1940’s truck jack

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Latest 3D model made for my own diorama, but it will be another entry in my Cults3D shop as well. It’s a Hein-Werner 8-ton bottle jack modeled from a drawing in a 1941 Hein-Werner catalog. Did the US Army use them in WWII? Maybe? But the truck in my diorama has a repaired flat tire and it stands to reason they used a jack. These were around during the war so I figure there’s a chance a few made it to Europe, right?

Camping, but with tanks

Here’s my first complete figure available on Cults3D. It’s a 3D scan of my son in some clothes that were close to what I wanted, and then I sculpted in the parts to make it historically accurate, in this case of an Afrika Korp self-propelled artillery crewman in 1940-41. The head and boots were sculpted from scratch in Nomad Sculpt and Blender. My first figure in what I hope will be a series called the 200 Series. I chose this subject out of necessity for a 1/35 scale diorama I’m planning, but wanting to make casualty figures was a long-term goal of my digital sculpting.

I’ve always felt it was odd after years in the 1/35 scale armor modeling community that so few dioramas featured casualties. One reason is that there are simply very few casualty sculpts available. There’s this conceit that somehow showing casualties in your modeling is distasteful which I consider ridiculous. After all we are often modeling subjects from WWII, the most destructive conflict in human history where tens of millions were killed. To me some dioramas looked like “camping, but with tanks.” To me, figures are the most expressive part of armor modeling and are there to tell the story. And sometimes that story can be grim and sad. I’ll never understand the need to depict ultra-accuracy with a vehicle while ignoring the reasons it existed. It feels disingenuous somehow (in my opinion of course).

My creations for this series will be drawn from real historical photos but will not be models of specific people, but instead amalgams of various sources, real life model poses, and my imagination. I don’t feel they need to be overly gruesome to be effective, but sometimes maybe that will happen. We’ll have to see. Maybe I can fill a niche with these, but no matter what they will help me tell the stories I want to with my hobby.

Pit Droid

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My first 3D printed droid is finally finished. Assembly and painting was a lot of fun and my xp with scale armor modeling came in handy for the tools and techniques to weather the droid up nicely. The color scheme will serve quite a few uses. The dark blue and yellow will work for a social media pic for my full-time University of Rochester job. The light blue and yellow is a nod to Ukraine, and maybe if the Sabres are ever any good again I can dress him up for a playoff run. The Droid Division files I printed from were fantastic. I have no idea how much I spent on it, other than too much. If I make anything larger than this I need to invest in a better printer to get smoother prints; filling and sanding is not fun.

Small Steps Create Big Shifts

Confidence doesn’t always arrive with a bold entrance. Sometimes, it builds quietly, step by step, as we show up for ourselves day after day. It grows when we choose to try, even when we’re unsure of the outcome. Every time you take action despite self-doubt, you reinforce the belief that you’re capable. Confidence isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about trusting that you can figure it out along the way.

The key to making things happen isn’t waiting for the perfect moment; it’s starting with what you have, where you are. Big goals can feel overwhelming when viewed all at once, but momentum builds through small, consistent action. Whether you’re working toward a personal milestone or a professional dream, progress comes from showing up — not perfectly, but persistently. Action creates clarity, and over time, those steps forward add up to something real.

You don’t need to be fearless to reach your goals, you just need to be willing. Willing to try, willing to learn, and willing to believe that you’re capable of more than you know. The road may not always be smooth, but growth rarely is. What matters most is that you keep going, keep learning, and keep believing in the version of yourself you’re becoming.

Turn Intention Into Action

Confidence doesn’t always arrive with a bold entrance. Sometimes, it builds quietly, step by step, as we show up for ourselves day after day. It grows when we choose to try, even when we’re unsure of the outcome. Every time you take action despite self-doubt, you reinforce the belief that you’re capable. Confidence isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about trusting that you can figure it out along the way.

The key to making things happen isn’t waiting for the perfect moment; it’s starting with what you have, where you are. Big goals can feel overwhelming when viewed all at once, but momentum builds through small, consistent action. Whether you’re working toward a personal milestone or a professional dream, progress comes from showing up — not perfectly, but persistently. Action creates clarity, and over time, those steps forward add up to something real.

You don’t need to be fearless to reach your goals, you just need to be willing. Willing to try, willing to learn, and willing to believe that you’re capable of more than you know. The road may not always be smooth, but growth rarely is. What matters most is that you keep going, keep learning, and keep believing in the version of yourself you’re becoming.

Make Room for Growth

Confidence doesn’t always arrive with a bold entrance. Sometimes, it builds quietly, step by step, as we show up for ourselves day after day. It grows when we choose to try, even when we’re unsure of the outcome. Every time you take action despite self-doubt, you reinforce the belief that you’re capable. Confidence isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about trusting that you can figure it out along the way.

The key to making things happen isn’t waiting for the perfect moment; it’s starting with what you have, where you are. Big goals can feel overwhelming when viewed all at once, but momentum builds through small, consistent action. Whether you’re working toward a personal milestone or a professional dream, progress comes from showing up — not perfectly, but persistently. Action creates clarity, and over time, those steps forward add up to something real.

You don’t need to be fearless to reach your goals, you just need to be willing. Willing to try, willing to learn, and willing to believe that you’re capable of more than you know. The road may not always be smooth, but growth rarely is. What matters most is that you keep going, keep learning, and keep believing in the version of yourself you’re becoming.