Monthly archives: January 2020

On the Workbench 2020 – the CR-X and My First Gundam

This entry was posted in model car models Spinneyworld on by

The hope for this year is to build more stuff, learning and re-learning skills along the way. I’m also going to utilise products from the shop as often as possible, showcasing how they can be used.

First project of the year is the Honda CR-X kanjo-style racer. The Fujimi kit has gone together well so far, apart from needing to clamp the front subframe as the glue set. I have now reached the point where the chassis is complete, and so is the interior. But it’s being put aside for a while, until I get my hands on the colour shifting paint I want to use on it.


Honda CR-X Street racer - interior

Not the best image of the interior. I shall try to get a better one. This build, as well as utilising a wing and steering wheel from parts sets, has been detailed with bits from the Spinneyworld JDM Interior Parts set, and the Street/Track Racer set, and will sport the JDM Style Door Mirrors when complete.

The CR-X album is here, with more photos, and some commentary.

Whilst the CR-X awaits its paint, I’ve moved on to project 2 of the year- My First Gundam!

This is not the giant battle suit I had originally bought to be my first Gundam, because I got another one cheap on eBay, and decided to have a practice on that one first. I should have some of the scribing tools and detailing parts from the store by the time I start on the second build, so I’ll be able to see how they change the experience.

After watching *a lot* of Gundam build videos on YouTube, I have some ideas of what I’m going to do. First off, I’m welding all the seams, then cleaning them up. Then I’m going to look at improving the existing panel lines and maybe scribing some new ones. But I’ll still head off on my own tangents quite often.

One such tangent happened when I had a look at the shield, the back of which was far too flat and empty. I dipped into my tubs of old kit bits and ‘greeblies’, and added a ring and other pieces, to give it some depth. Few other parts will get this level of added texture, but I had fun adding all of this.


Gundam Mercurius Build - shieldGundam Mercurius Build- detailed shield

Alternative Olympics

This entry was posted in Olympics Sport YouTube on by

It’s an Olympic year, and, if I’ve replaced my recently deceased TV by then, I will be watching some of the action from Tokyo. But in the mean time, it seems that YouTube wants to show me some alternative sports that didn’t make the cut.

It started with extreme gravity racing, with lots of clips of downhill carting in, mostly, Ecuador. Check out this crazy drift trike race, and tell me you wouldn’t watch a show dedicated to it.

The redneck delights of Barbie Truck Racing are positively tame compared to it.

Then, I spotted Longsword fencing. I haven’t a clue what the scoring system is. But I don’t know it for standard fencing, either.

Because I’d watched the longswords, it was suggested I have a look at Medieval Combat. Which appears to be LARPing meets car park brawl. Of course they’re playing The Final Countdown in the background, and it goes without saying that the American commentator can’t understand why the Polish crowd is cheering on the home team, rather than the USA.

The Bosozoku Bike Is Finished!

This entry was posted in models Shapeways Products Spinneyhead Shop Spinneyworld on by

Honda Hawk Bosozoku Bike- finished

The Bosozoku style Honda Hawk is finally finished, and now I can properly move on to 2020’s projects. I’m rather proud of it, even if the flaws and mistakes inherent in it being my first (characteristically over enthusiastic) motorbike model are obvious on close inspection. For example, there is no way a boso rider would sport a full face helmet, but it’s there to cover up the shoddy join between the saddle and its oversized back.

See the full gallery below (or maybe have to click on it to go to Flickr, depending upon how temperamental the embedding is being).


1:12th Bosozoku style Aoshima Honda CB400T

Spinneyhead is (nearly) nineteen!

This entry was posted in blogging Spinneyhead on by

In the build up to New Year, lots of people were posting photos of themselves in 2009 and 2019, and doing mini recaps of the decade. I haven’t done that, because I’m contrary. But I would like to take a trip back in time.

The first post on the Spinneyhead blog is dated January 27, 2001. So the blog turns nineteen this year. I actually thought it was older. The domain has been around longer than that, but most of the content from before I started blogging has been lost to the mists of time.

So, as the first of what may be an ongoing series as I count down to the blog’s twentieth, I thought I’d find posts from New Year’s day (or soon after) from 2001 onwards.

2001’s first post is linked above. There was no NYD post in 2002, because, as I explained the next day, I was unwell (can’t guess why).

By 2003, I’d started using titles for my posts. I listed all the resolutions I would go on to break, and posted one of my personal favourite posts- The World According To Clancy.

2004 opened with a Happy New Year!

New Year 04/05 was conducted out in the wilds, in the days before moblogging was seamless. So there was nothing posted until the 3rd.

2006 started with a very small thumbnail. Then there were more resolutions destined to be unkept.

NYD 2007 saw me looking ahead to my birthday.

2008 opened with a short story.

For NYD 2009, I left a GI Joe figure at Tebay services.

I was still distributing GI Joe figures on NYD 2010, leaving two in Edinburgh (1, 2).

In 2011, all I could muster was a link list that only had one link in it.

In 2012, I didn’t manage to blog until the 3rd. But it was a picture of a friendly penis*, so I demand forgiveness. *Graffiti penis, not a real one.

2013 saw me being lazy, with only a cross post on the 2nd.

2014’s first post was a grainy photo taken in a pub.

2015’s first post wasn’t until the 4th, and was about Creationism and the inevitability of life.

2016’s first post was about some of my 3D printed products, and was recently updated.

Posting has been significantly sparser in the last few years. 2017’s first post wasn’t until January 29th, and was about a letter sent to my local MP. The subject? Brexit, of course.

I managed to post on the 1st in 2018. But looking back on it, I was ridiculously naive to think the political situation might somehow improve.

Last year’s first post was the last part of A Death In Didsbury. Which you probably can’t read unless you’re supporting me on Patreon.

And this year’s first post is this one.

Resolutions have proved pointless in the past, so I’ll just offer a vague hope for things to be better- for me, those I care for, the country, and the world- over the next twelve months.

And for more Nazis to get punched.