Alex B, I've never worked with or cut a die-cast model so I'm interested to see how your's works out. Die cast opens up some options and I've seen some pretty neat looking works done with them.

I don't have a band saw and that's something that not everyone has access to. I've got a couple of neighbors that have them but I usually just pull out the Dremel. I'm not sure how a cutting wheel would hold up on a die-cast model though. I figure it would break a good number of them at the least.

Good luck with that and good luck with getting your own dedicated work station. I did the dinner table thing. I use an old computer desk now and it makes a huge difference.

Ok guys I have given what's been said some thought and im now going to run to 'mini projects'. I have no exp in using die cast and I've really fallen of this dio idea I have so I don't want to muck it up lol.

1. I've taken my boys broken Eddie Stobart lorry, fixed it and just spray primed it, purpose of this is to see if there is any issues with painting etc on a die cast model. will be modelling it on my works lorries, so that I have a real life idea of how it should sorta look like.

2. Two cars/vans/whatever are to be selected by my boys, cut in half and stuck back together. This is to see what problems I may come across with cutting and use of putty etc. Plus its something I've wanted to do since I was a kid! Lol

Ok guys, I have good and bad news, managed to cut the van and it came out fine (well abit pissed but fixable) so my main worry is now over buy im afraid I can not share you any photos at the moment as my 'lovely' son has smashed my laptop screen, far from impressed, hence why I have been busy on this as it keep that off my mind! As soon as I can get a image up I will.

Bronzey

I think I'm actually going to build that first picture now. Only because I doubt I'll manage to do this campaign in the CG. I'm saving that second photo though, so we'll see if I can do it for the campaign.

If I've understood this right, then this link should be the back end of a van.... Lol

http://s1293.photobucket.com/user/bronzey4eva/media/temporary_zps740863ba.jpg.html#/user/bronzey4eva/media/temporary_zps740863ba.jpg.html?&_suid=136373257606108216052655305887

Bronzey

Hi alex,

I think that came out fine, yeah it's a little wonkey but none the less pretty good.

Paul

Here's the pic for all to appreciate:



Not a bad cut -- I'd say quite manageable. Good to see you're well on your way in prepping up for the campaign. Me, I still have to get my mind set on what to do...

Cheers,

Tat

I'd second Tat's comments. That is a really nice cut you made there. Needs a bit of sanding but that is all really. Pretty good interior in that van as well. That should weather up really nice with some dust and debris on the floor.

I'm in the same boat with my idea by the way. I still have not yet decided what to do. It doesn't help that I have about 1600 ideas of how to fill up the space. But I'm pretty sure that before the campaigns start date I will have decided what to do.

Tat, Rob

Cheers for the comments, yes it didn't come out as straight as I would of liked, seems at some point my lines got moved but hey, im happy with the result. In aim of keeping with the campaign I will not be touching this again until the start, it cut fine and that was all I wanted to know, so all other work can wait till then.
As for you guys not having a clear plan yet, there is plenty of time and im not going to lie, after seeing in the corner of my local model store some 1/100 scale tanks, I can't help but start thinking of other ideas lol can't wait to see what you guys come up with though! Good luck!

Bronzey

Hello All-

Good discussion of ideas... I was able to finalize mine for the Challenge -I think- but by July who knows?

@Alex- Fine job w/ the hacksaw man, small job w/ big job tool, very tuff to do.
I guess the trick was securely bracing the van w/o nicking the lil-ol fingers! We're you able to use a clamp(s) of sorts, or just good-ol hand strength?

@Shaun- Cool idea you have there, maybe ground service up a ladder halfway inside an access panel. Could be the belly of the fuselage...
Good stuff will follow that w/ interest.

@Eirik- The Me163 is one of my favorite aircraft of all time! Read a great book on it, "Rocket Fighter".
The size is perfect, but which scale, 72 48? Really look forward to that.

@Paul- I had an idea to use the blown-up T34 by Verlinden, but a lil too high for my budget, anyways may not even fit...
Like to see what you got in store

I got over to the LHS, and was lucky enough to pick up some items not too terribly $$$. The accessories details from the stash are from yrs ago, I think they're originally Historex.
As my initial idea became clearer, I went back thru the campaigns to MotorcycleMayhem for some input re the BMW's by LionRoar, MB, and Tamiya.
I went w/ the old Tam which was really really cheap. This is more than suitable because it will be partially concealed.

Now we wait for July...




Cheers and
Dave

Hi Robert,
Would a T55/ 62 Turret mounted in a concrete / stone "wave type" mount count or would it be to small turret wise or not enough stone?
Cheers Mike

Dave,

I didn't go for the clamps and jigs etc. I have a very limited budget so after racking my brains, I went with wrapping the van in electrical tape and this not only protected the paint job but gave a great grip on the table! May also be why my line came out wonky lol love the mix of bits you have ready, can't wait to start this one!

Bronzey

@ Dave
That is a very interesting collection of stuff you have gathered for the campaign. Really looking forward what rolls out of that.

@ Mike
If you can fit a T55/62 turret within the dimensions of the campaign that is fine. Even though the rules state at least 1/3rd of a vehicle must be placed it is something that is meant to say "roughly" 1/3rd of a vehicle. I'm not going to measure up everybodies work to check if they used precisely 1/3rd. That is not what the campaign is about. And there is not a limit about the amount of stone. As long as it is stone and manmade you are good. It can be as big as a house or as small as a pallet of bricks. And you decide what you do.

Greetings!

@Conor- Looking forward to what you come up with...

@Alex- Hey whatever gets 'er done ! Looks to be perfectly cut dude, and that lil' bugger's got some thick metal walls...
It's amazing humanity made it this far considering we've only had duct tape, electrical tape, overnite mail, etc for the last "few" decades!

@Robert- I've since spied a fig set, MasterBox I think, entitled "Peasants East Region" that I'll be grabbing in the future, and some more bits from the ol' stash to be added.
As you stated, no limit on the vertical dims, and that got me thinking... but I won't reveal too much - yet .

Good Luck to All in their quest to meet the Challenge!!!
Cheerio! Dave

@ Dave
You make me curious now. But I'm gifted with an extremely good patience. So I will sit back and wait what you are going to do.

For those who are seeking inspiration... Check out this neat feature that was posted today. About turret bunkers in greece.
http://armorama.kitmaker.net/features/4805

These will fit in the challenge's dimensions without problem
And it kinda kills 2 birds with one stone.

hiya guys,

just a little note i thought i would share my trial with working with dicast lorries. ive only given it a base colour and detailed painting, still got to wash, weather etc but you can see how affective this could work for those diorama items that are alot harder to get hold of. the only down side ive found is that the details on the cab are alot softer and mat look out of place. im sure this can be over come though.

this is the lorry before i got to work on it.....


and this is her current state....


as you can see she still needs more work but with me giving up smoking at the moment im doing only smalls amounts at a time not to risk stressing myself out lol also Dave note that wonderful electrical tape masking the windows! that stuff holds my house together i think! lol

Alex- ah yes, using the right tool for the right job. Or at least what gets it done!

Robert- I've been told I have patience, as well. I'm so ready for this one to start!
For this cmpn, the idea just kinda showed itself. After cutting a small pc of card w/ the dims required, and looking thru the stash of very dated figs, it became clear!

Believe me, that's the first time I had that luck on this site re dios.
Saludos Dave

@ Alex
What you are doing is actually very good. Experimenting to see what work and what not. It's clever. That way you will not run into any problems you cannot solve during the campaign.

@ Dave
Is the same for me. Currently my head is floating with ideas. And I can't decide really. But usually just before the campaign starts I settle on my final idea and usually it is the best idea I had all the time.

has anyone seen my post? Chk the cloud I'll wait here...

Anyways, after all that typing in a click it's gone! Poof!
Whatever.
Robert, I know yours will be the standard here. And for me, a newbee, that's just fine. You have some cracking work on this site for sure!
But for me the best is how the ideas and/or work of others, and completed projects have inspired me!

Cheers Dave

Frustrating isn't it when you type a whole story and then it dissapears. I really can get angry when that happens to me.

Thanks for the compliments on my work. Allthough it is usually the result of a lot of messing around. I'm a modeler who rarely follows the book. Which means I often have to return a few steps and start over. But somehow I always arrive there where I want.
I want this campaign to be a thing where we can learn from each other. Newbies have it easy with the Internet at hand. You see people who are just starting out with things learning and improving way faster then when I started out. We had no internet and I had to learn everything from my visits to the modelling shops where I usually asked away untill they got tired of me and then hoping I had remembered everything well when I got home.

I also love the throwing around of the ideas. It is fun to see people brainstorming on what to do.

I know how you feel Robert. More than a few 'incidents' with me accidentally holding the backspace key (which is set as a back-page hotkey). This is always followed by a oceans worth of expletives.

What's your opinion on my using paper for my build? I'm thinking paper buildings because of my 'forced perspective' idea. It's highly doubtful that there are many usable photos of an unobstructed street view that looks down the street at an angle. Hence I'll end up making my own.

I think next time I can I'll go to Hobbylobby and try to find some suitable paper.

Hi Robert,

On the subject of throwing ideas around, I have found the perfect photo references for my A13 Cruisers, here they are below...

http://ww2db.com/image.php?image_id=16380

http://ww2db.com/image.php?image_id=16381

http://ww2db.com/image.php?image_id=16387

http://ww2db.com/image.php?image_id=16384

The final scene will be an amalgamation of elements of all these photos, should be fun. I have five A13s and some lorries I can use, so I should be able to fill the postcard.

All the best,

Paul

@ Christopher
Hehehehe. Yeah it is like that. When stuff like that happens to me the Dutch dictionary is some creative curses richer afterwards.
I think I understand where you are going and I like it. And sure if you need paper to get the endresult then by all means use paper. I have some articles for you that might help you with your forced perspective. It is from one of the most cleverly designed railroad diorama's I have ever seen.
Article summary in English
Dutch Article with slide show
Dutch article about the perspective used in that diorama

If you think that last one is something usefull for you let me know. I can translate it for you.

@ Paul
Interesting sequence of photo's. I'll post them here so everybody can see them.
Edit: Apparently the site the pictures come from don't allow any hotlinking so I deleted the dead imagelinks

Looking at that and your description of what you are planning to use I'll take it we are not talking 1:35 here. You absolutely have a nice scenery there and everything that falls under the campaigns rules are in there. I'm looking forward to how that progresses.

Thanks a lot Robert. I should be able to figure it out; I was always pretty good at not reading things but knowing what's going on (otherwise I never would have finished Highschool; or I would have at least had to pay attention).

And fortunately enough Dutch doesn't have any odd characters or symbols that would make it impossible for me to type the phrase into Google translate. Plus the diagrams seem to be pretty self explanatory.

"Looking at that and your description of what you are planning to use I'll take it we are not talking 1:35 here. You absolutely have a nice scenery there and everything that falls under the campaigns rules are in there. I'm looking forward to how that progresses."

Hi Robert,

I would love to do a 1/35 diorama of this, I know it would be quite large, but it would be great fun doing all the gardens and details. I think Bronco do all the necessary vehicles. Of course I am doing this in 1/300th using GHQ's excellent micro armour. That's the easy bit, the scene is going to take some modelling though.

Thanks for thinking up this superb Campaign, if I can get the diorama finished quickly I may do another in this scale just for the hell of it.

All the best,

Paul