First Armor Build - M1A2 SEP

[adampolo13]

Hey Panzer,

Thanks for the heads up on the track! I will defiantly check into that.

 

[spud]

pastels are fine but theyre no pigments.! just buy the pigs and be done with it. you wont be sorry.

 

[panzerace007]

ADAM ,

If in th US & you want some good Pigments ... AK's are really nice . A Very Fine powder.

- http://www.ak-interactive-usa.com/weathering.html scroll down to th bottom of th page. AK USA is Awesome on shipping etc !!

and then there's MIG Productions USA

- http://migproductions-usa.com/pigments/pigments/jars.html - If Chunk is what you're after. I haven't bought directly from MIG USA, but Rick is Aces & I'm sure just as Awesome on service !!

 

[spud]

Both pigs are awsome altough AK ones are much finer.

 

[letsgobrowns82]

Looking good Adam! I've used pastels and recently mig pigment and now I have AK Interactive's pigments on order. I can tell you that Mig Pigments compared to pastels is night and day and like Pancerace007 said if your wanting some build up mud and grime effects Mig pigments are great.

 

[Chris S]

Looking good Adam ,Dust looks good too

Chris.

 

[panzerace007]

Hey Guys ,

My apologies ..... I must've tapped th worng key !! Sausage Fingers strikes again !! Sorry about that. No Reason for it to be locked other than operator error ! :-[

​

 

[schweinhund227]

;D Thanks Erik!


The Abrams looks Awesome! The beast is coming together nicely!

As for the tracks.... There is rarely a "slack" now a days! Possible! Yes, but rare!

Since this is a model and you are using After market tracks! Make them fit!
Even if it take a few shoes more or less! Look at the instructions... I am pretty sure the quote the number of shoes per side!

There isn't much room at the "Adjuster screw" to move up or down... The first road wheel in this case! And I presume it's already glued in place! So! Keep up the good work! You make me want to start another one! LOL

 

[spud]

Hmm one work for ya Erik. ......Plonker......

 

[adampolo13]

Good afternoon all! I decided to play with the pastels a little bit more, see how nice and dusty, sandy, and a little muddy I can get the track and lower half of the hull. (Not too much mud tho, I hear the middle east is pretty dry...)

Anyways, what do you guys think? Most of it will be covered up by the side skirts but I wanted to try my hand at it.

P.S. Please be gentle, my first time weathering an Armor build.

Thanks again!!!!

 

[letsgobrowns82]

Looks dirty to me Adam, nice job!

 

[TRM]

Looking good from here too!!! Keep it going!!! ;D

 

[panzerace007]

Yeah Dude !! Lookin Good ! Great job on th dusting !! Realistic ... especially around th roadwheels !!

Rock-On Brotha' !!

\m/

 

[adampolo13]

Hello all, just a quick update. Just took another look at the tracks, there are suppose to be 76 shoes on each side. I went back and checked and once I put the final shoe in the track it gets nice and tight with no slack.

Now I'm on to working on the other tack and the side skirts.

Thanks again,

Adam

 

[schweinhund227]

8). The nice thing with pastels.....
You can brush some of it off..if you think you went a little too far!

Good practice thou! And it is nice to see you experiment! You seem to be willing to
Go FULL on! Keep up the good work!

 

[adampolo13]

Hello everyone, I hope everyone's having a nice day. I've been busy experimenting with weathering effects. I decided to try and weather the tracks etc. Here are some pics.

My plane is to finish putting the other tracks together, weather those, and finish weathering the lower hull. I am loving the armor build so much fun trying to make it look like the real thing!!!!

 

[letsgobrowns82]

Looking good Adam, nice progress.

 

[Eastrock]

It does looks good from here, Adam... Keep up the good work, eventually it will turn on great on your first try

 

[adampolo13]

Thanks browns! Thanks Eastrock! I am having so much fun with this build! I'm trying to get the lower hull finished and get the upper hull started before the big spring contest starts. I think I'm going to build another aircraft for that one. But we'll see, I may end up buying another kit... We'll see once Scott makes the big announcement.

Anyways...

I got the other track finished, mounted and muddied up.

Dryfit side panels:

Panels Painted:

Backside of the rig. I've seen a ton of pics that show the rear of the tank with what looks like exahust stains going up the back like that. I painted it with flat black then sprayed a couple very fine mist coats over the top part to give it that dull look. (is that what they mean when they talk about "filters?"

This stuff is soo much fun. I almost wish I didn't have to go to work in 3 weeks.... Ahhhh

 

[adampolo13]

Good evening all... Here are some updates...

I put the tail lights on:

I also put some glass in the front. I tried to reproduce that redish mirrored glare effect. I painted the inside clear blue and the outside of the glass clear red. It actually came out pretty cool, hard to see the effect with the pics but it is noticable in person:

I finised the right side armor and get the cannon put together:

On to the tough stuff tomorrow...