Beyond The Sprues
Current and Finished Projects => Physical Models => Other => Topic started by: Frank3k on May 11, 2024, 10:54:37 AM
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I recently got the Master Box 1/35 The Wild West. Gold Fever Series Kit No 1 Gold-digger (https://www.scalemates.com/kits/master-box-mb35233-gold-digger--1546617) and was compelled to build it.
(https://www.scalemates.com/products/img/6/1/7/1546617-16684-58-pristine.jpg)
I also renamed it to "Prospector", because while he may be a gold digger, that means something else in modern parlance.
MasterBox figures vary widely in quality, with no real rhyme or reason. Some of the shortcomings have been poor detailing and a deviation from scale - some figures are as tall as 1/32 figures would be.
Luckily, this grizzled prospector is pretty good. Face details are adequate and so is the detailing. The donkey is nicely molded. The general pose and outfit could place the prospector anywhere from the 1800s to some futuristic post apocalyptic period.
I'm trying to improve my figure painting and I've made small gradual improvements, so this figure has been good practice.
The lacing on his boots was poorly molded and barely visible. I found a Trumpeter figure (which are almost all trash) with extremely prominent boot lacing, so I cut them off and transplanted them to this figure:
(https://i.imgur.com/nl3LYD2.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/dOfoNkA.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/K2JpJLe.jpg)
I detailed his open eye - even has a correctly scaled pupil - but the telescope blocks it completely:
(https://i.imgur.com/2MLvTPK.jpg)
I also have the beast and rifle from the Master Box 1/24 "World of Fantasy No. 2" kit:
(http://[url=https://www.scalemates.com/products/img/6/2/1/1010621-14175-23-pristine.jpg]https://www.scalemates.com/products/img/6/2/1/1010621-14175-23-pristine.jpg[/url])
I did some surgery on the rifle/weapon to roughly match the length of the Prospector's rifle. I also moved the trigger closer to the buttstock:
(https://i.imgur.com/2hCQ9dv.jpg)
I used some glow in the dark powders mixed in with red and smoke clear Tamiya acrylics.
Here's the other side of the rifle:
(https://i.imgur.com/rDWDjzj.jpg)
I'm debating whether to fix some of the painting issues with the figure or move on to the donkey.
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A good ass is hard to find. The donkey certainly needs to be appreciated.
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Here's what I did to the donkey today:
I applied some Tamiya extra thin (actually the Tamiya thinner that's basically the same thing) on the plastic, waited a bit and stippled the surface with a brass scratching/scuffing pen like this:
(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/218FlJGkyuL._AC_SX466_.jpg)
It looks better in person, but this where it was with a basic coat and some white on the underside, head and snout:
(https://i.imgur.com/qPFuinJ.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/5wmr7gk.jpg)
With some of the blankets painted and some shadowing on the fur. Here's an ass in the air for your enjoyment:
(https://i.imgur.com/fsEK7ai.jpg)
It looks a bit more realistic at normal viewing distance. I should have been a bit more aggressive with the glue and brass pen, but it looks OK.
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That looks great! :smiley:
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Almost done.... still need a couple of bits:
Skeleton Pass is a small pass in the Mojave Desert between a small mountain and a large hill covered in a jumble of boulders. The pass opens up onto a plain...in the middle of nowhere, and if you look at it on a map, it doesn't look too imposing of a hike. I've been there and it was brutal; not so much the heat but the small rocks and the uneven "road":
(https://i.imgur.com/xKPHjma.jpg)
The kit just has you glue things on. I think the tools needed a strap. I hope the donkey doesn't get poked by that pick...
(https://i.imgur.com/MPhlrCV.jpg)
I'll have to fix the floating prospector. He's actually on the groundwork, just not all the way in.
(https://i.imgur.com/aFzLviS.jpg)
Donkey looks a bit cross:
(https://i.imgur.com/Vjj7rDF.jpg)
Still need to add the lantern and the Winchester.
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Definitely good candidates for adding to the stash. Like you said, Frank, he could fit in a lot of different scenarios.
Poor donkey is wondering why they can't go prospecting somewhere nice and green with streams of cool water.
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:smiley:
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I'm calling this one done; pretty good and enjoyable kit from Masterbox:
Anti-gravity boots turned off:
(https://i.imgur.com/4qO5TVe.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/rG4u9jC.jpg)
Top view of cargo on the donkey. The lamp was painted black, then the glass portion done with Tamiya smoke:
(https://i.imgur.com/xcTEhzv.jpg?1)
I turned the kit's rifle into a Winchester, 1873-ish...
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/16/Winchester_1873_Rifle.jpg/799px-Winchester_1873_Rifle.jpg)
... by taking out a section, bending the stock and making the elliptical thingamabob behind the trigger out of 30 gauge wire:
(https://i.imgur.com/4pXG5vX.jpg)
With his pals. Looks like we've been spotted:
(https://i.imgur.com/GDJ3M4j.jpg)
Thanks for all the comments!
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Terrific work Frank. Can really set a scene with those figures.
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That looks great, Frank! 8) :smiley:
The prospector out-guns his 3 pals quite considerably! ;)
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Thanks, guys! There's probably 50-100 year difference in the guns. The long guns could probably take the prospector out before they got in range of his Winchester.
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Beautifully done, Frank! Your work on the donkey is exceptional :-*
Also like your Winchester-ization :smiley:
BTW, your very convincing-looking "elliptical thingamabob behind the trigger" is Winchester's lever action cocking handle ;)
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Thanks! I couldn't remember what it was called, despite beinga fan of " The Rifleman" reruns when I was a kid:
(https://truewestmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/may09_shooting_from_hip_250.jpg)
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Excellent work again Frank. The donkey is the real winner.