NMBROOK

Nigel,
 
Stunning. Your upgrades will be spectacular as well as adding so much to this already superlative example that you are building. Your skill set is awesome. We will certainly all look forward to your interior updates.
 
Regards,
 
Michael

Nigel,
 
Thank you very much for your suggestion, as well as your time in thinking of this for me.
 
As it turns out I have purchased some gratings from Amati. (Pre-assembled Size:50 x 50 x 2 mm; 2 x 2 x 3/32 inches ) I am currently assembling the grating frames as well as cutting to size the new gratings themselves.
 
I am using the 1/10th, as well as some of the other Vasa builders, and the 1:1 photos as references. The finished effort will certainly improve on what I had originally installed; those were totally inappropriate.
 
I marvel at your work, and so appreciate your continued kindness, as well as your constructive comments on my build. I would have responded sooner, but I have been away for a few days.
 
Regards,
 
Michael

After considerable deliberation,I felt my build was missing something,an interior.I haven't posted for a bit,but I have been busy beavering away.I wanted to utilise full cannons and carriages throughout.In order to do this I had to remove 20mm of solid birch ply infill at the bottom and smooth off the inner walls of the hull.I then shaped pieces of lime to the inside profile on the scroll saw to build up the hull thickness to nearer scale.The sections were left overthickness to allow for interior profiling.These were bonded in two at a time and allowed to dry before continuing to avoid hull distortion.It has meant that I get to cut the gunports all over again   .I have started work around the top of the hull completing the railings as I go in the hope of avoiding breaking anymore railing uprights.The plan is to fully plank the interior and other than the lower gundeck that will be fully planked,the rest will have sections of planking missing to be able to see the insides,navy board style.

Happy birthday mate,have a good one    

Kind Regards Nigel

More fabulous painting Matti!!!   I take it you have had success with the bending,or did those figures come with the curve moulded in?
Kind Regards Nigel

Hi Matti
For what I have in mind and in solid oak,I dread to think how much it would be.It would have to be specially made as there is nothing on the market.For your table,your best bet maybe antiques fairs or such like,even if it is scruffy you could save a packet.I think you are more than capable of refinishing the woodwork.
Kind Regards Nigel

Hi Matti,
You think on similar lines to me.I have a book on navy board models 1650-1750 by john Franklin.In this is a chapter devoted to the original stands and cases.
I am planing on making a 17th style case which has individual glass panes and two opening doors at the front.I also plan on carving the stand with four Dolphins with the initials CR (Charles rules).I am planning on making this myself and just buying the toughened glass.Perspex too prone to scratches for my liking.
Kind Regards Nigel

Mark, thanks for explaining how you did it. I agree no fire is better. Water does work well for the ones with only smaller curves, so I will keep doing that when possible.
 
Thanks BE! I do feel that this is the most fun Ive had building models. The only downside I see is the fear of breaking the model as its more fragile then anything else Ive built.
 
Nigel, thats a brilliant way to do it, thanks for the suggestion! I was starting to think of a way to use my heatgun (that is a good tool for shaping plastic) but I was afraid to lose controle of shaping these small items (or burning my fingers for that matter). I will definately try the soldering iron for them, brilliant!
 
Im starting to plan ahead and maybe any of you can give me a hint: What is the best way to get hold of a nice showcase for a ship like this? I like the old style that is like a table with the glass on top.
 
 
/Matti

Hi Matti,
Just a suggestion,but I have been thinking about bending the sculptures.You could try holding them over the shaft of a soldering iron,keeping the back face towards the iron,in that way you may have a little more control and avoid deforming the detail on the outside face.I think it is a case of warm,bend,warm and bend rather than trying to shape it in one go.Cutting a wooden former to the shape may help,certainly easier and less likely to do damage to your model's paintwork.
Kind Regards Nigel

Hi Matti,
Just a suggestion,but I have been thinking about bending the sculptures.You could try holding them over the shaft of a soldering iron,keeping the back face towards the iron,in that way you may have a little more control and avoid deforming the detail on the outside face.I think it is a case of warm,bend,warm and bend rather than trying to shape it in one go.Cutting a wooden former to the shape may help,certainly easier and less likely to do damage to your model's paintwork.
Kind Regards Nigel

Simply amazing Ferit   Beautifully clean work mate
Kind Regards Nigel

Stunning paintwork as ever Matti I can't wait to see the decorations on the side galleries'
Kind Regards Nigel

Thanks Mark,there is a similar miller available in the UK,but is nearly twice the price of the Proxxon.Living in the UK means the proxxon would be the ideal choice as I have almost immediate spares backup.I wanted to avoid ordering anything from overseas for this very reason.
Kind Regards Nigel

Yes Nigel, the dividing table fits perfectly in either direction as well as vertically or horizontally into the table slots. Additionally I'am using a homemade jig to sand or profile  the stripwood.

Hi Nigel,
I'am using my MF70 for several applications and I'am always very happy with the results and handling. Even though I have a bigger drill and milling machine mostly the smaller Proxxon fits better for the Job. I would say the Proxxon is the right choice for what we are using it for.

Hi Michael
I recommend Caldercrafts 1mm grating kits.These are what I am using in my build to replace the oversize kit ones.They equate to 75mm square holes on your build which is correct to the original.You may have to join them together though as they only come 33mm square.
Kind Regards Nigel 

I swear by these to apply my CA. I dont attach them to the bottle instad I put some CA on wax paper syphon a little up and apply to my work. If its wood it will draw it out of the tip, other materials I blow gently into the opposite end. My wife says I look like a crack head doing this but it works great and I dont get CA everwhere just where its needed. 

Painted the Gideon guys. I tried to get them close in color to the 1:10.
 
 
/Matti

I started to feel bad for those knights having lost their feet and decided to have a go at making new feet for them. I also felt it was an oportunity to make them more individual and appear to have slightly different positions. So some have 2 and the others are bending their knee behind the shield. Actually if someone else needs to do them, make the feet when the knights are fixed on the ship, hindwise it was a good way. And it does look more realistic and detailed with them on. I didnt think it would work, but I was wrong.
 
I also did some touch up on the faces. Man, painting noses in that scale makes my hands feel shaky... lol
 
 
/Matti

i will remove this post if i receive any objections, i personally have worked with this person, although a very long time ago - late 1970's
 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23575534

Fabulous work Matti In the second picture you could mistake your model for the real thing.That is some very clever painting.
Kind Regards Nigel

Ok, heres a little walkthrouh how I like to apply washes and drybrushing. I prefer acrylics for it, but oils work as well, some would argue that it works better. But acrylics works best for me, and Im used to mix and apply it. I can also let my kids help me without any nasty fuems and mess.
 
Part 1 Washes
 
1. I put on some nice music or a podcast, Filip och Fredrik´s podcast works best. And if its a weekend, why not have a glass of wiskey or brandy at hand.
 
2. I put water in a plate and a small drop of black acrylic paint on the edge (usually I make a mix of brown and black, but I dont want the red to look brown here). When I work I can then easily get more or less black on the brush by going close to the paint or the more clean water. For me a mix that is a little like tea, but black (obviously) works best for this kind of model.
 
3. Every time I take more of the wash on the brush I make a stroke on a paper to make sure its not to dark. If it goes on to dark on the model by accident, quickly add water on and spread it out. If you paint unpainted wood be aware that it absorbs the paint right away, so avoid mistakes and make light washes layer by layer.
 
4. Paint a small are at the time, but dont stop in the middle of a area but find a natural edge or corner, that way the wash will go on smoothly and evenly.
 
5. Let it dry, acrylics only take a few minutes. Make as many layers as you want untill you are happy. For some reason I usually end up making two layers when washing this model, because I make them light to not get them to heavy.
 
 
Next up is the drybrushing.
 
 
/Matti

Part 2: Drybrushing
 
I use lightgray on the red areas to give depht and vibrance to the paint. On the brown I drybrushed gray and other brown nuances. You can experiment with this, and I could have used a brighter red, to make it look sunburnt. I like how the gray makes it look, and it blends the red with the brown hull.
 
1. Mix 2 drops of white acrylics with a tiny touch of black. Wet an old brush that you can use and abuse for this.
 
2. on a paper rub the brush until its amost completely dry. Test it on something dark with an edge , and when you rub the brush against it, it should leave a really small ammount of paint on the edge.
 
3. Rub the areas you want to have the effect on. Do it little by little to get controle.
 
 
/Matti
 
 
 
 
 

Brilliant work Matti   She looks fabulous!Those planks on the upper gallery look like they were a tight squeeze,well done mate.Nice detailed tutorial as well
Kind Regards Nigel

Hello Doris.
Pictures of Ivan Trtanj and Royal Caroline.
Regards Karl