chris watton

I will in time, I can say that it will be quite pretty! Yesterday I had 10 sets of Alert 6 and half pounder cannon barrels arrive, with another 30 sets being cast now. These will now be offered as an optional extra with the original Alert kit, and will be included in the upcoming second edition Alert kit, which will have a higher price to reflect the high cost of the resin cannon and pearwood laser cut parts and 0.8mm birch ply deck.

Lots of stuff arriving this morning! Just had another 30 Speedy kits worth of resin cannon, this time in black resin (Alert black cannon arriving Wednesday) Also included is a resin casting for the domed canopy sample for the third kit. There was no way I was going to assume the customer would want to make this part out of wood. It was likely copper anyway.

I just had another batch of laser cut parts for Speedy arrive, this time the premium version with basswood laser cut sheets, and they look very nice. Also, I had a sample set of the Alert complete laser cut parts for a top end version of Alert. I made minor changes to some parts, and the deck is now moved to 0.8mm plywood, and the wooden parts are now in pearwood. I added a couple of pics of the Alert samples, one with all of the sheets, and another with the changes.

Fender, chesstree?

Just took a couple of pics of what's inside the box. This is Master Shipwright kit number 9, and is just awaiting the photo etched parts to be added, so when they arrive, they can be shipped immediately. Because everything is protected in bags, I included what cannot be seen again. (Main component parts). I should find a clear fittings tray, to show off the blocks, cannons etc. but they are all in that little box, quite safe..

Thank you! My wife has been packing the Speedy kits today and I can tell you, the box is quite heavy (even without the PE). I do not think there is any part of this kit that I am not happy with.

The drawings were based on plans from James Pottinger (also other drawings of like vessels), with whom I liaised with when developing the model. This was 12 years ago now.

The wheelhouse was designed according to the real plans exactly. It was a small structure, as the originals didn't have a wheelhouse at all. It is only when they stuck in an engine they added this. (They originate from pure sailing vessels) The name I gave this was Rob Roy, it was also on the (now blank) nameplates that appear on the sides of the model. I think Amati was worried about copyright over the name, although I have no idea why.

It is, and I am glad I insisted on them using one of my files, rather than their own which would bare no real resemblance to what I need the machine for. That is the difference between an 80W laser (top pic) at half the price of the narrower beamed 40W machine (bottom pic). I did forget to add the retention tabs to each part, though, which is why some bits are missing, nothing to keep them in place once cut...

Yesterday I had a couple of samples of laser cutting from a sample file I gave the company and 1.5mm pearwood I also supplied. I want a certain high spec laser machine, recommended to me by someone who already has one. The company that sells them asked what the machine will be used for. (80% cutting and 20% engraving). He recommended a cheaper version, can you tell which is the cheaper version from the samples (or did they over-egg it as a ruse...). Clearly, the 'Nuclear' option is out of the question, so it seems I will go for my first choice and what was initially recommended to me, which suits perfectly the type of work I want it to do. It will be quite an investment, but I really do feel that I need one, looking forward. As I mentioned, I have ordered a LOT of pearwood sheet from Germany, which should arrive in the next couple of weeks. For my third kit, I am erring on having only one quality option, pearwood laser cut parts and pearwood second planking, with cast resin decoration for figurehead and stern and cannon, and laser engraved deck planking. Also, as I have mentioned, I shall be having 15 Alert kits done by the UK laser company with pearwood laser cut parts, a 0.8mm ply sub deck (kit will still have boxwood deck planking) and cannons in black resin. I shall have one sample kit ready next week, so I can check it over. Price will be £220 with the different materials and resin cannon. Ultimately, I want all kits to have the same quality parts and materials, and it seems that the combination of pearwood laser sheets and pearwood second planking, together with quality castings is what most want (I would too, to be honest).

Dimensions of completed model are: Length - 700mm (Around 27.5") Width - 230mm Height - 492mm

I will pull the text I wrote for Speedy page: There are three versions of the kit to choose from, but all have the following features: 14 sets of laser cut materials, including a laser cut and engraved deck 7 separate photo etched sheets in brass and copper Copper plates for hull below waterline 18' Cutter Double planking in limewood and a choice of second planking woods highlighted below Walnut dowel for masts and yards 10 separate rigging thread sizes in black and natural 14 cast resin 4-Pouunder cannon and 20 cast resin half-Pounder swivel cannon Cast resin 1:64 scale figure of Lord Cochrane himself 60-page full colour building manual and 10 sheets of 50x70cm plan sets Two cradles, one for when building and a clear acetate display cradle for the competed model All other materials and fittings required to build the model as shown. The version differences are: Standard – Laser cut MDF, 0.8mm ply and basswood parts and high-quality Tanganyika strip for second planking. - £225 Premium – As above but pearwood strip for the second planking. - £245 Master Shipwright Edition (Limited to 20 numbered kits) – £340 As above but with boxwood second planking Pearwood laser cut parts instead of basswood Machined pearwood block and deadeyes (Master Korabel blocks and deadeyes) The book Cochrane the Dauntless: The Life and Adventures of Admiral Thomas Cochrane, 1775-1860 Paperback by David Cordingly, which contains a whole chapter relating to Cochrane and the Speedy. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ These are the initial release versions and, because I am being very fussy with the laser cutting, the initial releases have all the cutting done in the UK (but at much higher cost), so I will only have 19 Master Shipwright (pear laser) kits and 15 standard/premium (basswood laser) kits upon release. I receive the 15 laser cut sets for Speedy in MDF, 0.8mm ply and basswood from my UK supplier on Monday (Quite literally just paid for that order over the phone, after just being told the parts are ready to ship). I am just waiting for production PE parts from Italy, which are being done now and expect my courier to pick them up either next Friday or the week after at the latest. I will open the Speedy for pre order soon, as everything else for the Speedy kit is with me and I am happy with the parts, and I know the PE is being done after I gave the go ahead yesterday morning once I checked them over (production samples).

You should be very proud of that, you have done this absolutely from scratch and it's brilliant!

Thank you! I would love to know how many are interested in the Master Shipwright version (boxwood planking, pearwood blocks and laser cut parts etc.), so I know how many initial kits to make up. If anyone is interested in that one, please let me know, cheers.

Yes, I have 10 sets arriving next Tuesday, followed by another 30 sets the week after, and will be on sale separate from the kit.

And here is the new 6-pounder Alert cannon, cast in black resin, which I will be receiving in the next few days.

Right, I had the sample photo etch and laser cut parts from Italy arrive yesterday. I wanted samples because I needed to be sure the production parts for Speedy are all as I want them. There was a problem with one of the PE parts when building the prototype, which has now been fully rectified, so have given the go-ahead for the production PE sets, which should be with me by the end of next week. The laser cut parts I am still not entirely happy with, and have asked them to rectify the problems I highlight or not do any. In the meantime, I have 20 full sets for the special pearwood version of the kit and another 15 sets arriving on Tuesday for the basswood version, all laser cut in the UK. This is the reason I wanted to wait, as I want to make sure I am happy with everything in the kit box. Essentially, I have everything I need apart from the production PE parts, which will be with me next week. (although technically, I do have one full kit set as the sample parts for the PE are great) I know I said end of October/early November, but the Italians took a lot longer than I anticipated, and I did insist on seeing sample parts for me to double check before entering production.

OK, I just had the sheets for the pearwood laser cut version of the kit arrive, 14 separate laser cut sheets. I am just waiting for the photo etched parts to arrive, which is a little frustrating.. All parts, especially keel and bulkheads have a nice 'push fit'. I didn't sand the slight surface laser burn off because if I did, the parts could hardly been seen, the cutting is so fine. The clear stand was CNC cut and covered in protective film, to be peeled off when ready for assembly, and have included the complete cannon compliment, all resin castings and perfectly formed and smooth - and to scale. I will be getting 20 special Alert kits cut in the same manner with the new laser cut company and use pearwood with slightly altered designs and resin cast guns soon. ETA - materials: 0.8mm birch ply 1mm, 1.5mm, 2mm, 3mm and 4mm pearwood (or basswood) 2mm and 3mm MDF 3mm Clear acetate

I posted the pics of Arethusa because I thought they may be of interest to you guys on here. I do plan to develop this, and, as with a lot of future developments, I try and get as much information on each subject wherever and whenever I can. For Arethusa, it was a chance email to the museum that has the model, asking if I could have access to it. I was given a date and time to visit. I figured it would be a shame to keep the pics to myself. I need to start small as the larger subjects cost a lot more to develop, although the smaller ones are not cheap to develop and get into production, not when ordering 100 sets of everything. More so for something like Speedy, which is a .'No holds barred' kit, with so many brass and copper PE sheets, resin cannon etc. If the smaller kits sell, I will be confident enough to move onto the bigger fish, and also invest in a proper laser machine which would give me a lot more freedom.

Hi ASAT, Nothing to tell regarding Arethusa right now, although I do desperately want to do it. Right now, I have started on the third kit, the last of the smaller range. As soon as the remaining Speedy kit parts arrive, I shall be busy checking through them. I have also been thinking seriously about obtaining my own laser machine, but this is a big investment, and have agreed with my wife to wait and see how things go for a few more months. Early days, but I may be working closely with Master-Korabel for a new range of cannon for the kits, as I am having no more white metal versions cast. In future, they will be either cast resin or cast metal care of MK.

Hi, Sorry for lack of updates, but have had to organise a lot over the past few weeks. I have now done all I can regarding Speedy, and am now waiting for all of the part to arrive. The plans and manual are now at the printers, and expecting these back in the next 7-10 days. The 'Master Shipwright' version of the laser cut parts will be with me by the end of the week, but the PE files and limewood laser cut files arrive together from Italy, and I have no date on this yet. Although I did tell them I plan to release the kit for mid November. Most of the fittings kits have been made up - the 34 barrels per kit which are cast resin, rigging thread, planking etc. I will add a link to the full manual. There will be 10 50x70cm plan sets too, which include all full size parts, various profiles and of course, masts and rigging https://www.dropbox.com/s/ymm73viw4su1c7j/Speedy construction manual 1.pdf?dl=0

I have just scanned some text from the book 'The Heavy Frigate' by Robert Gardiner. It was from this I got the info for the whereabouts of the model, and realised it's only 25 miles away from me! ETA - The text states that the model is 48th scale, but it is in fact 1:64th.

Thanks Jim. All versions of Speedy will be released together. Manual is taking longer than I anticipated (due mainly to day job and lack of time), so no end of this month release, but probably early-mid November

Had the Speedy boxes arrive yesterday. Today, no work on Speedy, but a trip to the Bristol Museum, which was a long arranged meeting with the curator of ship models. He very kindly took the contemporary model out of its case in storage, placed it on a sturdy table/stand on castors, and left me to it for however long I wished. I was in heaven! The scale is 64th, so the same as the kit it will be, although I may not include the berthed up forecastle bulwarks, I am sure these were a slightly later addition.. Arethusa, 1781, 18-pounder 38 gun frigate, one of the very first built for the Royal navy I thought I's share a few of the many pics I took (all straight off the camera with file size reduced, but no colour/contrast correcting) I didn't want to leave it, could have looked at it all afternoon...

OK, this week I have been mostly trying to sort out the specs for the top tier version of the Speedy kit, trying to put together a 'perfect' kit. I have mostly sorted and arranged everything for this now, the materials, cuttings, parts. It will not be cheap and strictly limited to 20 numbered kits due to the very high cost of materials. What I will include is the following: Pearwood laser sheets replacing all limewood laser cut parts Pearwood blocks and deadeyes (except the sister blocks, which I cannot get in pearwood) The book “Cochrane the Dauntless: The Life and Adventures of Admiral Thomas Cochrane, 1775-1860” Boxwood second planking This will be the 'Master Shipwright' version, which is a no expense spared limited edition.