Considered tackling the lead rot problem as the brass, steel and nylon brush set turned up, but the will was lacking.
Aimed to tackle the IDF para brigade mounted in halftracks, but got side tracked if you'll forgive the pun, into finishing some bits on the SP 120mm mortar halftracks. Only got as far as cleaning the paratrooper figures, but ran out of time to work on their transport.
Abandoning corrective action on the lead rot, I turned instead to my 1:87 Arab-Israeli project turning to M3 half-tracks and IDF Mechanised Infantry.
In 1967, the IDF had 5x armoured brigades (with 1 mechanised battalion each) and 4x Mechanised brigades (with 2 mechanised battalions each) giving a total of 13 battalions. In Megablitz terms 13 models and 26 infantry (apart from any crew figures).
I had already built 7 M3s and 6 infantry, adding another M3 recently. So while listening to Israeli folk music (!) I added another 3 xM3 and 20 infantry. Progress was marred by realising the rear folding shelves had been glued too far down. I did consider leaving them, but knew it would bug me so I had to alter them! The infantry head swaps were hard work, the metal of the figures being particularly hard, even when drilling with a mini-drill. Fortunately, Jerusalem of Gold, Rachel and some other songs got me through it!
This week has seen me struggling with one of those wargames horror stories....the dreaded lead rot!
As part of the sidetrack into F&I war (solidified by a re-read of Parkman) saw me acquire rather a lot of old Pax Britannica / RSM nominally 30mm French and British figures. The price was right but marred by the discovery that many of the figures were slightly showing discoloration and patches of white powdering. Some of the figures felt rough where the colour was different.
After some research, it appears the white patches are lead carbonate, in effect lead rust and are signs of a reaction of the metal to certain storage conditions, especially damp, humid areas with both wood and cardboard producing the necessary acids to create the reaction. It seems however, not even plastic storage containers are immune from producing acids.
There followed some fairly extensive research on the internet on the phenomenon. Frankly, much of it was nonsense; everyone it seems has an opinion, some solutions appear more akin to voodoo or quackery!
Many were accompanied by horrific pictures of miniatures sprouting growths like something out of a horror show or medical textbook......
Fortunately, my miniatures were not so badly effected (no pictures as the camera on my tablet wouldn't focus enough); while I could have simply returned them, the figures are now difficult to obtain, so I have been looking at solutions.
The suggestions vary from throw them away or quarantine them (no evidence it's actually contagious) to chemical or physical removal of offending material. The commonest solution being one from The Game of Thrones author involving gum turpentine and refined mineral oil.
Unfortunately, there is no accompanying explanation of why this should work. I'm dubious about applying oil to a figure that is going to accept paint. Exactly how porous is lead?
Next most common is the application of an acid solution such as vinegar; many have queried applying an acid to a problem caused by acids and some have tried an alkaline. This is either with or without removing any material first. Unfortunately, lead carbonate is also known as white lead and is highly toxic......
My impression, is that much of this advice, while well meaning, is based more on hope and hearsay rather than science. I read one piece (dressed up as being influenced by conservation) which suggested "household ammonia"; my research indicates that lead carbonate is not soluble in ammonia, so aside from neuralising the acids is not likely to do much to the surface white lead.....
Limited by the materials at hand, I have tried some experiments of my own. It is possible to scrape off the white deposits, but being highly toxic I have limited this to a careful limited test. It also does not work on areas such as the base. I have ordered some brushes to experiment further while wearing mask and gloves.......apparently white lead is sweet and was added to bitter wine to sweeten it until banned!
So far, the chemical experiments have been limited to a scrub with an old toothbrush in a highly concentrated detergent solution (only moderately successful) followed by an overnight soak in Detol; knowing it's effect on paint, I did look up it's chemical make up to discover it's a base and /or mildly alkeline - it's also highly toxic to cats and cane toads - who knew! A scrub in the Detol, has done little more than the detergent, but no further harm (and they are much cleaner).
I may try oven cleaner, as this is acidic, on the most effected. However, it seems physical removal, followed by some kind of alkali neutralisation (as simple as detergent) is probably the way to go before I start immersing them in gum turpentine and mineral oil!
Out of interest, the make up of the metal itself is one of the causes; the original Pax Britannica were reputedly made of pewter which partly explained the high cost; the moulds were acquired by Vandrad in the UK and /or RSM (Rusty Scabbard Miniatures) in the US who still produce them AFAIK. Vandrad are long gone and I cannot recall if they imported or produced under licence or owned the moulds. While Steve Hezzelwood (of Pax Britannica) was something of a "rogue", I suspect the castings are later as Pax Britannica were very hard and inflexible, suggesting pewter with very little lead content, unlike these figures so suggesting either RSM or Vandrad with a high lead content - although I thought the US had banned lead in miniatures?
In an effort to combat the listlessness and lack of motivation, I started with a relatively simple task.....
Some nicely painted figures acquired from eBay (I don't normally buy painted figures) had suffered some bent muskets and consequent paint flaking as well as some loss of paint where they had been "rubbed"; it seems the painter had not bothered with either primer nor varnish!
The figures were simply touched up where paint was missing.
Some French Canadian militia (or Habitants) for the French and Indian War. The red "tunque" identifies them as from Quebec.
Today saw me revisit my Arab-Israeli project, inspired by Joao's wonderful blog and comments about IDF M3 halftracks, I remembered three were awaiting conversion in the project box.
http://jpwargamingplace.blogspot.com/2023/07/rfrable-archer-israeli-army-for-lebanon.html
Digging them out resulted in more work on the M-50 Shermans as they were in the same box and when looking through the project box I found a piece from an M-40 spg which I realised would convert to the gun travel lock missing from the models....an oversight which has bugged me since I realised I had not added them earlier.
All in all, a satisfying day of modelling.
Yet again a weekend slips away without much to show for it.
Various project boxes came out, only to be put away again as I simply didn't get even a glimmer of inspiration.....
I ended up sorting out F&I War American militia into units from the various Rafm packs I have, splitting up packs here and there to distribute command figures and a mix of rank and file.
I also worked out how to distribute the command figures for the French Canadian militia - the 3 painted Rafm units need a new Rafm command figure and I have acquired some Minifigs (including 9 very nicely painted) from eBay.
The plan was to also clean some figures up with a view to priming and painting using Contrast paints, but alas none of that happened.
The flats insanity continues; I have painted up figures for a stand to represent Louis XII. In addition, I found some rather ropey "kni...
