Saturday 14 October 2017

Everybody needs a big one...

Hi all,

Remember this guy?


I finally got around to renovating him (I'm going with 'him', it suits him). First task was to dry fit the parts to see what pose he was originally in and then to see what, if anything, could be changed. Some of the parts were pretty well fixed. So much so that I was wary of applying too much pressure to separate them in case I damaged or broke the pieces. 
Quick break for a mini-rant. It really amazes me sometimes that people are willing to spend tens and sometimes hundreds of pounds on models, especially Forgeworld models, and then treat them with such contempt. This model costs £90 pounds new. When I got him he was in bits (see above picture), parts not cleaned up, a half arsed, unfinished paint job, and with so much superglue residue all over him that it took me the best part of three days to get him ready for more work. Ok, rant over.

I then got on to removing the old paint. I discovered this stuff a couple of years ago and what a revelation it was. Cheap (around £2 a bottle from Super drug,  in UK), quick and easily disposable.  

It strips paint in a few minutes. After soaking in a cheap tub for around 10 minutes and with help from an old toothbrush the paint just slides off.


A good wash with soapy water and allowed to dry overnight followed by a final clean up in the nooks and crannies with the point of a craft knife blade and I was ready for assembly.


The Red Tide are currently collecting skulls on the hive world of Grent, in the Bellopheron Sector of the Segmentum Pacificus. As such my model collection is based for an industrial/urban theme hence the ruined metal bits and pieces on the base. I tried to align the gatling cannon with the direction the head is looking in (the head was one of the pieces welded in place) with the axe ready for action once he's finished shooting the crap out of something. The right leg was another fixed piece when I got the model so I had to pose him as though he's stepping over the rubble. Here he is, ready for painting.








Next time we'll see the beginnings of the paint scheme (hint, my warband is The Red Tide).

18 comments:

  1. Will have to get some of that nail polish remover, seems to do the trick, plus 10 minutes is better than overnight in stinky dettol! Look forward to some paint.

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    1. I'd hoped the photo was a bit clearer so just let me add that it must be ACETONE FREE nail polish remover. Acetone could badly affect plastic or resin. Also, it is quite whiffy itself. You're better off in a well ventilated area or better still, outside.

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  2. Nice rescue job! I look forward to seeing it with some paint on.

    And dude, I am 100% with you on that rant. I've picked up quite a few second-hand Models in my time, and the condition most of them are in is just appalling. I really don't understand how people could spend so much money on some of these things, and then so little time and effort to do them justice.

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    1. Thanks. I won't be able to start painting 'til next week but I'll post pics as I do.

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  3. Nice work.

    I know well the pain of resurrecting an old model from the hands of a terrible hobbyist. It doesn't make sense, but then again it's from those same hands that we get good deals in buying them later.

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    1. True enough. Taking postage into account I got him for less than half price.

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    2. Of course, the work that's put into restoring it often tends to offset the savings. So, I guess it's really a labor of love then :)

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    3. You have to look on it as a mission of mercy.

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  4. Lord Adiatun Varunn16 October 2017 at 01:59

    A very good recovery! I hope to see him soon, ready to serve in the Red tide for the glory of Khorne :-)

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    1. Thanks. I've never used or even seen one used so far on the battlefield. His baptism of fire comes tomorrow in the sternest of tests when I'm up against Death Guard including Mortarion. Of course, he won't be painted and as we all know, unpainted models perform poorly.

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    2. Lord Adiatun Varunn16 October 2017 at 10:16

      Unpainted? Ouch Ouch Ouch 😄 I can't remember one time I went well ...

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    3. It usually works the other way for me. Brand new painted model is always the first to die!

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  5. Hiya! I really like this model, the Kytan. But I'm not impressed with resin so my collection is sparsely furnished with Forgeworld items. Not that I wouldn't like to have them, but the terrible reputation of some kits (like the Sicaran tank) simply puts me off. Good luck with the paint job. Cheers.

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    1. Whilst some pieces can be out of true, especially thinner parts, I find it quite easy to rectify with hot water and a keen eye.

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  6. If anyone is still looking the Red Tide were victorious against the Death Guard the other night. The Kytan performed well in his first outing. He stripped a few wounds from Mortarion before assaulting and killing him in one combat round before Morty could even swing back. He the dominated the centre ground, anchoring the rest of my army. My berzerkers and spawn cleared my right flank and by games end I was so far ahead on maelstrom and kill points (a tourney practice game) that victory was assured.

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  7. You certainly need an axe like that to fell a Primarch! Cheers.

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    1. Lord Adiatun Varunn20 October 2017 at 12:53

      Excellent performance for a model unpainted:-) And a nice skull to Khorne. Next time it will be the turn of Roboute Guilliman weeping?

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    2. My opponent, Geoff (a fellow club member) has notoriously unlucky dice. His nickname is 'Snake eyes'. Says it all really.

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