PlaStix Posted May 21 Share Posted May 21 This will be my first GB build for quite a while and I'm also acting as co-host for @modelling minion, so it could be a busy time! I'm going to attempt to build this kit in the three months of this STGB: There's a LOT of parts in the rather large box!………….and the tracks have to be built up with 4 parts for making each link and 80 links per side! Could be fun!! I'm looking forward to getting started next weekend. Kind regards, Stix 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted May 21 Share Posted May 21 Great choice mate, I will hopefully be adding a Canadian leopard to my collection at some point. 🇺🇦 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enzo the Magnificent Posted May 21 Share Posted May 21 2 hours ago, PlaStix said: There's a LOT of parts in the rather large box!………….and the tracks have to be built up with 4 parts for making each link and 80 links per side! Could be fun!! I'm looking forward to getting started next weekend. I would get cracking on those tracks right now. Consider it prep work. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted May 21 Share Posted May 21 5 minutes ago, Enzo the Magnificent said: I would get cracking on those tracks right now. Consider it prep work. Absolutely! 🇺🇦 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted May 21 Author Share Posted May 21 36 minutes ago, Enzo the Magnificent said: I would get cracking on those tracks right now. Consider it prep work. 30 minutes ago, modelling minion said: Absolutely! 🇺🇦 Thank you gents, I may have a look at them this week…to see what I think!! Kind regards, Stix 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted May 24 Author Share Posted May 24 Right.....time for the contents of the box photos: A few closer views: A bit of PhotoEtch is included: Tracks: Clear parts: Decals: The bottom set in the photo above are to represent the Velcro pads. Sample of the instructions: Painting and decal guide: One of my concerns about this kit are the number of parts for the tracks: There are 4 parts per link and 80 parts per side. I know it's not as many as for some kits but it's a lot for a GB build. Track instructions: If I get chance, over the next couple of evenings, before the start of the GB, I'm hoping to have a bit of a test run with the assembly of the track parts. I'll take some photos when I do. Kind regards, Stix 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted May 24 Share Posted May 24 Looks like a really nicely detailed kit mate. Those tracks look interesting, keen to see how they work out. 🇺🇦 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted May 26 Author Share Posted May 26 On 24/05/2023 at 16:35, modelling minion said: Looks like a really nicely detailed kit mate. Those tracks look interesting, keen to see how they work out. 🇺🇦 Yeah me too!! I have taken your's and Enzo's advice and, over the past couple of evenings, decided to have a bit of a go with the tracks. First few bits cut from the sprue runners: By the time I had taken the photo above I had tried fitting four together as suggested in the instructions: .........but it was an absolute nightmare to initially get four links held together with just the tiny central joining pieces holding together the four larger actual track pieces. The tiny central joining piece is really difficult to push onto the suggested place on the tracks parts. There is so little to hold on to, that the tiny parts just kept coming apart while being handled to push on the next track part. Then, trying to line up the tracks, so the outer joining pieces could be pushed into place, was another nightmare! I could never get them all to go into the holes at the same time. So I opted to fit the central tiny link part onto just one track part (still annoyingly difficult to hold such a tiny part!!) and then push a second track part onto the other end of the link part, before adding the end connectors one at a time. Not easy, but still a lot better than four at a time! This was the first 5 track parts joined together: The above must have taken me well over an hour at this point!! I carried on working and it got a little bit easier with experience. By this time though I was finding it difficult to hold the tiny central link part between my finger and thumb - so I made the mistake of trying to use tweezers!! That was two tiny link parts lost in quick succession as they shot off into the who knows where!! So back to using my finger and thumb! After what must have been well over two hours contant work I managed to get 16 links together: There is no glue involved yet but the instructions are a little confusing with regards the use of glue. If you check one of the photos of the instructions in my previous post above (the second from bottom photo), you will be able to see what I mean. The parts are holding together okay at the moment but I may add glue at some point. What I think I will do is just add one sprue of 8 links per modelling session. I might do a few more as time goes on. Hopefully I will get them finished before the GB ends! Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted May 26 Share Posted May 26 Hmmm, those tracks look to be a real PITA mate, you've done really well to persevere and get as many done as you have. 🇺🇦 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mippie Posted May 26 Share Posted May 26 Oh wow, those tracks look....interesting....makes me worried about my T-Rex ones now 😬 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted May 27 Author Share Posted May 27 Thank you for your comments @modelling minion and @Mippie. Yeah, I decided not to work on the tracks today…..too much of a daunting prospect! I skipped stage 1 where I was supposed to assemble the wheel, sprocket and idler parts as I’m going to paint and basically weather them first before assembly. So stage 2 is the lower hull. This is how it looks out of the box: And then after adding the various parts: …..the other side is similar: And I also added the rear section which included the first couple of bits of PE: It was all pretty straightforward with some seam lines and flash to remove in places. The only slightly annoying bit was there were no real guides for the precise locations of the additional armour plates. More tomorrow I hope. Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 Off to a good start mate, the hull is taking shape very nicely. 🇺🇦 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickhenfrey Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 Oh, those tracks!!!! I'm watching quite carefully to see when you start painting. I'm thinking get some on before the wheels go on, but then I havent built a tank since the late 1970's, and they were just 1/76... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted May 27 Share Posted May 27 7 minutes ago, nickhenfrey said: I'm thinking get some on before the wheels go on Thats what I plan to do. 🇺🇦 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted May 28 Author Share Posted May 28 Thank you @modelling minion and @nickhenfrey. Yeah I'm planning on painting before I get the wheels attached. Makes it far easier. Bit more progress today. Swing arms attached: I also started adding some of the parts to the upper hull, including the rear section: It all seems to going okay at the moment, probably because I didn’t try making any more tracks again! I have left a few of the smaller parts off today, as they are small and fragile and I’m liable to keep breaking them while handling everything to add other parts. They may even get added after the painting is started. I may do some more tomorrow as it's a Bank Holiday here in the UK. Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted May 28 Share Posted May 28 Coming together very well mate, by the looks of things you will be getting paint on her very soon, I really need to pull my finger out and make a start on mine! 🇺🇦 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted May 28 Share Posted May 28 Ah , the running gear. To me, this is the armor modeling equivalent of having to fill seam lines and repair lost panels on aircraft fuselages. A total grind. But breaking it up into bits of lower hull, upper hull, and track work, like you did here, may be a good alternative to doing all the track or all the wheels or what have you, all at once. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted May 30 Author Share Posted May 30 On 28/05/2023 at 21:26, modelling minion said: I really need to pull my finger out and make a start on mine! Yes you do!! We need our GB leader to be showing us the way!! On 29/05/2023 at 00:23, SoftScience said: Ah , the running gear. To me, this is the armor modeling equivalent of having to fill seam lines and repair lost panels on aircraft fuselages. A total grind. But breaking it up into bits of lower hull, upper hull, and track work, like you did here, may be a good alternative to doing all the track or all the wheels or what have you, all at once. Hi SoftScience. Yes the running gear can be a bit daunting on armour kits but I mist admit, I usually do what I am doing here, so I mix it up between the running gear and other parts of the kit. Speaking of which - these are the main bits and bobs I have been working with: .......including adding more photoetch - ridiculously tiny bits of photoetch in some cases - such as on the rear flaps: They probably wont even be visible after a coat of paint!!........or I will have knocked them off! Grills added around these parts on the top. The instructions don't show where the join should end up, so I just added them so the join is facing the rear: Plus I made up one track sprue's worth of track: Didn't take me too long to do this set. I think I may be getting more used to the process. I may do some during the evenings this week. I may be on to painting at the weekend. Comments and suggestions welcome. Kind regards, Stix 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silenoz Posted May 30 Share Posted May 30 Very nice and tidy work so far. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
modelling minion Posted May 30 Share Posted May 30 8 hours ago, PlaStix said: Yes you do!! We need our GB leader to be showing us the way!! Plastic has been cut! Nothing exciting but I shall post an update later. Your build is coming along very nicely mate, up to your usual high standard and neatness. 🇺🇦 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mippie Posted May 31 Share Posted May 31 Very swish! build is looking nice and great work on all that PE 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted June 2 Share Posted June 2 Looking at the photo of the PE mesh cylinders around the engine vents; what is your technique for closing the circle and attaching the PE grills while avoid getting a gluey mess in the mesh? Sorry, I'm having trouble finding a clearer way to phrase that question. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted June 2 Author Share Posted June 2 On 30/05/2023 at 14:44, Silenoz said: Very nice and tidy work so far. On 30/05/2023 at 19:28, modelling minion said: Your build is coming along very nicely mate, up to your usual high standard and neatness. 🇺🇦 Thank you very much for your comments Silenoz and Craig. Much appreciated. 7 hours ago, SoftScience said: Looking at the photo of the PE mesh cylinders around the engine vents; what is your technique for closing the circle and attaching the PE grills while avoid getting a gluey mess in the mesh? Sorry, I'm having trouble finding a clearer way to phrase that question. First off I used a paint bottle, of a smaller diameter than the circular vents, to wrap the PE mesh strips around - to form them into a circular shape. I wanted the formed PE strips to grip on to the plastic vents and that is why i used the bottle which was smaller in diameter. Next I applied a small amount of thin SuperGlue, which I put on with the aid of a cocktail stick, to the front, forward facing surface edge of the vents. Next I put the PE mesh strip into place, so that the centre of the the strip was over the glue I had applied. I wanted the join to be at the rear, facing backwards. (I have no idea if this was correct but my instructions didn't indicate where the join should be.) Then, when I thought the SuperGlue would have had enough chance to set, I carefully lifted one of the ends and applied a tiny amount of SuperGlue, again using the end of a cocktail stick, behind the mesh, on the vent edge, before using the end of a micro screwdriver to push the that end of the strip back into place again. Once that had set in place I lifted the other end, applied glue again before pushing that end back into place. Seemed to work okay. It did take a lot of patience though!! PE is not my favourite thing in modelling although I like the finished look of it. Hope that is of some use. Please fell free to ask if something needs clarification. Kind regards, Stix 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlaStix Posted June 2 Author Share Posted June 2 On 31/05/2023 at 08:01, Mippie said: Very swish! build is looking nice and great work on all that PE Thank you very much Mippie. Kind regards, Stix Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted June 2 Share Posted June 2 Thanks for that detailed response. I really like the idea of using a smaller diameter preform to get a tighter grip. That is brilliant. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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