Mechs painted for PGI - First look finished RAVEN

So I guess I can reveal that the reason I was so quite for a few weeks is I was cleaning, assembling and painting two MWO mechs in PGI colours and send them along with a business plan some mocked up packaging and marketing ideas.

I've not heard anything back from the business side however I know they love the models heres what I sent them.

Raven paint progress

Raven with its main colours on. Excuse the prop holding it up I don't wish to glue the legs on till after I've done some more painting. Once glued the raven does stand perfectly balanced

Dropship landed

The reason for my lack of bloggage lately has arrived at its destination.

Now back to painting my raven.

Still alive and working hard

So the timetable this week really slid I'm afraid.

Home life, and works crushed my hobby time. Broken water heater (boiler to us in the UK) on Monday meant a scrabble to find alternative heating a boiler repairman and then an electrician on short notice. Followed the next day by a sick toddler being up 24 hrs who managed to do a world world worthy hurl that only just missed an unamused wife. That binned 4days of this week and left me with alot of undone real life work to catch up on.

I did manage to put every spare hour down on painting but I can't show what I'm working on (yet). You'll have to wait a bit for me to paint my 2nd raven to have a looksee.

I also bought some 1mm steel wire for aerial and handrails. Bloody hells bells that stuff is surprisingly tough to cut and bend! I'll have to work out some kind of hammer, vice, heat and jig method to get what I want. At least I know it'll take a knock.

I'll leave you with a piccy of a joint that has a pin. These resin models are heavy and some of the joints are fairly small a bit of twisted wire across the joint really increase the strength and helps pose and support the model during gluing. I drill a hole to same as the wires diameter then ream the hole (stop giggling in the back) to allow some movement for alignment and to let the epoxy glue to get into the hole.

You can go the whole hog and glue the part first (fiddly) and then drill a hole and tap a peace of wire in then fill the hole. Ups the strength even more but I'd rather the model broke at the join vs braking at the next weakest point..

Raven - Loose assembled

Couldnt resist sharing

Sub-assemblies (leg, torso, hip) are glued together but I'll wait till later in the paint process to glue everything to one another.

Raven: Cleaning up parts today

I have a whole raven cast now I've started on the clean up which begins with trimming all the flash and poor stubs off using such advanced tools as a Stanley knife, side clipper and a razor saw (micro hacksaw)

It starts to get very messy and dusty from here in (my kingdom for a heat work shop to move into). I'll do some preliminary sanding on mould slip lines then work in some putty with a final sand once that's cured. Then it'll good for assembly and wee bit more filla and a base coat.

Worth also stating resin dust is dangerous wearing a mask is a good idea, if you're sanding larger sections try to do it outside, use a vacuum cleaner to clear up with, wipe surfaces with a damp cloth, sanding the part in water is also another way of stop dust getting into the air. Use a clipper or blade to remove excess and finish with sanding.

I cant say I always follow those guide lines but I do make a point of thoroughly cleaning my office once I'm done and try to keep sanding to a minium. Any heavy sanding I do in the garage where I also vacuum up after myself.

Raven update

Catalyst I needed for the remaining mould didn't arrive in time for the Easter break, this is progress so far.