1/24 Road Roller

[Gordon Ferguson]

OK a critique from others would be of help to me.

Objective ;- to show surface finish on roller that is in use crushing a grey/industrial dirt base

Method :- surface initially sprayed flat black, then light grey sponged on and dragged around surface.

              medium rust colour then lightly sponged on, then when paint still damp MIG Industrial Dirt sponge on

              finally a few clumps of the pigment arranged on hard surface and roller rolled over them





Appreciate pictures are still not of highest quality (and I need to check under natural light in the morning)but I think its a reasonable start in representing the surface finish I am trying to achieve. But I have have been playing with this for last couple of hours and could be starting to believe my own propaganda .......... feel free to correct my delusions. Thanks

[lab-dad]

Looking back at the proto pics I have the following comments;
The splotches are not working for me, I did see "some" in the protos, not as many as you have
I think you need more "streaks" or the continuous lines from rolling / scraping.
I think it should be a little more (not much) umber, but the overall color is good (may be a tick lighter?)
-Marty

[Gordon Ferguson]

Marty,

A nights sleep and fresh eyes and I think your right.

Before I start again, I've tweaked current go ..... used a stiff brush and lightly brushed out pigments to try and lighten and "streak" finish slightly  and taken new photos in daylight!

                      before                                                                now



                      before                                                               now



I think its a bit better , lighter and real life it does look slightly streaky and its got that powdery look that I seem to remember on the surface of rollers .... I'm going to leave it now , concentrate on the crane and come back and then see what I think

[lab-dad]

MUCH BETTER!
I'm thinking a very diluted wash with oil - black, very thinned would be perfect.
please try it out before you ruin the roller due to me though
-Marty

[jacq01]

   I second Marty, especially his remark om trying it out first...........

   The second photo's do look much better .........they show a well used roller surface and not one ready for the scrap heap.

   Jacq
 

[Ken Hamilton]

Definitely like "Now" better.
Nice job.

[finescalerr]

It has progressed from adequate to most adequate. -- Russ

[marc_reusser]

Gordon,

Sorry to be late to respond. (Limited to Blackberry access yesterday...and I hate text typing ).  I think both results were great. The second go  around deifinitely looks like one that has just been used to roll a nice crushed rock sub-grade.

Not to be/sound critical....but I do have to say I am a bit curious about your painting/process order for the wheels.....are you planning on leaving them black? The reason I ask, is because the finish you just did seems the most delicate part of the roller (something best done last), so masking to paint the rest of the wheel, and add any subsequent weathering to the sides, seems a somewhat delicate, and uneccessarily fidgety operation (especially where the roller edge color cuts/transitions into the roller surface).

MR

[Gordon Ferguson]

No need to panic Marc ..... that was the first roller I made, which due to my inability to measure twice and cut once ended up the wrong size !

So now I will find out if I can replicate the process ... 3 times!

[marc_reusser]

I just figured you were either "one brave SOB", or had some really sneaky and trick process up your sleeve.

Inquiring minds wanted to know.

MR

[Belg]

Gordon, the road roller is really shaping up very nicely. For those of us with less experience with these kinds of projects I would love to hear more how you do the individual pieces and then bring them together. Any jigs drawings used would be very helpful in seeing. The wheel stiffeners/rims have what look like many little fins and wonder how you make each one exactly the same. Thanks much Pat

[Gordon Ferguson]

Any jigs drawings used would be very helpful in seeing. The wheel stiffeners/rims have what look like many little fins and wonder how you make each one exactly the same. Thanks much Pat

"each one exactly the same" ........... oh how I wish they were!

Pat, for these freelance models I would very embarrassed to show my initial drawing/sketches, all they are are one or two critical height/ lengths basically so I can then fit the rest of the model in.
The detailing on the ribs is just microstrip i.e. for a T shaped rib all I do is first position the vertical web in the right place and then add strip either side to make the top of the T ...... if that makes sense. The small angle ribs are again microstrip cut to a length that looks right with the angles etc, and then just duplicated ... afraid by eye, these for example are only roughly 2mm by 3mm. If they were larger I would make one master and then use it as cutting guide for the rest.
I have found when doing these type of models that it pays to always go smaller/ thinner than instinct tells you too i.e. if I first reach for 30 thou plasticard I switch to 20 thou .. especially true when applying rivets or nuts and bolts. The only jigs I used on the roller were different size glass jars to wrap paper round to form the wheels rims and and a couple of end stops to cut strip, etc to the same length.

Sorry not very exciting or even illuminating.

Gordon


   

[Damn Cranky]

Beautiful scratch-building and the weathering touches are going to make this one stand out on any show table.  It's a rare subject, that's for sure.

[Gordon Ferguson]

Thanks Cranky .... just replied on your thread !

[marc_reusser]

Gordon,

Here's one that I have been saving, and thought you might like.

MR