ISSUE NUMBER 9

HISTORICAL MINIATURES BY GEORGE GRASSE
HISTORICAL MINIATURES JOURNAL

AUGUST 2010

HISTORICAL MINIATURES JOURNAL ISSUE NUMBER 9

PUBLISHED BY GEORGE GRASSE

MODELING TIPS

MILITARY MINIATURES

Tip 28) Quite often, manufacturer's do not include integral pins on the bottom of the legs to make fixing the figure to a base easy.  I ship a lot of figures and all are pinned either with the manufacturer's cast-on white metal pins or I make my own out of brass rod stock.  Usually one leg is all that has to be pinned.  I have a matching drill bit for the brass rod.  I drill out a hole about 1/4" deep, perhaps a little deeper.  I use super glue to fix the pin to the leg.  Now, when mounting to a base, the figure has a good chance of staying in place.

Horses present the same problem especially if only one or two legs are on the ground.  In this case, both legs will be pinned.  If a third pin is needed, choose a leg nearest the ground and not touching it.  Drill a hole in hoof and a corresponding hole in base.  Coordinate the locating, drilling, and positioning of all three pins.  When done, the horse will be securely mounted to the base.

Imrie-Risley horse present a unique problem.  I find a drill bit large enough to create a hole for the oversize leg bottom but only drill into the wood so as to keep the hooves at ground level.  If you drill too deep, fill with fine sand and super glue until the correct height is achieved.  You have to do this for all legs that have that "plug".  When you decide to do this, make sure the legs are correctly positioned.  Place the horse onto the base.  Draw a pencil circle around the "plug".  Drill out the hole carefully and not too deep.  Fit the horse into position and make adjustments either filling in because it's too deep or drilling out a little more material because it's too shallow.

 

WORLD WAR I AVIATION MODELING IN 1:48 SCALE

Tip 29) Make a detail list of details before you get too involved with the construction of your model.  Several major components will get in the way if installed before you've address certain details.  For example, putting the top wing on before you've addressed cockpit interior and exterior details will be make things difficult.  Your list should include all of the small details either kit-supplied or items you've found in photos in Windsock Datafiles.  Write then down and then sort them out into a sequence of when they have to be fabricated or otherwise made ready for installation.  Perhaps they need to be pre-painted.  So, if the top wing is on and you've just remembered the windscreen, radiator pipes, external rev counter, cabane strut cross-bracing wires. . . . . well you can appreciate having to do all of that with the top wing already installed.

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