Saturday, August 25, 2018

So what the bloody hell happened this month, eh?

Oh, it's been a rough month. I've not put out a new video in almost three weeks, and I always try to put out a new video for my audience every single weekend. This is pretty poor form, especially for you guys who are members of The MOD Squad and help to financially support Dave's Model Workshop.


Today I've put out a video explaining just what the hell happened in August. It's not looking for sympathy, it's just an explanation and so that you know that I haven't forgotten you.



The worst of it is over, and it'll get better from here. I promise.

Video is embedded below, but in case that doesn't work here is the link:
What the bloody hell happened this month to Dave's Model Workshop?

Cheers,

Dave


Thursday, August 16, 2018

Another brutal work week

I'm having another brutally busy week at work this week, just like last week. I'm getting up at 5am, racing to work by 6am, and putting in long days. In the evenings I have no energy left for building models or filming videos. Bugger...


I don't think I'm going to get a video out this week, for which I apologise in advance. As you know, I release a new video every Friday so that you guys all have something new each weekend. But this week it's just not going to happen. Sorry.

I'll make it up to you somehow!

Cheers,

Dave

Sunday, August 12, 2018

New video: Tamiya Sand Scorcher in action on sand, mud and dirt

I've been a bit quiet lately, as I've been flat out at work (horror week, don't ask...) - so first up sorry for the radio silence from this end. In the very little spare time I've had, I have been playing with running the Sand Scorcher, and it has been a lot of ridiculously juvenile fun.


I've had it on a beach, on sand in its natural environment.

Tamiya Sand Scorcher in action on sand, mud and dirt


I've belted it through muddy puddles.

Tamiya Sand Scorcher in action on sand, mud and dirt


And I've spun many, many circles in dusty dirt.

Tamiya Sand Scorcher in action on sand, mud and dirt



It's been a helluva lot of fun!

Tamiya Sand Scorcher in action on sand, mud and dirt


Video is embedded below, but in case that doesn't work here is the link:
Tamiya Sand Scorcher in action - on sand, mud and dirt

Cheers,

Dave


Tuesday, August 7, 2018

Having a rough week

This whole "real world full time work" thing really gets in the way of modelling time. 


This week I'd love to get out there on a beach and run the Sand Scorcher. Or make a start on my next model, a WingNut Wings WWI Fokker monoplane.

Instead, it is currently 10pm on a Tuesday and I am working on real, full-time paid work stuff.

Poo.





How do you guys manage to make time for modelling? Got any tips on how to make the real world of earning money take up less of your time?

Cheers,

Dave

Friday, August 3, 2018

New video: taking the Tamiya Sand Scorcher for its first drive

I took the Sand Scorcher for its maiden voyage.  All I will say is I'm glad I took some still photos before I left the house, because it's never going to look that good again...



Taking the completed Tamiya Sand Scorcher for its first drive


All I will say here is the following things may have occurred:


  • It may have been driven under a closed gate - the size of the gap between the ground and the bottom of said gate may have been less than the height of the car.
  • It may have hit a stone wall.
  • It may have hit a stone wall so hard at the front bumper that the licence plate at the back of the vehicle fell off.


One thing I can confirm as a definite: I'm looking into how much replacement body shells cost on ebay...


Video is embedded below, but in case that doesn't work here is the link:
Taking the finished Sand Scorcher for its first drive


Cheers,

Dave



Thursday, August 2, 2018

The Sand Scorcher is finished, and ready to run!

The Tamiya Sand Scorcher is done. It's rather nice to have finished a build in six weeks, rather than ten months like the last one! And more importantly, I get to have a little juvenile fun with this one now that it's built!


Tamiya Sand Scorcher racing buggy 1/10 scale
Looking good.


I'm happy with how the Sand Scorcher has come out. The decals replicating the original 1979 decals look good, I love the heat-stained tailpipe, and even though there are some imperfections in the two-tone colour scheme where I had dramas with paint seeping under masking tape, I'm pretty happy with the final result.

Tamiya Sand Scorcher racing buggy 1/10 scale
Look at the driver, and the spotless windscreen. Don't pay any attention to the masking of the blue paint...
Tamiya Sand Scorcher racing buggy 1/10 scale
I'm very pleased with my personalised 1979 license plates.


Tamiya Sand Scorcher racing buggy 1/10 scale
Oooh, shiny!

Tamiya Sand Scorcher racing buggy 1/10 scale
Spotless.


Putting on those final details like the two wing mirrors and the windscreen wipers was pretty damn satisfying. They're fragile, so fingers crossed they stay on. I read someone writing online about the Sand Scorcher who mentioned that these little details are "the first things to fall off when you roll your Sand Scorcher (and you will)".

I'm planning to take it to the park tomorrow and give it a trial run. Can't wait!

Cheers,

Dave

Wednesday, August 1, 2018

New video: How to make a scenic prop bird for scale model dioramas out of old spare sprue

Here's a video I recorded while I was finishing up The Seahorse. I needed a small prop for the diorama - a little something natural which would help give a sense of scale, and would also fill in some otherwise empty sea in the ocean wave basework.


The solution? Make a 1/35 scale seagull out of some spare plastic sprue.




It's not the most utterly convincing seagull you'll ever see, but it's good enough to tell a little story and add some verisimilitude to the diorama scenery.

Plus it was just kinda fun to make.

Video is embedded below, but in case that doesn't work here is the link:
How to make a scenic prop bird out of old plastic sprue

Cheers,

Dave