HereThe build log SBS for this can be seen
EDIT: Finished pics replaced lower down in the string. [:D]
Edit: Pics removed and replaced with better shots lower down. [;)]
Bill,
Nice work, and great job on the SBS.
The finish is not my cup of tea, but that’s what makes this hobby cool, diversity. My only critique would be the wood color on the tools and jack block. The color and tone do not match the time and effort put into the rest of the build.
Thanks for posting and taking the time to share your techniques. There’s a lot of extra work involved in doing this.
Keep on keepin on.
Thanks for the feedback and comments ted. [;)]
Great build Bill,I really like the mottled grey finish.
Thanks Comet, glad you like it. I’m not 100% happy with the gray finish as I think it still came out too light overall in the end but learned a good bit with the methods employed for the next one. My struggle is that I want, visually, for it to look one way but when checking reference photos, it shows something a lot lighter…but also darker in places depending. Here’s an example of what I mean:
Ted,
I know that the tendency is to do the varnished/hardwood type of tool handles but since they are unpainted and examples of military surplus (referenced from this actual military hardware site http://www.marspec.net/surplus/dept.asp?s_id=0&dept_id=3032&WT.svl=deptnav2 ) such as this image of a full sized pioneer shovel
and this one of a folding shovel/E-tool show the lighter type of wood used.
I tried to split the difference a bit with the tone I went for. The color shows up slightly more yellowish in the photos than in reality, partly due to lighting but also to the photo adjustment software, but the tone is actually pretty close to what I was shooting for in relation to these examples.
That’s a tad harsh. I’m sure you don’t mean it quite so pointedly.
Not trying to be harsh. I just think that both the “Oil” version and Bill’s tech is not my cup of tea. Unless you are showing a model straight from the factory. In which case, the handles would more than likely be painted the base color. I purposely left a brand new shovel, much like the one pictured in Bill’s comment above, out in the weather all summer long. The effect is a silvering with flaking varnish, not at all what you see on anyone’s model. I must admit that I am guilty of following the trends of painting the wooden portions with oils and streaks and making them look very “artistic”. However, I am trying to overcome my herd mentality and do my own thing whether it fits with the pop culture of the moment. Plus, me and Bill go way back. I am sure he took no offense to any comments I made. He knows I will screw up a model as soon as I apply an airbrush:o)
I have been questioning myself on what colors would be best for the varnished wood handles of the German equipment. The references have gone from a blond wood like ash to reddish colors of red oak and some hickories. Those photos are a great reference. I would call those an “ash wood” or a “white oak”. A good reference is to take an used baseball bat (one made from ash) and look at it from across the room. Ash is a good wood for tool handles and for the same reason they are used for baseball bats, they absorb alot of the vibrations from the impacts. They are grown alot in Europe as lumber.
You beat me to the airbrush comment! I know you’ve been avoiding it with your Sturmtiger, don’t deny it! [:O)]
There’s a lot of debate over bare wood vs. painted handles and I don’t know what the “accurate” decision on that is, all I know is that there are references that support both approaches depending on where you look. On that same page is a WW2 Swiss Pickaxe with the same kind of handle, so if the intent is to show bare wood vs. painted, the paler color gets my vote. The rosewood type of deep staining/varnish with the wood grain effect is a visually appealing artistic element but not something I particularly subscribe to. My approach with these particular tools was more to provide an indication of some use/wear as opposed to “factory new” rather than produce a “grain” effect…if you think about what 1/35 scale truly accurate woodgrain would look like, it would be very difficult to replicate that accurately IMHO. I’m happy with the eyeball look although I can’t say the same for the camera look as I mentioned above, it makes it look too “yellow/bright” but that’s something I couldn’t overcome even with the photo editing software. [:(]
As far as the wood silvering/graying, I’ve read several references posted over on M-L that indicate that tools were oiled regularly as part of the maintenance of the vehicle in order to keep them in good condition (getting splinters from a dried out starter crank handle could ruin your day) and prevent the dried out, grayish look that exposed tools would have from neglect. The silvering you are describing on your modern tool ted is more likely a polyeurethane “clear coat” that has broken down through UV exposure (at least my modern “yard shovel” did that) from being outside in the Virginia elements. [;)]
I went back and redid the wire cutter handles in light of the new info unearthed and so this meant I also needed to reshoot some of the pics…and in doing so, I adjusted some settings on my camera and the background and am now much happier with the finished photos vs. the real finish. [:D]
