What is the best way to make model zimmerit in 1/35 scale with epoxy putty?
The way I’ve heard it done is either buy aftermarket sets or in your case with the epoxy putty, I’ve heard that you apply the putty in a thin layer and let it set for a minute or so, then you very carefully go in it with a scribing tool and mark the nothches in it. Perfect lines don’t matter because in reality, the lines were not straight. Also, the zimmermit was also subject to battle damage which should also be replicated. Hope this helps.
David
Tamiya makes a small set of zimmerit tools with the grooves so you can just rake it. You can also use a small razor-saw and rake it or even make your own tool out of small gears and just roll it along the putty. The slowest method is the the flat screwdriver where you push up and into the putty. It’s slow and the putty can dry and harden if you do too large an area.
When using putty, you’ll want to do small areas at a time. The putty can dry over large areas before you get to it. You can either buy an after-market tool or make one, or use a small flat-head screwdriver. Practice on spare parts before tackling the real deal.
Also, you might want to check sources…books, on-line sites, etc., as different German AFV’s had different patterns. I’ve seen JagdPanthers, for example, with Zimmerit in squares, some in diagonals, etc.
I did a Tiger I a few years back with a heated screwdriver blade. It was tedious, but it turned out OK.
Good luck!
-Sid
I don’t know if this is the “best” way, and since this was the first time I’ve zimmed a tank, I can’t claim to be an expert. Here’s what I did for my Panther to give it a vertical pattern zimmerit. I used Tamiya’s green polyester putty and Tamiya zimmerit tools. There zimmerit tools have two different tooth spacings. I used the large ones which are technically overscale in 1/35, but it doesn’t look too bad in that respect. The reason I didn’t use the smaller toothed tools was that I had concerns that the small teet would simply pull off the putty without really raking in the ridges.
I mixed the putty in small batches, and applied it only one row at a time, using a square exacto blade as a trowel. After laying down the the thin base coat, I raked it down using the narrow tool which is about 1/4 inch wide. I kept a damp cloth handy so I could wipe off the tool after every raking pass and keep its teeth clean.
The process seem a bit tedious: apply a strip of putty, rake, wipe, rake, wipe, rake, wipe, etc. then applay another strip of putty and repeat the rake, wipe cycle., but it really wasn’t that bad. I did each flat panel at one sitting, and it took only about five to ten minutes per panel. I worked in such small areas, with the hope that I would get just a bit more randomness than I would get using the wider tools. I didn’t want the tank to appear as though the zim had been applied with a three foot wide notched trowel.
The main considerations is to try and make your work random enough to appear real without being overly sloppy. Mix only small batches of putty, because once it starts to set up, it can no longer be raked. You also have to be careful not to mess up the zim on one panel when applying it to the next panel. Alternating between the turret an the hull helps in this respect. Make sure you have plenty of ventialtion as two-part putties and resins give off a lot of fumes (my wife seemed ready to divorce me during my zim’ing process)
Here are a couple of shots, duirng construction and after completion
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v624/ABARNE/Panther%20-%20Ausf%20A%201-35/Construction/
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v624/ABARNE/Panther%20-%20Ausf%20A%201-35/Finished/
ya i tried the screwdriver thing and it didn’t turn oout to good[banghead]
Well done zimmerit Abarne.