Winter Hobbies....Long winters in Wisconsin

[AkumaZeto]

So the cold starts being a issue here in October so I normally hang up my transmitter around then. So I always need something to do to keep me busy. Over the last few years I have started modeling. It went from just snap together to full on airbrushed builds lol. This year I have gotten into some 28mm ww2 table top gaming. So I am painting minis left and right. Here are some pics of past works enjoy.

[Marco Polo]

Looks very cool. I've been wanting to get into airbrushing for ages. I love the fine detail and control is offers. What sort of equipment do you use?

[AkumaZeto]

Right now I am just using the compressor from harbor freight and a Iwata Neo. So under 200.00 setup. It seems to work good for panel lining and pre shading priming etc.

The brush itself does not have the capability of super fine details. I am researching one for that now so I can airbrush pin dots for mini figs etc.
There is a learning curve but if you have a somewhat steady hand you will be ok. It is super fun.

I am a tinker button fiddler builder etc lol. I build custom water cooled pc rigs as well as run 5th scale rc. But funds have been lacking on the 5th scale scene for sometime for me. Seems the more you ".....Enhance" lol the more that it breaks.

[Alpha]

I'm running a Patriot at the moment, but Iwatas have always been good to me over the years as well. Compressor is the cheap Amazon one. With diligent attention to the moisture filter, it's actually really dependable for $50.

Really nice work, Akuma Zeto! Very fine skills you have there. What's your preference for paint? Tamiya? Vallejo? I suppose it varies based on what you're spraying.

[Lon]

Excellent Akuma!! Here in NE Iowa it's the same with me.....setting up for winter projects. #1 is to refinish the silver P-38, making progress on the prep now.

[Prowler901]

Awesome work, AZ! Y-Wings are not modeled enough. Besides working on a couple airplane builds, I'll be working on my steam engine this winter.

[AkumaZeto]

I'm running a Patriot at the moment, but Iwatas have always been good to me over the years as well. Compressor is the cheap Amazon one. With diligent attention to the moisture filter, it's actually really dependable for $50.

Really nice work, Akuma Zeto! Very fine skills you have there. What's your preference for paint? Tamiya? Vallejo? I suppose it varies based on what you're spraying.

It does vary. I like to use Tamiya when I need to cover large areas as it can be bought in bigger bottles. I use a mix of Vallejo and citadel as well.

[AkumaZeto]

Thanks guys. I have a 1/200 USS Arizona to tackle but I am still collecting photo etch bits. Do share your own projects with us!

[wvrailfan]

Unless it just gets really stupid cold and windy, I try to fly through the winter. I put skies on my Flyzone Beaver and fly it and my Seawind from the snow.

But, when it is too windy or because the days are too short, I fall back on my first hobby love, model railroading. I belong to a club building a large 30 foot by 40 foot HO layout. At home I like to build dioramas and photograph them. I generally model the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad of the mid 1950s so I can have both steam and diesel locomotives in my little world.

[Prowler901]

Those are some absolutely outstanding winter scenes WV! The details down to the tire tracks and sled tracks. WOW!

[AkumaZeto]

Magnificent HO WV. I dont have the room for that or I would. I am currently clearing or finding room so I can start work on my 4x8 Normandy landing battle board for 28mm Bolt action gaming.

I have found terrain building super fun and super challenging to get it to look real. I love miniatures. Some may know from the other forum I do studio scale models from ILM and the like and love all things miniature.

I would fly in the winter but it can get pretty cold in western wi. Seems like we always get that 2-3 week -20f blast lol I dont mind the cold until it gets below 0 anything under that I classify as the "Bull **** Zone" and try not to go out much in it lol.

[Alpha]

AkumaZeto used the perfect word: MAGNIFICENT! I'm curious, WVrailfan, is the snow on the ground fully "hardened", or it susceptible to a strong gust? I'd imagine it's not just lying there loose, but at the same time, it really looks soft and fluffy and natural. Quite a feat!

AkumaZeto, please show us more of your studio scale and assorted miniature stuff. I've seen people paint in person what seem like impossibly small yet lifelike figures. Very neat and delicate work.

[wvrailfan]

Thanks guys. All of those scenes are about two feet by two feet. There is not as much detailing as on AkumaZeto's work (which is outstanding by the way) since I am going for an over all feel.

Alpha, the snow in the foreground is commercial powder by Woodland Scenics. Yup, a good sneeze and I have to start over;-) Some of the ground in the background is simply painted white and the distant background is enlarged photos of local snow scenes.

[AkumaZeto]

Alpha all my studio scales have been commissions or sold off over the years. I still have lots of pictures on my old cell phone. Time to dig it out and power it up I suppose :)

[Teeks]

Wisconsin is perfect for Pond Hockey as a winter hobby. I play 3 tournaments a year up there. Awesome model!

[AkumaZeto]

HOLD!!!

[boomer108]

Nice work AZ!

[Prowler901]

Very cool, AZ.

[AkumaZeto]

Working on a Pak 36 Half track. First attempt at airbrushed camo

[Alpha]

What scale is that, AkumaZeto? Is that the tiny one from Bolt Action? I know you said you like miniatures, but this one looks much larger judging by that platform it's on.