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Mike Dowling

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Everything posted by Mike Dowling

  1. Mike Dowling
    Were the oars meant to be various lengths? Only kidding!
  2. Mike Dowling
    Enjoy the Amati Red, some of the wood bending is great fun !!!!!
  3. Mike Dowling
    Thank you very much hof (!!!) ( that's the trouble with handles you never know a real name) and everyone who has taken the trouble to post a reply. Despite my joking about the lifeboats I really do appreciate your comments. To those that have enquired I have just started the AL stage coach for my next build, I have already done the Amati version. Please don't think me a peasant !! I have the Oesberg in my stash to do after and I am hoping that Santa will arrive with a bi and/ or a trireme to play with in the new year. I just try to alternate a boat/ship with another build but it doesn't stop me watching MSW and all the wonderful build that are going on.
  4. Mike Dowling
    I cant believe the care and precision of the work you are doing. I am just so impressed ! I have a Viking boat to do soon and am hoping that Santa will be bringing a bi and a trireme so, might I ask where you got your figures from ?
  5. Mike Dowling
    Not sure if you would be interested but I have just been checking out the contents of my box ! Unlike your kit (same maker) The oars are not plastic but have to be made. The dragon head on the front is made up of 5 pieces of cast brittania metal and the shields are cast in a bronze coloured metal material. So, it's a bit different and I can't make my mind up whether to start it yet or not!
  6. Mike Dowling
    Well high praise indeed from someone of your calibre - thank you very much. Regarding the lines, some of them I painted white just to make them thicker really. Otherwise not treated just put on tight. I can't say I have had any problems with sagging lines. If it is at all helpful I rarely use the supplied thread as I find it far too woolly so I tend to go for polyester. The thread with this kit was very weird nylony stuff that was hopeless to work with and impossible to stick to anything. I am not clever enough to seize everything I'm afraid, just glue!! Chaperon is by far the best paddle steamer kit I have built thus far and the most challenging in some ways. The Robt.E.Lee I did was a Constructo kit which I deliberately left as a wood finish is also one of my favourites but you have to get over their dreadful 'cutting' techniques. I can't believe that Constructo haven't invested in laser cutting by now. Anyway many thanks for your post.
  7. Mike Dowling
    Not sure about fun Kurt but definitely a challenge !! Thanks Carl, yes two previous paddlers but they are all very different.
  8. Mike Dowling
    So, what was left to do. Oh yes, put the lovely little boats on and rig them !! I had already made the smokestacks so they had to go on and get rigged and the planky, boarding rampy sort of thing (which I am sure has a proper term, also made up and needing to go and rig! and of course make up 9 coils of rope. So, I did it and she is now finished !!!! Whether I put some fire buckets and holder on I will think about. I did add an American flag of the right date just to finish her off! Anyway, a resume. Model shipways kit. Most of the wood was good except for their basswood which I think is far too soft and warps as soon as you look at it and soaks up paint like a sponge. Their laser cutting was pretty good except for some of the very small thin pieces which surprised me. I would have thought they were the easier to make. Instructions were no better or worse than many. The plans were excellent but with one big gripe. The plan showing side, fore and aft views were not to scale which meant there was no way of taking measurements from them. They could easily have been produced to scale by using one more sheet - please take note model shipways. The brass work was first class. Not enough brass eyelets were included so it was lucky I had some spare. Overall though an excellent kit which I have thoroughly enjoyed and would recommend. Huge thanks to Kurt whose generosity in providing photos, better instructions and general help in answering queries without which I really don't think my end result would be as good as it is. Also many, many thanks to those of you who have watched and posted comments. I hope you have enjoyed the build as much as I have.
  9. Mike Dowling
    You'll need a drink when you finish that lot !
  10. Mike Dowling
    I love it, people like me !!!! In case I mislead anyone the floor of the little boats that so many like now is wood. I planked the paper template and then trimmed it to fit the floor of the boat.
  11. Mike Dowling
    OK Wackowolf, you can be my friend too even if you don't like my little boats !
  12. Mike Dowling
    Thanks Kurt, not only are you a very helpful Gentleman, you are now my third friend !!
  13. Mike Dowling
    I will assume you like them first. First thing I did was to paint the inside of the metal a wood brown colour. Then I made a paper templates and planked them ,while they were still soft I could easily mould them to fit the bottom of the boat and then glued them in and varnished them in matt varnish. Thank you so much for noticing that I had done that. I know I didn't do any rollocks or whatever they are called and I didn't provide any oars. I did do thwart risers and thwarts (clever eh?) but I still think they look better than a bare metal husk! Thank you so much Elijah for being my second friend!
  14. Mike Dowling
    So only one person likes my lifeboats huh ! Fine friends you lot are !!!
  15. Mike Dowling
    You didn't like my lifeboats then ?
  16. Mike Dowling
    The minor adjustment for the slot in the deck turned out to be a major incident so the best I could do was equalise the situation on both sides. It's a shame but it will have to do. Kurt I don't understand how you can have round bottomed buckets unless one were to make something like a cannon ball rack to hold them. The kit definitely doesn't have any. Now folks, I know I am a truly sad person (!!!) but I simply had to show you my lifeboats. They came as two shells of brittania metal and I have to say I am a bit pleased with my modifications.
  17. Mike Dowling
    Kurt, I almost don't like to ask because I think it's something to carry water in but, what is a bucket ?
  18. Mike Dowling
    I have to admit that the turnbuckles were kit supplied. I am not clever enough nor do I have the kit to make my own like Kurt did. Minor adjustment only but thanks for pointing it out about the slot. I'll bet that has a posh name too !!!
  19. Mike Dowling
    OK guys and gals, here is the reveal !!!! The big flappy round thing is complete and on the boat !!! You are right Popeye, it was certainly a work, whether art or not I leave those amongst you to decide. A little 'kit bashed' with visual suggestions from Kurt.
  20. Mike Dowling
    Thank you so much - I have sent a PM for your interest.
  21. Mike Dowling
    Absolutely beautiful and I am glad to see the return of the lubrication!
  22. Mike Dowling
    Maybe the wales were due to the constant supply of a variety of lubrication in various bottles ?
  23. Mike Dowling
    I have the kit and I think it may well be my next build so I will be interested in your progress - hope you don't mind my watching.
  24. Mike Dowling
    Thanks Kurt - I really appreciate your kind comment, and the rest of you guys thank you as well. Still a way to go and I promise to do the big flappy round thing soon!
  25. Mike Dowling
    OK I couldn't resist! I just had to get those deck frilly edge bits on and despite quite a lot of CA gel on my fingers I think it looks, well pretty I suppose !!!! The decoration, not my fingers that is.

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