nightshiftmodeller
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Finish!
🕑 Added 2022-06-27 12:36:36 +0000 UTCMy friends, the JS-2 is ready to be placed in that crumbly tree bridge diorama.
Adding the final weathering effects would've been fun if it wasn't for the tracks! They started falling apart! My suspicion is that the wires reacted with the VMS blackening fluid and this could've been caused by two things - the tracks are very old so the wire might've become brittle over time, or the fluid reacted too much with the brass material. You see, back when I assembled them for the old JS-3 I was using the brass wire provided with every set of Friuls. And back in the day blackening fluids were too expensive for me so I never used them with this wire. So I guess it would be that... another reason to use copper wires, because the brass one is crap anyway.
So you can imagine my "enthusiasm" when they started falling apart and I had to somehow try to drill out oxidised brass from every affected link and then reconnecting them again with copper wires. Spoilers: it was difficult, because brass is very tough, much harder than the white metal track links around it.
The rest was carried out as usual. Real dirt in nooks and crannies, some subtle pre-dusting with Tamiya Buff, then Ammo Splashes for the gritty dust effects and finally some stains and color variation with oil paints - Industrial Earth for the lighter stains, and Sepia for grime.
Some graphite polishing around the edges, an antenna made from 0.2mm wire painted grey and it was done!
Now I just have to hope the tracks won't fall apart while I'm adjusting the suspension for the diorama because some links are literally held together with only thoughts and prayers! :D
