James H

STAGE 99: REAR VALANCE, FOG LIGHTS & CONNECTING THE BODY TO THE CHASSIS & 
STAGE 100: REAR BUMPER, FRONT & REAR LICENSE PLATES

The rear valance is now fitted with fog lights. I also fit the reg plate from stage 100 too. 

Before the body can be fitted to the chassis, all the wiring is finally connected and batteries inserted into the engine compartment to check that all is ok.  Fitting the body took me quite a bit of time in making sure all lugs and holes were in alignment, and also that all cables were safe from being trapped. That aerial is also most at risk here when you turn the car over.

You might notice no rear wheels in this picture. That's because I broke the rear axle as mentioned at the start, and I decided it safest to fit the wheels last, prior to turning the car the right way round. The valence is now fitted and the number added. I also screw the front reg plate into position. 


 
 
All done!!!!!!!!







 
Conclusion
A lovely project that will doubtless be much loved by any petrol head or Shelby fan. The details are superb and the size of this means it's no shrinking violet. You'll need a nice care to display it, and also a strong shelf! All electronics worked as they should, from the engine sounds, to horn, rear lights and front lights. A year's worth of work is finally at an end and my bench will certainly look different with this now gone from it.

STAGE 98: SUN VISORS & REAR VIEW MIRROR

The liner is now fitted with the sun shields and rear view mirror. 



The liner itself now just pushes into place with no problems. 

The aerial is perhaps the only real puzzling part for me. This should've ideally been a push fit for the last item added, but instead it needs to be screwed into the underside of the body before you can fit it, providing a hazard from this point on as you work on the model. Take care with that aerial!

 

STAGE 97: HEADLINER

Even though you get the liner, you can't fit it yet. Instead, both doors are fitted. Make sure these are nice and tight. They should also face a little resistance when pushed fully closed, giving them a positive close-fit.


 

STAGE 96: DOOR TRIM AND SILL PLATES

Those sparse door entry points need prettying up, so these trims and sills are now added. These just push into place with zero fuss on both driver and passenger side.


 

STAGE 93: UPPER VENT GRILLE STAGE 94: REAR WINDOW

The windshield wipers from the previous stage are now screwed into position on the upper vent grille, and the panel slid into place on the body, then screwed into position. 





 
 
STAGE 94: REAR WINDOW & STAGE 95: REAR WINDOW FRAME & RADIO ANTENNA

You know the drill! Both rear window and frame fit nicely into position with ease.



 
 

Pack 12
This is it folks....the final work on this behemoth, and the finished result is VERY heavy and impressive. I've had a snag along the way that delayed me posting this. When you manoeuvre your car around, DO NOT put the weight of the model on any of the back wheels. I did that and snapped the wheel fixing point of the rear axle. You live and learn, and it was so frustrating. 
 
STAGE 91: WINDSHIELD & STAGE 92: WINDSHIELD FRAME AND WIPERS

Real care needs to be taken not to touch the main clear area of the windscreen, for obvious reasons. Thankfully, this just sits neatly in place with zero effort, and the windshield frame locks it into position with a few clicks. 


 
 

Just a quick update before I take a short break to start work on Sphinx (next week).
I'll be splitting my time for this, but will glue and make a few parts while I'm waiting on Sphinx stuff to dry etc. Nonetheless, my priority is Sphinx as you'll want to see it released as soon as possible.
 
For Granado, this is roughly where I'm currently at. On the side which will be exposed frame-wise, I added treenails. My intention was to drill and use black monofilament for these, but I got sick of breaking drill bits, trying to get inside the curve. I then decided to use a jeweller's beading tool to make an impression with a rounded head in the centre. A soft pencil was then used to colour the indent, and any excess removed with an eraser. The keel was then slotted into the jig and the double frames carefully glued onto the keel. I spent a few evenings doing this to make sure it was right and everything was level. A few slivers of wood were pushed into places to ensure an even gap between frames, whilst things dried.

 
Clamps were used to hold the upper timbers in position against each other.

 
The keelson is made from two parts, perfectly fitting, as seen here.

 
I have started to build the riders and their ribs, but I've now stopped work as I highlighted an error to Tom at CAF. The side floor timbers are supposed to be slotted on the underside. This is because some of the internal timbers run through those slots, and they are needed so those planks can be located in the hull. Those timbers are missing those slots, and Tom is now aware and remaking those to send out to customers. 
 
I have, however, glued the keelson into the hull, and you'll see that image next time.

Thanks for the blackening test, James!

There you go!
 

And those links also seem to be solid all round with no joint, so pulling shouldn't present a problem.
To remove that section, I had to cut right through a link.

There you go!
 

There you go!
 

Brass chain - various sizes
Artscale

 
The good folks at Artscale have sent me a few samples of their new brass chain. The samples sent are:
 
Gross - €3,00 Coarse - €3,00 Medium - €3,00 Fine - €3,00  
All chain is provided on metal spools, in 0.5 metre lengths. Each spool is packed into a clear sleeve with a product information insert. The insert is useful as it provides dimensional detail for the chain links. It's very difficult to actually review chain, so this article serves as a guide as to the size of this product and it's suitability to your own project(s). I can tell you that the chain quality is very good and will certainly find its use in my future project work. 
 
Chain isn't something many of us actively seek out, so here's a handy article for you to bookmark, if you need to buy something specific. Check out each link for the sizes above and you'll be taken directly to the product page.




My sincere thanks to Artscale for providing these samples to be published here at Model Ship World. Head over to their site for this and many other goodies (including coffee!)
 
 

And those links also seem to be solid all round with no joint, so pulling shouldn't present a problem.
To remove that section, I had to cut right through a link.

And those links also seem to be solid all round with no joint, so pulling shouldn't present a problem.
To remove that section, I had to cut right through a link.

There you go!
 

I’ve asked, but I don’t think it’s coated, so should be easy enough to blacken. I’ll try with a test piece shortly. 

Brass chain - various sizes
Artscale

 
The good folks at Artscale have sent me a few samples of their new brass chain. The samples sent are:
 
Gross - €3,00 Coarse - €3,00 Medium - €3,00 Fine - €3,00  
All chain is provided on metal spools, in 0.5 metre lengths. Each spool is packed into a clear sleeve with a product information insert. The insert is useful as it provides dimensional detail for the chain links. It's very difficult to actually review chain, so this article serves as a guide as to the size of this product and it's suitability to your own project(s). I can tell you that the chain quality is very good and will certainly find its use in my future project work. 
 
Chain isn't something many of us actively seek out, so here's a handy article for you to bookmark, if you need to buy something specific. Check out each link for the sizes above and you'll be taken directly to the product page.




My sincere thanks to Artscale for providing these samples to be published here at Model Ship World. Head over to their site for this and many other goodies (including coffee!)
 
 

The "metal spools" this chain comes on appear to be standard sewing machine bobbins. They're sort of like clamps... you can't have too many of them if you sew or have a planetary rope making machine. Handy little buggars. They make them in plastic and metal with the metal costing more than the plastic.
 
For those who may have the need, I recently learned that chain like this be annealed and drawn through a hardwood draw plate to reduce its size somewhat within limits. I came across "wooden draw plates" in a commercial jewelers' supply house catalog and had never heard of them before, which sent me searching for what they are for. I learn something new every day on the internet! The wooden chain draw plates are used to make the links oval-shaped and of uniform size after round rings are formed on a mandrel, cut and joined to make round-link chain. Reducing the diameter can make the oval shape of chain links longer which may result in more realistic chain for certain periods. 

Remember, the 15% off sale expires this weekend. 
 
All proceeds to future kit development 😁
 

Here is the finished carriage with gun in position...
 
Doesnt that cannon look great?  Hard to believe it is black resin and not brass.  To treat those,  just spray a mist of matte finish on it.  You know the stuff....spray fixative.  I use Krylon or dull coat.   I did this after removing whatever sprues and flashing with a very fine sandpaper.   
 
Once sprayed and dry I give each barrel the treatment with some weathering powders as I have described numerous times.   It really does the trick.
 

 
Keep in mind I havent applied any Wipe on Poly to the trucks yet so they appear very light.  Thats the raw cedar.  They will have a deeper color once I apply the poly.  You can also add the pins that hold the trucks onto the axels.  Its all up to you.   I have seen so many different treatments by builders with gun carriages.   You guys can have fun with these.  
 
I made the quoin handle.....basically a belaying pin like I usually do.  I chock a length of 3/64 x 3/64 boxwood in my Dremel and shape it with files.   I suppose you can buy some of those but its real tough to find nice belaying pins to scale.   The Crafty Sailor sells some nice ones.   Its up to you and how much time you want to spend on these.  Remember you have to make 24 of them.
 
 
The cap square......these are finicky details   You can put as much time and detail into these as you desire.   Check out a few of the scratch build logs and you will see some guys go nutty with these.  I tend to simplify these merely out of boredom with them and lack of desire to go beyond what you see in the photos.  My goal is to just give the suggestion of a more detailed version.  It is not a great deal accurate but because of there size this gives a great impression at this scale that they are.   The close ups are brutal but when you see them in person they do a swell job.
 
Its very simple really....the base of the cap square is literally a length of black masking tape pre-cut into 1/16" wide strips...maybe a tad wider.   Then I cut the tiniest lengths of 28 gauge black wire.....to 1/16" long.  The same width as the tape.  I place one of these wires at the front and back edges of the tape......
 
To finish it off you will notice that wire loop around the aft wire of the cap square.  This is just a tiny "U" that I made out of that same wire.  One side of the "U" was a bit longer.  I pre-drilled a hole just behind the tapes edge and inserted this "U" into it so the upside down "U" would come down on top of the wire glued to the edge of the tape.  I hope that makes sense.  Its one of those things that isnt easy to describe.
 
And finally, a picture alongside a natural version I made of the cannon.   Its dirty from handling it the last six months or so but you have seen this one.  Its up to you guys to choose if you like the painted red version or the natural version.   I am going with the painted version....it will add some color to the already colorful model.   Otherwise it may look too neutral and drab.  Only 23 more to go!!!!  I will get the assembly line going now.  I will so three batches of 8 guns.   I may not even finish these all at once and skip ahead because its tedious work.
 

 
ANY QUESTIONS???

Thanks!!!  I do like how those came out as well.   Nice and simple.  
 

 
 
Chuck

Brass chain - various sizes
Artscale

 
The good folks at Artscale have sent me a few samples of their new brass chain. The samples sent are:
 
Gross - €3,00 Coarse - €3,00 Medium - €3,00 Fine - €3,00  
All chain is provided on metal spools, in 0.5 metre lengths. Each spool is packed into a clear sleeve with a product information insert. The insert is useful as it provides dimensional detail for the chain links. It's very difficult to actually review chain, so this article serves as a guide as to the size of this product and it's suitability to your own project(s). I can tell you that the chain quality is very good and will certainly find its use in my future project work. 
 
Chain isn't something many of us actively seek out, so here's a handy article for you to bookmark, if you need to buy something specific. Check out each link for the sizes above and you'll be taken directly to the product page.




My sincere thanks to Artscale for providing these samples to be published here at Model Ship World. Head over to their site for this and many other goodies (including coffee!)
 
 

There you go!
 

There you go!