Clyno Vickers Motorcycle Machine Gun Combination 1/32 Scale

[Neil Merryweather]

Right then, I’m going for it!


This is a resin kit from Tommy’s War, and comes with somewhat of a reputation, I believe.

And if it all goes pear-shaped I am blaming Steve Brodie for his post in Scratchbuilder's Thread here. I’ve never built a resin kit before but I’ve been a professional model builder for almost 40 years- how hard can it be….? And if not now-when?

Actually I was using this kind of polyurethane resin at work before people started using it for kits. Ooh it was a game-changer then- before that I was using a mix of fibreglass resin A and Isopon car body filler for moulding figures –needless to say it was very smelly and very messy! And before somebody says ‘what about casting resin?’ -I can’t remember why, probably it was easier to post-process as casting resin was designed to be polished so was very hard and brittle.

Another good reason for doing this now is that at least Tommy’s War is still up and running at the moment, in case there are any issues with the kit.

Anyway here’s the obligatory ‘sprue’ shot.



The instructions appear to be well written and well-thought out, but we’ll wait and see. My only beef so far is there are no actual colour references other than colour photos of the completed model-not terribly helpful. I’m not someone who gets too hung up on that kind of thing, but I will be doing tests with the Model Air greens I already have to find the best fit –I’m certainly not brush painting it with acrylics(sorry @Spanner). I’ve found lots of pics online of restored examples, so I’m reasonably content I can find something.

I’ve checked all the bits are present and washed them in detergent (I know some people don’t bother but I don’t want to cock up the paint for such a rookie mistake).

I haven't built a kit since lockdown (Spitfire 1-48) and I don't remember doing an AFV in my maturity at all-unless you count my 1/76 scale Higgins Boat ...
I wonder if I''ll be tempted to go all scottie or @Jakko on it and add nuts and bolts you wouldn't know were missing? Can I be bothered?-probably not, but you never know.
I'm already considering how to make a rider for it...
So here we go!

[Andy T]

Well it sounds like quite the departure from your usual Neil so I'll watch with interest.

[Scratchbuilder]

Right then, I’m going for it!
[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1203338[/ATTACH]

This is a resin kit from Tommy’s War, and comes with somewhat of a reputation, I believe.

And if it all goes pear-shaped I am blaming Steve Brodie for his post in Scratchbuilder's Thread here. I’ve never built a resin kit before but I’ve been a professional model builder for almost 40 years- how hard can it be….? And if not now-when?

Actually I was using this kind of polyurethane resin at work before people started using it for kits. Ooh it was a game-changer then- before that I was using a mix of fibreglass resin A and Isopon car body filler for moulding figures –needless to say it was very smelly and very messy! And before somebody says ‘what about casting resin?’ -I can’t remember why, probably it was easier to post-process as casting resin was designed to be polished so was very hard and brittle.

Another good reason for doing this now is that at least Tommy’s War is still up and running at the moment, in case there are any issues with the kit.

Anyway here’s the obligatory ‘sprue’ shot.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1203339[/ATTACH]

The instructions appear to be well written and well-thought out, but we’ll wait and see. My only beef so far is there are no actual colour references other than colour photos of the completed model-not terribly helpful. I’m not someone who gets too hung up on that kind of thing, but I will be doing tests with the Model Air greens I already have to find the best fit –I’m certainly not brush painting it with acrylics(sorry @Spanner). I’ve found lots of pics online of restored examples, so I’m reasonably content I can find something.

I’ve checked all the bits are present and washed them in detergent (I know some people don’t bother but I don’t want to cock up the paint for such a rookie mistake).

I haven't built a kit since lockdown (Spitfire 1-48) and I don't remember doing an AFV in my maturity at all-unless you count my 1/76 scale Higgins Boat ...
I wonder if I''ll be tempted to go all scottie or @Jakko on it and add nuts and bolts you wouldn't know were missing? Can I be bothered?-probably not, but you never know.
I'm already considering how to make a rider for it...
So here we go!

How much hair do you have on your head, bet there is not much left :tears-of-joy:

[Scratchbuilder]

Serious note Neil, when assembling the wire wheels they may go into shape shifting format. I cut through the etch where the etch is attached to the fret. This gave me an allowance for the bending from the centre hub.

[Steve Brodie]

Good luck Neil, I will follow your build and sail through mine

[scottie3158]

Right then, I’m going for it!
[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1203338[/ATTACH]

This is a resin kit from Tommy’s War, and comes with somewhat of a reputation, I believe.

And if it all goes pear-shaped I am blaming Steve Brodie for his post in Scratchbuilder's Thread here. I’ve never built a resin kit before but I’ve been a professional model builder for almost 40 years- how hard can it be….? And if not now-when?

Actually I was using this kind of polyurethane resin at work before people started using it for kits. Ooh it was a game-changer then- before that I was using a mix of fibreglass resin A and Isopon car body filler for moulding figures –needless to say it was very smelly and very messy! And before somebody says ‘what about casting resin?’ -I can’t remember why, probably it was easier to post-process as casting resin was designed to be polished so was very hard and brittle.

Another good reason for doing this now is that at least Tommy’s War is still up and running at the moment, in case there are any issues with the kit.

Anyway here’s the obligatory ‘sprue’ shot.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n1203339[/ATTACH]

The instructions appear to be well written and well-thought out, but we’ll wait and see. My only beef so far is there are no actual colour references other than colour photos of the completed model-not terribly helpful. I’m not someone who gets too hung up on that kind of thing, but I will be doing tests with the Model Air greens I already have to find the best fit –I’m certainly not brush painting it with acrylics(sorry @Spanner). I’ve found lots of pics online of restored examples, so I’m reasonably content I can find something.

I’ve checked all the bits are present and washed them in detergent (I know some people don’t bother but I don’t want to cock up the paint for such a rookie mistake).

I haven't built a kit since lockdown (Spitfire 1-48) and I don't remember doing an AFV in my maturity at all-unless you count my 1/76 scale Higgins Boat ...
I wonder if I''ll be tempted to go all scottie or @Jakko on it and add nuts and bolts you wouldn't know were missing? Can I be bothered?-probably not, but you never know.
I'm already considering how to make a rider for it...
So here we go!

Go on you know you want to. I will follow along.

[tr1ckey66]

Hi Neil
That looks like a very intricate resin kit - delicate but, judging by the pics, very well cast. The finished model (again looking at the box art) looks busy and very detailed.
Great stuff Neil and Im sure you’ll do the kit proud.
Cheers
Paul

[Guest]

add nuts and bolts you wouldn't know were missing?

That’s only worth the bother if you can see them, regardless of whether anyone would notice if they’re not there

[Neil Merryweather]

Welcome aboard , gang!

Serious note Neil, when assembling the wire wheels they may go into shape shifting format. I cut through the etch where the etch is attached to the fret. This gave me an allowance for the bending from the centre hub.

Thanks Mike ,I'm afraid I saw this too late. see below.

The first stage in the instructions is the wheels so I started there.

There was a bit of mould damage so some weird resin lumps but nothing too bad. The inner rims were very uneven, though, so I regularised them with some 320 grit wet&dry on a piece of brass tube. Unfortunately that made the opening too large for the PE spokes,



But I had already decided to add a microstrip rim for them to rest against



It made it possible but not wonderful, as Mike points out.



So guess what...? I thought ‘I wonder if I could 3D print one?’ Mike’s CopperState Models bike that started off this whole thing has 3D printed wire spoked wheels, so it must be possible.

I didn’t know if I could build the file well enough, but after a couple of hours I came up with this



I’m not an engineer so I’m sure the spoke arrangement isn’t correct but it’s close enough. It's printing now so watch this space .
FYI the spokes are 0.2mm thick - fingers and toes well and truly crossed!

Incidentally, I've already noticed that the tread on the tyres (which I have simply copied from the model) is possibly a modern one-pics from the time seem to show a different design, so I could get super finnicky! Actually, if it works I think I'll just be relieved.

So I’ve already started down the rabbit hole!

Thanks for watching

N

[Allen Dewire]

Ahhh, my power of telepathy worked Dr. Merryweather and you dove right into this!!! I knew it from the git go you wanted to. Super idea with trying to print new tires/spoked rims. I do hope they print well for you Neil. I'm watching this space.........

Prost
Allen

[scottie3158]

Neil,
Good luck with the printing.

[Guest]

I’m not an engineer so I’m sure the spoke arrangement isn’t correct but it’s close enough.

You seem to have pairs of spokes coming to the same point on the rim. On a real wheel, the left and right spokes alternate. This is a modern bicycle wheel, but the principle is the same:

[ATTACH]484583[/ATTACH]

[Jim R]

By 'eck Neil you don't make life easy for yourself. Looks to be a real test of your patience and skill. I hope the 3D printing works.

[Neil Merryweather]

You seem to have pairs of spokes coming to the same point on the rim. On a real wheel, the left and right spokes alternate. This is a modern bicycle wheel, but the principle is the same:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]n[/ATTACH]

I told you they'd be wrong :tongue-out3:
I just followed the PE layout, which I guessed was wrong, but as long as they print I don't care.

[Neil Merryweather]

....and guess what- they failed, unsurprisingly; but not as badly as I feared.
0.2mm is at the absolute limit of what's possible here.
You'll notice I didn't support the spokes at all, because of the difficulty of removing the supports. Next I'm going to try both the same wheel with more supports, and also a slightly fatter spoke(0.3mm)
Stay tuned folks!
N