CDW

Beautiful and inspiring.

I have put models away to finish at a later date before. As long as I only waited a short period of time I was okay. Wait too long and I never got around to it again. I look at it this way: Model building is my hobby and should be fun. If a build is not fun for me, what's the point of trying to see how much pain I can endure? 

A lot of this decision depends on what exactly is the issue. Is it an issue of too much tedious work? Take a short break then get back to it. Or is it an issue of ill fitting parts and losing interest because I think it's turning out to be a pig? I am not above unloading a kit project that has become a monkey on my back. I'm all to happy to put that monkey on someone else's back who likes monkeys.    

Spectacular! Love the model.

If you saw one of these Pontos sets first hand, you would really be amazed. The minute detail in both the photo etch as well as the cast resin is astounding. All the turned brass is first rate, too.

Until the advent of computer assisted drawing and manufacturing, this kind of detail would not have been possible in a marketed set. Maybe some uber talented individual could create it, but put it in production, no.

The flight deck wasn't very cooperative. It's a 3 piece affair and each of the 3 pieces were warped. This required glue and clamps on the deck pieces then waiting overnight for them to dry. Afterward, the deck was still warped and required serious clamping to the hull to ensure it all layed down nice and flat. This took another day to dry.

There is an awful lot of metalwork that goes both on the outside as well as the bottom side of the flight deck. It really does add spice to the otherwise bland stock kit parts. But who the heck besides me is ever going to look at all this when it's done?

I guess we modelers are a strange bunch the way we throw ourselves into these various projects. But wow, it's so much fun and it gets better as I go along with this project. Still lots of work to do and many many more details. Soon, I need to paint the hull.

Those perforated beams were worth waiting for. I am impressed with the various modeling items coming out of the Ukraine. Prices are good and their craftsmanship/service is outstanding.

For you, I will take lots of pictures inside the hobby shop, Joe. Will also take a bunch of pictures at the Smithsonian museums in DC, as well.

Oh noooo! It's that good? Bad part is, no way to hide it from my wife because she'll be with me.

Just kidding...she's great and doesn't bother me about things I buy unless I don't use them. Then I get grief. As it should be.

I am really enjoying your build of the Syren, Jesse. The same kit is in my stash to do at some time yet to be appointed. Your efforts and results are inspirational.

Hey Ken

One of those crazy redneck drivers from way down south is headed up your direction in the mountains next week. Blow your horn and show me a West Virginia Howdy if I'm driving too slow.  

Here in the USA, Freetime Hobbies carries a number of the Loose Cannon ship models, but they all appear to be in 1/700 scale. Did they do anything in 1/350 scale?

PS:

I am travelling up that way next week and will try to make a stop by Freetime Hobbies, near Atlanta, Ga. 

They carry quite a large inventory of models and after market. Not too many of those retail establishments around anymore these days.

Dry fitting the flight deck to the ship's hull, one can realize there are fit issues with this Trumpeter kit. The flight deck locating protrusions on the bottom side of the deck do not line up properly with the hull parts. As a result, it will be necessary to remove much if not all of the locators. They just don't fit. There is a lot of delicate metal work that goes into the construction of the cat walks and gun stations that line the outside of the flight deck. It is critical to deal with the fit issues now, before the additional detail is added, or else risk the destruction and perhaps loss of small photo etch items while trying to force a fit of the deck to the hull. Not cool. 

These pictures show the aft end of the ship and some of the photo etch provided in the Pontos set. Still much more to add on the aft end.

The Pips were the accompanying band with Gladys Knight. 

Excellent! I helped extend someone's vocabulary today, and it wasn't a curse word/words/phrase. Living proof that even a broken clock is right twice a day.

It's a real pleasure seeing your progress updates, Robin. Fantastic work. You must be very conservative on your use of the libations as the model is turning out so nice. Not sure how well I could function if I tipped the bottle too long or too often, but a nip here and there might be exquisite. 

The last 12 years before I retired, worked directly under a US Army Major General. Brilliant guy, but very strict and uber serious all the time. He issued me a Blackberry and expected me to wear it all the time in case he needed to call me after hours for emergency. The Blackberry was rather bulky and uncomfortable to carry on my belt, so I would take it off and place it on my desk top while at work then put it on my belt before I left the office.

I never got a call from the boss until one day when I forgot to put the phone on my belt before I left the office for the day. He called me and could hear my cell phone ringing in my office next door to his. Next day, he called me all kinds of unsavory names. Needless to say, I did not forget the phone again.

This Coolpix seems to be able to auto focus even very close as long as it's in the macro mode. My previous camera had a lot of trouble doing that in auto focus mode. Sometimes it would, sometimes not. Then too, the lens quality wasn't as good as this Nikon seems to be. I picked up this like-new Nikon camera from Ebay for $90 (including postage). Very happy with it so far. The camera shop who sold it gives a 6 month full warranty, so I feel confident with that.

Hi OC,

It's just a gently used point and shoot camera, the Nikon Coolpix P-7000. As far as point and shoot cameras go, I suppose it's comparable with the Canon Powershot G-12. Quite a lot of features actually. Maybe similar to the features on a DSLR. 

Exactly...Lol

Except this one has more bells and whistles that I will probably never use. 

In another week, I am going to our nation's capital with my wife and youngest daughter. Want the daughter to see some of the major sites there. Will take LOTS of pictures and give this new camera a workout. 

If it's like my last visit to DC, will spend a week just looking through the Smithsonian aerospace and natural science museums.  

I think once I learn this new camera, it will give much better picture quality than the old camera. However to be fair, I never really knew all the operating aspects of the old camera. Perhaps this new one has a better auto focus feature as I have not even attempted a manual focus on either camera, much less all the other features.

Hi Greg. Yamato is looking super!

Where are you sourcing your stanchions. Are those Northstar items as well?

I put some primer on the parts I posted last time. The main reason I am posting these is because I bought another camera and hopefully will be able to get better close up pictures with it. Just testing it out here to see if the picture clarity is any better.

Thanks OC. Got the pegs from China a couple of days ago. Make for nice little clamps and can be easily carved to specific shapes that might be useful for a project. About $2 USD gets 100 pegs including shipping.

Finally got around to posting some new photos up to Imgur today and will share them with you, here.

First, I recently received a new set of various colors of wash from Flory Models, located in the UK. Their wash are clay pigments, water based. They are easy to work with and act a little differently than oil based washes. I painted my hangar deck with light gray, then gave it a wash of gray with the Flory Models product. After the wash dries, wipe off the excess with a lightly dampened paper towel. The pictures depict what it looks like immediately after application (with a brush), and then what it looks like after it dries and is cleaned up with a damp towel.

Next are pictures of the fiddly bits (photo etch bits) located under the front of the flight deck. These parts represent the steel structure members and catwalks in the sequence I built them.

You must have been a surveyor at some time in your life, Mike. Great idea with the plumb bob.