CarolsHusband

You are a sarcastic twat KY. Give it a go, you might be older than you think, Old man. Joking aside, it is a bit geeky but when you get started it is worthwhile. Even if it's just 30 mins here and there. All you gotta do is close the box lid when you've had enough. I only started because I found my 70's Tamiya catalogues clearing out my crap from my Dads place. Got inspired, got stuck in, glad I did. / living the dream. // TOTP

Thanks @locost_bryan, any ability I have is just practice and looking at that internet. It's a fun, cheap, pastime though.

No update update. Hopefully going to finish the Bergepanther this week, so brought this back in the latest van load. Been sat for probably 35 years, still in good nick and yup, gonna rust the poor thing to an early grave. Nicely detailed kit with lots of parts, should be fun. /pic Also, c'mon fellahs, is it really just gonna be me on here ?

@yoeddynz, you should start building it, your shed's big enough. That set-up in your video is pretty cool, 203 views now. Shigeyuki Mizuno is indeed a fellah and as you say, and a seriously skilled one. I was thinking about the whole super realism thing having looked at some stuff on the model forum and I reckon we get more demanding as we get older. As a kid you're happy to let your imagination fill in the gaps in your talent (or blank out the shag pile sticking through your train set rails). I think there's a ceiling to the realism, after that it's down to clever photography. I'm not a train person but was certainly impressed with Rod Stewarts layout.

Just me then ? Oh well, I should probably give up the modelling bit & just stick to sniffing the glue and thinners. It's nice. Got an hour in tonight, sunny weather & lots to do is not exactly helping. / pics Going back up-country again in a couple of days so will bring the 1/24 Caddy back & have a bash at that.

I've got a 59 Caddy coupe that I never started. I'm already looking at pics of abandoned ones to see where they crumble. /watch this space...

Thanks fullahs, you're too kind. @a.craw4d Not really a massive technique, I just had a look at what seemed really effective in youtube vids & on various sites, and just tried to copy them. The worn look (or chipping as it's known) is basically to show areas of paint that have been chipped off to the primer or even the metal. The metal will then rust if it's exposed to the elements. If you look at old lathes, presses etc in factories you'll get the idea. Some people seem to do it by actually layering the paint with a "chipping compound" and then physically removing the top layer with various methods. I've just gone for a bit of paint on top aiming for the same effect. Chose a colour that's what you think the primer would be, but that also contrasts with the top coat and the gently go at it with a small brush. Little by little build it up, thinking about what areas would get the most abuse. Edges of panels, damage, foot & hand holds. Fucking great holes from 88 mm shells. If you look at the dozer blade, the top coat is chipped the most, then the primer is exposed but the leading edge is bare metal. Real diggers look like this. The rust is showing under the primer but is worn off in the heavy use areas. The rust and rust streaking is just that, places that would be exposed or vertical surfaces where rusty water would run down. Practice, practice and take it steady... My top tips would be watch a load of youtube. "night shift" is a very skilled and informative bloke. Also get a pack of rust effect acrylics. Vallejo do a set which has many shades and is nice to use. Google "Shigeyuki Mizuno", that man knows rust. His bombed tank factory is amazing. The biggest lol of it all is that there's so much politics about over use of any technique. Armour, and indeed most metal from the 30' & 40's takes ages to rust. It certainly wouldn't be full of rust holes during the war. There's tanks on beaches in France that have got two tides a day since 1944 that aren't that rusty. Chipping looks great but too much just looks like a cartoon. It's all good though, and it should all be done to make the builder happy. There's no reason not to use it on cars though, and it'd probably look more realistic as you could have big rust holes. I'm looking forward to doing a rusty Hako at some point. Anyway, lecture over, thanks for your appreciation.

Thread dredge, thanks to @a.craw4d. Ok, so not 1/24, though I did build some & have a couple unmade somewhere. Models is models though 1/35 WW2 stuff was my thing. I had a break from the glue fumes for 30+ years but have got back into it recently. Pics of a few out of the loft... This is chopped down from the longer wheelbase version. Scratchbuilt fuel tank and tyre rack. You can buy the SWB one nowadays. Burned out Opel Anyway, times have moved on and skills displayed on that internet inspired me to get back into it. First bash was this Flak Half-track. Rushed it a bit and didn't really have my eye/hand in but it is what it is. Some bits I'm very pleased with, others not so much. Current build is the last kit I started before I lost interest in about 1990. It's a Bergepanther ARV. I gave up when the rear track idlers kept breaking off so back in the box it went. I'm now using it to practice my weathering & rust, hopefully it will be a bit more subtle than the half-track. I may even end up finishing it. As it was... Repainted it later dark yellow and am now slowly working through ageing it and trying to make it look like metal. So that's enough stupid big post from me, I'll add pics as it goes along. Hopefully I won't be alone on here. Sat on my own, cementing bits of plastic together, waiting for the world to laugh and point, wishing I was a tank commander. Vroom, vroom.

Brave. Good luck with it & tell those fullahs how to pronounce Hakosuka ffs.

Nice. I do like a MK2. Had a couple meself, one was a twink but the other was a pre-crossflow GT. I prefer them to the crossflow for no rational reason I can think of.

Ooh, update ? Nah, clickbait. Was tidying stuff out at my dads & found an aerial I had on loads of cars back in London. I probably bought it in about 86 as it was on my Imps. It also lived on two Granadas, the Consul, at least two Cortinas and ultimately, for that period of my life, the Marina I used as a getaway car when I headed for Wales. That got scrapped coz I had to crash that car, it but I kept the twig 'safe'in a damp box in a rat infested shed. Spent time messing about with it today and now it lives again on the Hilux. /Circle of life /pic Catch ya on the flip-flop.

/pics

Funnily enough, my mate who built a Discovery tipper offered to do the same for me. TBH I think that picture is about the angle where my chassis would snap in half. Light duties from now on.

Maybe.....

Well, that's me being a big fat liar. Next few months, my foot. Got one on me over the past couple of days & decided to go full Waltons spec. Pleased. Also,we may have a new contender for the paint. Bit struck by this from Chevy's 1972 range. /Would look mint with the slot mags.

It had crossed my mind to cut the pins off, but don't tell Michael.... To be honest it's probably never going to see any rain. Me from 30 years ago would disapprove but it's actually worth something and as you said, they can rust given any excuse. It's done really well at not doing so over the years. There is every chance I'm going to paint it at some point, the current colour is pretty odd and it's got quite a bit of micro blistering. If I fit the badge properly it won't come off in one piece, if I butcher it & fit it with badge tape I can remove it. * First world problems....

They actually don't. I thought they had them, on first inspection, "tang washers" is it ? They're just rubber/silicon o-rings to seal against the panel. The mounting is by the arrow-head type thingys much beloved of Japanese manufacturers. So I'm kind of on a guesstimate of what size hole to drill. Maybe I should work my way up or do trial fits on plasticard. So much responsibility. I thought raising a family & moving house was a worry......

......

Hack-oss-ka-nundrum. As we know, KY had an overwhelming fit of Good Cuntary and sorted me a new boot badge from Japan after I gorilla'd mine. To be fair, it was epoxied on so I didn't really stand a chance. First thing I noticed was that the new one had four mounting pins where as the old one was held on with double sided tape & glue. I assumed it was just an old badge that had got damaged so cleaned the old glue,etc off the boot to find the holes. No holes.... I had a check from behind, as well as i could through the holes in the frame and there is sign that they've been welded up or anything. All very strange. It looks like it's an earlier boot lid, but even then most of them seem to have a badge, even the 4 cylinder cars. Never mind, guess I just bite the bullet and drill holes in it. The badge just clicks in blind ( if I get the drill size right) which maybe explains why the original one got broken in the past as I can't see how you'd not break it trying to get it off. Better get me some brave pills and a decent ruler. Gulp.

Righto, this might be the last update for the moment as it's about as finished as it's going to be for a while. Try and stifle your relief. The tub is sold. Got 400 quid for it which is better than a kick in the nuts. Better make the thing roadworthy again. Because of virus I can't get Steve to do the welding so nuts & bolts it is... Sanded the chassis & got a bit of paint on. Shiny. Chopped the ends off the box section, Painted & bolted down, mocked up the bed frame Run out of excuses to do the electrics so gave it a bash. I don't really get it but how hard can it be ? This was about the time I went in and had some food before I lost the plot & ruined it. One of Carol's pizza's & an ice cream later and I finished the job... They don't all come on at the same time normally, I'm not that useless. Liberated a pile of 1" roofing boards from my Dads barn, pretty fucked but did the first layer side to side & the top layer front to back. It's good & sturdy. Gonna add some tie down rings at some point. Good enough for the moment, would like a hoop, etc, but we're moving soon so I'm going to have to learn proper welding before that happens. Hopefully have a bit more in a few months. Chur.

Yeah, that's what I thought. Seems like a good fix. Saw some fabbed out of steel too, but it doesn't need any more rustable parts.

Or I could buy these.... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Saco-Billet-Aluminum-Ball-Joint-Frame-To-King-And-Link-Pin-Axle-Beam-Adapters-/283478593188

Thanks man Was planning to give it a bit of stick off road, not much point in living at the beach and not using your beach buggy. Sooo..... Looks like I'll be getting my current pan shortened, or starting a new plan.

Dub advice needed from dubbers plz, paging @63Ragtop & @64valiant maybe ? My shortened floorpan that I'm using for the Beach Buggy is originally a ball joint front end, my donor beam is a link pin type. In my innocence I assumed that I could just swap the beams but a mate has put a doubt in my mind. I can't find an answer on that internet (though I may not be using it correctly). Anybody know facts ? If they are a different fitting is it possible to adapt ? Chur

Pesky meeces. You may remember that my centre console lid got molested by vermin while I was neglecting my car. I've been pondering various solutions to avoid the obvious option of buying a new one. Lightbulb moment.... ( googles "Does VHT wrinkle finish work on plastic ?"). Youtube says "yes". Though I'd give it a bash and if it melts then I'll just go for plans B, C & D; namely cover it, make one out of wood or cast one in clear resin with Sakura in it. Anyway, it went like this... Fire up the P38 Bit of sanding First coat to see if I got it all I didn't. So more filler. Sorted. I've no idea if it's going to last, I'm gonna bake it in the sun for a few days and seal it with some satin lacquer if it seems unstable. Tightened the front wheel bearings as well, no pics though. /coz it's just wheel bearings.