Operation Husky, 1943, Takom M31, 1/35th scale...

[John Masters]

The cord I found at the crafts shop was too thick for the hoist.  It measures at 1.2/1.3mm.  The copper wire supplied is even thicker.  Not sure what Takom wanted any of us to do with it.  Anyway...off to the fishing and tackle shop I went...   .800 mm is the size btw...I used monofilament which was difficult but I did it and any very minimal slack was taken up by very gently warming it with a lighter--from a distance and only after a few hours of the CA and regular glue being set.  Not sure how I'll get it to hang straight from the pulley.  I've also seemed to have lost the little thingy that goes on the end.  I'l have to fashion something. I'll give the line some primer and then paint it a mucky steel.

 

 

--John

 

 

[Bertie McBoatface]

I'm happy to see this one again!

[John Masters]

On 9/28/2022 at 9:02 PM, Bertie McBoatface said:

I'm happy to see this one again!

Me too...and aside from the tracks, decals and final weathering, it is done.

 

Here's a nice little add-on...I'll give it some black lacquer primer then dry brush some dark aluminum when dry.

 

 

I've tidied up the paint and given the bogies, etc, underside, a light spray of drab mixed wth tire black.  I've primes and painted the cable on the hoist.  Still have to figure out the dangly bit.  For now I think I am ready for decals.  They need to go on before any weathering, obviously.

 

 

This'll be 'Georgia On My Mind', like the boxtop, so I'll change the title in the thread...

 

 

Now I'll research 'how to make dust' and so forth with an airbrush.  I think I know how, but I want to make sure.  Youtube here I come!

 

--John

 

 

 

 

 

 

[John Masters]

Decal time...

 

 

 

 

The other side, front and back, were taken care of as well.  I will let them dry overnight then coat them with some matte varnish so I can handle the model. 

Next step--tracks.

 

I have been supplied with a small template that helps me with the top section of the track, with the slight curve on the top.  It's that little grey strip in the photo...

 

 

This is a difficult section.  I am not sure if it would been easier to build it earlier or not.  

 

--John

 

 

[Bertie McBoatface]

56 minutes ago, John Masters said:

This is a difficult section.  I am not sure if it would been easier to build it earlier or not.  

 

I really struggled with my tracks on this kit. I had modified my bogies to show them bearing the weight of a heavy crane load and I may have messed up the geometry too far for the track. Even OOB you have working suspension with a rigid track which is crazy. It maybe easier to glue the bogies first. Your call though. 

[John Masters]

2 hours ago, Bertie McBoatface said:

It maybe easier to glue the bogies first. Your call though. 

I was thinking along those line:  glue the lower long track piece to the bogies, glue the upper track piece on top, and then work my way around the curves.  Does that make sense?

 

 

[Geo1966]

11 minutes ago, John Masters said:

glue the lower long track piece to the bogies, glue the upper track piece on top, and then work my way around the curves.  Does that make sense?

Could be a bit risky John. You will have to work quickly incase the links don't meet up between the top and bottom runs.

 

George

[John Masters]

24 minutes ago, Geo1966 said:

Could be a bit risky John.

What’s life without a bit of risk?  What’s your suggestion?  

[Bertie McBoatface]

41 minutes ago, John Masters said:

I was thinking along those line:  glue the lower long track piece to the bogies, glue the upper track piece on top, and then work my way around the curves.  Does that make sense?

 

 

Dunno. You have two chances of a gap that way but they might be smaller than if you work around from one point. 
 

Which ever way you do it, make sure the last link is in a place that you can’t easily see. 
 

Chances are good that yours will fit properly and that I made all of my own difficulties 😏

[Geo1966]

8 minutes ago, John Masters said:

What’s your suggestion?

I am far from an expert, but i think it is better to form the curves around the drive sproket and rear idler, then connect the long runs to them.

 

George

[echen]

15 minutes ago, Geo1966 said:

I am far from an expert, but i think it is better to form the curves around the drive sproket and rear idler, then connect the long runs to them.

 

19 minutes ago, Bertie McBoatface said:

Which ever way you do it, make sure the last link is in a place that you can’t easily see. 

With L&L I have been advised and found in practice that the curves are best covered first; followed by the straights. 

With regard to any gap (and hopefully there won't be one) it could covered by a tarp hanging over the side and dangling past the track run?

There's some interestin/helpful tarp stuff over on @Stef N.'s The Stug Family: From O to G.

[John Masters]

1 hour ago, Bertie McBoatface said:

Dunno. You have two chances of a gap that way but they might be smaller than if you work around from one point. 
 

Which ever way you do it, make sure the last link is in a place that you can’t easily see. 
 

Chances are good that yours will fit properly and that I made all of my own difficulties 😏

 

Good advice on the mathematics...🙂

 

1 hour ago, Geo1966 said:

I am far from an expert, but i think it is better to form the curves around the drive sproket and rear idler, then connect the long runs to them.

 

Possibly.  It would be a sticky process with individual links...doable...Thank you...

 

1 hour ago, echen said:

I have been advised and found in practice that the curves are best covered first; followed by the straights. 

With regard to any gap (and hopefully there won't be one) it could covered by a tarp hanging over the side and dangling past the track run?

There's some interestin/helpful tarp stuff over on

 

I'd rather not fool with tarps.  I'll try around the curves first and see how she goes...

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

[Bullbasket]

Nice work. They always look better once they are wearing their Sunday best.

When I've used L&L, I always make sure that I finish on the lower run and try to make the join beneath a road wheel. That way any discrepancy can always be hidden by a puddle or some mud.

 

John.

[John Masters]

32 minutes ago, Bullbasket said:

They always look better once they are wearing their Sunday best.

I agree.  I found a good tutorial on Youtube as well. this fellow advised glueing all the tracks together as a whole with thin cement, allowing them to dry until they are set but still flexible and then wrapping them around, etc...I might try this, however, it seems to work best with no fenders.  We shall see...

 

--John

[John Masters]

Ok...I was able to convince the track pieces to all cooperate and stay together.  A little arm-twisting, some threats...CA for anchoring, etc...I found an interesting aspect of this kit which is obvious in this situation: the moulding is so tight that any kind of paint prevents easy connection. Reminds me of the current Eduard aircraft kits.  A bit over engineered, but that's ok.   So some filing here and there was needed.  As it is, it is not perfect, but it will look fine once the touch up brush has been applied, some weathering, and a little slight of hand...

 

 

Not terrible.  The trick is to synchronize the front section links with the drive wheel and work your way around, tacking with CA until the larger sections on the bottom half can be attached, then swing up to the rear.  I will follow this procedure on the other side.

 

 

Oh...and I secured the bogies with CA also.  Annoying how they move about when you want the thing to stay still.

 

--John

 

 

[Bertie McBoatface]

4 hours ago, John Masters said:

I agree.  I found a good tutorial on Youtube as well. this fellow advised glueing all the tracks together as a whole with thin cement, allowing them to dry until they are set but still flexible and then wrapping them around, etc...I might try this, however, it seems to work best with no fenders.  We shall see...

 

--John

 

I tried that method. The timing is crucial. If the links aren't set enough, it falls apart when you pick it up but if they are set just a little too much, it falls apart when you bend it. 😱 I finally made it work by using Xylene, a strong solvent/cement that melts a long way (comparatively) into the joint, this seemed to give me a longer good working period. The downside being the risk of melting the whole thing if you overdo it. 🤷‍♂️

[John Masters]

22 minutes ago, Bertie McBoatface said:

I tried that method. The timing is crucial. If the links aren't set enough, it falls apart when you pick it up but if they are set just a little too much,

I’m not unhappy with my result.  A bit persnickety but it works.  Btw…just looked at my MiniArt Croatian T-55A. It’s incredibly daunting in its level of detail.  It would be a good, months long, side project.  96 individual links per side, each link needing assembly.  Yikes! 

[Montague]

Excellent job John! Very interesting post. Regards, Monty

[John Masters]

Ha!  In cleaning up the bench following the Canadian GB I seemed to have 'misplaced' part L2...

 

 

Since it is a solid 4-link piece, and I have extra links in the kit, I built a new piece.

 

 

I followed the advice from  @echen and assembled the links around the driving wheel first, then the rest.  I let that all set up over night and will add the remaining links today, I hope.  One trick with this is to file down the connecting areas of the links a bit so they aren't so tight.  That way it is a simple matter of some glue and they slip in together quite easily.  You can see the part L2 that I built.  It is the light grey area in front.

 

 

--John

 

 

 

 

 

 

[echen]

Looking good. L&L tend to be a challenge but are satisfying when beaten into submission. Your technique really seems to be working here. 👍

[John Masters]

3 hours ago, echen said:

Your technique really seems to be working here. 👍

Everything I know came from somewhere else.  Thanks for your tip!

On 10/1/2022 at 9:49 PM, Montague said:

Excellent job John! Very interesting post. Regards, Monty

Thanks Monty...

[John Masters]

Hey would ya look at that...!

 

 

Now I can begin the weathering, final paint, etc...and I found the doohickey that goes on the end of the hoist cable...

 

 

I build so many aircraft these days I forget that my first modelling love was armour and soft-shelled vehicles.  Built that stuff or years.  Not so much tanks per se, but armoured cars, jeeps...One of the nice things about this area is that you can put stuff on vehicles: boxes, bags, people, gear all sorts.  And chains.

 

This is just a test, but I like it already.  If any vehicle needs chains, it's this one.

 

 

--John

 

 

 

[John Masters]

In the olden days I would just slap some putty around and paint it brown.  

 

I have decided to take the plunge into advanced weathering techniques.

 

 

--John

[Bertie McBoatface]

7 minutes ago, John Masters said:

I have decided to take the plunge into advanced weathering techniques.

 

And expensive weathering products. Can we have a full review of how they work for you please?

[John Masters]

4 hours ago, Bertie McBoatface said:

Can we have a full review of how they work for you please?

No problem.  First off, the Dry Mud is very good.  You can thin it with acrylic thinner or water and it looks nice.  The Rust Washes are good but they tend to do more with less, if that makes any sense.  Also the Fuel Stain is good too.  I need some practice with that.  Now...the pigments...I think they work really well, but I am not so great at using them.  And, yes, they really are dust so they need something to make them stick or else they just brush off.  The guy at the LHS told me to use white spirit or the above shown Pigment Sticker-onner...Not sure about that.  I tried it on an F-18 Mud and it looks so-so.  I have also seen a tutorial online about making them into a goopy liquid wash, painting them on, then wiping them off.  I think I will try that with the next build. I want the dust to get into cracks and on rivets, not all over flat surfaces.   For now I used the Dried Mud, some Rust, some Fuel Spill and some pigment (Desert Dust), but not a lot.  I actually think it looks pretty good now and I will attach the tools tomorrow or the next day and call it finished.

 

This is fun...the two pins used to hold the crane in place in either the front or back.  Very, very small.

 

 

I started with some rust on the track hinges.  It looks a bit much but the mud tones it down.

 

 

 

I coated the tracks with some thinned mud, getting into the spaces, then used my finger (as I was told to do) and removed most of it from the tracks themselves.

It really is like it used to be except now the filler is coloured already.  I added some on the fenders, bogies, etc...

 

 

More mud.  You can see some of the Desert Dust in a corner there.  It looks pretty good, but it really is dust.  If you're not careful it'll get everywhere.

The exhaust pipes look good.  I need to fix that rust stain where it doesn't belong...hmmm...

 

 

Fuel stains around the filler caps and some more dust.

 

 

 

When it comes to this vehicle, less weathering may be better than more.  I think I'll stop there.  There will be better images by the end of the week.

 

'

 

--John