Jump to content
View in the app

A better way to browse. Learn more.

Surly Horns

A full-screen app on your home screen with push notifications, badges and more.

To install this app on iOS and iPadOS
  1. Tap the Share icon in Safari
  2. Scroll the menu and tap Add to Home Screen.
  3. Tap Add in the top-right corner.
To install this app on Android
  1. Tap the 3-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner of the browser.
  2. Tap Add to Home screen or Install app.
  3. Confirm by tapping Install.

Featured Replies

Yeah, I dropped the prices I had for kits on eBay just a little and sales really took off. You still get the guy who offers 13 bucks for a kit that will cost 12 in fees and postage, but whaddayagonnadoo.

I just got through doing another 2 square feet of WW2 game minis for a friend, 1/56 scale.

Jan21Mini1.jpg

On 1/7/2021 at 10:17 PM, Braff Zacklin said:

I suspect it's a bit of a manufactured shortage, a la the semiconductor industry, but I'm a cynical ass, so the truth might be elsewhere.

I don't know - I would imagine that ramping up production of plastic scale models is not easy.  It's not insurmountable, but the issue is that most models are not in constant production - they may do batches of like 10,000 or so at a time.  They probably line up what their production runs are going to be for several months in advance, so if a model sells out, they may not have room in their schedule to re-issue it for quite a while.

I've seen more of it on the RC side of things - I farted around and found out, and didn't get a couple of re-released buggies for less than MSRP when they were released last year, and they are now running at $100 over (or more) MSRP.  Then again, RC is a helluva lot harder to ramp up and down.

  • 4 months later...

Pics from the Focsle of the USS Lexington.

 

I took these pics back in 2015 when our Cub Scout Pack did an overnighter there.

 

image.thumb.png.c28d64c3ac24fc80c6f83e1224696e73.png

image.thumb.png.87d4831cff990b9a0c651b06da3c613d.png

image.thumb.png.a417049b893e3da6c179f0a8c348ce65.pngimage.thumb.png.2137d31a19338ff49254373c1dbd7e60.png

  • 7 months later...

Had a hell of a lot of important things to do today, but they got SNAFUd by situations outside my control. I was in a frenzy sending messages to try to get it sorted out.

Then I said Fuggit.

Now I am happily puttering with a 1/56 scale M3A1 Halftrack kit, putting it together for me.

All that alleged real-world stuff will be just fine later.

Several more days into it, 4 halftracks assembled. They are 1/56 scale models from Warlord Games for their "Bolt Action" rules set, which is a beer and pretzels Sgt. Rock Saves Pvt. Ryan sort of thing with 28mm toy soldiers.

I am attempting to build a fairly realistic version of a US Armored Infantry Platoon with whatever they really had at hand.

The kits are better than my modeling skills. I used Gorilla Glue because these are game pieces that will get handled. I plan to cover the fingerprints and mismatched seams with liberal applications of "mud" and maybe a strategic tarp or two.

 

IMG_0292.jpg

In addition to the Warlord Games figures, I have some Wargames Factory ones in the same scale. They are in less dramatic poses, many of them just standing around, so I am dragooning some of them to be vehicle crew. This fellow's right arm originally held a BAR, but I cut off the weapon and now he'll be holding a Lucky Strike.

IMG_0293.jpg

The .50 cals are fiddly and one of the barrels broke. To fix this one I cut two thin strips of card stock, then stuck one to what was left of the barrel, let the Gorilla Glue soak it. When that dried, I added more glue and lined the broken piece of barrel where it was supposed to be. Once that dried, I glued the second piece of card stock on the other side of the break so they'd act as a splint.

Probably next I'll take a small square of normal paper, soak it in white glue, and mold it over the gun like a tarp so just the end of the barrel peaks out, paint the "tarp" olive drab after it dries, and it will help hold the barrel together.

I guess I could chop the whole barrel off and replace it with wire, but I know I'll get stabbed by my own gun if I do.

IMG_0295.jpg

Getting reinforcements. A resin and metal Trenchworx White Scout Car got here in the mail, very little flash, nice detail. The only thing off is the shallowness of the crew compartment, I guess so the resin floor would be thick enough to hold up. I did have to carve off the Warlord Games driver's legs so he'd fit, but now he is a Scout Car centaur.

Another thing you can do in this scale is find toy vehicles for conversions. Here is a Disney/Pixar "Sarge" jeep that cost a fraction of a model kit. I converted one mostly with a paint job. The blue windshield doesn't really get the reflection effect I was going for, but it's less freaky than those eyes.

IMG_0301.jpg

IMG_0302.jpg

IMG_0303.jpg

  • 3 weeks later...

Been doing a little scratch-building using linoleum, balsa, copper wire, and scraps from the bitbox. Finished a .30 cal MG and a 60mm mortar to support my 1/56 scale toy soldiers.

IMG_0332.jpg

IMG_0333.jpg

IMG_0335.jpg

IMG_0336.jpg

20 minutes ago, Braff Zacklin said:

Great stuff, RD. Hope to see 'em painted up soon.

Thanks. Shouldn't be long, geologically speaking.

3 hours ago, RDCanecutter said:

Been doing a little scratch-building using linoleum, balsa, copper wire, and scraps from the bitbox. Finished a .30 cal MG and a 60mm mortar to support my 1/56 scale toy soldiers.

IMG_0332.jpg

 

IMG_0335.jpg

 

guy on the left looks to me like Gunny Hartman, demonstrating the proper technique for strokin' it in the Marine Corp.

3 minutes ago, wd40 said:

guy on the left looks to me like Gunny Hartman, demonstrating the proper technique for strokin' it in the Marine Corp.

 

  • 11 months later...

It's not a necro bump if it's been less than an entire year.

All that stuff upthread, ain't none o that been touched. Got busy doing other stuff and forgot it. In the meantime, an old friend asked me to do some more painting for him. 10 years ago when I was broke, he sent me enough work to pay off my wife's new car. So sure, I'll do a little more.

The kits arrive and, instead of simple resin or metal pieces like before, minimum assembly, these are 1/100 styrene plastic kits. Fun but slow.

Got 5 knocked out, gonna wait a couple of days for all the tiny finger-tip stabs to heal.

IMG_1202.jpg

IMG_1204.jpg

IMG_1205.jpg

  • 2 weeks later...

One of my fb friends builds incredible large scale Star Trek models as a hobby. He recently purchased a C8 Corvette and made a model of it. The level of detail is beyond my comprehension! Every bit is made by him, nothing purchased. He built a vacuum form for the windshield and the rest of the “glass”. Just phenomenal work!

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02ey6FCoc8F6dwn6swBZbypf3hsPQWzP1RrRZAsQv74w5uoZdAuLYwcX53vEQpsriel&id=1547600689&mibextid=qC1gEa

  • 1 year later...

Necrobump again. Finally got the German halftracks and other stuff finished and mailed off.

Yes that's fake snow. I was going to use real snow but it kept melting.

23jan24b.jpg

9 minutes ago, RDCanecutter said:

Yes that's fake snow. I was going to use real snow but it kept melting.

 

Calvin.png

So I’m letting my kid do models on his own, and the Hobby Boss kits are good for that. We were at a model  shop (the only one in Austin it seems) and I was talking to somebody at the counter and my kid came up with a Mig-15 and asked “what’s a fagot”

shocked steve harvey GIF
 

101299-11185-pristine.jpg

On 3/12/2024 at 6:03 PM, atomheartbevo said:

So I’m letting my kid do models on his own, and the Hobby Boss kits are good for that. We were at a model  shop (the only one in Austin it seems) and I was talking to somebody at the counter and my kid came up with a Mig-15 and asked “what’s a fagot”

shocked steve harvey GIF
 

101299-11185-pristine.jpg

Tell him that a fagot is a bundle of sticks.  That has been its usage for far longer than the other.

On 3/12/2024 at 6:03 PM, atomheartbevo said:

So I’m letting my kid do models on his own, and the Hobby Boss kits are good for that. We were at a model  shop (the only one in Austin it seems) and I was talking to somebody at the counter and my kid came up with a Mig-15 and asked “what’s a fagot”

shocked steve harvey GIF
 

101299-11185-pristine.jpg

I was at The Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson Saturday. They had a couple of these on display with the nickname on the plaque. I imagine that there were a lot of parents that weren't pleased to answer the question.

On 3/12/2024 at 6:03 PM, atomheartbevo said:

So I’m letting my kid do models on his own, and the Hobby Boss kits are good for that. We were at a model  shop (the only one in Austin it seems) and I was talking to somebody at the counter and my kid came up with a Mig-15 and asked “what’s a fagot”

shocked steve harvey GIF
 

101299-11185-pristine.jpg

Uses a Rolls Royce centrifugal (not axial, which is odd for a turbojet powering a fixed wing aircraft) turbojet that the Brits literally gave to the Sovs. Otherwise they’d have been powered by some shit ass BMW 003 development.

8 minutes ago, elfenix said:

Uses a Rolls Royce centrifugal (not axial, which is odd for a turbojet powering a fixed wing aircraft) turbojet that the Brits literally gave to the Sovs. Otherwise they’d have been powered by some shit ass BMW 003 development.

This is why Surly is awesome.

1 hour ago, elfenix said:

Uses a Rolls Royce centrifugal (not axial, which is odd for a turbojet powering a fixed wing aircraft) turbojet that the Brits literally gave to the Sovs. Otherwise they’d have been powered by some shit ass BMW 003 development.

The centrifugal-flow Nene was superior to the axial-flow BMW 003 or Jumo 004 in terms of power and reliability, but in terms of future growth and technology in the aviation industry, ze Germans und Hans von Ohain took the better path.

The Brits were terribly naive in donating a Nene, imo.

dammit.... Busting out my 1/72. Want to do eastern front. Seelow heights.

Anyone want to drink beer and paint?

7 minutes ago, InkaUtexas said:

dammit.... Busting out my 1/72. Want to do eastern front. Seelow heights.

Anyone want to drink beer and paint?

I remember when I last assembled a 1/72 plastic fighting vehicle. Some little German tank. It had 8,000 individual road wheels, and they would bounce way up under every piece of furniture in the room.

1 minute ago, RDCanecutter said:

I remember when I last assembled a 1/72 plastic fighting vehicle. Some little German tank. It had 8,000 individual road wheels, and they would bounce way up under every piece of furniture in the room.

And if you lose any more than a bit of glue they melt. So they get blackened and a blow out.

 

Then you all will be interested in some pics I took very recently.

d624ffb42964c4a5fd4f8755dbd691b7.jpg
a712a12e60cd75ff98f0ec23e2c1cc73.jpg

ca730e948e03a0fea27de7590a071760.jpg
4071c1be43a5dc7719ff0d6c68350705.jpg

c40b4cd1ba95f4cc58efe30b317cc2d0.jpg
90a796c93aae95f626fa960dcf60449b.jpg
d12297fb5b97216b2126adbaff9b1dbc.jpg

  • 1 month later...

This guy needs to do more model kit reviews.

“my  best friend and soulmate capillary action does all the heavy lifting, in this process the cement  seeps through even the tightest of crevices leaving no survivors”

“I first lay down a coat of Tamiya hull red mixed with flat red at an unknown ratio.  Then I follow that up with an even more unknown mixture of a brighter red as a highlight tone.”

”Removing masking tape is along life’s greatest pleasures”

”I still do not have the thinner for this black primer, boohoo, watching my poor Iwata Neo clogging up while desperately trying to spray this stuff was heartbreaking but the lil bro knew what he signed up for.”

”the main mast is really fragile but I’m able to put it together without a hitch.  I’m proud to say that for the first time in my life I haven’t broken any of the masts on this model which is one of my top five achievements bested only by that time I won a chess tournament in elementary school and the birth of my second son. “

”just drown the surface in primer. My Lord, this spray can sure does emanate a most noxious aroma.  So noxious I haven't heard from the family in over a week. Just like my wife and her boyfriend, the masking tape makes its leave as I brutally pull it apart. Luckily an even layer of black paint  cleanses us of our sins and prepares the hole for painting.”

”The gloss coat  gives a smoother harder surface like a metal baseball bat while a flat or semigloss Surface is  rough like the edge of my serrated saw. Remember this kids, always gloss coat your model before washes and blunt force trauma leaves little to no evidence. Before I can use the black wash on  the hull I need to apply the water slide decals. Immersion in boiling water is enough to cripple anyone's resolve.”

He has a D.I.C.K. ratings scale - Detail, Interesting to build, Craftsmanship, Keen-fit.

 

  • 6 months later...
On 6/5/2020 at 1:09 PM, Braff Zacklin said:

Have you abandoned the Vampire Van?

Only for 4 1/2 years.

I've had 13 tedious things to sort out, so instead of doing that, I reverted to 7th grade and ignored them all while finally adding some red to the seats and curtains on the Vampire Van.

And not nice painting either. Sorta blobbed it on like a kid, with just a smidge of shading. But Priming? Sealing? For the cost of primer and sealer I could buy a drink, a candy bar, and 3 or 4 comic books.

I forgot why I stopped on it. Maybe something about it taking too many steps. Now I crave taking pointless extra steps on it.

Prolly give the red one more coat on the raised areas.

 

IMG_1055.jpg

IMG_1056.jpg

IMG_1057.jpg

Good to see the update, @RDCanecutter! I know you've had some much more important problems to tackle but hope you're recovering and feeling well enough to keep building.

I've done very little modeling in the past 3-4 years. Just can't seem to find the mojo. Maybe some activity here will inspire me. LoL

 

30 minutes ago, Braff Zacklin said:

Good to see the update, @RDCanecutter! I know you've had some much more important problems to tackle but hope you're recovering and feeling well enough to keep building.

I've done very little modeling in the past 3-4 years. Just can't seem to find the mojo. Maybe some activity here will inspire me. LoL

 

I have kept busy doing art and going to shows, and I'm blessed that people buy what I make. But I do find myself missing weekends when I could just kick back and, I dunno, assemble little sailing ships then meet up with friends at a hobby shop and push them around on a table top pretending to be Master and Commander.

Of course, weekends came with Real Jobs during the week. Hell with that.

 

Ah, you bastard--don't get me sidetracked on M&C! Pretty much a perfect movie, imo, with a soundtrack to match.

I've always loved how this piece tells a whole story by itself:

 

  • 2 weeks later...

The bug hit Jr. He spent all day working the Airfix models we picked up in jolly ole England. As long as it keeps him busy.

87fd56710fa194e0df60affa3be5f0d3.jpg

Dunno if it's plastic modeling, but my mind snapped and I cleaned out the local hobby shop of all their 1/72 Civil War soldiers.

Currently gluing them onto pennies. Maybe try the out with a good beer-n-pretzels rule set like The Sword and The Flame.

Or have them fight dinosaurs and Martians.

 

acw01.jpg

5 hours ago, RDCanecutter said:

Dunno if it's plastic modeling, but my mind snapped and I cleaned out the local hobby shop of all their 1/72 Civil War soldiers.

Currently gluing them onto pennies. Maybe try the out with a good beer-n-pretzels rule set like The Sword and The Flame.

Or have them fight dinosaurs and Martians.

 

acw01.jpg

If you really want to go epic I can send you some ww2 japanese marines and taliban.

Was gifted this trawler from my BIL after dinner yesterday.  He’s been doing modeling for a long time and half of his garage is his work area and model storage.   There’s a bunch of scratch built details not included in the box kit that he added for authenticity.

88960F87-00AD-46A4-9AF6-9DDF236FCC9D.thumb.jpeg.30026db1b8c8242195317972a4396b19.jpeg


Here’s the box picture.   51709D9D-489C-4F0D-980C-348D44F83B7E.thumb.jpeg.da80acbcd7ec8989134fb555705f19e4.jpeg
 

The lair …

00C38BB7-6F61-49AE-B09B-C13902F1647D.thumb.jpeg.33678ef12089e839e9f796cf93eb3d3a.jpeg

1 hour ago, davidg said:

Was gifted this trawler from my BIL after dinner yesterday.  He’s been doing modeling for a long time and half of his garage is his work area and model storage.   There’s a bunch of scratch built details not included in the box kit that he added for authenticity.

88960F87-00AD-46A4-9AF6-9DDF236FCC9D.thumb.jpeg.30026db1b8c8242195317972a4396b19.jpeg


Here’s the box picture.   51709D9D-489C-4F0D-980C-348D44F83B7E.thumb.jpeg.da80acbcd7ec8989134fb555705f19e4.jpeg
 

The lair …

00C38BB7-6F61-49AE-B09B-C13902F1647D.thumb.jpeg.33678ef12089e839e9f796cf93eb3d3a.jpeg

Yeah, he waybettered that kit. The box photo looks like a toy, but I can smell the oil and sealife coming off his finished version. Looks like something Humphrey Bogart would be riding to Tampico. Good stuff.

  • 2 months later...
On 11/18/2024 at 10:54 PM, Braff Zacklin said:

Ah, you bastard--don't get me sidetracked on M&C! Pretty much a perfect movie, imo, with a soundtrack to match.

I've always loved how this piece tells a whole story by itself:

 

One of the all time greatest movies. Absolutely love it 

1 hour ago, troph said:

One of the all time greatest movies. Absolutely love it 

The bird is flightless? Well it's not as if it's going anywhere.

  • 2 months later...

Anyone have experience working with styrofoam to build detailed terrain? Starting the layout of a 4x3 section of Seelow Heights. 1/72 scale.

@RDCanecutter I am looking at you sir.

4 hours ago, InkaUtexas said:

Anyone have experience working with styrofoam to build detailed terrain? Starting the layout of a 4x3 section of Seelow Heights. 1/72 scale.

@RDCanecutter I am looking at you sir.

I have made styrofoam terrain with a doohickey called a hot wire. It's literally a wire stretched between two prongs, insulated of course, and plugs into an outlet and the hot wire cuts through foam like the legendary hot knife through butter. Doesn't cause pebbles of styrofoam to pop loose like you get if you use a regular knife.

I'd just give you mine if I knew where it was, but that'd require an expedition out of an Indiana Jones story. They probably sell them cheap at crafty/hobby stores. 

Ventilate the area. Melting styrofoam lets off used Love Doll fart funk.

15 minutes ago, RDCanecutter said:

I have made styrofoam terrain with a doohickey called a hot wire. It's literally a wire stretched between two prongs, insulated of course, and plugs into an outlet and the hot wire cuts through foam like the legendary hot knife through butter. Doesn't cause pebbles of styrofoam to pop loose like you get if you use a regular knife.

I'd just give you mine if I knew where it was, but that'd require an expedition out of an Indiana Jones story. They probably sell them cheap at crafty/hobby stores. 

Ventilate the area. Melting styrofoam lets off used Love Doll fart funk.

Was this from when in Alcatraz?

 

Got a blueprint?

 

2 minutes ago, InkaUtexas said:

Was this from when in Alcatraz?

 

Got a blueprint?

 

The first rule of Alcatraz is, we don't talk about Alcatraz.

This is fancier than what I had:

https://www.hobbylobby.com/crafts-hobbies/basic-crafts/styrofoam/3-in-1-hot-wire-foam-cutting-tool/p/80916662?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21086060082&gbraid=0AAAAAC-IqNxFm6Ny52X6ub33icciVoQub&gclid=Cj0KCQjw5ubABhDIARIsAHMighbV7iKEdAfQ8LBIr-CCT9oevflnW29Tq7K78jB7Ji76jnEaoYg6frcaAtS9EALw_wcB

You could spend ten times as much for quality, but who wants to melt styrofoam the rest of their life? Just buy a cheap one, use it once, then forget where you put it.

15 minutes ago, RDCanecutter said:

The first rule of Alcatraz is, we don't talk about Alcatraz.

This is fancier than what I had:

https://www.hobbylobby.com/crafts-hobbies/basic-crafts/styrofoam/3-in-1-hot-wire-foam-cutting-tool/p/80916662?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21086060082&gbraid=0AAAAAC-IqNxFm6Ny52X6ub33icciVoQub&gclid=Cj0KCQjw5ubABhDIARIsAHMighbV7iKEdAfQ8LBIr-CCT9oevflnW29Tq7K78jB7Ji76jnEaoYg6frcaAtS9EALw_wcB

You could spend ten times as much for quality, but who wants to melt styrofoam the rest of their life? Just buy a cheap one, use it once, then forget where you put it.

I will send to you and you can start a back yard branding bizness. Gracias Senor. Agradecido.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

Configure browser push notifications

Chrome (Android)
  1. Tap the lock icon next to the address bar.
  2. Tap Permissions → Notifications.
  3. Adjust your preference.
Chrome (Desktop)
  1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
  2. Select Site settings.
  3. Find Notifications and adjust your preference.