Whats Lying on your Workbench MK IV

[Thom]

And out of tape and carboard! Doubly impressive!

[GMK]

More work on my soon-to-be-printed Boxer 8x8:

Adding detail to the lower hull in advance of the suspension. 
The suspension itself promises to be a bit of a journey. 

Wheels & tyres are just place holders for the moment. 
 

 

[MechTech]

@GMK Your Boxer is looking great! The details will make it look more authentic too!

 

I got some work done this weekend on the diorama and armored car.

The first step was to make the shell casings look more authentic. I pulled them up one at a time as I processed them to ensure they all went back as I originally arranged them.

1. First step, clean therm up and then polish them.

2. Second step was to clean up the residue with isopropyl.

3. Third step was to lacquer them with clear nail polish.

4. I used some leftover powder from a tiny Estes rocket engine (black powder) and put just a bit in the shell casing mouth and ignited it. Instant powder burns on the casings!

5. CAREFULLY glue them all back in one at a time. Yes, they look shiny, but will still become a little dull over time.

I did the same thing with the muzzle break. I filled it full of powder and ignited it. Combined with the char from a lighter, it too now has powder burns on it. then I sealed it in a clear matt coating.

The decals are now drying on the tank. Not many at all.

I thought drilling-out three of the rockets in the robot's shoulders would look more realistic, so I did that too. I need to touch up the paint now too.

That's it for this week. I'm trying to get this done before the new year. My two-month project is way over my estimated time - just like a real military project in development! Thanks for checking in! - MT

 

 

[Thom]

Yeah, what is it, @MechTech, 2 months by a factor of 3?😄

[pengbuzz]

5 hours ago, Thom said:

Yeah, what is it, @MechTech, 2 months by a factor of 3?😄

That, or next Tuesday...

[pengbuzz]

UPDATE:

Start of canopy:

Dashboard and cockpit (will start seats soon):

Wheels- I built these up from broken axles using tape, cardboard and packing twine in layers (best I could do...money is so short right now that once I run out of tape that's it for the year.)

Canopy under construction:

 

Batman in car with canopy on:

Will progress on this as long as I can.

Stay tuned...

[Thom]

@pengbuzz May that tape hold out until years end!

As for me, I finally got the intake trunking in place, after prepainting it white and the exterior lower surface color and giving it a little dirt with a Promodeller Wash.

A little fiddly on the fit as some parts are oddly lacking in locating tabs, but I am liking this kit.

[pengbuzz]

3 hours ago, Thom said:

@pengbuzz May that tape hold out until years end!

As for me, I finally got the intake trunking in place, after prepainting it white and the exterior lower surface color and giving it a little dirt with a Promodeller Wash.

A little fiddly on the fit as some parts are oddly lacking in locating tabs, but I am liking this kit.

Thanks Thom!

BTW: who makes the kit you're building?

[Thom]

10 hours ago, pengbuzz said:

Thanks Thom!

BTW: who makes the kit you're building?

It's Academy's new tool 1/72 F-14A. As mentioned, you have to add your own tabs in some spots but it is a real nice kit.

Edited December 15, 2021 by Thom

[pengbuzz]

13 hours ago, Thom said:

It's Academy's new tool 1/72 F-14A. As mentioned, you have to add your own tabs in some spots but it is a real nice kit.

Thanks; I had to do that with Revel's F-14 model as well. In a few places, the parts didn't line up well at all.

[Thom]

11 hours ago, pengbuzz said:

Thanks; I had to do that with Revel's F-14 model as well. In a few places, the parts didn't line up well at all.

Thankfully everything is lining up pretty good. A few panel lines are off here and there, but that's no biggie to me. But some parts, like the beaver tail and the join for the lower intake trunking are simple butt joins.

Adding tabs helps out.

And now the main fuselage pieces are together. Had to do a little bit of seam work, but not very much. It went together very well.

Thom

 

Edited December 16, 2021 by Thom

[MechTech]

@pengbuzz Your Batmobile is looking great! Having an opening canopy is cool too!

@Thom Your Tomcat is looking good! Weird looking panels in some places, but at least the wing slips over the swivel. Nice for painting and detailing later. - MT

[pengbuzz]

10 hours ago, Thom said:

Thankfully everything is lining up pretty good. A few panel lines are off here and there, but that's no biggie to me. But some parts, like the beaver tail and the join for the lower intake trunking are simple butt joins.

Adding tabs helps out.

And now the main fuselage pieces are together. Had to do a little bit of seam work, but not very much. It went together very well.

Thom

 

Butt joints? Or, pain in the butt joints? :p

[Thom]

15 minutes ago, pengbuzz said:

Butt joints? Or, pain in the butt joints? :p

Butte joins? Either way, it wasn't really a pain. 😁

[pengbuzz]

UPDATE:

Got the seats built and installed; need to keep the bottoms relatively flat or Batman's ears will get clipped by the canopy when it closes:

 

 

Got the fins done, and most overall construction. Still a few things to "button up", but most structural stuff is done (save for the slide joint for the canopy):

 

 

And...a little sneak preview for everyone  on the next step (currently underway):

Stay tuned folks... atomic batteries to power, turbines to speed...

 

[Thom]

🤩 @pengbuzz Amazing!

[MechTech]

Some cardboard, tape and the Joker's goin' down! That is some talent right there!

I think all your Batmobile is missing is a couple of old headphone speakers for a sound system🤣 - MT

[pengbuzz]

UPDATE:

Got some paint work done; the first pic is normal light, while the second is flash photography:

I used Sharpie marker colors dissolved into alcohol to vary the color on the Batmobile (the movie showed a slight iridescent/ color-shift to the car). Normal light in the first pic, flash photography in the second:

 

I will be working to layer and blend this a bit more; I just have to let each layer dry or I risk dissolving the clearcoat and ruining the base coat.

Cockpit:

 

And of course, Batman:

 

I still have detailing, color corrections and what not to do. I also need to get a transparent "black pearl" overcoat onto this to level the colord and bring it all together.

Stay tuned...

[Thom]

Staying in-tuned! @pengbuzz I think that is a happy Batman!

[MechTech]

@pengbuzz Looking awesome! I like the iridescent look! A pearl coating would make it that much better. Yep, he definitely needs a Vicky Vale to go with it😄

 

Got a little work done this weekend! Once again, normally people clean their tires, I'm gluing sand into mine! The one that looks dusty I tested the Tamiya weathering shades on. I like that stuff! It will make the dusty look on the tires realistic!

Then I got the smoke grenades painted and glued in. The fun part was drilling out the TINY holes for the antennas and then gluing/painting the steel music wire antennas to go in them. Still have LOTS of shading and coloring to do.

That's it for this week. Thanks for checking in! - MT

[Thom]

@MechTechThat's amazing for the week. Looking good!

[arbit]

This is a WIP of a platform extension for my flight deck.  It is 3D printed from a variety of parts available online, and a few parts I designed myself.  The barrel racks are by Xigfrid.

Lots more to do...

[Gabe Q]

1 hour ago, arbit said:

Lots more to do...

Looks done to me! That is a stand out job! 

[MechTech]

@Thom Thank you!

@arbit That is Supercalifragalisticexpialidocious!!! It looks GREAT!

 

[Thom]

Agree @arbit great looking addition to the flight deck!

[arbit]

Thanks guys.  This is how it looks after primer, preshade and final coat. 

I needed a light final coat to bring out all the preshaded details.  

I will do some oil washes when done, but I don't want a heavy weathered look. This is intended to be a sci-fi platform, not WWII.

How do you like it? Feedback appreciated on this painting process.

Edited December 23, 2021 by arbit

[Thom]

@arbit

 Looking nice! Just don't forget the odd life preserver or two.😉

[Podtastic]

7 hours ago, arbit said:

I don't want a heavy weathered look. This is intended to be a sci-fi platform, not WWII.

I concur. Excessive weathering doesn't make a model look more realistic, it makes it look decrepit.

[MechTech]

That looks GREAT Arbit! Yeah, just a light wash to make all those details pop. - MT

[pengbuzz]

10 hours ago, arbit said:

Thanks guys.  This is how it looks after primer, preshade and final coat. 

I needed a light final coat to bring out all the preshaded details.  

I will do some oil washes when done, but I don't want a heavy weathered look. This is intended to be a sci-fi platform, not WWII.

How do you like it? Feedback appreciated on this painting process.

Nice job! Really liking the fine detail in this. And I agree: not too much in the way of oil washes. Some color modulation maybe, but even there, not a whole lot.

All it needs now is Gilligan and the Skipper! jk

[electric indigo]

@arbit Very solid work with the airbrush there! It doesn't need much in terms of washes IMO, just if you want to accentuate specific spots.

_

Got some paint on my Harrier today.

The Kinetic kit has great fit & details. I just opened the APU exhaust and modded the intake doors for a hovering state.

[MechTech]

@electric indigo Your paint is looking good!

EVERYONE  -  Here's hoping you have a Merry Christmas!!! - MT

[Thom]

1 hour ago, MechTech said:

@electric indigo Your paint is looking good!

EVERYONE  -  Here's hoping you have a Merry Christmas!!! - MT

To you as well. Have a Merry (and safe) Christmas, everyone!

[Bobby]

Merry Christmas MW 🎄 !

(little gif I made)

 

[Podtastic]

30 minutes ago, Bobby said:

Merry Christmas MW 🎄 !

(little gif I made)

 

Merry Christmas.🙂