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AJohnson

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Everything posted by AJohnson

  1. AJohnson
    Morning Will, Yes I have a collection of old 'abused' clamps I use to hold smaller parts when painting, saves me getting green fingers! I do also use blutack or tape, just depends on the shape/size of the item to be painted.
  2. AJohnson
    Hi Brian, welcome looking forward to seeing your Granado build and your historical contributions given your background 😄👍
  3. AJohnson
    Brilliant job again Chris, lovely addition to your collection. 👏
  4. AJohnson
    Thanks Will, some of the touching up due to the masking tape lifting the underlying red anti fouling paint, but only a few places. I’m watching your build closely to see how you do the masts and rigging l, so I can copy! 🤓
  5. AJohnson
    Update tonight of the hull now it has been painted. There are some minor areas to touch-up (as usual with my painting! 😮); where I have not quite got the masking right, but overall I think this is fairly close to what I wanted to achieve and looks similar to B.M. 45 "Pilgrim" in post #47, the black is Sovereign Paints' "Bomber black" which is not jet black, I think it looks like a slightly worn black paint which I personally like. I will seal everything in a matt varnish at a later stage. Also made a start on painting a few of the small parts. Next up need to add the deck and start on fixing all those fiddly little bulwark stanchions! Plus work on going on the little ship's boat... Thanks all for your continued likes and comments.
  6. AJohnson
    Hi Darren, I think it salvageable, but I have also seen you looking into a fishing trawler by Vanguard, which would also be a good reintroduction; I'm building one of them at the moment and the instructions are very good for someone "new-ish" to the hobby. You could always park this build and, do on of Chris's trawlers and armed with that experience tackle this one again? 👍 kind regards, Andrew
  7. AJohnson
    Those swivel guns are a delight, well done Big, you should be proud of those! 👏
  8. AJohnson
    Hi Brian, Rigging cannons is something I have yet to crack, I see some posts here on MSW that look brilliant, but the blocks used must be tiny! I think on the "heavy" frigate type builds the armament is bigger 18lb's etc. so there is a bit more room to play with, but at the other end on the scale, say 4lb -9lb'ers on smaller ships I am not sure us lesser mortals can fully rig cannons and make it look "scale" - but that is not going to stop us trying - right? 😁 Like you I would be interested to know what more experienced ship builders think. 🤔 Think you are making a great job with what you have got, I think the Caldercraft gun carriages are a bit crude, but can be replaced by Chuck's or Vanguards replacement sets, or for the more skilful replace from scratch. Interested to see how you get along with Chuck's blocks and rope.
  9. AJohnson
    Thanks Will, the paints I'm using are "Colourcoats" from here in the UK, enamel paints I use a fair bit on my aircraft builds. I marked off the waterline , masked and put down the first coat of black. Will see what that looks like tomorrow, can see the odd little area might need a flat down and touch up with the airbrush. 🤔 Thanks everyone for the encouragement and likes! 😀
  10. AJohnson
    Quick update showing the sanding, filling & primer coats and first coat of anti fouling! For the sake of full disclosure, some pictures of the "ugly" stage when doing the filling and rubbing down, I took three goes at this process until I was happy with it, a fine balance I think between getting a good finish and not obliterating all trace of the planking! Also at this stage I assembled and attached the rudder, a lovely little detailed section with laser detailed pear and PE parts, hopefully won't knock this off in later stages. 😖 Between the coming days of painting and allowing 24 hours to dry I have made a start on a small boat; wish I had known about Chris's new clinker built ship’s boats he released recently, but will do the best I can with this resin version, updates to follow!
  11. AJohnson
    Hi Brian, thank you for your kind comments about my Bounty build, I have been sadly neglecting it since the arrival of a sailing Trawler from Vanguard models, but as the “Nisha” is a small kit, I hope it won’t be too much longer before I am back working on the “Bounty”. Looing forward to seeing your new blocks and tackle for your “Granado” cannons, it is a shame you cannot see much of your bow chasers once the deck went on top, the same with many builds people do on MSW of ships with armament underneath quarter decks and forecastle’s, all the lovingly built details get hidden! But at least with the build logs on here, we know it’s there 😅 I have been thinking about getting some new blocks and rope replacements, as the Caldercraft materials can be a bit variable; particularly the quality of some of the small blocks, so I will be interested to see how you get on with your excellent build. Cheers, Andrew
  12. AJohnson
    Hi Mike, glad the shipyard is back up and running after Christmas, you have made excellent progress and achieved a lot in the last two weeks. I am impressed with the efforts you are going to with the rigging and the tips you give about the “missing” steps from Caldercraft’s instructions - taking extra notes on that as “Snake” is my next major ship build. Also taking that away for my Caldercraft Bounty build before I fix the masts, phew glad I’m flowing 👍
  13. AJohnson
    Hi there HHH, thanks for looking in on my Bounty build, I’ve been taking a look back through your log to see what you are up to, sad to say not seen your log until now! Your Granado build it very good and you are doing very well at this, wouldn’t know this is your second build; my Bounty was my second build and I gave up on it for ten years 🤣. Your planking is very neat and enjoyed following through your build of the various cannons. I’ve clicked the ‘follow’ link so I don’t miss any more of your build; guilty of not looking in often on the 1501-1750 build section, as my interests tended to be later, fixed that. 👍
  14. AJohnson
    Another book I would recommend if you are an O'Brian fan is "The Frigate Surprise" by Brian Lavery & Geoff Hunt, by Conway Press. Full of background info and history, plans and Geoff Hunt's beautiful paintings.
  15. AJohnson
    Well can’t be a better example to follow than Dan and BE, but yes you are right sometimes plans and sketches in some sources don’t seem to take into account the crew who worked these vessels, I think ergonomics is the term for it nowadays.
  16. AJohnson
    Nice work as usual Bug, like the replacement wheel. 👍 Is the way the ropes are attached to the tiller arm from the plans? Just wondering about the last length going up to the wheel axle at an angle, I have usually seen that rope go through two more blocks under the wheel axle then vertically up to the wheel? Attached the arrangement for the Bounty I am currently building. I know there are variations for this on different ships and i'm no expert, just curious.
  17. AJohnson
    Nice save on the Steam winch Will 👍 it was like building a mini kit on its own, though for once I didn't lose or break anything on mine! How did the decals go on Will? I have been thinking about them and how they might sit on wood grain without the decal backing "silvering" on the uneven surface, been thinking of using rub-on lettering? Did your rudder come off, mine not attached yet whilst I have sanding and filling still to do.
  18. AJohnson
    Guilty as charged! Excluding untouched "stock" those on the crime sheet currently:- 🕵️‍♂️ Caldercraft "HMAV Bounty" Vanguard "Nisha" - fishing trawler Aeronaut "Ramborator" - modern RC pusher tug. Airfix Hawker Typhoon 1b - car door version (1/24) Along with @Kevin I'm promising not to get/start more in 2022 until the top two at least are done, but as I pre-ordered Airfix's new 1/24 Spitfire IXc, that might be a problem if it arrives too early in 2022, but I should be safe, as Airfix say it's release date is Summer 2022, so therefore Xmas 2022 might be more likely with them! 😂
  19. AJohnson
    Thanks for the update about your paints Will, I've not come across that brand this side of the pond. But with your comment above you started an itch I couldn't shake when you mentioned the scuppers, as you say very obvious on the "Pilgrim" (BM45) and shown on many of March's sketches and sections, but how to include them? I briefly flirted with trying to reproduce full length scuppers as the picture above, but then thought better of it as this would weaken the bulwarks in the kit too much I thought. So I settled on sectional ones, between bulwark stanchions; that I have seen on some sailing trawlers. So I set to with my Dremel and thinnest file I possess, admittedly my scuppers are a bit too wide, come out probably nearer 2" than 1" at scale, but hopefully not too bad as not full length. Also sprayed on my first coat of primer, apart for the rough 'horrors' it shows up (especially in a close up digital picture!) I think the 'bilge' and 'topside' planking have come out okay and with more sanding etc. think will give me the look I was after.
  20. AJohnson
    Looking great Will, what paints are you using for the anti fouling and green? Like you I like to get all the painting done in one go, or in quick succession, so I can keep on top of the airbrush cleaning. I got some tape from Chris, so I'll be using it on my 'Nisha' hopefully in the not too distant future.
  21. AJohnson
    Just don't Chris, think my wallet just gave a shudder! 😆
  22. AJohnson
    Chris, this looks so good, I still struggle to believe these are made with card, they look that good. Love a Spitfire and extra excited today, just learned (and pre-ordered! 😆) that Airfix are releasing a 1/24 Spitfire Mr.IXc 😍 - yeah that Airfix 1970's Mk.1a mould can finally be retired! 🥳
  23. AJohnson
    Brilliant Chris, once my wallet recovers from Christmas I will be getting a set of fishermen and clutter! Any news on the sail sets?
  24. AJohnson
    Really neat finish Bug, that cap rail worth the effort I think, finishes it off well. 👍
  25. AJohnson
    This batch of pictures brings my log up to date with the planking progress, overall fairly happy with it, with the ever present "wish I had done that better" bits. As mentioned on todays earlier post, I am going to need some primer coats to reveal the way my little modifications have turned out, but there are many obvious flaws in the finish that don't require primer that can be attended to first. Out of interest to those who are following my log, the attached picture of the "Pilgrim" being painted shows the look I am after. The 'bilge' planking is visible, the 'topside' planking less so, the subtle but still visible differences in thickness of planking are what I am aiming to replicate. In fact the paint scheme is pretty much what I have settled on for my build, black sides, anti fouling (but no boot topping in white) only difference is the deck edge band will be in white. As a side note I have replaced parts #39 (Stern frame surround) and #42 (bulwark lower rail patterns) with thin strip from the Pear second planking that I cut to suit. Nothing wrong with the kit parts, just a consequence of going down the route of following the Edgar Marsh plans of a thicker 'topside' planking means bulwark lower rail pattern would not sit flat and as a result the stern frame surround also needed reducing in thickness to match. Next update will be me filling / sanding / priming (repeated x number of times) until I am happy or have pile of sawdust to show for my efforts....

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