Hi John - I like your new building! It really looks the part - you'll be able to have all sorts of fun with the combo of shops and apartments - nice work! - oh, and all of that it will eventually be the backdrop to!
Cheers
Nick
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Fallujah, The Good, The Bad and The Rest
Stickframe
#362
Joined: December 01, 2013
KitMaker: 1,661 posts
Armorama: 1,202 posts
Posted: Thursday, May 26, 2016 - 10:27 PM UTC
white4doc
#429
Joined: October 14, 2003
KitMaker: 1,086 posts
Armorama: 964 posts
Posted: Thursday, April 23, 2020 - 02:32 AM UTC
Mucho apologies for the prolonged absence of anything happening in this blog in nearly four freaking years 
I found that I was still not in a good enough place to handle what this dredged up so I stepped away. This is apparently for me like Moby Dick was for Captain Ahab, but I'm going to win 
. Models reside on the shelf of doom, this monster has been consigned to its' very own corner of shame in the workshop gathering dust and mocking me every time I change the furnace filter 
and I've reached the conclusion that the time has come to put it out of my misery - so I can change the furnace filters in peace if nothing else . When it moved to the shame corner, the components got stored here and there in a variety of boxes, totes, shelves, etc. The buildings didn't survive well; unfortunately, the only real survivor is the mosque so we're essentially almost at square 1 AGAIN... Figure, accessory, and vehicle wise it's in good shape; for the buildings I think Hansa might be the way to go.
If you're unfamiliar with the Hansa System, think Lego for the modeler. They have full blown kits, and individual blocks and building components in polystyrene so you can let your mind run wild and build. Lay out your design on graph paper (the system is geared to 1/4 inch graph paper) and design what you want. For more information and ordering: https://www.hansasystemsusa.com/
I have zero connection with them, just a very satisfied customer.
I found that I was still not in a good enough place to handle what this dredged up so I stepped away. This is apparently for me like Moby Dick was for Captain Ahab, but I'm going to win . Models reside on the shelf of doom, this monster has been consigned to its' very own corner of shame in the workshop gathering dust and mocking me every time I change the furnace filter and I've reached the conclusion that the time has come to put it out of my misery - so I can change the furnace filters in peace if nothing else . When it moved to the shame corner, the components got stored here and there in a variety of boxes, totes, shelves, etc. The buildings didn't survive well; unfortunately, the only real survivor is the mosque so we're essentially almost at square 1 AGAIN... Figure, accessory, and vehicle wise it's in good shape; for the buildings I think Hansa might be the way to go.If you're unfamiliar with the Hansa System, think Lego for the modeler. They have full blown kits, and individual blocks and building components in polystyrene so you can let your mind run wild and build. Lay out your design on graph paper (the system is geared to 1/4 inch graph paper) and design what you want. For more information and ordering: https://www.hansasystemsusa.com/
I have zero connection with them, just a very satisfied customer.
jrutman
Joined: April 10, 2011
KitMaker: 7,941 posts
Armorama: 7,934 posts
Posted: Thursday, April 23, 2020 - 02:40 AM UTC
Hey Ski!!
Nice to read something from you even though it wasn't from a good place for you. I pray you work this out. I used to enjoy the big dio stuff you worked on.
I have ordered stuff from Hansa and am impressed. It is a bit pricey though and the wait time for me was kinda long. Good stuff though.
J
Nice to read something from you even though it wasn't from a good place for you. I pray you work this out. I used to enjoy the big dio stuff you worked on.
I have ordered stuff from Hansa and am impressed. It is a bit pricey though and the wait time for me was kinda long. Good stuff though.
J
white4doc
#429
Joined: October 14, 2003
KitMaker: 1,086 posts
Armorama: 964 posts
Posted: Friday, April 24, 2020 - 11:16 AM UTC
Jerry my Brother,
It's good to be back in the saddle again. Hansa is going to be loving me, I think. Big order time, lots of buildings to build but I can blow through one of their kits in a couple of sessions. Miniart has been a Godsend with their detail sets, so in a way I guess that whole break worked in my favor.
It's good to be back in the saddle again. Hansa is going to be loving me, I think. Big order time, lots of buildings to build but I can blow through one of their kits in a couple of sessions. Miniart has been a Godsend with their detail sets, so in a way I guess that whole break worked in my favor.
Stickframe
#362
Joined: December 01, 2013
KitMaker: 1,661 posts
Armorama: 1,202 posts
Posted: Friday, April 24, 2020 - 12:13 PM UTC
Hey John,
I'll echo what Jerry said, good to know you're doing ok, and considering getting back into the hobby. Sounds like you've found a way to get back into it that you feel good about, and a new way to build things. I'm interested in the kit/parts idea - maybe better, or at least less of a tedious mess than working with foam sheets.
The good news about model building is it isn't a job, and you can start and work at your own pace, and stop whenever you want. I recently had to clear out my model building area, so I tossed three or four projects - they were done, collecting dust, and in the way - I did this of course, so that I could build more stuff!
I recently left a job I had for 23 years - not all good times here; model building is positive distraction that I like doing, so I'm building stuff. Been away from dios for a while, but who knows? maybe watching you in action will get me back into it.
Take care, and stay well
Best regards,
Nick
I'll echo what Jerry said, good to know you're doing ok, and considering getting back into the hobby. Sounds like you've found a way to get back into it that you feel good about, and a new way to build things. I'm interested in the kit/parts idea - maybe better, or at least less of a tedious mess than working with foam sheets.
The good news about model building is it isn't a job, and you can start and work at your own pace, and stop whenever you want. I recently had to clear out my model building area, so I tossed three or four projects - they were done, collecting dust, and in the way - I did this of course, so that I could build more stuff!
I recently left a job I had for 23 years - not all good times here; model building is positive distraction that I like doing, so I'm building stuff. Been away from dios for a while, but who knows? maybe watching you in action will get me back into it.
Take care, and stay well
Best regards,
Nick
white4doc
#429
Joined: October 14, 2003
KitMaker: 1,086 posts
Armorama: 964 posts
Posted: Saturday, April 25, 2020 - 06:40 AM UTC
Talk, as they say is cheap. So, not being a cheapskate and to show those of you who haven't seen a completed Hansa kit before I give you one that of will occupy a space on the mean streets of Fallujah (okay, my take on them ) Middle Eastern Building 4 #35020. As you can see it's a two story intact building with a commercial space below and two tiny apartments on the second floor, which was a fairly common layout; the stores had metal shutters that pulled down for security after closing to discourage the rif-raf from stealing (or to defeat prying eyes from seeing what was going on inside after hours; Fallujah had always had a thriving black market Saddam's regime turned a blind eye to it for a cut of the action). The floors are Evergreen sheet sourced from the LHS.
The complete kit, needing only interior detailing, texturing, and paint.
Ground floor, not completely certain what kind of store this will be at the present but it's gonna be a store! 
Upper living space, this is supposed to be divided into two studio apartments, because that's really all the space that there is. If that, I'm figuring it's good enough for little plastic people - they don't complain much (and if they do, well I can always use new subjects to experiment on). I'll throw in a wall between the two units before I close it up permanently.
And that's all for now folks.
) Middle Eastern Building 4 #35020. As you can see it's a two story intact building with a commercial space below and two tiny apartments on the second floor, which was a fairly common layout; the stores had metal shutters that pulled down for security after closing to discourage the rif-raf from stealing (or to defeat prying eyes from seeing what was going on inside after hours; Fallujah had always had a thriving black market Saddam's regime turned a blind eye to it for a cut of the action). The floors are Evergreen sheet sourced from the LHS. The complete kit, needing only interior detailing, texturing, and paint. Ground floor, not completely certain what kind of store this will be at the present but it's gonna be a store! Upper living space, this is supposed to be divided into two studio apartments, because that's really all the space that there is. If that, I'm figuring it's good enough for little plastic people - they don't complain much (and if they do, well I can always use new subjects to experiment on). I'll throw in a wall between the two units before I close it up permanently.And that's all for now folks.
cheyenne
Joined: January 05, 2005
KitMaker: 2,185 posts
Armorama: 1,813 posts
Posted: Saturday, April 25, 2020 - 10:00 PM UTC
Good to see you back my Polish brother !!
Looks like you're in the architectural business now !!
Looks like you're in the architectural business now !!
jrutman
Joined: April 10, 2011
KitMaker: 7,941 posts
Armorama: 7,934 posts
Posted: Sunday, April 26, 2020 - 03:02 AM UTC
Interesting ! I only have seen their roof tiles so this is illuminating,
J
J
white4doc
#429
Joined: October 14, 2003
KitMaker: 1,086 posts
Armorama: 964 posts
Posted: Sunday, April 26, 2020 - 03:19 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Interesting ! I only have seen their roof tiles so this is illuminating,
J
Like I said, think Legos for modelers. I never outgrew playing with them from when I was a kid apparently - I also very rarely built the stuff the way Lego intended after the first time. I just finished modifying one of their other kits yesterday afternoon to look more like I want (taller wall, higher parapet on the roof, an opening under the skylight, etc.) still have to cobble together a gate for the wall but structurally it's built.
white4doc
#429
Joined: October 14, 2003
KitMaker: 1,086 posts
Armorama: 964 posts
Posted: Monday, April 27, 2020 - 11:07 AM UTC
This is the compound I was talking about, still undecided on whether or not to add it. I'm leaning toward the not since it's less urban and more suited to the 'burbs (if there was such a thing in Iraq). Stock didn't look right to me, so I added an additional course to the parapet on the roof; that extra 1/4 inch looks so much better. The compound wall was a bit short for my liking, added two more courses so it scales out to just over 7 feet, but I decided not to run it across the end of the patio might go with either a rail or open blocks. I'm scratching the gate from .060 sheet with Miniart hinges.
Any thoughts on whether this should be added to a city dio or not?
Any thoughts on whether this should be added to a city dio or not?
18Bravo
Joined: January 20, 2005
KitMaker: 7,219 posts
Armorama: 6,097 posts
Posted: Monday, April 27, 2020 - 12:42 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Any thoughts on whether this should be added to a city dio or not?
Sure, why not? My first thought was I'd seen something very similar to that.
PolishBrigade12
Joined: January 31, 2009
KitMaker: 380 posts
Armorama: 366 posts
Posted: Monday, April 27, 2020 - 03:22 PM UTC
Yo Ski, some of your pics are Photobucket, so they no longer exist, but from what I'm seeing now, Ruck On, this is an impressive set up.
I'm liking what I can see so far, I'm in!
Cheers, Ski.
I'm liking what I can see so far, I'm in!
Cheers, Ski.
white4doc
#429
Joined: October 14, 2003
KitMaker: 1,086 posts
Armorama: 964 posts
Posted: Tuesday, April 28, 2020 - 12:55 AM UTC
Rob,
Thanks for that refresher, you're right it's been a few days since I dug through my old pics. Of course, one of the gates caught my eye since I'm essentially working on a pair of blank canvases. Hello inspiration! That saves me a bit of construction since it's one less building I have to make!!
Ski,
Thanks, Brother for joining me on this re-started journey. I'm pretty sure that the missing pictures are of stuff that didn't survive that hiatus anyway. Structure wise we're starting from nothing, the only thing that survived was the Verlinden Mosque and I'm leaning strongly toward not using that.
Since we now have another building to add to the collection, there's work to be done on it. Like they used to say about TV news stories, we'll have film and further developments as they become available!
Thanks for that refresher, you're right it's been a few days since I dug through my old pics. Of course, one of the gates caught my eye since I'm essentially working on a pair of blank canvases. Hello inspiration! That saves me a bit of construction since it's one less building I have to make!!
Ski,
Thanks, Brother for joining me on this re-started journey. I'm pretty sure that the missing pictures are of stuff that didn't survive that hiatus anyway. Structure wise we're starting from nothing, the only thing that survived was the Verlinden Mosque and I'm leaning strongly toward not using that.
Since we now have another building to add to the collection, there's work to be done on it. Like they used to say about TV news stories, we'll have film and further developments as they become available!
white4doc
#429
Joined: October 14, 2003
KitMaker: 1,086 posts
Armorama: 964 posts
Posted: Sunday, May 03, 2020 - 01:50 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Like they used to say about TV news stories, we'll have film and further developments as they become available!
In other news, the population has begun to surge. We have members of all three communities - The Good, The Bad, and The Rest with more to follow as I get them built. Painting is a whole different ball o'wax. There are figures from the usual suspects - MasterBox, Verlinden, Royal Models, Warriors, Paracel Takom, etc. all hoping to make the final cut.
Pics of the 1/35 2020 census progress to follow shortly. SWMBO has decreed I must complete area beautification tasks (aka yard work) or face dire consequences
.
cdat34
Joined: February 23, 2013
KitMaker: 3 posts
Armorama: 1 posts
Posted: Tuesday, May 05, 2020 - 11:21 AM UTC
Hey John,
Please since I suck at uploading photos please contact me so I can send you photos of my Hansa project. Stay strong brother.
Eric
ewok@optonlinedotnet
Please since I suck at uploading photos please contact me so I can send you photos of my Hansa project. Stay strong brother.
Eric
ewok@optonlinedotnet
JGphins
Joined: July 19, 2014
KitMaker: 249 posts
Armorama: 249 posts
Posted: Thursday, May 14, 2020 - 11:41 AM UTC
Hi there John, good to see you back on DIO duty too brother! I like the progress and those blocks used to make your buildings. What’s that product name / model info so I can get me some??? Thanks for sharing, we can now motivate each other to stay the course! Lol
white4doc
#429
Joined: October 14, 2003
KitMaker: 1,086 posts
Armorama: 964 posts
Posted: Friday, May 15, 2020 - 12:22 AM UTC
Brother, glad to have you stop by. Motivation is important, but you already knew that. The blocks are part of a whole system along the lines of Lego, they have windows, doors, roofing material, fascias, sidewalks; you can either design your own or they have kits as well. Here's the link to the company: https://www.hansasystemsusa.com/ I've gotten great service from them, never had a problem and I've placed multiple orders with them. The beauty of them is that your buildings won't look cookie cutter, and you don't have to beat a vacuform into submission (although the Miniart buildings do look really nice when they're finally subduded); I just like the fact that they're polystyrene, you don't have to glue them until you're ready and you can experiment with layout until you're happy with it.
JGphins
Joined: July 19, 2014
KitMaker: 249 posts
Armorama: 249 posts
Posted: Friday, May 15, 2020 - 08:29 AM UTC
Interesting indeed. Go figure, in over 40 years of modeling I've never heard of this product. I could see the benefit of acquiring me some of these blocks for future projects. The only issue I see here is the time to build could be rather grueling I would image... brick by brick, just like Rome was built!
Thanks for the scoop! Appreciate ya brother!
Thanks for the scoop! Appreciate ya brother!
white4doc
#429
Joined: October 14, 2003
KitMaker: 1,086 posts
Armorama: 964 posts
Posted: Saturday, May 16, 2020 - 01:38 AM UTC
Quoted Text
...The only issue I see here is the time to build could be rather grueling...
The kits actually build fast, there's no flash, mold seams, sink holes or knock out pins to clean up; 99% of the time no sprue either. The two story commercial building took me a couple days to put together. If you build your own creation, just lay out the design on graph paper first at full size. It looks harder than it is. I just put in an order this morning, I checked with Peter first to make sure he was still up and running - Fallujah has multiple buildings that need building and Ta Bib needs materials!
jrutman
Joined: April 10, 2011
KitMaker: 7,941 posts
Armorama: 7,934 posts
Posted: Saturday, May 16, 2020 - 02:28 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted Text...The only issue I see here is the time to build could be rather grueling...
The kits actually build fast, there's no flash, mold seams, sink holes or knock out pins to clean up; 99% of the time no sprue either. The two story commercial building took me a couple days to put together. If you build your own creation, just lay out the design on graph paper first at full size. It looks harder than it is. I just put in an order this morning, I checked with Peter first to make sure he was still up and running - Fallujah has multiple buildings that need building and Ta Bib needs materials!
Interested to see the progress on your building because I just ordered a kit of a building for the very first time! I usually build my own but it is taking too long.
A new experience awaits me.
white4doc
#429
Joined: October 14, 2003
KitMaker: 1,086 posts
Armorama: 964 posts
Posted: Saturday, May 16, 2020 - 03:58 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Interested to see the progress on your building because I just ordered a kit of a building for the very first time! I usually build my own but it is taking too long. A new experience awaits me.
Which one did you order, Jerry? I just did a bulk order of parts, I need to get some of the stuff off the paper and into an actual 3D structure and like I said I need materials for that (and my stockpile is getting a little lean). The commercial building, which was the first one I posted is completely constructed, it just needs interior details and painting before I close it up.
jrutman
Joined: April 10, 2011
KitMaker: 7,941 posts
Armorama: 7,934 posts
Posted: Saturday, May 16, 2020 - 06:38 AM UTC
Quoted Text
Quoted TextInterested to see the progress on your building because I just ordered a kit of a building for the very first time! I usually build my own but it is taking too long. A new experience awaits me.
Which one did you order, Jerry? I just did a bulk order of parts, I need to get some of the stuff off the paper and into an actual 3D structure and like I said I need materials for that (and my stockpile is getting a little lean). The commercial building, which was the first one I posted is completely constructed, it just needs interior details and painting before I close it up.
Sorry,I was a bit vague there. I ordered from another company,Custom Dioramics I think ?
I always remember it by J Rodriguez owning it.
J
white4doc
#429
Joined: October 14, 2003
KitMaker: 1,086 posts
Armorama: 964 posts
Posted: Sunday, May 17, 2020 - 12:45 AM UTC
Yeah Jerry, I made an assumption. Custom Dioramics has/had some really nice pieces, I'm glad to see that they're in good hands and making a come back. I really liked their Stalingrad and Monte Cassino ruins, and I remember doing a couple of their checkpoint bunkers which were also pretty nice. Hopefully we'll see all those again soon, too. I'll get one of the bunkers just for nostalgia sake (thankfully SWMBO doesn't read these boards 
or I'd have been long dead).
or I'd have been long dead). 
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