My Limber Build

[Robert Reid]

So after a very relaxing weekend... I have finished the core part of the limber. Still have to finish the ammunition carriers and the shells... and paint it. But I am not going to paint until I get the 25 PDR done. I want to paint them together.

Without question, this has been one of the most fun and fulfilling kits I've built in a lifetime of modeling. The finished product is... imposing, detailed, built for generations... Everything a plastic kit is not. Even my ship models aren't this much fun!

I've gone more than a bit overboard... and made a couple of minor mistakes. But am delighted with the outcome. Thanks Kian, Mark and Dave from Armorpax! Can't wait to do the 25 PDR, the Pak 40 and the Rolls-Royce!

Here's some pictures



Rear photo showing the doors and the spare wheel hub temporarily mounted (before painting). The bars that stop the doors are replaced with brass that was turned down and bolted in place. It's a more appropriate diameter.



The fantastic pintle. I modified that by using a piece of 1/8" aluminum tube and some very tiny threaded rod with nuts on both ends to make the hinge. The attachment is with 6 BA nuts and bolts. Not perfect fit in the holes, but plenty strong for a static model And the brass bolts/nuts look good.



Front parts on the trail links. Yesterday, I did some modifications to this to use bolts/nuts to put it together. Came out great! Dave's parts from Armorpax are just a joy to work with!



Side picture. With the spare hub mounted. More on that over in the 'Original Limber Questions" thread because I did confirm Dave's assertion that the ring and/or the spare hub were an either/or decision. They seem not to work together. More in that thread, though.

More coming.... thanks for your interest, guys!

Cheers,

RPR

[Robert Reid]

A few more pictures....



Close-up of the bar that I modified and used the Armorpax Britannia pieces on. Looks great! Almost a shame to hide with paint.



Kind of hard to see, but I modified the hubs to use studs and take lugnuts. rather than use the cap screws. I had enough leftover Armortek screws that I just epoxied them into place and then cut the heads off. Used extra nuts to make my lugnuts. On the spare, the actual 5BA nuts were kind of big, so I took the Armortek Metric nuts and re-tapped them to 5BA. So all the nuts match. Even if the studs do not.



Profile picture showing the spare hub mounted.

More coming when it comes to ammo storage... some modifications to Dave's Parts!

Cheers,

RPR

[Robert Reid]

With the limber basically finished, I turned my attention to the ammo and shells.

I got a great set from Dave at Armorpax, but could not get the 'right' brass hue onto the resin casings. The shells themselves, are great!

So I started to play with some options for actual brass. And found that 28-gauge all-brass shotshells are almost identical in scale to a 1/6th 25 PDR casing. And since I had a bunch... I cut about a half inch off a few, and have great brass casings to go with the resin projectiles.



On the left is the resin Armorpax shell. Middle is an all-brass MagTech 28 gauge 2 1/2" shotgun shell. On the right... shortened shell. I made up 10 of these for all my projectiles. I'll press in de-milled primers (a bit of oil in the primer will render them inert) to complete the look.

This just left me with the mock-up tray ends which Dave makes. Which have the cast-in resin shell ends.

I decided that I could also take 28 gauge casings and cut the ends off to replace the resin shell ends with real brass.



After much sawing and filing the first one, I decided to set up the mill and just cut the shell bases out of the resin castings. With a depth set, I took about .120" plunge cut and it removed the shell end, leaving just the tray end. Ready for a brass shell base!



Here is the full set, now 'emptied' of the resin shell bases. But perfectly shaped and ready for aluminum paint.



Here is one, yet to be painted, with its brass casing heads and inert primers. Real brass. Ready to get glued into place.

Paint is drying on everything else right now... so be next weekend before I can get some pictures of the finished shells up. In the interim, I have to ask Dave how he did the graphics and lettering on his projectiles... Dave? Any advice? Dave, please pick up the white courtesy phone.

Again, amazing stuff from both Armortek and Armorpax... just trying to go a bit next level on some of this.

Cheers,

RPR

[Robert Reid]

I also, looking at Armorpax's limber, need to do mudflaps!

They appear to be made of a heavy waxed fabric...

Details, details!

Cheers,

RPR

[Dave Dibb (Armorpax)]

Hi Pierce,

Absolutely fantastic build. I am afraid the lettering etc on the 25 Pdr shells is all hand painted or written with a Sharpie

Best regards

Dave

[Dave Backway]

Hi Robert,

Cracking build and I love the extra detail with the addition of nuts and bolts. The spare wheel hub also looks the part and I might have to look at adding this detail to mine, if you don't mind. The canvas mud flaps look good on the limber, which I have added already. There are lots of pictures online showing the mud flaps and its worth looking at the fixing details also as this also adds that little extra.

Best regards

Dave

[Stephen White]

Robert, unless you've as steady a hand and as good eyesight as Dave, the alternative for your ammunition markings could be to make decals. I've done a Knowledge Base piece on the technique here:

http://www.armortek.co.uk/Forum3b/viewt ... =34&t=5793

This was Part 2, Part one covering stencils is also on the KB.

Using these techniques, it's possible to reproduce very small lettering, as for example on the fire extinguisher in the Topic. See also my Cent thread here:

http://www.armortek.co.uk/Forum3b/viewt ... &start=885

Good luck.

Stephen

[Robert Reid]

Hi Robert,

Cracking build and I love the extra detail with the addition of nuts and bolts. The spare wheel hub also looks the part and I might have to look at adding this detail to mine, if you don't mind. The canvas mud flaps look good on the limber, which I have added already. There are lots of pictures online showing the mud flaps and its worth looking at the fixing details also as this also adds that little extra.

Best regards

Dave

Don't mind? I'd be honored if anyone wants to copy... that's the fun of playing with these models and going to the next level. We all can do things that others can build-upon! I still want to add a sling hook loop to my spare. I think it deserves one.

Thanks for the info on the mudflaps... I just need to find the right 'waxed' canvas. I don't want to cut up one of my Barbour coats... so I'll see if I can find something suitable!

Cheers and thanks!

RPR