|
Post by Whiterook on Mar 1, 2023 17:30:02 GMT -5
When replacing grab handles and what not with wire what kind of wire do you use and how do you bend it to its proper shape? I would think you would not want to use a to soft wire that could be knocked out of shape easily or do you? I save bread bag twist ties but I only use those for turnbuckles on WW1 airplanes. I’ve seen modelers who hoard bits of electrical wire, usually from electrician friends… the strip the wire and use it for suffering projects, depending on size. I always thought of it as a Grab Bag, lol…yiu never know what you’re gonna get ‘til you strip it; him, sounds like girlfriends, too! I remember on that Marder I built years ago on the old WWTwoZone forum, using a paper clip for the long gray bar atop the fixed turret. Worked a charm! I love the bend tool Brian showed above… that couple come in handy if you fashion a lot of grab handles, I think always makes a kit that much better. For me in doing grab handles, the trick has always been securing them… it can be tricky enough finding the right pin vice drill bit, let alone CAing it in place on the kit. On the kit here, I’m lovin’ this kit!
|
|
|
Post by chromdome35 on Mar 10, 2023 1:52:06 GMT -5
The downside to buying PE is you have to assemble it. Even in the slightly larger scale of 1/25, much of it is tiny. So I'm inching along. Switched out the molded in latches on the rear stowage boxes. Then I focused on the rear deck grills. This required me to solder a band all the way around this circular frame. You can make out the band in the picture below. I accomplished this by soldering it at one spot to start, then slowly progressing my way around the frame, one spot at a time. It came out ok. I felt pretty good when I got it done. I don't think I could have done it without this honeycomb soldering board. Here it is on the part along with some other photo-etch work on the vanes. After the circular grills were done, I did the rectangular grills. The two grills on the right have a sliding panel between the grill and the top plate. Slowly but surely progress is being made.
|
|
|
Post by mikeh on Mar 10, 2023 13:43:24 GMT -5
Incredible, delicate work you have done. I wouldn't have the patience for soldering all that small P/E.
After reading thru your posts again I see you make no mention of tracks, I can't believe you are doing all these P\E upgrades and are then going to settle for the kit supplied ones. So I'm just kind of wondering what you have in mind?
|
|
|
Post by chromdome35 on Mar 10, 2023 15:09:03 GMT -5
Incredible, delicate work you have done. I wouldn't have the patience for soldering all that small P/E. After reading thru your posts again I see you make no mention of tracks, I can't believe you are doing all these P\E upgrades and are then going to settle for the kit supplied ones. So I'm just kind of wondering what you have in mind? Unfortunately, this panther is 1/25 scale and I haven't been able to find any aftermarket tracks for it. If I could find them I would not hesitate to switch them out. SO it looks like I'm stuck with the rubber band tracks that came with the kit.
|
|
|
Post by mikeh on Mar 10, 2023 15:35:46 GMT -5
Incredible, delicate work you have done. I wouldn't have the patience for soldering all that small P/E. After reading thru your posts again I see you make no mention of tracks, I can't believe you are doing all these P\E upgrades and are then going to settle for the kit supplied ones. So I'm just kind of wondering what you have in mind? Unfortunately, this panther is 1/25 scale and I haven't been able to find any aftermarket tracks for it. If I could find them I would not hesitate to switch them out. SO it looks like I'm stuck with the rubber band tracks that came with the kit. Bummer. Seems like you an get everything else.
|
|
|
Post by Whiterook on Mar 23, 2023 17:36:17 GMT -5
Incredible, delicate work you have done. I wouldn't have the patience for soldering all that small P/E. After reading thru your posts again I see you make no mention of tracks, I can't believe you are doing all these P\E upgrades and are then going to settle for the kit supplied ones. So I'm just kind of wondering what you have in mind? Unfortunately, this panther is 1/25 scale and I haven't been able to find any aftermarket tracks for it. If I could find them I would not hesitate to switch them out. SO it looks like I'm stuck with the rubber band tracks that came with the kit. That is indeed, incredible PE work… I’ve not worked with the stuff at all, yet. It’s like Friul tracks… worth the effort for the superb appearance, but costly in time to construct (…and no, I’ve nit done after market tracks yet ) Fortunately, you can do wonders with groundwork deflecting rubber tracks appearance when there are issues.
|
|
McCoy
Sergeant
Posts: 215
|
Post by McCoy on Mar 25, 2023 14:38:17 GMT -5
Just dive into it Em and if you think it's tedious with separate links and such I just say: Shut up and suffer!
|
|