DML Bison II Complete 04-28-12

wbill76

 I'll remember that tonight when I'm sitting for 4 hours in my Quantitative Reasoning class.

I think dupes is in your class!...He's taking the class because he wants to understand the "Reason for the Quantative" [^o)] amounts of kits in his stash!!! 

 4 HOURS in Quantitive Reasoning?!  My brain hurts after one minute wondering what that means!!!

I think this class could actually help Dupes quite a lot...I've heard the legends about his stash records that he carries around with him from show to show! It's an intense class (all the classes are since they are 6 weeks in duration, fours per class per week) but am learning a lot to go with my previous experience crunching numbers for project management and six-sigma.

The final stage of the weathering process is at hand, the application of pigments to give the Bison a nice dusty desertized look. To achieve that, I mixed some Mig Pigments Gulf War Sand with regular tap water with a drop of dishwashing soap added to break the surface tension. The wet mix was applied to the lower hull with an old brush and left to air dry.

That of course leaves an ugly mess that needs more work and adjustment, so I used a round stiff bristled brush to remove the excess. Dry q-tips were also used to further fine tune things to get the desired accumulated dusty look.

The tracks were given the same treatment to get them ready for installation.

Then it was time for baby to get her shoes on! After the tracks were installed I did a series of walk-around shots to see where any additional adjustments were needed. The camera never lies and is always helpful in finding the little spots that need a touch here and there.

The last little detail was the installation of the RB Models brass 2m radio antenna. This was added with some CA gel and the position adjusted slightly to keep it vertical.

The antenna was painted with MM non-buffing Metalizer Gunmetal. I reset the white balance on my camera and it was off to the photo booth for the final walk-around shots.

Well, Bill, that's a beautiful and unusual model, finished with your consistently high standards. The cool two-tone paint job makes it even that much more individualistic and different--great job, even if it took a lot longer than we're both used to with things getting so busy.

I'm traveling right now for the next three weeks I won't be back at the bench. Back and forth from NY to NC, working. Ughh. I can't wait to get more bench time! Hopefully my next project will look as fine!

Again, a really notable job making this model look so intriguing.

Kudos, Bill :  ) 

What a terrific job !  I would echo what Karl has said except on one point....

I don't think it took too long,man...they take how long they take...quality not quantity !  .. and it's not even

Sunday !

Thanks for the ride man... it was great

tread

Thanks Karl and Tread! 3 months seems to be about right for build completion speed these days when the model is a complex one like this one was since it was an open-top vehicle. Figured I would go ahead and post the finish today instead of wait until tomorrow...now all I have to do is clean off the workbench and decide on the next victim!   

Hey Bill, Catherine said you could barrow her Swiffer

Tony lee

Another wonderful build. And you make it look so effortless. That's quite a gift. When I have time, I read through the builds and reviews on your site. A few things have even managed to sink in. Thanks for that. Can't wait to see what the next project will be.

Tony

Just beautiful!   Too beautiful to take it out to the front.  It was FUN following your WIP... I will definitely use your log when I build my Bison.  Hope you will have the website up and running when I am ready in five or ten years?  

Like always I am looking forward to your next build... maybe a Shermie?

Dusty and crusty... just right.  Looks great.

Looks as tho one could start it up and take it for a spin, a fine job sir. Its gotten to the point where I don't pay much attention to Dragon instruction sheets past where everything is supposed to be located and this has saved me more grief than it has created. The DAK palm decals are infuriating...first time I saw this I had to look twice to make sure my eyes were not lying to me. I managed to get them on with much fiddling and cursing but they still do not look right.

All that aside you've done a splendid job on what looks like a very tricksy and fiddly kit, thanks for sharing I have made note of a few of your techniques I'll be sure to include on the next one...

Regards,

Mark

Tony, I'll keep that in mind and thanks for the offer!

Wingman, appreciate the comments and glad to hear that the builds and reviews on the site are helpful. I'm not settled just yet on what the next project will be, there are several promising candidates that I've been considering in the stash, just have to make up my mind on which!

Andy, glad you enjoyed the ride along with me! I'm sure you'll get to the Bison before too long...Tony's SPG influence will see to that I'm sure! I don't have any Shermans in the stash, so no luck there unfortunately.

Marc, thanks for commenting as well!

Reserve, I've yet to build a DML kit that didn't have at least one error somewhere in the instructions and some kits are worse than others! Thanks for the comments and glad the techniques description has provided some inspiration for your own work.

Fabulous build Bill   Dust cover looks great on there and the part.  Really enjoyed watching this one come together and look forward to the next one.

Another great blog to follow,a typical good job

Well Bill another beauty well worth the wait, I'd forgotten that you had gone back to school, good luck with that.

Regards,

Terry.

Thanks Rob! Glad you enjoyed the project along with me. Next up I think will be a Brummbar.

Tojo appreciate the comments as well, thanks!

Terry, yes classes started up again and I've got a long push for the next 12 months to complete everything without a break of any size, so it's going to be a grind of sorts! Thanks as well, nice to see you poke in every now and then!

Bill - Very nice. It is subtle....now over the top cam or any other eye draw which make the whole model a draw....nice a subtle. Also just right....not heavy weathering but enough to be noticed.

Love the look. Now hit the books!!

Rounds Complete!!

Thanks Mike glad you like the dusty old girl! Tomorrow will be a fun-filled day for class prep, no doubt about it!

OK Bill, another notch in 'ya pistol here.

At this rate you're gonna need a new set of grips!

Hurry back.............

Hey Bill, another great build and a most unusual one at that!  Following your WIP blogs are always a pleasure.....informative, educational, enlightening and very armorlicious!  Can't wait to see your next project!

I really like this build...IMO could be the centerpiece of your vast collection of armor...just sayin'...

wbill76

I think this class could actually help Dupes quite a lot...I've heard the legends about his stash records that he carries around with him from show to show!

They aren't just legends my friend...they are indeed factual!  I have personally seen the stash records, MORE THAN ONCE!   It's amusing to watch him "protect" his potential purchase as he scans the list to see if he has it or not!

Anywho...This is a really COOL build Bill...it's like a hybrid of several AFV's rolled into one!  I especailly like the subtle camo' work...enough to be obvious but not too much!  Thanks for the step-by-step presentation.  I'll be tryingyour MIG technique real soon!

I thought I heard my name...

I'm glad you guys find humor in my printed stash list! If only I could remember all 38 pages of stuff, I wouldn't have to lug that folder around. And to clarify, it's mostly to see which aftermarket I've already got (which has saved my wallet many times!)...I can usually remember if I've got a kit at home. Usually.

BTW, great looking build as usual, Bill. Hope you can find more time to crank some stuff out in between classes!

DM, the Bison II registers as completed build #113 and was a lot of fun to put together. Thanks for the comments!

Ernest, I'm glad you enjoyed the WIP blog along with me, always good to hear they are of value.

Manny, appreciate the kind words! I always try to make the build I'm working on the best possible and improve on previous efforts, glad to hear you like this one!

SMJ, look forward to seeing what you do with the technique!

Dupes, I'm doing my best to set aside "me" time on the weekends so that I can keep build projects moving...that's the intent anyhow, let's see how good I am at actually holding to it! No worries about the stash ribbing...I keep an Excel file with multiple tabs that is cross-referenced for just the same purpose.

Bill, not sure if I told you thanks for the explanation you gave concerning the MM lusterless flat

You say the Brummbar will be up next, which kit is it?

Glad to see you wind her Bill.

That is sweet as usual. I always like your wood applications. I'm still working on mine.

That's one thing I like about the forums is that each of us have our own style. I could see this and guess that it's "WBIll's". I could probably look at a build and say, "That's Karl's", etc. Certain modelers really have there own unique style and I'd say yours always stands out prominently.

A Brummbar next. Nice. Who's and what are you going to add to it?

Rob, my pleasure regarding the lusterless flat! The Brummbar is DML's kit #6460 along with some Atak zim and MK tracks.

Eric, wood effects are some of the trickiest to get consistent, I still am working on mine as well, so don't get discouraged! You're right about styles, each builder accumulates their own "signature" set of elements and I'm glad to hear that mine is recognizable (in a good way!), thanks for the kind words! See answer above about the Brummbar.

Bill,
Thanks for the ride - again
At least a dozen of tweaks I would like to try!
It has been said already, this is a centrepiece

Very Best Regards
Johan

wbill76

Rob, my pleasure regarding the lusterless flat! The Brummbar is DML's kit #6460 along with some Atak zim and MK tracks.

Oh cool. I wasn't sure if it was going to be a pre-zimmed version or not. Did the Brummbar come with DS tracks? I know you love the MK's, so you'd go with them anyway.

I've got the Tristar Early myself. Looks like a great kit, but I heard that it's very precision-like. Need to dry fit many subassemblies. 

Johan, thanks for the comments and look forward to your next work as well!

Eric, my kit has the static indy Magic tracks (common in the non-zim versions). I've heard similar things about the Tristar Early but haven't seen one built up. Tristar is ually pretty good about the engineering of their kits as a rule.