M2A1 Halftrack-The offical final pics to wrap the WIP

At least you caught now and not at the show... ...wouldn't be fun without some detours along the way and the others are right...Major Disaster is a royal pain to deal with!

This might help ......................

Mike is right. Major Disaster is way more unforgiving....dig in and  ' git 'er done ' you can do it Marc.

tread 

Wow.....that's just the way I build..... I feel your pain...cheers....Kenny

General Disarray.....I had him as a commander at one point.....at least you have not seen Major Disaster yet....keep on plugging

Rounds Complete!!

Uh-Oh

As I was chopping, grinding and sanding my way to a good fit of the box to the chassis so it met up with the cab… I have discovered the advantage to using CA to put this thing together.  It’s relatively easy to take a major assembly apart.

I kept looking at the three sided frame around the top of the box…along the sides and across the back.   Couldn’t stop thinking how many guys bashed their heads jumping out of the back when the gate is dropped.  Then I realized the answer was zero.  Because that cross piece is not there.  I assembled the whole thing backwards.  The sides face the right way but the frame is backwards… cross piece is at the front.  And the floor is backwards… the recess areas of the floor should be to the rear for the guys to get in and out.

Stay tuned for “Metal Box-The Sequel”  

wow I've heard horror stories about NYC i would never walk around a place like that but we come from two very different places (backwoods of Indiana) but I'm sure you wouldn't be found in a tree stand at 5:30 in the morning with 5in of snow on the ground and a 10 degree temp either lol

That's one heavy metal 1/2 track \m/

Marc , i've never been to NYC but if ever was to go back east its the only place i'd want to visit .........maybe a week if that is enough . Its not only the sights but from what i have heard the quisine there is fantastic ............might have pay for a double seat for the flight back .................

Sounds like a good time and a well deserved break glad you had the chance......now back to work   Man I,m hungry now

I am glad you are having a good time watching this thread.  Thanks for all the comments.

Needing to take a little "MEnTAL HEALTH"' time and with the weather here has been pretty fantastic lately the wife and I and some friends took the Staten Island Ferry over to NYC and we walked up to the Feast of San Gennaro.  A fantastic day to walk around, have so great food and a few drinks.

Here is a view from the ferry with the Freedom Tower going up.  And one of the places we stopped for grilled sausage and braccioli w'oinins and peppers on a nice Italian bread.   Heaven!  I would have taken pics of the cocktails too but there qasn't enough memory in the camera.

Marc , what with the reflection off of all of that brass i'm starting to wear my  sun glasses  when i look at your newest postings !!!!....................

Seriously though this is a cool looking build .

Super work there Marc, you're getting closer to the finish line now...you'll make it!

Gosh, you have no idea how much I am learning from your WIP thread.  I really appreciate you taking your time and share all of great tips how to deal with PE stuff.  

Looking great!  Oh yes you can make it.  Just take two weeks off from work if you are not retired.  Lock the door and ask your wife politely to push meals and drinks under the door...

This is getting better and better!  Love those razor edges that PE gives you.  Beautiful work !!

GOOD MORNING VIETXXXX

 Oops.

 GOOD MORNING FSM!

 Thanks you so much to all that have been following, commenting, and urging me on and thinking of me as sitting on the mental fence.  Dept. of “Metal” Health… liked that one.

 I got good nights sleep in prep for the task this morning.  Getting this all square was a key factor in getting the fighting compartment all glued up.  The fact the there was a frame that goes around the inside top of the box was a big help.  Working upside down...

 1^st thing was to get that square and secure.  I have a stack of pieces of cedar that come as spacers in the box of cigars I buy.  Nice and square and perfect for aligning things.

The floor gets glued on “top”.

The box is just resting on the chassis and I can see that there will have to be some modifications made for it all to get “right”.  An example id the front parts of the floor rest on the bump of the differential and is raised.  The kit floor has a recess molded in to for the fit.  Things like that.

Having gotten this step done has made me think I have a shot at the deadline.  At least for now.

Marc - Very nice work on the body panels, moving along nicely....I am sure after dealing with parts the size of a dust particle, dealing with a sheet is a pleasure. Keep it coming. 11 days left!!

Rounds Complete!!

Hiya Marc 

Same thing I told Shell... ya blink and you miss an update...   and a major update it is  !

I am just come out and say it... Your halftrack is going to AmpsEast .  For all of you not from the east it is a big deal around our coast ! People from Maine to New Jersey and even points to the west make it there.  I didn't think it would be possible, but man, you are making a believer out of me.

No extra pressure

tread

Marc? Marc? Marc?

Please seek Metal Health!!!                  

Maybe one of you guys that are going to the AMPS show can give Marc a straigth jacket award for this build.

Just make sure the lacquer thinner doesn't attack any CA joints (it's pretty hot/aggressive stuff but no idea how it would react to CA)...that could be a potential disaster in the making!

You better get this done for the AMP's show,I was telling Vince about this build last night after the meeting,we where talking about P/E I'am using for my Elefant build. And  brought your madness up.He is looking forward to seeing it after what you did with the Marder,take care looking good!!

John

Thanks Bill.  I 've been doing that for tiny glued PE parts for a while.  I've heard it referred to as give the surface some "tooth" for the glue to hold n to.  The parts will still pop off at times.

Carl...didn;t think of lacquer thinner. Worth a try.

Thanks moderler#1.

All that PE looks cool

That wasnt long winded Marc . Its good to share some hobby talk with a fellow builder .

Only idea i come up with about getting the finger prints off is Lacquer thinner ..................maybe ? I'd diffinetly try it out only on a piece where the risk of ruinning something obviouse is low . There must be something less potent that will work i would think though .

Sounds like you must of had good cup of coffee this a.m .

I'm not taking sides ..they look good

Making good progress Marc! I'm sure it's a great feeling to have "large" pieces to work with for a change. Nice idea on the sanding/roughing to make gluing easier. Never thought about that but makes perfect sense!

One of the things that helps all these glue joints is roughing up the mating surfaces.  Normally I would sand the back of entire PE fret.  Since some of the "backs" are exposed this is not an option so I tape off the areas that need protection and sand the exposed areas.  For tiny parts in he middle of a larger area sometimes its just a few scratches with a hobby knife.

The frame glued to the inside of the side wall has the flanges that will attach the to the floor and back so it needs to be lined up just right and the square takes care of that.

Carl, it’s no secret that this is being built for a show with the theme “Naked Models”.  I have always thought the box to pics on these sets look cool and had thought of doing one had crossed my mind.  The show gave the idea that last push.  I am guessing the theme means all nekkid.  What’s the point in keeping your shoes on (nudge, nudge, wink, wink… know what I mean) so everything will have to be unpainted.

I have no idea how these are going to be judge.  To be honest, I wonder if they, those running the show, do too.  The sprue nubs are tough.  I’ve tried snipping with different clippers, chopped parts off the tree with a hobby knife and sawing them off with a JLC saw.  Sometimes they turn whites and sometimes they don’t.  Never had to give it a 2nd thought since all these little “things” that appear as you build would normally be covered with paint.  There are some fingerprints on a few of the brass. Mine wipe off with some alcohol or acetone no problem.  Some don’t and I think they are from the handlers or packagers and from the length of time they have been they have become permanent.  So that’s why I wonder what the judges are going to look at and take points off for.  

There are enough little imperfection of my own doing that I really don’t have high hopes.  But it show is an interesting project.  Really makes you think about getting things right.  Hopefully lessons learned will carry over to when I go back to painting (oh please… let that be soon)

Sorry for the long winded post but I am feely feisty this fine morning.

Andy... I say go for it.

Just great!!!  Now you have me thinking about doing a naked build one day... have a M16 multi gun with Voyager PE set.  Something I'd like to do one day... can't wait to see more of this.

Hey Marc , nice floor job man This model must be getting heavy by now , what with all of the brass . Are you going to leave the plastic unpainted also ? Just thinking about the sprue connection points that you sanded off , for me they always stand out even when sanded smooth .

Looking really "brassy" ....................