James H

Yes, plus my instructional build will be shown.

That's quite likely! 😆 I think this may have been the first time I did a 'tuck', albeit a shallow one.

Moved to correct forum area.

Prob artistic licence, simply for display convention. A bit like the figures 😆

This brings Surprise almost up to date as I've begun to plank the hull. All deck beams are cut from 4mm pear except for two in 3mm pear. All beams have laser char removed from the upper surface which is then masked before the rest of the timber is sprayed in white paint. I used Tamiya Fine Surface Primer. The beam knees are also sprayed in the same colour. The knees are specific to individual locations too. Mast and capstan locations are bolstered with reinforcement parts. And here is what Surprise looks like at this stage. Hope you like her.

I did promise another update, so here's a small one, but with some definitive changes. In these photos, you'll see the gun carriages are now fitted. As previously mentioned, these have tabs which fit into slots around the deck edges, meaning the guns will always be perfectly positioned. The only ports not slotted are the bow chasers as they are optional. Whilst the inner port exists as shown, they will be blanked off on the external surface, with an option to cut them out yourself. Port lids are included, should you wish to fit these. There are also 3 spare carts, so two can be used here, should you wish. You'd just need to remove the cart tabs. The guns are also fitted last, after the model is very much complete, otherwise. I know a few people wanted to see these last photos. To be honest, I'm not great at figure painting, so I've done my best here. I used acrylics for the figures as I didn't have oils to suit. The table, chairs and music stand are mostly in oils, over a sand coloured acrylic paint. Give me a couple more days and I'll do another update.

The problem with that is the pumps are under the quarter, so access will be very difficult, or nigh on impossible.

I rarely read names unless there's parts that are very similar. I just use numbers in the manuals, and a whole dose of ignorance on my MSW updates 🤪

No idea.

Another update. Work now proceeds on the lower gun deck, starting in the bow area. The bowsprit post is now added and the two small walls installed adjacent to it. Possibly something to do with rope stowage? I've no idea, but it all fits perfectly. Work continues, including the brick plinth for the stove to fit upon. Ladderways and grates are installed. With Surprise, Chris has introduced 3D printed hand pumps. These are so much more refined than their wooden counterparts and look very nice when assembled. These plug smoothly onto the 3mm dowels which sit through the decks. The capstans are up next, with the first being fitted on the lower gun deck. More 3D printing with this stove, designed specifically for HMS Surprise. No PE required here either. I simply primed this with Tamiya Fine Surface aerosol and then airbrushed Smoke Black over it. Steel pigment was then applied to edges, with some randomly applied to the surfaces also. This model will be finished with the fictional cannon on the main deck, but I also illustrate how the carronades of the real vessel, would be fitted. More this week...

Ok, I appreciate I'm actually going back a few stages, but the last update simply showed the stage where I was currently at. This update and a couple more or so this week, will bring the build right up to date to where I am at this moment, with the upper deck beams in place and the inner bulwark sandwich temporarily in place. Surprise has no ply sub-deck, and this makes fitting the engraved lime deck extremely easy. Just a bead of glue was applied down the centreline and then the deck was dropped into place and aligned using dowels and a couple of bitt posts. Some small weights were added to the centreline, ensuring good adhesion. Some cabin work is now added. Here you see the sill at the stern. The inner bulwarks are now pre-painted and then fitted. The unpainted areas are for the spirketting etc. After dry alignment, glue is painted into the rear frame areas. This was you get everything right first time, with no compromise. Scrap wood is used to protect the painted areas from the clamps. I painted the rear cabin in a homemade ivory colour, made from white and a touch of ochre. The inner bulwarks are now at completion. The bulkhead screens are now built and fitted with the PE window frames, complete with 0.2mm acetate panel fitted between the PE parts. More in a day or two...

I did feel the need to remove some comments. Some members need to keep their thoughts in check.

I've hidden some comments. Let's stay on track please.

Glad it's sorted!

Can you flush your browser cache and cookies? Try with a different browser too and let me know what happens.

It's not uncommon for companies to keep their development quiet until an announce close to release. I actually suggested to Chris about 4yrs ago about keeping mum for the largest part of development but I feel he's was right about the direction he took. With projects like Surprise, Indefatigable, and Sphinx, the R&D is extremely expensive. Many modellers don't realise the ongoing costs of a project, and the companies reliance on existing kits to help fund stuff like Surprise etc . It's only natural to rethink and do what most other companies do. I will still do a build log though, but not publish until a kit is announced....then it will be a busy and intensive build log period!

The deck is fitted out first as deck beams need to be fitted over this area, followed by the jigs (again) which will maintain the widths/shapes as the hull is then planked and the exterior bulwarks added. You can always mask off the deck area while you work on the exterior.

Just a note. I painted the cabin areas in an ivory colour that I mixed from white, with a touch of ochre added. The subsequent deck beams and knees will be in a more pure white colour.

I'm aware that I need to get an update done. These photos represent what Surprise currently looks like. Over this week, I'll prep some closer detail shots of construction etc that got me to this place. As you can see, she's changed quite a lot. The fit has been great throughout. I also need to paint those figures too! Please excuse photo quality. I did these with my phone.

Looks perfect to me!

And these photo will need no explanation. These were made while waiting for other things to set etc. Until next time.

Time for an update. I've been away for just over two weeks and since returning, I've fought bad weather (for outside MDF sanding) and my head being crushed (metaphorically) from my new job. Ok, here we go. As the basic hull framing is now complete, it's time to prep it for the flat stuff (bulwarks, planks etc.). For this, I used 120 grit aluminium oxide paper, wrapped over a bit of thin ply. The inner bulwarks are easy to sand flat, with no protrusions etc...just a levelling of the various elements of the frame. Aware that the bulkhead ears are always going to be vulnerable in some modeller's hands, jigs have been supplied that you clip to the protruding ears. These are now clipped to each of those areas. The hull is now faired. To do this, I used a combination of sanding paper, sanding sticks, and a sanding mouse. A strip of lime was used to gauge removal of material. Before I do anything to the interior, I need to take the inner bow bulwarks and soak these so they can be clamped into the areas to retain their new shapes. These are left for 24hrs to return back to their pre-soak size. Pear does expand a LOT when soaked.

A luthier too?

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Q1, 2026.