Accurate Armour - My First attempt at Resin

[BIG X]

Howdy All - Happy Sunday & all that...  I got an email last night from Accurate Armour - advising me that a certain kit was now available.  I've never tried resin - but with this subject there is no conventional equivalent - so it's my only option.

 

Now I'm not 'tight' by any means - but at £100 plus P+P it would be the most expensive kit I have splashed out on & I may even want 2 - so not a cheap experience.

 

My questions are...

 

• Can anyone comment on the quality of kits from AA
• What 'specific' glue should I use
• Will Halfords normal grey primer be OK on resin
• Can you 'collect' from AA - as one of my drivers will be in the area on Tuesday

 

Any thoughts / tips / insights would be most appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance - Steve

 

[rayprit]

Accurate Armour is very good, I have many of there kits, from when they used white metal, right through to there 100% resin.....worst thing they did was stop the white metal, but I suppose its down to economy.  They have lots and lots of small parts which you WILL break, these parts would have been white metal at one time...….I built the Chieftain Bridge layer with its bridge, Antar Tank Transporter and the last was the Scammell explorer Breakdown, I think I have 6 ferrets and a Saladin.  just about broke a fair bit of the fragile parts....lot of warpage, so be prepared to use really hot water to straighten parts out...….the chassis for the Bedford RL was buckled beyond belief, as was the cab...……...I wrote to derek mentioned how warped it was and he sent a replacement straight away, after sales service is superb.  Resin is the medium to us with baking soda...……..solves a lot of problems on big parts.  I get my super glue on a card, 7 tubes from poundland and keep them in the fridge, but in places had to use 2 part epoxy.  Copied a lot of parts as they were so brittle in to a resin mold and made white metal castings from them.  Always use Halfords grey primer...………….ring Derek and ask if you can pick up, his number can be found easily enough.  I am currently building KFS 1/24 Stalwart and Ferret.....used 10 tubes of superglue so far,Halford primer on those also, I imagine the kit you will pick up will have broken parts in them and slight warpage, don't be surprised as its normal...……………...good luck with your build

[PhoenixII]

From what I've heard Steve @BIG X

1. AA are a decent (other opinions available!) manufacturer.

2. Superglue over the range, from the very thin to the thick stuff that allows a little 'wiggle room'. For any load bearing joints use epoxy.

3. Halfords standard grey plastic primer will do the job.

4. Don't know, give 'em a ring in the morning and ask the question.

 

Addendum, see @rayprit answer above!

[BIG X]

1 hour ago, rayprit said:

Accurate Armour is very good, I have many of there kits, from when they used white metal, right through to there 100% resin.....worst thing they did was stop the white metal, but I suppose its down to economy.  They have lots and lots of small parts which you WILL break, these parts would have been white metal at one time...….I built the Chieftain Bridge layer with its bridge, Antar Tank Transporter and the last was the Scammell explorer Breakdown, I think I have 6 ferrets and a Saladin.  just about broke a fair bit of the fragile parts....lot of warpage, so be prepared to use really hot water to straighten parts out...….the chassis for the Bedford RL was buckled beyond belief, as was the cab...……...I wrote to derek mentioned how warped it was and he sent a replacement straight away, after sales service is superb.  Resin is the medium to us with baking soda...……..solves a lot of problems on big parts.  I get my super glue on a card, 7 tubes from poundland and keep them in the fridge, but in places had to use 2 part epoxy.  Copied a lot of parts as they were so brittle in to a resin mold and made white metal castings from them.  Always use Halfords grey primer...………….ring Derek and ask if you can pick up, his number can be found easily enough.  I am currently building KFS 1/24 Stalwart and Ferret.....used 10 tubes of superglue so far,Halford primer on those also, I imagine the kit you will pick up will have broken parts in them and slight warpage, don't be surprised as its normal...……………...good luck with your build

Thanks for the insight Ray.  I was really disappointed when I spent 2 x £60 on a pair of Airfix 1/24 Spitfires - warped parts and all.  The thought of warped and even broken parts on a £100+ kit has all but made my mind up - I think I'll give them a miss.  My 'skills' aren't at the level that I can repair or re-cast parts - so I think it best to avoid these.

 

Thanks again,

Steve

[rayprit]

if one perseveres with the kit, they do turn out a superb model, its just that its extremely hard work.  When they first bought the Conqueror out, years before the Dragon or amusing hobby, I remember the storage basket on the back of the turret was so brittle it just fell to pieces and I had to make a copy from what parts I could from correct gauge brass wire, tracks were aweful………….Forgot I had made the Conq until I checked on here for Accurate Armour and I did put the build up, but that was years ago and the pictures have gone since that  photo host demanded money for the privilege of storing phots...………..Bish on britmodeller this week put a build of his Northern Ireland Snatch land Rover and he mentions a little trouble he had building the chassis......heres bishes  build:

 

 

[rayprit]

4 hours ago, BIG X said:

Thanks again,

Steve

11,000 posts Steve and still sticking parts to yourself with superglue...……..that shows extreme skill, how do you model with all your fingers stuck together...………..Happy modelling

[BIG X]

3 minutes ago, rayprit said:

11,000 posts Steve and still sticking parts to yourself with superglue...……..that shows extreme skill, how do you model with all your fingers stuck together...………..Happy modelling

no it's actually 4696 posts Ray

[rayprit]

6 minutes ago, BIG X said:

no it's actually 4696 posts Ray

Sorry Steve, counted the number above..... But I am sure you will soon reach said number  

[Bish]

The kit you got the e-mail about, was it the Humber Pig by any chance. As ray says, i just finished their Snatch kit. I have used resin AM parts a lot and built a couple of resin engines, sci fi kits and 72nd vehicles. But this was my first in 35th. As long as you take your time and make sure you test fit everything, you can produce a very nice build.  I had no warpage on mine, main issues with the chassis were in part caused by the metal springs, i would not use them again.

 

When the pig went out of production, i put my name to the list of those who wanted it back and now it is i have just ordered it. I can very much recomend them especially if you wnat a subject no one else does. I have several more of their i will be getting.

[dnl42]

I've learned to be careful with CA and resin. While I find CA does a fine job for PE-resin joints, I only use epoxy for resin-resin joints. The reason is simple, I used medium CA to join two resin parts once thinking I had some "wiggle room". The dang things grabbed on instantaneously--in what was as obviously not the final position. I had to carve the 2nd piece off and rebuild from scratch. 

 

I'll use 5 minute epoxy when the adhesive layer doesn't need to be too thin or J-B Weld, a 24 hour formulation, when I need a thin adhesive layer.

[badger]

Sadly I cant advise on accurate armour kits as I've never built one (wrong scale for me). 

 

I own and have built a fair few resin kits ranging from total horrors to total delights.

 

I use regular loctite superglue for most things, applied with a cocktail stick to prevent the dreaded flooding. I occasionally use a stronger glue (actually extreme repair glue) for areas that are under more stress.

 

I tend to find that so long as you are careful in handling the parts then they can build very well. Hot water is useful for reshaping parts if they need it.

 

Forward planning is also recommended, along with dry fitting and taking things steady, allowing plenty of time to let the glue dry between adding parts.

 

My advice would be to get one before they sell out, put it in the stash and pick up a cheap resin kit to practice on (ebay?). 

 

As I tell my students, everything is achievable if you put your mind to it!

 

All the best 

Ben 

[Richard E]

56 minutes ago, badger said:

My advice would be to get one before they sell out, put it in the stash and pick up a cheap resin kit to practice on (ebay?). 

 

As I tell my students, everything is achievable if you put your mind to it!

 

I agree with Ben.

 

Another option to consider may be to get one of AA's conversion sets and use that to "test the water".

[BIG X]

1 hour ago, badger said:

Sadly I cant advise on accurate armour kits as I've never built one (wrong scale for me). 

 

I own and have built a fair few resin kits ranging from total horrors to total delights.

 

I use regular loctite superglue for most things, applied with a cocktail stick to prevent the dreaded flooding. I occasionally use a stronger glue (actually extreme repair glue) for areas that are under more stress.

 

I tend to find that so long as you are careful in handling the parts then they can build very well. Hot water is useful for reshaping parts if they need it.

 

Forward planning is also recommended, along with dry fitting and taking things steady, allowing plenty of time to let the glue dry between adding parts.

 

My advice would be to get one before they sell out, put it in the stash and pick up a cheap resin kit to practice on (ebay?). 

 

As I tell my students, everything is achievable if you put your mind to it!

 

All the best 

Ben 

 

44 minutes ago, Richard E said:

 

I agree with Ben.

 

Another option to consider may be to get one of AA's conversion sets and use that to "test the water".

Thanks Guys - that sounds like sound advice - this business with hot water is worrying me though - do warped parts magically go straight in hot water - or do you need to 'bend' them???

 

I also like the idea of buying a spare cheap kit to 'play with'.

[badger]

Hi Steve

 

They will soften considerably and can then be bent back into shape.

 

I use almost boiling water then when I have the part to the right shape I plunge it into cold water to set the new shape.

 

I was very worried the first few times I did it but it gets easier (and if you do go wrong you can reheat it and try again). 

 

Hope that helps

 

All the best

 

Ben

[BIG X]

On ‎25‎/‎02‎/‎2020 at 20:37, badger said:

Hi Steve

 

They will soften considerably and can then be bent back into shape.

 

I use almost boiling water then when I have the part to the right shape I plunge it into cold water to set the new shape.

 

I was very worried the first few times I did it but it gets easier (and if you do go wrong you can reheat it and try again). 

 

Hope that helps

 

All the best

 

Ben

Asbestos fingers??? 

[badger]

13 minutes ago, BIG X said:

Asbestos fingers??? 

Big tweezers  (and a shallow dish).

[BIG X]

Well - so much for self-restraint...    I've just bit the bullet and blown £200 on 2 kits - due in a couple of weeks.  I will definitely need to keep off the wine whilst I'm building them.  🍷  At this price they are the most expensive kits I've bought by a mile.

[fatfingers]

2 hours ago, BIG X said:

Well - so much for self-restraint...    I've just bit the bullet and blown £200 on 2 kits - due in a couple of weeks.  I will definitely need to keep off the wine whilst I'm building them.  🍷  At this price they are the most expensive kits I've bought by a mile.

Aye up Steve,

 

What ya got then and do they have 11th AD markings? 😃

 

Regards,

 

Steve

Edited March 3, 2020 by fatfingers

[BIG X]

23 minutes ago, fatfingers said:

Aye up Steve,

 

What ya got then and do they have 11th AD markings? 😃

 

Regards,

 

Steve

Hiya Steve - 1:35 Austin K2/Y Ambulances - yes they have 11th armoured markings - but I want to do an 'Ice Cold in Alex' version at some point too.

[badger]

Ooh - shiny!!! Be really interested in following this as I have the ancient Airfix one in 1/72 that I want to add a full interior to.

 

Will see what reference material I have for you

 

All the best

Ben

[BIG X]

2 hours ago, badger said:

Ooh - shiny!!! Be really interested in following this as I have the ancient Airfix one in 1/72 that I want to add a full interior to.

 

Will see what reference material I have for you

 

All the best

Ben

Hi Ben - that Airfix one you have is actually 1/76 - you may remember I built a pair for the 'Classic Airfix' GB that @Lawzer & @Ventora3300 ran last year - it was the best GB I have taken part in - CLASSIC indeed.

 

 

 

 

 

Hardly classic in their own right - but I had a massive amount of fun building these - so I want to do justice to the 1/35 versions.  I simply closed the doors at the back - but there is detail inside - which a better modeller than I (i.e you) could do wonders with.

 

It's all a bit exciting - but I need to take a step back & actually take things seriously - for once

 

Steve

[badger]

Thanks for the reminder pictures - I do remember you building them and I had a lot of fun watching along (even if I have forgotten the scale )

 

The basic kit is reasonably solid - I have some new wheels and axles for it from wee friends and recently picked up a dan taylor etch set to detail it up a bit. Pretty sure I also have a set of AB figures stretcher bearers and medics as well to finish it off.

 

I have vague memories of taking loads of photos of a real one at a local vintage vehicle fair a few years ago. If I remember correctly the owner was very obliging in letting me get up close to it. Will try and dig them out and share them if they are useful.

 

Looking forward to watching this unfold.

 

All the best

Ben

Edited March 3, 2020 by badger

[BIG X]

1 hour ago, badger said:

Thanks for the reminder pictures - I do remember you building them and I had a lot of fun watching along (even if I have forgotten the scale )

 

The basic kit is reasonably solid - I have some new wheels and axles for it from wee friends and recently picked up a dan taylor etch set to detail it up a bit. Pretty sure I also have a set of AB figures stretcher bearers and medics as well to finish it off.

 

I have vague memories of taking loads of photos of a real one at a local vintage vehicle fair a few years ago. If I remember correctly the owner was very obliging in letting me get up close to it. Will try and dig them out and share them if they are useful.

 

Looking forward to watching this unfold.

 

All the best

Ben

Ben - I have been doing some research over the last few days - in preparation & I have some 'interior' shots  - but as you know - it all helps as they say - so hopefully we can help each other.

 

I would love nothing more than to see your build mirroring mine - we must talk...

 

Steve

[badger]

16 hours ago, BIG X said:

Ben - I have been doing some research over the last few days - in preparation & I have some 'interior' shots  - but as you know - it all helps as they say - so hopefully we can help each other.

 

I would love nothing more than to see your build mirroring mine - we must talk...

 

Steve

Sounds like a plan. Really do need to get back to the Stuka and Leopard but snowed under with work at the moment.