mauro it looks like you are almost there the side that has the coaxel on it looks like it nead to be blended in with some putty but other then that it looks great will you cast it or just use that piece
dave

Olivier, Dave

Many thanks to you for the kind words and most of all for our advise, I think I'll follow them for sure

Dave I think I'll make a resin copy of it. It will be sturdier than the plastic part

Cheers

thats great make sure that you save the mold so you can make me one when i get to do one LOL
dave

Yes Dave, joking aside, I'll be very glad to help you with my mold if eventually I make it

Cheers

I think Oliver really said all that needs to be done- what you've done is very close but I reckon a couple of angles need to be added- the bit on the right drops too sharply to the co-axial housing- there is a more gentle downward angle on the real thing. Then as Oliver already said the slope on top of the mantlet needs to be engraved, although you have a nicely proportioned mould there and that should be easy to do. When you do finish this mantlet I think you should cast it- it really looks the part and I reckon a good few people would be interested in it- maybe even one of the aftermarket companies!

I've been working on Karl, I hope it'll go out well

Otherwise I could make another mantlet if I'm not satisfied enough

Thanks for your reliable opinion mate

Cheers

in awaiting that nice mantlet I've already started mine

but I'll be following this post closely for progress, piggy backing

how much where the tracks you've bought, cause those pesky rubber ones freak me out, hope to find some at a normal price

greetz

I think now is done





Now the bulge to the rigt of the gun looks more correct. Before it looked too rounded in my opinion


So, according to my calculations, I spent about two weeks for the gun mantlet...i think I will finish this build at least in 2024
Joking aside I hope I'll be able to build my BMD in a faster way next days

Pit I bought my masterclub tracks here

http://euromodelshop.ch/

http://euromodelshop.ch/product_info.php?currency=EUR&products_id=12513

I spent 17.77€....Shipping costs were incredibly cheap (bank transfer was more expensive than the item ...but it was only my fault because I didn't pay by credit card )

They're very nice indeed, I recommend you them absolutely

Cheers

Mauro- you nailed it buddy, the angles look spot on!

Thanks a lot Karl, now according to your reliable opinion, I'm sure I've done a good job

It was quite difficult anyway. I'm thinking that the most important modeller's quality is not patience...actually it is huge tenacity

Cheers mate!

I always find with sculpting things that at first I'm excited to get started and usually make good progress- then comes the long drying times of the material and then all that sanding and engraving...and then re-sculpting and re-sanding and re-engraving and thats when you need tenacity!

Yes,although I was referred to scratch building, that's exactly what I meant Karl
That's true especially when you have to "sculpt" the shapes and you can't obtain them simply cutting and gluing some plastic sheets
;)

thanks for the link, and great job on the gun mantle !


greetz

Hi guys

I've finished the gun mantlet and i've began to prepare the resin casting process

As you can see in the pics, I've made a perspex box and I've put the parts on the floor with a bit of blue tac





The sides of the box have been glued together with CA gel glue. To avoid the exit of Silicone moulding rubber from the box, I've sealed its junctions with blue tac

Now I'm ready to drip the rubber to make my silicone mould. I'll show my progresses


Cheers

Very nice!

I admire your work on this one!

Andreas

nice moild M, maybe you already know this, when putting in the silicone, try to brush a small coat on the objects first, then pour a little silicone, about 2mm above the pieces, then wait some minutes, then pour the rest in, I have good moulds with no or very few bubbles in them

resin , depends on mak, but the one time I eyeballed the mixture, I had (have) resin that is flexible and sof!, don't wanne have that hé!

lookin forward to the cast product, if I like it, I'll send some belgian chocolates to your adress, and you send some italian girls,euh, resin , my way

greetz

Good luck Mauro...

Thanks a million guys for your kind words and your encouragement

Pit, many thanks for the tips. I adopt a product which is quite easy to use because Its ratio is 50% resin and 50% catalyzer. I've already cast some wheels with it and I've been very satysfied with my results

Regarding the italian girls, I think the shipping cost will be too high

...but I could send you a gun mantlet copy if you need ....I know, it won't be the same but however it could be fun

cheers

Thanks a million to the guys who have fix the site problems

Ok

I still have lots of things to do but anyway, I think everything it's been getting right since now









What about?

Cheers

Wow the casting look great !!! Now I really can't wait to see this one done
That thanks for your kind words about the t-62 coming for you that is a great honor thanks dave

Flawless casting on the mantlet Mauro, I'm very impressed. I think I might give casting a go myself- what products did you use for it?

Very nice job on the mantlet Mauro !
Now you just have to cast the gun and sell a full resin set

impressive clean casting M!

I use same product 50/50,

greetz!

Thank you guys, I'm really glad you like it

Resin which I've used is made by Prochima and it's called "Sintofoam resin1/1"

http://www.prochima.com/eng/product.asp?id=10

Prochima sell lots of good products and also have in its wide catalogue a rubber conceived for resin copies called "Rubber gls-50"

http://www.prochima.com/eng/product.asp?id=1

but I haven't use it because it isn't a 50-50 product so it isn't too easy to use (Actually I have a Precision Weighing Balance, but to be honest I don't like going mad to calculate the right ratio between rubber and catalyzer... )

For my moulds I've used a product made by a small Italian company

http://www.utensilirevelli.com/gommasiliconicasil35abfast500gr_prodotto_3869.html

I've chosen because it's a "50/50 product" and because it has the HUGE advantage that after about half an hour it's already catalyzed, so it doesn't take me ages to obtain my parts

I'm quite satisfied with my results, but I stll have to work to have the better fit.
I think I'll use white Milliput putty and maybe some plastic card

I'll let you know my progresses anyway

@ Dave, I'm really glad that my references have been usefull for your T-62 but the merit for that outstanding job is only yours

@ Olivier, thanks a lot but I think that my copy is too rough to be sold


Cheers