WW1 Mr and Mrs Tanks

[Guest]

Wouldn't polystyrene be better to use than foam Rob? I can't but think that'll be too squishy when you come to add the clay

[Robert1968]

Well I was thinking this ( spot on noticing ) but can I find any polystyrene in my house ( bloody wife throws everything not nailed down in the bin!!


What I plan to do is maybe put a bit of stiff card in the gaps to give it a bit of strength before putting the clay sheet over then sculpting into hill trench etc.


I may try this but if not I'll get some polystyrene from somewhere and try again.


Robert

[Robert1968]

2x polystyrene blocks ordered off eBay 40x 33x 5.5cm (.99p each ) free postage so hopefully this will get the small base plate done for the modelling clay to go on top as Patrick said the sponge is just too squidgy for any weight to be put on ( thanks Patrick )

[Guest]

2x polystyrene blocks ordered off eBay 40x 33x 5.5cm (.99p each ) free postage so hopefully this will get the small base plate done for the modelling clay to go on top as Patrick said the sponge is just too squidgy for any weight to be put on ( thanks Patrick )

No worries mate! When you're out & about, keep your eyes peeled for polystyrene packaging. Then hide it from the missus!

[Robert1968]

What a rip off eBay are and the sellers!!!!!


Ordered 2 pieces of polystyrene at .99p each and they'were no bigger than A4 sheets but they wanted £6 for postage.,,,............... I don't think so


Got myself the same order elsewhere free postage


I like to get a bargain but £2 to pay and £6 post don't sound right!!!!


Robert

[takeslousyphotos]

What a rip off eBay are and the sellers!!!!!
Ordered 2 pieces of polystyrene at .99p each and they'were no bigger than A4 sheets but they wanted £6 for postage.,,,............... I don't think so


Got myself the same order elsewhere free postage


I like to get a bargain but £2 to pay and £6 post don't sound right!!!!


Robert

I think the postage / carriage cost was possibly calculated on "Volumetric Weight". Polystyrene weighs nowt. But takes up a lot of volume. As a for instance if you sent one piece of polystyrene 8ft x 4ft x 4ft it would fill a van but only weigh a couple of kilos if that........ and as parcel carriers work on consignment weight they wouldn't make any money on it. So they then work on the volumetric weight. ...........


That is calculated as Width x Length x Height in centimetres / 6000 = Volumetric Weight in kilograms.


So the chunk of polystyrene (4ft x 4ft x 8ft) in "cm" would be: 120 x 120 x 240 / 6000 ........... Would actually weigh 576 Kilos as far as the carrier is concerned......... and that'd cost a fortune.

[Robert1968]

I think the postage / carriage cost was possibly calculated on "Volumetric Weight". Polystyrene weighs nowt. But takes up a lot of volume. As a for instance if you sent one piece of polystyrene 8ft x 4ft x 4ft it would fill a van but only weigh a couple of kilos if that........ and as parcel carriers work on consignment weight they wouldn't make any money on it. So they then work on the volumetric weight. ...........
That is calculated as Width x Length x Height in centimetres / 6000 = Volumetric Weight in kilograms.


So the chunk of polystyrene (4ft x 4ft x 8ft) in "cm" would be: 120 x 120 x 240 / 6000 ........... Would actually weigh 576 Kilos as far as the carrier is concerned......... and that'd cost a fortune.

Understood and I never took that into account but the other company I found said they can send 10 blocks of 500mm x500mm ( 5cm cubes ) for less £5 all in and free postage and designed for packing and also model builders ( can be cut and shaped easily etc


I think and feel the same as my wife does that e bay take their cuts and also PayPal take cut as well now which is a bad unfair thing but we can't get everything cheap as chips all the time, everybody wants to make it worth their time and I understand that entirely


Robert

[takeslousyphotos]

Understood and I never took that into account but the other company I found said they can send 10 blocks of 500mm x500mm ( 5cm cubes ) for less £5 all in and free postage and designed for packing and also model builders ( can be cut and shaped easily etc
I think and feel the same as my wife does that e bay take their cuts and also PayPal take cut as well now which is a bad unfair thing but we can't get everything cheap as chips all the time, everybody wants to make it worth their time and I understand that entirely


Robert

Ebay & Paypal should be wearing masks and yelling "Stand and Deliver" ............... I sold an old table a wile back for £ 1100 and between them they took me for just shy on £ 190 ............. I don't use them anymore.

[Robert1968]

Update


Did a bit of searching and well found a couple of polystyrene picture frames outside a local shop ( bin ) and asked if I could have them. ( result) I still have blocks on order of polystyrene but heh!


Cut pieces and sculptured few holes to represent she'll holes etc glued with ova and heh presto WW1 vignette battlefield.


Used modelling clay like a big pancake and sculptured onto the base. Used a wet sponge to moisten and used kitty litter ( catsan) to represent rocks/ boulders and stuck in place ( texture etc


I'll give it 24/ 48hrs before attempting to spray colours.


Tanks have been clear varnished twice and are fully cured so they will get started on with decals then weathering. I may give another varnish after decalling to seal before the rusting effects etc start


Placed the tanks in the position they will finally be on wet clay so I get the tracks effect ( took a few pics for final positioning once painted up. There will be figures and a trench still to come


Pics below and comments welcome

[Guest]

Looking good Rob

[takeslousyphotos]

That'll look good when it's done Robert. Great idea.

[Robert1968]

Update:


The Emhar decals went down really well and gave a small brush of decal fix and they have really hugged the metalwork panels showing the rivets through which I'm quite proud of.


Gave another coat of Humbtol clear to seal and will start weathering tomorrow.

[Robert1968]

Hi chaps


Still working on the tanks paintwork ( oh it's taking a lot of patience and eyes sore ( magnify glass out )


Thought I might try getting the trench done and I'm still waiting on my 1/72 fig appearing through post so had to use a couple of 1/72 pilots so I could try getting my scales right/ height width etc.


So I have made lots of planks from coffee stirrers and went through 2 blades, cocktail sricks were used to represent wooden boards for the base of trench. Lots of Pva thinned down to brush on. Feeling pretty chuffed with this first ever WW1 trench. ( researched lots of pics)


Comments welcome

[Guest]

It's beginning to come together very nicely Robert 1/72 is a tough scale on the eyes!


And it could be just my tired mincers, but I'm thinking those planks lining the trench seem a tad thick - almost like railway sleepers! I dunno what anyone else might think?

[Robert1968]

Thanks for the comment Patrick it helps to try and judge scale but I took the only 1/72 I have at mo to try and scale it with


I posssibly might use a thin layer of clay over this to gauge it smaller ruthenium with careful painting I could say half the bottom planking ( have put officer giggles for scale he's 1/72.