Paint it Black!

Paint it Black - not the old classic song by the Rolling Stones, but something model related. Been able to progress on a few projects since my last post. Although not a Finish Friday project three Shelf Queens were chosen as they all form part of a bigger project which as you may have guessed is also a Shelf Queen! However in the interests of moving matters forward and taking account that if I started the three at once then one job I do not like would only have to be done once and that is cleaning the airbrush after priming them. Having 'sacrificed' one or two airbrushes over the years by my laziness of assuming that if you leave thinner in the cup than all will be well when you come back six weeks later, I am now somewhat more diligent and my wallet somewhat less thin! Moving more across to acrylic paints has also helped in that water seems to clean out the residues as well as any airbrush cleaner if you do it straight after finishing spraying. Anyway, the three Shelf Queens, in no particular order, are:

The Dapol windmill kit CO16 (previously Airfix) and if you are wondering it is motorised and more of that later. However the good guys across at Budget Model Railways (always worth a look to see what they are up to) on YouTube did a video on how to motorise it if you are interested. Video is here - Tutorial Tuesday Episode 3 - How To Motorise A Dapol Windmill Kit.

The Wills Scenic Series Barn Kit ref. SS30 for 00 Gauge.

And finally the Emhar 5001 MkIV "Male" Heavy Battle Tank in 1.72 scale.

I used, for the first time, Vallejo black primer that I bought in a 200ml bottle for about £10 (UK price) which, for what you got, seemed good value. Having now sprayed it I can say it worked well for me and it does indeed "Paint it Black" so I will be using it again. Here are the three Shelf Queens now basking in their new colour.

 More to come on progress with these but anyone wanting a Volvo fix I can report that it is not back on the shelf and although progress has slowed it now has its full body kit. Just waiting with the side skirts as I am in two minds as to whether to fit them. I will ponder but leave you with the latest Volvo FH 16 pictures.

Hmmmm! That white looks - well white! Think it will need toning down a bit!

 

VW means Volvo Weathered!

No doubt upset some VW fans with the title to this post but yes, whilst the weather may have been cold outside over the weekend the weathering inside was a much warmer affair. The chassis of the Italeri Volvo FH-16 saw some further weathering from the airbrush and the application of some washes to further tone down that bright blue chassis. The fuel tank was also installed having been modified with some new straps and chassis mounting brackets. I never got to the bottom of why the tank as supplied and instructed in the instructions just would not fit. More than likely that it is my ineptitude or misreading or both but the problem has been solved - the fuel tank mounting not my ineptitude or inability to understand instructions. My wife would agree with that last part and probably the first too! Anyway on the chassis front the rear lights and French registered number plate have been added (it is left hand drive so unlikely to be a British truck) and at the front, the lower panel with lights and blank number plate has been added. You may be wondering why the matching number plate has not been added. There lies a tale of old decals! Whilst the first applied yellow backed number plate for the rear went on without issue the front white backed number plate from these ten or so year old decals split into a thousand pieces. I forgot about the fragility of old decals and should have put a coat of varnish on them or some decal save solution before soaking them - lesson learnt - just have to find some more suitable decals in my stock. A few more pictures of the chassis and as with any build the obligatory balancing of other parts on it to see how the whole model will look. As always you can click on the picture to open it up and see it at full size.

That cab will certainly need some toning down!

On the 009 layout some grassing has taken place. With the basic landscape formed its the perfect base to start the scenic activities and there is something very satisfying about turning baron plaster into something that looks (hopefully!) green and lush. Part of the landscape was painted with PVA and then hanging basket liner was pressed into it with the backing side left exposed and left to dry over night. Once torn off the results were mixed. One part had stuck well the other not so well with bald patches resembling a scale representation of my lawn!

 

I should have painted one coat onto the plaster and left it to dry and seal the surface before applying a second coat and basket liner. Lesson learnt again! However not all was lost as my intention had always been to use some static grass on top of the liner to give that rough grass look of an embankment where it was not mown or cultivated. After trimming the liner (a bit like shaving stubble) and getting rid of the bits of string and other odd fibers that come with it a pleasant hour or so was spent with a mixture of fibers and the static grass applicator. I ended up with this - still more to do but it is getting there and progress is being made. Just hope it continues! 

Finish it Friday

I am guessing that most modelers have them - a model or two or even more that sit on a shelf or in a box just waiting for a few small jobs to finish them. I have to admit with the number I have I probably bump up any averaging calculation by an immense amount. However with today being Friday and there being no such thing as Model Kit SOS (now there's an idea for a TV show!) I thought it about time to start lowering that average with a 'Finish it Friday' project. The lucky recipient for todays attention  was a Revell 1/25 scale Kenworth Dump Truck kit number 07406. I built this back in about 2015 and for some reason never got round to adding some steps and ladders to the chassis and tipper body and applying some final transfers or are they now decals - shows my age! Anyway for reasons that probably made some sense to me at the time the truck went on a shelf and the steps and decals hung around the work bench for nearly 5 years including surviving the work bench moving without being lost! Today in little less than an hour the steps were added and the decals applied. Job done - well almost - just have to straighten the CB aerial that I see to have knocked and only just noticed as I uploaded the photographs! Oh well! 

From the point of view of the kit it certainly is not the best and shows its origins from the 80's. There are only half formed brake cylinders so if you look inside the chassis there are just holes where the rest of the cylinders should be. The tyres do not sit on the wheel rims very well. As with most kits with vast amounts of chromed parts the designers always seem to have the part attached to the spru so that when removed the loss of the chrome is very visible. However for all of its faults it still builds up into an impressive truck with that full on American look. No weathering (apart from a dilute wash of balck on the radiator grill) as these guys keep their rigs uber clean in real life.

On the Volvo front there has been some movement. Unlike the Kenworth dump truck above the Volvo FH 16 will be showing evidence of a working life where cleaning is something for the outside bits like the cab and side skirts. The chassis is being treated to some airbrushing, washes and weathering at the moment. Still more to do but there is progress.

Whether next week will se another 'Finish it Friday' is uncertain but at least there is now one less model awaiting! Do you have any models in a similar situation? Let me know in the comments section.

  

A well belated start to this blog!

Well this should have started in January 2018. For all sorts of reasons it didn't, which is probably more down to me putting off until tomorrow!

Why am I doing this? Mostly as a diary. Looking at models I have built over the years I begin that thought process of when did I make that? In my case it is probably more when did I start that - I am a great one for starting projects but not too good at finishing. Too many distractions of new projects! However if anyone is reading this and what comes after I hope it is of some interest? I know I find reading other peoples blogs interesting and in many cases inspirational.

So as an introduction here are some of my current projects.

The 1/24 scale Italeri Volvo FH16 Globetrotter. Retrieved from the loft, I started this in October 2019. Bought as a part built glue bomb on eBay some years ago (can't remember when but do remember it was only £10) the engine and chassis had been built and had to be unpicked and is now at the stage of the chassis and engine almost complete and the cab interior waiting to go into the cab and then the finishing touches. No major modifications apart from trying to put a more accurate cab underside in place. The photos below probably explain better then my words do!

Italeri T34/84 in 1/35 scale. A Christmas present that I started in early January 2020. My Dad died in late January so it has been on one side like most of my projects as I deal with all the usual matters following such an event. The kit itself has an engine and interior and I have got as far as having completed the lower hull with those parts installed and weathered Again pictures explain better.

Lastly for this first post there is my 009 layout. Baseboard built at the start of the lockdown and track laid and initial scenery started. The idea is that there will be a second matching board. The initial board will have some a quarry served by a siding. Not an imaginative design but I do enjoy on occasions just watching trains go round - something very therapeutic! Hopefully this will continue yo progress faster than my normal glacial speed! In the meantime here is a picture.

Today's modelling will be painting the fuel tank for the Volvo and some old Triang fencing that I found in my box of railway bits which will hopefully find a home on the 009 layout - must think!of a name for it!