Author Topic: 1/32 Mercedes D.IIIa Test Build Log  (Read 1603 times)

Offline NigelR

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Re: 1/32 Mercedes D.IIIa Test Build Log
« Reply #30 on: June 26, 2025, 06:23:25 PM »
This thread will be so useful when I build mine, thanks for sharing.

Offline Allan31

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Re: 1/32 Mercedes D.IIIa Test Build Log
« Reply #31 on: June 26, 2025, 09:40:50 PM »
Amazing. I have no words....
Did you have to go with standard size main bearings or scale 10thou over?.....
Thanks,
Allan Buttrick

Youth, talent, hard work, and enthusiasm are no match for old age and treachery.

Offline uncletony

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Re: 1/32 Mercedes D.IIIa Test Build Log
« Reply #32 on: June 27, 2025, 06:57:28 AM »
Did you have to go with standard size main bearings or scale 10thou over?.....

 ;D

This thread will be so useful when I build mine, thanks for sharing.

I can give you a couple of tips for finishing the crankshaft and con rods, should you choose to use them.

The con rods have support connections on either side; this is unfortunate but unavoidable. The parts are small enough that holding them while touching them up with a sanding stick is difficult, at least for me with my fat fingers. I made a very simple holding tool from a block of styrene, with holes drilled to accept two short (~10mm) lengths of brass tubing, 1.6mm OD and .7mm OD respectively, and spaced per the conrod's big end and wrist pin spacing. I don't have a great photo of it but you can most of it in the lower right hand corner of this photo:




This simple tool makes it MUCH easier to handle the conrods while prepping them for paint.

To hold the conrods while painting, I CA'ed a short length of 1.6mm OD to a round toothpick (aka "cocktail stick" to Brits, if I'm not mistaken). Slip the conrod over the brass tube until it is up against the toothpick. Secure with an even shorter length of 1.8mm OD (1.6mm ID) tube slipped over the first tube and snug against the conrod.

Similarly, I glued 1.8mm OD / 1.6mm ID lengths of tube to toothpicks to hold the crankshaft sections by the crank pin for handling and painting, first marking the toothpicks with stripes so that I could keep everything straight in terms of what goes where.

I primed the crankshaft parts and conrods with Alclad Black Micro-Filler primer before spraying with Alclad Chrome. I did not polish the black primed parts before spraying the chrome on, which may have been worthwhile. To the naked eye and even under magnification the metallic effect is pretty convincing; the macro lens however can be a cruel master.


Offline NigelR

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Re: 1/32 Mercedes D.IIIa Test Build Log
« Reply #33 on: June 27, 2025, 06:36:51 PM »
Thanks for the tips Bo. I had planned to use mine closed up in "special" builds but I can see I might be tempted to do a maintenance scene.........