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| The Papal Zouaves that Britain's didn't make! (in progress) |
After about six increasingly drastic vent cutting sessions, I finally got bayonets....and FLASH, major flash.
At first, I almost gave up on the bayonets but what kind of Zouave wants to charge without a bayonet on his rifle? It took some careful snipping, grinding and filing but one has been rescued so far with 2 more started. Hopefully they'll look OK once painted.
You may notice the not very French looking pack but after preparing to make a pack with blanket wrapped around it I noticed that the original Britains' Zouaves don't seem to have the blanket roll, so I'm just using the Fort Henry Guard pack.
I suspect there will be several regiments of Zouaves. Wallace's Zouaves, also in grey, would be a good choice but I could see doing some simple conversions from kepis to stocking cap/fezzes and doing the classic, possibly erroneous, Louisiana Tiger look in brown jackets and striped pants.
Ross,
ReplyDeleteWith casting my 40mm Sailor figures with Bayonets- I cut a vent in the mold from the very tip of the bayonet cavity running a channel right up to the top of the mold- to allow air to escape...another precaution was to rub the Bayonet cavity with a 3F Pencil - the graphite helps the flow of metal...also a good dose of Talcum Powder dusting the entire mold before assembling it. Hope this helps you. Cheers. KEV.
Thanks Kev. Yes my first step was to vent as you described but it didn't help at all, Its a long story that started with a poor choice of layout and an error in mixing the compound which made the rubber softer than intended and went from there.
DeleteGreat figures, Britains should definitely have made these, they missed a trick there!
ReplyDeleteIt took me ages to realize that unlike most Continental companies, Britains normally only did current events figures (like the Russo-Japanese, Spanish American and Boer Wars) not historical ones. Apart from a small number of commemorative sets, and the knights of course, the Civil War range and the Cowboys and Indians were I think, the only exception. Pity.
DeleteNifty, it's interesting to follow your adventures in the casting process.
ReplyDeleteProof positive that being a clutz at practical things only makes them harder and of lower quality, not impossible!
DeleteI am looking forward to seeing these all painted up...
ReplyDeleteAll the best. Aly
Me too, but delays, always delays!
DeleteFret not about the bayonet fate.
ReplyDeleteI've had to clip and file many back from the brink of being more of a mace than a sword.
Every one was a success once finished - I envision similar success for you!
I had no worries once the first one was done but confess that its not my first gaff with bayonets and in one case the bayonets had a weak spot in the middle and tended to break during cleanup. So far so good.
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