Another First - 1/35 CH2 TES.

[Guest]

Thanks for the link to your thread. That is defo something I could try myself. I have the technology!!

You wouldn’t even need a drill, really — make loop at one end of the wire and put a stick through it, and you can use that to twist the wires too

The main problem is deciding how many wires to use to get the thickness you need. Doing a little test by twisting together some short bits of wire by hand and comparing to the kit part (or known real thickness) is about the only way, I think.

[Waspie]

You wouldn’t even need a drill, really — make loop at one end of the wire and put a stick through it, and you can use that to twist the wires too :smiling3:

The main problem is deciding how many wires to use to get the thickness you need. Doing a little test by twisting together some short bits of wire by hand and comparing to the kit part (or known real thickness) is about the only way, I think.

I have almost a whole reel of ‘L’ cable for my habit of making up extensions leads!!
Jobs permitting, I’ll have a wee bash tomorrow. Thanks again Jakko and Andy.
This truly is a grand site. :thumb2: :smiling3:

[Tim Marlow]

I often get the same thing from one of three cas we have, you're just about to glue or paint a tiny delicate bit and it decides to plonk it's back end right in the middle of the area you're working on... then give you the 'yeah, and!!!' look

That’s nothing, you wait until one jumps into the wet palette when you are painting……gotta catch ‘em before they decorate the carpet…..

[Tim Marlow]

You wouldn’t even need a drill, really — make loop at one end of the wire and put a stick through it, and you can use that to twist the wires too :smiling3:

The main problem is deciding how many wires to use to get the thickness you need. Doing a little test by twisting together some short bits of wire by hand and comparing to the kit part (or known real thickness) is about the only way, I think.

I just put one end in a vice and the other end in a pin vice and twist it by hand….

[langy71]

That’s nothing, you wait until one jumps into the wet palette when you are painting……gotta catch ‘em before they decorate the carpet…..

Had a couple of close shaves with the wet pallet mate...

[Waspie]

Had a couple of close shaves with the wet pallet mate...

You should really use a razor!!!
Sorry - I'll close the door behind me!!

[Waspie]

Well the learning never ends.
Another days progress with small steps forward. Today was road wheels! What I found was I assembled them incorrectly. Or rather I didn't assemble them before painting which would have been easier. I also found I need some of those spray painting clamps on sticks!!! Would have made life easier. However!! Improvisation!! I cut off the ends of some Q Tips and stuck one end in the wheel, the other in some polystyrene!! Worked a treat!! Tomorrows wee job will be to paint the tyres!! I have two choices, Ammo 'dark tracks' or Vallejo 'tyre black'. Have a couple of suitable coins in the garage to see which wins!!

[Airborne01]

Well the learning never ends.
Another days progress with small steps forward. Today was road wheels! What I found was I assembled them incorrectly. Or rather I didn't assemble them before painting which would have been easier. I also found I need some of those spray painting clamps on sticks!!! Would have made life easier. However!! Improvisation!! I cut off the ends of some Q Tips and stuck one end in the wheel, the other in some polystyrene!! Worked a treat!! Tomorrows wee job will be to paint the tyres!! I have two choices, Ammo 'dark tracks' or Vallejo 'tyre black'. Have a couple of suitable coins in the garage to see which wins!!

Try Vallejo 'Dark Rubber' , differentiated with various mixes of 'Light Rubber' (Vallejo 305 and 306 in the 'Panzer Aces' series), they work really well! Also various greys (eg Schwartzgrau, Dunkelgrau etc) can be really effective!
Steve

[Waspie]

What I have observed, (assuming the model has reproduced the tracks correctly). The CH1's had oblong rubber road blocks on the tracks, I notice on this variant, the TES, the blocks are smaller and appears to have two blocks were there once was one!!
Next stupid question, just how do you approach the tracks with regards to painting them. They are a right mix of metal links and rubber blocks.
Do you paint the whole tracks in one colour then hand paint the rubber blocks or what!!
Image of the track links, particularly the rubber blocks!

[Guest]

I didn't assemble them before painting which would have been easier.

With wheels like on your Challenger, I often leave the back half on the sprue and assemble the front half to it, then spray them like that. Easy to hold because of the sprue, and as the wheels will all be next to each other, it also makes it quick to spray them one after the other.

What I have observed, (assuming the model has reproduced the tracks correctly). The CH1's had oblong rubber road blocks on the tracks, I notice on this variant, the TES, the blocks are smaller and appears to have two blocks were there once was one!!

The track was changed from Challenger 1 to 2, yes. 1 had a track much like Chieftain’s, with one large pad but metal triangular “horns” on the sides because they were single-pin tracks (meaning one pin connects each link to the next one).

Challenger 2 has double-pin tracks, meaning the blocks are linked together by separate connectors along the sides and in the case of wide tracks like here, a third one in the middle. This results in two small rubber pads, because there has to be room for the centre connector.

Next stupid question, just how do you approach the tracks with regards to painting them. They are a right mix of metal links and rubber blocks.
Do you paint the whole tracks in one colour then hand paint the rubber blocks or what!!

I normally spray the tracks with the metal (or rust) colour and then hand-paint the blocks. This is a chore, but much less so than doing it the other way round.

[Waspie]

With wheels like on your Challenger, I often leave the back half on the sprue and assemble the front half to it, then spray them like that. Easy to hold because of the sprue, and as the wheels will all be next to each other, it also makes it quick to spray them one after the other.


The track was changed from Challenger 1 to 2, yes. 1 had a track much like Chieftain’s, with one large pad but metal triangular “horns” on the sides because they were single-pin tracks (meaning one pin connects each link to the next one).

Challenger 2 has double-pin tracks, meaning the blocks are linked together by separate connectors along the sides and in the case of wide tracks like here, a third one in the middle. This results in two small runner pads, because there has to be room for the centre connector.


I normally spray the tracks with the metal (or rust) colour and then hand-paint the blocks. This is a chore, but much less so than doing it the other way round.

As ever Jakko, you come up trumps. I had a strange feeling in my water I would be hand painting the blocks!! (Going by the instructions that will be 316 rubber blocks!!! Oh joy!! :smiling2:
As an aside, we used to give the guard dogs at Lulworth, (Gunnery `school), the Chally 1 blocks to chew on as Kongs only lasted a day if that!!

[Guest]

You don’t need to paint all of the rubber blocks, though. All those that face the ground can be left unpainted because nobody will see them, for example, and if you followed my earlier advice to only assemble enough track for the part that can actually be seen, you’ll have about a third less links in the first place

[Waspie]

You don’t need to paint all of the rubber blocks, though. All those that face the ground can be left unpainted because nobody will see them, for example, and if you followed my earlier advice to only assemble enough track for the part that can actually be seen, you’ll have about a third less links in the first place

I did in fact listen to your sage advice. I will have a section of track missing. Which obviously will be hidden behind the armour, the plan is to secure the ends together with some strong cotton used for repairing leather.
I'm actually scribbling down instructions on the instructions to prompt me at the various stages!!

[Tim Marlow]

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I'm actually scribbling down instructions on the instructions to prompt me at the various stages!!

That’s a good wrinkle to use. I actually scribble out bits as they are done and scrawl notes all over my instructions as I build, so they remind me of when the painted bits get stuck together. I also make up to do lists at certain times so I don’t forget things, especially if I’m modding or scratching anything.

[Waspie]

That’s a good wrinkle to use. I actually scribble out bits as they are done and scrawl notes all over my instructions as I build, so they remind me of when the painted bits get stuck together. I also make up to do lists at certain times so I don’t forget things, especially if I’m modding or scratching anything.

Because this is my first ever armour, every session is a learning curve. From PE to assembling individual track links. Probably messed up the painting process, ie, have I assembled parts without thinking of how I'm going to access behind to paint!! Then I think!! 'Am I over thinking it'?
Whatever and however it turns out I'll have learned something. Must admit I'm getting used to the airbrush more, almost to the point I prefer it to brushing!! Should I have said that!!