I have come to a spot where the M1A1 Abrams is all together and I was thinking of replaceing the handles that you see on the engine deck, and on the top part of the deck on both sides.

How can I remove them and not ruin any detail or can I just put it on top of the existing handles or would that look stupid. I don't know how to sand the handles without doing so I don't damage the detail. Is there any tricks of the trade for not ruining detail when removing them.

What size wire or thickness should I use to replace them with.

Happy Modeling
(++) 1:35

Which kit are you using? Do they really need replaced? Since that is what you want to do, get a an Xacto blade made just for shaving things off. It looks flat across, but one side has a slight bevel. Sorry, I don't recall it's number.

You'll just have to look around for the right size, whatever that is. Once you determine what that is, radio shack probably has all kinds of thicknesses of wire that would work. Or you can raid an old electricla appliance (cord to a light ...).

Bob

# 18 blade (w/#2 handle) to remove.

And the use...get this...
A regular staple. about the same gauge as the grab handles.

Hope this helps

Cuhail

I built the Italeri kit last year when I first found this site; at that time there was alot of M1 Abrams types being built so I like how the kit went together and just had enough fixing to make me scrap build or fix it and not get ovewhelmed me for my first time.

It was sitting there collecting dust when I got done with me Germen M88 Flack that was my first time weathering on my M88 Germen Flack and it came out OK. I started to weather my M1A1 Abrams reaguler one without the resin.I have another 3 things too weather after this one so I decided to try fixing this one up. So if I messed it up I can just use this M1 Abrams as a test kit for my skill level upgrades I only ruin one model instead of all of them.

Thanks for the tips. I'll post some pic's when I finish it, I am going to even try Mig Pigments for a ODS or OIF M1A1 Abrams theme.

Happy Modeling
(++) 1:35