Pz III New Build

[Stephen White]

I've now sent the bump stop master to Steve Winstone for him to cast. Over to you Steve. Brian Leach also made a kind offer but Steve was just ahead of him.

Before sending it, I had a go at making a resin copy using Allumilite, which I hadn't used before. The copy is quite good but I doubt a resin part would last long in that position. When Steve has cast them in metal, I'll be replacing the resin ones.



Not sure now which is the original:





Mike Stannard's S hooks and Steve Winstone's tool boxes:



10 Pz Div used a distinctive large locally made stowage box on the right catwalk and they moved this track tools box to the left front:



I've also done some more welds, using this fitting on a Proxxon drill to produce a shallow channel. I've tried Dale's technique but have gone back to using Milliput and the channel allows the weld to sit lower. Also added Steve Winstone's tow rope brackets:





Regards

Stephen

[Nick Farrugia]

Hello stephen
I have not posted to you before but have been watching your progres
since i became a member and the level of detail you have added is great.
those bump stops you have made are amazing .carnt wait to see what you
will alter next.
regards nick

[Tim Bowman]

Hi Stephen

Love every new post of yours. Stops look excellent! If this keeps up, my build and detailing will be easy as can be with all the nice parts already available.

Kindest regards
Tim

[Adrian Harris]

Love the "trench excavator" tool

Adrian.

[Brian Leach]

Steven,

I really admire your way of doing things.

The channel "evacuator" is a good idea I am surre to use myselfe-thank you!

Nice job as always!

Brian

[Stephen White]

My attempts to make the exhaust boxes after a couple of days fighting the brass sheet, which had a mind of it's own. The scale boxes are a bit bigger and the fastening lugs are prominent:



Trial fit:



The exhaust pipes are next. Not sure why I bothered as the Tunisian Pz IIIs had the exhaust deflector screens which pretty well cover up the exhaust boxes.......

Regards

Stephen

[Brian Leach]

Stephen,

Don't look into this too deeply: it is after all a hobby done, I expect, for the sake of doing it.

Like Roland says, it is the way traveled, not the destination that counts. How many people really see all we do and understand the trials we endure? The true challanges reside with-in our selves...usw.

Actually it is just fun!

Brian

Oh and BTW nice job, again!

[David Makaras]

The exhaust pipes are next. Not sure why I bothered as the Tunisian Pz IIIs had the exhaust deflector screens which pretty well cover up the exhaust boxes.......

Regards

Stephen

If it feels good, do it...Whatever bakes your cookies...

Cheers...

[Stephen White]

My attempts to bend a piece of 15mm brass pipe failed miserably. Despite heating, annealing, stuffing with sand and all the other good things, all I have to show is several pieces of crimped tube......

But why bother? The perfect answer is at the local plumbing shop. With that pitying look reserved for dealing with amateurs, the man behind the counter told me that what I needed was a "15mm E/F part crossover". All I asked for was a piece of bent pipe. It's perfect, although cutting exactly the right angles was a challenge (and getting a second one to match an even bigger challenge, at least for me). Anyway, it worked:



Regards

Stephen

[Fabrice Le Roux]

Stephen,

Nice work on the boxes.

FWIW, Gerald Wingrove, the famous car modeller, gives a very good step by step description of building similar shaped fuel tanks using wooden formers in his book the "Complete Car Modeller" (2005). This is a great source of inspirational techniques for making scale things look "right".

Most of the military modelling books are too 1/35th plastic kit orientated, and most of the model engineering books are too steam focused. This is the only book I have come across that it really helpful for large scale superdetailing.

Slightly off topic, but your model is becoming something of a tour de force in detailing the PZIII!

BTW have you sold your motion kit components because you are going to do the interior too?

All those lovely little working visors and hatches really need peeking through...

Great work, look forward to the next installment.

cheers, Fabrice

[Adrian Harris]

Thanks for the heads-up Stephen.

If only we knew the language of all the other trades from which we could "borrow" 1/6th parts

Adrian.

[Stephen White]

Exhaust boxes finished and mounted. I thought I might have problems soldering the exhaust pipes to the boxes - visions of the whole lot springing apart. But silver solder unsolders at a higher temperature than the first time and it was OK.









Fabrice, nice thought doing the interior but the explanation is simple, I ugraded the motion pack. The book you recommended looks like a real gem. I've ordered a copy from Amazon and the bits which they've put online look to be full of good stuff for us. Great thing about the Armortek habit is learning something new on just about every piece I do.

Regards

Stephen

[David Da Costa]

Stephen, your exhausts look great!

Regards

David

[Stephen White]

Wheels at last. Turned the top rollers on the lathe to get the correct depth. Decided to put some colour on to start to see what it will look like. I've used Xtracrylix RAL 8020 with a satin acrylic varnish overcoat. This will give a base for washes and filters later on. The final scheme will be a two tone camouflage with RAL 7027.







Regards

Stephen

[Sarah Frazer]

Hi Stephen,

Excellent work on the exhausts. Will you be taking your Panzer to the Armortek day, as I would love to have a look at all your mods.


Regards,

Sarah