Vaporware posted:Oh yeah I knew they made them, but I can't find a US distributer in my area, and I'm still searching the online distributers for some good prices. I'll go ask the Warhams for you, I know a couple people there bought sets. EDIT: US$17.50 with free international shipping for the starter set of basic colours (and some paintbrushes and a pallet). http://www.maelstromgames.co.uk EvilMuppet fucked around with this message at 18:22 on Jul 29, 2009 |
|
#
?
Jul 29, 2009 17:53
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 24, 2024 06:21 |
|
|
 of course the warhammer thread would know, I should have thought of that.
|
|
#
?
Jul 29, 2009 20:13
|
|
|
Vaporware posted:
No excuses, soldier! 
|
|
#
?
Jul 30, 2009 03:54
|
|
|
If you do any airbrushing, Freestyle paints are amazing. They go on smooth and will rarely, if ever, clog your airbrush. Probably the best pre-mixed AB paints out there, bar none. I think you can only buy them from Kitbuilders Magazine. Freestyle Paints
|
|
#
?
Jul 30, 2009 04:31
|
|
|
Just as an attempt to keep the thread alive, I'm posting about my recent models. I got a Bradley M3 and a Type 90 tank in the mail today. Both pretty light on details and simple. They did only cost me $2+pp though. They also have electric motors which I have not seen in a scale model before. I've only put the base of one together but it scares the crap out of my cat when I send it across the kitchen floor.
|
|
|
#
?
Aug 25, 2009 15:58
|
|
|
EvilMuppet posted:They also have electric motors which I have not seen in a scale model before. Can't remember which company it is, but one of the big model kit companies has space for motors in the hull of almost all their tanks. They don't all come with the motors, but I think motorised mini panzer battles must be really big in Japan or something.
|
|
#
?
Aug 25, 2009 18:58
|
|
|
Sorry I let the thread languish; I've been busy lately with work and such so I haven't had much time for modeling. Works in progress: This model: http://www.arcair.com/Fea1/601-700/Fea646_F-14D_Manfre/00.shtm I can only hope mine turns out so well. The level of detail on this thing is crazy for a 1:48 kit. The cockpit in particular is fantastic. ...and I'm working on building a model of one of the frigates from Homeworld 2 from scratch. The basic shape is not too difficult; I think most of the work will be in painting all those little details after I have it built. I haven't started building it yet because I've been sketching different ways to make the shell. Most likely, I will make an internal framework out of brass strip stock and then attach sheet styrene to the outside of that with little machine screws. This should produce a strong, yet lightweight body that I can attach parts to for details.
|
|
#
?
Aug 27, 2009 17:07
|
|
|
Any advice on how to try and paint marine digital camo? These would be on 28mm models so not anything crazy scale wise, but still a tough little bit to do I think. I'm also trying to find what is closest to 28mm for vehicles and aircraft but googling for this stuff is TERRIBLE. Is there a decent place or database where I can get pictures and descriptions of many companies models? Specifically I'm looking for something for my 28mm marines to ride around in, a Bradley and a Blackhawk.
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2009 21:08
|
|
|
Elendil004 posted:Any advice on how to try and paint marine digital camo? These would be on 28mm models so not anything crazy scale wise, but still a tough little bit to do I think. Some companies sell vehicles marketed as 28mm, otherwise you want 1/56 (which is 28mm scale, or as close as). You could probably get away with 1/48 as well. You won't find 1/56 (usually) on sites selling scale model kits in the more common scales (ie 1/35, 48 & 72). The only 1/56 stuff I've seen is usually APCs for 28mm skirmish games and isn't as nice-looking as proper scale kits. 1/48 would work, to be honest, and would be a better option for buying your vehicles. This page illustrates the vagaries of scale and shows that 1/48 vehicles and 28mm figures mix well. Academy and Italeri both make 1/48 Blackhawks... I doubt you'll find those in 1/56 scale anywhere.. You can definitely get Bradleys in 1/48... but I'm having trouble finding anything other than humvees and WW2 light vehicles in 1/56 to be honest... Here's a tutorial for doing digital camo in 1/35 that might help...
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2009 22:02
|
|
|
Danger - Octopus! posted:Some companies sell vehicles marketed as 28mm, otherwise you want 1/56 (which is 28mm scale, or as close as). You could probably get away with 1/48 as well. How will 1/48 stack up to 28mm (warhammer) models? I'm doing an entire army in real 28mm us marines but i plan on fielding it in 40k games. the 1/48th will be bigger than normal or smaller than normal?
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2009 22:47
|
|
|
Elendil004 posted:How will 1/48 stack up to 28mm (warhammer) models? I'm doing an entire army in real 28mm us marines but i plan on fielding it in 40k games. the 1/48th will be bigger than normal or smaller than normal? Oh right, I saw your post in the Warhammer thread. This is complicated - GW figures are not any kind of "real" scale (truth be told, nor are any marketed as 28mm, but GW are worst). Actual GW figures will look quite big next to 1/48 vehicles due to the figure's unrealistic proportions and gear - the figures are meant to be around 1/56 but their weapons are bigger than 1/35 scale weapons. Non-GW 28mm figures are almost always better proportioned and will look fine next to 1/48 vehicles (as will GW's own figures truth be told). 1/48 vehicles will also be relatively close to the same size as the GW vehicles they're counting as probably. Details such as hatches and weapons etc will look too small on 1/48 vehicles but this is only in comparison to GW's own vehicles which are insanely out of scale and weirdly proportioned. Different GW vehicles are actually in different scales, believe it or not. 1/48 and 28mm should work fine, but if you want to check then just find the wikipedia articles about vehicles you're interested in and scale the measurements down. Proper scale model kits are mostly fairly accurate, so you can work out what size your model will be, based on the real thing. This is a GW Cadian next to a (broken down) 1/48 Willys Jeep for comparison purposes. 
|
|
#
?
Aug 30, 2009 23:14
|
|
|
Elendil004 posted:Any advice on how to try and paint marine digital camo? These would be on 28mm models so not anything crazy scale wise, but still a tough little bit to do I think. Digital camo wouldn't look much different than older styles of camo at the scale of most figures. Just give the individual colours of the camo slightly more angular edges than older camo and the effect will probably come across.
|
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2009 00:55
|
|
|
Bloody Hedgehog posted:
Actually, well done 4-8mm square digital camo looks absolutely brilliant on certain armies, Tau especially. I'm googling like crazy in another browser window but the best I've found is a hexagonal varient, which actually has a lot of potential:  edit: The 2 most sensible ways of doing digi-camo I've seen was sets of card templates & air brush, or 4mm masking tape (which a good model shop will carry) & paintbrush. cakesmith handyman fucked around with this message at 20:35 on Aug 31, 2009 |
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2009 20:32
|
|
|
Here is an example of what the Frigate I'm going to build looks like: Click here for the full 800x640 image. In-game screenshot:  Click here for the full 1280x1024 image. As I looked closer at the main body of the ship, I realized that it is not in fact curved. Actually, I think the graphics engine for Homeworld 2 doesn't support curved surfaces so they do polygonal trickery to make some things LOOK curved (such as the Mothership). Points of interest/ideas so far: - The internal framework as I envisioned it may not be necessary. Still, there will be a need for support of the "shell". - The turrets will be tricky. I'm thinking about creating the basic shapes out of layered foam core construction and then sticking styrene sheet to the outside of that to make a nice, smooth surface. - Another tricky bit: the engine exhausts are conical. I have brass tubing that I think is about the same size so I may try to reshape it. Beyond that I have absolutely no idea how to make them, although robbing parts from some bargain bin airplane models is a possibility.
|
|
#
?
Aug 31, 2009 20:57
|
|
|
I seem unable to find a 1/48 Abrams tank, I found bradley and blackhawk fine, but the tank...no dice. I keep finding these wicked cheap (like 12 dollar) 'DIY R/C kits' but how can that possibly be a fully functional tank model for that cheap? I must be missing something.
|
|
#
?
Sep 2, 2009 15:32
|
|
|
I think the RC ones are just low detail kits and are for people who want them for RC more than for being SRS PRO MODELLER types. Far as I can tell, Academy do a 1/48 Abrams, and some other nondescript company does, which will probably be a knock-off of the Academy one (there are quite a few companies that appear to do slightly dodgy copies of big-name company kits, which are fine if you don't care about minor details being a bit off or needing some work) Where are you in the world? If you're in the US, I can see Academy and Kitech 1/48 kits on Ebay. Kitech are one of the dodgy knock-off companies, but their kits do generally build fine unless you're the kind of person who cares about every last detail (ie rivets, every last armour seam) being exactly accurate, and are cheap too.
|
|
#
?
Sep 2, 2009 22:20
|
|
|
Tamiya makes fully detailed (and, for that matter, painted) RC tanks, but they're ridiculously expensive. I understand that they're very big over in Japan... 
|
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2009 15:24
|
|
|
Powdered Toast Man posted:Tamiya makes fully detailed (and, for that matter, painted) RC tanks, but they're ridiculously expensive. Honk honk
|
|
#
?
Sep 3, 2009 16:17
|
|
|
I'm looking at getting into model shipbuilding using wooden kits. A few others have posted about this, so I was wondering what sort of tools and other stuff I'd need to buy alongside a beginner's kit in order to get started. Any ideas?
|
|
#
?
Sep 6, 2009 08:31
|
|
|
Ahhh, the sweet smell of lacq-uh, progress! I got the cockpit for my 1:48 Hasegawa F-14D assembled and primed over the weekend, so I can now get to trying out the technique detailed earlier in the thread for "layer painting" the details. I plan to photograph the steps for everyone's enjoyment, and will update this post with the results: 1. Lacquer flat white, airbrushed. 2. Enamel flat black, brushed by hand, because like hell am I running enamel through my airbrush. 3. "Rub off" the enamel black with a toothpick soaked in enamel thinner to expose the white for the rings around the dials and the dial details. 4. Dot some Future on the dials to make 'em glossy and purty. What, you don't know about Future? It's floor polish with liquid plastic or some poo poo like that in it. It makes a great glossy finish for decals or wherever you need a shine. You might be thinking, "Raised dial details on a 1:48 model cockpit? WHAT?" Yeah, Hasegawa is loving insane with the details. The landing gear bay attached under the cockpit had a cute little separate oxygen cylinder, for instance.
|
|
#
?
Sep 8, 2009 14:20
|
|
|
I've started working on another kit again since I used to enjoy this stuff when I was a teenager and have kinda missed it over the last ten years. I'm definitely benefiting from having a lot more patience than I used to, but the one thing that's causing problems is decals. I have a vague feeling that I used to know a trick to make them not look like poo poo but I'm damned if I can remember what it was. Is there one? I'm cutting them as close as I can but the 'transparent' parts of them is still fairly visible once they're stuck on and makes them look pretty rubbish. This seems to be especially the case when sticking them on matte surfaces.
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2009 11:52
|
|
|
Kerro posted:I've started working on another kit again since I used to enjoy this stuff when I was a teenager and have kinda missed it over the last ten years. I'm definitely benefiting from having a lot more patience than I used to, but the one thing that's causing problems is decals. I have a vague feeling that I used to know a trick to make them not look like poo poo but I'm damned if I can remember what it was. I'm glad you asked! As I mentioned, Future floor polish makes a great glossy surface. Decals really don't adhere well to anything but a glossy finish, otherwise you get "silvering" which is what you're describing. To get fantastic looking decals, put a gloss finish on first, then apply the decals, then spray with a matte/flat overcoat such as Dullcote. Stubborn, bitchy decals may require decal setter or softener. This is especially the case if you're trying to get the decal to conform to an extreme contour, but be careful because both of these solutions will make the decal very prone to tear. I like to use something soft to position the decal, such as a q-tip or swab. Edit: VVVVVV Yeah, you're probably better off using green stuff or similar products for something like that. I've never seen these 'raised decals' before, though. Interesting concept. Powdered Toast Man fucked around with this message at 21:06 on Sep 9, 2009 |
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2009 12:36
|
|
|
Speaking of decals, I bought some Archer surface details off ebay the other day, taking a bit of a chance. They're surface details like weld beads or rivets or treadplate pattern, made of resin printed onto decal paper, so you just cut them to fit where you want, decal them on then paint over. I'm disappointed. For super detailed fine scale modellers they might be perfect, but they're tiny, both scale & sheet size, like a couple of inches wide, maybe 5" long. The detail is also incredibly shallow. I haven't got my vernier caliper on me but it's less than .1mm, I can see that. As I said, probably perfectly to scale, but not what I was expecting.
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2009 19:52
|
|
|
http://www.wargamesfactory.com/AnnouncementRetrieve.aspx?ID=26700 if you're interested in historicals this sounds like a good deal to me
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2009 21:34
|
|
|
Thanks a ton for the advice re: decals - that's very helpful. This might be a more difficult question but does anyone have any idea where I might be able to buy 1:24/25 scale model car kits either in the UK or that will ship to the UK of 1935-1955 era cars, particularly American ones? This is the sort of thing I'd like to build, but it seems AMT isn't around any more and while there are some for sale on ebay, not many will ship to the UK. I know Trumpeter have a few slightly older car kits but most manufacturers seem to be focusing on more modern vehicles.
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2009 12:00
|
|
|
There's a few older cars here if you go through all the pages. Pretty sure I spotted a few 50s sports cars in there.. if they appeal.
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2009 22:07
|
|
|
Kerro posted:Thanks a ton for the advice re: decals - that's very helpful. AMT is still around or back really as Round 2. Not a huge selection. They've got an online shop, but I'm sure if you ask they'd be happy to tell you who carries them in the UK. You might also want to look for Lindberg, they seem to have several classic cars.
|
|
#
?
Sep 15, 2009 01:55
|
|
|
Danger - Octopus! posted:There's a few older cars here if you go through all the pages. Pretty sure I spotted a few 50s sports cars in there.. if they appeal. Thanks - that's one of the sites I've been looking at, and was where I came across the Trumpeter ones that I quite like. It's not quite what I'm after but definitely close. MarxCarl posted:AMT is still around or back really as Round 2. Not a huge selection. They've got an online shop, but I'm sure if you ask they'd be happy to tell you who carries them in the UK. You might also want to look for Lindberg, they seem to have several classic cars. That's cool - I didn't realise AMT was still around (after a fashion). I'll have to see if they have a UK distributor as Google turns up nothing. Lindberg basically has exactly what I want, but I haven't been able to find much in terms of UK distributors either. Edit: Found something, searching specifically for some of those Lindberg kits. If anyone is interested this site seems to have a fairly good selection, albeit of mostly older kits.
|
|
#
?
Sep 15, 2009 10:11
|
|
|
Does anyone know how to get those tiny extension springs that are great pipe greeblies for spaceships? I've tried searching for spring assortments, but I don't think I have the right keywords.
|
|
#
?
Sep 21, 2009 18:50
|
|
|
^^^^ Guitar strings are perfect for this. Hey, Kerro - I know it's not American, but does a 1/24 scale Kubelwagen interest you at all? I've got one that I'm unlikely to build any time soon. I've opened the box, but haven't taken any of the bits off the sprue. If you wanted it, I could sell it for a tenner including postage since you're in the UK. I can get a photo of the box if it might tempt you? Danger - Octopus! fucked around with this message at 19:26 on Sep 21, 2009 |
|
#
?
Sep 21, 2009 19:16
|
|
|
Thank you very much for the offer but I'm not really into military stuff - just classic cars/bikes or vintage utility vehicles. So if you have anything else that fits that criteria then I definitely would be interested 
|
|
#
?
Sep 22, 2009 11:17
|
|
Vaporware posted:Does anyone know how to get those tiny extension springs that are great pipe greeblies for spaceships? I've tried searching for spring assortments, but I don't think I have the right keywords. Like the guy above me said you are looking for guitar strings or even bass strings depending on the diameter you are looking for.
|
|
|
#
?
Sep 22, 2009 11:17
|
|
|
EvilMuppet posted:Like the guy above me said you are looking for guitar strings or even bass strings depending on the diameter you are looking for. I've found for really thick pieces it's better to make it yourself out of a combination of plumbers solder & electronics solder, wrap the thin around the thick. A good coat of matt varnish keeps any nasty metals in & helps paint adhere.
|
|
#
?
Sep 22, 2009 21:40
|
|
|
Bass strings are a nightmare to work with. Getting them to stay in place if you need them bent at all is horrible. Regular electric guitar strings are awesome for tubing though.
|
|
#
?
Sep 22, 2009 22:38
|
|
|
I'm not sure if it ends up being cheaper (after all, a pack of Ernie Ball Extra Slinkys is pretty cheap), but Hobby Lobby carries "music wire" in the section with the brass stock.
|
|
#
?
Sep 23, 2009 17:44
|
|
|
Forgive me if I'm talking out of my rear end here, but aren't guitar strings tempered steel? If so, all you'd have to do to make them hold a shape is bend them in a little jig to the shape you want (set of soldering helping hands would probably work) and then heat it up with a little propane torch. Once it glows red, if you then quench it or just let it cool, it should hold that shape from then on.
|
|
#
?
Sep 23, 2009 18:49
|
|
|
Slung Blade posted:Forgive me if I'm talking out of my rear end here, but aren't guitar strings tempered steel? They are, but, they're normally so flexible that you don't need to bend 'em into a certain shape. Just glue the ends into place and that's it. Besides, not everyone has a propane torch. And a welding kit. And a giant antique tractor. And batteries, and one of the coolest DIY threads. So get out of our little tiny toys thread and go play with your big awesome real toy and let us pretend!
|
|
#
?
Sep 23, 2009 20:56
|
|
|
Pagan posted:Besides, not everyone has a propane torch. And a welding kit. And a giant antique tractor. And batteries, and one of the coolest DIY threads. So get out of our little tiny toys thread and go play with your big awesome real toy and let us pretend! Actually, you can get cooking blowtorches really cheaply. I have one because I'm a fancy-cookin' metrosexual.
|
|
#
?
Sep 23, 2009 22:06
|
|
|
Pagan posted:They are, but, they're normally so flexible that you don't need to bend 'em into a certain shape. Just glue the ends into place and that's it. A bic lighter would probably work 
|
|
#
?
Sep 24, 2009 07:00
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 24, 2024 06:21 |
|
|
Slung Blade posted:A bic lighter would probably work you can get some pretty cheap butane powered torches / gas soldering irons from your local hardware type store.
|
|
#
?
Sep 24, 2009 07:38
|
|
