I have had Microsol discolour the underlying paint once, but it was a gloss clear it reacted with. Ever since then I usually wait a few days before adding decals over clear.
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This was Future gloss Peter.. Interesting to hear it’s not the first time this has happened.
Lesson learned!
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Like most decal setting solutions, it is an acetone and alcohol based solution, so too much will run the risk of softening the underlying paint/varnish or floor polish as in your case. Fully cured paint can still be softened, but barely cured paint will more than likely be affected.
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Another few steps forward. Matt coat and most* decals on.
*Future doesn’t work for sealing home-printed decals, it’s water-soluble.
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I’ve done some paint work on the radio, dash, fire extinguisher and fuel can. The bent wire in the center is the power cable for the radio mount and the thin wire attached to the radio is the antenna cable.
I also sanded down the “canvas” on the trailer’s cover - looks a lot better than before IMO.
Getting closer to doing the MERDC paint - most likely by hairy brush.
Mike
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Well track runs done. Ended up having 67 links per side, 2 more track links than the Hobby Boss rubber bands. Test fit shows a nice snug fit, although I needed to scrape the drive sprocket teeth each side. The tracks were somewhat brittle and some end connectors and pins became casualties. Surprisingly though, a couple of pads broke in half!
Making a start on the rest now. I’m glad I bought the Eduard sets for the kit, as the Kit Etch is a tad chunky and unrefined compared to the Eduard set:
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Sometimes photo etch makes all the difference in the word! Resin bits too.
Tracks look good Peter. 
Mike
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Thanks Mike.
Just a heads up for any of you looking to build one of these in the future - Test fit everything!
The fit of the drive sprockets and suspension assemblies is extremely loose. To keep the sprockets from angling downward they have to be pushed all the way in so the inside ring is flush up to the hull - the ring to hull is what keeps it in alignment, only this means the sprocket is too far inward and the tracks kink inward! To remedy this, the sprocket mounts got strips of styrene added so the diameter of the mount is the same as the hole in the sprocket itself.
I filled the location holes for the pins on the bogie mounts with Milliput and pressed the bogie in place. I then supported the hull on a Lego frame with some post-it note leaves to get the right height, so the wheels in the bogies sat on the bench top. A couple of steel blocks either side stopped the bogies from splaying out. After the putty set, I added Tamiya Extra Thin to the mating surfaces of the bogie mount and hull.
The front bench seat for the driver fouls on the gear stick mounting bolt and the protrusion for the mounting frame. I cut away the mount and the bolt head on the gear lever, then made a hollow under the bench so it sat down correctly. None of this can be seen in the end.
You will also notice a gap in the floor panel to hull. That is because the hull splayed out somewhat. I have since glued the floor in place and clamped it so the fit is corrected. Hopefully the glue is enough to keep the shape until the cab gets glued down .
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Hello Peter, built anything by ICM yet?
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Very nice. New tracks sit very well on wheels and floor.
On the last picture PE part improves a lot the kit part.
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Good news, I’ve discovered a couple lengths of chain. Not enough to completely tie the Pod down on the trailer but enough to get one, maybe two points covered. The rest of the chain is in the air somewhere.
As a consequence, I can put the shackle rings on the trailer, including working out which ones the chains need to connect to.
Onward!
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Yes I have Doug. The Aussie Model T, the Mercedes Type G4 and the Liberty truck. The first and last I built for a friend. The Mercedes I did as a ‘Hogan’s Heroes’ build:
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Doug? If this is for me Peter, it’s Den. Your builds look excellent by the way. I was an avid Hogan’s Heroes watcher back in my teenage years.
ETA My experience with the ICM Pod leaves me with the impression that they could develop their “fit” qualities a little.
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Sorry, I had just finished reading another post from Doug… brain snap.
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Been building the tiedowns over the last couple of sessions. Rather than using cyclo……superglue, I’ve snagged some very fine thread
“ invisible sewing thread” I’m told, from my lady wife’s hobby. I’ve tied the chain pieces to the strainers ( Accurate Armour, my last set) reinforced them with a tiny dab of s’glue, then airbrushed them to get a thorough coverage, which is difficult with a brush.
Need to finish number three and build number four tomorrow. Then I’ll weather them and post a pic.
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