Torro/Taigen kit Tiger

[Max-U52]

Looks great. The hardest part will be turning the copper cable black. I've heard the egg trick works well but I've never tried it. I'll be interested to see how you color that copper cable. I usually use india ink, but that's a long, slow process with lots of coats of ink, and then I still have to touch up once it's on the tank.

[jarndice]

I have never tried blackening a copper tow rope,
I do however Silver them,
I completely immerse the cable in a tin of "Hammerite Smooth Silver" paint, then I give the cable a good stir to remove any air bubbles that might be attached to it and leave it for a few days,
I hang the cable up to dry by placing the loop at one end of the cable over the head of a nail and under the cable I place a few sheets of kitchen paper towel to catch any drips, Making sure the cable is completely dry does take the best part of a week before it is ready to be put on the Tank.
After quite a few years in service the copper tow ropes stowed on the back of a few of my Panzer 4s continue to show a pleasing silvery metal finish.

[General Jumbo01]

A dirty matt wash over the silvered finish can add realism too.

[Max-U52]

That was another method I was thinking of trying, the silver paint, followed by a dip in some very, very, very thin black or gunmetal. Someday I'll get that perfect oily blackish silver cable look just right. If it kills me!!!

[ronnie42]

Thanks for the tips on painting the copper wire, redone the cable ends . Might try the Tamiya LP-40 metallic black as a base colour.

Cable ends and crimp look a little better

[ronnie42]

HI One tow cable was bust , making new ones .Dont want the standard position so will change one side.

Just a pin under the tow cable on kit no rear clamps, made new ones

Cut out the plastic and replaced with steel cable

Change on one side

Always good to have non standard look.

Rear , used the Trumpeter C hooks as the centre locking part turns no cutting to fit.

[Jimster]

I like that. Cables at the ready always gives the tank that combat ready look. Very enjoyable thread.

[ronnie42]

Hi Thanks Jimster . First try at making the turret track hangers. Used the HOBBY BOSS part for copying and finding the position.

Upper and lower brackets

1st try wrong drilled wrong side pic could be better

Once the first one is made its much easier to make more,

[ronnie42]

One side done , thought the hard part was making the top bracket but the ZIM makes it a pain to position the 2nd track hanger

Ground off the sink /castmarks.

[ronnie42]

MG ring , lower track holders and changed tow cable clamps . 1st ones looked too big.

Renewing rear tow cable clamps, found correct size drill to drill out solder so made them smaller

MG ring trying to get it in scale, sat in for check.