|
|
Post by kabdriver on Nov 14, 2018 12:45:21 GMT -6
So, it's Rommel's Rod group build time! I'm gonna be building two...firstly an original issue RR, mostly restored and box stock but detailed up as nicely as I can do it as if it was a contest build maybe? All the bells and whistles, just to see how nice I can make one of these and still mostly keep to the parts in the box. The other one will be something a lot wilder and NOTHING like the box art, but I'm waiting for some parts for that one so I figured I'd get started on this first.
This is the kit I'm starting with - its MOSTLY complete and put together in such a way that it'll make a decent basis for a detailed up box-stock build of one of these. It's not all gluey and nasty and destroyed, so I was pretty happy with it. First job was to stick it in the freezer overnight last night to help split it down easier:
12 hours later, I thawed it out:
It started disassembling itself pretty quickly once I drained the water out, but there were a couple of stubborn glue spots that needed some scribing with a blade to free them up:
Not a bad basis for a build though! The bits I'm missing can be robbed from the just-reissued kit...I just need to find a good acrylic color to match the box art next...I bet Tamiya does a good one (anyone know?)
More progress once I've made some  |
|
|
|
Post by 41chevy on Nov 14, 2018 18:50:49 GMT -6
Tamiya XF59 Desert Sand or Tamiya XF57 Buff. I lean towards BUFF
|
|
|
|
Post by kabdriver on Nov 15, 2018 15:20:58 GMT -6
Awesome! Thanks Paul! I was gonna go to my LHS and take a look, but it's a 90 minute commute now so that's SUPER helpful!
|
|
|
|
Post by atenzapower on Nov 17, 2018 13:22:05 GMT -6
I just get an email from my suppleier. That he got the new Rommels rod for međź‘Ť.
Getting it next week.
|
|
|
|
Post by kabdriver on Nov 17, 2018 14:35:02 GMT -6
I just get an email from my suppleier. That he got the new Rommels rod for međź‘Ť. Getting it next week. AMAZING! Can't wait to see what you do with one, dude! Very cool! |
|
|
|
Post by kabdriver on Nov 17, 2018 14:42:39 GMT -6
Got a little work done on the chassis last night...first up I put some new pins in to help hold the tracks in place where some of the original ones were bust. Luckily, there's a Styrene bar that fits right in there perfectly, so that wasn't too tricky of a job at least:
Whilst I was working on the chassis, I needed to do something to fix this bust-up front end:
I remade the broken pieces with some styrene bar that was a little thicker than the originals - it doesn't look too pretty right now, but it gave me some more material to work with and made the bits a little stronger, so I could live with that given it'll almost completely be hidden when this is done anyway:
We got a roller! Or whatever the half-track equivalent is anyway:
Whilst I was messing with the front end I was wondering why this kit doesnt have any brakes. I guessed maybe tanks don't have regular brakes? I'm not sure...but seeing as the front end is meant to be regular-car, I slipped some Parts Box resin discs on there and they fitted perfectly...I think I'm gonna run with them for just a little extra detail (even though, again, they'll mostly be hidden)
Next up, I need to do some work on the engine now that I found my drill bits and the rest of my tools! More soon!
|
|
|
|
Post by atenzapower on Nov 18, 2018 2:25:41 GMT -6
Looking good so far
|
|
|
|
Post by kabdriver on Nov 21, 2018 14:20:32 GMT -6
Thanks buddy!
I got a little more done - I've been mostly assembling furniture and new-home stuff which is slowing me down, but I made a little progress...
Stripped the chrome on the chrome parts and got them ready for Molotow-ing:
Picked up some paint! Pretty good match for the plastic on this original issue kit!
I was gonna add some detail to the engine, but I can't really think what else would improve this by much...looks pretty good as it comes! I did fill a couple of seam lines though with that white putty:
Much better (even though noone will see those bits I filled when it's done anyway...but they were bothering me...)
Whilst I was puttying, I threw a little on the front of the frame rails too where they'll be visible under the fenders just to get them nice and level too
I spent AGES trying to get all the decals off the body without scratching up the surface too much and causing myself a load more work. I figured just some warm water would get those suckers off...nope. Had to polish them off there, but with that done I can start fixing some of the stuff that needs fixing on the body. First up, was trying to salvage these lights:
The headlamps weren't TOO bad, but the mounting bar was bust, and one of the little spotlights was just a blob of glue for the most part. As I'm not building my reissued kit stock, I borrowed the lights from that
I re-drilled the mounting holes so they'd take the replacement lights:
Gotta mount the new spotlights next - but I was pleased to get a couple of hours of bench time in today anyway! More soon!
|
|
|
|
Post by atenzapower on Nov 22, 2018 13:06:07 GMT -6
You did an good jobđź‘Ť.
Saterday i will get mine
|
|
|
|
Post by kabdriver on Nov 27, 2018 9:59:00 GMT -6
Did a little more on this over the weekend. First up, I re-drilled the flag mounting holes on the front fenders - I'll be using the flags from the reissued kit as I've only got one of the originals:
That can on the top of this intake assembly here is the air filter, which has a mesh cover on the real car.
The back of the filter in the kit part is hollow and you can see the missing material when it's in place, so I sliced the middle section off and replaced it with some styrene tube...
...and added some Mr Model stainless steel wire mesh:
I added some detail to the block too, to add the missing coil and so I can wire it:
Can't wait to start slinging some paint at this thing!
|
|
|
|
Post by atenzapower on Nov 27, 2018 13:17:49 GMT -6
looking very great
|
|
|
|
Post by kabdriver on Dec 9, 2018 17:09:41 GMT -6
Got a little more done on this...I haven't posted a tonne of updates because who wants to see that I cleaned up a bunch of ejector pin marks and scraped away some 50 year old glue?
Anyway, so I cleaned up some ejector pin marks and scraped away some 50 year old glue:
Just using some Squadron white here to get the inside of the hood sides nice and smooth
I had to borrow one side from my new kit as the original snapped when I was trying to scribe through the glueblob to release it:
I'm using Tamiya Desert Yellow (not Dessert Yellow - that's custard) as the main color on this thing - it's pretty close to the box art color.
It looked a little too flat to me, so I hit it with some Createx Matt finish, which actually glossed it up a touch to where I was happy with it:
And I got the frame (mostly) to the point where I could spray some primer on there...actually, its Airborne Sealer acrylic, which claims to have similar properties to regular primer but without the smell so I can airbrush it indoors a little easier...
Hoping to be getting to the point where I can do some interesting stuff now, like lay down some paint for real! More soon!
|
|
|
|
Post by kabdriver on Dec 11, 2018 11:29:42 GMT -6
Finally got to start some airbrushing, which I always enjoy...this one is a bit of a departure for me as I don't do much weathered or flat-finished stuff.
Started off with some preshading on the chassis:
Shot Tamiya Desert Yellow as a base color:
Added some chipping and damage to the underside:
Added a dark brown wash to bring out some of the detail and add a little grime:
And then did some dry brushing to bring out the bolts and some exposed metal-looking spots:
And brush painted the rubber gates on the rear axle with some Tamiya Rubber Black:
I treated the underside of the engine the same way - added a little chipping first to simulate a little wear and tear:
And added a little black wash on the oil pan:
Once the engine has dried for a day or so I can start detail painting and assembly on that to get it ready to be mounted for good.
More soon!
|
|
|
|
Post by rocketeer on Dec 12, 2018 15:04:21 GMT -6
Nice job on the weathering so far!
|
|
|
|
Post by Bert on Dec 12, 2018 22:39:45 GMT -6
It's really looking good. Keep it up.
|
|
|
|
Post by Dennis M on Dec 17, 2018 14:09:18 GMT -6
Way to go Jim''' I love it.
|
|
|
|
Post by kabdriver on Dec 17, 2018 19:18:24 GMT -6
Thanks fellas!
Got a little more done today...painted the tracks their base color (or the color the wheels will be anyway):
Then, after I'd weathered them a little I masked the wheels so I could paint the insides of the tracks black (a penny is the perfect size to mask the wheels properly!):
And now, when these have had a day or two to dry, I can mask them again and paint the tracks...was a pretty quick and painless way to paint these tho!
Meanwhile, wired the engine:
And made a fan belt out of and offcut of some signwriter's vinyl sheet:
More soon!
|
|
|
|
Post by 70spop on Dec 18, 2018 16:02:30 GMT -6
Great tip about the pennies!
Brian
|
|
|
|
Post by patw on Dec 20, 2018 16:31:21 GMT -6
S'lookin' good James!
|
|
|
|
Post by kabdriver on Dec 22, 2018 15:52:09 GMT -6
Great tip about the pennies! I couldn't believe how well they fit! Haha! Perfect!
Got a tiny bit more done this week...added some plasticard to complete the missing section of the cloth roof:
Added some simple pedals, just because I don't really like those little rectangular blocks that a lot of this era Monogram kits have molded in the footwell:
And added some simple doorhandles just to make the interior look a bit less flat and boring:
Voila!
Oh, and made a shift lever and knob, seeing as A, the kit one was all gluey and messy and B, even if it wasn't, this was faster than cleaning up the mold lines and stuff from it.
Nearly ready for paint on the interior, and I'm gonna do some airbrushing on the body this weekend I think! More soon!
|
|
|
|
Post by DVS on Dec 22, 2018 19:36:17 GMT -6
I'm really liking the details that you're adding. Keep up the good work.
|
|
|
|
Post by kabdriver on Dec 28, 2018 14:01:28 GMT -6
A little mini-update, seeing as the site's quiet lately...
Masked up the tracks for painting:
A little drybrushing and I think they look pretty cool!
Shot the underside of the body, and airbrushed some darker areas to simulate shadows and to stop it looking too flat and boring...
Then flipped it over and shot the main color...
And used some slightly lighter and darker shades of the same color to add a little depth (particularly to the cowl - where I figured the hood would have protected the paint and left it a little darker):
I need to shoot the body with clear so I can decal it (the decals won't stick to a matt surface like this very well), but I've got family coming to visit next week so I might get slowed up a little there.
Oh, and finally (but not super interesting), got the underside of the tub painted - I can flip it over and start on the interior now too!
More soon!
|
|
|
|
Post by atenzapower on Dec 30, 2018 5:36:34 GMT -6
Looking good
|
|
|
|
Post by kabdriver on Jan 12, 2019 14:06:27 GMT -6
Haven't updated this for a week or more...was busy getting married and being on honeymoon
Plus, most of what I've been doing is fairly boring...masking, painting, cleanup, masking another little area, painting again and rinse and repeat. Still, I got a little done since the turn of the year here:
Used some foil for the metal part of the shovel on the side:
It's still in progress there, I got it smoothed down a little more after this pic...
Painted the leather belts on the hood and hood sides:
Masked up and painted the toolbox with some Tamiya gunmetal:
And after a BUNCH of awkward masking, getting close on the interior tub:
More soon, when I have something interesting to show! |
|
|
|
Post by DVS on Jan 12, 2019 19:36:35 GMT -6
Haven't updated this for a week or more...was busy getting married and being on honeymoon |
|
|
|
Post by kabdriver on Jan 12, 2019 20:24:40 GMT -6
Thanks buddy!!! I booked us a decent-ish room in a fancy hotel in Manhattan for a night for a mini-honeymoon...and they upgraded us to their $4000 a night penthouse  I'd never stayed anywhere like it! It was incredible! |
|
|
|
Post by DVS on Jan 13, 2019 7:37:59 GMT -6
Thanks buddy!!! I booked us a decent-ish room in a fancy hotel in Manhattan for a night for a mini-honeymoon...and they upgraded us to their $4000 a night penthouse I'd never stayed anywhere like it! It was incredible! That's a sweet deal.  |
|
|
|
Post by kabdriver on Jan 14, 2019 10:13:12 GMT -6
Got a little more done on this ol' hunka junk this weekend...got the decals laid down:
Then I shot the whole lot with Createx matt clear to bring the gloss back down (I'd previously shot the parts to be decalled with Future to give a smooth finish for the decals to settle down on).
Next up, shot some red on the flags ready for decalling too:
And then shot the grill shell in Molotow Chrome - I LOVE this stuff:
Here's a video to really get the effect of how nice this stuff lays down:
|
|
|
|
Post by atenzapower on Jan 14, 2019 12:35:46 GMT -6
Haven't updated this for a week or more...was busy getting married and being on honeymoon |
|
|
|
Post by kabdriver on Jan 20, 2019 14:05:23 GMT -6
Thanks buddy!
Nearly done on this one!! Just need to add the desk in the back and take some real pics once all the glue is dry enough for me to move it!
|
|
I'd never stayed anywhere like it! It was incredible!
