I just bought my first ever metal kit. A (1/32 scale) 5.5" British Artillery gun made by "Mountford Metal Miniatures" which I bought from "Tarrants Toy Soldiers" whose site can be found here:

Tarrants Toy Soldiers

They have some fascinating stuff!

The gun is white metal and I had some real problems gluing it together... The superglue (CA glue) just would not stick!

I finally tried to solder a couple of bits together. It was about then that I discovered white metal melts at about the same temperature as solder.

This is the resulting model. It's surprisingly heavy!





And after primer:




It wasn't too difficult a model to build, my inexperience with models in general didn't help. (hey, ambition, okay)!

I plan to buy some more models from Tarrants and Mounford, partly due to the superb service.
Any hints/help at all would be great as metal is a huge change from plastic.

Your link did not seem to work

http://www.tarrantstoysoldiers.com/mount54mm.html

after looking at the model you brought,i think £28 a bit steep,
may be couse its all metal.

Thanks Karl, I've tried about six different variations and nothing would work... Very strange.
I can't understand why it wouldn't work.

Thanks for posting the link correctly.

As for the £28, I think this because there is only two companies who make this very common artillery piece as far as I know, Mountford and Accurate Armour, (who's price is much steeper).

That looks ok Murdo. I'd have drilled out the muzzle, but otherwise Mountford kits are pretty good considering it' s a one-man show. I actually spoke to the owner and the people at Tarrant's a couple of times and some of them ( my 3.7"is one of them - a resin/metal mix) are to be remastered as resin kits, which makes the price even better! The photos do not do the models justice - there is a load of cast in detail which is hidden by the 'shine'
PS: I use either CA or 5-minute epoxy to assemble these.

Thanks Dave,

I tried CA glue but I'm beginning to think the stuff I have isn't very good. Glues everything but the &^%%^^& model.

The muzzle is bored out (hard to tell with the shine. later pics, once it's painted might look better) but I think I might have to bore a bit deeper. I'm just worried about damaging the barrel.

I'm deeply tempted by some of their other guns but I'm being on me best behaviour with SWMBO so I can get an AA FV432 for me Crimble pressie. The subject has been broached and she didn't hit me... A good result methinks.

You need to use a low temp solder....
I believe Carr's makes the type needed over in the UK. (Use to advertise in the British Military Modeler Magazine) Also need to clean and flux the places you intend to solder.

I wouldn't worry about soldering the smaller parts, but the larger heavier parts will hold up better soldered.

I'd also suggest a two temp soldering iron, or a speed contoller to adjust the soldering irons temperature.

Very nice mate, to be honest i dont think £28 is too steep for it. as you say much cheaper than the AA one.

As for the FV432- beg,beg,beg,beg!

i have the ambulance version (the new ones with interior) and it is outstanding. the fact i got it on ebay for £42 makes it even sweeter!

regards

Joe

you got it on eBay for £42??? You jammy sod!!

Been haunting eBay for about a year trying to get one.

Mind you, I did just get a C.E.T. for about £50 on ebay... :-)

i wouldnt be whining about a CET for £50 either, thats been on my to do list for ages

FV432 for £42 would make my year... Nah! Next few years!

And then I wanna:

Humber Pig

Saracen

Stalwart

4 Tonner

Many Land Rovers

Saxon

All in 1/35th and all in affordable plastic...

Yeah! Dream on!

I also have found that 5 minute epoxy seems to work the best for me for white metal. As of yet I have not tried to solder it.
capnjock

In the "General" forum about three pages down is a thread about metal kits. I like to pin the pieces together when possible, and use two part epoxy when it won't show . We have some stuff here call JB Weld that I've bonded gun parts (real guns) together with. It's heat, water, and cat resistant.

Your model makes me want to get one, even if it is the wrong scale. I've been considering AA's version for about two years now, but am too busy buying other stuff from them.

I made a couple of the old Hinchliffe artillery models in the old days (& lots of white metal figures), before CA. I used a two-pack adhesive such as Araldite, it takes longer to go off, but creates a stronger bond. The models I used it on are still OK after about 30 years so should suit you! Hope this helps.

If anyone is looking for the Accurare Armour Version of the 5.5" gun, there is one just come up on ebay
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6007700061
It ends at 7pm BST on 29th October.
(It's not me selling it - I've no interest in this except to give members a "heads up" to an uncommon kit )