What's on Your Workbench: Winter 2023?

[Keith Hayes]

Not so much what is on my workbench, but rather an update on some new goodies that came in the mail from Michigan Toy Soldier (Michtoy.com).

Several years back, Dr. Courtney alerted me to Tamiya Surface Primer (on the right). This is a finely ground pigmented stuff in a rattle can that goes on smooth and is available in a rattle can. I get this at my local hobby shop and try to keep a can on hand for small projects that don't justify cleaning the airbrush (though that really shouldn't be an excuse!).

You all know I have been watching military model videos, and those folks rave about the Mr. Hobby paints, notably Mr. Surfacer. Michtoy has some Mr. Finishing Surfacer 1500 in black in a rattle can. I got a can to try out. This comes in black, grey and I think white. Since I have had such good luck with figures, I am going to try the black on the Phase I flat car project.

Another military modeler tip is black CA. The military folks use this as a gap filler: as you sand and finish the seam, you can see the filler, because, well, it is black. This is from a Polish company called VMS. I have been waiting for a reliable US distributor since about 2019, so am excited that Michtoy is a source for us in the US.

If you have been in the hobby for any time, you have probably had to send an SOS to your spouse to help because you inadvertently glued your fingers together around a trestle bent. Then they fetch some acetone to remedy the situation. Well SMS has packaged this in a small bottle for twice the amount and calls it Super Glue Debonder. Use this with a small brush to clean up that CA joint, which you can now see because it is black.

The product I am very excited about is VMS Paper Shaper. This is an acrylic product that you apply to paper which causes the paper to hold its form. VMS also makes a single ply paper (which they also sell for a ton of bucks). The military crowd uses this for tarps, but this will be awesome for CAB CURTAINS. I plan to apply this as a canvas cover for an open bed truck model, and come to think of it, a tarp on top of one of the water service cars would add some interest too.

Airplane modelers--and heck some armor people too--mottle large surfaces to visually break them up. They will paint wing panels in slightly different underpaints to help break up the wing and other large, flat surfaces. Manufacturers have come to the rescue with some etched and laser cut airbrush stencils. I ordered some from Ammo and Mig. The brass panel on the Tamiya can is one of the Ammo Uschi stencils, which I used on the truck.

I am very excited to continue to refine this technique (look under the 'Vehicles' thread for more), and think this is a great way to break up large surfaces on buildings in S and O scale. I wish I had these when I started the Penrose project.

Oh, and there is that bottle of Vallejo Liquid Mask. I spied this at the local hobby shop and plan to employ it to mask off iron work on a refer so I can paint it black. A preliminary test has proved promising. (Similar products are available from Micro Scale and others).

Anywhoo, these are some of the nifty items I have been collecting and plan to deploy on models soon.

So what is on your workbench these days?!?

[Matt Hutson]

Nice work, Keith. Your glue story reminded me that a couple of weeks ago, I managed to get super glue on my tongue and teeth. It occurred when I stuck the cap in my teeth, unscrewed the glue and glued whatever I was working on, went to put the glue back in the cap (still clenched in my  teeth) and...missed. Oops!

Anyway, I'll play. While not C&S narrow gauge, this is what I'm working on at the moment. I spied the prototype in a rancher's field down in the San Luis Valley a couple of years ago and thought it interesting enough to model:

With subsequent research I learned that this is a Standard Steel 36' boxcar from the transition era, originally constructed in 1903. At some point during the 1920's it got steel ends. I decided to build one for my railroad in 1:29 scale. At the moment it looks like this:


Cheers,
Matt Hutson
Nathrop, CO

[Mike Trent]

Nice job Keith and Matt!

My "workbench" has now found it's way up to the new "Old Goat Loft", but it's just moved from the Longmont storage unit to storage in a bedroom while remaining work is completed. I'd hoped to have everything, including Dickey, moved this month, but once again, weather and other problems have delayed this plan. Until at least next month. Hope all is well with everyone.

[pizlinard72]

I'm currently working on a brass kit for a RhB Crocodile engine in O meter gauge. The kit was produced by Ferro Suisse in 1983 and is a joy to build.


Some info on the original here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhaetian_Railway_Ge_6/6_I

I use a resistance soldering unit and try to customize some details.
Best, Christian