

I chipped and wore the dunkelgelb from the idler wheels' circumferences, and from the inner faces of those 'rings'.

 

That really is it for tonight. Thanks to all those who contributed, or just popped in for a look.

 

Badder

Badder My friend, I must say you skills are as usual, impressive.   But just for a second when I first saw the above picture, I thought you had modeled the rupture of every hydraulic line in a whole Panzer Division. Then I came to my senses 😵(OK, after I looked at the rest of your pictures) and realized you had propped up the SPDLft mk2-whatsits - to better show your fine work on the wheels, an' tires, and other such stuff. ☺️

 

Having relived myself of my  erroneous conclusion, I feel better...…...WHAT? ----NO!!! 😱;    I am relieved that you were able to-----stop laughing----Stop--damn it man, this is serious...….I, I, I------Never Mind😠   Oh, go on an' paint the ruddy thing and I'll watch  

[Badder]

9 hours ago, Prop Duster said:

I thought you had modeled the rupture of every hydraulic line in a whole Panzer Division. Then I came to my senses 😵(OK, after I looked at the rest of your pictures) and realized you had propped up the SPDLft mk2-whatsits - to better show your fine work on the wheels, an' tires, and other such stuff. ☺️

HAHA!

Yes, now you mention it, I see what you mean!

The propper-upper is the inner packaging for biscuits known over here as 'Fig Rolls'. I don't know if you have the equivalent over that side of the Atlantic. The 'tray' just happens to be the exact same width as the SPDLft mk2's hull plate and so its wheels dangle in the air like the legs of a Pelican that has misjudged the width of new perching post.

 

Rearguards,

Badder.

[Prop Duster]

Sd.Kfz.164 !  by golly, I think I got it!  That is much improved name ( yeah, I went all the way back to page one to check-Wheew what I won't do to further my renown as  an acur-mate  mulder)

In all seriousness, the work is spectacular I especially like the treatment of the sprocket wheel very nice.  The one thing I noticed, due to the extreme close up I'm sure, is that the axle ends of the road wheels seem to be "too clean". Please  take this with a bag of Sodium chloride, if further weathering is expected to take care of this .

Speaking of salt which leads to food which leads to Fig Roll and that question. Yes we have a cookie called Fig Newton which are a cookie filled with fig paste. and as it would happen here in California we have actual Fig Trees, from which we get the afore mentioned figs (I love how nature works) So though we are far apart geography we can unite in cutting sprue, sniffing the heady fumes of Extra Thin and munching on a fig cookie.

  Cheers