Yes you are right. I luckily don’t need specs or contacts for general stuff(I used to need them but not now) but just need to hold thing slightly further away so maybe need reading glasses.
Most of the time I use 1.5x magnifying glasses. They give enough of a boost. With the stronger lenses, when you flip them up or look over the top it can strain a bit. As there is little natural light because of the season and weather having the room light on and a decent desk lamp helps. For the really small parts, especially the photo etched bits that can be tiny, I use either a wax pencil or a specially tipped ‘pen’ which makes things a lot easier. Having big hands does make it hard. For other not so small bits various types of tweezers help. I have some decent tweezers that came with a tool kit which are Ok but a set of 5 from a pound shop work really well!
The biggest frustration is losing parts. Even being careful you still get tiny bits pinging across the room. How something weighing a gram can achieve enough velocity to travel 3 metres never ceases to amaze. Also when something drops on to the carpet it always bounces where you least expect it! I have tried trays, silicone mats but parts still seem to be able to launch themselves in all directions.
Amazon product ASIN B077RVCJWM
Most of the time I use 1.5x magnifying glasses. They give enough of a boost. With the stronger lenses, when you flip them up or look over the top it can strain a bit. As there is little natural light because of the season and weather having the room light on and a decent desk lamp helps. For the really small parts, especially the photo etched bits that can be tiny, I use either a wax pencil or a specially tipped ‘pen’ which makes things a lot easier. Having big hands does make it hard. For other not so small bits various types of tweezers help. I have some decent tweezers that came with a tool kit which are Ok but a set of 5 from a pound shop work really well!
The biggest frustration is losing parts. Even being careful you still get tiny bits pinging across the room. How something weighing a gram can achieve enough velocity to travel 3 metres never ceases to amaze. Also when something drops on to the carpet it always bounces where you least expect it! I have tried trays, silicone mats but parts still seem to be able to launch themselves in all directions.
Amazon product ASIN B077RVCJWM
On the final steps with this one. After the tank it is quite simple with most of the parts and detail in the cockpit. Underside painted and now for the top with pre-shading done. Just gives some tonal variations rather than just the same colour. You can add them afterwards but my airbrush skills are not that good yet.
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Well yesterdayI coerced into doing gardening!! Given we have hardly had a dry day for ages and the roof work we had done (it was raining then) meant a lot of traffic on the “grass” 
. It wasn’t looking it’s best. The soil here is more like a clay so drainage is always a problem. So to try and help this we (I) spiked the lawn with a fork and put sand down.
we also have a path of stepping stones that look like cut tree that lead to the decking. Had them for years. A while back I put concrete under them to make them more stable which has worked fine. Whilst forking the grass I hit something hard. Not unusual as when the built the houses around here they used the gardens to dump the rubbish. Turns out, 10cm down was a stepping stone! Didn’t notice we were missing one. It was obviously trying to escape the embarrassment of being in our “lawn”.
Some progress…
The paint job is OK but the colours look a bit dull. Added the decals and varnished witha satin finish rather than matte and that helps. Then paint it with black stuff. Once that dries you rub it off but it makes the panel lines and rivets show up. Also makin
. It wasn’t looking it’s best. The soil here is more like a clay so drainage is always a problem. So to try and help this we (I) spiked the lawn with a fork and put sand down.we also have a path of stepping stones that look like cut tree that lead to the decking. Had them for years. A while back I put concrete under them to make them more stable which has worked fine. Whilst forking the grass I hit something hard. Not unusual as when the built the houses around here they used the gardens to dump the rubbish. Turns out, 10cm down was a stepping stone! Didn’t notice we were missing one. It was obviously trying to escape the embarrassment of being in our “lawn”.
Some progress…
The paint job is OK but the colours look a bit dull. Added the decals and varnished witha satin finish rather than matte and that helps. Then paint it with black stuff. Once that dries you rub it off but it makes the panel lines and rivets show up. Also makin
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It doesn’t always go to plan! GT500 getting a Dettol bath before starting again. Learn from failures.
fucking hell you are a peasant...where are your white socks and the sandals?
Somewhere we have always wanted to go. Always seems to be a warning about the risk of going there. Plus it is too hot! 
No risks here Glen, all secure and good. Today is about 16C and windy, allmost empty pools and no access to the sea (red flag). Tomorrow will be warmer (+-23). Stuff is very kind and helpfull.
Weighing up risks by governments always err on the cautious side. When 9/11 happened on the Tuesday we were due to fly to the US on the Saturday. Have to admit that we did debate if we should go but we did. We ended up being on one of the first United flights out of Heathrow once flight restrictions were lifted. Never been on a flight were nobody slept and every movement was watched. There are always risk even when not traveling. When we lived in London when the IRA was active there were several times when a bomb went off and you realised that you were near that place a few days earlier.
Main reason for not visiting egypt at the moment is that travel is quite painful with my fecked hips and knees. Driving is OK though so maybe we need to drive there.
Really would love to see the pyramids and stuff but with my limited mobility it would be a waste.
Hope you have a great time there.
Main reason for not visiting egypt at the moment is that travel is quite painful with my fecked hips and knees. Driving is OK though so maybe we need to drive there.
Really would love to see the pyramids and stuff but with my limited mobility it would be a waste.Hope you have a great time there.
Well todays view would be a picture of clouds and rain and not much else, really horrible weather out there. So I have all the enthusiasm of a sloth in a comfortable sleep. Wasn’t helped by someone cutting their grass yesterday (in January - what sort of idiot <chat nanny issues a warning for idiot> does that?) which gave the Mrs ideas about getting the grass cut. 
The spitfire is finished and the GT500 is stripped and sanded and ready for another paint job so may prime it later or I could just play BF and not risk getting that new virus by going outside.
The spitfire is finished and the GT500 is stripped and sanded and ready for another paint job so may prime it later or I could just play BF and not risk getting that new virus by going outside.
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Where do you store all the models? You surely must have a complete storage hall full of this.Well todays view would be a picture of clouds and rain and not much else, really horrible weather out there. So I have all the enthusiasm of a sloth in a comfortable sleep. Wasn’t helped by someone cutting their grass yesterday (in January - what sort of idiot <chat nanny issues a warning for idiot> does that?) which gave the Mrs ideas about getting the grass cut.
The spitfire is finished and the GT500 is stripped and sanded and ready for another paint job so may prime it later or I could just play BF and not risk getting that new virus by going outside.
Yes, storage is an issue! Well, the Mrs is making it an issue. The aircraft take up more room than tanks so may just pack them away. I have a few model cars about too that are in a display cabinet. Since starting again I have completed 9 models. I just enjoy the making process I am pleased with how I am improving. Probably need a bigger house or have a man cave/shed in the garden.
It is funny that Mrs comments on the models without acknowledging the over a thousand books she has (a literal thousand) and the about 400 collectible teddy bears on shelves and about the house!
The King Tiger now has somewhere to sit on… (made from MDF, clay, purchased foliage/grass and some mixed herbs ‘borrowed’ from the kitchen and some paint of course).
The aircraft take up more room than tanks so may just pack them away. I have a few model cars about too that are in a display cabinet. Since starting again I have completed 9 models. I just enjoy the making process I am pleased with how I am improving. Probably need a bigger house or have a man cave/shed in the garden.It is funny that Mrs comments on the models without acknowledging the over a thousand books she has (a literal thousand) and the about 400 collectible teddy bears on shelves and about the house!
The King Tiger now has somewhere to sit on… (made from MDF, clay, purchased foliage/grass and some mixed herbs ‘borrowed’ from the kitchen and some paint of course).