Hiya Paul thanks mate yeh im kinda likin it the more i look at it , started the weathering tonight just got to thro some decals on it now then try an dust the whole thing up a little.
i tryed using both light dust and dark to replicate volcanic dust what ys reckon? not too much im not sure, but by the time i give it a coat of matt after that will tone it down some.



still got the headlight guards to go on too and tow cable.
cheers,
Graham

Ok, question as to not take up more space can someone look at Grahams Sherman from the rear and tell me if the hitch is put on upside down? I put mine on the same way and was told by someone in a model club I'm with that it was on upside down. Any help would be appreciated.

Hey Graham I actually like what you've done with the dirt/dust, but appreciate that it will tone down a little as you mentioned. The one thing that could be looked at is the transition between the lighter volcanic dust colour and the paintwork along the top edges. It seems a little stark still?


Hey Jay you can find photos of the hitch in differing positions which would lead me to believe it swivels in place, therefore everybody is right
Brad

Gday Brad yeh mate i still have to spray a little further up the shields and sides, front and back to blend it into the pigments, i think i might end up dusting a light coat all over to tie it in.
that hitch thing is most likely the same as the ones on trucks they do swivel a little but i havent seen one the rotates completely but thats on modern trucks too they may have back then, least its an easy fix if need be, i just followed the destructions LOL , i prolly should know better and use my judgment dragon does gets a fair bit wrong ive noticed.
cheers,
Graham

Looking good, Graham. I like the camo and the mud and dust.

Chris

Mike, (and everybody else of course!)

I took the day off for a doctor's appointment so I had some time to write something up. I'll try to link it, but if I can't figure it out, it's over in the "AFV-Techniques" section of the forums.(Easy belts, buckles and tie downs)

making buckles, straps, and tie downs

Thanks for looking. Hopefully it works for you. Don't forget to post pictures!

Chris

Put what you want. Who says it has to be only one of those. It could be water or gas and that could change daily, who cares?

Yes I know what you're talking about Graham that's all I did was follow the instructions but when I went to my modelling club they said it was upside down. Since it swivels or whatever I'll probably just leave it be.

Hi Jim ..Nice to see you in the sherman build forum ...I think that was answer to my question about gas or water jerry can ..Thanks for your input ...

Ok, for the painting process I have a few questions to ask, first do you attach the periscopes and just mask off or wait till you prime and paint? second how do you go about painting the headlights/light quards and so forth. Got a few pictures coming in on my progress once the kitmaker gets back running so feel free to let me know what you think, thanks.

thanks Chris yeh she gettin there.

hey jay, i pritty much paint the periscopes then just touch em up later on the lense part, same wth the light guards just brush touch em i did mine tonight plus put decals on and flat cleared it.
got some color matched to the dust so thats tomorrows job after work thro some overall dusting on an thats about here done.
yeh that hitch i shouldknow better as i work on trucks all the time but just didnt think about it as ya do lol, im gonna leave it too cant be bothered breakin it off and redoing it plus ya hardly see it anyway.

oh i remember seeing somewhere that you cant clear over pigments , well you can no problem just do it with VERY light mist coats , about 4 light coats does it and you dont accually loose to much affect it didnt tone it down as much as i thought it might.
but hey im just a spray paint what we know

i noticed something with this kit too the paint sheet in the instructions says you need 4 decals for the front,rear and both sides but the buggas only give ya 3 , figures i guess i'll have to paint the other one on, all going weel couple pics tomorrow or next day.
cheers,
Graham

Well I guess it depends on if I get turpentine before I get to the priming lol. If I get turpentine I'll re-do it but if not oh well. As for my decals I've got all my stars and just have to paint some of the other designs on which I'm glad they gave me the mixing ratio for the paint that I have to do it with. My tank will be different than most of what I'm seeing and (in my head) looks like it will be quite unique. I'm doing the Okinawa version and I think dry mud from mig would work if I spread it out a bit and don't clump it up so it looks like mud accumulation. As for the wash I have no idea what to do...Since we are doing pretty much the same scheme any advice would be great on how you're going about doing the dust. I should have pictures up soon but thats based on when kitmaker gets fixed. Thanks for everything and enjoy your build =]

Details Details Details




Thanks for looking
Tony the Mutt

Looking real good, Tony. It's starting to have that "lived-in" look.

Chris

Tony: I'm loving that seatbelt and the woodgrain patterns on the weapons and tools

Jay: Looking forward to seeing those new pics. Are you using PE headlight guards?

Thanks Chris
Jer, Yeah PE,ive got them made up but man they are so fragile i'm saving those for install near the last.

Thanks again guys
Tony the Mutt

oops,you weren't talking to me about the PE,sorry.

Tony, That M7 is looking REALLY good! From here it looks like you have the OD color down, and the wood grain on the tools look awsome!

Yeah I'll be using the PE headlight cage and if I mess up on them I've got some plastic ones that will work as this will be my first time working with PE. Should be fun!! Will have pictures up soon.

Tony,

Love the interior so far. I can't get over how nice the gunstocks look on those weapons. Super job. How are you planning on weathering if any? Just give it a looked in feel or really show the vehicle having been in service for a while?

Mike

Hey Jay
The method I use for the periscope glass is to either tint the glassed viewing area(s) of the periscope a dark brown shade, and then lastly add small rectangular slivers of clear packaging plastic (trial and error will give you the right size) with white glue which dries clear.
OR I use another method which is to cut the edges of old negative photo film (do you remember those? ) into the same sized small rectangles as above. Do this lastly, and the effect is quite good.
For head lights, if the kit part is moulded clear you can paint the rear side a silver and then coat with OD, save for the lens of course! So what can be seen on closer inpspection through the lensed area will have a silver backing inside. For kit parts that have separate clear lenses, you can paint the inside silver before adding the clear covers, or if obtainable add MV lenses of the right diameter for a realistic effect.

Tony, she is looking good mate! A question. Is it just the light, or are the OVM painted a different shade of wood finish than the weaponry?
Brad

hey guys, man that looks good Tony might have to build an M7 meslef one of these days.
well im done i got a very dirty Sherman LOL



i migt have time for another one maybe.
cheers,
Graham

Looks good Graham. Is it just the photos that make it appear an overall extra light shade; a bit washed out maybe?
The right tail light isn't red as per the left. it should be a horizontal clear black slit inside that upper oval shape, with the lower slit the same (but larger). The lower left is black again to match the right with the top oval being clear red.

Hmm that meslef must be a version I'm not aware of?



You bloody better

Brad

LOL yeh this bloody keyboard cant spell , oh ok thanks for light input i fix it up in the weekend after bathhurstm yeh it is fairly light i might try darkining it a little i color matched some paint to light pigment maybe i got a little carried away but i figured if its in the middle of a convoy its gonna get pritty dusty , its easy enough to thro a tiny black mist coat or heavy darkish wash over it.

ok fixed tailights and added the darker wash , reuploaded pics so what ya see now is after quick spray job :-)

i got some kiwi armour decals now so maybe i one of oursm or i could do a russian one or battle of the bulge , decisions decisions, bugga i just toss a coin lol.
cheers,
Graham

Nice job, Graham. It looks nice-n-dusty.

Chris

Gosh guys i'm overwhelmed here. Thanks for so many kind words.
Mike, the weathering will, shall I say, seek it's own level. I'll start in and when it looks right i'll stop but i'm not planning on it being bathed in mud.

Hey Brad,i'll use anything acrylic that has a light yellow or tan tone to it and then oil it down with a shade that will represent what ever wood I want it to look like.

The gun stocks are walnut so I base coated with Sand with a top oil coat of Burnt Umber to give it a reddish tone. For the tools the base coat is Model Masters "Wood" with Raw Umber oil over it for hickory. U.S. tools were painted OD so I added some specks of OD and then covered that with a thin wash of Olive Green oil to give the handles a worn used look.

From what you folks are saying I must of gotten close enough to pass.
so Thanks Again,I appreciate it so much.
Tony the Mutt