chris watton

Actually, this little lady is Nisha, a Brixham 'Mumble-bee'! When I saw her sexy little lines in the Edgar J Marsh book, I couldn't resist... First off deck bereft of fittings location holes, as I am currently designing them. At least, until I can carry on with Sphinx..

I had a delivery today from one of my suppliers. This included more machined pearwood blocks, so these are again available as an option for Alert, Speedy, Flirt and Duchess. As well as lanterns, I also had new cannon barrels arrive. I did read in a few threads on the forum that more than a few are disappointed with standard kit barrels, as they never seem to be the correct size, made worse by mating them with equally inappropriate carriages. Someone mentioned that all kits have problems in this area. I don't think this is strictly true. Here are some pics (still got packaging fibres on them, sorry..) of the three sizes of barrel I had made for a future development - a 24 Pounder Armstrong long barrels, 12 Pounder Blomefield pattern long chase barrel (only 2 per kit), and a 42-Pounder carronade and fittings (the kit they are for has 18 of those bad boys)! These are all exact scale and correct for the model they are intended for. And finally, while I wait for the USB stick from Jim, which contain the Sphinx pics for the manual, I just started a new little kit. The pics show the very first time the parts for the hull were assembled (yesterday), and probably do not 100% reflect the final designs. I just needed to check all major structural parts - it will be quite a cute little thing...

Just received my order of 3-D printed lanterns for Sphinx, which I had specially made for the kit. I shall send a set or two off to Jim, to add to the model...

Do not be afraid to use the nails supplied. I found them to be the only size that works well with the laser cut MDF, and I pay a premium for them, as I know they are the best for the job.

Only once I have cut all parts and have everything except plans and manual (as these are done locally). If there were any problems with the PE or anything else after taking people's money, I would be devastated if I had to delay the release. Hence waiting until alI is with me and have checked everything over.

prozac!

Very nice work from James! He now has all 23 sheets of completed 50x70cm plans , and I will start on manual as soon as I receive the pics. Still awaiting my lantern shipment, which I should receive in the next week, I hope. Production laser cutting already well underway with laser machine running 12 hours per day minimum - but this will still take a while. Initial production run will be for 40 kits.

Development for this particular kit has certainly been very intensive. Jim's model is actually the third prototype, the first two were mine, one a basic hull assembly, to iron out potential larger issues, the second to sieve through smaller issues, which leads to the production parts, which still need a further 'sieve' to help 'fine tune' the designs. Many, many parts have been tweaked over the past few weeks, and all for the better. Tangible models need to be made, I know that when I design them in CAD, when I assemble in 3-D, all looks perfect. However, for wooden model kits, they never work out exactly how they look on the PC screen, too many issues can be very easily overlooked if the time wasn't put into assembling progressively better prototype models from the designed parts. At least, this is how I work, knowing the pitfalls of designing these things, and having to take into account all of the slight differences from one model and modeller to another. I know that most kits in the past (talking European kits, as these are the only ones I have experience with) leave the onus on the purchaser to sort problems out due to shortcomings. I wanted to address this by making a kit so complete (although you still need to pay attention and take your time), that the onus is on me, not you - most who are fairly competent at model building should really have any issues building this, but it's still not a quick build, due to the sheer amount of parts. But at least they are parts you won't have to make from scratch, some just require a little finishing.. Mad kit....

I can confirm I will not be adding a sail set option, as the cost would be too high for the very small percentage who would want them. I spent an extra month working on drawing sail plans for the Amati Vanguard, yet to this day, I haven't seen one Vanguard model with sails! Come to think of it, I have only seem one Alert kit with sails added... And on a personal note, I do not like them on the larger models anyway, they never look right, especially in 64th scale - unless a real artist has a go... Same goes for cannon rigging, but these are strictly personal preferences on my part.

Yes. Sphinx will be £649. It has well over double the amount of materials than Duchess, plus more expensive made to order thicknesses for pear sheet and planking (0.6 and 0.8mm) I am still to complete the laser cutting of all parts, but I wouldn't be surprised if one kit takes the best part a day to cut - but won't know until I tally up the times for everything...

Again, thank you so much for all of your kind comments, I am truly overwhelmed by all the comments! For my part, I shall endeavour to continue to develop new products that people would like (or don't even know they like yet..) Today I received more stock for a few tools that were on back order. I now have the full range of finger/spring loaded sanders: Modelcraft Spring-Loaded Finger Sanders, 10mm, 20mm, 25mm, 40mm (Medium Grade) – VANGUARD MODELS Also a more robust pin pusher with adjustable depth stop: Modelcraft Pin Pusher with adjustable depth stop – VANGUARD MODELS

I have no plans for 48th scale kits in my initial list of future developments. I prefer to stick to one scale for now, more so when considering the larger vessels I wish to develop.

Thank you so much, guys, very much appreciated! These new kits do need a lot of time spent on development, and with Sphinx, it needed a lot more than any kit I have done before, Victory included. It really is a mad kit! Even full time working on these, larger kits will still require 6 months minimum development time, from conception to finished prototype, but I do plan to do a couple of smaller kits after Sphinx (including more ships boats, cutters etc.), before starting on a (really) big one.

Just another very small update, but a big one for me... I have now left my day job to concentrate fully on Vanguard Models. It got to the point where something had to give, and Vanguard Models won out. So, hopefully, I have made the right decision, and in the meantime and from this day forward, all of my time energy will be focused on new developments. I still feel very apprehensive, as this is a new sensation for me, but felt I had to do this. Also need to say a big thank you to Jim Hatch, who has helped with prototype models, photography and manual text immensely, meaning the kits have been finished a lot quicker than I could have hoped. When a development is complete, I make sure they are brought into the market as quickly as possible, and Jim has been a very big part of this, so credit where it is due. So, because I do not have to worry about getting ready for a 12 hour shift, I think I will get all Sphinx CAD plans complete by the end of next week, which I will then send to Jim for the rigging (he already has all plans except rigging). I am also most grateful to all of those who have bought my products, and making the decision to move full time developing new products easier. ETA - My wife's leg/knee is healing well, and she can now get around without any aids!

Will try and remember to add - It is always something that I have done automatically (running the lines through the futtocks), and it seems I committed the sin of assuming that's what everyone knew, and did, as in over 2 decades, this has never once been mentioned! I replied when I got home from work early this morning (1.30pm-12.30am Mon-Thurs) - so if some think my replies are a tad tardy, this is why..

Hiya! Regarding the 'run' of the rigging, I I have seen some contemporary models with holes drilled through the lower tops for each line, and, as has already been mentioned, thimbles were used to direct the run, this was especially true for the topsail yard ties. I suspect there would have been thimble type blocks seized along the futtock staves, to help keep the various lines separate on their way down to deck (or shroud cleat). However, at 64th scale, they would need to be tiny, as if too big, would make the futtock staves a little too much. With that in mind, I usually just direct the rigging lines past the staves and down to deck, keeping each line apart (where I can) by the shrouds.

This was my first ever period kit design (23 years ago), so was finding my feet....

Jim hasn't added the three gun port lids per side (last three gun ports have them) yet, but they are included (pre cut, of course)

Nope, no change at all for all non UK customers. VAT only applies to the UK customers.

I have been told by my accountant that I have to now become VAT registered. Up until now, I was not liable for VAT registration in the UK, as turnover has to reach a certain amount be being legally required to. This means that all of my products I have sold this far have not had VAT added. This is about to change. Now, when the UK was a part of the EU, EU and UK customers paid VAT and no import duty. The difference now is that EU customers do not pay the UK VAT but import duty instead. For example, in the UK, a £300 kit would be £360 with the 20% VAT added, but EU and world wide customers will just pay the £300, and then whatever import duty costs your country has.

No, it has been designed from the start as a complete kit. As dowel and other rigging materials are but a fraction of the cost of the actual hull model, with all the time and materials that go into that, it wouldn't really make a big difference in price. I guess you can choose not to add masts and rig. The rigging for Sphinx will be a mix of Gutermann (0.1mm beige and fine black for ratlines) and Amati thread. If I had the time to make my own rigging thread I would. However, I barely have time for developments themselves right now.

Jim is doing a fine job on this prototype, it looks a lot better than I ever dared hope. I have done 19 plan sheets (50x70cm) for it so far (6 sheets are dedicated to laser and PE parts identification), and they are mostly supplementary to the manual, apart from masts and yards. I just have the rigging plans left to do, so probably 22 plan sheets altogether, along with a very thick step-by-step manual.. I have had some lanterns made specifically for this model, and I should have these soon. Well done, Jim!

Thank you! Well, when I consider that Amati Victory was two years full time work, and Sphinx is even more advanced, design wise, than that one, something has to give. For even larger developments, I feel I need the time, the deep time, to concentrate fully on the developments. I am currently working on Sphinx CAD drawings for masts and yards, but have to stop now, as work in 10 minutes... Dammit!

Thank you! I am reaching the point where I can no longer hold down my full time day job, so have to make a big decision soon...

And a little bit of Sphinx progress...(All deck fittings dry fitted, nothing glued yet)