Can anyone tell me if my thoughts are correct please.Ive been thinking about back dateing tamiyas panther g to an a ,ive sorted out the hull sides but its the engine deck thats got me.My plan is to use the engine deck from a kingtiger from the minimal info that i have it looks like a simple chop and swap job am iright in this thinking or have i missed something?
As for the book bit i have acopy of waldermar trojca's stug iii and iv at war that iwould like to get rid off, im open to trades of kits or other books thanks for looking and any input to my panther problem will be most welcome wayne

the KT engine deck will not work for a Panther. There are some superficial resemblances between some of the fittings on the Panther and King Tiger engine decks, but the sizes and proportions are generally not the same.

looks like that theorys down the toilet.i wonder how iron bob did his rear deck for his ones,still there has to be a way ,looks like its back to the drawing board .thanks wayne

I am thinking that without scaled plans showing the engine deck, you would be out of options anyways! A scratchbuild should be possible, but very challenging with those plans in hand.

Ken

masters. I am trying to decide what to do with them. Please be aware that I will not let these sit in my office forever. If I cannot produce them, I WILL sell the masters to someone who can. The masters need some additional detailing, and only the late ausf D can be done - there are no 16-bolt wheels, and the early Ds used a different track. Using a late D will work, and these late Ds were found in Normandy, southern France, and Italy. The late Ds had 24-bolt road wheels, and most used the later ausf A/G tracks with the ice spregs on the links. Bob modeled both the D and A turrets (and they are not at all the same in detail, not just the cupola). I aso have to make the sponson floor pieces for the D/A upper hull, and the tool stowage brackets.

Let me bring you up to speed on the Iron Division situation. Bob has had some serious health problems, which is the main reason he has disappeared. He will come back when he is better. I spent a morning with the guy who was to be my resin guru. Unfortunately, he turned out to be more of a tinkerer. He can produce resin parts but he is a "seat of the pants" operator, doing everything by guessing at correct proportions. He mixed his RTV by color matching a mold he liked. This may in fact work, but my experience in medical photography has convinced me you must be able to have reproducible results, and guessing at every turn won't cut it.

So, I am having to learn the RTV molding/resin casting system myself, with a system that, when applied, will give me regular results I can predict. I am currently considering acquiring the vacuum/pressure tank equipment needed for really high quality resin molding, and if I can do this for a price I can afford easily, I can move ahead. I do have some ideas for releases that intrigue me, and perhaps some bizarre stuff that won't interest more than a handful of you out there, but I'd do it because it IS bizarre.

To be frank, I have no desire to have a business like Hauler or MR, with a website, credit cards, advertising, etc. I would much rather be like Steve Faxon - make announcements about new products, write some articles using my stuff, and in general keep it very informal. You all will still be able to get the things I put out, but you'll have an in, because I won't be trying for a full web presence,and you'll always hear about new things first on Track48. There are too many other things I'd like to do with my life - I like retirement too much to get involved in a full-time business.

I remember that initially ID was failing due to low orders. It was only when Bob announced he was hanging up the shingle that he got the several thousands of dollars in orders,and then it was too much. This business will not make real money by itself. If I sold it to another supplier who had a going business, it would grow that line, but by itself, ID is a "Steve Faxon" hobby production company. That is NOT all bad; by not expecting to make a lot of money, I am free to respond to perceived needs or wants very quickly, sometimes within days or a couple of weeks. And, a lot of the limited releases would be just that: one set of molds, and when they go, the product goes (unless it's pure gold.... ). Just a thought. The Panthers wil be out within a few months, from me or from someone who can do the job. I have already had offers.....

Well, keep me in mind whatever you decide Bruce! I would dearly love to build a few Italian Panthers!

Ken

i think ill put my idea to bed and await your developements.I AM well aware of the fun youll be haveing with resin making as one of my mates has been doing it as afull time job for the last couple of years as kiwi resins he has now switched to haveing someone do his stuff in injection form as he found it hard to keep up when the orders went crazy. good luck anyway and please let me know what happens with the panthers thanks wayne

Bruce:
Bless you for picking up the ID line. I, for one, am anxiously awating your progress with the Ausf A&D panthers. When they're ready I'd love to pick up at least one, if not two of each.
Sorry to hear about Bob - I hope he's well soon. I bought a lot of the Sherman ID stuff, and thought he put out a superb product.
Again, thanks for picking up the line.
Ron

Well, I am encouraged to some extent. I scored a complete pressure tank system on eBay for less than $140, including all shipping costs. I am considering a vacuum system, which will be more than twice as much, but it is all integrated; all I need is a shelf to use it. What I have bought so far is a used pressure tank and a compressor, but $30 of hose, fittings, and a regulator will make a nice running system which has to be used only during the cure cycle for the resin, and may not be necessary for closed two-part molds anyway.

Most of you haven't seen the masters, and again, I have to brag on Bob. The quality and sharpness of detail are commendable. Of course, over time, I will have to keep up the masters as they are damaged to an extent by being molded and remolded to replace worn out RTV molds.

I do have a caveat here about foreign orders, including Canada: the postage costs will KILL you. I just sent Glenn Pearson THREE of the little Classic Armor die-cast models, weighing only 1.5 lbs total, and the postage to Canada was $26 USD!! The cost in the US would have been about $7-8. Frankly I do not have an answer for that, because even to ship it to Meeta for the Track48 shop would cost a similar amount. It may be possible to substitute UPS or FedEx, but I don't know their international rates..... Small resin pieces would be a bit lighter, but those Classic Armor models are NOT heavy..... So much for encouraging small business and international commerce.....

Right now, I think I will start with the Smooth-On RTV and resin products and see how they go. The stuff is expensive, but all RTV and resin is expensive. Smooth-On has a good reputation, as far as I've heard, and they have a wide variety of RTV and resin systems that allow some special molds and resin parts to be made. Things are loooking up at the moment.

Good day Bruce! As for shipping costs...I really couldn't care if you charged twice the rate! If I want the product, I will pay for it! And I do indeed want those Panthers! I will add a few old gems here:

If you want something, get it now as it may not be here when you need it.

He who hesitates is lost.

A bird in the hand....you get it!

I know shipping is out of your hands, so don't sweat it! If you aren't really going to run this as a full-blown business, then it is a "get 'em while they last" scenario. That said, those that don't feel it is worth the cost won't purchase them. Those, like me, that do, will!

Ken

I have had offers of help and advice from some of the very denizens of this place, and it is gratifying indeed that there are those in our happy band who want to help another miscreant spend his life bathed in resin and rubber..... I am actually encouraged by what I have read so far, and I'll order a couple of starter kits for practice before getting the lovely gallon buckets of the stuff. The Smooth-On materials I will be using to start use a weight mix, 1:1, so micro scales won't be needed up front. Of course, as I get into this, it may transpire that I'll need to use the zippy stuff that needs to be mixed exactly.....

I go for an eye exam this Friday to see if I can get close-up glasses that will allow me to do close detail. It shouldn't be a real problem - "It's only a model." I'll keep you posted on my progress. If this works out, many of you will be quite happy.....

One suggestion. USPS has the flat rate box Globally. While I use it almost exclusively for books and magazines, you can send as much will fit in the box, regardless of weight, for a flat rate anywhere in the world. I know there won't be many people who would want ten Panthers, or so....BESIDES KenK.!!!, but it is one option.
Another is to have several people in one country band together...get it sent to one address...then split that up and distribute it in that country. The local postage surely won't approach what all the seperate parcels would accumulate coming in from overseas.....
HTH, Dave