Black Spectres

[Kaladon_Lindor]

I actually got the name off of the chapter name creator. The color scheme is black and white.

 

I recently bought a predator and land raider. I had also recently been given a battleforce and had bought a tactical squad and commander last year. The commander is assembled and painted but the tactical squad had been painted a different color so I i had to strip the paint. I started to assemble the predator last night and it was being stubborn.

 

Here is the image where you can obviously see the flamer damage (mistakes I made, not good at making tanks).

 

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h395/Andrew_Keillor/DSC_0110.jpg

 

Her is a side view with more fire damage.

 

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h395/Andrew_Keillor/DSC_0111.jpg\

 

here is from the top.

 

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h395/Andrew_Keillor/DSC_0115.jpg

 

Any helpful tips on how to secure the cannon while letting it turn would be appreciated. If there are problems reading this post I am sorry. I am new at this.

[Race Bannon]

Welcome!

 

Model construction is not really intuitive until practice is under your belt. My first advice (presuming you already know), is to make sure the parts fit together without glue, one step at a time. After that, look at where the glue needs to go before application so you can avoid getting it either on your fingers or on parts that won't need it. :P

 

Regardless, to answer your question - I'd recommend an alternative - leaving the turret "free". It'll be heavy enough to rest in the socket and gives you the freedom to turn it. The downside is that you will have two separate pieces (turret and tank). To me, this is a minor inconvenience that is worth having a free-turning turret.

 

Creating a means to fix the turret in place while allowing it to turn adds a level of complexity and although that is not a bad thing, I prefer keeping it simple. :) There are several ways to make a fixed turret that swivels ... I cannot provide any easy solutions to give you what you want.

[Firepower]

Wow...yeah, that thing's been through the ringer alright. Well, assembling tanks, especially the rhino, can be a pain. You really have to know in advance where joins are under the skin, so you can apply the least amount of glue necessary and in places that are out of sight when the model is complete. Most spots like this have little nooks/crannies/slots meant for just such a purpose, as well as for properly aligning the pieces.

 

Also, knowing where certain trouble spots are in advance can help too: on the Rhino, I always have a hard time with the top piece gluing properly at the corners (over the treads) for instance. Consequentially, I always make sure to double check them and apply a bit of extra pressure, use strategically placed glue, etc. Of course, the only way to really do any of that is practice. Mark this one down as practice. :tu:

 

Anywho, yeah, it's generally best not to try to attach turrets and the like. In fact, the top hatch that the turret sits on is something I avoid gluing down as well, so I can possibly use it as either a razorback or rhino by just placing the appropriate parts on top of the chassis. Doing that for more complex tanks like Preds normally requires magnetizing though B).

 

Hope that helps in some way.

[Kaladon Lindor]

Thanks for the replys. I will be posting more progrees soon. I may also be posting other models. Like the land raider or drop pod

[Kaladon_Lindor]

Hello those who have been following me and my new chapter, the Black Spectres.

Here is the predators updated status. I have added the heavy bolter option sponsons and the turret is assembled with an ammo box.

Here are the two sponsons. Fist left than right.

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h395/Andrew_Keillor/DSC_0136.jpg

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h395/Andrew_Keillor/DSC_0132.jpg

And here is the tank from above

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h395/Andrew_Keillor/DSC_0139.jpg

Here is an image that i thought the enemy that is trapped or immobilized the tank is driving towards would see.

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h395/Andrew_Keillor/DSC_0144.jpg

[Tybrus]

Holy Emperor's Glue Damage...

[Astrum Vinco]

I have had the same problem as firepower for the rhino chassis.

good luck with the glueing

[Kaladon_Lindor]

I have almost finished the predator and still need to attach the smaller parts. The twin linked bolter turret is able to turn and look up and down.

I started the land raider and have almost finished it.

Here is the predator from above

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h395/Andrew_Keillor/DSC_0145-1.jpg

From ground level

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h395/Andrew_Keillor/DSC_0146-1.jpg

from the sides

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h395/Andrew_Keillor/DSC_0147-1.jpg

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h395/Andrew_Keillor/DSC_0148-1.jpg

and with the turret in my hand.

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h395/Andrew_Keillor/DSC_0149-1.jpg

the cannon

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h395/Andrew_Keillor/DSC_0150-1.jpg

and all of the different parts

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h395/Andrew_Keillor/DSC_0151-2.jpg

the various angles of the land raider in basic none completness

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h395/Andrew_Keillor/DSC_0153-1.jpg

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h395/Andrew_Keillor/DSC_0154-1.jpg

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h395/Andrew_Keillor/DSC_0156-1.jpg

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h395/Andrew_Keillor/DSC_0158-1.jpg

and the land raider in the various stages

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h395/Andrew_Keillor/DSC_0166-1.jpg

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h395/Andrew_Keillor/DSC_0165-1.jpg

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h395/Andrew_Keillor/DSC_0164-1.jpg

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h395/Andrew_Keillor/DSC_0163-1.jpg

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h395/Andrew_Keillor/DSC_0162-1.jpg

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h395/Andrew_Keillor/DSC_0161-1.jpg

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h395/Andrew_Keillor/DSC_0181-1.jpg

http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h395/Andrew_Keillor/DSC_0187-1.jpg

comments appreciated

[Kaladon_Lindor]

Have started to mass paint my battle force and tac squad. much faster! :wub:

[Firepower]

Yeah....

 

Well, there's no way I can think of to say the following without sounding a little bit mean. So in advance, do please note that I'm simply trying to be helpful in making your models the best they can be.

 

Models with that much glue damage are hardly worth the effort of painting. No matter what you do, all that crusty grit is going to show through clear as day, and mess up any color you shoot for (even flat black). When I first started this hobby over a decade ago as an over enthusiastic lil neophyte I had much the same problem on a few select models.

 

But what good is experience if you don't share it, after all. So then, if you haven't based the tanks already (and I hope you haven't) I would highly recommend you at the very least thoroughly sand down all the glue damage with some fine grade sandpaper. If you have already primed them, I'd recommend stripping them in some Castrol Super Clean (or Simple Green if you're a European) and giving it another go. One bonus to stripping is that (with Castrol anyway) the bonds of superglue are weakened, and you may be able to pop the models apart and give it another shot from scratch.

 

So, for either rebuilding purposes or future reference, here are some pointers I neglected to mention the first time:

 

1- With super glue, less is more. If something needs some help in sticking, the solution is to "pin" the join, rather than using excess glue. The sheer amount of glue visible on one of these tanks is more than you'd need to build three. With tanks like the Rhino variants, if you look closely you'll see that the vast majority of connections take place along fairly long lines of plastic. You do not need glue along the entire length. For instance, when gluing the top piece in, maybe 5 drops per side at key points (the farthest exterior tips, the midpoint, and halfway between those) should be enough to form a strong bond after a few minutes of constant, firm pressure.

 

2- Applicators are a big help. A lot of bottles come with very narrow nozzles of some sort to ensure that tiny, precise application you need. If your particular brand doesn't, or they (like mine) are prone to gumming up and becoming useless, try this: Pour a dollop (5 drops max) of glue into a small throwaway container, preferably a flat basin (I use beer bottle caps myself). Then, use a narrow, non-fibrous (meaning no cue tips) applicator to dip in the glue and carefully smear it along the joins. The tip of a paperclip works quite well for this I find.

 

3- The "pinning," I mentioned above, in case you haven't already discovered, is a process of using a pin vice to drill very small holes between two connecting pieces, and then adding a metallic bridge between the two gaps to reinforce the bond (i.e. a very short segment of paper clip). It is not necessary in my experience for things like tanks, but finer, smaller joins and often pewter joins as well require it, especially those with lots of weight.

 

4- If you've got glue on more than 2 fingers (including thumbs) at any one point, you're probably doing something wrong. Either you're using too much glue, or unsure how to hold/secure the model during gluing. The worst thing you can do at this point is soldier on: if glue's on your fingers (even though it dries disturbingly fast on flesh) that means any other spot you touch will likely get at least a layer of residue on it as well. Stop, and wash your hands and dry off with a paper towel before continuing. I bring this up because there are clear chunks of dried glue on the model where no gluing should have taken place (on the sides of the hull, the Bolters, etc.).

 

That's all I can think of for right now. Again, I'm not trying to be overly harsh or anything of the sort, it's just that I recall my days as a beginner and the many models I ruined with overzealous glue application, and I'd like to spare you the trouble of painting something like that. If I was at home I'd gladly grab one of my spare kits and my camera and show you step by step the best way to go about it, but sadly I'm not going to see my workbench for well over 2 months ;).

 

At any rate, feel free to PM me for advice, or hit up the +General PCA Questions+ subforum and ask away. Everyone's here to help!

 

Edit: After a quick second glance, your Landraider seems like a vast improvement over the prior two. This leads me to assume you're getting the hang of the basics. So, it's not all bad :lol:

[verpine]

Well, Firepower said pretty much everything there is to be said. Now get the stuff assembled and painted! As soon as you start posting some pics of paint in progress, you'll get more comments and interest. :lol:

[angel of justice]

a simple solooution to fix the predator, indeed if you want to fix it is add card stock (cereal packets etc) or plasticard to create an extra armor look but blue tack it before you glue to make sure you like the look.

[Kaladon_Lindor]

Models with that much glue damage are hardly worth the effort of painting. No matter what you do, all that crusty grit is going to show through clear as day, and mess up any color you shoot for (even flat black).

I will not be doing any thing you say because I'm going to paint it so it looks like flamer damge by painting the areas silver (paint disintegration) and dry brush black (Scorched) Thanks, but no thanks...

[Brother-Chaplain Kage]

Holy Emperor's Glue Damage...

 

You ain't kidding. :tu:

 

Models with that much glue damage are hardly worth the effort of painting. No matter what you do, all that crusty grit is going to show through clear as day, and mess up any color you shoot for (even flat black).

I will not be doing any thing you say because I'm going to paint it so it looks like flamer damge by painting the areas silver (paint disintegration) and dry brush black (Scorched) Thanks, but no thanks...

 

 

And this right here is why people rarely ever give real constructive criticism on modeling boards.

[DarKHaZZ13]

Holy Emperor's Glue Damage...

 

You ain't kidding. :P

 

Models with that much glue damage are hardly worth the effort of painting. No matter what you do, all that crusty grit is going to show through clear as day, and mess up any color you shoot for (even flat black).

I will not be doing any thing you say because I'm going to paint it so it looks like flamer damge by painting the areas silver (paint disintegration) and dry brush black (Scorched) Thanks, but no thanks...

 

 

And this right here is why people rarely ever give real constructive criticism on modeling boards.

 

True dat.

 

If you want to model battle damage, glue is not the way to do it....

It doesn't even look like flame damage.

 

There are plenty of tutotirals on how to do battle damage, and it will look a lot better than this.

 

Firepower's advice is good advice...

Go to any hobby shop and they will tell you the same thing.

Ask anyone who's been in the hobby for a while and they will tell you the same thing.

 

At the end of the day they are your models and you should do with them as you please...

But if you're gonna ask for C&C, be prepared for answers you don't like...

And be a little more appriciate/polite when responding.

[Firepower]

Oh dear.....

 

Well, let me just start by saying I do not take any personal offense to the reply, Kaladon. However, for future reference, if someone goes to extensive lengths to help your modelling, painting, or gaming here on the BnC, it's not just because they expect you to listen, but because this is an environment where such critiques are expected.

 

There are three possible responses to any blog. The first is praise for a job well done. The second is constructive criticism on how to improve. The third is silence, because the project is not worthy of praise, yet viewers do not feel the criticism will be listened to or respected. As bad as the second can be to swallow, the third is always the worst.

 

There are very few hobbyists here who can post consecutive projects time and again without a hint of critiques, and they can only do so because they have worked hard and listened to others' advice on making their projects top notch.

 

At any rate, I sincerely hope you are pleased with the end results of your efforts, because that is after all the ultimate goal of a hobby. However, please reflect on what I've said here for the sake of future postings.

[blackbabyjesus]

or in laymans terms;

 

If you can't handle criticism at the moment and are unwilling to accept advice do not expect anyone to post praise, because right now you don't deserve it. Listen to the criticism and advice and you will improve to the point where praise is warranted and people will actually want to look at your stuff.

 

People here want to help everyone get the most they can out of the hobby regardless of their level of ability or resources, but in order to do so people need to listen to what is being said.

[stuckinbermuda]

Go all the way with it now. Hook it up with the flamer damage and then go crazy with it and get mud splatters, debris stuck in the treads, projectile and energy weapon damage, extra gear stowed on the sides and back, perhaps a marine or scout hitching a ride or a junior techmarine making a repair. There are a lot of ways to salvage this model. Going the route of making it look like a campaign weary veteran unit would be my best suggestion :lol:

[Tybrus]

Models with that much glue damage are hardly worth the effort of painting. No matter what you do, all that crusty grit is going to show through clear as day, and mess up any color you shoot for (even flat black).

I will not be doing any thing you say because I'm going to paint it so it looks like flamer damge by painting the areas silver (paint disintegration) and dry brush black (Scorched) Thanks, but no thanks...

 

Ok then I have to ask, why you bothered to post here? It can't be to show off how much glue you wasted on a poor tank, as things like that live there lives on the back of shelves where most players hope no one ever notices them.

 

So you posted here for a reason knowing you would not gain glowing praise for your effort, then when someone takes the time to right you a nice detailed answer that will help you not just with your current mess but anything you build in the future; you give a smart mouth answer and blow them off.

 

I am an old man, and could care less how your tank looks on your table until you ask for advice and help. From that point on people try and help you. Maybe when you grow up some more you will understand the concepts of learning from others, letting others teach you, and for gods sake not thinking you know everything about everything.

 

I was once told when I was young and playing my first miniatures game (Jonny Reb, and you think people fight about stuff here), and I offer it to you as it was given to me, to with it what you will. (Note I was 14 at the time)

 

" Ok son, that's nice and all, but why don't you sit down and shut up and watch how adults do things. Then maybe you won't make an &@# out of yourself in public."

 

Take it for what its worth, it helped me a ton by listening to what those who had already made the mistakes had to say, and not making them myself.

 

As for me I wish you the best, but after you try and paint the "Fire Damage" and you see how it turns out... Don't forget about the simple green already mentioned above.