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Post by rbaer on Aug 3, 2019 12:44:30 GMT -5
I wanted some FRESH wine, so in keeping with the "My wife bought it for me" theme, or in this case, "I bought it after my wife and I walked from the Strip to the Hobby Shop" in Vegas, a rather long walk, and because I wanted to try my hand at a more modern kit, I decided to dig into this one. I've never built an AFV Club kit before, and my first impression when opening the box about three years ago is "Oy, that's a LOT of parts". I still think so. Well detailed, but lots of microscopic parts. So far, I've taken about four hours to get the lower hull almost finished. I'm fixing the location of the swing arms, not interested in having them movable. Did I mention the high level of detail? Also notable is the overdone casting texture. I'm leaving that alone on the lower hull, only smoothing it on the lower glacis. Life's too short. I'm also dealing with lots of mold alignment marks, not bad, and some very soft plastic. My usual MEK is quite sufficient to melt samll stuff, so I'm having to be very careful. IMG_4370 (1) by Russel Baer, on Flickr Of course, me being me, I'm also cooking up something else, to be posted soon. Cheers!
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joelsmith
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Member since: July 2012
There no winners in war, only survivors.
Posts: 1,404
Jul 5, 2012 22:33:58 GMT -5
Jul 5, 2012 22:33:58 GMT -5
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Post by joelsmith on Aug 4, 2019 19:40:12 GMT -5
I compare AFV Club kits to German Machinery, "why use one part when three will do" If you have worked on a BMW, Porsche, or Mercedes you will know wht I mean.
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Post by rbaer on Aug 5, 2019 13:46:03 GMT -5
I compare AFV Club kits to German Machinery, "why use one part when three will do" If you have worked on a BMW, Porsche, or Mercedes you will know wht I mean. Don't laugh, but it my "first" career I was an automotive tech/mechanic/blacksmith, and while I was fortunate enough to spend most of that time as an Acura, then Lexus tech, and while I never had to do anything other than service the occasional used BMW or Merc in a professional capacity, I know exactly of that which you speak. Keep this to yourself, but I was actually a factory "certified" (meaning I could fog a mirror) Fiat tech, last time they tried to stay in this market. Now I just laugh at them, limiting my exposure to inspecting them, Alfas and Maseratis at the end of their lease periods. Still junk. And all those Jeeps and Chryslers that are Fiat under the skin? Pity the fools.
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Post by mustang1989 on Aug 5, 2019 16:13:01 GMT -5
I compare AFV Club kits to German Machinery, "why use one part when three will do" If you have worked on a BMW, Porsche, or Mercedes you will know wht I mean. Don't laugh, but it my "first" career I was an automotive tech/mechanic/blacksmith, and while I was fortunate enough to spend most of that time as an Acura, then Lexus tech, and while I never had to do anything other than service the occasional used BMW or Merc in a professional capacity, I know exactly of that which you speak. Keep this to yourself, but I was actually a factory "certified" (meaning I could fog a mirror) Fiat tech, last time they tried to stay in this market. Now I just laugh at them, limiting my exposure to inspecting them, Alfas and Maseratis at the end of their lease periods. Still junk. A nd all those Jeeps and Chryslers that are Fiat under the skin? Pity the fools.I know all to well what you're sayin Russel.
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Post by rbaer on Aug 5, 2019 21:26:26 GMT -5
I may end up pulling something easy out and actually building a model, instead of crawling around on my hands and knees looking for parts that vaporize when I try to trim them off the sprue. After another four hours plus, the driver's compartment is in and painted up enough to look the part through the (possibly) open hatch, and the front hull top is on. I'm roughing in the turret basket area, mostly for the sake of not being able to see a bunch of nothing through the open turret hatches. So far, I'm not really having a great time with this kit, but that's admittedly me and my preferences. The external fire extinguisher actuator is four pieces, took me fifteen minutes to assemble, after trying to clean up flash on parts too small to see without my optivisor. Argh. IMG_4372 by Russel Baer, on Flickr IMG_4371 by Russel Baer, on Flickr I'll take a chill pill before I go back to the bench.
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Post by mustang1989 on Aug 6, 2019 7:11:56 GMT -5
Aint that stuff fun when something that should be one piece is in multiple pieces? Been there and done that! I built a Trumpeter Bf109 in 1/24 scale that was like that.
The detail in that drivers compartment looks really good. Watching the magic unfold on this one.
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Post by wbill76 on Aug 6, 2019 19:50:58 GMT -5
Hang with it Russ, you'll beat it into submission! If the parts are that tiny, if one or two go missing, who would know?
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Post by rbaer on Aug 8, 2019 12:41:29 GMT -5
Joe, I'm cross-eyed after an hour, yikes. Bill, beat it I will..... Okay, so I was doing the engine deck, filling and sanding to get rid of the kit's grossly overdone texture, and something shot off into neverfinditland, so I pulled the -A3 kit out and realized, "I have a whole kit here, less tracks and drive sprockets!" So, no worries, and now I all of a sudden have everything I need to fo ahead on another M60 hull, started a while ago. It's ESCI et all, earmarked as an early Magach 6B, so I decided to kind of copy the AFV Club hull as I went along. Now I'm in my happy place again, piecing together a whole model from about 15 different sources. I have have a boat load of resin stuff. Tall cotton baby, tall cotton. AFV Club hull's engine deck: IMG_4428 by Russel Baer, on Flickr And the other one, which I'll post progress on here until they significantly diverge (or not...) first without, then with running gear. It currently has ESCI, Academy, AFV Club, Takom and Tamiya parts on it. IMG_4429 by Russel Baer, on Flickr IMG_4430 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
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joelsmith
Full Member
Member since: July 2012
There no winners in war, only survivors.
Posts: 1,404
Jul 5, 2012 22:33:58 GMT -5
Jul 5, 2012 22:33:58 GMT -5
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Post by joelsmith on Aug 8, 2019 20:53:32 GMT -5
How do you keep your parts sorted? I personally have a hard enough time keeping one kit sorted!
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Post by rbaer on Aug 8, 2019 21:49:27 GMT -5
Well, I do admit to "discovering" some parts now and then, but mostly I keep things in kit boxes, usually labeled and grouped by type. I have a box labeled IDF M60 and Magach" parts, Sherman boxes with only upper hull bits, others just suspension, in other words, just general groupings. Then it's up to me to actually remember what I have in the boxes, which of course I don't, so it's always kind of fun to pull a parts box out and look inside. Occasionally I'll pull a box out and realize there's no good reason to save what's there, so I toss it, or trim it down and combine it with another box. It's almost like having my own hobby shop, or junkyard, I'm not sure which.
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Post by rbaer on Aug 9, 2019 14:16:20 GMT -5
Allrighty. The conglomeration hull is caught up the the green one, so it's time to get back on the green one. I found some very useful bits in t he resin stash, lots of towing lugs and the front fender extensions on now. I whipped up some IDF-added extra towing lugs on the rear, so that means 1980's or newer Magach 6. I've used MrSurfacer on the hull to blend all the different putties and materials together, no need to do more as the ESCI hulls actually have a very nice, nearly perfect texture as is. IMG_4431 by Russel Baer, on Flickr IMG_4433 by Russel Baer, on Flickr Cheers!
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Post by rbaer on Aug 10, 2019 10:28:19 GMT -5
Oops, wrong tail lights on the ESCI hull. Rats, those AFVC parts are so nice.....
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Post by wbill76 on Aug 11, 2019 9:30:26 GMT -5
The description of junkyard/hobby shop with all of your kit parts doesn't surprise me at all Russ. Looking good with all the different Frankenstein bits stuck together.
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Post by rbaer on Aug 11, 2019 21:09:22 GMT -5
Thanks Bill.
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Post by rbaer on Aug 13, 2019 16:08:28 GMT -5
Engine decks done, the ESCI hull with separate pull handles from the spare AFVC kit. It was slow, but they look good. The AFVC fenders area also very nice, properly thin and detailed, but lots of pin marks, all on the bottom side thankfully. Even better, I have several pics of Magach6C's modified from M60A3 tanks, that still have the half-round tail light housings, so they stay. And best, I've got a firm plan: the AFV Club kit will be finished as an M60A1(Magach6A) during the YKW, with the ESCI hull being done as a Magach6C, Peace for Galilee. I feel better now. Pic: IMG_4515 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
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Post by rbaer on Aug 14, 2019 16:02:26 GMT -5
So last night I was doing the fender braces on both, and I had a moment... Why didn't I use parts from my admittedly rather large stash to make up the missing parts in the AFV Club M60A3 kit? Then I was okay, realizing that would have been easy, and I rarely do things the easy way. So onward. The ESCI hull (now known as Gimel) is moving along, with AFVC fender braces, white stuff for missing mounts and fasteners and ready for tool boxes. IMG_4628 by Russel Baer, on Flickr The AFVC hull (call me Alef) is moving along too, all braces on. A positive note: the braces are commendably thin, and I elected to use them rather than etch, as the etch parts I have are too thin, IMHO. IMG_4627 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
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Post by rbaer on Aug 16, 2019 11:17:04 GMT -5
Some stupid detail on Gimel copied from Aleph: IMG_4664 by Russel Baer, on Flickr IMG_4663 by Russel Baer, on Flickr IMG_4661 by Russel Baer, on Flickr I almost started hacking off the stowage boxes on Gimel, then did a reality check. I think I can do a little work on them and get a better look without major surgery at this point. And interestingly, even though I knw the rear hull angles were a bit off on pretty much all M60 hulls except the AFVC kit, I thought the ESCI one was pretty close. Well, it's "close". I found out how different when trying to use the AFVC rear fender dust shields (above the final drive housings). I ended up making some old Academy parts fit, then found some Eduard etch parts. Perfect. The plastic stays.
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joelsmith
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Member since: July 2012
There no winners in war, only survivors.
Posts: 1,404
Jul 5, 2012 22:33:58 GMT -5
Jul 5, 2012 22:33:58 GMT -5
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Post by joelsmith on Aug 16, 2019 20:31:09 GMT -5
You're kicking it Russ! You gonna enter all your Pattons in the collection category at the Nats nest year?
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Post by wbill76 on Aug 19, 2019 7:10:55 GMT -5
I love the fact that you've named them...the ultimate in 'personal' connection to your work Russ. Looking good!
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Post by rbaer on Aug 19, 2019 17:38:37 GMT -5
You're kicking it Russ! You gonna enter all your Pattons in the collection category at the Nats nest year? Whoo, I'd have to go, but good idea. Bill, Gimel and Aleph was easier than typing ESCI and AFVC a bunch, and since they're going to be a Magach6A and Magach6C respectively, it was a natural. So, pics after today's work showing air filters built and on, and on Gimel, I cut out that part of the ESCI fender, grafted in a couple of Dragon M60 segments and added filters built up from AFVC parts and Takom, cuz I lost a couple of AFVC parts. I also added some under-fender details, again copying Aleph. Both tanks use the standard side-loading filters, original on Aleph and added by the IDF on all the M60A3's obtained through the "Brown Deal", replacing the top-loaders that were on the -A3's. IMG_4667 by Russel Baer, on Flickr IMG_4666 by Russel Baer, on Flickr IMG_4665 by Russel Baer, on Flickr Now I have Dragon parts on Gimel, the circle is complete.
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Post by rbaer on Aug 19, 2019 17:40:01 GMT -5
You're kicking it Russ! You gonna enter all your Pattons in the collection category at the Nats nest year? Whoo, I'd have to go, but good idea. Bill, Gimel and Aleph was easier than typing ESCI and AFVC a bunch, and since they're going to be a Magach6A and Magach6C respectively, it was a natural. So, pics after today's work showing air filters built and on, and on Gimel, I cut out that part of the ESCI fender, grafted in a couple of Dragon M60 segments and added filters built up from AFVC parts and Takom, cuz I lost a couple of AFVC parts. I also added some under-fender details, again copying Aleph. Both tanks use the standard side-loading filters, original on Aleph and added by the IDF on all the M60A3's obtained through the "Brown Deal", replacing the top-loaders that were on the -A3's. IMG_4667 by Russel Baer, on Flickr IMG_4666 by Russel Baer, on Flickr IMG_4665 by Russel Baer, on Flickr Now I have Dragon parts on Gimel, the circle is complete. It has ESCI, Tamiya, Academy, Takom, AFVC, Dragon and Legends parts on it, and I'm not yet done with the hull.
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Post by Leon on Aug 20, 2019 16:43:48 GMT -5
WOW......Talk about a kit bash! These are looking great Russ.
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Post by rbaer on Aug 20, 2019 17:55:15 GMT -5
Thanks Leon. These things are like Sherman kits in that they share major dimensions, with a couple of notable exceptions, so parts from one will pretty much work on another one. Plus the Academy kit is an actual knock-off of the Tamiya kit, but I'm nmot using too many parts from them (yet) since they're mostly not that great. I had a couple of hours in my happy room today, but spent most of it looking for parts that didn't quite achieve escape velocity but also didn't return to Earth in the same place they were launched from. That, and I did some tank/infantry phones. My knees are sore.
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joelsmith
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Member since: July 2012
There no winners in war, only survivors.
Posts: 1,404
Jul 5, 2012 22:33:58 GMT -5
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Post by joelsmith on Aug 21, 2019 13:52:59 GMT -5
Russ, the only reason I suggested the "collection" category, is I just finished a book on building Shermans by Jim Weschler. In the book he related the story of how he built 48 Shermans and entered them at a IPMS Nationals. I believed your collection would be a natural! Hang loose, Joel.
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Post by rbaer on Aug 21, 2019 18:13:32 GMT -5
I have that book! Yup, and a good one too. I actually could easily put a collection together, as defined by pretty much any of the local IPMS chapters, and I have given it serious consideration. It's just that I've been unable to do much traveling for contests ans shows. I was "accidentally" in Kansas City a few years ago on the weekend the local guys had an AMPS/IPMS show going on, good time, and I hit stuff where I live, formerly Dallas, now the Austin area. I enjoy the vendors as much as anything anymore, tired of seeing the same guys give each other trophies for a couple of hours. Ergh, didn't mean to let that out, but I'm going to hit "Create Post" now, can't stop it.....
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Post by rbaer on Aug 22, 2019 19:06:10 GMT -5
After a thorough study of sub-orbital velocities of miniscule plastic parts, I have two gun travel locks and two intercom boxes, both from the AFVC kit. IMG_4875 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
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joelsmith
Full Member
Member since: July 2012
There no winners in war, only survivors.
Posts: 1,404
Jul 5, 2012 22:33:58 GMT -5
Jul 5, 2012 22:33:58 GMT -5
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Post by joelsmith on Aug 24, 2019 14:29:25 GMT -5
I understand what you're saying. I don't enter contests anymore.
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Post by rbaer on Aug 26, 2019 9:18:53 GMT -5
I still do, mainly to give me a reason to thoroughly peruse the vendor area.... but I may be a bit jaded.
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Post by rbaer on Aug 27, 2019 7:40:51 GMT -5
Progress! I've got the turret for Aleph started, gun and mantlet in, very nice parts too. I'm using MrSurfacer on the turret to get a more realistic texture (meaning almost no texture) as AFVC really overdid it. I've also got Gimel's gun tube started, all plastic, four halves and a metal muzzle insert. Hulls are to the point of divergence, Aleph almost done, Gimel ready for ERA. IMG_4876 by Russel Baer, on Flickr
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Post by Tobi on Aug 27, 2019 12:05:50 GMT -5
Thanks Leon. These things are like Sherman kits in that they share major dimensions, with a couple of notable exceptions, so parts from one will pretty much work on another one. Plus the Academy kit is an actual knock-off of the Tamiya kit, but I'm nmot using too many parts from them (yet) since they're mostly not that great. I had a couple of hours in my happy room today, but spent most of it looking for parts that didn't quite achieve escape velocity but also didn't return to Earth in the same place they were launched from. That, and I did some tank/infantry phones. My knees are sore. Russ, ever gave this method a try? modelerssocialclub.proboards.com/thread/4481/cutting-bag
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