Joe and Eric , glad you like them.

I finished the cleaning rods this morning . The base paint is MM enamel wood , that was sealed with Future , then a dry brush of acrylic artist paints dark brown to get the wood grain effect . The last was a matt finish made from Tamiya flat base mixed into Future .

Remember ...........this was where they began .

Shellback

Joe and Eric , glad you like them.

I finished the cleaning rods this morning . The base paint is MM enamel wood , that was sealed with Future , then a dry brush of acrylic artist paints dark brown to get the wood grain effect . The last was a matt finish made from Tamiya flat base mixed into Future .

Remember ...........this was the where they began .

WOW. I have seen some great wood effects, and this is deffinatly up there with the best. Are the metal ends just painted black.

You think so Bish ? Thanks for that ! I didnt think they came out that well until i looked at the picture .

The ends are painted with artist acrylic black .

Thanks

If decide to market those... I will be happy to be your first customer.  HOLY BARREL WIPERS BATMAN!

Hi guys,

Even though it's been my Birthday I manages to find enough time to get the tools underway. I've painted the metal parts and tomorrow will be painting up the wood effects.

Great photos Shellback - they'll assist with my work tomorrow as I'll need to paint my Tiger I Cleaning Rods. 

Today I've painted and fitted the tow cables - the two on the top deck and the single slimmer one on the left side.

I used the kit one's and I'm glad I did - a fiddly task with moulded-to-fit kit cables! It would have been a nightmare with made up metal affairs! They'll come into their own when they can be draped across fenders etc.

Here's my attempt which I'm very pleased with. I'll touch up the paintwork on the cables and eyelets when I fit the rest tomorrow:

Thanks for looking guys - do they look alright? Obviously there's the cleaning rods still to be fitted.

Ben

You compare the your pic with the real thing, theres no difference to me.

Ben, those cables look pretty good to me. And you have a great example to use for the cleaning rods.

Happy Birth Day Ben.  That Tiger is looking fierce.

So close to paint I can almost smeel the fumes.

All the fiddly bits are done.  Tow cable is made from lead thread and brass tubes.  Only thing missing is the metal liner that inside the loop but I am hoping that at this wee scale it will go unnoticed.  A few more grab handles added.  Vision ports on the commander's cupola are now separate with a new gun ring.  And while not pictured, tiny little lifting lugs where added to the exhaust housings.

Last thing before getting some color down is to add some resion hex bolts to the fenders.

That looks really good Marc.

Cheers

Tony

SMJmodeler

I asked about the gluing of the tracks because I know there are modelers who test fit without gluing and I'm at a loss as to how that's done with a Tamiya kit.  I wonder if there is a glue or technique that's used to hold but not secure parts?  I think I need to start a new post concerning this topic...

I reckon you could tack them on with PVA glue. It's not that strong on plastic and is water soluble. I've used it to do the same sort of thing on aircraft canopies. Once you pull the part of, the glue can easily be gripped and pulled off as a single piece. Note that I haven't tried it on tracks, so don't over commit before you try it out.

Cheers

Tony

Marc , maybe 1/35th pre painted tank tools and equipment is the next big after market item . Thanks The lead thread makes for nice cables ...........what and where the heck do you find that ?

Hinsky , Tiger looks fine . I like the camo on her .

Ben

Sorry, it's actually called lead wire.  (I hate it when i can't remember 4 letter words) The only place I have found it this thin is from a fly tying supply place.  It's used to weight the flies.

Continuing work with voyager PE set - Tamiya Tiger I (DAK) - smoke launchers completed, RB Barrel and starting the rear section more PE coming .... Armor86

Marc thanks .I'll see if my favorite sporting goods store has it ....they sell models there also .........

Armor , those grenade launchers and barrel look cool !

Everyone's work is amazing.

I was going to paint green today, but I decided I had to glue the hull together first, so I wouldn't make a mess with the glue. Unfortunately, I goofed up the rear deck  and its a little off on not being flush. Grrrr.

I hate it when that happens !

I spent some time and sanded as careful as I could. Looks okay except for the sloppy gap filling CA I used. Arrgh.

I was going to leave the hull unglued and the glue the periscopes in, but again, I didn't want to make a mess on the camo and have to repaint later. Live-and-learn.  

Armour, those smoke launchers look great. I can never get stuff like that bent round properly.

How are you finding the Voyager set.

Bish - Well the launch tubes came in the package ready to install - didn't bent them (metal part) and included the actual smoke grenades inside the tube, with the electric cables to boot! Someone else in the GB mention the voyager PE had some concerns with more pieces than the instructions call out ... this set has multiple sheets coded by letters and individual numbered parts, however it's hard to identify which part has that number on the sheet ... a lot of parts jammed on the sheets .... the instructions are ok but could be a little more clearer on assembling .... the Voyager Model upgrade detail set  is PE 35061 (For Tamiya 35227 - Tiger I DAK) It also has metal cables and resin parts for tow cable ends and tool mounts.

Tigerman ... Sorry to here about gaps .... I hate when that happens ... Armor86

Got you on the launchers. I have had things in the past, like gun barrels, that needed rolling and i can never get them right. That was me saying about all the extra parts. I keep worrying that have have missed lots of detail, but i have lost count of the number of times i have checked the instructions, and i mark of each part when it is attached or i decided i don't need to use it. Its really odd.

My sheets are lettered and numbered in the same way, and i know what you mean about parts being jammed together. Its the first time i have used one, but over the last couple of years i have bought quite a few for future builds. Now i know what i am in for. I have the same Tiger kit as you but went for the large Aber set

wing_nut:  LOVE the giant turret, great size comparison, thanks.  Your detail work is superb as always.

Shellback:  Yeah Baby!!!, nice haul...all from Poland in one week, WOW!!!  I have to agree about that being one of the nicest wood finishes ever......you absolutely nailed it!

Hinksy: The tools and the cables look great...they're screaming at me for weathering !!!  You going to dirty that cat up a bit?

taxtp: PVA glue?...little help with the acronym please.  Sounds like exactly what I'd be looking for though, thanks.

armor86:  Those smoke lauchers are sweet!, did I read correctly...you DID NOT have to roll them yourself?!

Guys: I've been getting in some serious bench time lately...I've spent quite a while tweeking the finish and I hope to post my finished Tiger Mid with base & maybe a figure within a day or  two.

Armor86: Ahhhhh, nice to know, I've never been able to get anything to roll into a halfway decent tube with PE no matter how many times I try. Super work there!

Ben: Hope your birthday went well, really nice work!

Back to work on my KT, photos soonish.

Gamera

Armor86: Ahhhhh, nice to know, I've never been able to get anything to roll into a halfway decent tube with PE no matter how many times I try. Super work there!

Nice work everybody!!!

Friulmodel tracks are complete for my Tiger.  Needed a break dealing with PEs so worked on the tracks over the weekend.  

Have a great day!

Hi fellas - tools complete!

I've just read a post by Armour86 on here saying that my Tiger is crying out for weathering!

Good Lord of course I'm going to weather up this Tiggy Armour - that's the part I enjoy most! I'm not going for mega mud and rust. I want to portray a reasonably tidy Tiger that's seen a bit of action - it's not going to be covered in mud though. I'm going down the light weathering road this time i.e. AK weathering streaks, light pigments and light chipping. I like to get everything done and fitted (i.e. the tow cables and tools) and then weather it all as one so - PATIENCE!  There's a long way to go yet!

Amour's question rolls me nicely onto this brief little update. Next weekend I'm starting Friuls but I wanted to get the build completed first THEN colour and fit them then hit the whole tank as previously described. So, this afternoon I've finished the tools off and fitted them - they look okay. Tools aren't my favourite but I'm happy with them. I'm still struggling to get this whole 'woodgrain painting' to work though so they had a simple Vallejo Wood colour laid on them then finished off with some Clear Orange. The Jack Block was done with a different shade and looks great as it has the moulded on grain. I wish they'd do that with the tool handles!

So, next weekend I need to paint the Periscope lenses and add the Turret spare Track links then onto the Friuls!

Definately looks much better now with tools - I'm just glad they are out the way!

Next Weekend - A light wash to tie it all together prior to main weathering and Friul assembly!

Have a good week guys!

Ben

Steve , thanks for the comment !

Andy , are those tracks small or is that an oversized penny ?

Ben , your cat looks good with the equipent spread over her stripes !

I'm going to have only one wire rope tow cable on my KT . I used the kit provided plastic  " eyes " off of the cables . They are molded as one piece on the cleaning rod racks so some surgery was necessary to clean them up . Afer doing that i drilled out the ends of the ferrules and inserted and glued nylon twine . I painted that dark gray and then dry brushed metalic gray over all . To bring out the depth of the strands in the wire rope i applied diluted artist acrylic black paint . Then i brushed on some Mig vietnam earth , i know thats weird for a German tank but i wanted something with a slight rust color without it looking over done . I dont think these wire ropes actually rusted much , if at all , but some contrast was needed . Everything sealed with a matt finish .

Here's the stuff i started with .

And the finished thingy .

Ben, looks sweet

Ben, i have never seen a tow cable made from any kind of string, thread or twine that looked even remotely convincing.  That looks like 1:1 freakin' steel cable.  Well done sir.  If I wore a hat, it would be doffed.

Now the question... What is that sold as?  Meaning is there specific function for the twine.  If I were to go to the craft store what department would I go to to find that nylon twine?

Marc , you talkin to me ???????????