Paint Mixing in Action

I have three different cans of Rust-Oleum clear gloss spray paint.

So I decided to paint one truck each to see what difference I can see in a clear paint, if any.

My spray paints are stored upright in tall narrow boxes and so I mark the top of the open cans lids with a circle to indicate the paint is Open.

Or not open.

The paint mixer with a fresh battery.

Bit of cloth and the first of the paint cans enters the mixing chamber.

Ready for mixing.

The tiny black knob above my thumb is the clutch, I keep it in neutral while loading and unloading cans.  Quick flip with the thumb or finger and ready to spin.

Spinning action.  After spraying all three trucks, each with a different clear Rusto-Oleum spray paint, they all looked exactly the same.  So no apparent difference to m me.
 

Amazons in Vegas

Dark Alliance Modern Amazons.

One of each pose of the infantry figures.  1/72nd scale soft plastic figures.

This pose seems to be of limited utility on the battlefield but is an interesting pose none the less.  So I added a slightly larger base so she would stand up better and disarmed her.

Then sent her and her sister to Las Vegas where they dance two shows a night and an extra matinee on the weekends.

There is also a singer.

In the spotlight with a standing room only crowd.

This large battle ax seems a bit too much as well.  So it went away and the sword was cut down to a knife.  Now in each case, I am keeping representative samples of the original figure so that the Amazons will still have the diversity of pose and weapons as the full set.  Just not as many of some of  the poses.

Maybe pair her with Ka-Zar, Lord of the Hidden Jungle?

Or maybe Lance Hale?

Or maybe Tarzan of the Apes as Jane?
 

Automaton

Decades ago I had these robot figures custom made for me.

They are 1/72nd scale and based on the size of Esci / Italeri WWII US Army troops.

There are about 7 poses, all in combat except for this standing figure.

I remember an episode of Lost in Space with Robot B9 wearing an M1917 helmet, the comic books with army robots and many other robot soldiers.

There is a plan to put these into production as 3D printed figures.

Not sure if it will happen, but put a note in the comments if you are interested in such figures.

I have a couple hundred of them in various poses in metal.

It will be interesting to see them in 3D printed plastic.
 

Float Mock Up

Junkanoo float with the major construction done.

Figures are conversions from Airfix and styrene civilians.

Eagle Games horses cut in half and front at the front and back at the back and middle in the spares bin.

This is a little skateboard model.

With four Lego type bricks on top.

Junkanoo floats are often outrageous and wild.

I plan to add more figures and flock the whole thing as flowers.
 

Junkanoo Float

In the James Bond movie, Thunderball, he attends a Junkanoo festival with floats.  I am doing James Bond as one of my project and I am basing him on the early movies.  So it seems right to do a few floats.  I am also working on American cities and so Rose Parade floats might be a good idea too.

I am using various scrap materials because I don't want to actually spend any money on this project.

This float will have two lego style bricks.

A few Eagle Games horses.

A finger skate board.

The upper half of two beach figures, these are their left over legs!  Saved for the next float.

The horse riding parts of these to Airfix Napoleonics are being matched to the upper bodies for the beach figures!
 

Spray Paint Can Mixer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWJ5qdCe8sY&t=320s

 

This guy on you tube did a video on how to make a drill powered spray paint mixer.

It was so easy I was able to do it in about five minutes or so.  The longest most time consuming part was cutting down the length of the pipe.

Take a three inch diameter piece of plastic pipe, and a three inch diameter test plug and put the plug in the end of the pipe.

Put the end of the screw into the electric drill and tighten it down as if you were going to drill a hole.

Then you have done all the construction work needed.  I cut the pipe down to make it just slightly longer than the size of a Rust-Oleum spray paint can.

Take an old piece of towel and cut it into a small strip about twice as long as a spray paint can and about as wide as the can.

I put the drill motor on the neutral position so I don't accidentally start it while working with the paint.  Use the towel to hold the spray paint can in place when you slide the can into the pipe. 

Unlike this photo, try and leave a bit of the towel sticking out of the pipe, it makes it easier to remove the can if you can simply pull on the end of the towel.  Note the 0 on the spray can lid, it is how I mark open spray cans so I can tell at a glance which ones have already been used a little.

Then just pull the trigger and the paint is stirred.  I typically do 25 seconds, flip the switch and spin the paint 25 seconds in the other direction.  It's probably overkill but you don't always know how long a can of paint has been sitting on the shelf in the store or at home.

Grab the end of the towel and....

Pull out the spray can.  I usually shake it about 10 seconds, just because.  It's probably overkill.  Then paint as normal.  It seems to be doing a great job with all sorts of paint, primer, gloss, or flat.  I have also use the little short Tamiya spray paint cans and they work fine.  The towel holds them in place very well.