Homemade Zimmerit

I tried with Squadron Green Putty about 100 years ago when I was first building kits.  Didn't like the result and haven't tried it since.  The spackeling compound may dry slower than the Green Putty, so it might work better.

I can't critique your effort because its better than anything I've done.  My only comment is that it looks a bit out of scale, i.e. too large for the vehicle.  Maybe a smaller tool.

Thanks for sharing your efforts.

to the forums. Hey that's some nice zimmerit. Very good for a first attempt. Though I have seen an example with a thick application, I might go thinner on it, because in that scale it looks like an iced cake! Just kidding. I would thin it down a bit though on your next go. Panthers had many different styles of zimmerit, so be sure to check out your references.

Keep up the good work and look forward to seeing one finished.

to the forums.

Looks like you have the right technique down. I'm going to have to agree. It looks perfect other than it is out of scale.

Looks good, like was said, maybe a bit out of scale.  Zim was factory applied however.  I've seen Miliput used to good effect.  I've never been able to do it, though.  

Better man than I Gunga Din.  I'll just by the AM stuff...

Have to echo whats been said. Great first attepmt, but does look a bit out of scale.

I use white miliput. Only done it a couple of times so still not nailed it yet. But i apply it wet and try to get it wafer thin.

But you deffo made a good start.

And welcome to the forums.

Thanks guys, will definitely try to scale it down a bit.  Bish, is milliput pretty easy to work with as far as taking a while to harden up, i have heard mixed reviews so interested in your opinion. Thanks!

Hi, I must also say that it looks a  bit heavy but  you must be commended for your efforts. I too have tried milliput , many years ago and I too can recommend it. Just keep it wet and use a small sprinkling of talc every now and then it will stop the tools sticking.

Again very well done,

Terry.

As terry said, keep it damp. I mix it in water, then just take out a small bit at a time. I just work on one surface at a time, once that surface is covered i add the pattern. I have a set of Airwaves stamps that come in 4 patterns. |On the odd occasion the Milliput has lifted, but its easy to fix. I also scratch the plastic to help with grip.

Terry, never tride talc before, if that does stop the tools sticking that will stop the odd occasion where the milliput lifts. Thanks for the tip.

 Heres my second attempt with white milliput. I still need some more practice and the pic ain't perfect, but hopefully you get the idea. And i hope you stick with it, i much prefer adding my own Zimm rather than buy ready Zimmed kits, and its nice to see someone else take that route.

Air...

Great first!  Yes, like others have said, it's a bit out of scale, but you have the basics down!

I am a fan of spackle DIY zimm.  Actually, I use pre-mixed dry-wall compound and mix this with sand-colored latex wall paint...  the paint adds an appropriate color and makes the product a bit tougher and more adherent when it dries.

As I see it, "compound w latex paint" offers several great properties and some advantages over other DIY materials:

1) Achieves the correct (and with drywall compound) fine-enough cement texture to effectively emulate the cement-like surface of real zimmerit, and it's probably pretty scale, too! BTW- you cannot get this surface using any of the plastic or epoxy putties and it does not happen on either styrene or resin zimm- these things are too smooth, IMO.  But this may not be much of an issue to everybody!

Notably, if you thin the spackle with paint, you can actually apply a thin-enough layer to be in scale (real zimm coats were less than 1 inch thick - so for us that means only maybe 1/35 of an inch thick (about 0.03 inch or less than 0.8mm) - which is pretty thin.) - this layer-thickness is crucial to getting the sculpted zimm to look in scale...  think "brushing on and smoothing with a card or knife".

2) Can be easily and very realistically chipped and spalled- compound behaves just like miniature cement, so works well for damaged zimm.

3) It does not damage the kit nor scar it in any way, so can be safely removed...

4) Following on 3, compound is easy to wash off (before it dries) and so mistakes can be fixed easily.

5) It's CHEAP, so you can do lots of it and try stuff.

6) It paints well.

7) It's safe to work with - probably about as safe or safer as any modeling stuff we use!

8) Any sort of tools will do!

While I do like the look of some of those other products- such as current molded-on zimm on some Dragon kits, and the ATAK resin sheet stuff, DIY is ultimately a better thing IMO, as you can indeed create whatever damage effects you want and the finish cannot be better!  ONLY by doing the DIY can you actually get the correct "cut-under" seen on zimm.

Of course, the down-side is it can be tedious to do the sculpting...!

IF I knew how to post a pic HERE, I would - But you do have the idea! Just keep practicing!

Just my opinion, gents!

Bob