Zenrat's Flying Circus

[scooter]

I am hopeful that sitting overnight in the spare bedroom (warmest room in the house) directly under the heating vent will accelerate the drying process.

Hot water cupboard?

Don't have one.  The hot water service is outside.  Aren't all houses that way? 

Ours is inside a utility closet.  Which was handy two years ago when the original's feet rusted out, and it was saved from snapping water lines by a shelf I'd wedged in there.  That would have been a *real* mess.

[zenrat]

Hobby boss Mi-4 is still a joy to work on.  I turn to it when the Victomic gets to me.

It's nice to have a kit like that to work on when you have an absolute "B" on the go at the same time. I find Tamiya or new tool Airfix fit the bill nicely.

Today I  fitted a small stowage box and some delicate bracing framework parts to the insides of both rear clamshell doors.  Fit was sublime and even breaking a thin rod when cleaning up the attachment points didn't detract from the pleasure of putting it together.

I am hopeful that sitting overnight in the spare bedroom (warmest room in the house) directly under the heating vent will accelerate the drying process.

Hot water cupboard?

Don't have one.  The hot water service is outside.  Aren't all houses that way? 

Ours is inside a utility closet.  Which was handy two years ago when the original's feet rusted out, and it was saved from snapping water lines by a shelf I'd wedged in there.  That would have been a *real* mess.

When we lived in the UK the hot water cylinder was always inside in an "airing cupboard".  Here they are usually outdoors.  Make sense when you think about it.  Why put the heat generating hot water service inside the house where it'll be a problem in the warmer months.
And alternatively, why put it outside if there are prolonged spells with the temperature below freezing.

[zenrat]

All hail and raise a glass to the lords of entropy!  The paint on the Lavochkin and the MiG has dried enough for me to draw on the camo designs.

I have also foiled the windscreen and rear window surrounds of the '60 Chevy ute.

Mi-4 is still giving me pleasure.

[zenrat]

Today, after cleaning out my gutters I fitted the "glass" and interior to the '60 Chevy ute.  It's now come together into large sub-assemblies.
60 Chevy Ute WIP 01-08-2020 01 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
60 Chevy Ute WIP 01-08-2020 02 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
60 Chevy Ute WIP 01-08-2020 03 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr
60 Chevy Ute WIP 01-08-2020 04 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

Last night I drew the camo patterns on the Lavochkin and the MiG.  Today, as my hand was steady and my mojo appeared good I painted some teeth on the MiG.  I'm christening this one Snaggletooth.
La-5 & MiG 3 WIP 01-08-2020 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

[PR19_Kit]

You're on a veritable roll there Fred. 

[NARSES2]

I applaud the work on the teeth sir 

[zenrat]

I applaud the work on the teeth sir 

As the actress said to the orthodontist.   

Thanks Chris.  As I said, I was feeling the mojo.  It was one of those days when it turned out how I wanted.

[Rick Lowe]

I applaud the work on the teeth sir 

I echo the Honourable Gentleman's statement!

[zenrat]

Thank you Richard.

I am off now to paint the underside and hopefully not stuff up what i've done so far...


And also put the Chevy together.

[Weaver]

Those are indeed rather splendid teeth...

[TheChronicOne]

Hell yeah.... love them teeth. I've contemplated doing my own like that a time or two so I'm going to take notes here.


Chevy is sweet, too. I remember assisting in throwing a new transmission into one. 60 something.. same body style. Here's the kicker......   dude didn't need a new transmission; it was the rear gear box that was out.

[zenrat]

Hell yeah.... love them teeth. I've contemplated doing my own like that a time or two so I'm going to take notes here...

So, the technique I have developed is as follows.
Prime model and paint the nose with flat white or white undercoat.
With a soft pencil draw on your shark mouth.
With a thin paint brush paint the outline of the mouth and the teeth with black paint.  Try to get it right but don't panic if you go a bit off line or your lines are too wide as you can tidy it up later with the fill in colours.
Fill in the mouth with your chosen colour - I used red but purple could look good.
If needed touch up/fill in the teeth with white.
Most importantly, choose the right time to do it.  I need to be in the right frame of mind.  If I try to do detail work like this when i'm not feeling it then it always goes wrong and I make a mess.
And don't rush it.

I started the rest of the paint on the La-5 and the MiG-3 today.  The Lavochkin in in summer camo while the MiG has has winter overpaint added.  Both have one more colour to be added before each gets its second coat.  The MiGs camo is inspired by Comrade Harp's work.
La-5 & MiG 3 WIP 02-08-2020 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

Chevy is now in one piece.  Chassis is very slightly warped which is annoying as the design (separate cab and tub) means that the body doesn't pull the chassis straight as would happen if it was one piece. Instead I attached the tub slightly out of line (with the chassis, but aligned with the cab) and then having glued the rear suspension on, sat the whole thing down on a flat glass plate to dry ensuring all four wheels were on the ground.
A few small bits and pieces to add and then it is done.
60 Chevy Ute WIP 02-08-2020 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

[NARSES2]

Most importantly, choose the right time to do it.  I need to be in the right frame of mind.  If I try to do detail work like this when i'm not feeling it then it always goes wrong and I make a mess.
And don't rush it.

That's probably one of the most important considerations to bear in mind with any form of detail work.

[zenrat]

Some progress phots of the Lavochkin and MiG.
More painting to do but they are getting there.

La-5 & MiG-3 WIP -06-08-2020 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

[NARSES2]

I particularly like the scheme on the Mig 

You've got me hankering for a Lavochkin now, never built one