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1/24 Scratch built Renault FT


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CF1557-E3-8-A4-B-4-DFE-982-F-FB444-D767-I love the Renault FT and I have two in 1/72 scale in my collection, however as you can see they are about the size of a postage stamp. So doing the various calculations 1/24 gives me an 8.2 inch long model so a nice size.

 

This is going to be a slow off project build and I’m intending to build it with all the hatches open.

 

So next step scale some plans up and start cutting styrene :) 

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12 hours ago, Model Mate said:

I had planned to scale up to 1/16

I was thinking of that or 1/18 but as there’s a Meng kit in 1/16 I decided against that and 1/18 worked out at 11 inches so just that bit too big for my scaling abilities ( I only have an A4 printer) and available shelf space. 
 

I should also add that if this goes well I may try to replicate my WWI tank collection  in the same scale ( except for the k-wagen) all of which scsle nicely to 1/24 ( except for the K-wagen :) )


B9-F5-D18-E-06-D5-4151-9-C73-B2-C22-A6-C
The Schneider, the Saint Chamond and the Sturmpanzer are scratch built the others are kits.

 

3603460-C-041-F-4279-8325-2-B105-ACDA2-D

 

 

Edited by Marklo
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4-CB115-DD-13-F6-4751-80-D8-17-D28-A585-Plastic has been cut. The hull floor and the firewall ( probably unique in a WWI tank) are assembled. As I said the hull construction is an angle iron frame with armour plates riveted on ( bolted?) and I’m going to try to replicate this.

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3 hours ago, matti64 said:

Have you  tried the Nail Caviar for rivetting?

No but not a bad idea, must look into it. 

 

Done and done. 8mm which would be a scale 19mm which is perfect. 

Edited by Marklo
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54 minutes ago, Marklo said:

No but not a bad idea, must look into it. 

 

Done and done. 8mm which would be a scale 19mm which is perfect. 

You tube videos suggest using  hair laquer (Shellac in Alchohol  soulution?) as a method of gluing it into divots  but leaving  very little residue 

 

Edited by matti64
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1 hour ago, matti64 said:

You tube videos suggest using  hair laquer (Shellac in Alchohol  soulution?) as a method of gluing it into divots  but leaving  very little residue 

 

I will have to give that try.

 

This nail caviar is advertised as "acrylic nail caviar" but they are not acrylic or similar plastic; they are in fact, or at least the ones I have tested, made of glass. I made a number of tests to see what I could use to glue them into place. I tried cutting them with a knife; didn't even scratch them whereas if made from acrylic I would have been able to . I tried melting them with hot solvents ( i.e. methylene chloride, methyl ethyl ketone, a couple of others; nothing. I tried melting them with a soldering iron; nothing. But, I was able to melt a small bunch with a butane torch and mush them into a larger ball and discovered that they are made of glass; you can pulverize them with a hammer if you like.

 

@Model Mate has been using thin plastic cement ( Tamiya extra thin I think ) and has found that the cement softens the plastic just enough that the caviar will have something to hang to as least well enough until painted. CA works too but can be messy if you use the very thin type. In addition to @Model Mate method I have also tried medium viscosity CA by placing a wee tiny micro drop in place where the rivet is intended to go. After setting I then use a cotton bud wetted with a bit of CA debonder and a delicate rub over the rivets to remove any excess. I had thought of using a gum Arabic solution ( an artists material ) but never got around to trying. Gum Arabic is solvable in water so any necessary clean up could be done with a cotton bud a bit of water. 

 

Bottom line is that you will have to try a couple of different methods and figure out which one you like and works for you. 

 

Now after writing that and thinking about the shellac idea some more it seems that might just work a treat too - clean up would be with a bit of alcohol. 

 

cheers, Graham

 

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558-BA485-893-F-4851-B41-C-B4-AFCBE267-E


DF9116-F6-4-D2-D-4-AF6-BEA7-87837-B02-D7More progress started on the sponsons. .5mm sheet. The side panels were stuck together with double sided tape then cut in my scroll saw so are identical. Next step us to check the spares box to see if I have anything that can be used as road wheels.

 

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3-BBCD512-5-EE2-448-E-B25-D-1-A4-F1-EE77Spending a little time to deconstruct the suspension from photos. Some working sketches for the various sub assemblies. For this build I’m essentially building three models, the hull, the left and right sponsons and the. Mating them together. Should be fun :) 

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On 5/20/2022 at 2:00 PM, ColonelKrypton said:

 

I will have to give that try.

 

This nail caviar is advertised as "acrylic nail caviar" but they are not acrylic or similar plastic; they are in fact, or at least the ones I have tested, made of glass. I made a number of tests to see what I could use to glue them into place. I tried cutting them with a knife; didn't even scratch them whereas if made from acrylic I would have been able to . I tried melting them with hot solvents ( i.e. methylene chloride, methyl ethyl ketone, a couple of others; nothing. I tried melting them with a soldering iron; nothing. But, I was able to melt a small bunch with a butane torch and mush them into a larger ball and discovered that they are made of glass; you can pulverize them with a hammer if you like.

 

@Model Mate has been using thin plastic cement ( Tamiya extra thin I think ) and has found that the cement softens the plastic just enough that the caviar will have something to hang to as least well enough until painted. CA works too but can be messy if you use the very thin type. In addition to @Model Mate method I have also tried medium viscosity CA by placing a wee tiny micro drop in place where the rivet is intended to go. After setting I then use a cotton bud wetted with a bit of CA debonder and a delicate rub over the rivets to remove any excess. I had thought of using a gum Arabic solution ( an artists material ) but never got around to trying. Gum Arabic is solvable in water so any necessary clean up could be done with a cotton bud a bit of water. 

 

Bottom line is that you will have to try a couple of different methods and figure out which one you like and works for you. 

 

Now after writing that and thinking about the shellac idea some more it seems that might just work a treat too - clean up would be with a bit of alcohol. 

 

cheers, Graham

 

Tried out the shellac and it seems to work out fine. Reasonably strong fixing with minimal residue even after a couple of applications.

Edited by matti64
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