WIP "Easy Pickins"

[Steve Ski]

Thx Steveo, gonna have to do more research on a few sites, reliable sites to stow my pics. It's 10yrs of history gone that peeves me.

I'll be back up to speed soon.

Cheers, Ski.

 

[Steve Ski]

I do apologize for the extended delay, but there was no avoiding it.

"Easy Pickins" is back on the bench, starting with the most excellent additional gear acquired from Reedee's Miniatures. Been a long time comin, but now that the curio cabinet is finished, I can display this huge base when it's done. So, we’ll carry on as if we never left it and Ruck Onward.


Note: I will not try to replace the old pics from way back during PBucket debacle.

 

[Helm]

I wondered why this had stalled. Great to see it's back on.
Steve

 

[Dr Force]

Great stuff. Looking forward to joining you on this restart journey.

 

[1969]

Excellent!!! Glad this one has been resurrected, looking forward to following along again.
Cheers
Steve

 

[Nap]

Hi Ski

Good to see this back on the bench

If you need help ref photos replacement just message me , although with the amount might be easier to restart a new V bench ...just a thought

Looking forward to seeing more

Happy benchtime

Nap

 

[Steve Ski]

Thank you, Gentlemen. I does feel good to get back at this beast, and thanks for the encouragement.

Thanks, Kevin, pm sent

 

[Steve Ski]

Restart “Easy Pickins” 200mm Dio

Resurrecting this older 200mm dio has been a long time in coming. I literally had to stop the build, because there was nowhere to put this huge base once it was finished, and that’s not cool. It only took a few years, 10 plus to be honest, to get another cabinet built so I could reacquire my original cabinet. Common, yall know how much a happy wife is worth right, everything!

This may sound crazy, but my oil painting style has changed somewhat and I can see some of the figures will need some minor attention to get them up to speed. The bikes are looking ok, but the R75 will need to be properly weathered since I did not do that before I stopped this build.

A lot has changed in those few years, yes few, cause time does fly. Even my SBS build log organization has changed; the way I personally file my write-ups on my PC, etc. No worries, we got this. And lastly, after the PBucket sham I had to find a reliable photo storage site for all my builds. Fotki has filled the bill perfectly. They aren’t like some of the others, as in, “If it ain’t broke, bloody well don’t fix it!” Yall know what I mean.

Ok, so once the figures had been finished, minus dirt and grime, I built the Harley Hog followed by the R75 with sidecar. I then began working the basic layout to fit the story line. This scenario is of a Ranger relaxing and taking a break behind a cemetery wall when all the sudden Jerry and his cohorts show up out front without a clue as to his presence, hence, “Easy Pickins.”

Looking over this layout 10 plus years later it's obvious the Ranger is not the same scale as the German figures. I have always known this from the beginning, so having him placed at a distance away from the others, as far as possible, should mitigate this issue. At least that was my intention. However, that gate is just a little too short for our Ranger, so I am rethinking this structure.

My initial intent was to build a corner section of an old barn, shed, or whatever, with plenty of foliage and overgrowth to make the Ranger’s hidey hole much more realistic. I am still mulling this over as I prep the R75 for completion. I can always use this wall section for my 1/16th Airborne figures too, so not all is lost on that cemetery wall. I will certainly redo the wall tiles, they are way, way, too big, especially looking at them right now, woof!

So, more updates to follow soon. It sure feels good to get these massive figures back on the bench and finish this beast of a dio.

Thanks for watchin. Cheers, Ski.

 

[Helm]

Glad to see it again Ski nice one
Steve

 

[Briggsy]

I'm all new to this, great concept and some good looking figures and bikes. So I'll tag along and see how it progresses. Got to say figures that size would scare the he'll out of me.

Cheers Simon

 

[Steve Ski]

Glad to see it again Ski nice one Steve

Thank you, Steve. onward,...........

I'm all new to this, great concept and some good looking figures and bikes. So I'll tag along and see how it progresses. Got to say figures that size would scare the he'll out of me. Cheers Simon

Thanks for coming along, Simon. Don't let the size fool you, Simon. Larger figures are actually easier to learn on, becasue the mistakes will glare you right in the face and you'll be forced to fix em, mue pronto. Over time I collected these figures until I had a decent set-up and Stevo sculpted the driver and passenger, plus most of the gear I will be adding to the R75. To this day I still have yet to come across a 200mm dio with more than three figures. They may be out there, but I haven't seen em. So, time to crack that egg, right?

Thanks, Gents. Cheers, Ski.

 

[Richie]

Hi Ski,
Great to see this project resurrected again. You already know and have given the answer to your own questions....the gate looks too small and the wall
section in relation to the figures. Why not do something like the attached photo, have the Ranger on a lower level hidden by plenty of foliage of the hedgerows and the German above on a dirt track. This photo also has a natural opening to fit the scene. You could even have foliage and grass around the legs of the Ranger to disguise the figure height a touch more.
Which ever way you go I would lose the wall mate.
cheers
Richie

 

[NigelR]

I wasn't around for the original project, so it's interesting to see this one coming back. A lot of choices to make, I do agree with Richie that the wall looks a bit odd. However, whichever way you choose to go I am sure this will be another stunning project.

 

[Briggsy]

Just a thought Ski, you could turn the whole thing round and have the ranger at the front in cover and the Germans a little way back. That way you are forcing the perspective making the scene appear larger than it is with more distance between the protagonists. I have seen a few like this by a mate called Geoff Barnes from Oz, might mean boxing it is as a shadow box but with your DIY/construction skills I can't see that being a barrier.

Just a thought, I have them.now and again.

Cheers Simon

 

[1969]

Hey Ski it's always going to have a different perspective when you leave a project and come back to it, playing around with the scenery will provide you with a good solution.
Cheers
Steve

 

[Steve Ski]

Spot on, Richie, you read my mind. That is very close to what I was thinking and I intend to add some kind of shed or corner of a barn, gott have that wood work in there. Thanks for the ref pic, I appreicate that.

I wasn't around for the original project, so it's interesting to see this one coming back. A lot of choices to make, I do agree with Richie that the wall looks a bit odd. However, whichever way you choose to go I am sure this will be another stunning project.

Sorry about the prior photos, Nigel, out of my control, but we carry on. It's a BIG project, but I'm very greatful for the input yall are giving, priceless!

Just a thought Ski, you could turn the whole thing round and have the ranger at the front in cover and the Germans a little way back. That way you are forcing the perspective making the scene appear larger than it is with more distance between the protagonists. I have seen a few like this by a mate called Geoff Barnes from Oz, might mean boxing it is as a shadow box but with your DIY/construction skills I can't see that being a barrier. Just a thought, I have them.now and again. Cheers Simon

Oooh, I do like that idea, Simon, sounds like a really good idea, never thought of it. Wow, that could make this set-up more realisitic too, excellent! Thanks, buddy!

Hey Ski it's always going to have a different perspective when you leave a project and come back to it, playing around with the scenery will provide you with a good solution. Cheers Steve

I agree completely Stevo, and yall have given me some really good ideas to ponder. However I work it, that cemetary wall has got to go, it's just not working. Besides, altritude is still a factor when it comes to my curio cabinet, but I'll make it work.

 

[Steve Ski]

MG34 and Mount

The MG34 that comes with this kit is rather crude compared to the MG34 that is produced by Reedees Miniatures. There really is no comparison. Before I had received Steve’s kit, I had already drilled out the barrel and was having no fun with the kit gun mount, it was very weak.


As you can see from the box photo there’s quite a bit of gear that Steve has included in this accessory kit and I will be using much of it. Since this R75 crew is very close to home I won’t be using the gas can or chow jugs, but I will use the rest of it. Steve also provided the ammo cans and potato mashers. Inside that plastic box are several belts of MG ammo. They are very well molded, but even so, it’s a very delicate operation to clean up. Resin is not as tough as styrene, so I’m really taking my time with these belts.

Below you can see how I drilled out the barrel of the MG and inserted plastic rod. The details on this MG34 are very accurate as is all of Steve’s gun parts and kits. I don’t know how he does it, but I’m likin it.

I had to refabricate another gun mount using brass which was cut, bent, and attached to the base of the kit mount. With some careful and delicate filing and shaping I was able to get this mount into shape to take the MG without too much difficulty and still be very close to accurate. I’ll give this MG and mount some paint and set it aside while I clean and paint the rest of the gear.

Momentum is rolling along nicely, so we’ll keep at it until the base work. Hopefully I will have figured out my plans for the Ranger’s hidey-hole. Whatever I come up with I want a lot of veggies, vines, and grass.


More to follow soon and thanks for watchin. Cheers, Ski.

 

[Briggsy]

Pleased you like the idea, not sure where you would find examples of Geoff Barnes work.on line as his articles appeared in military modelling but worth a look if you can find it, he is rather prolific and does things on a large scale.

The MG looks awesome, almost expect functional working parts. Good luck with the resin link ammo, another idea would be to get suitable lengths of brass rod, cut to size as spent casings in the side car.

Cheers Simon

 

[Dr Force]

Great stuff Steve

Steves resin 1/9 stuff is A grade.

Love the idea and brush work, it’s going to be superb.

 

[1969]

Superb work drilling out the MG34 shroud to allow for a barrel to show, great idea Ski.
Cheers
Steve