"Battle for Mogadishu" ***COMPLETE*** 24oct09

So this is how you read my posts!!!

I told you about these rivets about a week ago (first post on the previous page!):

Avus wrote:

... Should you remove only some rivets consider using Archer's rivets (the ones I used on my Cobra IP) to replace them. ...

Anyhow these are great things. Archer have quite some surface details; I also bought their no-slip surface to use on my helos.
I haven't used it yet but if it works as fine as the rivets it'll be great.

Maybe you have too many PMs in your box? Don't know if that's possible, but maybe its like a full email box!?!

Once the AT rivets come in, I'll cut off a strip and send them when I cast the extra bottles we were talking about ...

will have to let us know about the eyes. yeah, not sure what's up...just got another p.m. from someone else that's been deleted...emailed them. we'll see what they say!

Hmm ... that's a little weird. I only said that you were a terd ... what's wrong w/ that!?! (j/k HAHA!!!)

I only said something about your work IS good ... etc, etc. Go to the show .... etc, etc. , big brother IS listening! ... I'm out .....

HAHAHA!!!

Just FYI, I'm still using you tape techinique to save what rivets I can ... and its still working well. I just found these to be the answer to all those "how to make rivet detail" questions floating around ....

I have found THE answer!!!!! ......

I might be a little behind the power curve here, but I had no idea these existed. I was at my LHS this morning buying a bottle of paint and some styrene and we got to talking about "some company" that was making decals to use for eyes on figures .... Archer Transfers. Then he brings out the package that another customer ordered and says "check these out ... feel'm! Cool huh!?!" .... I was BLOWN away. This is what he showed me ...

These are RAISED RIVET decals ... and they come in tons of sizes. They actually have a raised feel to them, just as if you were rubbing your finger over a model. They apply just like regular decals, except you apply them BEFORE you paint. Paint like normal and POOF, your sanded off rivets are back!!!!!!

I'm still like ..... ....

Anyway check out Archer Transfer's website for all their WAY COOL stuff......

... my order is in and I'm sanding the helo like a crazy person!!!! AAAAAAHHHHHH ... WHERE'S MY BELT SANDER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tried it out, Camo, and your technique works pretty well. You just have to be careful and keep an eye on the tape. If you start to sand through it, just tear it off and replace it w/ a new piece ... pretty easy. I give you a for this suggestion/ opinion. (HAHAHAH!!!)

Hey Scott,

I've been moved in for a little under 2 weeks, so I haven't had too much time to catch up on the forums, but it's lookin good so far.  I wouldn't worry about the molded seatbelts too much.  If you are looking straight in, the canopy will obscure it enough to not recognize the seatbelts.

As for the sanding, I would also place tape over the rivents, not too sure I'd want to re-rivet a Littlebird...

Lookin forward to the next update!

-Austin

try this one lil bro. it's been passed around alot. never tried it, so i dont know how good it is. i also dont agree with the author using grey instead of green but since art allows for it...hey more power to him.

http://zyclyon.blogspot.com/search/label/Alpine%20Miniatures%20-%203rd%20Stryker%20Brigade%20Combat%20Team%202nd%20Infantry%20Division 

Great work, as always!

Do you have a tut on ACU? I'm doing my hmmwv crew in ACU.

Keep it up!

modelchasm wrote:

if someone or a judge is looking THAT close at my builds ... I don't want the award. I don't have the time or the patience .... or the skill for that matter, to build things to absolute perfection.

Now THAT was what I was trying to say when I said you could still see the vest belts through the glass and behind the pannel and under the masking tape belts etc. etc., I only meant that if they STILL cared at that point, it was craziness.

I think Tom might have good idea about tapping down over top of the detail, then sanding the enclosed area. Looking forward to seeing this thing closed up!

Avus,

What a great write-up that was! Made the idea really easy .... I had always stayed away from pounce wheels b/c I couldn't figure out a way to hold onto the part, the pounce wheel, and the ruler all at the same time ..... and the answer was to use tape, not a ruler ... wow... .

As far as the whole seatbelt issue .... really don't worry about making comments. Especially w/ this build, I greatly value your opinions, cause I don't know jack about helos. Now, as the build sits now .... yes, the windscreen is already on, so the work in the pilots is OVER. W/ that said, having the bird closed up, the pilots look great, and you really can't see their vests under the tape belts anyway. Besides ... if someone or a judge is looking THAT close at my builds ... I don't want the award. I don't have the time or the patience .... or the skill for that matter, to build things to absolute perfection. Again, PLEASE don't worry about whether a suggestion you make is going to "ruffle my feathers".

I still can't decide what I want to do w/ this build. Seeing as how the show I want to go to is in 2 weeks, I don't think that I'll be taking any steps back at this point.

At this point let me quote Mr. J.Bauer: "Dammit!"
I really hope you didn't remove the IP in spite of my comment!

Let my try to expire my guilt by proposing a work around on the molded seat-belts: the older Nightstalker's vest used to have sort of a monkey-harness. You could paint the loops in silver and dry brush the vest, assuming you haven't placed the windscreen.

As for the sanding, it's prferable not to remove the raised detail, so I suggest using some kind o f solvent. I successfully used Revell's "Airbrush Clean": it removes the paint without damaging the plastic. Bad thing is it's hard to find.

Should you remove only some rivets consider using Archer's rivets (the ones I used on my Cobra IP) to replace them. Should you chosse the "re-rivetting-route" I remember seeing a short "how-to-guide" but I have to find it again. Anyhow the way to go involves Dymo tape and the dreadded rivetting tool.

HTH

EDIT: Found the guide. Here it is!

modelchasm wrote:

Anyway, we'll being thinking about it today, so if you've got some ideas PLEASE let me know.

yeah...dont sand off the details!! without seeing your dilema scott, no idea really how bad it is or how to fix it!! whatever though, you can do it!

I know, I know ... you guys are right. I don't think I'm really at the point that I need a couple of days though. I think I was just really disappointed in being all happy about the cockpit, and then finding that the exterior was going to be a PITA. I'll be fine though.

I go so frustrated last night that at about 7pm, I took off on a 10 mile ruck .... SOooooo, today while I've got tired dogs, I'm gonna sit a tackle/ think about this one.

Really the only thing that I'm worried about is doing so much sanding, etc that I loose a lot of the molded-on detail. I mean, this thing doesn't have panel lines, but rather "lines" of raised rivets. I wouldn't be opposed to sanding everything off and using a rivet wheel tool to re-tool the A/C, but 1) I've never done that before and 2) .... uh .... I've never done that before ... oh, yea, and I dont' have a rivet tool.

Anyway, we'll being thinking about it today, so if you've got some ideas PLEASE let me know.

modelchasm wrote:

Well, I'm sitting here getting psst-off as @%$

Isn't that my job? Now just make your posts really wordy, repeat the same things over and over again- slow your build pace down to a stand still, you'll get the hang of it sooner or later. Being psstoff isn't easy

But seriously- Tom's got your back on this one- some space, some deep breaths and some time off. If you can scratch build the %@#$ out of figures, HMMWVs and anything else in between, I know you can handle some creative filling and sanding maneuvers! We all believe in ya Scott - that determination will pay off.

Thanks brother! I needed to hear that.

"Brothers don't shake hands .... brothers HUG!"

Scary ... you know me all too well ....

Well, I'm sitting here getting psst-off as @%$ .... I got the bird back together but it's UG-LY. Will all the old CA glue deposits, etc, the fit is horrible in almost every spot/ piece. I'm having to fill gaps and clamp pieces ... Another bad thing is that the exterior was already painted, so sanding files/ sticks get clogged like crazy. I'd really like to take a rougher stick to it, but I don't want to ruin the rasied rivet detail, and on the flip side, I don't have one of those rivert tools IOT "rescribe" the rivets later.

I'm determined for this one to look good, but DAMN!!!! ... I was hoping to have the bird finished by Sunday .... getting on to the building, but I don't think that's going to happen.