discussion Gecko 1/35 Supacat ATMP

[Guest]

Yeah, I had to add the splint myself Allen, after chopping his leg off by mistake!

I'm definitely not a figure person either, but we have to face our fears now & again :smiling2:

 

[Steve Brodie]

coming along nicely

 

[Jim R]

Hi Andy
Figures make a nice looking group.

I made a real hash of the acrylic washes, even though the guy from Laser Creation World that I follow on YouTube makes it look so easy.

Making acrylic washes work is very hard. Far easier, and much more controllable, are oils or enamels. They dry slowly and you don't get those water marks you get with water based acrylics.
Jim

 

[Lee Drennen]

Andy. Very nice updates

 

[Guest]

Thanks guys. Glad you are liking it so far.

Making acrylic washes work is very hard. Far easier, and much more controllable, are oils or enamels. They dry slowly and you don't get those water marks you get with water based acrylics.
Jim

Yes, I think this is my umpteenth attempt, trying all sorts of alchemy, but I still get tide marks no matter what. He just uses Vallejo & water, nothing else! Maybe he's using a magic wand instead of a brush lol

After my previous woes with enamels dissolving my models, and oils causing me nausea, it would be nice to find an alternative. I guess there's a good reason why most people use them though :smiling2:

 

[Jim R]

The one thing I have heard about, but not tried, is that water based acrylic washes work far better with a drop or two of washing up liquid in the water.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Hi Andy
There are quite a few commercially available washes from several manufacturers which may suit. Failing that, acrylic ink diluted with glaze medium can work, as can Future floor finish tinted with ink.
The issue, as I’m sure you are aware, is that using just water to dilute acrylic paint both increases the surface tension, stopping it flowing properly, and breaks down the paint carrier, causing the paint coverage to be patchy.

 

[Guest]

Digging around for the other figures I managed to find yet another type of E sprue. Great stuff :smiling5:

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So all the guys are assembled now, and based up in a lightened buff colour. I've also made a start on some of the accessories, trying to vary the base colours a bit.

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I had a practice with one of the backpacks. The black looks a bit stark so I may go over that, but I'll wait and see how it looks when things start coming together.

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I then braved adding the wheels. They are relatively big and heavy for the ~2mm square contact patch so I used the thick, slow Tamiya cement. I waited until they could just about hold their own, then "clamped" them up with blocks, hoping this would keep them nice & square.

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A couple of hours later, it seemed to have worked, but for belt & braces I flowed some thick CA around each connection point then clamped them back up. Please ignore the nasty tide marks from the washes, I'm still working on the paint.

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Then I couldn't resist having a trial run, to see how they would all look together. The frame could stand being a bit smaller as maybe there's a bit too much free space, but it's what I had lying around so it'll have to do.

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Still plenty to do. There are loads more weapons, bags, camelbaks etc in the kit, plus I have some resin stuff that might be suitable, so it should be a busy scene.

I also have the radio to put together, and the super delicate looking PE antenna. I've already lost the styrene tripod for that, and the supplied cable is pants, so will scratch something out of wire. Then there's the PE straps & buckles for the weapons to add, so lots to keep me going still.


Thanks as always for looking :thumb2:

 

[Guest]

Thanks John, and sorry, I can't help myself.

I'm not normal after all :upside:

Are any of us !

 

[Guest]

Andy . Agree with Tim on the washes, have you got any flow aid, the commercial one it lacks the washing up liquid, so none of bubbles. we use in the homemade one to aid diorama building. Really allows thin washes to flow.
Great work on the PE, If I'd have tried that it would have ended up in the bin.

 

[minitnkr]

Excellent choice. Will make a great scene. Some really good sculpts. Think capacity is 2 stretcher cases or 4 walking wounded so probably need 2 less stretchers in dio. One deployed for patient & one stowed as shown would be my move. PaulE

 

[Guest]

Thanks John. I did have a wobble a few days back and it nearly ended up in the recycling, but manned up and got on with it.

A few bits are still MIA though :smiling5:

Cheers Paul. There were some pretty serious mould lines and too many sprue attachment points, but they cleaned up well. I dug out some miniature files from the back of my toolbox, and although they were a bit rough they did the trick.

Now a permanent feature on my bench.

 

[minitnkr]

Have a full set & wouldn't be without them. They augment my wifes' castoff fingernail emory boards & sanding blocks quite well. PauE

 

[Lee Drennen]

Andy. I agree with John the PE looks nice as well as the rest of the build. You mentioned mold lines Simon was always on me about those mold lines for years but it help me to be a better modeler.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Lee. Yes, I got plenty of practice in with these.

Each one was roughly half a days work, with 12-16 pieces to clean up, adjust to get the poses right, cement & fill. On some, even the boot tread was separate.



Part way through scraping the seams, before the files came out.

For many parts I found it useful to soak the jointing faces in TET a few times over a period of 5 minutes, to really soften the plastic. Then I placed them together, added more cement, and "squished" them into position to take up some of the gaps and allow some movement for positioning.

 

[Guest]

The frame could stand being a bit smaller as maybe there's a bit too much free space

I think it looks fine this way: the two empty corners don’t detract from what’s going on, and by having all the action on a diagonal through the frame, it kind of focuses things on the casualty. It’s too easy to do a Verlinden and pile stuff in all empty corners just so they’re not.

 

[outrunner]

Andy, I think the frame size is OK for what you have, you don't really want it to look overcrowded. Very nice work by the way.

Andy.

 

[Guest]

Thanks chaps, I think you're right.

By the time I've added the missing stuff, like the casualties body armour & pack, helmet for the bearded guy, and the two weapons I'm short, there ought to be plenty going on.

Probably some baggage on the vehicle too, just for good measure!

 

[Jim R]

Hi Andy
Coming on a treat. Composition looks fine within the frame. Using picture frames sizes will always have some element of compromise. The main thing is you're enjoying yourself.
Jim

 

[Guest]

Thanks Jim.

I decided to tackle the antenna this morning. I'd already lost the kit tripod section, so started by making one out of 0.4 mm wire, adding the kit part I had left, and the etch reflector.

View attachment 401609

Then a central piece of wire to hold the etch directors. I started out using 2mm plasticard shims to keep the spacing consistent, but they just made it even more fiddly, so I eyeballed it instead. Not quite perfect, but way better than I was expecting to manage!

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And one for scale (more for the Instagram heathens :smiling5: )

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I'm going to let the glue set up well on that while I have a lie down!