COMPLETED! Tiger I Ausf E c/w Zim (15.12.12)

[Deleted]

Very nice indeed tools are a pain but they make the build.. Looking forward to more

[Hinksy]

Cheers Steve

I may not be the best at painting tools but when they are sitting under a wash and dust I'm not too fussed.

I'm practicing painting the woodgrain effect using oils etc but so far I'll keep it simple until I get better at it!

I might try Humbrol Enamels for the tools on my next build as I have some cracking 'wood' shades like 'Random Tan' and darker tones for adding grain effect. Perhaps I'll try adding some surface texture by scraping a razor saw gently over the surfaces to look like grain as the Jack Block came out amazingly well and obviously that had moulded grain on it.

I painted the Jack btw but forgot to photograph that!

Now we can can really get going on this Tiggy - as soon as the Periscope lenses are painted on the hatches and Cupola.

Take care,

Ben

[406 Silverado]

Holy @#$%$% one great up date after another. She looks great now with the painting and decs.

[Hinksy]

Nov 5, 2012 18:13:31 GMT -5 406 Silverado said:

Holy @#$%$% one great up date after another. She looks great now with the painting and decs.

Thanks Rob - a comment much appreciated!

Like I said on the last post I know what I need to do but am trying to figure out the best way to proceed?

I need to paint the Periscope lenses and add a light overall wash then a much darker pinwash around recesses etc, add some light chipping and a couple of non-penetrating shell hits and maybe show some missing Zimmerit by scraping a couple of small areas off and painting the spots with red primer?

I'm thinking that whilst she's all glossy I should:
finish off any little painting jobs i.e. the Periscopes and chipping effects
Add a light all-over wash and darker pinwashes
Add streaking effects/oil dot weathering

THEN

I'm thinking of adding the final flat/dull coat followed by:
Pigments
Additional light chipping work
Tracks

What do you guys think. This seems to be the best way to proceed?

Ben

[bullardino]

I missed all this goodies

Great job, it's really great the outcome.

[Hinksy]

Nov 6, 2012 10:33:36 GMT -5 bullardino said:

I missed all this goodies

Great job, it's really great the outcome.

Thanks Bull - there's a LOT more to come yet! I haven't even thought about the weathering yet!

Can anyone comment on the questions on my last post re clamps and processes?

Cheers guys!

Ben

[wbill76]

Tools and details are looking good Ben, getting closer to the finish line with this one. I would recommed doing your chipping before pigments so that the pigments represent the final layer over the chipping vs. the other way around...but that depends I suppose on the final look and colors you intent to apply for both the chipping and the pigment treatment.

[eastrock]

Coming along great, Ben the camo is spot on

[Hinksy]

Nov 6, 2012 12:18:21 GMT -5 wbill76 said:

Tools and details are looking good Ben, getting closer to the finish line with this one. I would recommed doing your chipping before pigments so that the pigments represent the final layer over the chipping vs. the other way around...but that depends I suppose on the final look and colors you intent to apply for both the chipping and the pigment treatment.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Cheers Bill,

Sorry buddy, I should have been clearer. I always do my pigments as the last step so they look fresh like you say.

At present she's VERY smoooooooth and glossy. I'm thinking that NOW I should be doing a few few little detail painting jobs like the Periscope lenses, overall washes, streaking weathering effects, pinwashes and chipping then AFTER that add the dull/flat coat then go for any heavier weathering and pigments on the flat coat as a final job?

Sound ok? Should I chip on gloss coat or flat coat or does it really matter?

Ben

[wbill76]

It's completely up to you Ben as to the order of the process. A flat coat will have more 'tooth' to it while the gloss allows things to flow. So when you choose to do things is dependent on what type of surface you want to work with. Washes over a flat surface tend to 'bloom' vs. 'flow' over a gloss surface and streaking is impacted as well. I generally apply a flat coat as the last step because I use it to seal and unify the finish prior to pigments as a personal choice. Chipping on gloss vs. flat depends on your method for applying chipping and when you want to make it permanent. There isn't really a definitive answer I can give you on that front.

[modelfreak72]

Hey Ben! she is coming along sweet!!

[bbd468]

WOW Ben!!! You brought her along way since last i was here. Great camo! Ill be stoppin' in a bit sooner next time. ;D

Gary

[Hinksy]

Hi guys,

Cheers bbd!

I'm just dropping in before work!

Tiger I update - I'm making good progress now. Tomorrow I'm working from home from 2pm-10pm but it's usually VERY quiet on a Saturday - said whilst touching wood! I've had a mega bust week at work so nothing to show from last weekend.

I've got to complete assembling the pre-blackened Friuls and then onto final weathering! I've got a great piece of Wood for the base. I need to stain it the build up a rubble roadway. No figures as I'm rubbish at them and need a lot more practice.

Another 3 - 4 weekends approching Christmas should see her complete. I'm in NO rush whatsoever but I want to finish it this side of Christmas so I'm ready to start my Elefant or PZ. IV in the New Year.

Update tomorrow fellas!

Ben

[deafpanzer]

Awesome! Did you get the Elefant kit yet? Looking forward to your update... try not to work too hard.

[Hinksy]

Hi Andy,

I got the Zimmed Elefant for my Birthday - a lovely looking kit.

I'm going to stretch this Tiger build out to Christmas (I'm making a small base for her too as I'm going to be taking her to shows/comps all being well) and I'm still trying to decide what my first build of 2013 will be! I've got to choose between my Kharkhov Pz. IV W/Washed or the Elefant!

Both look like great kits (both Dragon of course - can't beat a good, modern Dragon kit)

Update tomorrow/Sunday - she'll have both of her shoes on!

Ben

[Hinksy]

Hi guys - a quick update,

I've been really busy at work and have been working most weekends recently so I'm getting an hour here and an hour there BUT I have a proper little photo update to give now re my Friuls - plus I'm on holiday on Wednesday so I'm hoping to get this tank well prepped for final weathering next weekend going into December. I'd LIKE to have this complete by 25th December so it counts as a proper 2012 build.

Like I said this update all relates to my Friul work. I had experienced problems with AK's solution not taking to certain areas - especially where CA has had to be used to secure the track pins SO I decided to blacken the Friuls first then hit with the pin-vise and assemble. I wasn't sure how this would work.

I had to work from home yesterday and made a bunch of 15 link lengths of Friuls that could be assembled in one go when I'd made up 95 links which is about the correct amount for a Tiger I. I find if you make a length and keep adding to it the run takes on a bit of a bent look when complete and the run isn't perfectly straight. making these little short runs and adding them together stopped that happening this time.

I assembed and installed the right hand run this afternoon with the left hand run to go on later. They'll be coming off again as it was just a dry fit and like Hasenpfeffer raised in his point above - the drilling out of each hole made the track pin entry holes show bare metal where the drill bit had been so when both runs are complete I'll be flooding the two runs with Mig Russian Earth Pigment and thinner to show a nice dry mud finish. If this still leaves the bare metal around the holes I'll be dry-brushing black oil paint over the mouth of the holes to sort that problem out. These are BY FAR my best Friuls yet and I do honestly think that treating them with the Blackening Solution first is the way to go. There are no missed spots at-all.

When the two runs are off I'll re-treat them with the solution that I used before as it always has a bit of reaction power left in it. It will help me fill in a few of the odd spots that I couldn't do with the toothbrush as obviously they weren't assembled when I originally - it helps to treat them fully assembled as the toothbrushing thing is a lot easier when all the links are all assembled!

I used 97 links on this side. As always one link extra was too loose and one link less looked over-taught! I may fine tune later but it's okay at the minute.

When that is done as one last effect I'll take the mini flat-file to the raised areas to show some wear to the track faces and guide horns - the base is going to made up to look like a rocky/rubble type track.

Finally I also fitted treated Friul links onto the spare link mountings onto the turret wall.











Due to my lack of display space I'm going to use the base shown below with the tank in this position. I'm thinking Northern Italy above Cassino and I'm seeing rubble/rock detail and some grass tufts. I'll also add some spent shell casings to the rear engine deck and base - there's the reason for leaving the rear turret hatch open - I still need to paint that to provide interior detail in the correct colour.



One question - re painting the inside of the round turret hatch on the side? Should I paint the inside all 'off white' except the hatch release bar and handles? Also, should the off white go right around the outside of the door and stop where the outside basecoat is? What about the 'frame' thhat closes around the round hatch - I'm assuming that should be off white, too?

Cheers guys,

Ben - have a good week!

[wbill76]

Nice job on the tracks Ben, looking good!

[bbd468]

I agree, tracks look very nice Ben!

Gary

[Hinksy]

Cheers guys,

Apologies for the VERY slow progress but

a) I'm far too busy with work and bench time is at a premium right now but I'll be hitting this build hard asap and

b) I'm in no rush and am enjoying taking my time with this build. It's coming on too well to rush it now!

Ben

[Tojo72]

Hi Ben,good to catch up with you over here.Real nice job on your Tiger so far.

Anthony

[Hinksy]

Nov 19, 2012 22:25:11 GMT -5 Tojo72 said:

Hi Ben,good to catch up with you over here.Real nice job on your Tiger so far.

Anthony

Thanks Tojo

It seems everyone wants to get over here quite often now to escape the politics on 'other' forums!

Have you got a build on the go old chum?

Ben

[Tojo72]

Nov 20, 2012 7:52:14 GMT -5 Hinksy said:

Nov 19, 2012 22:25:11 GMT -5 Tojo72 said:

Hi Ben,good to catch up with you over here.Real nice job on your Tiger so far.

Anthony

Thanks Tojo

It seems everyone wants to get over here quite often now to escape the politics on 'other' forums!

Have you got a build on the go old chum?

Ben

Going away for a few days over our thanksgiving holiday,then starting Tamiya early Tiger for Steel Cats

[406 Silverado]

Yep, tracks look great and brings the beast to life.

[Deleted]

Looks like this one is gonna be on display for a real long time. Nice work Hinksy

[Hinksy]

Hey thanks Koenig!

I'm still just taking my time and right now are putting the final few Friuls together making up the second run.

This weekend I think it's weathering time!

Ben :-)

[Hinksy]

Hi guys,

During the last two weeks I've only treated 230 Tiger I Friul links with AK Soloution, I have assembled and test fitted one run and have completed 50% of the second run. I'm SO busy and am working daft hours due to the Christmas run-up and am getting no build time in but luckily I can take a spare 20 minutes to make a run of 10 Friuls when I get home from work (which is usually midnight and I'm knackered )! Seriously, Even when I've had 3 minutes before I leave for work before 1:15pm (I work 2pm-late at present) I will nip off and assemble two links!

I've been looking into the interior hatch colour:





Right - I've just painted the hatch interior and the round doorframe with Gunze 'off-white' and will leave that until much later to set hard. I may need to leave it overnight so I'll get up real early, paint a few coats of AK Chipping Solution on it and will then paint the basecoat colour on top of the white. When that's dry I'll gently chip the edges of the round door to show wear where the door has been been opened and closed exposing the 'off-white' underneath.

Imo I reckon that hatch was painted 'off white' interior colour on the iside but the crew painted it using Dunky to hide the white when opened and that is why the rims of the hatch door look lighter in the first photo as the dunky added by the crew has worn off exposing these lighter areas (basically the original, overpainted off-white)?

I've painted the whole interior in 'off-white' including the locking bar so after chipping I'll go back with a fine brush and really detail-up the sliding bar and handles which lock the hatch door. I'll probably paint the metal squared-off bar in a simple bare metal colour and the handles will be black to add contrast.



Paints for the job - the Gunze Metalcolour will be used on the sliding bar lock:



Now, lets get these bloody Friuls finished!

Proper update tomorrow - apologies for the really slow progress

Take care lads,

Ben

[wing_nut]

I know the color of that hatch interior has recently been debated and admittedly i did not read all of it. A comment was made about the hatch not being open in a combat situation. None of the hatches would likely be open. But in down time or on the road I could see that open for some fresh air. I would think that would be the time you would not want the big white dot visible to a sharp pilot's eye.

Fact is you guys likely have forgotten more than I know. But does not change the fact Ben, that is an outstanding piece of work.

[Hinksy]

Wow! Thanks Wingnut! I'm really chuffed with your generous comment - thankyou

Re. the painting on my Tiger, so far all it has had it the basecoat and cammo application. I'm going to start painting little details and weathering as soon as both sets of Friuls are on which will be V soon!

That said I've just second painted the round hatch door interior using my basecoat shade (I used a brush to make it look like the crew had hurriedly slapdash painted it to hide the white). I painted the off-white last night and then left it overnight to fully cure. I've applied the AK Mild Chipping stuff and as soon as the DY cures I'll chip it up.

These damn Friuls are taking FOREVER! The links are so big and all my 0.5mm - 0.65mm drill bits for the pin vice have blunted badly which is slowing me down but I've only got about 40 links to go so not much left.

Update later!

Ben

[spud]

lol that happened me ben and its a pain in the ass and slow.

[Hinksy]

Hi guys,

A quick Sunday update:

Finally both sets of Friuls are on and are looking good. They can stay on for the minute but will have to come off again soon so I can add my Friul washes and take the file to the guide gorns and raised areas on the tread sections.
◦Somehow I can't get this AK chipping stuff to work properly so ignore the tatty finish as I need to back to it. The label says to airbrush it on but I'm not airbrushing that tiny section! I painted the hatch interior off-white and let that dry overnight. I then brushed on a couple of layers of AK Mild Chipping Solution which was totally dry after 30 minutes. I then brushed on the Dunky which I intended to chip to show some white underneath. I let the DY dry for about 2 hours. I then humidified the hatch with water as per the label and took a toothbrush to it to show some light wear BUT it hardly had any effect? I then tried it again using the Heavy Chipping stuff as I'd bought both types but hardly any effect? I mean VERY little!

◦I know this stuff works so where did I go wrong? I'm sure it has something to do with drying times maybe? How long should the top coat be on before I chip it. Does it need to be left overnight to cure or just for a couple of hours until it's touch dry? No problem - I'll sort it!

Anyway, Friuls are on so weathering can begin in earnest next weekend!

Photos from today:













I hope you like her so far guys - comments very welcome!

Have a good week fellas and take care!

Ben