SBG issue 1

Earlier today I picked up issue 1 of SBG. It's not a magazine I am familiar with but an internet search shows lots of issues of the Middle Earth Fanzine.

For more information see this review.

Tony

A new hot glue gun

This week my tried and trusted hot glue gun gave up on me.....

My Stanley hot glue gun has been my go-to for over five years and in my opinion the best hot glue gun I have even owned but this week it went pop. I tried replacing the fuse but nothing happened. Then a second replacement fuse and the glue gun went pop. I use it too often to take any chances so have binned it and ordered a new Stanley gun via ebay.

The two heat setting Stanley hot glue gun has been a real workhorse for me. I had a second cheaper hot glue gun but it just isn't up to the job and although great for simple paper-to-paper joins it just isn't as good as my old Stanley.

What do you think?

Tony

Yellow Pelican update

This weekend, Sue and I were childminding our two grandsons Finley and Charlie. When I asked what they wanted to do today, they said play with Yellow Pelican. So out came the narrow gauge layout and we had fun playing trains.

I now have a couple of repair jobs that need doing but we all enjoyed or time running the engines and producing videos.

The Yellow Pelican Mining Co. narrow gauge railway layout was built some years ago to the scale of 1/27.7 or 11mm = 1 foot running on 16.5mm Peco Crazy Track to mimic a 18 inch American mining railway, somewhere North of California.

Tony

Pueblo - Miniature Wargames issue 505

The latest issue of Miniature Wargames (May 2025) features this scratch built Pueblo building. the building was constructed from DAS modelling clay and ready-mixed filler over corrugated cardboard on a resin floor tile base.

I started with a rough sketch following a suggestion from John Treadaway (editor of MW) which uses ideas and inspiration found on the internet.

The cardboard was strengthened with strips of torn newspaper glued in place with PVA glue and later clad in ready-mixed filler.

The model was based on a surplus resin floor tile which was cut and then sanded to shape. I have used DAS modelling clay and more ready-mixed filler to refine the shape while sieved stones and sand were glued to the groundwork to give added texture.

Painting was built up over a terracotta base colour using various tester pot paints (bought from my local DIY store). The detail painting was done with acrylic modelling paints and the whole model was varnished with Galleria matt varnish before tufts of static grass and ground foam were glued in place.

For more information, see MW issue 505.

Or see this link.

Tony

West Midlands Military Show 2025 - part two

Part two and this time aircraft. I hope you like them.

Tony