Jeff59
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Everything posted by Jeff59
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Thanks Mike, gives me a lift to keep going, appreciated. Don’t think I could work in 1/700 scale now , my eyesight couldn’t take it, I remember building a triple anti aircraft mount for the Yamato in this scale, what a mission that was, achieved it but the thought of another twenty killed my passion to progress. 😂
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Wow can’t believe it’s been over three months since I last showed some progress, guess summer time changes priorities with other things taking over, shall try and complete some work on hull before doing an update. Hope everyone is well and more productive than me. Probably be a few weeks fixing my last mistake, overspray on the hull after painting the lower hull, That’ll teach me for shirking on masking the model properly, not my favourite task, can find it tedious. Shall kick myself up the bum and continue soon. Take care everyone.
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Hello again, shall try to do a final update, shall then be a break while I try to process. Shall start with Mikasa’s large boat, the kit comes with two options, open or canvas covered. Went for canvas option as Pontus don’t have any details for open version. Starting with boats hull shape at the bow, actually think it’s just a poor mould l reshaped it using my craft knife to a more appealing look, also removed the canvas tie down ropes, in this scale they would have been about 1/12 thick, so scraped them all off, then drilled 0.3mm holes in side for taking thread. Show a photo of both boats side by side so you can hopefully see the difference too bow. Also progressed with the ships cowels, since no grills to cover vents in the 1905 Pontos detail set, not going to use the kit etch for this item, besides the early photo off her in colour on last post shows no grills in place. Painting them red works quite well though, just had to use a small chisel to remove the connection pin inside, bit awkward, better done before gluing together. Done a sequence with photos to show this. The small handles at the bottom were cut from 1/200 ladders. One other thing of note, the metal etch trough parts 498, 499 fitted opposite sides to what the instructions show, purely for the hole pitches from bow to stern. Also something I missed was the main wood deck when fitted slightly overlaps the attachment holes for the 3” guns, was a fiddle for me to move over for half a hole. Better to plug these holes with suitable styrene an dress, then re-drill carefully through the metal etch. Finally glued some of the chimneys together, just kidding , funnels, just for a change of scenery, glued together then removed surface details and plugged holes with styrene , the drilled out holes in pipes in top of funnels. Fitting the etch detail around funnels was time consuming but straight forward, just glue it as you go. Shall put some photos on know. Shall return when I have made some progress. 🤛
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Thanks Yves , The wood deck was the easiest part of the build, with the biggest result, deceptively easy, just treat it like real wood and experiment with what dye works for you. Anyway one other Fupa I made was my belief that the binnacle on top of bridge cabin had to face forward, after all who steers a ship looking back the way, lol. Then thought wait a minute the armoured wheel house looks back the way as well. Oh for a good book on the Mikasa. Looking at it , wondered if the parts would work loose since I used white glue, gently tried to move the binnacle and the whole deck came away from the cabin , turns out I hadn’t glued this, so gently lifted it away, that was a lucky break, turns out I was able to pop the parts out using my fine tweezers, and drill the holes in right place, last hurdle was plugging the holes with suitable styrene rod, then punched out some wooden discs and glued in place, all went well, just had to be gently with the hand rails and ladders all ready fixed in place. You would only noticed the repair if you New it was there. Might stand a couple of figures over the offence. 😂 CDW mentioned the deck lockers, lots and lots of them he said. He was right, but what a difference they make. Since there isn’t any photo etch for the cowell vents? Still hope Pontus do an additional upgrade for 1902 version, needs 3inch gun shields and details for gun platform on masts, here’s hoping. Decided the cowells are open anyway, at least in her early days at Barrow and Furness, photo shows this. Post some more photos now. 👍
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Hello again, going to continue we’re I left of yesterday. Turned the bridge wing upside down with legs pointing upwards, squaring them up so they all look true to each other, it helps the strength if you add a little glue around the support. Once dry and tested against lower bridge superstructure, gave this a spray paint. Now it gets a bit hairy, can’t recommend this but I got it to work, placed the plastic bridge wing section with the wooden deck and hand rails fitted upside down so as it was sitting on handrails, done this on my glass work tile, the top handrail should be touching surface all round if your lucky, now I placed the etched bridge wing onto the upside down plastic bridge wing and carefully line it up, once happy tacked it with supper glue at suitable point, then double check alignment, then tack again, a light pressure can be applied to close small gaps till the glue takes a bite but you have to be very careful or you will end up bending the handrails, you don’t want that. This all worked for me, but I did feel I was at my limits, hope there is nothing harder than this in the kit. I did take some photos of this but can’t find them. When it comes to the forward bridge will make sure I get some photos of this difficult stage. Next I glued the bridge wing to lower superstructure, case of taking your time and lining everything up. Then masking of the small bridge cabin for painting the doors mahogany, then glued this structure in place using white glue. Put some photos on now.
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Hello again, hope everyone is well and enjoying their modelling. I have had some ups and downs with mine, starting with lower aft bridge superstructure, all set up ready to spray, started at side then moved to front and while trying to paint etched gusset plates didn’t notice the paint was painting what I wasn’t looking at, Yip runs, not what you want after all the work to get there. Once it was all dry, surveyed the damage, decided to try and scrape the paint down on the runs and respray. Well that was a monumental failure, oh dear or words to that effect. Solution scrape all the paint off, not an easy or pleasant task, damaged one of awning rails in process so had to remove it and straighten it be fore resetting. Used my curved craft knife for removal of paint, it does peel of quite easily when fresh. That was a laborious task. Lesson learnt, be more careful when painting. Used a get out of jail free card there, wasn’t as nice as it should have been but a blind man running from a fire wouldn’t notice it. Next I lined up the etch bridge wing structure on the main superstructure, had decided I wanted to use metal wire for supports, not the kit plastic. Feel I made the right decision, used 0.7 wire, this fits perfectly through the allocated holes, brass wire would be better if you can get it, nickel silver that I had hard to cut. 11.5mm was my size, just want it a fraction above etch plate when dropped through to deck below which has the location points in it. A small amount of glue applied from above is enough to hold it in place, allowing you to square them all up, a good eye and patience necessary. Shall try some photos now, shall follow up later with more updates. Regards Jeff.
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Mike I paint all the fittings before gluing them in place, just hold them in self gripping tweezers and air brush them, then fine detail with small paint brush. 👍
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Finally, the small superstructure fitted next. Drilled out skylights same way as portholes, filled in some of attachment points with styrene stock, dressed and fitted etch, then paint. Can’t believe there are no doors etc to lower decks? Someone’s missed this. This is were you need a dedicated book for reference. The winch assembly, straightforward, apart from base of frame slightly higher than gearbox casing, so made a little plinth for it to sit on. Painted green. Waiting on steel grey to paint wire drum, then try a black wash to see if I can bring detail out. Well that’s me for a while. Be a good few weeks before I have some progress to show. Take care. Regards Jeff.
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The etch superstructure for underneath the bridge wing is quite an impressive piece of engineering, well done to Pontos on this, can’t believe the tolerances are so fine, nice challenge though, first part, the main structure, folding is crucial, the folds marked for 180 degrees although tiny are very important, that are the fixing points for turned brass bracing further on, yes there is a hole in the end of the bracing to accept this. Suggest fold and glue, then continue folding outer edge, take your time. Also further on in this fabrication, the steelwork supports at each end of wing needs your patience, make sure you understand how it comes together. Advice watch when gluing this to bridge wing, the fit is perfect, but watch out for it being fully home all round, if a corner is not fully located your steelwork won’t be 90 degrees looking from the side. I had this problem, fixed it by using some superglue skin Debonder, then using blade to pressure it fully home. Hopefully that helps someone following behind. Some photos of instructions for you to ponder over.
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Good day to you all, going to do a final post, be last for a while as will need time to progress. 🤛 the cleats on hull edge for securing ship, seamed a bit heavy on moulding, so tried scraping them into shape with my craft knife, with curved blade. Photos show the difference.
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Hello again, hope you had a good day. Shall try and close out on the lower bridge superstructure. The lifting booms on both sides, fairly straight forward, only issue was trying to let it passing between two portholes without obscuring their vision. Just managed it and no more.👍 The small 47mm gun was not fitted here at this time, probably came down from mast position during refit? So guessed the set up in this area. The 3 inch gun looks like it is the same set up as the bow and stern positions, type B on the instructions, as earlier post. Going to need etch to make another eight in total. Have to get on talking terms with Pontos somehow? You can also see were the railing doesn’t quite tie in with steps on port side, don’t know if I done something wrong. The first railing I fitted was the small one, item 19 on Pontos instructions, boy there was a couple of times that just about made it to the bucket, rolled it on finger using mandrel like I usually do, but the pre fold lines helped it go in all directions 😂 can laugh now, but I didn’t at the time, salvaged it though. Then folded up the step ladders each side, take a lot of care here, it’s very tight between the ventilation ducting and hatch, ie touching, even had to break portside trunk and rotate it clockwise and lean it over slightly to port. Got it though, still a touch fit between everything. You can’t actually fit these ladders till you fit decks and glue superstructure in place, future mission. Some photos of were I’m at at present.
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Now you can see were all my hours are going, the racing snail.👀 Shall see if I can get time tomorrow to update. 🤛
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Since there is not an up detail set for Mikasa in her early years from Pontos, hoping this will change 🤞just have to go for my preference. Starting with decking, the lower bridge and boat deck should be wooden decking, if it comes out later I’ll live with my impatience to get on with the model. Have opted for a dark green for metal decks, Model Air 71.012, green seems a common colour for decks anyway, will be a nice contrast with light grey, handrails and such will stand out. Decided the bracing supports for mast stays were over thick so trimmed them down with my craft knife, scraping away the plastic both sides as much as poss whilst maintaining surface details, roughly 0.5 a side. Pain in the bum but worth it I hope. This also meant I had to trim the photo plate down in size on three sides, great fun. Also did not want to use brass etch plate on front bulkhead, felt the tiny brass rails awnings would not bond well just sitting against it, a knock off for sure, opted to drill and glue to plastic. Used a 0.3 drill , sometimes it looks like the holes are out a mile, so finger with etch on it puts things back in perspective. 😂
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