This is the second of two kits I had agreed to build a long time ago. So let's get started. It's from the same maker as the 50,000 gallon water tank, American Model Builders, which sadly went defunct earlier this year.
Picking up where we left off:
I am building another kit for hire, this time it is a structure for an HO model train layout. Strangely it conjured up a past memory when my girlfriend (now wife) asked me to paint a portrait of her roommates cats.
Let's begin with the "exciting" stuff. Normally I will engage in binge building for an IPMS NatCon, which is now (checking) exactly 85 days, 11 hours and 18 minutes away. Sticky (my AMS demon) is always quite conflicted about this, but always councils me to give in and try and finish up some projects on this timeline, namely to enter into the competition and hopefully score some awards. Sticky's little black heart is in the right place, but demons are like children, they want what they want when they want it. I told myself I would never ever do this again....
I had thought, right up to the moment I started typing this that I was not binge building. So, as I explain what I am doing here, repeat to yourself, over and over, "Ro is not binge building, Ro is not binge building..."
I have a plan. What I have done in the past is to present posts as a string of "build" articles. Instead, I will put up stuff in a more stream of consciousness way, show a few pics of what I am working on. "Build" articles will still get put together, but more and more these will simply end up in the IUJ (IPMS USA Journal). The purpose of the "the Joy" will be more to be a window into my world of model building and the stuff surrounding it.
A big part of this has to do with my (new) role in the IPMS. A couple of years ago I volunteered to be the Ad Manager. In that role I handle all the ads for the IUJ. A little over a year ago Jim Pearsall passed away and I took over his position as the publications director/historian for the IUJ. So my hobby experience has really changed in the last couple of years. So this blog will allow the curious to see what it looks like to volunteer for the IPMS. Let's just say it will make it easier for me to get posts out. This will be an interesting place to talk about all the texture which surrounds model building-spouses, the war in Europe, why I build what I build... I'll just dive in and see what comes of it.
Here is what I have been working on. This is a Kotobukiya kit SOL HORNET. There are a couple of things going on here. The first is the building of the kit itself, which is the orange mecha girl, who is 1:1 scale, btw.
We have reached the homestretch. The client and I decided that the interior looked so nice that the top should be changed to the down position. The first thing is to figure out how it is actually stowed.
What a wonderful image, even after building this model, I considered building another of this scene. Finding 1/24th scale children would be an interesting challenge, more than likely it would be best to simply build them from scratch. OK. This shows the working method of the stowage for the top quite well. Everything on the vehicle is made with simplicity and practicality in mind. The top is not unlike two hacked together tops from a pair of giant non-existent baby buggy's. The frames (or "bows") are broken up into two separate sections, each comprised of a pair of "U" shaped frame supports. The front section is simply removed from its anchors on either side of the front seat and is reconnected on top of the folded down rear frame. The fabric is folded in on itself and the whole unit is held together by a pair of straps on either side, which are plainly visible in the above photo. In some photos there is a cover to protect the folded top with more straps to hold it in place. I opted to not make a cover to keep things simple, especially since nearly all of the model was already built and painted.
My energy level as of late is not congruent with my ambition. I really want to get this wrapped up, but also must be careful not to take a shortcut that ends up taking more time to fix. Model building is a delicate balance of completion and process.
The model will eventually end up in the box. It's like a magic trick where you saw the nice human in half. The saw used is always quite ridiculous, I think they only make those with the mastodon teeth just for magic acts. Look, if I hold up something shiny you might forget what's really going on here. I've forgotten already.
Before going any further I needed to clean up. Disorganization creates a sort of mental chatter which I find very distraction. Cleaning also gives one the illusion of control. I garbage-picked a nice dining room table and moved it into my workspace, you can see the edge of it on the right. For me, there is never enough flat workspace. So, lets take a deep breath, hold and release...
ICM did not do the best on this kit. It's ok, but the engineering is a bit sloppy. For example, they give you the three control pedals, but there is nothing under the floor openings to connect them to. A section of strip is cut and fitted underneath.
This is a motorized paint stirring tool which I modded to be used as a sander. I cut the pronged tip off and vacuformed a housing. An off center weight was added to the shaft. When turned on it vibrates. There is a flat section (left underside) that I can attach custom sanding blocks. This tool is used to polish hard to reach areas.
An email was forwarded to me from a fellow club member of someone in the area who wanted this kit built. In the past I have had some not-so-good experiences building for hire. However, I liked ICM kits and have built a few and knew what I would be getting into. I contacted them and we we were able to come to an agreement on our collective expectations. One of the important things for me was that his would be built Out Of the Box. I need some practice doing this.
What Have I Learned?
