Pavesi P4-100 Gun tractor 2025-06

[BarleyBop]

...so, I'm still reading up and preparing for the Scammell Pioneer; what can I build in the meantime?
Back to my Italian collection; did you really think I would just abandon them in the desert?
This is a different build for me, my first all 3D printed kit.

No sprues, just a forrest if supports sprouting from bases, with a limited number of parts that will need to be liberated.
The entirety of the instructions are visible in the photo: that's it!
So I'm thinking this one is going to be mostly about the paint. Perfect!

 

[kevin]

Interesting model.
The only 3D printed stuff I dealt with is aftermarket accessories from AFV Modeler. Great details from the 3D stuff, but their products are brittle. Be very careful separating the smaller / thin parts from the bases, easy to break the part itself.
Looking forward to following along with your build.

 

[BarleyBop]

Thanks for the heads up @kevin !

After a little investigation, it would seem that applying controlled heat can noticeably speed up and facilitate the removal of all those supports: key word being controlled. Ideally somewhere between 105 and 110 according to Mr Googles.

My bench hair dryer a bit too unruly for the job.
What about the ultrasonic cleaner, it has a heater!? I test it out

Seems worth a try!
... and guess what? Remember my stash post about the Pavesi arriving as 1:72 instead of 1:35?
They then sent me the right scale, so I now have a 1:72 kit to experiment with.

 

[BarleyBop]

...still have to make another pass to scrape/sand tiny vestiges of the supports in places.

I cut away the base to start with my rough sprue cutters.
Then I could get at the supports, which, depending on thickness and the size of the area supported, (from large to fine) I removed with my fingers, the square nosed pliers, the 'ultra fine sprue cutter tweezers', the knife.

I think I'll wait for the bath to be closer to 110F next time!

The wheels will be fun, looks like a Coney Island roller coaster!

 

[kevin]

Good to know about applying heat to soften things up. I didn't try that, just went straight to cutting away the bases.
I've learned something for next time.

 

[BarleyBop]

Granted this is the underside, but looks like the Pox!

 

[wjbrandel]

I've been told that they still need to be uv cured. Don't if that is true or not, just a bit of helpful info I hope

 

[BarleyBop]

uv cured

Hmmm, will have to check that out. I would have thought they'd ship already cured. Perhaps it depends if you are printing them yourself, and the material used?
Have left a message with the shop.

 

[BarleyBop]

... done enough cleanup to know what's involved, so I think I can move on to the 1:35th kit.

Normally I'd give this another rinse after brushing with resin prep., and there is some minor pitting that I'd fill. Have to watch out for that on the visible surfaces.

 

[BarleyBop]

Well @wjbrandel , Hobby Market responded first thing!

Dear Brian,

Thank you for contacting us regarding our 3D printed kits.
All 3D printed kits and sets are ready for assembly and paiting. No need to make any UV curing or even washing.
Some sets are even already cleared from supports.
Best regards
Hobby Market support

As I suspected. That UV step something to consider if you do your own printing at home. As for the washing, I'm in the habit of washing resin models and figures as a matter of course before painting: a few times with regular resin parts I'd come to a surface where the primer just beaded like I was painting on wax!

 

[Jakko]

For traditional resin kits, that's most likely because there's some mould release agent left on the part. 3D-printed resin kits don't have that, for obvious reasons

 

[scottrc78]

With so many pillars for support, they can make the diameter of the contact segment between the pillar and the part much smaller and it wont' leave such a large goose pimple or make it so hard to remove.

You shouldn't have to apply so much heat to remove the supports. You could risk removing details and parts you don't want to remove. They should pop right off. I normally pop mine off before UV curing but if I need the support to cure, I will pop them off while cleaning under warm water, not hot.

A fact that the supports are hard to remove is an indicator that the parts are fully cured.

 

[BarleyBop]

@scottrc78

Oh, heat is minimal at 105F...don't know how much it helps as I have no experience!

It was a bit unnerving to 'snap' some off by hand , but I think I'll get the hang of it.

Thanks for the guidance!

 

[BarleyBop]

... so the parts came away relatively unscathed.
Wear glasses or goggles!
Carpet Monster is gonna get indigestion for sure!

Can't say the supports did as well...

Now for fine tuning, removing little nubs, perhaps a bit of filling, and repairing any damage I might find.

 

[urumomo]

wow , that's a significant amount of waste material .'

I had to google those wheels .
The paddles fold down onto the hub , for flying down the Autobahn

 

[BarleyBop]

for flying down the Autobahn

yup, more expensive kits give you the option to have them in either position. Serious coin.

 

[BarleyBop]

Continuing with clean up of parts; test fitting revealed some warpage and areas that will need squaring up before assembly.
I also realized that there was a part miss-packed: within 24 hours of alerting the vendor, it sounds like the right part is being shipped. There were four other parts in the kit that I could not find in photos or instructions: turns out they were miss-packed as well.

So back at the Scammell for now.

It's nice to have two on the go, covers situations like this, or I can alternate builds that are at different stages.

 

[user 22148]

Certainly an interesting subject! I don't envy you that clean up.

 

[BarleyBop]

Well, all the way from Slovenia, the replacement parts came today!
Sorry, now you'll have to wait for WC 55, who's taken your spot on the bench.

 

[Jakko]

Value 3 cents?

 

[BarleyBop]

Had a few cycles with paint drying on the WC55, so did more cleanup, and repair of some parts.
The foot rest was a solid piece with a corner missing, so cut it off and repurposed WC51 grill!
Painted up should look good.

There were three curly doodads missing on wheels, so heated and bent styrene strips.

I will replace the tiedowns and canvas top post anchor blobs with some brass and wire.
The adjustable angle headlights are a mess, so will fix those too.

 

[Edbert]

Those "spokes" are insane!

 

[BarleyBop]

"spokes"

Ha! This what I get for lusting after all those radial engines!

Unfortunately, the 'spokes' are too fat for scale, the more expensive kit does a better job.
But I'm happy to include this model with my 'Italian collection'.

 

[BarleyBop]

... so here is a photo of the paddles folded up (mine are molded down) for rolling on the rubber.
You can also see why there are so many channels for the tarp roof supports on the sides of the body.
The rear fenders are actually lipped like a tray for stowage, with their own protective tarps!

The photo also shows how the vehicle was hinged in the middle to negotiate awkward terrain.

 

[Jakko]

How do you mean, convoluted?

 

[Edbert]

That articulation would make Jeep (I should say "Wrangler" the only real Jeep) owners envious. This was about all the articulation I could get from the factory suspension on mine, long wheel-base versions could get more. I guess my example is about suspension-flex, your tractor has chassis flex

(left-front wheel is almost 3 feet higher than right)

 

[BarleyBop]

So some prototyping:
Folding light wire or lead wire.
The light wire is hard to fold square, but is rigid.
The lead wire is super easy to shape, but could easily get shmushed handling the model.
At this size, the light wire digs into the plastic piece. Free hand on flat tipped pliers is equally hard.
Wrapping the lead, gently persuading a rectangular shape, and one cut up the middle gives me plenty of near identical parts.

Before I do a bunch, with copper tape plates, better make sure it looks okay.
The blob next to it is the do nothing alternative...

 

[Edbert]

If the version shown is the lead, I say go with that, it looks great.

 

[user 22148]

Agreed, that looks excellent!

 

[BarleyBop]

go with that,

Yup, I had come to the same conclusion and spent half the evening 'fabricating' a bunch!
Because they are delicate, I will wait until the vehicle is assembled before attaching.

Now onto the channel guides for the soft top poles and carefully removing all the nondescript blobs.