Saturday 27 September 2014

Details, Details, Details...

All,

At a time when we are swamped with "real work", I have had very little time to indulge in the hobby over the last few weeks.  Of course having plenty of work is a good sign for any business...but I do miss my down time and the ability to bubble along with modelling projects.

I have however spent a few nights assembling some detail type items and having a quick flick thru the myriad of storage draws and cupboards just to reacquaint my ever diminishing memory regarding hobby items.  Most of these items were bought in bulk when putting in an order either to the UK or the USA.  They arrive and of course are labelled as " they will be useful someday".  In reality they are moderately thought out purchases intended to be package fillers and take full advantage of the importation postage costs.

The first item to look at is the humble forklift truck.  With the shed project almost complete, I am now searching for the final detail items and a forklift would be perfect to add some "movement" to the scene.  There are of course, plenty of examples of HO forklift trucks either in kit form or RTR...and the quality is quite varied as well.  It would have been easier to have chosen an out of the box truck with only weathering to be added before placing it in the scene.  Unfortunately the only one I could find that fitted my requirements ( proposed shed vintage and detail)  was in kit form...but as luck would have it I had purchased a few of these very kits some time back.

The chosen kit is manufactured by a mob called GHQ Models ( from the USA) and they are sold as part of their "Road Master" series.  They have a fair range of industrial type vehicles and I did manage to purchase examples of most of the range although I did probably buy too many...ah well!!!

The kit was almost entirely manufactured from "100% Britannia Pewter" with only one brass etching...that being the driver protection cage.  The parts are extremely well moulded with very little flash requiring removal and have more than satisfactory detail....Indeed it would appear to me that they have engineered the moulds to ensure that component removal is very well enhanced and well thought out!  The instructions are very well written with plenty of photos to aid construction... The mast can be assembled to simulate any height and in my case I decided to model the unit with forks lowered.

For anyone who is keen to tackle a pewter/white metal type kit, this would be a good start.  Admittedly it is a small sucker...but with little part preparation required, and not containing a heap of components...it is a good place to start.

Put it this way...upon completion of this kit...you should be able to postpone your next optometrists appointment!


An example of the GHQ range...


The main components with a first coat of paint and trial fit 

     


Almost finished and seeing if it enhances the scene...

6 comments:

  1. Very nice Rod, that looks like a quality kit, the weathering is spot on and it really looks at home there in the shed. Top stuff mate!

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  2. I agree with Geoff, that fork lift is fantastic and really adds something. I could have done with that when I built my bagged clay store.

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  3. Yep, the fork lift is looks great, especially at work in the shed. That is some fine modelling Rod.

    Linton

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  4. Geoff, Iain, Linton

    Thanks for your comments and encouragement as per usual...The only pity about this whole project is that I don't think it will be gracing the layout...Try as I might I just can't visualise a home for it. I guess I have a couple of weeks until completion and a decision will then be made. I have that many finished projects just laying around...I am running out of space and they deserve to be on a layout...Anyway time will tell!

    Regards,
    Rod

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  5. That truck just lifts the entire scene - absolutely first rate work Rod!

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  6. Rod, I feel a little guilty about this...I went all lyrical about the fork-lift, but I should have complimented you on what a great job you have done on that shed. I really like the way that breeze-block office works inside, so much better than my nondescript one, and your weathering and construction is spot on. I hope you can find a space for it!

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