AlfaZagato

Firstly, an unfortunate close-up of the soldier from last week; To finish, I only need some white glue. The scenery-specific PVA I had went off, so I had to toss it. I just want to add some groundwork to his base. Something simple, like sand. I pulled out a long-running project; 1/24 Revell Datsun 510. I took a Dremel to the fender flares molded on the body, as the wheels I want to use would not clear. Wasn't the neatest job, but I will be building out replacement flares with putty and styrene. Intentional mis-mounting here. I'm aware the interior panels are swapped. I mean this to look like some race car, so I figured stripped or plain side panels made sense. Once I source more #15's, I will scribe the door lines on the backs. I think the seat is Fujimi; they seemed to always have a number of spares in their kits. The centerpiece, and reason why this project is long-running. Resin Nissan SR20DET from eBay. This casting was meant for mounting in a curbside kit, so there was no provision for the lower third of the engine. I've tried to improvise with the oil pan from the kit engine. I've since had the fitting shown here removed. I need to shim it up a bit. Silly turbo exhaust screws everything up. Finally, slow progress on another started project; Cockpit-fuselage for the Airfix 1/72 Blohm + Voss BV 141. Why do I say it like that? Go look it up. I can't satisfactorily explain the thing. Have fun!

I said gold, not dreamsicle!

Quell your OCD. The gap is minscule. If anything, a layer of colored papers to fill the gap & blend with the building on the wall.

I've been a busy little shut-in this week. Yes, we have had a 'shelter-in-place' order in Illinois, as well. Either way, I've built the 'City Bike' set. These things were little heaps. Nothing lined up or fit. The white bike, which is a Honda Tact, was to have a saddle-bag assembly. I couldn't make heads-or-tails of it. I didn't have directions in the box, nor were such forthcoming online. I forget which of the two leftmost scooters is the Suzuki, & which is the Yamaha, but left-to-right starting at the middle is a Honda Tact, Piaggio Vespa 200, & a Piaggio Vespa 50. The Vespa 50 is by Tamiya, and was a pleasant bonus in the box. Much nicer kit. I finished the centaur I was working on some months back; The pastel method I had researched to paint a Palomino came out much starker than I wanted. I toned it down with a filter of green ochre. I think it turned out well. I'm actually proud of this one. The base was a presculpted item, with a simple paint job. I've also made progress with another Dungeons & Dragons mini; This is to represent a current character I have. Problem is, he is to be some odd fantasy race. I don't know how to paint 'gold' skin. I'll figure something out.

Those look very nice. You have done a good job. I always have to remind myself that the railway doesn't run on oddball wagons. I still like my Aero, though.

1/24. The common Auto scale.

Until I sort a spray booth, the Infinity JSA will remain as they are. These are temporarily fixed to the bases using (ancient) PVA, thinned with water. Water should cause the glue to let go when I go to paint the bases. Hopefully. I also updated my 'con chain.' Every time I go to a convention, I will buy another charm. I then add the charm to this chain. The chain hangs from a very clever shirt I picked up at one convention. Leather shoulders & brass fittings. I thought it was neat. Added this time was the stone in the middle. The stone came in a set of polyhedral dice I picked up. They are made of a stone I forget the name of, but is composed of fossilized algae. Real pretty. I also took the time to solder the jump rings. I have had issue with them coming apart. A little extra insurance can't hurt. Finally, I started another kit. Like an idiot. Two kits, in fact. The red Vespa is an older Tamiya kit. I've built one before, and it is, in fact, Tamiya. Just about 'shake-the-box.' The blue Vespa is from a company called Yodel? I've not heard of them before. Very basic so far. Fit isn't great either. More short-run than classic Airfix, though.

I think the designer(s) were from the 1930's railway, too. It's been said before, steam engineering was largely trial-&-error, save for a few enlightened minds that observed & studied theory, then applied it. So, what could have Chapleon or N&W done with the UK loading gauge? Balanced, roller bearings, BFB wheels, streamlined steam circuits, Kylchap blastpipe, etc. Could we see a 140mph Baltic making the trip to Edinburgh?

These are such neat wagons. I'm sorry, I know you've mentioned before, but did you source the design from LNER?

Fairlie-Mallet-Garrett? I can't even think of a silly way to compound the word. Maybe off of Bulleid's bench?

Something I'll need in the future. Are the tail lamps lit?

I forgot about the 72xx. Oops.

These all sound like wild rides. My only times on footplates were stepping up to the Frisco Decapod, squeezing my 6'3" frame into the cab of Silver Pilot, both at IRM, and an Erie shovel at a threshing bee. On imaginary notes, could the GWR made use of a Mikado tank, maybe on quarryman work out of the Welsh valleys?

I can most assuredly guarantee you I would not have. Piles of other kits confirm this.

I've gone as far with the coupler project as I can now. I've run out of couplers. Well, mostly. I have two packs of #31, but that micro draft box is impossible. Not worth the trouble. These are what I converted during this push; I feel rather accomplished, cranking this out in a couple of weeks. I piled the old couplers... ...for no purpose other than to dump the pile in the trash. I have no use for them. I managed to botch removing the couplings cleanly from this set; Either by not making the initial cut close enough, or knocking buffers off. As of right now, I'm not in a position to correct either. I need to recover my Dremel and accessories. The accessories are more significant; I have a second Dremel still to hand, just no bits. Finally, this is the remainder of my freight stock that need converting; I wasn't going to cut into them before I had couplers for them. With some sort of conversion car, I can use them as-is. The one LMS 3-plank in the first image will likely be said conversion car, being about my only wagon with NEM sockets. My whole impetuous for pushing hard on this project was to have a consist ready for the All-American Railroad Show next Saturday, the 21st. Amidst the current health concerns, the show has been cancelled, rendering my haste for naught. I am rather annoyed. Still, I may have the balance finished for the next show. I also have some Collett coaches than need such fittings, as well. It all depends on obtaining the #141 couplings I prefer.

Looking very nice. Will you load it?

Most progress this week was on another project for the other blog. I'll have a post that way on Sunday evening. I have been continuing with laying appliques to the Infinity bases. I've only two more to cut, and three to glue down. I'll need to define which model gets which base next. Afterwards, I can sit and slot the bases to take the tabs & pegs. I'll likely glue the minis to the bases with PVA for a temporary bond, until I figure out a spray booth. I'd like to actually play the game sometime. They're not perfect. I should take the time to clean up the few ragged ones when I cut the slots. Paint will be simple; primer-some kind of dark gray-drybrush silver. Maybe an oily wash applied piecemeal. Should look real good. We'll see.

Jade Maiden?

Always need vans.

I don't think anyone will notice the off-scale when they would need to faceplant the layout to see inside the station anyways...

Finally ordered (& received) the compass cutter. While I let individual wagons set, I've taken up cutting the base patterns for the Infinity JSA. I thought the treadplate would look cool. We'll have to see when I get to paint. My idea is working well so far, though.

I've dug into fitting Kadee's to my wagon fleet. I've found longshank underset works well. I don't plan on using these for shunting. I'm using Kadee's more due to availability & reliability. Also, trying to take a 30-wagon train off the line at a show is a pain with tension locks. I'll keep working on this for now.

I finished building the Commando. Of course, the pic I took barely shows what the last bit I added was. There's a couple where you can see the canteen. The canteen part also has the gas mask case. There also was another case for the waist. One or two have knives in place of either aforementioned part. I probably won't have these out for another couple of months. Also, a teaser to what the next project is; Watch the other blog. I'll be posting this work there.

Don't give me ideas, Corb. I might just take your idea to heart.

I don't know if you have already seen it, but I found this while trolling through a flickr gallery.