Correze, France
Joined: June 10, 2004
KitMaker: 5,329 posts
Armorama: 5,204 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 09, 2015 - 04:02 PM UTC
Quoted Text
Due to the excellent casting of the resin parts, minimal filler is required and the upper hull parts fit almost perfectly....
Gary
I guess part of this is due to you cutting perfectly the donor kit upper hull.
Olivier
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"La reine des batailles, j'ai nommé l'infanterie"
Napoléon
Texas, United States
Joined: June 12, 2007
KitMaker: 1,866 posts
Armorama: 1,696 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 09, 2015 - 11:22 PM UTC
My thoughts as well.
Ohio, United States
Joined: September 14, 2010
KitMaker: 135 posts
Armorama: 130 posts
Posted: Thursday, September 10, 2015 - 12:30 AM UTC
Just bought my own Legend conversion kit and I am watching this for when I build my own.
Auckland, New Zealand
Joined: February 03, 2014
KitMaker: 1,042 posts
Armorama: 871 posts
Posted: Friday, September 11, 2015 - 03:43 AM UTC
The hull halves are cemented together so time to start adding some details. I'm not going to be following any particular order with this build - just going to make things up as I go along.
The rear render supports are added using a mix of Tamiya and Legend part and the kit's styrene heat shield above the exhaust is ditched in favour of a more scale thickness one made from lead foil....
Commander's cupola is added along with upper deck hinge rod using Legend supplied brass. Weld seams are added using resin surface detail ones from Archer...
The searchlight is moulded solid so I hollowed it out to enable a clear lens to be fitted later and also added a wiring cable. Driver's periscope washer pipework and reservoir tank is also fitted...
Fender detail is added using scratch built parts - Legend only provide the locking mechanism when the fender is raised. Wiring conduits are added using brass tube....
Gary
Auckland, New Zealand
Joined: February 03, 2014
KitMaker: 1,042 posts
Armorama: 871 posts
Posted: Friday, September 11, 2015 - 10:12 AM UTC
First of 2 fenders mounted headlights with guards made from brass rod...
Gary
Auckland, New Zealand
Joined: February 03, 2014
KitMaker: 1,042 posts
Armorama: 871 posts
Posted: Sunday, September 13, 2015 - 12:03 PM UTC
Convoy lights added along with wiring using fine speaker wire- also fitted the stowage box as this 'protects' the light assembly a little. Also made a start on the main headlight guard which is just placed on the glacis plate for the photo...
Gary
#247
Nordjylland, Denmark
Joined: January 03, 2008
KitMaker: 1,102 posts
Armorama: 1,018 posts
Posted: Sunday, September 13, 2015 - 12:30 PM UTC
"I never apologize - Sorry, that's just the way I am" Homer Simpson
England - East Anglia, United Kingdom
Joined: April 14, 2015
KitMaker: 188 posts
Armorama: 173 posts
Posted: Sunday, September 13, 2015 - 01:27 PM UTC
Some stunning detail there keep it up
Auckland, New Zealand
Joined: February 03, 2014
KitMaker: 1,042 posts
Armorama: 871 posts
Posted: Sunday, September 13, 2015 - 01:47 PM UTC
Cheers chaps
Main headlight and guard in place....
Gary
Auckland, New Zealand
Joined: February 03, 2014
KitMaker: 1,042 posts
Armorama: 871 posts
Posted: Monday, September 14, 2015 - 11:41 AM UTC
The wading board needs some attention as the Tamiya offering is unrealistic looking and Legend's PE option is incorrect. They have you depict a bolt which passes right through the supports and the board itself whereas in reality, there is a nut welded onto the front part of the support into which a bolt is screwed in and this, when tightened, holds the board in place.
So, I made the supports from strip styrene and used Voyager brass bolts for the 'securing' set up....
I trimmed the shaft to the required length and the piggy backed one onto the other, soldering them together. They are then inserted into a pre drilled hole in the front part of the bracket....
The board itself is again made from styrene and slotted into place....
Gary
Gauteng, South Africa
Joined: July 03, 2015
KitMaker: 280 posts
Armorama: 135 posts
Posted: Monday, September 14, 2015 - 02:00 PM UTC
Hi Gary
Amazing attention to detail!!
Keep up the good work.
Regards,
Kobus
Texas, United States
Joined: June 12, 2007
KitMaker: 1,866 posts
Armorama: 1,696 posts
Posted: Monday, September 14, 2015 - 08:24 PM UTC
I still think he's building in 1/6th scale......
Florida, United States
Joined: July 29, 2008
KitMaker: 430 posts
Armorama: 407 posts
Posted: Monday, September 14, 2015 - 09:26 PM UTC
Nice clean work Gary, looking good.
Ryan
Auckland, New Zealand
Joined: February 03, 2014
KitMaker: 1,042 posts
Armorama: 871 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 15, 2015 - 02:24 PM UTC
Thank you gentlemen.
Other fender is now adorned with lights etc...
Stowage box added along with the first of many universal joints (just behind the driver's station)...
Gary
Auckland, New Zealand
Joined: February 03, 2014
KitMaker: 1,042 posts
Armorama: 871 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 15, 2015 - 02:35 PM UTC
Quoted Text
the first of many universal joints
Meant to say universal couplings
Gary
Attica, Greece / Ελλάδα
Joined: January 16, 2010
KitMaker: 139 posts
Armorama: 135 posts
Posted: Tuesday, September 15, 2015 - 03:17 PM UTC
Following this one in awe...
Brilliant work so far!!
Auckland, New Zealand
Joined: February 03, 2014
KitMaker: 1,042 posts
Armorama: 871 posts
Posted: Wednesday, September 16, 2015 - 02:15 PM UTC
Auckland, New Zealand
Joined: February 03, 2014
KitMaker: 1,042 posts
Armorama: 871 posts
Posted: Thursday, September 17, 2015 - 11:44 AM UTC
Another tool box under construction....
The resin parts are really very nice indeed. I replaced the PE protective cover over the lights with a new piece of brass as the Legend one has grooves to aid bending. However, they are very pronounced and look awful even after bending. Not seen here as they are underneath, but I have added wiring for the lights.
Gary
Auckland, New Zealand
Joined: February 03, 2014
KitMaker: 1,042 posts
Armorama: 871 posts
Posted: Thursday, September 17, 2015 - 02:10 PM UTC
With the addition of more stowage boxes, oil tank and (hydraulic or pneumatic) jacks, etc, the left hand fender is looking suitably 'busy' at this stage...
Gary
Arkansas, United States
Joined: June 29, 2009
KitMaker: 11,610 posts
Armorama: 7,843 posts
Posted: Thursday, September 17, 2015 - 02:31 PM UTC
What brand and type of solder do you use? I have had no luck trying to solder small brass rod together.
Ideals are peaceful. History is violent.
Auckland, New Zealand
Joined: February 03, 2014
KitMaker: 1,042 posts
Armorama: 871 posts
Posted: Thursday, September 17, 2015 - 03:54 PM UTC
Hi Matt
I use solder paste for 99% of my soldering - the key is to also use a good flux too. I did an SBS here -
http://www.plasticarmour.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=636 - which, though for a fuel drum, still applies to most parts.
On the other fender, there are two cradle like assemblies which hold a pair of pulleys. Legend provide a nice little template along with brass rod. Once bent to shape, everything is firstly soldered together....
... before the ends are bent up and the cradle is mounted on the fender....
Gary
Auckland, New Zealand
Joined: February 03, 2014
KitMaker: 1,042 posts
Armorama: 871 posts
Posted: Friday, September 18, 2015 - 01:09 AM UTC
First of two pulley assemblies now complete and in place....
Gary
Auckland, New Zealand
Joined: February 03, 2014
KitMaker: 1,042 posts
Armorama: 871 posts
Posted: Friday, September 18, 2015 - 02:34 PM UTC
Second pulley assembly in place....
Gary
Auckland, New Zealand
Joined: February 03, 2014
KitMaker: 1,042 posts
Armorama: 871 posts
Posted: Saturday, September 19, 2015 - 05:24 AM UTC
The winch cable guide assembly is a tricky little bugger consisting of some 14 pieces which need to be carefully aligned prior to fixing in place. It's not helped by the vagueness of the instructions, but with time and careful dry fitting of parts before committing to glue/solder you end up with this...
Gary
New Jersey, United States
Joined: September 26, 2006
KitMaker: 857 posts
Armorama: 811 posts
Posted: Saturday, September 19, 2015 - 05:41 AM UTC
Awesome work!! Superb attention to detail!