The second track is also finished. We continued with the handles, which were made from wire. The mud flaps were shortened with a saw and capped upwards.
Z.V.
5 Likes
Is it easy to use the jig to build the workable tracks ?
Need to secure it to avoid a movable tool ?
For each gluing step, need to avoid put some glue on the jig if you don’t want to have the tracks links glued on the jig.
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Glue is not needed. The track remains fully mobile.
With the tool it is easy to build the tracks.
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What scale is your cannon kit? It looks like fun.
Paul
I broke into the SSModels 1/35 LeFH1BB2 self propelled gun kit this past weekend. It was shipped with some damaged parts but the eBay seller in China made good by sending me fresh parts to replace the broken ones. These SSModels kits can range from very nice like the Vickers A1E1 kit to rather course and clumsy like the M2A4 light tank kit I just finished last weekend. Even that one looks pretty good in the display case. We will see how this one comes out!
I bought this kit expecting it would be one of those weird and wonderful French vehicles. Despite what is says on the box, it is in fact a German rebuild of a captured French tank. From what I could determine, the combination was not considered a success with many problems with the automotive components breaking down. Few were built and those were pretty quickly out of service.
Paul
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Looks like an all 3D printed kit? Interesting…
Typical of these SSModels kits there is a lot of cleanup on the rear of the hull. For some reason, the texture at the back resembles a plucked chicken. This requires a lot of sanding and the rivet details can disappear.
The back of the track sections was weird. It was very thick and soft & oily as if the resins had not cured. Working on one quickly fouled the sanding stick so I moved this project to the kitchen sink to use some dish soap & warm water. This went better but the material still seemed soft & oily. I remember someone else had a problem like this with another brand of 3D kit and set the parts in the sun to “cure” which solved his problem. My parts are sitting on a window sill now. We shall see if the material hardens There is going to be a lot more sanding needed.
There is a picture showing the instructions - that’s all there is folks!
Paul
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Yes, I have been building quite a few of these all 3D kits in the last couple of years. They are often of long neglected subjects and can be quite nice. For example, the Vargas kit of the Mk. VIII Liberty Tank is exceptional for any method of kit making.
Paul
1 Like
1/16th. 
Mike
It seems there is a lot of sanding work on this kit because of all those printed lines.
There can be a lot of sanding in certain areas and it is not always easy to get to these areas. On the other hand, many areas are commendably smooth and need nothing more than a light sand to give the surface some tooth for the paint to cling to. Look at the picture of the hull and outside of the sponson’track assembly. Very nice work there by the kit maker.
Paul
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I’ve started the 2S23 turret assembly. Small parts need thorough cleaning to fit (hatch hinges, lifting eyes …)
More at FFE 2S23 Nona
Olivier
2 Likes
Between working on the house and a Revell '32 Ford Highboy, I’ve spent a fair amount of time with needle files and my rotary tool cleaning up the flash and the nasty seam lines. I have one other kit from this manufacturer, the caisson, and I’m thinking it’ll be the last purchase.
Paint wise, I’ll be painting it much like the museum displays - green and satin black and some “dark iron” or “cold rolled steel” colors.
My Ford - main parts are dry-fitted so I can align another part or two.
Happy modeling my fellow sprue-nutts! 
Mike
2 Likes
Well, the '32 Ford’s body is sitting in Purple Power. Went to put a second coat of clear gloss and accidentally hit it with primer. Oooops.
That soaking time allowed me to finish cleaning up the white metal parts on the Napoleon.
Model Shipwrights probably needs to see about repairing/replacing their molds - the mold halves were off pretty bad. 
Mike
3 Likes
That '32 Ford may be the old Monogram kit from something like 50 years ago. The newer kits are a lot different . . .
Paul
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I had lots of fun removing the excess material on the 3D printed SSModels 1/35 LeFH1BB2 self propelled gun kit. I tried a sanding stick and found that it quickly gummed up with an oily sludge. Somewhere I read a tip about these 3D kits sometimes needing UV curing. I washed the parts and set them on a window ledge out of direct sun for a couple of days. Betty Boop, the kitty did not take any interest in them unlike the Bell 47/H-13 project that she had attacked a couple of weeks ago. I thought that model looked like a bug and she did too!
The curing did the trick. The material hardened and was now workable. Sanding made very little progress, filing was not much better so the trusty old Dremel with a barrel shaped burr was given yet another job. I was concerned that the material might melt with higher speeds and started using the two slowest speeds. Later I found that the middle speed worked best, it removed more material and had less chatter. The chatter was destructive as the tool had to be lightly held and could be kicked off target with nasty results to the brittle material.
I spent about 3 hours removing the excess plastic and ensuring a good close fit. Next time I’ll bet I could cut that time in half!
Now its on to cleaning and fitting other parts.
Paul
12 Likes
I’ve just noticed that I didn’t post any update about the painting step.
It’s over now. I consider this build complete.
More details here FFE 2S23 NONA-SVK
Olivier
14 Likes
Darn, you’re fast.
1 Like