What is on your bench right now ? Share a picture :)

[ScottsGT]

I’ve made a little P-40 progress.  I did a preshading on this one. I’m quite happy with my results so far.  I have a few minor details to respray, but nothing big.  

[BlrwestSiR]

Got something finished for once.

The Takom Panzer III. Snuck in some bench time over the last couple days and got it mostly done. 

This was a test mule for a couple things I wanted to try out. First was the AK markers for doing the rubber part of the road wheels. I didn't get as clean a demarcation as I'd hoped so ended up airbrushing them instead. The other was trying out the AK 3rd Gen acrylic paint. It seems to cover well so I'd call part a success. 

[FullArmor]

6 hours ago, BlrwestSiR said:

Got something finished for once.

The Takom Panzer III. Snuck in some bench time over the last couple days and got it mostly done. 

This was a test mule for a couple things I wanted to try out. First was the AK markers for doing the rubber part of the road wheels. I didn't get as clean a demarcation as I'd hoped so ended up airbrushing them instead. The other was trying out the AK 3rd Gen acrylic paint. It seems to cover well so I'd call part a success. 

Looking really good. a blank canvas for weathering🙂👍

[KevinM]

This kit goes together rather well I got to try out my new Velocity Jet Renegade AB from Badger me likey!! It lays a very thin layer of paint though I have not gotten a hairline in the spray yet but do feel 1/32" maybe smaller is highly doable.The main decals have all been laid down now onto a few hours of stencils.I liked the decals they do want to set rather quick so keep the surface well lubricated.The decals feel a bit thick I tried Microsol Red to little effect hit it with Walthers went down well and did not shrivel like crazy.I had to repaint the stripe on the tail three times was to fat the decal had to fit between it and an ares below on the rudder that protrudes out it is not a 16" but a 14" stripe now the rest are 16".

[BlrwestSiR]

14 hours ago, FullArmor said:

Looking really good. a blank canvas for weathering🙂👍

Thanks! And here it is with a quick wash. 

[CANicoll]

8 hours ago, BlrwestSiR said:

Thanks! And here it is with a quick wash. 

Better!  It is amazing how much detail a wash brings out.  I bet it looks even better to your eye.  I hear you on the markers.  I used a Gundam marker on the Earnhardt #3 and had mixed results.  I can see some places where they work great, others are a bit of a stretch.  BUT, nice to have in the tool kit!

[CANicoll]

On 12/25/2024 at 5:01 PM, belugawhaleman said:

Trying to recover from a wounded mojo, I'm building this

Tamiya Sherman.....This is one of Tamiya's recent "single motor" kits.

Yes, it's silly....Just a bit of fun, but it is a step ahead towards a return

to modelling after some health issues.

Hope you are feeling better.  Is that Steel wool in the background?  What do you use that for?  

[belugawhaleman]

1 hour ago, CANicoll said:

Hope you are feeling better.  Is that Steel wool in the background?  What do you use that for?  

Thanks. Yes, steel wool. It works very well in place of fine sandpaper, especially for contoured things like cannon barrels. Using the finest grades,

it leaves a nice polished finish.

 

 

[HubertB]

3 hours ago, CANicoll said:

… Is that Steel wool in the background?  What do you use that for?  

Steel wool is very useful for buffing, polishing, light sanding, in its finer grades. A ball of steel wool will last a modeller’s life. Another (cheap) addition to the tool chest

Hubert

[DocRob]

3 hours ago, HubertB said:

Steel wool is very useful for buffing, polishing, light sanding, in its finer grades. A ball of steel wool will last a modeller’s life. Another (cheap) addition to the tool chest

Indeed, as well as sponges for cleaning pans. Coarse steel wool can be also used to spry through with the airbrush, to achieve unregular base layers.

Cheers Rob

[ScottsGT]

5 hours ago, HubertB said:

Steel wool is very useful for buffing, polishing, light sanding, in its finer grades. A ball of steel wool will last a modeller’s life. Another (cheap) addition to the tool chest

Hubert

I bought a package of 0000 steel wool for modeling use probably 20 years ago. I’ve only used one piece of it. 🤣

But yes, great for weathering effects and surface prep.  I did wash it with lacquer thinner because some brands have an oil coating to prevent rust.  
 

Here’s another steel wool tip:  if you want to “age” new wood, take a quart of vinegar and drop in about half a hunk of steel wool and let it sit a week or two.  Shake occasionally.  After it has aged, brush or spray using a garden sprayer the vinegar mix (after filtering you the steel that broke down) on the wood. Let it sit out in the sunlight a few days.  
Now you have new “old” wood. Turns it into an aged gray color. 
 

My dock needed a new 2X10 runner installed that would have been very visible and there’s no way I was paying Duke Energy (they own the lake and require permits for any work done) $350 to have them send their guy out to collect a check and see what I was replacing.  Now my new board looks exactly like the old boards.  
Not kidding you, they fly drones around the lake looking for work done without permits. 

[ScottsGT]

Getting closer. 

 

Here’s my custom color mix. 

Funny, in person the spinner looks a hair darker than the decal.  Decal looks darker in the pic.  

[ScottsGT]

Well dagnabbit!!   I broke out the Barracuda Decals and put the first star on the wing.  Figured I’d jump to the white bands around the fuselage and rudder. 
Wait!? What?  No stripe decals?  I swear I saw some.  Oh, on the old Superscale set that are angled in the wrong direction. 
Crap.  Back to taping and painting.  If I had paid attention I would have done them first.  
 

[ScottsGT]

And Bobs your uncle!

[Count0]

On 12/28/2024 at 8:40 PM, CANicoll said:

I used a Gundam marker on the Earnhardt #3 and had mixed results.

I have not used Gundam Markers in years. I didn't like them at the time, but they were very early versions.

What I do like are the AK weathering pencils. But, again, not always useful in every situation. And they are oddly inconsistent. Some work really well, other's don't. I have no idea why.

I am also experimenting with enamels for washes. Not sure they are better than oils, but in certain circumstances they seem to be. Another tool in the tool box. Keep your options open.

[FullArmor]

Got this ikea moppe box from my spouse.

I used abrams box art to cover this unpainted plain looking box.

And that handle came from that same 1/16 abrams box too😄. Just need to attach it.

 

[ScottsGT]

5 hours ago, FullArmor said:

Got this ikea moppe box from my spouse.

I used abrams box art to cover this unpainted plain looking box.

And that handle came from that same 1/16 abrams box too😄. Just need to attach it.

 

Now that is a pretty cool idea.  

[CANicoll]

Definitely is!!

[BlrwestSiR]

Great idea like the others said. 

[Martinnfb]

Pretty cool ikea indeed

[FullArmor]

30 minutes ago, Martinnfb said:

Pretty cool ikea indeed

Another cool idea was to glue one small piece from every box art and create collage...I might do that for the sides🧐

[Martinnfb]

The life of the the Blob

[Martinnfb]

Return of the Blob ! 

[KevinM]

I continue with the MiniArt kit all the stencils have been laid and about to take the wash to the plane methinks?The bombs was something I have been wanting to do for a while ...create the cast iron effect.I had to do this twice seeing I did not make the seams disappear well enough the first go around and the q-tip was not the right tool.I got seams all correct this time I used a foam pad and worked the Mr.Surfacer 1000 onto the bombs.I dipped the sponge into the 1000 started dappling the bomb until the sponge was resisting the effect to pull away(raising the paint).The bombs look about right to scale for 1/48 and think 500 would do well for 1/32.I will fix the antenna/gunbarrel when finished have broken them off several times a better plan by MiniArt would of been nice .

[Martinnfb]

Looking good Kevin.