Cherry Pickers Mounted Band (1 Viewer)

[johnnybach]

Hi Brad - not really meant for such as you - however - you're very welcome. As I have said before - there are many "lookers in" to this forum ( I was one myself before actually joining) - and my inspirations have been very helpful people too - so am only really trying to build on the help that has been given to me. I'm pretty sure we all do things differently - and this is just my take on how I do it. As for Beating Retreat - that's just in a different league altogether!

I'm pretty sure by now that my Hussars are going to look alright once they are all done - and I'm even planning a "Cavalry Massed Band" event at the conclusion of this project. I have made up two other Cavalry bands from castings prior to this one: The Scots Greys and 16th Lancers, with a similar format to these boys - so am just looking forward to some serious playtime - when they all come out and play for me. I hope that La Commandante will agree to take the salute - and plan to put the event on camera too - so you can all get a good look! Should be around sixty plus riders on parade that day - and I hope it will be quite an eyeful!^&grin I only wish that I had Queen Vikki in the Ivory Phaeton at hand - as I put off purchasing that model until another time.( Drat!!! next year - perhaps!).

However - back to the task in hand for now - a bit more to do yet before the flags come out.!

 

[johnnybach]

Pausing for dinner ( allows paint to dry a bit)^&grin - I have now finished off the first pass at the fronts and backs of the riders. Leave all of this to dry thoroughly overnight - and I can then go around again and tidy everything up, as it's all still a bit scruffy. Note that I have painted the cross-belt and rear pouch Ivory (Humbrol 41). I often prefer this to white as it gives a nice "antique" finish that is softer than pure white - and I think covers better. Note a small touch for whites of the eyes - before second coat of paint on the face in flesh (Humbrol 61). This means that if you overdo the amount of white for the eyes, you can modify with the paint brush with the flesh colour. If you want a more "sun-tanned" basic colour for the face - mix in a little Matt Brown ( Humbrol 62). I often do cheeks with this mix with a touch of red - as it gives a more rustic look to the lads.

Note in the background centre, my trombonist is now finished on his dapple grey. My other Grey in front is not far off - though not quite finished yet.

Note also the arms instruments in front for the three being worked on - which have had coats of paint on their respective parts, when I have had spare paint left on the pallet (Marge tub lid). Waste not - want not! Tomorrow could be hat and face painting - and probably some horse-work. We will see how the time goes. jb

 

[theBaron]

Eagerly awaiting the massed band display! I like a display like that at Christmas time, too, it looks neat under the tree.

Prost!
Brad

 

[johnnybach]

That's a good idea Brad - I do have a few wooden toy soldiers I use like that - I'll have to run that one past La Commandante's Flag Pole - and see who salutes it!^&grin

Not too hopeful, however, - I will perhaps await an oportune moment.

(thinks: - wedding aniversary - nope! How about her Birthday - definitely nope! - My Birthday -Hmmm...maybe the best chance of a positive outcome?).:wink2:

Maybe try a bit of bribery? Out to lunch perchance. How's about promising to clean her jackboots - or her Luger? Hmmmm.....^&confuse

I have, however, pre-booked the space on "The Sewing Room Parade Ground" in advance for the massed Band Parade photo's - probably when "herself" is out at Sewing Club!

I'll let you know how it all turns out, Brad!{sm2}

 

[theBaron]

...I'll let you know how it all turns out, Brad!{sm2}

As long as it doesn't turn out with smashed crockery or a rolling pin to the head

Prost!
Brad

 

[johnnybach]

Oh! no Brad - I wouldn't chuck any plates around - or use a rolling pin on my beloved!

How do you do this........He-he-he!

 

[johnnybach]

Back to the serious stuff! Before you can have a parade - first you have to have some troops! (SMALL reminder to HM Government there! I'm all for reducing the Lt. Colonels - but watch out for the guys that actually "squeeze off the rounds"). Hope that's not TOO political.{eek3}

Below find an update on progress of my TS project. (Yes folks - these are TOYS). In the front of this pic - find my Tuba player - just fitted with arms/instrument. Note the small fillet of milliput between shoulder and arm (very small - due to skill of fitting agent - i.e - me! - hurrah!!!). There's nearly always a gap - so needs filling - then finally painting). Next along is my Sax player - more to do yet - then my Corporal (Yay! - at last - a promotion!) and finally my Tenor Horn player. All at different stages in progression.

A small note on "promotions". I usually choose - quite late on in painting - which are "the best" arms to paint on NCO stripes. These will be smooth and wide enough to show them off - and that's why the Cornetist gets the nod - on this ocassion. It also helps - if I'm not too Grumpy!:wink2:

I think that I might need to base-up my last three musicians tomorrow.........jb

 

[johnnybach]

Latest update on progress shows my twelve completed figures in the background (Note my Corporal playing the Cornet on a Grey). The Tuba player, left front, is almost ready to be varnished, with just a few touch-ups required. Sax player needs arms on next , and Tenor Horn needs horse painting. This means that whilst all of those are drying - I can prep three more bases for the last of my musicians. After those three - there are just three more Escort OR's carrying carbines (just like the Hussar behind the Tuba player) - and we'll be there! I should hopefully complete the lot, by the end of this month! Hurrah! jb

 

[johnnybach]

Tuba player now joins the "Completed So Far" brigade. Couldn't resist a new pic. - Sorry!

 

[johnnybach]

Well - its beginning to get a bit busy down there now. However, working from the front backwards - you can clearly see the two new castings - now mounted up on their bases - with between them, my saxophonist and tenor horn player - now with arms and instruments. Still a bit of work on those two before they can join the rest of the band - but not much - legs and feet and a bit of horsey grooming to do on those two.

Quite nice to see how they progress from "silver fish" to the (almost) finished item though - don't you think?

 

[johnnybach]

Just finished my Saxophonist and one of the two Tenor Horn players, so have added them to the growing band ( see if you can find them now!).

I thought that I would show you what I have left to do - for this project - so have laid them out in front of those already completed. This is quite a useful thing for me to do - especially when "Hussar Fatigue" begins to set in - as it shows not only what is left to do - but reinforces what has already been done.

You can see that the last three musicians have been based up (Fife, Clarinet and remaining Tenor Horn). I have also tipped the final piece onto his side - to show how the three legs of each horse that are on the base, have been drilled and pinned for solidity. These will be very stable!(sic.). So it's 15 down - six more to go. One more pic below that. Need to get some green out soon - and start some bases.

 

[johnnybach]

Just to show you that not everything goes smoothly for us - a small repair was necessary for this figure. Occasionally, when putting together pieces, small repairs are required. This may be because of a malformed piece of casting - or - as in this case, my clumsiness. The arms of this musician figure have a "peg" at the shoulder joint, which fit into a slot in the body. These often need a bit of trimming/filing when dry fitting - to keep the eventual joint snug and with as small a gap as possible. No big deal usually, but a careless slip with a craft knife when trimming, removed the peg altogether.

No problemo! Just another use for the drill and pin technique. I first drilled a hole in the upper arm (see below) - then held it in place and drilled into the hole in the body and inserted a steel pin (again, see below) - keeping it long enough so that it protruded well out from the body of the piece. Then, I cut it to fit and epoxy resin glued it into position. After twenty minutes it was solid ( I use fast acting glue) - so cleaned up the joint and dry fitted the arm to check it out - and - a perfect fit.

When I am ready to fit the arm, (after painting at least the front of the body), everything will fit perfectly - and a small bit of milliput to seal it and a coat of paint - and it will be as good as new - and a strong joint.

Note also that I have filed off the stubs of the pins which were protruding under the base - which is another use for the same technique.

 

[theBaron]

Hi, John, I do the same thing as a matter of course on some manufacturers' figures. Imrie-Risley, for example--the lugs or pins on some of their castings are sculpted too shallow to get any good grip. Same goes for my Prins August SYW castings. Deploy the file and pin vise!

Oh! no Brad - I wouldn't chuck any plates around - or use a rolling pin on my beloved!

How do you do this........He-he-he!

Hehe, I meant you--figured you'd have to put on your tin hat for that one. "She Who Must Be Obeyed"

Prost!
Brad

 

[johnnybach]

Hi, John, I do the same thing as a matter of course on some manufacturers' figures. Imrie-Risley, for example--the lugs or pins on some of their castings are sculpted too shallow to get any good grip. Same goes for my Prins August SYW castings. Deploy the file and pin vise!

Consider them - deployed! - though I did use my electric drill, mostly, - far quicker!




Hehe, I meant you--figured you'd have to put on your tin hat for that one. "She Who Must Be Obeyed"

Prost!
Brad

I know - just pulling your leg! She's not such a Dragon! ( Ouch! - Hello Dear!)^&grin

 

[johnnybach]

A dinner with friends, and my donning the sous-chef apron for a while, meant that no work on the band was undertaken for a brief interlude. Normal service has, however, now been restored - and I have completed putting all of my remaining six figures on their bases - and begun some paintwork on all of them.

For the first time, therefore, I am able to position the whole of my group how I ultimately intend to display them - so I thought I would take a pic - and show you what they will look like. Not too bad - I think.^&grin

 

[johnnybach]

The latest developments on my last six figures for this group are shown below. At front left is my completed Mounted Hussar with carbine in hand - and next to him are three more. Note the arm holding a carbine, which originally did have a very small butt,(re-cast Britains spare part) - which has been extended by me to better suit the final appearance with this figure.

The next three figures are my last Band Musicians, who are at a slightly more advanced painted stage - with arms instruments in front of them - as I am still painting the front of the tunic with cast-in frogging. This is a first pass - and will need tidying up before contemplating fitting of the arms yet. Note the different colour busby headgear of the musicians to the dark-brown of the normal hussars of this Regiment. If you look how the final instruments are held close to, and in front of the body of all three, you can perhaps appreciate, how much more difficult it would be to do a tidy job on such intricate uniform detail, if the arms were fitted before any painting took place. jb

 

[johnnybach]

I have been concentrating on the last three Musicians, as you may see below, and am getting near to putting the arms and instruments on to each figure - so hope it won't be too long before I finish these off, when the Band part will be complete. Can then concentrate on the last three of the Escort group, with carbines.

 

[johnnybach]

I have just put the arms/instruments on the last three band musicians. Always a bit tricky wiggling in the fife. Need to let these set - then fill any gaps at the shoulder with small rolls of milliput, where required. After that - clean up, complete painting of shoulder joint - complete any other painting - working from the top down where possible. Just simple painting/shading of horse from now on. I'm aiming for a finish similar to Britains Specials with these, if possible.

 

[aujj65]

Hi Johnny,

I haven't spent much time on the forum as late (selling the house, building work, moving in and unpacking etc..) so I have just spent an hour working my way through this thread.

Well, I thought I painted "arse-about-face" ! ^&grin:wink2:^&grin But I see you have here a very fine assemble of mounted figures, which I must say have turned out most impressive so far....^&cool^&cool

Great stuff and a bit late I know but, Happy New Year to you and your good wife. :smile2:

{bravo}}{bravo}}{bravo}}

Jeff

 

[johnnybach]

Hi Jeff - so you've been on the move - It's a sort of love/hate thing isn't it? Love it when it's over - hate it whilst all the problems come up! Glad to hear you're on the nicer bits now.

Yup - we all have our funny ways of painting 'em I guess - and this is mine! I have been wanting to have a go at Hussars for years - and felt Now was the time - so here goes. Britains did it a bit differently - just painting the frogging on - but mine have it cast in - so - just gave it a shot. I'm pretty pleased with the way they have gone - though am running out of fine point brushes SO quickly. I have even resorted to using a bit of primer!!! I remembered your tip that it was less hard on brushes that way.

Still a few more to go though it shouldn't be too long now. Nice to hear that you seem to be settling in again......Hope you and yours have a good one too....jb