NMBROOK

Chris At that pricepoint it's not that much more than Vanguard,and it wouldn't surprise me If a certain main competitors kit sales for the same vessel reduce drastically as a result!We will have to wait and see.To be honest I think,under a grand,and Amati would struggle to make em fast enough Kind Regards Nigel

Wow Chris I have to hand it to you,your attention to detail on this kit is fastidious!I really do think this is going to be the kit to end all kits when it is released.At least I have plenty of time to save up because lets be realistic,I would put the price point at between £1200-£1500.Anything less and its a giveaway.I would hate to guesstimate what the total part count is going to be. Kind Regards Nigel

Simply stunning Matti! I love the subtle difference in tones of the red. Kind Regards Nigel

Thank you very much indeed Michael Kind Regards Nigel

A little bit more carving,I hope to finish this row by tomorrow night. Kind Regards Nigel

I have had the opportunity to read through your log ,and I must say fantastic work Michael !You have achieved a wonderful level of detail. Kind Regards Nigel

Thank you very much Anja Kind Regards Nigel

Thank you very much Eddie Kind Regards Nigel

Thank you very much Matti Kind Regards Nigel

After I had completed the rail,I wanted to fit the one below.However I thought it may be prudent to produce and fit the vertical carvings first.Each one would need to be scribed to the hull individually as the hull is concave but changes as you move along the ship.To this end I have started on the vertical carvings.I have included as much detail as I feel practical at this scale,faithful to the works of VdeV. Kind Regards Nigel

Hi Matti So sorry to hear of you illness,get well soon. Kind Regards Nigel

Thank you very much indeed for your kind comments Michael.Unfortunately I didn't start a log right from the beginning,only deciding to start one after the planking had been done.However I only started this project eight months ago so I am not sure how it would have been affected by the crash.I am on the deagostini forum,and it is the result of other members encouragement on there that I started the log.I felt that what I was doing would be of interest to members on here as well,and as I have picked up so many techniques from this forums members,it was only fair to run it on here as well. Kind Regards Nigel

Thank you very much Nat.To date I have used the skeleton and that's all.I have a big pile of unused bits,some of the stock material will go in my stash.I have constantly been asking myself wether it's worth the subscription.However I am planning on competing in modified kit class,so I feel the magazine+instructions belong with the model to demonstrate all the alterations that have been done.I am planning on using the cannons providing there isn't a disappointment with the blind barrels.I cannot say about masting and rigging until I get to that stage as to how much of it is of use.I don't mind because I am getting lots of pleasure from building this and there are features when I get to the decking that I am including i.e.the grated overdecks that every model I have seen {even Culver got this wrong in my opinion)that will make it unique.Have you not thought about doing a log yourself?I thought it might be alot of hassle at first but to be honest I find it good fun and it helps spur you on through the monotonous bits. Kind Regards Nigel

Quick update.As I am not using the kit internal structure,prefering one with my own design of cannon barrel supports and stronger deck beams with camber(decks flat on standard model)I have started cleaning up the inside.I removed the kit bulkheads back to what would be the internal hull face.This has enabled me to dress the insides of the gunport linings.I have fitted the internal ply skins to take the uprights for the remaining uprights.These will be fitted when the other side has been cleaned up.I have made the lower balcony support for one side.This has been planked and treenailed before fitting in areas that would become awkward to get to.The planking is 1mm short of the side to form a rebate for the side panel. Kind Regards Nigel

Just a small update.I have fitted the thro railing uprights for the last two decks(to be trimmed to height later in the build).I decided to treenail the prow deck.Call me mad as it is 1mm gratings but it just looked too plain compared to the hull.After I had cleaned the filler out of the holes using a 1mm sq piece of boxwood,I discovered some of the filler pigment had coloured some areas in the holes.I quite like this and adds a bit of artificial ageing,good job as I don't fancy remaking the deck.I then made a moulding out of pear sheet for where the deck abuts the bulkhead,using a combination of shaped x-acto blade and my pillar drill set up with a dremel milling cutter.Finally I sprayed the assembly with one coat of Ronseal Mattcoat. Kind Regards Nigel

Hi Matti I have been following your log and I would just like to say fantastic work! Kind Regards Nigel

Thank you very much indeed Pavel Kind Regards Nigel

Thank you very much Nat.I cannot understand why we get the jumbo gratings either.Artesinia Latina sell 1mm grating kits as fittings so why do we get the oversize ones?Its the same with Victory and Santa Ana as well,it just makes no sense. Kind Regards Nigel

Thank you very much Anja,I now have the side gallieries to design that will match the new stern.I have to admit that the stern does look a bit odd with no carvings in place,but that will come,I will just have to be patient. Kind Regards Nigel

I have now reassembled the stern with my scratchbuilt parts.The lower section is simply a shaped piece of lime.Now that it is redundant,the pattern has been removed completely.I have also removed some of the lower structure to allow the gunports to be fitted below the side galleries.These are missing on the standard build. Kind Regards Nigel

A small update.I have completed the extension to the port side of the hull.I have finished the pear beams under the prow deck.Lastly I have made the central panel for the stern.It was a bit of a nightmare to mark out because my reference was Lely's portrait and this isn't symmetrical.I have decided the statue of King Edgar between the two pilasters stands in a niche.This will be carved out of pear and fits in the large hole in the centre of the panel. Kind Regards Nigel

A small update.I have now fitted inner and outer skins to the starboard side and marked out and cut that side to shape.There are small differences in the deck heights/slopes,the biggest difference is the stern face position.This now matches the Payne engraving. Kind Regards Nigel

Cheers Andy This mod has been on the cards from very early on,I just needed to be sure in my head how to go about it.Yes it looks extreme but it is not as bad as it looks.The internals as per the partwork were a necessity to get my hull form,now that I have that I can remove and replace to suit my stern design. Kind Regards Nigel

I have alot of soaking,steaming and drying to do on the prow deck so I have decided to multitask this weekend.I decided now was a good time to start on the stern mods.Whilst the partwork stern is closer than Sergal's offering it certainly not close enough for my liking.All the decorations are greatly simplyfied and some are omitted completely.Because I am going to carve my own decorations out of pear,I almost have a blank sheet of paper.The problem lies in the fact that Lely's portrait of the stern view face is,in effect in fresh air at the moment on my build.I do know the sides of the hull are too low compared to the artwork and certainly want extending back(on the kit there were a series of balconies supporting the stern face which wont be seen anyway).Looking at Busmann's book and the Payne engraving gives me a stern angle to vertical of 11.5deg.Unfortunately the Van de Velde artwork which I am mainly working to doesn't give a square on view of the stern.So the basics of the proceedure is to extend hull up and back,then slice off at 11.5 deg.I can then mark the taffrail height where it joins the hull.This in turn gives me the tops of the poop rails which will help give me my revised deck heights for the last two decks.Sounds simple doesn't it????Now I know I want the rail uprights to run thro as I did on the forecastle so drastic surgery will be needed.I decided the easiest way to do these mods would be two laminations of 0.8mm ply,as the only section not covered by the side galleries would be covered with black boxwood planking. I first gutted the hull at the rear and then cut the hull down.If you look at my template bonded to the rear,this is where the tumblehome stops and the flat section starts.My cut followed the shear rather than the horizontal as I know the hull side is straight along this shearline.The upper inside of the planking was milled down using the dremel to give a planking thickness of just shy of 1mm.This enable the inner piece of ply to be epoxied to the hull,and the outer layer to sit flush.I will post pics of the side extensions tomorrow as all you can see is clamps! Kind Regards Nigel

Once I had completed the grating I removed it from the jig.My method of properly bonding together the gratings is heavily thinned Zap epoxy finishing resin.I applied this liberally to both sides of the deck and immediately blasted it with a high pressure air line with blow gun.This prevents build up in the holes and when dry is rock hard.I glued some softwood to the top of the jig and when dry,cut through the bulkheads either side of the stem.After sanding off the remains of the bulkhead ears,this provided me with an inverted jig I could tack glue the grated deck to.With this upside down and the correct shape I could concentrate on the underneath.This was reduced in thickness by 1mm with a cabinet scraper.This gave the gratings their curved profile.I have now started fitting the structure to the underside using pear wood. Kind Regards Nigel