Back to the roots !

[Bill76]

Hello guys,

The range serie 20 and 30 was launched in the 70' and was different from the Us range 20. These models were more suitable with the european habbits. John Deere took the control of Lanz in Germany à 1960 to enter the european market.

I use to live in a farm in the 70' and the 80' so I decide to show a classical scene with a tractor and a manure speader close to a shed before work.

This is my latest project at the 1/32 scale. For the moment, that scale is my main scale concerning farm subjects because of the available number of items for european stuff.

The base is a Schuco John Deere 3120, a german model made for Europe and this can be recognize by the round fenders. So, this model is a bit rough and poorly detailled and, by the way, the front axle is reaaly awful. So, get out ! It will be replace by a kit (axle and wheels).

First step, dismantle to keep the main frame with the casted fenders, the rear wheels and the linkage. Due to the fact that is a toy, the paint is very thick and ''strong'' and has to stay in a box of aceton for a while to be able to remove the entire coat of paint. The seat, the linkage, the steering and borad are made with plastic so I keep them as they are. A thin coat ot paint will be enough.

I use Tamiya primer to start the model. For the first time, I pre-shade all the panels separatly to have a idea of what I learnt all about before. By the way, it is my first steps in airbrushing paint as well.

To be sure of the color, I take the paint from a spray can into the airbrush but I was not sure of the thinner to use with. Stupid mistake ! No way to mix the paint and the thinner ... Completetly out of order. More than one hour to clean the airbrush, and my hands ... That's the way to learn !

So, I try some Citadel paint and it works better than I was expecting. Two thin coats of green paint to keep the shades.

Here as some shots. Fell free for any comments. Georges

[Bill76]

After the first coat of Tamiya primer

[Bill76]

The whole parts are ready for paint. It was suppose to add a rops on the fenders as it was so common in France but I like the tractors without any rops or cab. So, no rops !

[Bill76]

I add a protection on the front of the hood. This one is made with Evergreen and will be fitted after with two more lights. This stuuf was always fitted in case of using a front hydraulic loader from any king of damaged when approching a trailer. By the way, it's a good detail for this JD.

I realize the long decals on Photoshop as before and add some new advertising decals. It was fashion to ''decorate'' the hoods with some stickers in the 80' : that was a good way for advertising. There wera about famous radios, nightclubs, oil or gas companies, ... So, each side gets its ones as well and it brakes the green color. They've been print on ink waterslide sheet. It works quite well if you don't forget to lay a coat of satin varnish to prevent from any damage when damp.

[Bill76]

the hood is on the bench.

[finescalerr]

Good progress. -- Russ

[Bill76]

After painting the whole parts, I start to apply the first coats of rust. I choose different colours from Citadel : Scortched brown, Bubonic Yellow, Dark flesh and Hull red from Tamiya. The yellow simulates the manufacturer primer color. All worw has been made by different sponges because I didn't practiced in that time the salt or the hair spray techniques (the tractor has been paint between February and April). Since, I learn about these two techniques so some new projects will be shown in the early future.

several coats of rusty colour are necessary to create a realistic model. It seems to be a bit rough in the begenning but after some fading layers of filters, the effects become ''more mixed''. I like the sponge technique but it's harder to control exactly compare to the HS technique. They can be complementary. After reading many topics on this forums, I have try to follow the good advices as working panel after panel instead of working several parts on the same time. So, I start by the fenders to train. The effects are quite easy to show on the frame corners and the constrast is interesting as it is on a real model.

[Bill76]

the yellow covering is so bad on the green paint that I need to deal with two or three coats to represent a good contrast. Some masks are used to protect some areas to subtle tha frame.

[Bill76]

The most rusty and used areas are the footrests. By the way, all the parts around the seat are painted as well. The board has been paint before with grey panzer because the real black paint always fades and turns to grey and white. Nice contrast.

[Bill76]

Some more details as the rear reflectors are done after masking the fenders. I make a hole with a Punch and Die. A coat of metallic grey before a coat of Clear red from Tamiya.

[Bill76]

A short step for a contrasting effect.

[Ray Dunakin]

That's looking good. The sponge technique may not be "cutting edge" but the results are reasonably effective.

[eTraxx]

Looking good .. and it looks like you're having fun!

[Bill76]

Thanks guys for your comments.
I agree that the sponge technique is a bit old-fashionned but in February, it was just the only technique that I was able to practice for this project and I decided to try the HS on the spreader in April. So to the question : having fun ? the answer is between salt and pepper ...

I was rather confident about the final result despite the lack of color differences with the sponge. After several dabs, I couldn't get back and have to go further and I think that it's work quite well. If I knew the HS technique at this time, I would have try it of course.

The hood has taken more precision because of its particular shape compare to the rear linkage. It's really rough in the beginning ! Same operation for the hood protection. I finish with the grey paint to simulate the iron unpainted. By the way, I realize the hydraulic levers for the front loader. It's made with Evergreen and wires for hoses. Somes levers have been added around the seat : accelerator, seat ajustment, linkage control, pto, ... and the gear levers of course.

Meanwhile, I start the loader bracket. It is made with two frames bolted on both side of the chassis. Usely, all the tractors in the 70' have some disposal with screwed holes where loaders or other implements could be fitted. John Deere was a pionner by their pararel chassis (I mean two long drilled flat plates) where it's easy to mount anything.

This JD will be with the bracket only (no loader) and the cylinders stay on when the loeder is removed. These loaders were very common in France in the 70' and 80'. Red color and sponge for rusty and using operations.

[Bill76]

The rear parts are glued on the back as the red lights.