Centurion AVLB (slow build)

[Tim Marlow]

Looking very good Mike. Colour me suitably impressed…..it’s a sort of puce green colour….

[Scratchbuilder]

Looking very good Mike. Colour me suitably impressed…..it’s a sort of puce green colour….

Hello Tim,
It does look a bit strange under a daylight bulb, but in natural light it tones down a couple of shades, and once a wash is applied it should be close to what I want - at least that is how it worked on the test piece....
Mike.

[Scratchbuilder]

Morn Olderthanme,

Great to see you working on this beauty again Mike. It is a shame you covered it in paint after all the fine etch work and scratchy you did. A question, Are the boltheads on the plumbing brackets after market or do you punch them out yourself??? They are tiny and look really nice...
Sorry to hear, you never learned how to shave properly or use the existing utensils to do the job...We all have our faults in these matters...
Hope the scan goes well Buddy...

Prost
Youngerthanyou

Hello Youngerthanme,
Been flying along on this, better than I expected. Painting, I will put a few photos out at the nationals to show the build in progress.
Boltheads - This is what I use for both boltheads and rivets -

The Punch & Die set comes with six different punches. and is used a lot.
Shaving - Well she used to do it with a cut throat razor while I laid back and puffed away on one of the cigars she rolled on the thigh... but when her hands started to shake, the loss of blood and bits of me laying on the floor, something told me it was time to do it myself.....

[Allen Dewire]

Thanks, Olderthanme! I just looked and I've the same one too, but never used it. Damn old age makes me forget what I bought. I also saw I have their rivet maker too.......Ref. shaving, I would have done the same thing Buddy. DIY is always the best!!!.......

Prost
Youngerthanyou

[Tim Marlow]

Hello Tim,
It does look a bit strange under a daylight bulb, but in natural light it tones down a couple of shades, and once a wash is applied it should be close to what I want - at least that is how it worked on the test piece....
Mike.

:tongue-out3: :tongue-out3: :tongue-out3: :tongue-out3:
That never worked then Mike …… Puce green is the colour you are supposed to colour me ‘cos I’m impressed, it’s not the colour I think the model is……the model colour looks fine

[Scratchbuilder]

Update,
So the tracks are primed and the first colour is on (bare metal), no pics - seen one track you have seen them all.... unless!!!
The new 'bazooka' plates are almost complete...

... the divisions are for the center bridge walkways ....

...there are 8 of these per side, and they can be scratchbuilt.... not on your life!!!

I set to and marked out/cut out the long pieces that look like elongated triangles, and on the left you can see some of the spacers (little squares). These are for the top and bottom (narrow ends) and lastly you can see one of these in the jig with a short piece not visible drying. This will be the process untill I have the whole frame made up, and once happy other details will be added. This will become the master and will then be used to cast a mould so that I can run off eight all the same. Some other details will then be added to finish them off like the 'Y' parts at the bottom of the frame in the photo.
And that is where I am today,
Cheers
Mike.

[scottie3158]

Love this build.

[Jim R]

A real treat to follow Mike.

[Guest]

Thanks, Olderthanme! I just looked and I've the same one too, but never used it. Damn old age makes me forget what I bought. I also saw I have their rivet maker too.......

The RP Toolz one, you mean? Their rivet maker is really just a punch-and-die set with rounded heads to the punches. If you already have their normal punch-and-die set, with the usual flat heads, all you need is some of those rounded punches.

Unfortunately, RP Toolz don’t sell direct anymore, but a few years ago when they still did, I just ordered “replacement” rivet-maker punches and use them with the die I already had. That saved me something like €60. Maybe some of their resellers do still sell replacement punches that you could order?

[Steve Jones]

I bulk brought my 0.5mm punch a few years back. Usually go through that one once a year

[Scratchbuilder]

Update,
The hull has now had an oil wash of Burnt Umber and has toned down the Green to an acceptable shade and is now drying off. The tracks are painted and ready for final assembly of all the sub assemblies...
The centre walkway is complete except for some small details, mind you it was the third attempt as I forgot to allow for the thickness on the plastic, and working from a photo was not the best way to go, but you go with what you got!

This is a better view of the consruction, with each part in place...

And this is the final master with just some details to add before casting the mould begins.
More later
Mike.

[Caustik Filth]

Wow...!!! Fantastisch...totally blown away...absolutely inspirational...Yummitty Scrummitty... Cheers Mike, loving it!

[scottie3158]

Mike,
Simply superb

[adt70hk]

Mike

Just had a catch-up. That really is a work of art already. can only imagine what it will look like once finished.

Keep up the great work.

ATB.

Andrew

[Scratchbuilder]

Update,
So the mould was prepared and the rubber solution made up and poured in. But i think the tollerences were just a bit too tight to allow the air to just rise despite banging the mould to disipate all the air,

As you can see where the air did not get to the surface... I did actually expect a problem so not too concerned, but it would have been a faster way to produce what I need.... I have worked it out that I can produce two or three by scratchbuilding per day without any stress or delay to the build, so that will be the way....
The main hull has now been mated with the lifting arm and rollers so i can now concentrate on the final details for this,





And that is where I am today, photo's again shot under a daylight lamp which lightens the green and also turns the steel of the tracks to a white, must get some shots outside soon.
Many thanks to you all for commenting, as always they are most welcome
Cheers, Mike.