Small scale figure Step by step (SBS). A 1/48 freebie Paul Hicks sculpt is the victim.

[Tim Marlow]

Hi all.
Some of you, well, one or two, have asked if I could do another SBS on painting small figures. It’s a couple of years since I did the last one, and some things I do slightly differently than I did then, so here we go…….

The victim is going to be this guy


There have been a few aircraft group builds recently, so he seems appropriate. I’m sure most of us feel like him when we build aircraft models, and I bet more than one of us has done this with a build, including appropriate Dakka Dakka Dakka noises…..

He is a white metal figure that was given away as a freebie to those that went to the Salute 2020 wargames show at Olympia in London. The theme in 2020 was the eightieth anniversary of the Battle of Britain. Unfortunately the show was held back by Covid, so I got him in the eighty one and a half anniversary……

The sculptor was Paul Hicks, well known in wargames figure circles, and he is slightly caricatured rather than being absolutely to scale. Not sure quite how well he will paint up, so let’s see……

Next part will be cleaning up tools…..if you want to know anything, or I haven’t explained anything properly, just give me a shout and I’ll do what I can…..

[scottie3158]

Chair pulled up mate.

[langy71]

If you could re-shape the 'spitfire' to something looking more akin to a Sturmovik, this could easily pass for a younger version of comrade Race, having fun in his backyard....

[Tim Marlow]

Chair pulled up mate.

Hope I don’t disappoint then Scottie……

[scottie3158]

Hope I don’t disappoint then Scottie……

not much chance of that.

[Valeron]

I'm in

[Tim Marlow]

If you could re-shape the 'spitfire' to something looking more akin to a Sturmovik, this could easily pass for a younger version of comrade Race, having fun in his backyard....

He could always pretend it’s a YAK fighter Chris…..

[Tim Marlow]

I'm in

Glad to have you aboard Mike…..

[Tim Marlow]

OK then, I seem to have woken some of the rabble up, so here is part two…..quite short this…..

White metal is no harder to deal with than plastic, in my experience, and I basically use the same tools. Here they are…..



On the right are cheap or old files. They are of indeterminate origin. Don’t use good ones, the white metal can clog them up. Cheap Chinese sets are ideal for this. They are used conventionally, simply as files.

We have a coarse square file, usually used for bases. A flat file, fairly fine, for straight edges. A needle file, again fairly fine, used for edges, iniform creases, and opening out holes. If you use it for opening out holes, rotate it anti-clockwise. It won’t bind in the hole then. Lastly there is a half round file, useful for all sorts of jobs. This one gets used as much as all the others combined……

Next up are the two scalpels. Both of these are in retractable handles. I always retract these at the end of a session to protect both the blades, and my hands. After all, if the blade isn’t sticking out, you can’t grab it by accident.

I have a number 15 and a number 10A here. Usually I use a number 11 instead of the 10A, but I ran out last time I changed the blade…..the 15 is the most used. I find it a superb clean up tool because of the many angles it presents to the surface. The 10A is really only used for small openings. I have others, and Stanley knives, but they are just heavier variations on the 10A, and I only really use them for sheet cutting in plastic scratch work these days. By the way, Swann Morton scalpels are gold standard in my opinion, much better than those sold as modelling knives.

These mostly get used as scrapers when working with white metal. To do this, hold the blade at about 80 to 85 degrees to the surface and pull the blade across the piece in the direction of the smaller angle. They will slice away flash, but will need a little more force than you are used to, so keep your other hand behind the blade, or you might get flesh instead……

At the top are the folds of Emery paper that I use. The wet and dry is 600 grit and the other two are 1200 grit (though they appear coarser). These are used dry to smooth seams and awkward areas, like between the fingers.

The scriber is used to “texture” areas I scrape or sand off detail from when removing seam lines.

Ladt tool is very important! It’s a very old toothbrush that I use wet to scrub swarf and dust away from the area being worked on.

Saying all this, the subject did need much clean up, just a few minor seam lines and mould vents. If you don’t know what mould vents are, they are sometimes visible as thin thread like attachments on white metal figures. They let the air out of the mould so the metal can properly fill it.

Hope this was of interest…….and that the descriptions are clear :thumb2:

[yak face]

Ill be watching Tim , i need all the help i can get when it comes to figures ! Cheers tony

[adt70hk]

Very interesting Tim!!

Will follow with interest!!!!

ATB.

Andrew

[Mickc1440]

Can't beat a sbs, looking forward to this Tim

[Tim Marlow]

Ill be watching Tim , i need all the help i can get when it comes to figures ! Cheers tony

Thanks for looking in Tony.

[Tim Marlow]

Very interesting Tim!!

Will follow with interest!!!!

ATB.

Andrew

Glad to have you along Andrew

[Tim Marlow]

Can't beat a sbs, looking forward to this Tim

Cheers Mick, hope I don’t disappoint :thumb2: