Another First - 1/35 CH2 TES.

[Scratchbuilder]

Hello Doug,
Just caught up on your build. Getting through all the little problems ok. As for the end connectors on the track, I would not worry, as always happens along comes the inexperienced person and spots the mistake. I had it a couple of years ago, pride of place in my collection - along came SWMBO and asked why one trach was facing one way to the other. Luckily I had not set it onto the base and could still get the tracks off.
For holding parts I use those old wooden clothes pegs with the ends cut into the shape I require, but remember to buy SWMBO a new plastic set. Mine is still cursing the kids that stole all of her wodden ones:rolling:.... The sprue holding the wheels for painting is what most of us do, but instead of a foam block I use rolled up cardboard box cut to size and held in an old ice cream container (ice cream eaten first), then the sprue can be pushed into the holes.
Pleased to see you still at it and enjoying the build. As for the pup, that is what pups do, ours has gone from a 6 inch bundle of snuggles to a three foot madam....

[Waspie]

Hello Doug,
Just caught up on your build. Getting through all the little problems ok. As for the end connectors on the track, I would not worry, as always happens along comes the inexperienced person and spots the mistake. I had it a couple of years ago, pride of place in my collection - along came SWMBO and asked why one trach was facing one way to the other. Luckily I had not set it onto the base and could still get the tracks off.
For holding parts I use those old wooden clothes pegs with the ends cut into the shape I require, but remember to buy SWMBO a new plastic set. Mine is still cursing the kids that stole all of her wodden ones:rolling:.... The sprue holding the wheels for painting is what most of us do, but instead of a foam block I use rolled up cardboard box cut to size and held in an old ice cream container (ice cream eaten first), then the sprue can be pushed into the holes.
Pleased to see you still at it and enjoying the build. As for the pup, that is what pups do, ours has gone from a 6 inch bundle of snuggles to a three foot madam....
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Thank you for your comments Mike, I used the polystyrene because it was there!!!
Oh, the laugh emoji was for the diva on the perch. I think the ‘mouth from the South’ as we call ours is going that way!!!

[Waspie]

The biggest mistake you can make in this hobby (or any other) is thinking the result will be perfect from your very first try :smiling3: Or to put that in other words: if you don’t hold high expectations, you’ll be pleased when things turn out well, rather than disappointed because things don’t live up to what you expected.

Well, I do have reasonable expectations. However!! I’m a realist. I know my flaws, stupid mistakes caused by rushing, impatience, call it what you will.
That is being offset by the positive advice and pointers on here.
And as SWIMBO pointed out, “it’s starting to look like a tank”. :smiling3: :rolling: :upside:

[JR]

But it is nice to know there is a right and wrong way. There are a few errors I have made, found another tonight when I compared pictures of actual machines. The cables alone!! I have three images of Chally's, all with differing methods of holding the cables in place. Problem for me, the couple of images of the TES I have, the cables are obscured by Camouflage.
But hey ho - Rome wasn't built in a day and as I progress I learn.
Keep em coming Jakko. :thumb2: All comments and criticisms gratefully received - genuinely. Only way I'm going to improve.

There are times when I get the tracks on the wrong side Doug .Felt better when Jakko sent a photo of a tank on display with them wrong .
Now have a large photo of a track face showing the correct way .
Good build , keep it up :thumb2:

[Waspie]

Small update.
I have decided to lay off for a week or two, not totally, just anything that may impact further down the line. Something I touched on either in an earlier post or maybe another thread. I need an eye test! I have one booked but it's a week away.
Spent a couple of hours today doing some surgery on my CH2 removing a couple of bits I inadvertently messed up earlier last week. I also missed the fact the Chally has 'two' tow cables, so I made another. Part of the surgery was to alter the length of a tow cable I had previously made, only a couple of mm's but enough to make it look weird. That's now done.
I also dabbled with painting the 5 gallon water and petrol containers! Easy peasy job.
Last week I walked away from some PE I was assembling. Did the folding fine - it was fitting the drum inside that was messing with my eyes. Today, before the eyes got too tired and the hand eye coordination was still working I managed to fix it. (It's the box inside 'Step 19' with the PE in yellow).

[Waspie]

Update, I may be back on the bench in a week or so. Had my eyes checked out and my left eye has deteriorated quite a lot since my last check a couple of years ago. So with a new set of optifocals I'll be back to it. :smiling2: :thumb2:
One of the guys in the opticians was another modeller, warcraft stuff. 5 minutes selecting new frames, 20 minutes or more chatting about models and techniques!!!! Gave him the details of the forum so he might pop in.
So! Until I get my spec's, more useless blather from me, when allowed!!!!!

[scottie3158]

Doug,
Your off to a great start mate, don't punish yourself for your mistakes we all make them and its all part of the learning curve. The good thing about this forum is you wont be judged and you will get great advice along the way.

[JR]

Good news on the new glasses Doug, but sorry to read about the deterioration . Standing by for your next post !

[Waspie]

Good news on the new glasses Doug, but sorry to read about the deterioration . Standing by for your next post !

Probably not as bad as I made it out John!!
Always had superb vision, got it from my dad, he was a sniper so he had particularly good eyesight. My claim to fame was I once hit a 4 inch target in the water with a visually aimed missile from 7000 yards!! (Won a crate of beer for that)!!
Over the past 20 odd years the eyesight has faded slightly, needing glasses to read, that sort of thing. But over the past couple of years I have noticed a marked drop in visual acuity. Having to up the font size on my Kindle, not being able to find bits of plastic that 'ping' off spurs etc.
I was quite impressed with the test, (more so when I found it was free!!!). The guy actually told me about eye trauma in my left eye that had happened when I was 14/15 years old!!! (A shard of hot coal cut a layer of skin across my iris - hospitalised for that one).
So, a week or so, new specs and hopefully - back in action. Itching to get going again, ordered some useful bibs and bobs today. IPA - finally!!! A cleaning pot thing for the airbrush and some very small drill bits 0.3 to 1.5mm. At the moment I only have a 1mm drill bit so that will up my armoury some what!!!!
Good job I have this place to keep the juices flowing!!
Doug

[JR]

Well you've been through it alright Doug since you first injury . Impressed with the long distance shot of 7000yds , that's some distance .
After my detached retina and the following ops I have ended up finding close up work best with one eye .Hence the cover .


Think we take sight for granted at times .

[Waspie]

Finally back to business today. New glasses have arrived at last - mini saga with my distance specs but that doesn't affect my modelling so I can live with that.
Right, first off - no pics!! Sorry, I had a phone less day today - less disruptions. (Car warranty firms are chasing me!! Shouldn't have filed in a on line form!! - my fault)
AM. Finishing off the small stuff on the rear of the hull. Took all morning, mega small handles, (16 in total), for the engine hatches, more minute hatch detailing put in place. Fuel caps, wrecking bars and PE hatch covers!
PM was fitting the drivers optics including tiny - tiny PE windscreen wipers!! (New specs came to the fore then).
I actually managed to start on the turret. Never knew I'd that far today!! Top, sides and rear sides assembled. Tried a dry fit of the lower turret part to the hull. (Fiddling really!!!) However, I found that it located into the hull but wouldn't move!! Measured the gaps. Found there was a discrepancy but nothing that a needle file couldn't sort. Now the lower turret part rotates in the hull. Also managed to commence work assembling the turret machine gun. (I don't think there as many parts on the real gun!!) Its staggering!!
Whilst 'fiddling' with the lower turret I also started attaching the cables to the side armour panels. 50% completed.
All in all, happy with my first day back at the coal face, almost managed a full day.
I'll try and remember to take pics tomorrow before I start again.

[Waspie]

Pics of yesterdays work. Sadly, not much done today. Spent most of what time I had constructing the GPMG assembly and still failed to completed it.
Why so many parts and separate assemblies for such a small part of the kit!!

Handles, hinges, fuel caps and PE hatches plus the barrel gizmo for securing it when not in action.

Turret base sitting on hull. The problem I had with the fit was the two detents at 1-o-clock and 7-o-clock. By filing down a piece of the turret enabled the turret to rotate 360 deg in both directions.


GPMG before all the other kit was fitted. So intricate - and PE too as I found out today!!


Just another hull shot from above. Before eagle eyed 'Jakko' mentions it, yes, there is a hatch handle adrift!! I'll find it!! It pinged off into the darkness of garage. I also have a cunning plan to bodge another if it's kidnapped by a spider!!!!


Finally, shell of the turret dry fitted to its base sitting on the hull. Taking shape now.


Busy day tomorrow but hopefully I will be able to get some time to progress it further.

[Andy T]

Lots of etch and fiddly bits but coming together nicely.

[papa 695]

Coming along very nicely Doug.

[Waspie]

It's been a while!! (Understatement).
However - today I actually grabbed an hour or so. All I achieved was to deconstruct part of the machine gun as I wasn't happy about the fit. (Starting to think I bit off more than I can chew with this my second kit - however - onwards and upwards) I did attach the aerials to the platform and make up the range finder jobbie to make me feel better!!! :rolling:
Hopefully if the weather is as bad as predicted tomorrow I may be able to grab another few hours.:thumb2:
PS. SWIMBO's list is diminishing slowly!!!:tears-of-joy: