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Pater Practicus

@paterpracticus.bsky.social
573 followers 691 following 1.4K posts

Practical dad, Brendan – maker, mender and modeller. Always curious, always learning. Sharing project videos on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@paterpracticus

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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 7h
Already thinking about my next @pimoroni.com Tiny FX application, and I’ve got an idea for the model railway, but need some of the bits from the old layout that have been languishing in the shed. Quite a lot of repairs needed to my old Metcalfe buildings and faded home-printed surfaces.
Model railway town buildingsModel railway town buildings
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 10h
For some reason, the number plates aren’t on the decal sheet, but printed as part of the instructions to cut out and glue on. As well as being too faded to use, I thought LF 1914 was a bit suspect as a real plate, so I’ve made my own, with a little nod to the Tiny FX’s #RaspberryPi processor.
Airfix fire engine instruction sheet with number platesVintage Airfix fire engine kit with “RP 2040” number platesVintage Airfix fire engine kit with “RP 2040” number plates
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Nearly finished, with just a few details outstanding. Would be nice to get it done by the weekend, but I’m definitely not going to rush it at this stage. #HistScaleModels
Vintage Airfix fire engine kit
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Reposted by Pater Practicus
pimoroni @pimoroni.com · 29/09/2026
Small Scale, Big Impact: Tiny FX Adds Magic to Model Builds: blog.pimoroni.com/small-scale-...
blog.pimoroni.com
Small Scale, Big Impact: Tiny FX Adds Magic to Model Builds
We fell in love with how Brendan merged traditional model making practices with 3D printing and electronics.
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Figure painting in progress. Lots of brass and facial hair!
Painted firemen for vintage scale model kit
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 28/09/2026
Made a start on my fire crew. Trying to keep the shading and highlights really subtle. The blue should look great against the brass.
Scale model firemen being painted.
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Still a little way to go, but I've added a bit of light weathering on my Airfix WWI fire engine - and I've finally finished the video for the remotely controlled lighting and sound effects: youtu.be/DxHClpoQMJc
Airfix WWI fire engine with working headlights and IR remote control
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Still quite a bit to do - especially painting and adding the crew - but first assembly is looking good.
Airfix 1914 Dennis fire engine kit.
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
1914 Dennis fire engine nearly ready for assembly, progress slowed somewhat whilst sorting an ongoing family crisis. What it has reminded me is that the calming certainties of modelling can be a real balm during situations like this.
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
Lining the fenders has been something of a task, but worth it.
Masking lines on fire engine fendersBrass paint on fendersRed fire engine fenders, lined with brass
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Horn sound effect now added to the @pimoroni.com Tiny FX and headlight brightness adjusted. Not too daunting a bit of code for a relative novice like myself - mostly just rewritten from one of the supplied examples.
Model fire engine kit and Tiny FX with remote controlMicropython code for turning the functions on and off
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 22/09/2026
Popped into the Warhammer in Bath yesterday to pick up some paints for the firemen. Not quite the usual gruesome names, but ‘Stormfiend’ does still sound a bit worrying.
Model WWI fire fighters with blue paint tubs
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
It be #TalkLikeaPirateDay, and appropriately I’ve managed to swap the plug wires over to switch the polarity of a shorter JST cable for my @pimoroni.com Aye Arr remote control.
Pimoroni Tiny FX with IR remote control.
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Shiver me timbers, it be International Talk Like a Pirate Day. 🏴‍☠️
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Lots of lovely shiny brass!
Airfix fire engine kit with bits painted in metallic brass paint
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
I’d forgotten the fire engine had a horn as well as the bell. I’m going to have to find a suitable honking sound effect for that too. #HistScaleModels
Airfix fire engine kit parts and instructions
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
First headlight test. LEDs on about half power, which is probably about right.
Scale model vintage fire engine with illuminated headlights
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Headlights done. Tiny FX LED dots fitted and epoxy resin glazed lenses attached.
Small headlight assemblies for scale model fire engine
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Headlights ready for assembly, with two-part clear epoxy resin having been carefully added to the insides of my 3D printed rims, and left flat to cure overnight.
Brass painted headlight parts for vintage fire engine kit
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Today's focus has been on packing the electrics under the bodywork of the Airfix fire engine, so I've designed a mounting plate, with battery holder and recess for the IR receiver stick. The Tiny FX going on the ledge at the end.
CAD for battery holder and mounting plate
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Perhaps unsurprisingly I have run out of red paint. More on order for the top coats. #HistScaleModels
Airfix model fire engine.
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
More progress on the electronics for my vintage Airfix fire engine kit, with headlights drilled out and LEDs fitted for the @pimoroni.com Tiny FX that will go in the back. And I’ve managed to program it so the IR remote can not only turn them on and off, but control the brightness too.
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Progress today: nice shiny silver bonnet (Vallejo Chrome) and a first coat of Mr Hobby ‘Character Red’ on the bodywork and ladder carriage. Hole drilled on top for the IR remote sensor.
Airfix 1914 Dennis fire engine kit WIP
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 13/09/2026
Work underneath the fire engine today. Tiny FX and speaker just squished in to make sure everything fits for now. Plus, bottoms of headlights being drilled for the LED wires. I still need to organise room for a battery holder in there somewhere.
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
First test fit of fire crew and ladder. Such a good kit in spite of its age. #HistScaleModels
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Wheels fitted, with nice shiny brass hubs. Got to keep up appearances, even if there is a war on. #HistScaleModels
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 12/09/2026
Anyone who struggles with wheel painting, get yourself a DSPIAE circle cutter. Absolute game changer.
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Absolutely love it! Hasn’t taken long to get the hang of setting it up and adjusting for perfect circles.
DSPIAE circle cutter and masked wheels DSPIAE circle cutter and masked wheels
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
And a coat of primer for my fire fighters. Not quite sure what’s going on with the driver’s hand, but hopefully all will become clearer when they are in place.
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Fire engine chassis suitably weathered. Details picked out with some washes, then an overall coat of Vallejo engine grime.
Airfix 1914 Dennis fire engine kit work in progressAirfix 1914 Dennis fire engine kit work in progress
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
Got myself a new tool. I think I might need a bit of practice setting it up right.
Dspiae circle cutter
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
I decided to glue in some metal rails in the gap either side of the ladder. Added advantage of straightening the slightly bendy plastic of the carriage guides. #HistScaleModels
Ladder assembly from Airfix fire engine kitLadder assembly from Airfix fire engine kit
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Ladder assembled. The 3 main sections now slide nicely after quite a bit of sanding, but I’m not 100% sure how they are meant to fit into the carriage guide rails as there seems quite a large gap on either side. #HistScaleModels
Ladder section of Airfix 1914 Dennis fire engine
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Managed to program the @pimoroni.com Tiny FX for my Airfix fire engine kit to turn the lights on and off, and ring the bell (sound on).
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Many ‘do not cement’ parts of the ladder mechanism. Something tells me this isn’t going to be that easy to get it all working smoothly. #HistScaleModels
Ladder parts of Airfix fire engine kitLadder parts of Airfix fire engine kit
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Tea infuser cages worked a treat for washing my smaller 3D printed resin parts along with the bigger bits.
3D print resin wash station bucket with tea infusers containing small parts. 3D print resin wash station bucket with tea infusers containing small parts. Tea infusers containing small 3D printed resin parts.
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
The very small parts of my 3D printed Bond Aston Martin conversion (patersshed.com/products/jam...) are a pain to wash before curing, so I’ve got myself some tea infusers to keep them safe in my Elegoo Mercury wash bucket.
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Important lesson learnt! Just because cables look the same, doesn’t mean they are the same, and it turns out you can’t use the @adafruit.com 3pin JST SH cable instead of the @pimoroni.com one as the polarity switches. No damage, just got really hot.
Pimoroni Tiny FX with JST SH cable connecting IR remoteAdafruit JST SH cable with coloured wires
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Delivery from @pimoroni.com destined for the fire truck kit. I’ve found a program that can toggle the LEDs using the IR remote. Now I need to work out how to ring my bell sound effect.
Pimoroni Tiny FX with lit LEDs and IR remote control.
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 08/09/2026
Nicely detailed, the old Airfix chassis is quite complex, so quite a bit of loose fitting before committing to glue. #HistScaleModels
Airfix WW1 fire engine kit work in progress
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
Progress being made on my 1914 Dennis fire engine. Chassis parts coming together, and no longer a speck of the red plastic to be seen.
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
And PatersShed.com is open for business!
Hand packaging 3D printed parts for converting an Airfix kit to James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 06/09/2026
This is when you discover your Airfix tooling is as old as you are! #HistScaleModels
Airfix fire engine kit work in progressBack of part with copyright for 1964
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
New video out now! Converting an Airfix starter set into James Bond’s gadget laden Aston Martin DB5: youtu.be/K-oZvJeiJZo?...
youtu.be
James Bond Aston Martin DB5 conversion from an Airfix 1/43 scale kit using 3D printed resin parts
YouTube video by Pater Practicus
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Chassis instantly looking better with a coat of primer. #HistScaleModels
Chassis and engine of an Airfix 1914 Dennis fire engine kit in grey primer
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
First few stages coming together nicely. The old plastic is a little bit bendy, but nothing I can’t straighten up later.
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Unboxed for the first time after nearly 50 years:
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
PatersShed.com opening soon…
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
One step closer to launching my very first official Pater Practicus Product.
3D printed resin conversion parts to make James Bond’s Aston Martin from an Airfix kit in a plastic ziplock bag
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Pater Practicus @paterpracticus.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
September’s modelling projects. #HistScaleModels
Boxed model kits of a 1914 Dennis fire engine and a B Type bus
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