"The Hunters GB" (2/1/08 to 6/1/08)

My 100mbps is the max speed (wich has never happened)....in actuality it's only about 70.

I did size them down to 1024x768, should load faster now

Looks great from where I'm sitting!  Can't wait to see more!

I ordered an Eduard Grill Screen set for my Tamiya StuG III G.  As soon as those arrive, this hunter is ready for paint! 

I'm still waiting for the PE grill screens to get here so I can paint the StuG.  I went ahead and sprayed all the road wheels a mix of flat black with a touch of gray (80% XF-1 Flat Black, 20% XF-54 Dark Sea Gray).  Later today I'll spray some XF-60 Dark Yellow on the centers using a drafting template. 

espins1 wrote:

I'm still waiting for the PE grill screens to get here so I can paint the StuG.  I went ahead and sprayed all the road wheels a mix of flat black with a touch of gray (80% XF-1 Flat Black, 20% XF-54 Dark Sea Gray).  Later today I'll spray some XF-60 Dark Yellow on the centers using a drafting template.

How do you contend with the fact that the template is not an exact match?  Do you put your wheels on toothpicks placed into foam, spray and go to the next?  Do you have to clean the template between sprays?  How do you rotate to paint the reverse side?

ps1scw wrote:

espins1 wrote: I'm still waiting for the PE grill screens to get here so I can paint the StuG.  I went ahead and sprayed all the road wheels a mix of flat black with a touch of gray (80% XF-1 Flat Black, 20% XF-54 Dark Sea Gray).  Later today I'll spray some XF-60 Dark Yellow on the centers using a drafting template.  How do you contend with the fact that the template is not an exact match?  Do you put your wheels on toothpicks placed into foam, spray and go to the next?  Do you have to clean the template between sprays?  How do you rotate to paint the reverse side?

Good Questions:

1. How do you contend with the fact that the template is not an exact match?  First, I tack all the unassembled roadwheels and return rollers down to wide strips of masking tape.  I find the template hole that is the closest match, going with one that is slightly bigger as opposed to slightly smaller.  I tape off all the holes around the one I'm using so I don't accidentally get overspray on the other wheels.  I use my small paint jar as opposed to my open cup as I try to spray vertically straight down.  Now, if there is a bit of overspray onto the black rubber wheels because the template hole is a bit bigger, you can fix the overspray using one of two methods.  One of them is to take a thinned mix of the black/gray paint, use a small brush, then just touch the edge where the rubber and steel meet.  The surface tension of the thinned paint will suck it right along the edge and cover the dark yellow overspray.  The other method is similar, but using a black oil wash.  Works like a champ.
2. Do you put your wheels on toothpicks placed into foam, spray and go to the next?  No, I leave them un assembled, and tack them down to strips of masking tape.
3. Do you have to clean the template between sprays?  I haven't run into any problems yet, so no. 
4. How do you rotate to paint the reverse side?  If it's necessary to do the back sides, I simply wait until the paint is cured, flip them over and repeat the process.

I will post some pics to which will help show what I have explained above. 

After noticing that I had alot of shiny spots on my M10 and the gear stowage, I fixed it.  Ended up using a flat clear coat.  Fixed both of the problems.  The other being I used the wrong pigment color.  Would have got these finished pics up earlier but my job had long hours this last week, and painting a 1:1 scale wissota street stock.  As always comments and constructive critism welcome. 

Any help as to techniques on painting gear stowage will be most welcome.

thanks

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Hey, nifty looking M10 there!

ps1scw - if you get a circle template that's extensive enough with it's size range, very seldom do you encounter a wheel radius that doesn't exactly fit. I've been using mine for a couple of years now, and the DML Panther I just did was the first time I didn't have an exact match. There's virtually no chance of not finding a smaller wheel size (than the Panther) in a good template.

dupes wrote:

Hey, nifty looking M10 there! ps1scw - if you get a circle template that's extensive enough with it's size range, very seldom do you encounter a wheel radius that doesn't exactly fit. I've been using mine for a couple of years now, and the DML Panther I just did was the first time I didn't have an exact match. There's virtually no chance of not finding a smaller wheel size (than the Panther) in a good template.

Thanks, My DML Panther A was to be my first try with the template and I was a bit discouraged.  It's nice to know that it'll work w/other kits. (hopefully a Panzer IV, lots and lots of wheels)

Yeah, I know there's a spot-on match to Pz.IV wheels on most templates (did a Hornisse recently). Must be a standard metric radius or something. Makes doing it a snap.

Actually, think I have a picture...this took about 20 minutes. Both sides!

Tigerman

Yeah, I kind of went a little over board on the rust.  First time using the rust color from Gunze.  By the time I finished it was alittle to much.  What would you recommend for the dry brushing colors? 

Thanks for the complements everyone

Brews - Interesting contrast between the two, look forward to the rest.

espins1 - Scott, nice clean build so far, and as usual, top notch photography! And thanks yet again for taking the time to explain your methods :)

Slightly Altered - Great job so far, ditto on the mantle job.

panzer88 - That looks REAL nice, a beast indeed... love the weathering job!

Hermesminiatures - I actually LIKe the chipping effect in this case; I have seen many builds (armor and a/c) in which the chipping is "carried away" and ends up as LARGE area/coverage chips. in your case, looks like a LOT of chipping but functional chipping (I hope the description makes sense!).

moose421 - Really nice M10... Good job on the decals, they look painted on.

Wow lads, WOW. So much quality, so many superlatives.

Moose, and anyone else who could help. How did you get the Brass look to your shells? Or were they brass. Ive looked at the Alclad range and they dont appear to have 'Brass'

...Guy

Hey guys,

Just an FYI, my Marder and I haven't disappeared.  I'm just waiting for an extended period of warm weather so I can paint the bad boy.  It was warm over the weekend, but then the usual outdoor spring chores were calling.  Hopefully I can hit it with the Dunkelgelb this weekend since I'm getting antsy with it sitting on the bench in subassemblies, assuming winter doesn't make a return. (as the weathermen are predicting )

But you all are making amazing progress this far, great job all!

JMart wrote:

Hermesminiatures - I actually LIKe the chipping effect in this case; I have seen many builds (armor and a/c) in which the chipping is "carried away" and ends up as LARGE area/coverage chips. in your case, looks like a LOT of chipping but functional chipping (I hope the description makes sense!).

That's what I was trying to do, glad you like it!

I like the M10, moose. I did that a few years ago when I was just getting started...didn't look quite as good as yours though

Luftwoller    The shells were brass,  armoscale if I remember right.

Hermesminiatures  Thanks for the complement,  You guys have helped me with problem areas and make me strive to build better quality models

Thanks Again

Thanks for the kind words on the StuG guys. Got a little update. Been adding a couple pieces of photo etch lately. Should add to the overall look of the 'ol tank buster.

Absolutely great work going on in this GB guys.

Dale 

Thanks Tigerman, the brackets were easier to assemble than I expected actually. Just over-bent them and when the upright braces went into place they opened to the proper angles.

Dale 

Dale - that's a lot of PE...is there much more to go on there? Looks good!

Kind of surprised, now that I think of it, that you primed before you added all the metal bits. Are you going to re-prime with those in place? 

Dale,

That StuG looks really sweet with all that PE.  I normally just build OOB, but you guys are tempting me...

My Su-100 is coming along slowly, I've got a basecoat of paint and some Future on it, so its ready for decals, but haven't had time in the last couple of weeks to even think about working on it.  I did come up with a pretty good idea for a dio to put it in though. 

 Jeff

I'm still waiting to clear up some pending builds (3 hopefully this weeked) to start on the Hetzer.  I did open the box though....

Dale-I agree-your StuG looks good.

   Dale great job so far, will you be adding zimm to this? Love all that PE!

   To all you other guy's great work!

Another imageless update. Got the MiG pigments and tried them out on my 1:72 Dragon Su-100. The pigments worked a charm and look great. I have nutted out a base now and have found the required accessories in my "bits" box. Just need to mix up some Celluclay and lay down the groundwork. 

The accompanying Armourfast 1:72 Su-85M wargaming build is completed and based now. I used Tamiya spray can "Nato Green" as a base and drybrushed Vallejo German field grey as a highlight. It also received a wash of oils and some detail painting as required. That is as far as I will go with these wargaming pieces as they will be handled each and every time during a game. Any extra detailing and paintwork would be wasted. I have 18 x T-34/85's, 6 x T-34/76's, 4 ISU-152's and another Su-85M to paint yet. Troops??......well....yes...

Cheers

Mike 

Thanks again guys Very much appreciated.

Dupes, believe it or not there is still quite a bit of PE work left to go. The entire framework for the Shurzen is PE. More fittings, latches, entire exhaust shield (??) under the tail. It's a pretty extensive re-work set for this 'ol Imperial Series kit.  The main reason primer went on before the PE work was to show the PE additions better during the build pics. I am going to re-prime before pre shading and color. Just liked the pics with all that silver sitting on there

No zimm planned for this one Panzerguy, unfortunatly. The PE set sorta hit the expense level for the build, and I wasn't comfortable trying home made waffle zimm. There's a couple more StuG builds in the works. At least one of which will have Atak zimm. 

More to come

Dale 

Luftwoller wrote:

Wow lads, WOW. So much quality, so many superlatives. ...