Looks good Harold. Hope your glue and cleaning solution get here soon, you're not that far from being done.

I finished up the tank crew for the Conqueror Sat. Now the tank, crew, and base are done- I just need to get the two officers on the ground finished up. Crossing my fingers I can finish them up in the next few days. If not I'll get the tank photos without them posted.

Bish

As long as its on the roster, but it does not have to be started. I doubt i will get started on my Huey before the end of the month, but i'll still post it up.

 

 

I am trying to find other things to do in the mean time while I wait on the VSM products that don't take me to far away from working on the Matador. I enjoy the AFV Club Bofors gun, but it has some super delicate parts and like a watch maker I must take my time with it and not rush.

It is amazing how fast this year has past for me. I attribute much of it to building scale models, otherwise retirement would be very confining during a world wide pandemic. Ordering online is now normal and finding suppliers and fellow modelers all over the world has introduced me to new ideas and some great products which make this hobby much more than what is in my own little studio.

Harold

Harold: Just don't start on too much stuff. That's how I got in the situation I'm in with about twenty or so models in different stages of completion. Wait for parts and paint for one so I start another, lose a few parts and start another hoping the parts will resurface. Sooner or later you end up with a mess of unfinished stuff sitting around... 

Good advice Cliff, thank you.

Harold

Hi Sergeant,

I just came across this thread from the Home page and noticed that you mentioned issues with stripping acrylic paint from your model safely.  I have been using 91% isopropyl alcohol and a cheap electric toothbrush for doing that without the ill effects caused by oven cleaner.  It has even proven safe and effective for removing things like Future from aircraft canopies.  Recently, I started using 99% aviation grade alcohol and it is also safe.

Eaglecash867

Hi Sergeant,

I just came across this thread from the Home page and noticed that you mentioned issues with stripping acrylic paint from your model safely.  I have been using 91% isopropyl alcohol and a cheap electric toothbrush for doing that without the ill effects caused by oven cleaner.  It has even proven safe and effective for removing things like Future from aircraft canopies.  Recently, I started using 99% aviation grade alcohol and it is also safe.

 

Harold

No problem.  I'll bet the alcohol would have even removed the Vallejo primer.  I haven't run into any model paint or primer yet that it won't remove with a little effort.  Some just take a longer soak than others, and maybe a little more scrubbing with the electric toothbrush.  I like the electric toothbrush for scrubbing because it gives you good scrubbing action, while at the same time not putting mechanical stress on delicate details.  Not sure why the EasyOff method is still so popular.  I tried it on an F-16 intake once and not only didn't it remove all of the paint, but it altered the chemical properties of the plastic and made it extremely brittle.  Tried the 91% alcohol just as a "what the hell" on an F-15E gear bay that had had Tamiya acrylic paint and real chromate primer on it for 20 years, and it stripped it to the bare plastic...without hurting the plastic itself.  Its been my go-to ever since.  A good insurance policy against major mistakes in paint work.

Eaglecash867

No problem.  I'll bet the alcohol would have even removed the Vallejo primer.  I haven't run into any model paint or primer yet that it won't remove with a little effort.  Some just take a longer soak than others, and maybe a little more scrubbing with the electric toothbrush.  I like the electric toothbrush for scrubbing because it gives you good scrubbing action, while at the same time not putting mechanical stress on delicate details.  Not sure why the EasyOff method is still so popular.  I tried it on an F-16 intake once and not only didn't it remove all of the paint, but it altered the chemical properties of the plastic and made it extremely brittle.  Tried the 91% alcohol just as a "what the hell" on an F-15E gear bay that had had Tamiya acrylic paint and real chromate primer on it for 20 years, and it stripped it to the bare plastic...without hurting the plastic itself.  Its been my go-to ever since.  A good insurance policy against major mistakes in paint work.

 

Harold

Sergeant

Eaglecash867 I have used 70% isopropyl alcohol we get from the Veterans Administration this past year for cleaning plastic before painting and photo-etched brass parts before glueing without a problem.  I see on the Internet we can purchase 91% or even 99% isopropyl alcohol from many different sources. We can also purchase 95% denatured ethyl alcohol. Does it make any difference which type or what percentage you use to strip paint?

 Harold 

I use 66% IPA, because I still have a bucket load, just takes a little longer.

I tend to soak items in a big enough container, then wash off in another with dish soap.

Use paper coffee filter to err filter out the paint particles from the used IPA & it's good to go for another use.

Sergeant, the higher the concentration, the quicker it works.  Don't use denatured alcohol though because it has all kinds of random additives (sometimes even Acetone or MEK) to make it taste bad so people don't drink it.  Just stick with isopropyl alcohol and you'll be safe.  I get my 99% aviation grade isopropyl alcohol from a local supplier we use where I work.

Jon-a-its, I do the same thing with coffee filters.  Works great with the alcohol...not so much with my MEK jars.  I guess MEK reduces the particle size so much that they all go right through the coffee filter.

Thanks guys, I am definitely going to give this method a try.

Harold

I've used Simple Green a few times with good results- not sure it's available outside the US. 

Started the WMIK as part of the Weekend GB.

About an hour in.

I did get further along before I needed to take a break and do some research. More soon.

The chassis is now ready for paint.  Honestly, it was kind of a PITA, but it's done.

More soon.

Can't see your pics for now lewbud, but will make sure to check them out tonight. I am interested to see how this goes together, i have the boxing with the MILAN system.

Lewbud: Ohhhhhhh cool! Cheering you from here to make the finish line in time. 

The chassis looks good. Can't be any more of a pain than the resin one i did for the Snatch.

Got the basic bed finished.

The bed mocked up on the chassis.

I still have one part to paint and then the engine/transmission will be done.

I like the lok of that, some nice detail.

Bish,

The car guy in me just doesn't understand some things about armor kits sometimes.  In just about every car kit I've built, the chassis/frame is one piece. On this and the last kit I built (Bronco's 1/35 Fiat Topolino), you have to build the frame as it was most likely built at the factory, piece by piece and hope that you've got everything square (on this kit, you have to glue the main frame rails together before you can start assembly).  The same with the bed.  Most truck kits would have the bed be one piece with a separate tailgate, no this kit.  I almost broke out the putty because there is a small seam where the rear wings meet the tailgate, but when I looked at pics of the real thing it's supposed to be there so I left it.  I've learned more about how cars and trucks go to together with my last two armor kits than I have building cars (unless it's a race car).  Fortunately the fit has been good on this kit and I haven't had to break out the putty yet.

The resin chassis for the Snatch was the same, its actually sold as an AM part for the kit your doing. Though it did have real metal springs which were a nightmare.

It is interesting that the chassis on car kit come in one piece, i didn't know that.

Engine and transmission are finally finished.

Engine mocked up on the chassis.

Fuel tank installed.

Engine and bed mocked up on chassis.

Time to start slinging some paint.

Thats moving along at some pace.

Unfortunately got slowed down a bit.  The good news is the frame is painted. The bed is painted and installed.  The powerplant has been installed (took three times to get it right so pay attention to the instructions. Because the powerplant had to be taken out three times, the bed was dismounted three times.)  Here's where she is right now with the machine gun cage and the firewall mocked up.

I have a self imposed deadline of 1415 and I have to make a run to the local shop.  I can save some time if I don't deal with the weapons or the boatload of ammo cans, but I don't know if it will be enough.  The construction of the front end concerns me.

Lewbud: Best of luck!!! You're still making great progress even with the holdups- crossing my fingers you'll make it under the finish line. 

The Conqueror is finally done! Hoping no issues with the crew- just finished applying a matte coat to them and need to get them attached to the tank.  I fitted them before I painted them but somehow they always seem to need more modifications. The two officers on the ground will be done later... 

Will take photos tonight. 

Still need to finish the standing officers and fiddle with the crew a little more but basically she's done...

That is very nice G, great looking build. The more i see, the more i want one of those.

Do you want me to use one of those pics or wait for your final touches.

Very nice Cliff, good caftsmanship all around. Stay safe my friend.

Harold

Thanks guys!

Bish: It's up to you. It's dark here when I get off work so I had to use room light- I would like to take some more photos with natural lighting this weekend though. Not sure I'll have the figures done but I'm going to work on them.

Biggest issues I had with the kit if you get one are those:  They put parts for the Mk I and Mk II in the box. If it were a Dragon kit I'd have known to look for them but I wasn't expecting it so I did use one wrong part- I don't think it really sticks out though. And I had to rig up a cover from facial tissue for the mantlet. If you don't put a cover on it you can see though cracks in it into the turret.

No worries, i'll hang on until you can get better pics at the weekend. I am just wrapping up the Chieftain and should have my pics of that done over the weekend as well.

I have noticed with quite a few of the companies who's kits i have been building recently, including Airfix and takom, that they don't list un-used parts. I find this really annoying, i spend ages going through the instructions trying to make sure i have not missed the left over parts or if they really not were for thatone i was building.

I have just noiticed i don't have that kit on the roster, it is the Amusing Hobby kit isn't it.