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Post by Leon on Jun 6, 2015 20:33:02 GMT -5
No rush on the bench Bill! I'm sure Sharon will appreciate anything you do even if she doesn't ask.  |
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elco
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Post by elco on Jun 7, 2015 1:35:47 GMT -5
Coming nicely together Bill. The toolclamb trick is perfect and many viewers don't even notice it when painted. Seeing the thin PE handle makes the brain think it are full PE versions.
Looking forward to the disccamo, but first thing first and take good care of your wife. I hope she recover soon!
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Post by dierk on Jun 7, 2015 1:48:51 GMT -5
Surgery is never nice, nor is the recovery period. Wish your wife all the best and I hope she'll be fully recovered soon.
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Post by wbill76 on Jun 7, 2015 16:09:27 GMT -5
Leon, it's funny a bit because she's such an independent person! She's doing much better today and had her drain removed and is up and around more. Now the challenge is to keep her from thinking she's 'all better' too soon!  Elco, thanks and you're right about the clamp trick. It's one I picked up from a buddy a long time ago and the Griffon clamp sets are perfect for this type of thing as they give you more handles than actual clamps on the fret, leaving plenty for just this type of thing if you don't need the full clamp! Dierk, thanks for the kind words! Fortunately her surgery was minimally invasive so the recovery is much shorter as a result. 
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afvfan
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Member since: December 2012
Bob
Posts: 1,772
Dec 10, 2012 17:32:38 GMT -5
Dec 10, 2012 17:32:38 GMT -5
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Post by afvfan on Jun 7, 2015 16:54:49 GMT -5
Ah, you snuck an update in on me. The tools look good, though it surprises me that they mounted the tow links at the angle they did. They've got to be removed any time that engine cover is opened. How very un-German of them. You'd think they would have mounted them in line with the wrenches to avoid that problem.
Glad the masks showed up and we can see some paint.
And glad to hear all's going well on the wife front. No matter how minor a surgery is there's always that chance.
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Post by wbill76 on Jun 7, 2015 17:27:25 GMT -5
Ah, you snuck an update in on me. The tools look good, though it surprises me that they mounted the tow links at the angle they did. They've got to be removed any time that engine cover is opened. How very un-German of them. You'd think they would have mounted them in line with the wrenches to avoid that problem. Glad the masks showed up and we can see some paint. And glad to hear all's going well on the wife front. No matter how minor a surgery is there's always that chance. I thought the same thing about the clamps and hatches...ditto for the spare wheels! No way they could open the other side hatch without taking the wheels off first and/or dismounting the jack. A case of best they could do I guess...there's definitely no room inside the compartment with that L/70 gun and ammo storage for any gear. Thanks as well for the kind words on Sharon's surgery. No such thing as a 100% guarantee on any procedure that involves opening up the human body. |
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Post by dupes on Jun 7, 2015 17:54:45 GMT -5
Looking good Bill! Glad to hear the wife is doing well.
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Post by wbill76 on Jun 7, 2015 18:37:29 GMT -5
Thanks Dupes! |
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reserve
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Member since: July 2012
Si vis pacem para bellum
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Jul 11, 2012 9:11:45 GMT -5
Jul 11, 2012 9:11:45 GMT -5
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Post by reserve on Jun 8, 2015 0:12:17 GMT -5
Ouch!!
If she starts acting up, tell her that a surgical nurse you know says the rule of thumb for healing, even if the incision looks great, is no strain on the area for two weeks, mild strain at four weeks, and not fully healed until six weeks.
Glad to hear it went well, best wishes
Regards,
Mark
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Post by wbill76 on Jun 8, 2015 8:21:17 GMT -5
Ouch!! If she starts acting up, tell her that a surgical nurse you know says the rule of thumb for healing, even if the incision looks great, is no strain on the area for two weeks, mild strain at four weeks, and not fully healed until six weeks. Glad to hear it went well, best wishes Regards, Mark Thanks Mark! She's being a good patient and doing well. The two incisions are very small single stitch affairs and she has a clear flex bandage over it now that's keeping it covered and still allows movement. She will keep that for 2 weeks before next check up. One day at a time! |
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Post by wbill76 on Jun 15, 2015 20:02:06 GMT -5
Seems like it's been forever since an update, but I have been making progress here and there when time permitted on the MK tracks. Managed to get both of the runs done without it being too tedious of a task. The MK track links have three sprue attachment points that have to be cleaned up and then the links pinned together in 8-link sections with the supplied jig helping things out to daisy-chain the full run together eventually. The Dragon instructions indicate 97 links are needed per side but that seems low...even with only 3 vs. 4 return rollers the 'normal' Pz IV-family of vehicles typically take 98-100 links depending on the sag/tension desired. I always assemble my runs a little short regardless and add the final links needed after the suspension is mounted to allow for slight differences and tension settings, so I stopped at 96 links just to be on the safe side.   Total assembly time for the two runs together is roughly 4 hours but worth it to get the workable advantages for both painting/weathering and installation in my view. |
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Post by dierk on Jun 16, 2015 1:57:55 GMT -5
Time well spent - tracks are looking good! Still wish more companies would make their styrene indy links like the ones from the Amusing Hobby Object 279: one sprue attachment point per link and and pins set up so you can do four links at a time - not wanting to rub it in, but it took me 20 minutes per track run.
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Post by Leon on Jun 16, 2015 4:32:48 GMT -5
Nice work on the tracks Bill! Looking really good. |
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elco
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Post by elco on Jun 16, 2015 5:46:49 GMT -5
Nice work Bill, looks like a lot of work.. brrr  |
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Post by TRM on Jun 16, 2015 6:10:41 GMT -5
Nice Bill! Always great to see the sneakers go together!! Definitely worth the effort! |
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Post by wbill76 on Jun 16, 2015 10:55:55 GMT -5
Dierk, the MK tracks aren't too bad IMHO but like anything, there's always room for improvement! I've been happy using their sets for years for workable 'dead' tracks (wouldn't recommend them for things like Shermans though!). 20 minutes would be nice! Thanks Leon! Elco, not a lot of work, just a lot of repetition. Helps if you break it up and have a 'system'...I got it down to about 10 minutes per section of 8 for example which is just right in terms of letting the glue set on the pins before handling them and joining to the run. T, got to have the shoes for the run down the homestretch!
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Post by JimD on Jun 16, 2015 11:42:21 GMT -5
Those tracks look tedious, but also worth it. I used some of the Fruils once and didn't like them because of the weight...I mean they are lovely, but turn the model into a weapon if it were to fall from a shelf...haha...seeing these I think I may try them when the armor bug bites me.
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Post by wbill76 on Jun 16, 2015 12:35:24 GMT -5
Those tracks look tedious, but also worth it. I used some of the Fruils once and didn't like them because of the weight...I mean they are lovely, but turn the model into a weapon if it were to fall from a shelf...haha...seeing these I think I may try them when the armor bug bites me. Always a case of 'pick your poison' when it comes to using workable tracks! I like the MKs because they are the same type of styrene as the kit parts so no real special handling required for their painting/weathering. That and they don't weigh a ton either. Initially when I started using them about 10 years ago they were also significantly cheaper than Fruils but that particular incentive has shrunk somewhat due to exchange rates, inflation, price of oil, etc. all influencing the costs of all things hobby-related. |
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Post by JimD on Jun 16, 2015 13:01:26 GMT -5
Yeah I seem to remember these being hard to source...at least from US distributors. I saw that SprueBrothers is going to start carrying them though. Haven't looked at them in a while, so I don't know where they were in terms of price. I seem to remember the Fruils being about $25 for the Tiger set...but that was years ago.
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Post by Tojo72 on Jun 16, 2015 18:49:24 GMT -5
Yeah I seem to remember these being hard to source...at least from US distributors. I saw that SprueBrothers is going to start carrying them though. Haven't looked at them in a while, so I don't know where they were in terms of price. I seem to remember the Fruils being about $25 for the Tiger set...but that was years ago. Not anymore Jimmy,sometimes at a show or a sale Fruils can be had for $30-40 but normally with shipping they can go for $40-50 Master club and Spade Ace have entered the metal track market and they can be had $30-40 a set. |
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Post by wbill76 on Jun 16, 2015 19:00:43 GMT -5
Yeah I seem to remember these being hard to source...at least from US distributors. I saw that SprueBrothers is going to start carrying them though. Haven't looked at them in a while, so I don't know where they were in terms of price. I seem to remember the Fruils being about $25 for the Tiger set...but that was years ago. Not anymore Jimmy,sometimes at a show or a sale Fruils can be had for $30-40 but normally with shipping they can go for $40-50 Master club and Spade Ace have entered the metal track market and they can be had $30-40 a set. By comparison I used to pay $30 for MKs but now they are around $40. |
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thug626
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Jan 15, 2013 13:05:28 GMT -5
Jan 15, 2013 13:05:28 GMT -5
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Post by thug626 on Jun 21, 2015 7:45:25 GMT -5
Good morning Bill, A lovely build to catch up on over java before work. Late again but, please do count me in. Dave |
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Post by wbill76 on Jun 21, 2015 12:46:21 GMT -5
No worries Dave, always a chair available for you sir! Glad to have you along. |
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DeafStuG
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Post by DeafStuG on Jun 21, 2015 19:16:09 GMT -5
Looking good - rear equipment also I surprised  with DML Jagdpanzer IV`s lower Chassis hull - extra thick plastic (I thought it was thin plastic usually as Pzr IV H & J lower chassis hull) Interesting I`ll check out with my kit - Out of Box by later.. Jagdpanzer IV is my favourite - some ww2 tank can`t see "tank hunter" - very lowest and sneak sneak  hide behind the hedgerow... |
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Post by wing_nut on Jun 21, 2015 19:52:57 GMT -5
Trying to play some catch up here. Just read about tuff store but also that she's doing well. Great news. Post an update on the...what's it called... I remember seeing them before... Usually all muddy. Oh.. A TANK. I've had my head in the clouds for too long |
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Post by wbill76 on Jun 22, 2015 15:23:56 GMT -5
Thanks Jeremy! Dragon's got different kits of the JP IV out there, some of them much older than the 'Smart Kit' that I'm working on. You're right about the design...low profile and deadly! Marc, blame it on the oxygen deprivation! Sharon's doing much better now, recovering steadily and not needing my intervention nearly as much...although I'm still handling things like the grocery shopping, driving, etc. so that's been detracting a little bit from the bench time. All for the good though! |
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Post by wbill76 on Jun 26, 2015 16:04:19 GMT -5
As luck would have it, when I went to go do some airbrush work, disaster struck. Seems my airbrush has decided to take the summer off and showed its displeasure by refusing to hold a seal and allow enough air through the nozzles to actually push paint. After a quick call to the fine folks at Testors, it's now in the mail to be repaired/replaced and I should see it back in a couple of weeks. Until then, I'll just have to wait before I can make any more progress on this one I suppose. |
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Post by TRM on Jun 26, 2015 16:16:48 GMT -5
Well that sucks!! Sorry to hear that!!Say the word and I would drop one of mine in the mail for you to borrow my friend! If you can't wait! |
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Post by wbill76 on Jun 26, 2015 16:21:55 GMT -5
Well that sucks!! Sorry to hear that!!Say the word and I would drop one of mine in the mail for you to borrow my friend! If you can't wait! Thanks T! I can get by and wait for the repair. Will just have to open up another kit build to keep me busy. Such torture I know. |
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Post by TRM on Jun 26, 2015 16:31:46 GMT -5
LOL...that's the spirit!! Grip-n-rip!! |
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with DML Jagdpanzer IV`s lower Chassis hull - extra thick plastic (I thought it was thin plastic usually as Pzr IV H & J lower chassis hull) Interesting I`ll check out with my kit - Out of Box by later..
hide behind the hedgerow...
