I had to start by taking a few steps backward - some of the older rivets I had made with the wrong material and the glue was failing after only a few weeks. So they were replaced and then a bunch more added. Some more still to come on the rear decking as a minimum.
I've progressed the remodelling of the front, covering some holes and removing the old platforms that stuck out strangely. I left part of the structure that I'm considering turning into a ram.
I also fitted the ventilators that I made earlier in the project. I cut them down in height and fixed them to the deck next to the bridge, where they can push air down into the engine room. I'm really pleased with the way they came out and help sell the 'ship-on-land' vibe.
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One of the structural issues I had to resolve was the Steersman's Cupola, which didn't have a floor. The original design just dropped into the open space inside the toy, as a space to put drop action figure crewmen in.
And here is the outcome - the cheeky crewman can now see out of his compartment. Rather useful for the guy steering this iron beast.
Pretty happy with how this came out!
Rivet Count
Rivets added in this update: 286
Total Rivets to date: 672
...and yes I'm still procrastinating on the Bridge structure and the mast. I may have to simplify my overly complicated initial plan.
10 comments:
It looks fantastic!
Thank you! Very happy with how its progressing :-)
Coming along utterly splendidly!
Absolutely wonderful! Just out of curiosity what was the glue issue and what did you resolve it with? Always looking for better ways to fix things myself. I rather like the funnel and wonder if it is not decorative enough? Found myself thinking of the Games Workshop Empire Steam Tank funnel for example. Loving the rivets by the way. ;)
Cheers !
Thanks Michael! My early experiments showed the best/easiest way was to use the hole punch on a thin plastic item to make the rivet, and the use normal model plastic glue to attached directly to the plastic hull or to a plastic strip (which was then attached to the hull).
Unfortunately, the disposable container I was using to make some of the rivets wasn't a good plastic and while the initial glue was successful, it clearly didn't bond well. So the attachment was ultimately brittle and failed with fingertip level force. So I pulled all of that batch off and now make rivets from think hobby sheeting which bonds perfectly.
I'll keep the funnel for now and see how it looks when the superstructure is completed :-)
It is such a wonderful hobby that we actually worry about whether a plastic is good or not. :D Makes perfect sense though, especially when using plastic glue. I am a superglue fan and have recently discovered a superglue activator which has been a game changer with builds.
Thats a good tip, thanks. I'm not averse to using superglue but normal plastic cement to make a chemical bond seemed a useful way ahead. The fact that most of this build is plastic to enable that is probably a rarity too! :-)
That's amazing from what you started with. The flooring for the driver looks great and the rivets add a lot to the overall look—well worth the fiddly task of adding them!
Best wishes, James
Thanks James, the little things do add up over time! :-)
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