Zimmerit help please.

[The Zod]

I just bought the Testors/Italeri M24 Chaffee with some extras for a great price on Ebay. I am giving some serious thought on converting it to a "Panther" used in the movie,The Night of the Generals,. The zimmerit on this Chaffee looks to me like the tile pattern used on the Panthers.

I am adding a pic of the tank. Please note the sloped armor on the sides of the hull. I have not tried the putty method since the 1990's. I could never master that method,as I could never get it thin enough,or have it spread in an even thickness.

I wish there was a brushable type of zimmerit.

 

[jknaus]

You can get generic sheets of zim by Cavalier, seen here in Sprue Brothers.

http://store.spruebrothers.com/product_p/cav0119.htm
http://store.spruebrothers.com/product_p/cav0120.htm
http://store.spruebrothers.com/product_p/cav0121.htm

It can be cut to size and should solve your problem. If you want to try pasting your own though, a trickj I use is:
place masking tape on either side of the section you will make the zimmerit. (small areas work best)
Use favorite putty and put on close to one edge top or bottom of were you will paste.
Then with a single edge razor blade resting on the edges of the masking tape and held at 90ish degrees drag down (or up)
You will have a very thin zimmerit base now ab out the thickness of the tape.
Use a jewelers common screwdriver and start making indents .
When the block is done take the tape off and voila you have a section of zimmerit. Leave to dry thoroughly.
When good and dry start your next block, repeat as necessary.
You can do 2 or 3 areas on the kit, just dont stick your fingers on a wet spot (guess how I know that?)

Hope that helps.
James

 

[moon puppy]

Think i'd buy the premade stuff. Man that sounds like a chore James but I bet results are worth it.

Looks like an interesting project Chad, should turn some heads at the next show.

 

[Sharkmouth]

Ambitious, is it for a group build?

Here is another view...

Check out Is Paris Burning? (Paris brûle-t-il?) for more of these converted Chaffee/Panther mock ups.

Regards,

 

[Gunfighter45]

This may help.
The reference pic, from Ryton's Panther in Detail.

Working on these two for awhile, part of a group build. I didn't want the zimmerit to look the same on both tanks so
I used Tamiya polyester putty. Same grid or tile pattern, just rough finished and a bit sloppy. Look at wartime pic's
and you'll see what I mean. Homemade grid tool - straight pins sandwiched with sheet plastic.

I use a oil paint pallet knife to apply the putty, let it start to set up then run the tool across.
Take your time and work a section at a time so you don't have to fix fingerprints - don't ask.

When the putty has cured, give a light rub down with some coarse sandpaper to knock off the burrs.

Cool idea Chad

Mike B)

 

[The Zod]

You can get generic sheets of zim by Cavalier, seen here in Sprue Brothers.

http://store.spruebrothers.com/product_p/cav0119.htm
http://store.spruebrothers.com/product_p/cav0120.htm
http://store.spruebrothers.com/product_p/cav0121.htm

It can be cut to size and should solve your problem. If you want to try pasting your own though, a trickj I use is:
place masking tape on either side of the section you will make the zimmerit. (small areas work best)
Use favorite putty and put on close to one edge top or bottom of were you will paste.
Then with a single edge razor blade resting on the edges of the masking tape and held at 90ish degrees drag down (or up)
You will have a very thin zimmerit base now ab out the thickness of the tape.
Use a jewelers common screwdriver and start making indents .
When the block is done take the tape off and voila you have a section of zimmerit. Leave to dry thoroughly.
When good and dry start your next block, repeat as necessary.
You can do 2 or 3 areas on the kit, just dont stick your fingers on a wet spot (guess how I know that?)

Hope that helps.
James

Thanks for the tips James.

 

[The Zod]

Ambitious, is it for a group build?

Here is another view...

Check out Is Paris Burning? (Paris brûle-t-il?) for more of these converted Chaffee/Panther mock ups.

Regards,

Saul.
Thanks for the pix. I have heard that the 2014 AMPS Nats,the theme is Hollywood. I don't know of any group builds for a movie tank. Hopefully mine will turn out well.

 

[The Zod]

Think i'd buy the premade stuff. Man that sounds like a chore James but I bet results are worth it.

Looks like an interesting project Chad, should turn some heads at the next show.

Here is hoping it does Bob. :drinks

 

[The Zod]

This may help.
The reference pic, from Ryton's Panther in Detail.

Working on these two for awhile, part of a group build. I didn't want the zimmerit to look the same on both tanks so
I used Tamiya polyester putty. Same grid or tile pattern, just rough finished and a bit sloppy. Look at wartime pic's
and you'll see what I mean. Homemade grid tool - straight pins sandwiched with sheet plastic.

I use a oil paint pallet knife to apply the putty, let it start to set up then run the tool across.
Take your time and work a section at a time so you don't have to fix fingerprints - don't ask.

When the putty has cured, give a light rub down with some coarse sandpaper to knock off the burrs.

Cool idea Chad

Mike B)

Mike.
That zimmerit is first class. How easy does the Tamiya putty spread? How far apart are the pins?

 

[moon puppy]

Saul.
Thanks for the pix. I have heard that the 2014 AMPS Nats,the theme is Hollywood. I don't know of any group builds for a movie tank. Hopefully mine will turn out well.

You know, someone has been talking about a 1941 campaign for a long time, open for any hollywood military prop thing. I was going to do Lulubelle of Sahara.

https://www.modelersalliance.com/forum/suggestions/136857-movie-campaign

I merged my original 1941 suggestion with Mats more recent suggestion. :coolio

 

[Gunfighter45]

The Tamiya putty spreads easy enough, and it has a good bit of set up time. Still depends on the amount of hardener you add. I mixed
small batches and still had time to put the grooves in before it set to much.

I measured the pins, mine are set about 1/8th inch apart. I just used a " Grade A " eyeball to judge the scale. Check your ref photo's
for the size of the grid you want. I keep a few single pins for tight spots, and you might want to hit the points with sandpaper.
Keeps the pins from scribing the surface as you drag it along.

Mike B)