chris watton

1:64th scale - but specific to Indy, as the width is dictated by the riding bitt and knee distance, which the stove is placed in between I will do a 72nd scale version too.

I meant to reply yesterday, but forgot! Please, you have nothing to be sorry for, I didn't mind your question and was happy to explain the processes I need to go through before things are ready. OK, today, I had my Indy stove designs finished for 3-d printing. Here are some pics of the very first sample set. These have quite literally just been done and given a quick clean up after emerging from the resin tank. These were done with each at a different orientation, to see how much I can get away with the least amount of supports as possible. It comes in four parts, main body (most detail cannot be seen from my pics though), chimney, complete with brackets for baffles and holes for a handle either side (There are brackets to take the spit bar, too), a condenser and drip tray. The kit (Indy) unit will be complemented by PE parts (baffles, handles, chains etc). Always wanted to do this, as the stove mini kits require so many parts normally

I also have the same problems. I get a lot of my more expensive materials (box, pear etc.) from the EU. I pay the invoice, and the materials are shipped. However, before they are delivered, I get another letter saying I need to pay hundreds more in import duties. Once the extortion money is paid, they will deliver. It works both ways. I try not to add this cost to the kits, but damn each country's tax office like to take their pound of flesh! I only mentioned the IOSS situation because I wanted to make you aware of the reasons I cannot send any order under 150 Euro via UPS (Only EU, all other countries are fine), as UPS will not let me ship without this number, and I will not pay for this number until governments sort this out, I would be losing money on each sale, giving any small profit to a holding company in Latvia, who must be raking it in.

On a separate note, my first parcels to Krick are being shipped to them this week and next. For customers in the EU, I cannot send any order below the equivalent of 150 Euro using UPS. This is because I am required to have an IOSS Number. Now, I did apply for this, and paid the non refundable application fee. However, it is not until you have paid this fee and proceed with the application that you learn you have to submit all of your bank details to a holding company based in Eastern Europe. You then have to trust this holding company to take out the £50 per month membership fee, plus all other fees relating to VAT and other charges. Call me Mr. Cynical, but I did not trust these people with all of my account details, and allowing them access to my account for the sake of the odd order under this amount. It is very rare I have orders for less than this and the customer wants it shipped UPS. So I have to send standard post for all EU orders under this amount until our government make the rules a lot clearer. Anything over the 150 Euro threshold is fine, though. This is one big reason I wanted a distributor within the EU..

No problem! They are not 'off the shelf' parts, but new products developed from scratch.

These things take time to sort out, you asked only last week. The PE CAD files are with my Italian producer, these were sent only this week. I then have to wait until the sample parts are done and then arrange for them to be picked up - I have no idea when this will be. Once it does arrive, I will and the laser cut parts and photo etched parts to Jim Hatch, who will build the models and take pictures of the stages. Then, once I know everything fits as they should, I order the production quantities of the photo etched brass. For the 24 foot cutter (unrelated to what you asked for), I am trying this with no PE, instead using a material called 'Polybak Laserboard' for the floors, instead of PE.

Cheers! Not sure about any cutter, though. I know they are good for a 64th scale Alert/Rattlesnake cutter.

I just had a very large box arrive from Spain, containing sail sets. Included in this parcel are sail sets for Alert. The company that produces them is the same that makes the sets for Occre, Amati and other mainstream manufacturers. These are ready for sale (or sail..) now: HMS Alert pre-made/stitched sails – VANGUARD MODELS I have sail sets for all kits that already have optional sail sets, and will put those on in due time. However, I will still be buying the higher quality, but much pricier sail sets for the fishing boats, but now, there will be a choice in costs.

Sail sets for Nisha and Erycina are in stock!

Another tiny update. I now have a 'crates and barrels' pack available, which should compliment any of the fisher's decks: Barrels and crates (assorted) – VANGUARD MODELS On a separate note, I took advantage of the capabilities of my 3-d printers, and produced 2 brand new 3-d files for Indy 24 pounder and 12 pounder long guns (24 pounder is Armstrong, and 12 is Blomefield). The bores/chambers are now scale depth! One thing I didn't anticipate is the extra time cleaning out the excess resin in the bore. I have to use these Tamiya special cotton buds, and ram them home to squeeze out all excess resin on every single barrel! Still, I think scale depth is cool, so don't mind so much. Finally, new (laser cut wood) boats incoming, one imminent is the 24 foot cutter, the workhorse of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, followed, perhaps, by a 36 foot Admirals barge. A little later, I will have available the following (laser cut wood and PE) mid- 18th Century boats: 22 foot Skiff 14 Foot Yawl 19 foot Longboat 20 foot Pinnace

I have flexible masking tape in stock, after trying it out on Nisha and Erycina pre-prototypes, and bought a load more once I realised how perfect it is for jobs like these. I always thought it was a little gimmicky, but no, it was perfect for the job of difficult waterlines.

You asked... I now have a 12 Foot Cutter Hull option (L-57.15xW-20xH-12.2mm) Clinker-hull boats (3D-printed) – VANGUARD MODELS

Just playing around with potential deck stuff.....

OK, the boats are now on the website. The small 16 footer designed for the fishers: Clinker-hull boats (full kit) – VANGUARD MODELS The clinker cutter hulls: Clinker-hull boats (3D-printed) – VANGUARD MODELS And three new sizes of detailed lanterns with 5 sizes now to choose from: Lanterns – High Detail (sold individually) – VANGUARD MODELS And finally, I have ordered the pearwood dowel. Once I receive (told 6-8 weeks), I will make up upgrade sets for Sphinx and perhaps others, to replace the masts and yards walnut dowel.

So, I ended up producing the following (64th): 14 foot cutter hull 16 foot cutter hull 18 foot cutter hull 20 foot cutter hull 22 foot cutter hull 24 foot cutter hull They should be available to buy very soon. Nisha and Erycina sail sets arrived today, along with new sizes of lanterns and more pear blocks. All sail sets ordered will be shipped this week. The CC cutter shell is well after my time.

The beige boat isn't painted (none in the pics are), it was just printed in beige photopolymer resin, and then the laser cut parts added. I do like these, as I had to have scale, or very to scale thickness or not bother. I see so many very good models almost ruined because the boat/s stick out like a sore thumb, and bare very little relation to the build quality of the mother ship. Everything must be of the same 'fidelity'. Cast metal boats were out of the question, as they almost always look awful, as do pre shaped wooden boats, and look nothing more than afterthoughts. (I have always thought this) I still prefer the laser cut and PE mini boat kits for the larger models, as they suit the completed model perfectly. Plus, I think that if you buy something like a Sphinx or larger, you should at the very least have the modest skills to build the boats that come with the kit. For smaller kits, it's a different matter, and I am hoping these resin boats will enhance the overall finish, rather than detract. Final tally, I will produce 4 sizes for the cutter, 14, 16, 18 and 20 foot (95.25mm). Jim will be making a 24 foot cutter (laser cut MDF frames and pear wood planks/thwarts etc.) during the next few weeks. The 24 footer will be included with the Indy, amongst others.

I am still unsure about the pear wood dowels. You see, I have to buy a lot of it in order for them to produce it for me, we're talking thousands of Pounds. I cannot simply order a couple of hundred, so I have to try and weigh up the pros and cons. I would love to offer this, as I feel it would be in keeping with the rest of the kits. But would customers pay the increase in kit cost - or do I offer it as an upgrade. If the latter, I still have to order a large amount, and hope that enough want it. Having said that, I probably will go for it at some point soon, and I will ask about square dowel. I still have to be very careful about what I invest in. I have attached some pics showing the final iteration of the new resin boat shells. These show the 16 foot cutter hull (but the 14 and 18 will be the same, just smaller and larger. I have left on the 'stumps' of the supports for when 3-d printing, so you can see what area needs slight sanding. Only the stern board requires cleaning up, as already mentioned, as these boat hulls are not cast. Downside is production time, 5 hours to produce (for the 14 foot, rising to 6.5 hours for the 18) and 30-40 minutes in post processing, but can do multiples at a time, so no big issue for me. Also in the pics is the smaller (slimmer, in beige resin - others are in white) 16 foot boat, which will be offered as an extra for the fishing boats kits. I should get my shipment of Nisha and Erycina sail sets in the next week. In that shipment, I have a re-supply of pear blocks (mostly single sheave, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6mm sizes) and three new sizes of the detailed lantern kits in 17, 19 and 22mm sizes, so I will have 5 sizes to offer. I invest in these as they will be used in all future kits. Cheers!

Happy Christmas! Over the past few weeks, I have, amongst many other things, been working on trying to make small boat hull shells. I know that some have trouble making these with the small planks, and I thought they may make a nice alternative to the wood hull versions. Only the small boats, though. What I have done is produce hulls for a 14, 16 and 18 foot cutter (66, 75 & 84mm long), with 2 versions for the 16 foot, a standard and a slightly slimmer version for small decks (27.5 and 23.5mm widths). These are 3-d printed in SLA resin, so no mould separation lines and every hull is printed from the same master file, so they are always the exact same. I have tooled them so the supports are all on the flat stern board, and any slight support stumps are easily sanded off by simply rubbing the stern on a flat piece of sand paper. For now, only the slim 16 foot boat (not shown) has laser cut pear seats and oars, with the others being just the hull - but I figured it is the hull most would have problems with planking, the rest is easy. The planks are clinker and scale thickness, too. These will be available very soon, with the 14 and 16 foot versions being perfect for the fishing boats, and the 18 footer being for almost everything else. ETA - the three hulls shown are not the final versions.

Thank you, guys! I had the final part of my new laser purchase finally arrive this week, a monolith of an extractor for my new machine. I can now use both machines, as they both have their own extractor and air assist. (I think I was engraving two lots of Sphinx decks on the new laser, in the pics) A little more news: 1 - I can get hold of pearwood dowel. Is this something you would like in kits, or have an option for, as it is more expensive? 2 - Alert - I have started a 'Version 3' of this, and will be the final version, after bringing it up to my latest standards. This will be available once all V2 stock is gone - BUT, it will be £20 more expensive (All kit prices need to increase, in fact, as materials are getting more expensive, but will hold all prices for as long as I can). Alert 3 will need to cost more because the laser cut gratings are included, and the cannon carriages have been re-worked to have the cap squares integrated with the part, as per the Sphinx carriages. Laser engraved decks will be standard with this kit and the white metal anchor set replaced with a black resin 3-d printed version, eliminating the last trace of white metal from my kits. I will have to have the Alert manual updated when next printed. Staying with Alert - I am having a full sail set made for this kit, so a pre made set will be available early next year. The company that is doing these is the same that do the sets for Amati, Occre etc, and are not the same very high quality I get from the (much more) expensive current sail sets, and this will be reflected in the lower price, compared to my existing sets. I love the sail sets I have now, but they do take an age just to do 20 sets, and I am forever running out of stock. An alternative was sorely needed. I have ordered 100 sets each for Alert and other kits (Not Speedy, Flirt, Duchess or Sphinx) And finally, as I am writing this, something just arrived that I gave up all hope of seeing this side of Christmas - a 50kg pallet chock full of fresh photo etched brass and copper from Italy, that I was running short of! All I am waiting for now is my damned Nisha and Erycina sail sets..... Merry Christmas to all, and a Happy New Year! Chris

Just a little update. From very early 2022, KRICK will be my Vanguard Models German distributor. I am putting their first order together now. They already have copies of all master files for the plans and instructions, so they can produce their own German language versions. I have known Krick for 25 years, and am very happy for them to be my distributer for Germany. Over the past year, I have had many emails from people in Germany, asking if I had a distributor for their country, and now I have. Cheers, Chris

Don't worry about bending the ply, it is good quality, it can take it. These kits (Nisha and Erycina) have the bulkhead tabs rounded and tapered to help push the ply down in place, it really shouldn't be an issue.

I am yet to draw the full profiles, but the hull itself will be around 885mm long. I guess dimensions will be roughly the same as the 64th Aggy I did over twenty years ago, except 20mm or so less in height but at least 50mm longer, as I will give Indy a flying jibboom.

Hardly any difference in price between brass and 3-d printed resin guns. In fact, brass barrels would probably work out cheaper. I prefer the 3-d printed versions, as they are all made directly from the master file and extra detail can be incorporated into the designs. Carronades are usually a real pain to do properly, more so turned brass types. I have tried to design the carronades to be as little hassle to build up as I can, there are 18 in a kit, so opted for a 'slot and glue' assembly method, so making assembling the 18 sets less of a chore, but still detailed enough for very close up shots. If I thought turned brass cannon would be better, I would use them, there is no shortage of companies more than willing to do them. But I prefer the 3-d printed version. The extra weight of brass would be minimal, as this is dwarfed by the weight of plans, manual, PE and laser cut materials. Please do not think I choose resin over metal because of price, nothing could be further from the truth. I just use whatever material I think is best for the part and scale accuracy. If I were asked to do a one off commission, I would still chose SLA 3-d printed resin. I chose this method despite the time and costs involved. Others will have different opinions, some like the weight of brass, but I do not care about that so much, as long as the end result looks good and can stand up to close scrutiny.

Would be rude not to!

This will be a more conventional kit. I cannot go as far as did with Sphinx for two reasons. The first being that the sheer size of this would make it way too expensive. The second reason is that this kit will be aimed at more experienced modellers, more used to planking. Decks will be planked with strip and most of the outer hull will also be planked from the quarterdeck bulwarks down. This will be more like my Amati Victory designs. There will still be a silly amount of laser cut and PE parts, though.