Getting tooled up!

On a rainy day like it has been today you would think I would just make myself comfortable in my Man Cave and get on with building models. However, it never works out like that! A day tooling myself up for doing household jobs that Mrs. Woody had visons on being completed took most of the day up but I did at least start the process of 'tooling up' the Tiger 1 along with its tow cables. Once I had studied the instructions, I was delighted to find that Dragon offer a set of tools within the kit that already have their fastening clasps to the hull moulded in place with the tool. This means that I don't have to struggle with the brass etched parts even though I have already made some of them! Delightful! 

With a sense of relief the relevant tools and cables have been primed in black ready for detailed painting.

Once that is done the Tiger will really be tooled up once they are glued in place as long as Mrs. W doesn't want me tooled up for further household jobs!

And the number is 112!

Before I can do any further weathering to the Tiger 1 build I need to add the decals and some other parts. Those 'other parts' can wait until after the decals though! Not many to do but with the Zimmerit coating on the turret and hull with its rough texture any application would need some assistance to get the decals to mould themselves to the contours under them. Enter Micro Sol and Mirco Set - two of the 'must haves' in model making

With these you can soften the decal to conform to the texture under it and it does work as these photos show.

More numbers now - just two though! They are 6 and 20 which are the dates in October that bring this years season at the Rocks By Rail Museum to an end. I put out the banners yesterday evening and it struck me that it does not seem all that long ago I was putting the first out for the this years events.

Lastly, one of those strange things that I see on my bike rides. This morning, despite all the rain and reports of flooding, this was the scene at the local canal!

No doubt there are a number of reasons for this but 112 will not be one of them!

Uncared for - just like me!

After seeing things being smartened up with a coat of paint at the Rocks By Rail Museum earlier this week you would think that I would be influenced to smarten some of my things up with a fresh coat of paint. Mrs. Woody certainly has a list of painting jobs for me but I have decided to against the flow! The Tiger 1 tank looked in showroom condition but I have started the process of rusting up parts. The exhausts have been subject to paint and weathering powders and look suitably uncared for - just like me!

I have also attacked the spare track links on the turret with the same treatment.

Still more to do but each session brings a little more character to this build. Strange that you have to work so hard to make something look uncared for!

The painting bug!

Having not gone to the Rocks By Rail Museum last week due to the kitchen rebuild escapades I ventured in yesterday knowing that things will have changed - they always do! First off one of the steam locos, Andrew Barclay 1391, is now in the restoration shed with work starting on its re-tubing. It ran out of what is termed as 'ticket' in July so needs work doing to it so that it passes an inspection to gain a fresh 10 year ticket - hopefully before next years season starts!

And the work has indeed started with Richard in the cab dismantling various components. At least the Museum has some volunteers who know what they are doing, unlike me!

An interesting stack of wood has appeared as well - wonder where that came from? Oh yes! My kitchen ceiling! John was delighted when I arrived - almost as though it was his Birthday and Christmas rolled into one!

Meanwhile, in the exhibition centre, the Shark brake van has now filled the space left by the steam loco. Hopefully it will now dry out ready for another overhaul which will involve a lot of woodwork and painting.

Talking of painting, Pete and Pam have been busy with the Sundew cab which is looking very smart as it gets painted with that cream top coat.

And the painting bug is catching with Martin now painting the dragline excavator!

For me, it was another day of battling the ever growing grass and vegetation! At least as Winter comes that should take a break and maybe I will catch the painting bug and smarten something up!

Dimmed lighting!

 It is time to start painting in some details on the Tiger 1 tank and I have started with the turret mounted spare track links. An initial coat of  Vallejo Rust paint will be a base for further rust treatment.

Painting the details takes a while just like the finishing painting details in the WMD kitchen rebuild. However, after dark, with the lights on, which hides those areas still to paint, it does look good! 

And with the under unit lighting only it looks even better - just like me in dimmed lighting!

Mrs. Woody is really happy with it and thinks it is now the ideal place for me to prepare her meals! Something not quite right with that but I guess just don't say anything is the best thing!

Recycling!

 A fruitful day at WMD today! Unusual but nice!

First off the Tiger 1 has had the third element of its camouflage added in the form of the red brown paint which adds greatly to the character of the tank.

Still lots to do such as adding the tools, tow ropes, hatches and weathering the hull and turret but I am really pleased so far!

Adding t the pleased list is that I have cleared most of the remnants of the kitchen rebuild with the scrap metal having gone off to the recyclers and my bank account added to from the proceeds. No doubt Mrs. Woody has plans to spend that!

And the wood from the ceiling has been trimmed to size to fit in my car to take down to Rocks By Rail Museum where it will be used as the new cab floor for Mr. D. I do like recycling!

Tracking onto painting!

With all the Tiger 1 wheels 'polished' it was time to fit them and the tracks.

The problem with the rubber band type tracks is that they do not sag like real tracks. However a few drops of superglue on certain wheel rims and things looked more tank like!

With the tracks on I tracked onto the camouflage painting. Starting with the green, the airbrush was loaded and a pleasant half hour or so saw the paint applied. The brown will come next. However, the Tiger takes on yet another look just with that first green applied.

 

I'm happy with that! Time to track onto the brown paint!

Polishing the tracks!

Things move on a pace with the Tiger 1 build. The turret is now in its dark yellow base coat.

 

When added to the hull it really looks the part especially as I temporarily fitted the wheels and tracks.

Before I can permanently fit the wheels and tracks I need to do a bit more work on them. The Tiger 1 had metal rimmed running wheels so where these came into contact with the tracks both surfaces in dry weather would take on a polished look. The same with the drive wheel teeth. So it was time to polish the tracks, oh and the wheels!

Choosen product was MIG pigment in gun metal that gives a subtle look of polished metal.

Applied with a small brush and cotton bud the pigment was run around the parts of the track where tthe running wheels would come into contact.

The teeth of the drive sprockets were also done as are the rims of the running wheels. There are a lot of wheels to do on this tank!

The WMD film crew  have even videoed the process and its available here as your new cure for insomnia!

Several steps forward!

After yesterdays step back, today sees several steps forward with the Tiger 1 tank build.

With the hull already in its base coat of dark yellow it was a good time to add some muck and weathering where the wheels and tracks go before these were fitted. As it will end up as Tiger based somewhere around the Normandy area of France in early 1944 if the painting guide in the instructions is correct, it is likely that the terrain it drove over would be muddy leading to the underside of the tank also becoming muddy. 

My favoured product to recreate that gritty muddiness is an acrylic product from MIG that has a grainy texture to it.

 

What I did not realise is that I have had the product so long that the half of it left in the container had almost dried out. Not one to waste things if there is a way around the issue I poured some acrylic paint thinner into the container and then used a knife blade to work it into the semi dried out product - and guess what? It actually worked!

With a useable product a stiff brush was used to apply the product to mimic the build up of mud. I concentrated especially on the areas where the tracks would throw up mud.

Once dry, I airbrushed some  earth coloured paint over both the mud as well as the underside of the hull to create that dirt layer that covers this type of vehicle.

It is going to also get some weathering powder treatment but overall I am pleased with that. Certainly a step forward!

The turret has also been undergoing some more painting with almost all of it now primed so it will soon be time for a top coat which will be another step forward!

Taking a step back!

 

Sometimes you can get caught up in something which, when you actually take a step back, makes little sense! That is how I am feeling about the five hours I have spent on getting these four brass etched assemblies made and glued in place on the Tiger turret in the picture above. Looking at them I have a sense of some achievement in actually having been able to put these tiny things together but there is also an awful lot of frustration at the time it has taken and will I or anyone else actually notice them once painted and weathered?

However, as an old boss of mine used to say, 'We are where we are!' so forget about this occasion but next time I am dealing with tiny frustrating parts I will try to take a step back sooner!