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Modeller Build Logs
Sherman III Early in North Africa |
| By James Wechsler | | Started: | Aug 13, 2005 | | Updated: | Sep 25, 2005 |
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A couple of weeks ago I wrote up a review here on Track-Link of the Legend Sherman III conversion set (LF 1096). I really liked the set and couldn’t wait to start on it. So I thought, why not do a blog to show how the build-up comes together? So here it is.
Up Next: What items am I going to use? |
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| Chapter 28 - The Base - Part 1 | Sep 19, 2005 |
Now that the well is completed, it’s time to make the base. I didn’t want to do anything to complex since I felt the model and well would show themselves. I’ve been building up a rather large Sherman collection and I’ve put them all on bases that are about 6 inches wide by 9 inches long (some are 5 X 10, some are 5 X 9, but you get my drift).
For this kit, I found that a 6 X 9 base would work well (OK bad pun). I didn’t want to have too much base since it would be mainly sand and might get a little drab. I cut the base out of piece of 1/8 inch scrap plexiglass. I then rounded the corners in order to comply with all OSHA requirements (if you believe this, contact me in private. I have some ocean front property in Utah I’d like to sell you).
I painted the base in overall tan and glued the well to the base with Epoxy. For the ground work, I used a technique shown to me by a friend of mine, Ken Schwartz. He’s a great diorama builder and his techniques are pretty straight forward and practical.
I mixed up a goop of Fixall (this is the stuff you use to fix holes in your wall at home) that I bought at the hardware store. I added some brown powdered paint (which I bought from the art supply store) until I had the tan color I wanted. I usually go for a consistency of cake frosting or slightly more runny. Then I put it on the base with a spatuala. While still wet, I sprinkled a mixture of different sand colors on top. Then, using the model I set it in place and pressed hard to get the track imprints. I then removed the model and placed it behind the original location to get the track imprints running off the base.
Usually, I can just let this dry and my base is ready. Not this time. Apparently, my sacrifices to the model gods were not sufficient because when I got all done, the base just didn’t look right.
Up Next: The Base – Part 2
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