chris watton
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Everything posted by chris watton
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Don't be afraid to bend the 0.8mm deck, I used the best ply I could get, so it is very 'bendy', being 3-ply- 195 replies
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- lady eleanor
- vanguard models
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I could certainly do the pumps, but I think I shall do these as I design them for future kits. I will also look at doing hammock cranes, and a few more fittings once lockdown is over and supplies run freely again (PE done in northern Italy, where the virus hit quite hard). I would like to do more cannon barrels and PE to go with the carriages, but regarding the barrels, I would need to find a less expensive method of producing them, as it stands right now, I cannot justify the high cost of producing all barrels in all sizes on the off chance I may sell a few now and again. Again, I will sort these as and when new kits that use them come online. Glad your parcel arrived OK!
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Cheers Bob, and Ernie! Maybe one day, but I have to be honest, Victorian era ships do not get my juices running so much. My real passion is from mid 18th to very early 19th Century. There seems to a model kit of Endurance already (above)?, I really do not want to develop subjects that are already catered for (unless there are old subjects I have done in the distant past I would like to re-visit and 'make right' and do proper justice to). With that in mind, after my next kit, I will be concentrating on frigates and ships of the line - graceful lines and no smoke stacks. At least for now. ETA - I have added loads of new laser cut fittings over the past week or so, shroud cleats were added yesterday. I am working on a 64th and 72nd scale Brodie Stove, which will be laser cut and a lot of PE. Same with ships boats, but may do these as and when they are added to kits. If there's anything else you think I could do, let me know, laser cutting and PE stuff is no problem.
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For Flirt, I am including 90 x 2mm single blocks for cannon rigging (anything bigger would look ridiculously over scale next to the carriages) and crowsfeet. For the MS version, I will be including 2.5mm 2 hole pearwood blocks for the cannon rigging. Both sets of blocks are on order, but the Master-Korabel blocks (and my darned Zulu sail sets) will not be available until Russia opens up again, which will be very soon I hope.
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Thank you There are sail plans for Alert and the two fishing vessels, but not for Speedy. As a rule, I do not like sails on larger kits (although I think they suit smaller vessels more). I did sail plans for Vanguard when at Amati, and I have never seen a single finished Vanguard kit (or Bellerophon or Elephant) with sails attached. If enough ask for them, though, I would include.
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Yes, all rigging, blocks and dowel for masts and yards. I have sails as an optional extra due to the high cost of them, and I know some prefer to make their own or show the model without sails.
- 100 replies
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- zulu
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Cheers! I hope to have the Flirt photo etched stuff from Italy in a couple of weeks. I added one more capstan kit to my fittings inventory, a 64th scale double capstan (from a future 74 development). All laser cut fittings are in pearwood, not sure if I mentioned that...
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The kit is £158 https://vanguardmodels.co.uk/product/order-zulu-lady-isabella/
- 100 replies
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- zulu
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It is interesting to note that quite a few contemporary dockyard models, from the 18th to 20th Century have single wood decks with the lines scribed on. In some cases, this even applies to the hull planking. I guess it all comes down to personal preferences and experience. Many kits, if not the majority have deck planking in strips. Trouble is that sometimes, the strips are so wide it ruins the scale effect. At least with etched decks, the lines can be exactly to scale and include the curves of some planks. Some can achieve this with planking separate strips, but a lot cannot.
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Right, all new fittings have been laser cut and some are already available on the website, with the cannon and capstans coming online very soon. I just finished cutting the final capstan parts, the 20mm high 64th single and the 72nd scale double. Both come with a length of walnut dowel long enough for the capstans and well over a full deck down. Also, I have just started laser cutting the standard Flirt parts, starting with 1mm pearwood. I cut these one sheet at a time (same as the Master Shipwright parts in boxwood) and check each carefully after cutting. I have added a pic of the first sheet cut, both top and bottom views, using my new magnetic 'nail bed'
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One has to be careful when looking at old photos of these vessels (Fifie and Zulu had same method of mast steps), as many that have been photographed had already been converted to steam power, the Fifie more so as the aft shape made them more conversion friendly than Zulu's. Most photographs show these vessels that already have had an engine and propeller conversion, very few show the pure sailing type.
- 195 replies
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- lady eleanor
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I would say Lady Eleanor is slightly more builder friendly, having a more conventional hull (although still double ended) - but the Zulu is more sleek. I have sail sets for the Fifie, but none for the Zulu until lockdown is finished (I have paid for the sails, but they are stuck in Russia (made by Master-Korabel), and will be sent straight out once I have them, for people who have ordered the kit with sails.
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Beware of fitting a tabernacle. My early designs had this, and when researching the sail only versions, it seems the masts were stepped as per the kit. I think the tabernacle was used when refitted with engine and prop due to less space below, as the engine and other gubbins had to have a lot of space. This is something I queried James Pottinger about.
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- lady eleanor
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I can confirm you should receive the kit Thursday, latest Friday (but should be Thursday). UPS are picking it up from me tomorrow (was too late for a pick up today). And thank you! Regarding the binnacle, there is nowhere for it to go on Alert, I am sure it would have had a smaller cabinet, if at all, anyway.
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Coils of rope or buckets sound like good solutions! I guess the binnacle could be used on Alert, I know Jim is going to see where it can fit on his Flirt build.
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OK, lots of laser cutting today, plus re-designing the capstans for separate kits. The whelps are now slotted into place to the top and bottom discs, so will always be perfectly aligned. The single capstan is a standard 64th scale type (20mm high), and the double is a 72nd scale lower and upper deck capstan, suited to most mid-late 18th Century ships of the line. Lower pawls are 2mm pear (5) and upper pawls are 1.5mm (6). I will offer these as separate fittings once I have sorted a few minor things. They are shown pictured with no gluing, all dry-fitted immediately after being laser cut, so may look a little 'loose'... Also managed to laser cut the first sets of 64th scale cannon carriages (will do 72nd scale tomorrow), and sets of cleats from 6-14.5mm Oh, and at the last minute, I thought I'd do a couple of binnacles, in 64th and 72nd The binnacles are available right now: https://vanguardmodels.co.uk/product/binnacles/
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I am happy with the 4 and 6 pounders for Speedy and Alert, no need to replace them as they're the same as what's in the kit!
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I plan to start laser cutting them over this weekend. I have no PE parts to go with them (yet), so they will come as laser cut parts only, with the carriage sides, axles, wheels and quoin. I figured that most who may buy them may want them to replace what they have in their kits.
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No problems with materials, blocks for the MS version however, may be a problem. Russia is in total lockdown for another month at least, as far as I can tell, and cannot sell the MS Flirt until I get the pear blocks.
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OK, I have done all I can for Flirt right now, so the past couple of days I have been designing sets of two scales of cannon carriages, which will be laser cut in 1.5 pear (for 4-9 pounders) and 2mm pear for 12-32 pounders. Sizes will be (in both 72nd and 64th) 1.5mm Pear, (sold in pairs) 4-Pounder Carriage 6-Pounder Carriage 9-Pounder Carriage 2mm Pear, (sold in pairs) 12-Pounder Carriage 18-Pounder Carriage 24-Pounder Carriage 32-Pounder Carriage
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The 2mm is 4-ply, and the 3mm for the MS Flirt is 6-ply, very strong, but not cheap - but worth it for peace of mind. I do listen, and endeavour to improve certain aspects as and when I can.. You have made a great start, Ernie. Just take your time, and prepping is half the battle.
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It's really not that important, as long at the second planking is near enough the thickness of the rudder post, that's all that matters. It would be pointless first planking all the way down, as all you do is create more sanding for yourself, as it will be mostly removed.
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- Vanguard Models
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OK, the Fifie printed stuff arrived an hour ago, plans, manual and box label. It is now in stock, and now I concentrate on the main stuff...
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