North African Build

[rtfoe]

Good afternoon guys,
Just an update on what I've done so far... still on a date with the palm. Sliced all the leaves out and now snipping the edges as they look better. You'll see the difference in the last picture.



It's laborious but worth it...



The difference is subtle but will be noticed...so now I have to get sharp nippers to cut the edges of the first one I did.



Cheers,
Richard

 

[Jim R]

Hi Richard
Shaping the ends on the fronds is worth while but must take a long, long time.
Jim

 

[rtfoe]

Hi Jim, Corvid has given most of us more time on our hands to do this sort of thing. Can't even go hiking and decided not to go for an old boys gathering last night to be safe. My ex-boss just passed away from corvid because his Hash buddies visited him while he was convalescing at home. Two of them were tested positive and were supposed to be self quarantined,,, so irresponsible.
People still don't understand how vulnerable they are if their immunity level is low or how easily they can spread the virus not knowing they can be carriers.
I'm familiar with closet building so the hobby suites me. In this case tedious stuff like this is no problem. Looks better anyway.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[adt70hk]

Great work Richard.

Love the palm leaves.

Andrew

 

[rtfoe]

Great work Richard.

Love the palm leaves.

Andrew

Thanks Andrew, glad you like it. I hope to make it as near enough to a real date palm.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[rtfoe]

Hi,
Tinkered with the ruins by adding plaster in the interior that's been chipped away.



The camera couldn't decide which to focus...



I bought a packet of spice from the local store that was a dead ringer for 1/35 scaled dates. Don't know what it is and they're not poppy seeds as they're rather oval in shape. Surely not sesame as they would have been larger...definitely for curries...hmmm.



Cheers,
Richard

 

[BigGreg]

I can't wait to see it painted....

 

[Graeme C.]

The walls & plaster are looking good Richard, those palm fronds must have taken a lot of patience, worth it though.

 

[rtfoe]

I can't wait to see it painted....

Greg, I'm as anxious as you about the painting...lots of sub assemblies to paint. Only the Panzer Jager is painted and ready.

The walls & plaster are looking good Richard, those palm fronds must have taken a lot of patience, worth it though.

Thanks Graeme, it would have been the same if it were PE except for the cutting. If you're good at plucking eyebrows with a tweezer then it'll be a breeze.@

Cheers,
Richard

 

[rtfoe]

I wasn't satisfied with the Jezails butt stock so I mixed a tiny bead of Magic Sculpt and shaped a larger butt...



While that was curing I worked on the stems for the date palms using brass wire secured through pre-drilled holes and CA. These will be cut to right lengths when I attach the fronds.



Cheers,
Richard

 

[Strenko J]

This just keeps getting better and better with every post Richard...

 

[rtfoe]

Thanks Joe for that. The general idea has a few new things thrown in. The date palm happened to be an afterthought, so was the Bedouin and his donkey.

Here are some updates....

Once the putty cured on the butt I refined it by sanding and shaping it smooth.



I went ahead to do another 6 more palm fronds...felt it wasn't enough.



SWMBO and daughter were out doing errands so I got some quiet time to do them in one go.



That should be enough...



Found something that can be made into the stems for the bunches of dates.



Cheers,
Richard

 

[rtfoe]

Hi All, I have found some free time to tackle the date palm again. Going through my SWMBO's garden I got some dead leaves from her Air Plants that I used before for my coconut palm trees in the Pacific diorama.

They help cover up the wire that held the ends of the palm fronds...



I used a mixture of UHU and CA glues to fix it down



Young straight shoots will be added to the top and after viewing it I think it needs two more fronds.



This took me 3 hours. Once I've added the other two fronds I will spray a primer of nato black but not before I make the bunches of dates to be attached later.

Thanks if you happen to be looking in guys.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[Neil Merryweather]

very convincing, Richard

 

[Jim R]

Hi Richard
Great progress. Lots of time and effort going into this. I like the way you use all sorts of odds and ends to great effect.
Jim

 

[rtfoe]

very convincing, Richard

Thanks Neil...mission accomplished then. But wait till you see the dates...if it turns out right.

Hi Richard
Great progress. Lots of time and effort going into this. I like the way you use all sorts of odds and ends to great effect.
Jim

Thanks Jim...not everyone is lucky as a kid so if I couldn't get what I wanted I usually made them, pieces of stuff put together vaguely resembling the actual but with enough imagination to give it a pass. I found in the end making them was more enjoyable then playing with them. I remember even making my first M1 helmet out of paper mache from a suitably shaped bowl and painted like Sarge in Combat. I think that's where it has continued till today.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[Andy Belsey]

Excellent Richard
Andy

 

[Steven000]

Love all the work you've put so far in this diorama Richard! Keep it up
Steven

 

[rtfoe]

Thanks Andy and Steven glad you guys approve and like it.
So far I have added two more fronds after spending a few hours making them. Have proceeded with covering more of the wire stems. Will prime after some house keeping tomorrow.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[JR]

About as realistic as you can get Richard. Those palm leaves are perfection, hat off to you.

May your Donkey sail the deserts.