Seeking Advice

PanzerArm · Post by **PanzerArm** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 5:09 pm

I figured that while Cabe was painting my Pz. III N I would begin work on my next project, a s.pz.abt 501 Tiger I to go with the pz. III. I already have the action grade tiger I plan on using for the custom, but I have hit a snag. Zimmerit was not applied to Tigers in Tunisia, and the zimmerited surfaces on the tiger are in need of some smoothing. With the tiger's plastic surfaces this isn't going to be a problem, but since there are also metal surfaces that have zimmerit as well. Does anyone have any advice as to how I could get rid of the zimmerit and flatten out the metal zimmerit on this tank? I was thinking that a dremel might do the job, but since I do not own one and have no idea of its bits' capabilities I am not sure if that is actually what I need. Any suggestions out there?

Kevin

Panzer_M · Post by **Panzer_M** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 5:24 pm

i was thinking a rotary, although I've never had the issue of having to remove zim before, normally it the lack of it that's the issue.

pickelhaube · Post by **pickelhaube** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 5:32 pm

The Dremal will work but you will need to smooth it out after it is done. Bondo will work just fine but the build up may cause other problems. If you use the Dremal you can use the same Bondo to smooth everything out. Use the the small drum sander on the Dremal.

Panzer_M · Post by **Panzer_M** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 5:46 pm

green stuff modeling putty, will work also in the place of bondo, if you don't want a tub of extra bondo sitting around.

Der Kommandant · Post by **Der Kommandant** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 5:54 pm

I think the African Tigers were Early-production Tigers. The FoV one is a Mid-Production one.
The running gear is identical, but you'll be missing the correct hatch and Feifel air cleaners.
Just some thoughts.

pickelhaube · Post by **pickelhaube** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 6:20 pm

Panzer_M wrote:green stuff modeling putty, will work also in the place of bondo, if you don't want a tub of extra bondo sitting around.

Greenstuff takes an hour or longer to set up. The tube is 1/3 the size of a tube of toothpaste. The Bondo is about $6 a qt can. Green is $4.50 The Bondo will set hard in 5-10 mins. I have used Greenstuff as well as the equivalent in white before I saw the lite.

If you want to wait all day and put several coats and wait another day. Then the Greeny is for you. If you want to be done with the project in about an hour. Use the Bondo. If you look at some of my other posts you can see this for yourself.

The Greenstuff works well for small pin holes and the like and modelers use it for seem filling but it takes so long to set and get hard. I also use a glazing puuty that is made by Bodo. It is red and sets in about 1/2 to 1/3 the time. It is also cheaper I think at about $2 a tube and the tube is bigger than the Greenstuff. So you get more for your money.

Here is some Bondo at work. It is hiding the 1/2 inch plywood that I used as a spacer to elongate the cowling.

PanzerArm · Post by **PanzerArm** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 6:26 pm

I know there are other things to be done, which I have mentally conquered the solutions for already, it's just the zimmerit that I was really uncertain about. I chose to use the FOV tiger b/c of the running gear, and b/c it is just alot better than the 21st one. I was also gonna figure out a way to cut off the existing commander's copula and then constructing the new one. The feifel I was planing to construct, same goes for the smoke dischargers, s-mine discahrgers, the new exhaust covers, and several other little things. I guess I will be getting a dremel after my next paycheck and start the smoothing process, which is sure to take some time. I guess I'll also be looking into getting some bondo and some green stuff. Thanks for the help everyone.

Kevin

Panzer_M · Post by **Panzer_M** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 8:46 pm

I may have a 1/35 set of early exhaust for a tiger..I might have the air filters too in the spare box...I'll need to dig into it and see

Der Kommandant · Post by **Der Kommandant** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 8:49 pm

Shaping up to be another major project, eh?

PanzerArm · Post by **PanzerArm** » Sat Oct 11, 2008 10:11 pm

Definitely will be der kommandant, not as much complex fabrication as the last one, but more modification of the existing model. I think I'll go and get the dremel tomorrow and see what i can achieve. Thus far I've got it in my head tha I'll need to smooth out those zimmerit surfaces, smooth out the shell ejection hatch on the turret side, drill out the barrel, cut of the sides of the front mud-guards, cut off the commander's cupola, then make the new commander's copula, pistol ports for the turret sides, exhaust covers, feifels, and possibly the s-mine dischargers. I'm also going to sterilize the turret roof of some mid-model extras not present on the early tunisia tigers. Also i'm going to clean up the hull by ridding it of some of the accessories and also remove the spare tracks on the turret sides. The twin headlights will also need to be conquered, mine only has one

That's all I can really think of off the top of my head, but I'm sure as I get more into the project I'll discover some more to-dos.

And I apologize for not giving any news on any recent progress on the Panzer III ausf. N. It is currently away at Cabe's, and unfortunately for the project's progress, but certainly not for Cabe, there is a baby expected any day in that household and definitely not making life any easier for poor Cabe lol. I'll let everyone know as soon as I do when it is finished though!

Kevin

Small Scale Military Headquarters

Seeking Advice

Seeking Advice

dremel time

Major Project Indeed