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gorby
I think you win this weeks prize for most heavy duty modelling tool. 😄
Looks a very interesting conversion.

Lenny Li
I think that kind of set up can tool a real bogie!!

Neuling
Watching .....................

Jakko ‌
> I think you win this weeks prize for most heavy duty modelling tool. 😄

Probably, yeah 🙂 It's a metalworking lathe, so a bit overkill for just turning down the seam on those wheels, but I didn't feel like aching fingers from scraping them down with a knife — I get those even when I hold them in a modelling vice, never mind just between my fingers.

> that kind of set up can tool a real bogie!!

Having seen a disassembled Sherman bogie up close, I must say I think this one is a size too small for that 😉

Ben M
👀 fascinating vehicle.

Mr D
Looking good, weld's coming on nice 👍

Ben M
How did you hold the wheels in the lathe?

Jakko ‌
@Mr D: that's not the welds yet, it's just the filler needed to plug the gaps 🙁 I'm still debating how to add all the weld seams.

@Ben M: An M2 screw, about 2 cm long, through the hole in the wheel, with a nut to tighten it. It needs to be fairly tight else chances are the wheel will stop as soon as the chisel hits it. On Asuka two-piece wheels, you need to do this before assembling the parts, because the hole on the piece to be glued in is smaller than on the part that has the tyre moulded on it.

Ben M
Thank you, I can envision the setup. I have a small lathe and arthritis in my hands, this technique could help me a lot. Thanks!

Mr D
Regarding weld's l have seen super glue used through a fine tip, you need steady hand n move in pattern to create weld.
Sorry l was looking at the resin 🤔🤣.
Good stuff be keeping eye
On progress 👍👍

Jakko ‌
@Ben M: What also works is a modeller's vice. Clamp the wheel in that, scrape down the seam with a straight knife over a third or so of the wheel, then unclamp and turn it, and repeat. If I scrape more than about two or three wheels by hand, my fingers ache enough that I have to stop, so the vice helps a lot. But you also get a lot of plastic scrapings all over your modelling area, so this time, I figured I'd put those in someone else's hobby room instead for a change 😉

@Mr D: Hahaha! The ones on the resin were put there by Resicast 🙂 But I'll now have to make ones that look similar, or at least not out of place next to them. I'm thinking a thin string of two-part epoxy, textured with a sharp tool.

gorby
I've just seen an Uncle Nightshift vid on adding weld seams:
Youtube Video

Jakko ‌
Thanks for that.

Mr D
Good video 👍, the finish on the flat plate work looks authentic, l think it's had better rough cast look from the brush stippling before he added the putty coat.
Good idea on the weld , epoxy putty best as regular epoxy levels out again.

Jakko ‌
I've begun to add the weld seams now — see photo 23 🙂 Basically, Magic Sculp two-part epoxy putty that I mixed up a very small amount of, then took even smaller amounts from that and rolled it as thin as I could in my hand before pressing it into the join between the parts. Getting it to stick there is tricky, especially once I began texturing it with the tip of a knife — it wants to adhere to skin and steel much better than to plastic, unfortunately 🙁 But with a bit of perseverance it does eventually stick.

Pietro De Angelis
Fantastic work, congrats!

David Taylor
really coming along.

Jakko ‌
Thanks 🙂

Robert Podkoński
I see some heavy duty equipment here and a lot of elbow grease... Good job so far, Jakko! Keep it up!

Jakko ‌
Thanks, though this is fairly straightforward. The most difficult part was finding a good way to curve the splash plates, really.

Pepe
Looking

gorby
You're doing some excellent work on this.

Jakko ‌
Thanks 🙂

Guy Rump
Looking great, following. 👍

Jakko ‌
Cool, nice to have you along 🙂

Mr D
Taking shape now, the green welding joints are looking a better medium.
Interesting to see an adaptation taking place of the original.
Thanks for your posts, good to see steps
👍👍👍

Jakko ‌
Thanks. TBH, I don't really care to look at photos of finished models — I much prefer seeing how they got to be that way, after which the finished pics make sense 🙂 So I post in-progress photos instead of only what it looks like at the end.

Ben M
Looks great, what an interesting subject. I enjoy your in progress photos.

My favorite bit is the martini glass holder up there on the bridge.

Mr D
Hi Jakko👋
Very nice... great job, thanks for the uploads....be interesting to watch progress.
Like it 😁👍👍

Robert Podkoński
Great job, Jakko! You're a master!

Jakko ‌
Thanks, guys 🙂

> I enjoy your in progress photos.

Speaking for myself, I much prefer looking at how a model was built, than how it looks when it's finished 🙂

> My favorite bit is the martini glass holder up there on the bridge.

I take it you mean the No. 19 set 'B' aerial …

David Taylor
Brill.

Jakko ‌
Thanks 🙂

Guy Rump
Great job! 👍

Jakko ‌
Thank you too 🙂

Ben M
Wow, that took a lot of work. Great result, and such an interesting vehicle. I wonder how many of these conversion kits actually get built!

Mr D
Brilliant 👌 Well done a nice custom model 👍👍
All the work paid off now 👍👍

Jakko ‌
Thanks 🙂 It did take a good while, but I'm pretty happy with how it came out. And I agree with Ben, you have to wonder how many people actually build extensive resin conversion kits these days … they're definitely not for the modeller who just wants to put the parts together.

FWIW, I also have Resicast's Sherman V DD and Terrapin (both complete kits) in my stash, which will probably be even more work 🙂

Ben M
I've looked at an m33 conversion for an m3 along with a resin gun to go behind it but honestly builds like this convince me to save my money; I'm not likely to ever build it and it'd just sit in my stash. I like to spend money on things I'll actually build.

I can just vicariously enjoy builds like this! I also really enjoyed your CDL build, all the corrections you did to it were really amazing. I like how deeply you research these things.

Ben M
Don't prime? Not even with my beloved tamiya?

Michael Kohl
Hi Ben. The engravings of this kit are so delicate that they loose depth with the application of primer to such an extent that panellining becomes quite tricky. I would continue to prime models where this doesn't seem to be an issue but modern airliners or small scale models with such fine engravings I will try to do without. I suppose propper surface preparation and use of colors with more 'bite' than acrylics would be a good idea to avoid issues with paint adhesion.

Petar Žorić
Not priming a model with fine shallow lines is a great idea. I would guess if you use stronger lacquer based paints its not an issue. Will try this on my next model with fine lines! Awesome progress BTW looks really good!

Ben M
Tamiya makes "fine surface primer" I think for this application. I find it does not level as well as the regular product though.

Michael Kohl
Almost done. Now I have to adjust the shine. Even with the use of flat clear from Mr. Hobby the paint appears too shiny. Afraid to use AK Ultra Matt as this will be as matt as matt can be and thus maybe a bit too much. Then painting the radon and mounting the exhausts.

Michael Kohl
I was cheerfully positive to finish this bird today. But the gods of modelling had other plans. After removing the canopy masks I discovered an area where paint/varnish has crept under the edge and marred the inside. Shit. But I will live with it. Then I recalled that the seals of the canopy were still to be done. A quick freehand job seemed to be a sure road to regret and disappointment. So I was in for another round of masking. Painting will follow tomorrow- hopefully.

Patrick Hagelstein
What the…! How could I miss this??? Beautiful! 👍🏼

bughunter
Built in a week? Holy moly, great workl 👍
@Ben The finest Primer I know are the MRP ones. It is thinner than many paints! On plastic I still prefer Alclad with micro filler, but the MRP sticks better on resin.

Ben M
Thanks! I'll see next time I'm at the hobby shop if they have MRP stuff. I have always found tamiya primer to stick to anything but I don't like how the fine surface primer can pool and not level.

This phantom one thing I'm really enjoying are the striped metallic portions showing the ribs. It's very well done. And I see lots of great surface detail despite the Mr surfacer.

Mainstream
I agree it's a weird announcement, but i think it's a real one.
Ronny Bar seems to be responsible for the profiles of the decal variants.
That is also the reason why I think this is a first-class kit

Kasper Teunissen
As far as I know this is ran by the guy who formerly ran the european store for aviattic. I think they had a falling out so now he's relaunching without aviattic items. Hence the ww1 focus and stock of gaspatch etc. The kit will likely be resin. As for the website I think quite a lot of AI generated images are used throughout which doesn't help but the guy and store are legit if my assumption is right.

Markus Antonius
Just read the latest newsletter from Richard (Aviattic Ltd.), which confirmed my concerns about Gothaforce, a shady company that should not be supported in any way.

Andrea Brenco
Agree, Markus!

Doubtingmango
Love that camo!

Eelco Gregoire
Mooi pitje Sid! Het ziet er allemaal weer top uit.

Sid de Koning
Thanks guys!

John
Beautiful Spit, Sid. Love the paintjob and details. Looks like Eduard couldn't decide between A and B camo but you caught it.

Rui S
Looking Great 👍