Panzer III Ausf J. Das Werks, 1/16 scale.

[Tim A.]

The rear assembly needed some trimming to butt up against the hull sides, but it's on with the first bit of PE. I've also put a few links of the track together. It is the next step.

 

[Heavens Eagle]

Looking good Tim!

Always like the Panzer III and Stug III tanks. My first tank model was a 1/32 scale Stug III I believe was put out by Monogram. Have no idea what happened to it.

Have managed to get my Pak 40 all sand color. Need to assemble the shield on it now and add final details with paint touch ups. Then camo and heavy weathering and dirt. Had no trouble with spraying the Vallejo. Can spray real thin lines if I want but was laying it on with light coats or at least trying to do light coats. The paint went on nice and smooth with no trouble at all. Never could get it to flow that well with my Badger brushes.

 

[Tim A.]

Looking good Tim!

Always like the Panzer III and Stug III tanks. My first tank model was a 1/32 scale Stug III I believe was put out by Monogram. Have no idea what happened to it.

Have managed to get my Pak 40 all sand color. Need to assemble the shield on it now and add final details with paint touch ups. Then camo and heavy weathering and dirt. Had no trouble with spraying the Vallejo. Can spray real thin lines if I want but was laying it on with light coats or at least trying to do light coats. The paint went on nice and smooth with no trouble at all. Never could get it to flow that well with my Badger brushes.

I'm using an Iwata HPCS with the standard 3.5 needle. It does well with the Vallejo, once I figured out how it wants the paint thinned and bumped up the air pressure. My Stepdaughter bought me a set of Golden airbrush paints for general non military modeling. They spray well, but when they clog in the airbrush it's like trying to dig rock. Also very hard to get the dried paint cleaned out of the cup. Going to have to see what I'm doing wrong. Maybe they aren't supposed to be thinned with water either.

 

[Tim A.]

Just starting the idler arms next. This thing is dragging. But I'll keep watching yours and keep on building. Man it takes a lot of space on the work bench. I dont think I'll do any more 1/16 after this one. As a matter of fact I have ordered some more 1/35 German armour to build as well as some 1/32 aircraft. I think that will keep me busy in retirement.
JAmes

They are big and can soak up a lot of glue and paint.

 

[Heavens Eagle]

The one thing about the Harder & Steenbeck airbrushes that I really like is how easy they come apart for cleaning. Where the Badgers are a pain to take the nozzle and tips off, the H & S is so easy and the parts are large enough that they are quite easy to handle and clean. The back part of the handle comes off quite easy as well so I can remove the needle without any fuss at all. I am using the 0,2 tip on my large brush and it is spraying just fine. If I set it aside for a couple of minutes I do have to clear the tip, but that has been no problem either. It just works. I would use the 0.4 tip but I was having trouble with air bleed into the paint and the cup getting bubbles in it. Not sure what the cause was but the 0.2 tip works fine so far so not too worried.

 

[Tim A.]

The one thing about the Harder & Steenbeck airbrushes that I really like is how easy they come apart for cleaning. Where the Badgers are a pain to take the nozzle and tips off, the H & S is so easy and the parts are large enough that they are quite easy to handle and clean. The back part of the handle comes off quite easy as well so I can remove the needle without any fuss at all. I am using the 0,2 tip on my large brush and it is spraying just fine. If I set it aside for a couple of minutes I do have to clear the tip, but that has been no problem either. It just works. I would use the 0.4 tip but I was having trouble with air bleed into the paint and the cup getting bubbles in it. Not sure what the cause was but the 0.2 tip works fine so far so not too worried.

I realized I put the decimal in the wrong place for the Iwata needle size. It's .35 not 3.5. I'm not sure what my beloved (RIP) Thayer & Chandler had, but I think it was a .2.

 

[Tim A.]

With four sprue attachments to each link and a bit of injection parting seam to sand out building the tracks is slow going.

 

[Heavens Eagle]

Yeah, I usually sit and watch/listen to a movie or audio book while doing something like this. It's a pain in the can, but part of doing tanks. The half tracks will have a bunch of this to do as well.
Oh and been checking in with Andy's on the M3. He posted that the shipment with the kit had hit the port and would be shipping to Arizona soon.

 

[Tim A.]

Yeah, I usually sit and watch/listen to a movie or audio book while doing something like this. It's a pain in the can, but part of doing tanks. The half tracks will have a bunch of this to do as well.
Oh and been checking in with Andy's on the M3. He posted that the shipment with the kit had hit the port and would be shipping to Arizona soon.

I just think about all the other things I could be doing
I might put the M3 on my Christmas list.

 

[Greg Kimsey]

I'm using an Iwata HPCS with the standard 3.5 needle. It does well with the Vallejo, once I figured out how it wants the paint thinned and bumped up the air pressure. My Stepdaughter bought me a set of Golden airbrush paints for general non military modeling. They spray well, but when they clog in the airbrush it's like trying to dig rock. Also very hard to get the dried paint cleaned out of the cup. Going to have to see what I'm doing wrong. Maybe they aren't supposed to be thinned with water either.

The main problem with thinning an acrylic with water, whether in an airbrush or on a canvas using a brush brush, is you are dilluting the linking molecules that bind the paint molecules to each other and to the surface. Also, water does not release the paint as well as a medium that contains a flow agent. It is why washing dishes in water alone will not clean your dishes; you need a binding agent (soap) to carry and release the dirt, just like you need an agent to carry and release the paint. Airbrush paint inherantly includes flow aide, but sometimes, depending on the airbrush, it needs some help. My personal mixture is half and half airbrush thinner and flow aide. Airbrush thinners or reducers have binding agents that thin the paint but still link the molecules. Flow aide has no binder so don't use it alone or in excess. It is similar (or exactly) what lets the ink flow from a ball point or fountain pen and it will do the same in an airbrush. I also use a very thin film of airbrush lubricant on the needle every so often so the paint is less likely to dry on the needle due to the airflow. Just put a drop on your finger and spin the needle in it, then wipe it off. As far as brand, I don't believe it matters. Liquitex and Vallejo both make flow aide (I don't know about other brands). Almost every maker of airbrush paint makes a reducer or thinner. It is worth the miniscule investment. Don't let someone tell you "Bah, you don't need to spend money on that crap! Just use water". Science does not bear that statement out. I hope that was helpful!

 

[Greg Kimsey]

Also, try isopropyl alc 95% to clean the dried acrylic paint. For my cleaner I use half and half airbrush cleaner and alcohol.

 

[Tim A.]

The main problem with thinning an acrylic with water, whether in an airbrush or on a canvas using a brush brush, is you are dilluting the linking molecules that bind the paint molecules to each other and to the surface. Also, water does not release the paint as well as a medium that contains a flow agent. It is why washing dishes in water alone will not clean your dishes; you need a binding agent (soap) to carry and release the dirt, just like you need an agent to carry and release the paint. Airbrush paint inherantly includes flow aide, but sometimes, depending on the airbrush, it needs some help. My personal mixture is half and half airbrush thinner and flow aide. Airbrush thinners or reducers have binding agents that thin the paint but still link the molecules. Flow aide has no binder so don't use it alone or in excess. It is similar (or exactly) what lets the ink flow from a ball point or fountain pen and it will do the same in an airbrush. I also use a very thin film of airbrush lubricant on the needle every so often so the paint is less likely to dry on the needle due to the airflow. Just put a drop on your finger and spin the needle in it, then wipe it off. As far as brand, I don't believe it matters. Liquitex and Vallejo both make flow aide (I don't know about other brands). Almost every maker of airbrush paint makes a reducer or thinner. It is worth the miniscule investment. Don't let someone tell you "Bah, you don't need to spend money on that crap! Just use water". Science does not bear that statement out. I hope that was helpful!

Yep I learned the hard way about not using water as a thinner. I use Vallejo's thinner and flow improver.

 

[Greg Kimsey]

Yep I learned the hard way about not using water as a thinner. I use Vallejo's thinner and flow improver.

Brilliant!

 

[Tim A.]

Ok, looks like mine will use 92 links per side with a bit of sag. I struggled with exactly what position to glue the torsion arms to the guides. I ended up looking at pics of some examples in museums to get an acceptable stance.
I marked the slightly modified "last" link in pencil so I can easily locate it to

snap the track on or off during the build.

 

[Heavens Eagle]

Yep I learned the hard way about not using water as a thinner. I use Vallejo's thinner and flow improver.

That is what I have been doing and it seems to be working fairly well.

 

[moon puppy]

Good stuff Tim!

 

[centaur567]

Looks great!!

 

[Rhino]

Awesome!

 

[Tim A.]

A little progress. The tracks are finally done. I modified the section of extra tracks that will be carried on the hull by drilling out the molded pins on the two end links.

 

[moon puppy]

Nice touch of detail.