Hardware Shipbreakers LAV part 3

The body was primed with light grey primer and then masked and sprayed with a can of yellow enamel.

The window frames were left in grey primer, some parts sprayed matte black and the roof sensor cylinder sprayed with matte white primer.

At this stage there were no occupants of the vehicle. To rectify that omission I built a rudimentary console and some seat backs to suit a couple of Tamiya Bruiser driver figures. These figures appear to be about 1/8 scale. They were test fitted in the body and seemed to be the right size for the model.

Next up I did some more appalling figure painting before finally gluing them permanently in the cockpit. In the third picture below you can see that I added a beard to the left side figure to try and make them not look like identical twins.

Weathering amd graphics came next. Grunge was applied using a mix of tamiya flat black and brown heavily diluted in methylated spirits (ethanol). This was brushed on in all the grooves and around all the detail parts and then wiped off with a metho soaked rag. Dry brushing followed using artists acrylic in a very light yellow colour and the black parts with a light grey. This was applied with a make up brush which works very well.

Some hazard stripe graphics (visible in the concept art) were drawn up and cut on a Silhouette Portrait 3 cutting machine in matte black vinyl. Once the machine has cut out all the shapes the bits you dont want are "weeded" out with a pointy weeding tool. Then I use masking tape as a transfer medium. The masking tape is stuck down firmly over the graphic parts and the backing removed. The masking tape and graphics are then placed on the vehicle and burnished down, then the the masking tape carefully removed leaving the graphics in place. The transfer medium needs to be somewhat transparent so you can see where you are applying the graphics. It also needs a gum that is weaker than the gum on the vinyl or the graphics wont stay on the model.

A few rectangular bits of red and white vinyl were also cut out by hand and applied in varous spots on the model.

One thing I forgot to mention is I added a whip aerial to the roof made from a length of bicycle brake cable and a few suitable kit parts. As per the concept art, the tail of the aerial is retained at the rear of the roof by a fitting made from a loop of wire.

Finally here is the completed model.

Thanks for looking.

More soon...

Hardware Shipbreakers LAV part 2

The Speed controller is a cheap brushed controller capable of running 3s - 6s (12 - 24 volts). I'm only using two 2s lipos in series providing 4s at 14.4 volts.

The lighting plugs into the balance lead of one of the batteries and runs through a voltage booster to increase the 7.2 volts to 12 volts. The plug is made from some PCB pins and a blob of hot glue. It plugs into the red and black wires of the balance connector.

I am running a three channel radio so the third channel is for the two speed gear shift. The lights will have to be plugged in manually and left on (or off) all the time rather than be switched on remotely from the transmitter which is what I usually do.

Once the chassis and electrics was fully sorted it was back to the body to complete all the details.

First up was the tubular bumper.

I made a plywood jig that incorporated all the angles needed and then using a hot air gun bent a 10mm diameter solid ABS rod into shape each corner at a time.

This was attached to the front of the body with some gussets as per the concept art. Also added was a small cylindrical bit of detail made from some PVC conduit, evergreen textured sheet and a 1/25 truck kit wheel.

A smaller diameter ABS rod was heat bent for the lighting rail on the roof.

On the other side is a larger diameter cylindrical Air filter like thing made in a similar fashion. It is attached with screws on the inside. The rubber hose is a short piece of round spongy neoprene rubber rod. Like the solid ABS rod it can be bent with out folding in on itself though in this case it is not heat bent.

Vents in the sides of the hood were made from triangular grey plastic strip and glued on.

Skirts were made to bring the body profile down to meet the RC chassis ans detailed with strips of 3mm foamed PVC and a few kit parts.

I could not find any concept artwork showing the rear of the vehicle so I just made it up with some detail parts. The green panels are the roofs of two rubbish truck toys complete with their orange light bezels. The two tanks are made from PVC plumbing parts. 

I decided to put some white LEDs behind the orange light bezels.

Spot lights are a purchased 1/10 scale item which I installed white LEDs inside.

Next up were the side mirrors. The housings were drawn up in Onshape and 3D printed. Perspex mirror was cut up and clipped into the housings and a brass rod support made.

Lastly was the short ladder and handrail shown in some of the concept pictures. the rod is 5mm diameter solid ABS with ladder sides from 2mm styrene.

That wraps up the construction phase.

Next up is paint.

Thanks for looking.

More soon...