Vintage fire engine WIP

[Harry P.]

I don't see it there.

http://www.modelcarsmag.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=81960

[Edsel-Dan]

For more info on Wooden Ladders check out San Fransisco FD. They STILL USED

Wooden Ladders only a few years ago!!!

And they are Serial Numbers I believe Ladder #1 is Still in use!!!!

However, They last master carpenters who repair & maintain them were past retirement age!!

So, Are they Still using them now, or are they having to replace them with Steel, Aluminum, Fiberglass or other material???

I do love this!!

I always wanted that larger copy of the Dennis, but think I will stick to Smaller builds now!!

[clovis]

Absolutely stunning.

Harry, your work is unbelievable, and it kind of makes me want to sell my model supplies at our next garage sale, and throw my current WIP in the trash.

Even if I could quit working and build models every day for the rest of my life, I will never attain your skill level. It is quite depressing every time I work on my current kit!

[Harry P.]

Absolutely stunning.

Harry, your work is unbelievable, and it kind of makes me want to sell my model supplies at our next garage sale, and throw my current WIP in the trash.

Even if I could quit working and build models every day for the rest of my life, I will never attain your skill level. It is quite depressing every time I work on my current kit!

Everyone has a different skill level. There are people out there whose skill level I can't come close to. The secret is not to compare yourself to other builders, but to push yourself to be the best you can be, regardless of where you may fall on the skill range. I try to to make every model I build better than the last one I built. The idea is to get incrementally better each time out, not necessarily comparing myself to others. As long as I can honestly tell myself that I have made progress on my latest model over my previous one, even if only minimal progress, then to me that's a "win."

You might want to give it a try. Challenge yourself to get better, don't compare yourself to others.

[clovis]

Everyone has a different skill level. There are people out there whose skill level I can't come close to. The secret is not to compare yourself to other builders, but to push yourself to be the best you can be, regardless of where you may fall on the skill range. I try to to make every model I build better than the last one I built. The idea is to get incrementally better each time out, not necessarily comparing myself to others. As long as I can honestly tell myself that I have made progress on my latest model over my previous one, even if only minimal progress, then to me that's a "win."

You might want to give it a try. Challenge yourself to get better, don't compare yourself to others.

Thank you for the kind words and advice.

Before I found this website, I fancied myself as a decent builder.

After spending some time here, I quickly realized that I am a mere hack.

My wife suggested that I post my latest completed model here, which I consider is my best work ever. I wouldn't post that model here for love nor money, in fear that I would be laughed off the page forever, and possibly banned by you and the owner of the site.

Nonetheless, I am learning more and more every time I log in here. The tips, tricks and tutorials, like the one you posted on this thread, are expanding my skill set to levels that I never thought possible.

[Harry P.]

I don't think there's any danger of you being laughed at if you post your model. Like I said, there are builders here at all skill levels who post their work, from beginners to guys that I can only hope to be as good as someday. Nobody will judge you based on the skill level of others. We're a pretty friendly group here!

I suggest you go ahead and post that latest model of yours. You might be surprised by the encouragement and positive feedback you get.

[Joker]

^ So true . . .

I've repainted projects up to three times.

Mr. Murphy Law visits me when I spray paint.

Never during bodywork or primer.

[John Teresi]

Everyone has a different skill level. There are people out there whose skill level I can't come close to. The secret is not to compare yourself to other builders, but to push yourself to be the best you can be, regardless of where you may fall on the skill range. I try to to make every model I build better than the last one I built. The idea is to get incrementally better each time out, not necessarily comparing myself to others. As long as I can honestly tell myself that I have made progress on my latest model over my previous one, even if only minimal progress, then to me that's a "win."

You might want to give it a try. Challenge yourself to get better, don't compare yourself to others.

Very well said Harry……..I like that

[clovis]

I don't think there's any danger of you being laughed at if you post your model. Like I said, there are builders here at all skill levels who post their work, from beginners to guys that I can only hope to be as good as someday. Nobody will judge you based on the skill level of others. We're a pretty friendly group here!

I suggest you go ahead and post that latest model of yours. You might be surprised by the encouragement and positive feedback you get.

Thank you again for the kind words and encouragement.

[clovis]

Harry,

A couple of questions:

What brand of primer do you use? Rattle can? Do you prime everything on the sprues?

How did you get the red paint to look so beautiful and perfect on the body and chassis?

Did I read that you are using Rustoleum in a rattle can?

How do you apply the black wash of Future, black craft and water?

Thanks!!!

[Harry P.]

Harry,

A couple of questions:

What brand of primer do you use? Rattle can? Do you prime everything on the sprues?

No primer. I'm not saying that's necessarily the way to go in every case, but in this particular case, since the parts I want red are already molded in red anyway, I don't see much need for primer.

How did you get the red paint to look so beautiful and perfect on the body and chassis?

Dumb luck mostly. It's just sprayed out of the can. When doing vintage subjects like this, I purposely do NOT try for a flawless, glass-smooth show car finish. Vehicles back then didn't have perfect show car finishes with miles-deep gloss, so my model doesn't, either.

Did I read that you are using Rustoleum in a rattle can?

Yep. A 12 0unce can goes for $4 at my local home center. Compare that to a 3 ounce can of "model paint" at the hobby shop for $7-8. To me it's a no-brainer.

How do you apply the black wash of Future, black craft and water?

Actually I've modified my wash. I don't add water anymore. Adding water was causing the wash to bead and not "lay down" right... so now it's strictly straight Future with a bit of acrylic black. I go by experience... so no real "recipe" I can give you. My guess would be a 15-1 or 20-1 ratio Future to black. Basically I mix up a bit of the wash and apply it. If it looks too "clear" I just add a dab more black... if too black, a few more drops of Future. It's not a hard and fast science. I use a soft watercolor brush and just paint it on. Size of the brush depends on the size of the part I'm applying the wash to.

Sometimes I paint the whole part with the wash (like on the "brass" parts where I want the wash effect and to tone down the part a bit)... sometimes I apply the wash only to the areas where I want it to go (as in highlighting the bolts on the frame rails, for instance). It's all a matter of how I want the finished part to look. The part to get the wash is attached to a bit of scrap sprue (already attached that way for painting purposes, left on the sprue for the wash process.

The real trick with the wash is that it's very thin... not much thicker than water. It tends to pool and run towards "gravity." For example... let's say I want to highlight the molded-in bolts on the chassis rails. I dab a bit of wash on each bolt head... it tends to collect in the crevices, which is exactly what I want it to do. But if I stood the frame rail up vertically while the wash dries (in the position it would be on the finished chassis), the wash would tend to run down and collect at the bottom of each molded-in bolt head, being darker and thicker at the bottom of each bolt head, and not much at all at the top of each bolt head. So in this case I would lay the rail down flat to dry, so the wash stays even around each bolt head. Know what I'm saying? I don't want the natural flow of the wash to be affected by gravity. It's not always possible to "correct" for gravity, though. Another example would be the white hoses. They got an overall wash, but if I left the hose laying flat (horizontally) while the wash dried, the wash would tend to flow down towards the bottom half of the hose and away from the top half. So in that case I stood the hoses on end (vertically) so the wash would stay more constant all the way around the grooves in the hoses.

Sometimes, once the wash is dry, if I find that it's not as dark as I wanted, I just add another coat of wash.

This all sounds harder than it actually is. Once you do a few pieces, you'll get the hang of it without even trying.