chris watton
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Everything posted by chris watton
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Two more almost ready...
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Other bits and pieces... Not sure what will stay and what will go in finished kit...
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Just received a pic of the samples I asked to have made for the boat beam 'U' shaped brackets. These were initially problematic for me, as I intended to produce them in PE, but the issue was that they stand proud of the gangway by about 1.5mm. I figured the best way to do these is a one piece casting, to ensure they all maintain the correct height. Development continues...
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Absolutely superb, and a perfect display for her. Just goes to show that a wooden vessel's hull is a beautiful thing to behold, no matter what era, or millennium! Love it!
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Great work Glenn! Just do not forget to turn those cleats over before gluing them.
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- Vanguard Models
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I designed some fine saws for PE for Amati a while back, but they decided not to go ahead. The problem with PE saw blades is that the teeth are not 'splayed' out at the sides like 'real' saw blades, which makes sawing easy and reduces clogging (they are very sharp though, as the MD of Amati almost cut his finger off when trying out one of my saw blades when it slipped...). They would have been fine for anything 3mm and thinner, I think.
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- 22ft Yawl
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Revenge is almost 200 years before the intended fittings shown. I am not sure if boats were towed permanently for a vessel of Revenge's era. The lantern castings are of a typical mid to late 18th Century pattern.
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Just the smallest of updates, I now have three sizes of stern lantern available. They come in pairs and consist of a cast resin top and bottom, and fold-around photo etch frame that fits in between. Simple things, but the castings are quite detailed, especially compared to my past efforts, a turned top and bottom on the lathe and cast in white metal.. Lanterns – VANGUARD MODELS Sizes are (height): SMALL – 17.8mm MEDIUM – 21.3mm LARGE – 23.7mm Also included a pic of the laser cut parts for the 36 foot admirals barge (over 160mm long), that I cut today, but am waiting for the PE sheets to arrive.
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Only 64th scale. These are all mini kits that will be included in my future main kits. I wanted them to be kits in themselves, and not the usual afterthought to the main kit. I have little time to re draw each one for 72nd scale, it would double my costs, especially when it comes to the photo etched parts, which are never cheap anyway (nor is the pear). I think that when I have a healthy range of kits, I will have the luxury of looking at more fittings in different scales, but for now, I am concentrating exclusively on subjects in 1:64th scale. I will have three sizes of stern lantern soon, with a fully detailed cast resin top and bottom and photo etched frames in between, sold per pair.
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I now have the slightly reworked 18' cutter online (again, thanks to Jim Hatch), This, in line with some of the other small boats, has a 1mm pearwood keel and laser cut pearwood oars and 0.6mm pearwood planking, so it looks more in scale, despite its diminutive size. Ship’s Boats (various types) – VANGUARD MODELS There will be another 4 boats ready in the next week or so, a 26 and 34 foot launch, 32 foot pinnace and 32 foot barge. There will be the 36 foot Admirals barge in the next couple of months, and will probably finish off the range with a couple of larger cutters that are to be found on the later 18th/early 19th Century vessels. I am still working on Sphinx, it's one of those frustrating and hated stages where I spend a hell of a lot of time doing seemingly very little, but I have to go through it. Even more for this development, due to the extra details and the headaches they cause trying to make sure the building of the model is as easy as I can make it.. I am once again furloughed from my day job for the next two weeks, so hopefully I can put this bonus time to good use..
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It is a shame. I bought one of my very first wooden kits from Nick back in 1992, Mantua's (then) brand new kit of Le Superb, and ordered from the Model Dockyard for years after. He will be missed.
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Why do some manufacturers make single plank kits?
chris watton replied to Meriadoc Brandybuck's topic in Wood ship model kits
I guess ultimately, it comes down to what one is used to. For me, personally, my perception of single planked kits was one of cheapness, at least judging from my first wooden kits I bought and made in the early 1990's (Billings). What seemed to be the norm then (at least in the UK, and I assume Europe) was that cheap kits were single planked, with box contents that looked positively anaemic, with wood parts mainly of one type (lime/basswood/obechi), and the 'premium' kits were double planked. That, at least was my experience when first starting out. To do a really good job of a single planked kit, you do have to be very careful in preparation, planking and finishing. The wood is usually still basswood or lime (am talking mainstream kits). Thinking as a beginner/novice, if it were of a harder, closer grained type, because of the required thickness, the planks would be a nightmare to manipulate. Using double planking negates this somewhat, as the thickness can be as little as 1mm, even 0.6, which is much easier to manipulate, despite being closer grained than lime or similar mainstream materials. But this is just based on my experience. If you were brought up on a diet of single planked models, you would be more used to, and more comfortable with that, and naturally favour what you know best.- 24 replies
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Well done, for a first model, that's not too shabby at all. Looks great so far, in fact.
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cutter-manual.pdf (vanguardmodels.co.uk)
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OK, again, thanks to Jim, I have three of the boats ready for sale (or sail...). Only limited stock, though, as I only ordered a few PE sheets for each, in case of any changes required, but there weren't any.. Ship’s Boats (various types) – VANGUARD MODELS
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Looking great! regarding painting, I just used what seemed to be most likely for the period, so no real hard and fast rule.
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No, Sphinx is a small 20 gun post ship, a miniature frigate in looks, and very mid 1770's. Surprise is two decades later, and in reality a French corvette, although larger than Sphinx, she was still considered too small for a frigate by that time, hence her very short active life after capture (in reality). Surprise would have had a launch and pinnace, but not a yawl, I do not think, as this was replaced by the cutter, around 24 foot in length.
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OK, Jim (Hatch) has put together the three mini coat kits that will be standard for the Sphinx kit, a 22' yawl (£24), 24' launch (£25.50) and 28' pinnace (£28.50). And he has done a marvellous job, I think. I am hoping to have a few of each in stock next week, to buy individually, as Jim is doing a little online (PDF) build manual for each. The 18'cutter is also getting a small revamp, in keeping with the new releases. The boat kits will have extensive laser cut parts, in pearwood (0.6 and 1mm), including laser cut pear oars, thwarts/stern sheets and gunwales if applicable, and MDF bulkheads and building base. The keel for all new boats is 1mm pear, to keep the scale look, plus a PE sheet for the finer detail (floor/gratings and 'iron work) A little later, I will have a 36 and 34' launch, 32' barge and 32' pinnace, and finally a 36' admirals barge, which will be suited for a larger model with the single boat on/in the waist
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Looks fantastic Glenn! If the PE on that aftermost window decoration is just glued, I would suggest trying to remove it carefully using a knife blade, and swapping them over. there are locating holes for these, when matched up with a pin, should fit perfectly.
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Trumpeter Scharnhorst Battlecruiser 1/200 is coming soon.
chris watton replied to yvesvidal's topic in Plastic model kits
I may have to get that. And then never find the time to build it... But feel I must have it! -
Amati Victory has 'Spirketting', but no etching detail. For Sphinx, I am working on a laser cut main wale with properly spiled etching, like the spirketting. Truth is, if this were sub contracted, there's no way I could afford the costs of the extra laser work, and it is only now, now that I know the capabilities of my laser machine intimately, that I feel confident in including this kind of detail in my future kits.
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First planking complete and sanded smooth. This is 1mm thick x 5mm wide limewood, much easier to work with than 1.5mm thick lime (Took a day to plank and 20 minutes to sand). Hull lines are quite planking friendly, so not much overlap to sand. No changes needed for the bulkheads, as all planks sit just right on each, so this means I have no more work to do on main skeletal structure. No gun ports to mark out and cut out, too, they will just need a slight file so they are flush with the main frames.
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Yes, what I designed is Amati's. If I wanted to develop another, it would have to be from scratch. But then again, I would not want to 'exhume' a 15 year old design...
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Very nice progress, and a tough decision whether to leave the hull unpainted. I do think that the white complements the pear very nicely.
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