Small scale figure Step by step (SBS). A 1/48 freebie Paul Hicks sculpt is the victim.

Tim Marlow

Tim Marlow

Little blokes aficionado
SMF Supporter
Joined
Apr 27, 2018
Messages
16,777
Points
113
Location
Somerset
First Name
Tim
Hi all.
Some of you, well, one or two, have asked if I could do another SBS on painting small figures. It’s a couple of years since I did the last one, and some things I do slightly differently than I did then, so here we go…….

The victim is going to be this guy
4F1FC9A9-DEC8-4EBB-B35F-6E5AA7361127.jpeg

There have been a few aircraft group builds recently, so he seems appropriate. I’m sure most of us feel like him when we build aircraft models, and I bet more than one of us has done this with a build, including appropriate Dakka Dakka Dakka noises…..

He is a white metal figure that was given away as a freebie to those that went to the Salute 2020 wargames show at Olympia in London. The theme in 2020 was the eightieth anniversary of the Battle of Britain. Unfortunately the show was held back by Covid, so I got him in the eighty one and a half anniversary……

The sculptor was Paul Hicks, well known in wargames figure circles, and he is slightly caricatured rather than being absolutely to scale. Not sure quite how well he will paint up, so let’s see……

Next part will be cleaning up tools…..if you want to know anything, or I haven’t explained anything properly, just give me a shout and I’ll do what I can…..
 
Tim Marlow

Tim Marlow

Little blokes aficionado
SMF Supporter
Joined
Apr 27, 2018
Messages
16,777
Points
113
Location
Somerset
First Name
Tim
langy71 said:
If you could re-shape the 'spitfire' to something looking more akin to a Sturmovik, this could easily pass for a younger version of comrade Race, having fun in his backyard.... ;)
Click to expand...
He could always pretend it’s a YAK fighter Chris…..
 
Tim Marlow

Tim Marlow

Little blokes aficionado
SMF Supporter
Joined
Apr 27, 2018
Messages
16,777
Points
113
Location
Somerset
First Name
Tim
OK then, I seem to have woken some of the rabble up, so here is part two…..quite short this…..

White metal is no harder to deal with than plastic, in my experience, and I basically use the same tools. Here they are…..

3220B518-BFC5-4680-97C2-F46AA289B198.jpeg

On the right are cheap or old files. They are of indeterminate origin. Don’t use good ones, the white metal can clog them up. Cheap Chinese sets are ideal for this. They are used conventionally, simply as files.

We have a coarse square file, usually used for bases. A flat file, fairly fine, for straight edges. A needle file, again fairly fine, used for edges, iniform creases, and opening out holes. If you use it for opening out holes, rotate it anti-clockwise. It won’t bind in the hole then. Lastly there is a half round file, useful for all sorts of jobs. This one gets used as much as all the others combined……

Next up are the two scalpels. Both of these are in retractable handles. I always retract these at the end of a session to protect both the blades, and my hands. After all, if the blade isn’t sticking out, you can’t grab it by accident.

I have a number 15 and a number 10A here. Usually I use a number 11 instead of the 10A, but I ran out last time I changed the blade…..the 15 is the most used. I find it a superb clean up tool because of the many angles it presents to the surface. The 10A is really only used for small openings. I have others, and Stanley knives, but they are just heavier variations on the 10A, and I only really use them for sheet cutting in plastic scratch work these days. By the way, Swann Morton scalpels are gold standard in my opinion, much better than those sold as modelling knives.

These mostly get used as scrapers when working with white metal. To do this, hold the blade at about 80 to 85 degrees to the surface and pull the blade across the piece in the direction of the smaller angle. They will slice away flash, but will need a little more force than you are used to, so keep your other hand behind the blade, or you might get flesh instead……

At the top are the folds of Emery paper that I use. The wet and dry is 600 grit and the other two are 1200 grit (though they appear coarser). These are used dry to smooth seams and awkward areas, like between the fingers.

The scriber is used to “texture” areas I scrape or sand off detail from when removing seam lines.

Ladt tool is very important! It’s a very old toothbrush that I use wet to scrub swarf and dust away from the area being worked on.

Saying all this, the subject did need much clean up, just a few minor seam lines and mould vents. If you don’t know what mould vents are, they are sometimes visible as thin thread like attachments on white metal figures. They let the air out of the mould so the metal can properly fill it.

Hope this was of interest…….and that the descriptions are clear :thumb2:
 
stillp

stillp

SMF Supporter
Joined
Nov 17, 2016
Messages
7,220
Points
113
Location
Rugby
First Name
Pete
Jim R said:
Very interesting Tim. I look forward to picking up some tips. One question - "Just what exactly is White Metal"?
Click to expand...
From Wikipedia:
The white metals are a series of often decorative bright metal alloys used as a base for plated silverware, ornaments or novelties, as well as any of several lead-based or tin-based alloys used for things like bearings, jewellery, miniature figures, fusible plugs, some medals and metal type.[1] The term is also used in the antiques trade for an item suspected of being silver, but not hallmarked.

A white metal alloy may include antimony, tin, lead, cadmium, bismuth, and zinc (some of which are quite toxic). Not all of these metals are found in all white metal alloys. Metals are mixed to achieve a desired goal or need. As an example, a base metal for jewellery needs to be castable, polishable, have good flow characteristics, have the ability to cast fine detail without an excessive amount of porosity and cast at between 230 and 300 °C (446 and 572 °F)
 
Tim Marlow

Tim Marlow

Little blokes aficionado
SMF Supporter
Joined
Apr 27, 2018
Messages
16,777
Points
113
Location
Somerset
First Name
Tim
Jim R said:
Very interesting Tim. I look forward to picking up some tips. One question - "Just what exactly is White Metal"?
Click to expand...
In this case it’s pewter Jim. There are lots of metal mixes called white metal, usually sourced from the jewellery trade. They are very like solder to handle, and can be assembled using it if you are careful. Older figures had lead content in the mix, which made them a bit softer. That’s not allowed in some markets, so most are now a pewter lead free type mix.

Its chosen for this application because the metal has a low melting point due to its eutectic, and expands slightly on freezing (like water) so it takes detail better.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top