M-40 155mm self-propelled M40 and

[Rockin' Rob]

I finished the left turn P40. You're welcome to comment all you want. Next up was a toss up between a Peterbilt and an old Ford panel truck. And then I saw this. Big smile

 

[Ron2]

I finished the left turn P40. You're welcome to comment all you want. Next up was a toss up between a Peterbilt and an old Ford panel truck. And then I saw this. Big smile

Why was it a "left turn"?

 

[Rockin' Rob]

Why was it a "left turn"?

That very question was asked and answered if you look at the left turn only P40 build. But it has to do with the picture on the box. So I don't normally do armor. I did do a tiger tank a long time ago and I thought it was kind of chintzy. It wasn't a Tamia or nothing like that it was an off brand and it just I thought was flimsy. So I'm building this and I have the main body done and next I have to work on the suspension. But let me tell you this is so well engineered it is flawless. And sturdy. You can feel how well it's built. This is an absolute joy to build. I haven't added the clear pieces to the Coppola's yet. I figured I'd leave them unglued and get the paint done first.

 

[Rockin' Rob]

Question. These are the bogeys for the suspension. Am I being anal for sanding these lines out? Is that what everyone does? Or does paint hide these and it's a waste of time? Just wondering cuz I want to get better but you also want to get faster

 

[kevin]

I would sand, or scrape with a hobby knife.
Leaving those bugs me on my builds.

 

[Rockin' Rob]

I would sand, or scrape with a hobby knife.
Leaving those bugs me on my builds.

Okay, thanks. My thoughts exactly. Especially when I just bought a headband magnifier. Wow! Should have bought this a long time ago. Yeah the seam lines show up like a sore thumb with these

 

[BarleyBop]

get better but you also want to get faster

I'd remove those lines too...
And for many situations like these parts, scraping can be faster... Sometimes just one draw of a scraper tool or edge of a knife blade.
I find sanding either is not as precise or it roughs up the surface, requiring even more sanding with a finer grit.

 

[Rockin' Rob]

I'd remove those lines too...
And for many situations like these parts, scraping can be faster... Sometimes just one draw of a scraper tool or edge of a knife blade.
I find sanding either is not as precise or it roughs up the surface, requiring even more sanding with a finer grit.

Oh yeah. Couple scrapes with the number 14. Get her done. And if I find sanding roughens it up too much and I want it smoother? A quick way to smooth it is put some Tamia thin on it

 

[Jakko]

Those arms on the real thing are castings, so there is a seam there. However, the seams on 1:35 scale parts are rather too large to represent that. If you look at photos of the real arms, there's little or no seam at all, so yes, the best solution for a model is to scrape, file or sand them away. I much prefer scraping for things like this, myself.

 

[BarleyBop]

there is a seam

... I find that often, seams often end up in places that leave you second guessing, like these, or along shirt sleeves or trouser legs.
The worst is along a long cylindrical part like an axle or driveshaft, and the ridge isn't the result of a seam, but of the two casting halves being misaligned and offset!

 

[Rockin' Rob]

... I find that often, seams often end up in places that leave you second guessing, like these, or along shirt sleeves or trouser legs.
The worst

I might have you beat on the worst. I do not want to splurge $26 on a metal Barrel for this M40. So the Barrel in the kit comes in? You guessed it! Two long pieces.

 

[Jakko]

Plastic barrels are just fine, IMHO, as long as the pieces are properly (half-)round. If so, all you need to do is make sure they're properly aligned (rolling the barrel between your fingers while the glue is still wet is a good way) and then scrape or sand the seam when the glue is dry.

 

[Rockin' Rob]

Plastic barrels are just fine, IMHO, as long as the pieces are properly (half-)round. If so, all you need to do is make sure they're properly aligned (rolling the barrel between your fingers while the glue is still wet is a good way) and then scrape or sand the seam when the glue is dry.

I'm with you on that one. I can make it look just fine

 

[Edbert]

I would sand, or scrape with a hobby knife.

+1 for scraping.

Sanding enough to remove the mould lines leaves a rough texture when I do it. Guess I should use less coarse material, but then it takes forever.

 

[Tommergun]

Question. These are the bogeys for the suspension. Am I being anal for sanding these lines out? Is that what everyone does? Or does paint hide these and it's a waste of time? Just wondering cuz I want to get better but you also want to get faster

I try to remove all seams on every piece. Scraping first then a light sanding if necessary.

 

[Jakko]

Guess I should use less coarse material, but then it takes forever.

First use coarse sandpaper to make good progress, and once it's sanded down to where you want it, use finer sandpaper to get rid of the scratches made by the coarse type.

 

[Ron2]

First use coarse sandpaper to make good progress, and once it's sanded down to where you want it, use finer sandpaper to get rid of the scratches made by the coarse type.

I find you still have to be careful using this method. I try not to use less than 300-400 grit.

 

[Rockin' Rob]

I find you still have to be careful using this method. I try not to use less than 300-400 grit.

Yes. My favorite I use all the time is 400. If I need to get some Nubs down I have a 320. But that's as far down as I go. It is plastic after all. You can also smooth it out by applying a drop of Tamia thin. And also, if you want, you can texture the piece while it's soft like its cast.

 

[Rockin' Rob]

All right! The sanding is done on these and I can start assembly. I think I should get the base color on the chassis before I put on the road wheels shouldn't I? I'm tempted to just paint the bottom of the chassis without all the suspension that way I can kind of weather it a little bit. I could also paint all the road wheels and suspension parts and whether it all off the chassis and then put it all together? Or do you guys just stick it all together so it glues up good and then you paint the whole thing olive drab and weather it?

 

[kevin]

I fall into the camp of painting as you go along. I paint sub assemblies before installing. Sometimes you can see something you want to paint but can't get a brush in there once assembled.

.

 

[Rockin' Rob]

I fall into the camp of painting as you go along. I paint sub assemblies before installing. Sometimes you can see something you want to paint but can't get a brush in there once assembled.

.

Okay. Makes sense. And that's what I do with my airplane builds so bringing that knowledge into armor builds should work out! Painting will be a bit different. I'm going to primer in black. Use white to shade then XF 62 olive drab for base

 

[Jakko]

I think I should get the base color on the chassis before I put on the road wheels shouldn't I?

My method of painting Shermans (this is technically not a Sherman but its underside is very similar) is usually to leave the bogies, sprockets and idlers off until the very end. That is, I build the rest of the model, spray it in one go — rather than lower hull first, then continue building the upper hull, spraying that, etc. — and only then install the bogies.

 

[Edbert]

what I do with my airplane builds so bringing that knowledge into armor builds

I'm right there with ya brotha! The disciplines do not always translate directly, but the languages overlap

 

[Rockin' Rob]

I got some primer on the little bits. If you want to call it primer. I had a little bit of NATO black in the bottom so that's what I used for primer

 

[Rockin' Rob]

And some Shadows??

 

[Ron2]

And some Shadows??

I like the shadows, turned out good!

 

[Rockin' Rob]

I don't know. Shading it like I did with the white maybe helped just a tiny little bit. I think it would be more noticeable on the body. It doesn't seem to do much of anything to these bogeys. And I understand every little bit helps but I'm more of an instant gratification type of guy and believe me, most of the time that isn't a good thing. Here's one of the bogeys I think is kind of finished. No clear coat on it yet. And I probably shouldn't have dry brushed it with light gunmetal. To me? It doesn't look right on Armor or at least armor that is completely OD Green. I think I would get a better effect if I use two different types of olive drab. Maybe like one full strength and the next add some Lightner like buff or dark yellow or something like that. The lighter olive drab would be the weathering. At least that's what my eye is telling me.

 

[kevin]

I would go one further.....
OD green, then the lighter shade for highlights, then the gunmetal on top of the highlights.
I'm planning on something like that on my current build, a 1/16 M8.

 

[Jakko]

If you spray the bogies olive drab, then wash them with a darker colour and drybrush them with a lighter shade of OD, you'll see the detail pop out and pretty much instantly

 

[Rockin' Rob]

If you spray the bogies olive drab, then wash them with a darker colour and drybrush them with a lighter shade of OD, you'll see the detail pop out and pretty much instantly

I'll try that next time or maybe even here in a little bit cuz I just got back from Hobby Bench. Needed to make a paint run.