Stabliofarmer

No time like the present

Yep, was down at the Cheffins sale this April, didn't catch what it made unfortunately though £8k is stuck in my head but think that was a different tractor.

The yellow one didn't strike me as an awful paint job up close, just old. Well I've got a TW-15 waiting to be done the same with a snowplough on the front which I assume this one had going of the spot lights. Did have to laugh that it just stops perfectly for the interior which is still blue

I'll happily join this, got more boxes of started builds than I have finished models on my shelf. First should be easy, the Unimog U411 Snowblower I've been on with for years, just cab detail and paint left for this one. Second is more of a long shot, Houghton Parkhouse four deck livestock trailer, been attempting one for years and this latest attempt currently looks like this, a bunch of styrene masters, some pink stuff and a couple of bits of resin.

Never realised there was two versions of the Discovery by Britains, the later version looks like a fantastic model, will have to get one I think. So many nice items in your collection!

Ah yes, its an S26 DROPS, rare to see in 6x6 rather than an 8 wheeler. http://www.milweb.net/webvert/a2085

Ah, yes, I think you're right, pretty sure I've seen more pictures of this on Facebook a few years ago come to think of it. It looks to be a Leyland Roadtrain/Constructor cab, which were also used by Scammell, what the chassis is I'm not sure, I guess leyland with some big tyres bolted on.

I'm not even sure whats going on there! I presume its a home made mill 'n' mix? If it was ordered it'd be on the bench

They do indeed, Reg Grey has done one near identical to great effect. Damien (JCB Bloke) kindly gave me a few cabs and I have plans for all, a wooden bodied livestock lorry and a timber tractor are next on the list. Meanwhile this builds coming together rapidly

None of the Airfix ones I've got have any markings on the cab, or the chassis/body. All of them are very poorly cast on the cabs, with a lot of flash, and and are moulded in a dark green plastic. Much better casting on the body, presumably as theres alot fewer curves than in the cab so its easier to line the mould parts up.

Something I've been meaning to do for a while, airfix cab.

Roof started, quite happy with it, wantig all roofs to be removable without it being noticeable when they are in place. Simple enough with a tin roof but slate proved abit trickier. And still abit stuck on the main barn as I want the roof to be sagging there. I know how to without being removable, but need to have abit more of a think to make it removable.

Thanks very much guys, I think it should be complete for Penrith, toytracs the more questionable one! I've yet to decide whether the shippon will be in use or not. The farm is based in the present day so you wouldn't really find six milkers in there but fancy having a few beef in it. Or then have it derelict and filled with dust covered junk. So not sure wether to cover the floor in muck. There will be areas where I need muck though, its not something ive researched yet but the idea in my head is tile grout, brown paint, ground coffee and gloss varnish for abit of shine, mixed in with some chopped sisal then dolloped on. Only problem I can see is it being permanent. Could possibly make up some cow pats or sheets of it by spreading it over clingfilm and letting it dry then peeling of and laying where needed.

Rocketing on with the shippon. Gone for the approach of painting it like I would a picture and the effect has come out quite well I feel, all done with acrylic and watercolor paints.

I'm planning on entering Toytrac, Penrith and Leamington Spa with it so hopefully that gives me the deadline and pressure to get it finished!

Started on the shippon and stair case, working a few new ideas and features in that should look well within the finished piece.

Love those bam colours, going to have to get the rattle cans out I think

Repainted the barn as I felt the black was too heavy. Also now glued together. Shippon and staircase to build onto the side now.

Thank you JEP, appreciated

How badly scaled is the Vito then? Always considered one but they look really small, even when not sat next to another model

Cheers guys, yes a grey grout would be more suitable. The main reason for white was simply that's what the shop had but it does also allow for abit of free rain in how to colour it as I may moss it up abit with some green that wouldn't show as well with grey.

Thanks guys, I know I'm waffling a lot but hopefully there's the odd bits and pieces that help someone out.

Got some time on the barn Next step was to weather the stone down so it's a little less yellow. In my local area the barns vary in colour, there are a number of barn conversions that have been shot blast and are the yellow of the barn in the above photos. Then there are those that are tucked deep into rural valleys that have similar colours to the drystone walls posted earlier, natural earthy browns and greens. Then there's ones that are black that at some point where in direct line of a towns many factory chimneys. It is this style I am aiming for, the back story being that the flat area of land that the sheep yard sits on was once the site of a mill. This means that the stone walls of the yard aren't coloured by the soot from the mills chimney but the adjoining stone barn that stood at the same time as the mill would be much more blackened. This also gives scope for a chimney ruin in a field behind the sheep yard to be added at a later date. Anyway, for now the process. The start point is dry brushing a black enamel onto the stone work. This is built up until suitable, then with a sponge various acrylic greens and browns were daubed on and blended in with a finger to simulate moss etc. This gave the following results Which then received a thick application of matt varnish to lock the colours in before pointing commenced. Pointing is done using tile grout. The grout is sprinkled onto the stone work Then with the back of the spoon spread around the wall Now using a finger, as a brush would pull the grout out of the stone, the grout is pushed into the score lines of the stone. This is done over the whole wall, as much grout as possible is brushed away from the stones themselves so the stones can be seen. A 30:70 mix of Isopropyl Alcohol and Water is then sprayed over the grout. I have used a perfume style bottle to get a fine atomised spray. The alcohol removes the surface tension for the next step of the process. A 50:50 PVA water mix is then applied heavily over the wall and rubbed into the grout. Excessive excess PVA is daubed away with a paper towel and the glue left to soak into the grout to let it set hard. The result is a slightly milkly/clouded layer over the whole wall, this is because of the absorbent nature of the kapa foam board, this process is adapted from guides using plaster cast stone walls which don't absorb in the same way and therefore the grout can be removed from all the stone surfaces. To over come this another dry brushing of black enamel was carried out. Then to die down the sharpness of the white tile grout a watered down black poster paint wash is applied over the whole wall. This brings me to the point I'm at now, the stone is slightly blacker than I would like so I will probably go over the whole lot with cotton wool soaked in turps to take some black off.

Loving the snow blower, and a great shot with the fuel tanker

Work started on the next part of the farm, a traditional stone barn. This will have a two stables and a staircase at the rear, a shippon/byre/cow shed projecting from the front, hay lofts either side of the arch doors and a workers cottage on the end which I'm looking forward to furnishing. Also trying going to try and make it look like its built on a slope. Thanks for looking