NMBROOK

Fabulous work Mark and some ingenious solutions That gold paint also looks really good as well and sets everything off nicely. Kind Regards Nigel

Great to see an update Nick It may feel like three steps forward and two back,but it will be worth it in the long run Kind Regards Nigel

One will go a long way Dar,when you eventually finish the bottle,I would rather get a 'fresh' one nearer the time Kind Regards Nigel

Hi Dar Jaager has pretty well covered all bases.Your best bet is to order some Titebond from Cornwall model boats.Pretty much everyone on here,myself included uses CMB for bits and bobs materials kits etc.It is worth the expense.Normal evostik type PVA from B&Q isn't quite the same.Building PVA stays rubbery when fully set,not ideal on models.Here's a link for the wood glue,Titebond is near the bottom http://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/acatalog/wood_glues.html Kind Regards Nigel

I have heard Amati rigging line is probably the best off the shelf non rope product Kind Regards Nigel

Hi Greg,I'm with Jaager on this.I read your post earlier and Cypress sent alarm bells ringing,but haven't had time to investigate.Somewhere I had heard that Cypress has an open cellular grain.Trolling the net doesn't confirm or deny this.However it's density and low hardness would say this is probably correct.I feel that the wood is swelling and shrinking at different rates as others have said.Due to it's characteristics,it could even be the moisture from the glue that is causing it. Kind Regards Nigel

I have to chime in and agree with Mark on this one E J.My research on Sovereign revealed cannons facing towards the maindeck.Main aim to mutilate any boarding party that dare attempt it.Yes it would work,but half the masting and rigging would be destroyed in the process Mary rose had similar cannons None of it makes sense now,just the way they built ships back then Kind Regards Nigel

No experience with MarisStella myself,but can't praise Daniel Dusek's work enough.His company is also a site sponser,see the link on the right for Dusek Ship kits.Also have a log for his latest kit listed in my signature Kind Regards Nigel

Wow,that looks absolutely fantastic Daniel!!!!!!!! I did wonder if you would adopt the red and black colour scheme Slow down though,I need time to save my pennies,this is a definite must have for my stash Kind Regards Nigel

Your attention to detail knows no bounds Michael,splendid work my friend Kind Regards Nigel

Excellent work Jason!!!! Kind Regards Nigel

Stunning work Marsalv!!!! Kind Regards Nigel

Super crisp work Jason In my experience water brings the grain out far more than finish.I wipe down with white spirit to get a better idea but his still exaggerates things more.On the plus side white spirit will not raise the grain on a sanded surface,water does and invariably leads to more sanding. Kind Regards Nigel

Great to see you have resurrected your WVH build Chris .The period paint chart is very interesting.I too will have a similar exercise in the future on Nuestra Senora and was thinking of which shade of red and green to use on the stern,this chart will be most helpful,thank you. Kind Regards Nigel

Thanks Ulises yes HUGE is the word that springs to mind I may get around to posting pics at some stage Kind Regards Nigel

I agree Druxey that would be a little challenging.I don't say you can eliminate spiling completely,just reduce the amount required.To date,i haven't had any spring back issues,however all my final planking is glued to a continuous substrate,be it solid wood infill or a first planking layer.I know Chuck single planks over bulkheads or frames albeit closer together than one would find in a standard kit. Kind Regards Nigel

The idea is to prebend the plank off the model Druxey,I totally agree that bending as you lay the planks is fraught with problems.Chuck uses a hair dryer,Dr Mike uses an iron or a toaster!Prebending the planks removes any inbuilt stresses and prevents problems later on. Kind Regards Nigel

Okay,I admit and apologize for what comes across as a 'knee jerk' response earlier. Here is my take on things in greater depth.I do not deny having the ability to scarchbuild,in fact my frustration with drafting errors on Royal Williams sheer plan means that my first and probably only fully framed model will be that of la Renomee to the Ancre monograph. My stance is this,I have spent over twenty five years making simple parts to complex assemblies in my day job,I want a release in my hobby.Scratchbuilding a ship,whilst requiring manual skills,is essentially being able to read drawing,manufacture these parts and then work on a sequence of assembly.Exactly the same as my day job. Kitbashing presents a different set of problems to solve.This problem solving and also the use of artistic flair is the difference that attracts me.I say artistic flair as I now take historical accuracy with a pinch of salt in some respects.No kit is 100% accurate historically,this relieves the pressure to be committed to accuracy in my eyes.Following a monograph,you are bound to do everything by the book.No disrespect to the purists out there,but that is not for me.I would rather create a plausible artistic representation. Now on to timber choice.There are a few builders who inspire me and I am in awe of their work.When I reached a certain level I realised the biggest thing that detracted away from my skills was the choice of timber.No matter what talent I possessed,my models would always look inferior due to the use of the kit supplied timber.I bit the bullet,dug deep into my pocket and chose to give boxwood and pear a go.Whilst these do cost serious amounts of money,not only do they add to the 'quality' appearance they make the work more pleasurable.Too many years of frustration trying to shape small details in walnut only to have a piece 'flake' off. This is not a 'cheap' route to take.The current spend on timber for Mordaunt is equal to the cost of the kit,however,the build may take 3000 hours of mainly enjoyment,so the cost per hour equates to a negligible amount. Kind Regards Nigel

Hi Fish I disagree with David,you can edge bend planking and many builders far more experienced than myself have shown techniques for doing this.I have even successfully edge bent Ebony. The odd stealer was using in planking of many full size vessels,however,if you want to emulate the planking on contemporary models,then stealers are undesirable as they were very rarely used on these models. Kind Regards Nigel.

Looking good Ulises My 1/60 scratchbuild to Mamoli's plans going along in the background only highlights the problems you must have faced getting a fair hull.The bulkheads are miles away and unsymmetrical.Admittedly all errors on the plans are scaled up 1.5 times on my build,but the errors are as much as 3mm on my skeleton.Much packing sanding and checking will be required before I even think about planking. Kind Regards Nigel

Stunning work Marsalv!! Kind Regards Nigel

Thank you very much indeed aferox and Ferit I wish you all the best with Mordaunt aferox.You will have to start a build log,it will be nice not to be the only Mordaunt build on here There is a good video slideshow build on youtube.I may be wrong,but this may be the build of Murpys77,a member on here. Excellent to hear from you again Ferit my friend.I myself am now suffering post moving blues.I spent years getting everything how I wanted it and have to start over again However I have resumed work but it may be a little while before I post updates. Biggest issue with moving is my carving has gone AWOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!It was put in a safe place,that safe I can't find it Kind Regards Nigel

As probably one of the most extreme kitbashers on this forum,whilst this may be a valid question,why should I have to justify why I do what I do? Bottom line,I take whatever route makes me happiest.It is only money,my time spent on a build is far more precious to me. Offended no,a little annoyed yes.I make a point of NEVER criticizing other modelers' choices on this forum,directly or indirectly.I post on here in the hope that some of my work may prove useful to others less experienced than myself. Nigel

I apologize for my lack of visits Patrick,my head is now full with moving furniture and van loading Your model is looking fabulous and nice Ball timepiece BTW Merry Christmas and all the best for the New Year mate Nigel

Thank you for posting this Mark It is an incredible piece of kit,however the first thing that sprung to mind is what PriceMachine and design mentioned.The $4000 price tag is just a small chunk of what is required to get this machine up and running. I am also very wary of the fact that the monies for orders placed are obviously being used to 'bankroll' the company to allow production.Spending that kind of cash,I would only feel secure purchasing a readily available machine from a well established company. Kind Regards Nigel