Many of you will be aware of my health issues that started a few years ago. First an update on these.
It’s now two years since I start my treatments for prostate cancer having had a tumour removed from my spine and the disease having reach my bones.
I was told, two years ago that I would be on my current treatment for two to five years and then would get chemo. My PSA when I started was over 2,600, the initial injections brought that down to around 200. Then in August 2024 I started daily tablets and at that point was given the 2-5 years prognosis. Well these tablets, on top of the quarterly injections then brought my PSA score down to ‘undetectable’. All my quarterly blood tests show it’s still undetectable. I have been having quarterly consultations with my oncologist who a year ago told me the initial prognosis can be extended a year or two more given how well I responded. In my latest consultation he has said that my oncologist consultations can now be extended to six monthly as ‘I could be on this treatment now for a very long time’.
The news could not be better and, of course, that means more time for building models! Among other things of course…..
More on models in a moment but to tie up my medical progress there is more good news.
Two years ago I had little control waist down and was confined to a wheelchair. I was not allowed physio due to the risk of non-trauma bone fracture. Well over that time I have been doing my own gentle leg exercises and slowly I have regained control of my body. I now walk around my flat with a walking stick. For safety I still have to go places, shops, pubs and restaurants in my wheelchair and due to the risks of fracture that won’t change, but can get up and walk, say into the bar, or to the loo. This makes life a lot easier in many ways. As evidence here I am, while being ‘spotted’ by someone, I am able to walk from my flat to the seafront, sit on a bench to rest then walk back. Thats about the extent of it but, that’s massive progress. Here is the evidence.
So that’s my heath update.
So what about modelling.
Over the last two years while buying some new kits my priority has been to reduce my stash.
Now I really have just these two newly release 1/32 aircraft to build.
A common feature of these is the inclusion of a lot of 3D Printed resin.
I have had limited experience of this limited largely to a few ejection seats, some wheels and correction sets. I have never had to remove tiny parts from the support cages before for instance. I expect there to be a lot more new kits with 3 D printed resin to be released so it’s time for me to get my head around what’s needed.
Before I start these kits I am going to take my time to study how they are best handled and what tools will help facilitate using this material. Yes I know you don’t have to get anything special but I am a tool ‘whore’ and if something makes life easier I am all for it. After all,
I have now got myself some time back, making investing in this hobby more worthwhile.
That doesn’t mean I won’t be building while doing this research and gathering new tools and materials. On the contrary.
I am going to have a go at some armour!!
In fact I have three tank kits to build over this period. I have not built a tank since the late 1970’s! I did have one try some years back and posted the build here. After a trip to Bovington I bought a IFV Club Centurion and when I came to deal with the return rollers, well, I gave up on it and dumped the kit. The engineering was appalling with no location pins either to glue them to the tank itself, for which positioning would be guesswork or the two parts together, with slightly curved connecting faces making it even worse! I frankly could not be bothered. I know I won’t have this trouble with Tamiya.
I have these three Tamiya kits to build.
Interesting to see that the boxes are the same Tamiya style as the 1970’s even if the contents are in many ways different. Back then there were soft plastic ‘rubbery’ tracks that you use a stapler to hold them together. Now I see that there are hard plastic tracks to deal with. And that I think is for the better.
I will start on the first of them today or tomorrow and I expect to have relatively fast builds.
While doing this I will finish gathering my new tools etc and will post them when I ready with reviews. I will study some 3D resin builds as well on YouTube.
Also I will rebuild a 1/32 stash from any new releases that may appear in the meantime. I have a preorder in for a Kotare Hurricane and will get the impending ZM Ki100 when it arrives. Those are likely to be the first but a lot more 32 scale kits are due to be releases this year. It really is great to have my time horizon’s opened back up….
It’s now two years since I start my treatments for prostate cancer having had a tumour removed from my spine and the disease having reach my bones.
I was told, two years ago that I would be on my current treatment for two to five years and then would get chemo. My PSA when I started was over 2,600, the initial injections brought that down to around 200. Then in August 2024 I started daily tablets and at that point was given the 2-5 years prognosis. Well these tablets, on top of the quarterly injections then brought my PSA score down to ‘undetectable’. All my quarterly blood tests show it’s still undetectable. I have been having quarterly consultations with my oncologist who a year ago told me the initial prognosis can be extended a year or two more given how well I responded. In my latest consultation he has said that my oncologist consultations can now be extended to six monthly as ‘I could be on this treatment now for a very long time’.
The news could not be better and, of course, that means more time for building models! Among other things of course…..
More on models in a moment but to tie up my medical progress there is more good news.
Two years ago I had little control waist down and was confined to a wheelchair. I was not allowed physio due to the risk of non-trauma bone fracture. Well over that time I have been doing my own gentle leg exercises and slowly I have regained control of my body. I now walk around my flat with a walking stick. For safety I still have to go places, shops, pubs and restaurants in my wheelchair and due to the risks of fracture that won’t change, but can get up and walk, say into the bar, or to the loo. This makes life a lot easier in many ways. As evidence here I am, while being ‘spotted’ by someone, I am able to walk from my flat to the seafront, sit on a bench to rest then walk back. Thats about the extent of it but, that’s massive progress. Here is the evidence.
So that’s my heath update.
So what about modelling.
Over the last two years while buying some new kits my priority has been to reduce my stash.
Now I really have just these two newly release 1/32 aircraft to build.
A common feature of these is the inclusion of a lot of 3D Printed resin.
I have had limited experience of this limited largely to a few ejection seats, some wheels and correction sets. I have never had to remove tiny parts from the support cages before for instance. I expect there to be a lot more new kits with 3 D printed resin to be released so it’s time for me to get my head around what’s needed.
Before I start these kits I am going to take my time to study how they are best handled and what tools will help facilitate using this material. Yes I know you don’t have to get anything special but I am a tool ‘whore’ and if something makes life easier I am all for it. After all,
I have now got myself some time back, making investing in this hobby more worthwhile.
That doesn’t mean I won’t be building while doing this research and gathering new tools and materials. On the contrary.
I am going to have a go at some armour!!
In fact I have three tank kits to build over this period. I have not built a tank since the late 1970’s! I did have one try some years back and posted the build here. After a trip to Bovington I bought a IFV Club Centurion and when I came to deal with the return rollers, well, I gave up on it and dumped the kit. The engineering was appalling with no location pins either to glue them to the tank itself, for which positioning would be guesswork or the two parts together, with slightly curved connecting faces making it even worse! I frankly could not be bothered. I know I won’t have this trouble with Tamiya.
I have these three Tamiya kits to build.
Interesting to see that the boxes are the same Tamiya style as the 1970’s even if the contents are in many ways different. Back then there were soft plastic ‘rubbery’ tracks that you use a stapler to hold them together. Now I see that there are hard plastic tracks to deal with. And that I think is for the better.
I will start on the first of them today or tomorrow and I expect to have relatively fast builds.
While doing this I will finish gathering my new tools etc and will post them when I ready with reviews. I will study some 3D resin builds as well on YouTube.
Also I will rebuild a 1/32 stash from any new releases that may appear in the meantime. I have a preorder in for a Kotare Hurricane and will get the impending ZM Ki100 when it arrives. Those are likely to be the first but a lot more 32 scale kits are due to be releases this year. It really is great to have my time horizon’s opened back up….
...... The panzer iv is a nice kit...... And heard good things about the comet...... Is the chafee the old or new one?
