|
|
Forums - Site / Build Logs |
Messages in this Build Logs forum are automatically posted when new Build Logs or Chapters are added. Other modellers can then comment on them. Refer to the Build Logs section for more information. |
|
|
| Subject: | [Chapter] Chapter 26 - All Together Now |  |
| Date: | Sep 11, 2005 |
| From: | James Wechsler | |
Chapter 26 - All Together Now
Well the time has come. All the parts are built, painted and weathered. Time to put them together.
The first step was to mount the VVSS assemblies to the hull. This is a tough job since there are no locating holes. I determined that the bottom of the assembly should be 2mm below the bottom of the hull. I scraped off the paint on the VVSS and the hull and attached all six with Krazy Glue Gel (since you get a little more set time). It’s pretty hard to get them to all lined up and laying flat on the table. In the end run, I got close and figured I could take care of any small line up problems with the hair dryer. Then I put on the tracks and got a huge surprise.
Putting on the tracks is a pretty simple process of threading the tracks over the idler, the return rollers, and around the drive sprocket. I found I was one link too long so I removed it and connected the ends. I then glued the tracks to the return rollers (no floating tracks on this tank) and thought I was done. It all looked good until I looked at the model from the front and realized that the tracks were canted inward at the bottom. Problem.
After a long time looking at what was wrong, I realized that the VVSS assemblies were about 1/16 of an inch closed to the hull that the idler and sprocket. I don’t exactly know why this occurs. My best guess is that the thickness of the Dragon mounting plates for the VVSS assemblies is slightly thinner than the Academy ones.
Well I was faced with a dilemma. I could pop off the tracks and the assemblies and try to add a spacer. This would be tough since I’d almost certainly break a number of components. The other option, which is the one I chose, was to do a little hair dryer adjustment. I heated the rocker arms on each bogie and then slightly bent them outward to reposition the wheels. It took me about 5 tries but it worked. The adjustment is small enough that you can’t see it, but the tracks are now straight.
So with that little panic completed, it was time to add the stowage. I follow three simple rules for locating stowage:
1. Make sure it would actually go there in real life.
2. In light of item 1, put stowage where it hides your mistakes. I know the judges at IPMS will hate me for this. However, the model has to sit on my shelf and I don’t see any reason to look at an error when I could hide it behind stowage. It’s all part of the model in my mind.
3. Considering items 1 and 2, find a spot where it looks really cool.
Of course in this case there wasn’t much stowage and to be honest, I didn’t have really noticeable errors in along the side railings so I just hung the trap and packs off the rails.
I then put the figures in place with Elmer’s glue and attached the antenna and the .50 cal MG.
All done.
Up Next: Well, isn’t that special |
 |
| |
|
|
 | [BLOG] Sherman III Early in North Africa - James Wechsler - Aug 13, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 1 - What items am I going to use? - James Wechsler - Aug 13, 2005 |
| . . . . . . Re: [Chapter] Chapter 1 - What items am I going to use? - M Wawrow - Aug 14, 2005 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: [Chapter] Chapter 1 - What items am I going to use? - Martin Dogger - Aug 15, 2005 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: [Chapter] Chapter 1 - What items am I going to use? - Jim Wechsler - Aug 15, 2005 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: [Chapter] Chapter 1 - What items am I going to use? - Billy Bishop - Aug 17, 2005 |
| . . . Re: References and markings - Paul A. Owen - Aug 14, 2005 |
| . . . . . . Re: References and markings - Jim Wechsler - Aug 14, 2005 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: References and markings - Paul A. Owen - Aug 15, 2005 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: References and markings - Martin Dogger - Aug 15, 2005 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: References and markings - Kurt Laughlin - Aug 15, 2005 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: References and markings - Paul Roberts - Oct 19, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 2 - Lower Hull - James Wechsler - Aug 15, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 3 - The Upper Hull - James Wechsler - Aug 16, 2005 |
| . . . . . . Re: [Chapter] Chapter 3 - The Upper Hull - Andrew Herbert - Aug 17, 2005 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: [Chapter] Chapter 3 - The Upper Hull - Jim Wechsler - Aug 17, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 4 - The Front Fenders - James Wechsler - Aug 18, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 5 - The Sand Skirts - James Wechsler - Aug 19, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 6 - Painting the Lower Hull - James Wechsler - Aug 20, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 7 - Weathering the Lower Hull - James Wechsler - Aug 20, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 8 - Those Pesky Front Fenders – Part Deux - James Wechsler - Aug 22, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 9 - The Suspension - James Wechsler - Aug 23, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 10 - Front Hull Details - James Wechsler - Aug 26, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 11 - Rear Hull Details - James Wechsler - Aug 26, 2005 |
| . . . . . . a couple of suggestions..... - Chris SMith jr - Aug 29, 2005 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: a couple of suggestions..... - Jim Wechsler - Sep 1, 2005 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: a couple of suggestions..... - Chris SMith jr - Sep 1, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 12 - The Pioneer Tools - James Wechsler - Aug 28, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 13 - The Turret - James Wechsler - Aug 29, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 14 - Painting - Part 1 - James Wechsler - Aug 30, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 15 - Painting - Part 2 - James Wechsler - Aug 30, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 16 - Painting - Part 3 - James Wechsler - Sep 1, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 17 - Painting - Part 4 - James Wechsler - Sep 2, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 18 - Dry Brushing - James Wechsler - Sep 3, 2005 |
| . . . . . . Re: [Chapter] Chapter 18 - Dry Brushing - Aaron Cole - Sep 3, 2005 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: Dry Transfers - Paul A. Owen - Sep 4, 2005 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Dry Transfers - Aaron Cole - Sep 4, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 19 - Dry Transfers - James Wechsler - Sep 3, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 20 - Detail Painting - James Wechsler - Sep 5, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 21 - Weathering - James Wechsler - Sep 7, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 22 - Just the Tracks Maam - James Wechsler - Sep 8, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 23 - Please Maam, Just the Tracks - James Wechsler - Sep 9, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 24 - Stow it - James Wechsler - Sep 10, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 25 - The Crew - James Wechsler - Sep 10, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 26 - All Together Now - James Wechsler - Sep 11, 2005 |
| . . . . . . Re: [Chapter] Chapter 26 - All Together Now - Andrew Herbert - Sep 12, 2005 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: [Chapter] Chapter 26 - All Together Now - Paul A. Owen - Sep 12, 2005 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: [Chapter] Chapter 26 - All Together Now - Andrew Herbert - Sep 13, 2005 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: [Chapter] Chapter 26 - All Together Now - Jim Wechsler - Sep 13, 2005 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: [Chapter] Chapter 26 - All Together Now - Jim Wechsler - Sep 13, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 27 - Well, isnt that special - James Wechsler - Sep 13, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 28 - The Base - Part 1 - James Wechsler - Sep 19, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 29 -The Base - Part 2 - James Wechsler - Sep 21, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 30 - Final Assembly - James Wechsler - Sep 23, 2005 |
| . . . . . . Re: [Chapter] Chapter 30 - Final Assembly - henryk gorkiewicz - Sep 24, 2005 |
| . . . . . . Awesome! - R.C. Hill - Sep 24, 2005 |
| . . . [Chapter] Chapter 31 - Perspective - James Wechsler - Sep 25, 2005 |
|
|
