Harry P. Posted January 10, 2015 Posted January 10, 2015 One thing's for sure... nobody can accuse you of taking the easy way out on this build...
Cato Posted January 11, 2015 Author Posted January 11, 2015 One thing's for sure... nobody can accuse you of taking the easy way out on this build... :lol: Which is a nice way of saying 'What a jackass!' I (literally) laughed out loud when I read that Harry and Lord knows I need that now - thanks. And thanks Skip and Scott. Scott, you're absolutely correct - I'll have to buy a gray goat to have enough to finish it seems. I think I understand your instructions but I'm not near finished. Yes I will make curved side arm rests and the bottom seat area will come up above the bottom of the back a good amount. I just need time to noodle it out. I'm literally holding something in hand and visualizing what to do with it. I'm not even doing my usual sketches of what's in mind. I think I'm sort of disoriented since this seismic disruption in my normal building routine.........
Twokidsnosleep Posted January 11, 2015 Posted January 11, 2015 Just don't trash what you have so far, it is a good start The sides and seat area may provide you with the extra leather to cover the end pleats But you have to consider your seam junctions and how to hide them
Cato Posted January 11, 2015 Author Posted January 11, 2015 Just don't trash what you have so far, it is a good start The sides and seat area may provide you with the extra leather to cover the end pleats But you have to consider your seam junctions and how to hide them Yes I have scrap for the one end pleat. Will experiment with scraps to get good seam joins.
Twokidsnosleep Posted January 11, 2015 Posted January 11, 2015 I often work out leather design in thicker paper stock or cardboard for a bag or wallet, work out the kinks so I don't waste expensive leather. You can even use cheap fabric and make yourself a rough seat pattern. Fabric stores often have a small bits bin and it can work for test fabric or carpets etc.....very cheap. The first thing I thought when I saw my Alfa Pocher body was "I have to cut that ugly seat out of there" I was glad to see the the Brit modeller site you sent me says to do just that to get more realistic fit and look. So cool to use real leather in builds, I never did that until the MG I have a smoking nice red kangaroo hide maybe for my Alfa Monza when it gets here...red on red Have a good Sunday, Scott
Cato Posted January 11, 2015 Author Posted January 11, 2015 Great idea about the cheap fabric-for-patterns tip. Wife has miles of it. I miss the most obvious solutions sometimes and chase my tail for days after.
Cato Posted January 14, 2015 Author Posted January 14, 2015 How to make real leather look like...real old leather...(I hope) Comparing the above seat shots with the natural leather skin as it comes to my 'older restoration that gets use' philosophy, I have finished the rear seat back-good as I could get it. Thanks for the encouragement to continue with it, I think I can use it. But since this is my leaky, sweaty old girl that gets in-season drives across the continent, the seats could not be 'right off the goat' new. So the following happened to try to capture this fairy tale brainstorm: Yep, all those dainty little asses I drove all over the continent buffed the leather to a shine and wrinkled it a bit. Well, their backs in this case; the bottoms are coming up. (Did I really say that?) For you leather modelers, here's how I did it. Scuffed the bare leather (lightly) with a gray scuff pad (gasp!). This cleans it nicely and doesn't hurt. Then good old transparent boot polish (they're leather right??), applied with finger, then brushed, then buffed with soft shoe cloth. Finally a random rub with a two pound weight to flatten the foam for creases. Less is more with this step. The effect are subtle and change with the light source. Tucked under the rear roof, mostly only the sheen will be seen. But the fronts will be more exposed. Hope you approve:
Twokidsnosleep Posted January 14, 2015 Posted January 14, 2015 Yes, you actually said "dainty little asses" Howling with laughter over that. You have done a fabulous job on the back...I can't wait to see what you do for the bum grooves on the seat area Great leatherwork Hope all is well with you and your wife Scott
Harry P. Posted January 14, 2015 Posted January 14, 2015 Spectacular! I can't imagine it looking any better than that!
Twokidsnosleep Posted January 15, 2015 Posted January 15, 2015 (edited) Yours is looking better than the picture! Love the arm rest shape, but there is a step at the front of the base cushion that is not on the photo....no biggy, but might your shape might be harder to cover Is it balsa wood or bass wood???...your cuts are super clean and sharp Edited January 15, 2015 by Twokidsnosleep
sjordan2 Posted January 15, 2015 Posted January 15, 2015 (edited) One feature I've seen in a lot of in my 30s RR research is the metal thingy on the front of the armrest (picture left), but I've never discovered what it is. All I can figure is that it's a speaker from the chauffeur's microphone in a closed car with glass separation. Edited January 15, 2015 by sjordan2
Cato Posted January 15, 2015 Author Posted January 15, 2015 Yours is looking better than the picture! Love the arm rest shape, but there is a step at the front of the base cushion that is not on the photo....no biggy, but might your shape might be harder to cover Is it balsa wood or bass wood???...your cuts are super clean and sharp That 'step' is a relief to allow 1/64 ply, covered with skin (made but not shown) to be inset there. This is all balsa, It fills some of the plastic ridges in the original shell. Was going to make a new shell from styrene but still trying to make this work. I've guessed at the side arm rest height by eyeball to the photo. I cannot exactly replicate the photo-I ain't that good. But I'm trying to suggest it as much as possible. I may raise the balsa base a bit so the cushions wind up in the right place. No idea about the covering yet and will cut scrap cloth for best templates. I'm trying for seams and not edges. Trying to avoid piping. I'm making this up as I go and may yet screw it all up.
Cato Posted January 15, 2015 Author Posted January 15, 2015 One feature I've seen in a lot of in my 30s RR research is the metal thingy on the front of the armrest (picture left), but I've never discovered what it is. All I can figure is that it's a speaker from the chauffeur's microphone. I've seen similar on some Bentleys and RR's from the '30's. I think it's a decorative rosette, like on house furniture of that period.
Twokidsnosleep Posted January 15, 2015 Posted January 15, 2015 That 'step' is a relief to allow 1/64 ply, covered with skin (made but not shown) to be inset there. This is all balsa, It fills some of the plastic ridges in the original shell. Was going to make a new shell from styrene but still trying to make this work. I've guessed at the side arm rest height by eyeball to the photo. I cannot exactly replicate the photo-I ain't that good. But I'm trying to suggest it as much as possible. I may raise the balsa base a bit so the cushions wind up in the right place. No idea about the covering yet and will cut scrap cloth for best templates. I'm trying for seams and not edges. Trying to avoid piping. I'm making this up as I go and may yet screw it all up. Didn't want to sound critical and lord knows I can never duplicate anything exactly myself, just notice the difference The front of the armrest goes from the floor all the way up.....that way have that flat front edge and easy joints I think you are saying another bit fits into that step?? Just want to save you some hard angle work when trying to cover with leather...flatter is easier
sjordan2 Posted January 15, 2015 Posted January 15, 2015 (edited) One feature I've seen in a lot of in my 30s RR research is the metal thingy on the front of the armrest (picture left), but I've never discovered what it is. All I can figure is that it's a speaker from the chauffeur's microphone in a closed car with glass separation. I say that because I know that Rollses back then offered internal communications between the back seat and the chauffeur. Sort of like the voice line between upstairs and downstairs in a British mansion, on a ship of the line, or two tin cans on a string. This picture shows His Lordship's back seat microphone on a 1937 Phantom III, and other stuff that I'll add to my 1/16 Phantom III. I doubt that such a thing was used on an open car like a sedanca. Here's the backseat of Gurney-Nutting's 1933 Rolls Phantom II Continental (a sister car to the Pocher in this thread and the original source of Revell's 1/16 kit), which has some sort of button on the front of the armrest. To me, it looks like a reflector but I can't really tell. Edited January 15, 2015 by sjordan2
Cato Posted January 15, 2015 Author Posted January 15, 2015 Great detail shots Skip. It may in fact be a 'courtesy light' to enter the cabin at night - one per side. The front seat notch for the levers is something I'd like to do but doubt my skills for that. Several of Marvin's custom models have that - with spectacular leather work.
Cato Posted January 15, 2015 Author Posted January 15, 2015 Didn't want to sound critical and lord knows I can never duplicate anything exactly myself, just notice the difference The front of the armrest goes from the floor all the way up.....that way have that flat front edge and easy joints I think you are saying another bit fits into that step?? Just want to save you some hard angle work when trying to cover with leather...flatter is easier Understood and agreed. Yes I've made it but if I raise the cushion (probable) I'll have to make another.
Twokidsnosleep Posted January 15, 2015 Posted January 15, 2015 Understood and agreed. Yes I've made it but if I raise the cushion (probable) I'll have to make another. Don't change anything for me Was just being Devil's advocate
Cato Posted January 16, 2015 Author Posted January 16, 2015 Don't change anything for me Was just being Devil's advocate Never fear; I welcome feedback and I'm used to getting yelled at. This is (the interior) truly a work in progress. I'm over my head here and must change things on the fly because I don't see them right away. The mechanical side was cake compared to this for me.
southpier Posted January 16, 2015 Posted January 16, 2015 .....some sort of button on the front of the armrest. .... that button actually unscrews and the weed stash goes into its humidor.
sjordan2 Posted January 16, 2015 Posted January 16, 2015 that button actually unscrews and the weed stash goes into its humidor. Hmmm. A cigar thingy. That actually makes sense and would account for the vent holes in the original armrest shot. Is this something you know about?
stump Posted January 16, 2015 Posted January 16, 2015 OMG! Seriously sorry I missed jumping on the bandwagon from the beginning......What can I say, I'm in now. Not that Pocher or anything RR usually catch my eye, but I do enjoy watching a true craftsman at play....Now, play ball. (What you have done so far in regard to weathering and fabrication is breath taking........truly inspiring to say the least. I think everyone else has all the superlatives covered.... )
Cato Posted January 16, 2015 Author Posted January 16, 2015 Welcome Greg; need your support and feel free to bash when necessary. Your kind words are very nice but I may still cock this up anyway - I'm a bit over my head just now.
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