domingo, 7 de dezembro de 2014

WEATHERING EXERCISE- PART 1 / EXERCÍCIO DE PINTURA ENVELHECIDA - PARTE 1


The kit from Fujimi in 1/32 recreates a KUBOTA K008. Has no decals and the hydraulic lines are missing. Nevertheless is a pleasant kit to build. I started this build for a weatehring exercise in a group of modellers in the facebook, but got behind...  

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O kit da Fujimi em 1/32 representa um KUBOTA K008. Não traz decalques e faltam as mangueiras hidraulicas do braço da escavadora. É no entanto um modelo muito interessante para construir. Comecei-o num exercício de envelhecimento de pintura num grupo no facebook, mas deixei-me atrasar...



REFERENCE PHOTOS / FOTOS DE REFERENCIA
Interesting details that help to highligt a tiny model. The staineless steel bolts and the hose. The machine on the photo has a rolling cage and seat belt, features not included on the kit. I guess it is either a later model or add on parts to configure the excavator according to the customer's wishes.
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Detalhes que ajudam a tornar interessante um pequeno modelo. As peças em aço inox e a mangueira hidráulica. Este modelo tem rolling cage e cinto de segurança. Presumo que seja um modelo mais moderno ou a Kubota ofereceuma gama de extras para configurar á máquina de acordo coms as especificações do cliente.
The hydraulic lines coming from under the vehicle body to the arm, passing through the hinge.
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As mangueiras  hidraúlicas passando por entre a charneira onde se fixa o braço da escavadora.
 

BUILDING THE KIT
Is quite straightforward. Although accurate it lacks the hydraulic lines that give character to this type of machine and the kit comes without decals. I asked a friend of mine to make a couple of sets, for all participants. We were only four and until now only one finished the project (not me....).

 

Salt masks.  Small drops of water deposited with a brush, than sprinke the salt. Wait a while to dry and turn the piece to go on working. There are several layers of masks, one for each colour or tone. The salt is only removed in the end. Basically the method works by layers:
One, two or three for rust. Rrust colour changes according with the time of exposure to the elements.
Follows one layer for the primer. I used grey.
Than it is time to remove al the salt under running water.
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Máscaras com sal. Pequenas gotas de água transferidas com um pincel e de seguida o sal refinado é vertido sobre a peça.  Deixar secar um pouco para agarrar e passar para outro lado.  As máscaras são várias e só são removidas no final.  Basicamente o método consiste em trabalhar por camadas:
Uma, duas ou três de tons de ferrugem. A ferrugem varia de tom conforme o tempo de exposição aos elementos.
De seguida uma para a cor do primário. Neste caso cinzento.
Concluída a pintura do primário removi o sal, levando as peças a a lavar em água  a corer.
 
I cut the retaining ring designed to hold together the rotating body from the tracks. As per instructions one is supposed to glue the two halves in place turning any correction of bad alignment practically impossible. The fit is so tight it holds quite well.
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Cortei o anle de retenção do eixo que segura o corpo superior da máquina. Segundo as instruções, as duas metades são coladas à volta do eixo, o que torna impossível betumar imperfeições. Entra tão à justa que não constitui problema.

There are some steps I forgot to take shots or the existing might not show well some stages of work.
The black parts of the body were masked with  chipping fluids from AK. On the arm I also applied chipping fluid wich is still there. I think I already messed as it has been many months, I wonder if I can remove the paint. It is a test. I want to know if it is possible to chip the paint after applying the decals. More and more I feel it's going to be a flop as I'll have to apply gloss varnish before the decals and matt after. So mos probably the orange paint will be so sealed there is no way to reach it. I'm hoping that with a sharp pin I might open the way for the water to inflitrate and activate the chipping fluid under.
For the orange parts as can be seen I prepared three tones to give some ageinf to the paint and add volume.
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Alguns passos não estão bem documentados em fotos.
As partes do corpo em preto foram preparadas com máscara líquida da AK, "chipping fluids". O braço da escavadora também, mas ainda não activei o produto. No rodado e no corpo em preto já fiz esse processo, que consiste em humedecer com água num pincel a pintura e pacientemente com um palito, agulha ou pincel esfregar a superfície para que nas partes onde o líquido foi aplicado esta reaja com a água e "escame" .
No braço ainda não activei pois aguardo pela aplicação dos decalques para proceder ao lascar da pintura. Receio que já não resulte. A pintura já tem uns meses, terei de aplicar verniz brilhante antes dos decalques e baço depois. Ainda tenho esperança de com uma agulha conseguir romper as camadas que selaram a cor laranja, mas esta já secou há tanto que duvido ter sorte.    

The rubber parts were weathered with bluesih grey. It looks awful but this is a closeup.
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As borrachas foram enevelhecidas com um cinza azulado. Estão horríveis nesta foto, mas é um closeup.
 
I want to depict an abandoned machine. As if something happenned, people had to leave, but would come back later. That later never happenned.
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So I thought  of a rusty can as a base. It was a dificult task to achieve, surprinsingly. Overnight dipped in drainpipe fluid and nothing. Couple of weeks in water with salt, nothing. Finnally the fire did it. Held the can with a plier over the fire and slowly the rust appeared.
The pieces of cardboard are a tar road that cracked. The decals made by my good friend Marco Teodoro and a wire from a defunct computer mouse to give a try to the hydraulic lines.
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As peças em cartão são a base de uma estrada de alcatrão que rachou. Os decalques feitos pelo meu bom amigo Marco Teodoro e um pedaço de fio preto de um defunto rato de computador. Vou tentar fazer as mangueiras hidráulicas.

terça-feira, 2 de dezembro de 2014

O ÚLTIMO A SAIR QUE FECHE A PORTA / THE LAST TO LEAVE CLOSE THE DOOR

DIORAMA 1/35


Script:  A nomad group wonders around the continent (undefined) never wasting a chance to scavenge whatever might be useful for them. They travel on a Ford Aeromax on wich they mounted a deposit as a mobile shelter. A couple of bikes give them scouting capabilities. On a forgotten road they find an abandoned house built with a 20' shipping container . Not far from the house two crosses mark two graves. Inside the container the scout find a skelleton of a male. Pinted on the outside of the container: The last to leave close the door. Don't bother with the electricity, ligth is already gone". The last statement of someone that  lost tghe dear ones.
I'm undecided  wether to pursue the original idea of building one diorama or to split the story into two dioramas.  The truck measures around 27cm. All together might turn too big.
I bought all kits i thought needd for this project before starting.  The Ford  Aeromax from Revell ofr its modern look. I'm not eager to live post-apocalyptic times, so chose a contenporanean truck that will look old when it happens.  Wanted to replace the normal wheells by all terrain, I was fortunate to have a Gaz4234, checked if the size would be okay before ordering a set of 8 wheels in resin. 
Gathered some kits of modern containers and oxyacethilene bottles. Got a 20' shipping container. And from  an art shop I will order acrylic spheres divided in two haves with a diameter of 6cms. Being transparent  will make easier to build the windows. From a kit of US Light Infantry I got a bike that will look good hung on the back of the truck as a scout vehicle.
 
THE KITS
 
FORD AEROMAX
 
BIKES & CREW / MOTAS E FIGURAS
 
A nice figure from Taurus Miniatures / Uma bela figura da Taurus miniatures
THE SHIPPING CONTAINER / O CONTENTOR
 
TRUCK LOADS / CARGA NO CAMIÃO





 
THE NEW WHEELS / AS RODAS NOVAS
Resin wheels, all terrain / rodas todo-o terreno em resina