Ray Harryhausen's Rhedosaurus - Soft Vinyl Kit SA9025M

1
January 20, 2024
Taking a break from my VF-1S Strike Valkyrie & MADOX-01... This is a SINGLE segment of FOUR tail pieces - this monster is going to be larger than I thought (the box says "12 Inch soft vinyl kit")!!!
Using baking soda as a CA glue curing accelerant & join integrity enhancer. These parts are NOT light. LOL
2
January 20, 2024
3 of the 4 tail segments! These alone measure about 13" in length!
3
January 26, 2024
Oof.
Let me tell you, the base section of this monstrous tail, was a monster to get attached to his hind quarters!
It's a flared "plug" connector, that frankly is too flared. I filed and filed and filed... Began to flashback to the VF-1S situation (which is not a happy place) and ended up getting out my rotation tool (AKA Dremel knockoff) to really get some reduction going. Bit by bit until, at last, I could finally force it into place! Let me tell you, my hands were not happy - this beast's hide is bumpy, rough and spiked! LOL
4
January 26, 2024
In search of the right "maw" shades.
5
January 26, 2024
Mixing darker to get some variation and...
6
January 26, 2024
Hopefully help shade contours and recesses. Also applying the first coat of dental color (Insignia White).
I hope to give him a sense of "used" chompers.
7
March 8, 2024
Stippled gloss varnish in attempt to simulate saliva
8
March 8, 2024
Lower jaw got a complete coat of gloss varnish
9
March 8, 2024
Mix of satin and gloss for the upper jaw
10
March 8, 2024
Fitted its dentures into the head to get a look at the overall impression after a couple of sprays of paint to the head, body and tail.
11
March 8, 2024
12
March 8, 2024
Some light spraying in attempts to get some realistic color variation that will highlight cheeks and cranial ridges
13
March 8, 2024
14
March 8, 2024
15
May 1, 2024
Finally ready to permanently attach the lower jaw and discover there's a significant gap in the neck. Time to break out the baking soda to gradually add to beadings of CA glue. Starting at the points where the parts are closest to meeting...
16
May 1, 2024
And gradually spreading and building it up to the larger gaps.
17
May 1, 2024
Time for tiny eye part painting.
Try saying that 3x fast. 😉
18
May 1, 2024
Masked up for a final spray session to color in that filled neck gap and touch up before giving it a top coat.
19
May 6, 2024
Topcoat applied. Trying it out atop a bookshelf. 🙂
I could call him done. I'm leaning toward more detailing around the claws and perhaps a shading wash down the belly scales...
20
May 6, 2024
Uh oh, it's seen me! LOL
21
May 6, 2024
I am very pleased with the head. I went with eyes more like Harryhausen's than that chosen for the kit's box art and promos.
22
May 6, 2024

Comments

8 20 January, 03:35

Jennifer Franklin
I had no idea you could use baking soda to speed up glue or improve its integrity. This is a fun one. I loved the maw and teeth work that you've done.

26 January, 01:39

Ben M
I love "the foghorn"

26 January, 03:57

Tom Harris
@Jennifer: I learned that from Adam Savage (of Mythbusters fame)!
@Ben: As do I! Love me some Ray Bradbury 🙂

27 January, 01:50

gorby
Nice work. The mouth looks great.

8 March, 17:36

Tom Harris
Thanks, Gorby!
I have been very pleased with gradually altering the fleshtone of the paint and experimenting with the varnishes to try to get different effects. 🙂

12 March, 14:13

Jennifer Franklin
The effect is brilliant.

13 March, 01:41

Tom Harris
Hi, Jennifer!
Thank you!
I'm very pleased with its mouth. Was fairly pleased so far with the hide, but have run into a snag - for some reason the wash (same I've used all over its right side) is now reacting with some of the yellow/bright greens on the left side and turning them off-white. :|
Same paint brand (Mission Models) in the wash so I have to wonder if it's a thing with the wash aging, perhaps??

I really wanted to like Mission Models, but seriously considering going back to Tamiya given my experiences on these 3 recent kits.
Maybe it's me - maybe it's them. Either way the result is not optimal. LOL

16 March, 13:47

Jennifer Franklin
oh no

21 March, 02:28

Album info

I knew I had to have this kit.
I've been a kaiju & Harryhausen fan since childhood and didn't realize for some time that the film of this beast, awakened from slumber by an atomic bomb test, predates Gojira/Godzilla's by a year!

The story was inspired by a 1951 short story, "The Foghorn," by none other than Ray Bradbury!

Ray Harryhausen's Rhedosaurus

22 images

300mm

Completed

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