chris watton

Again, thank you so much for all of your kind comments, they do mean a lot to me, and helps reaffirm my enthusiasm for the hobby. I know that my products and business live or die based mostly on word of mouth, they are very low volume compared to the main players, as it takes much longer to produce each kit, and the pear is not as plentiful as standard kit wood, always having to order 2-3 months in advance for the quantities I need. Anyway, another thing I forgot to mention is that I have produced a few sets specifically for 18-gun brigs, and only because at some point, I shall produce my own 18 gun brig. I have a set of armament, 16 x 32 pounder carronades (1795-1815), with laser cut pear carriages, 3-d printed barrel and carriage wheels (like on Indy, Grecian and Trial Cutter), and 2 x 6 pounder long guns (Blomfield). No etch to go with them, but I could include the small copper eyelets. If there's any interest in this set, let me know. I added a 32nd scale cannon crew set to the product list, as I do plan to produce a cannon diorama at some point. Finally, Midwest Model Shop emailed me late last night, with a link wo a first impressions review of our diminutive Saucy Jack (Not sponsered by me, he ordered and paid full price just like anyone else - I didn't even know he was doing this until be sent the link):

Amati already has a good selection of J Class yacht kits, they have been available for years.

Yes

Cheers guys Of course, I cannot please everyone all the time, and will always have someone not happy. Here is a snippet of an email I received earlier this week: "I have now decided on the Sphinx kit and the kit was delivered today from a German dealer. I have to be honest but very surprised that the cannons are included in the kit in plastic. For a kit that costs 1000, - €, this is really not acceptable. Is this how the kit is delivered by you? Also, the anchors in plastic do not correspond to the otherwise flawless level of the kit." Well, I did initially offer metal cannon and anchors for Alert. The problem was that the cannon were actually oval in shape, and the monogram just a blob, and the anchor was rectangular in profile, rather than square, plus the hole for the ring was no longer a hole, and both had mismatch. Also, the octagonal winch for the Alert shrunk so much, it no longer fitted, plus that too was 'squashed'. I threw the whole lot away and initially went for cast resin, followed by 3-d printed resin. I guess the customer thinks that 'plastic' is a cheap and quick way to rip off the customer, rather than a new technology to more accurately represent the original parts, with zero shrinkage, no mismatch, and every hole perfect. The 9-Pounder cannon for Sphinx takes 3.5 hours to 3-d print 5 kits worth. In that same time, 100 kits worth can be produced if cast. Same applies to the stern decoration, which takes 7 hours to 3-d print, and you keep all the definition that is on the master file, rather than a blob of metal that wouldn't even pass muster for a children’s Clair's Accessories shop. On a personal note, I really have never cared too much about the material used for parts, as long as the end result looks right. I did originally sub contract the cast and 3-d printed resin parts, which was far from cheap. For example, a single 32 pounder cannon barrel cost 1 Euro. I think some do not differentiate between high volume injection moulded plastic and much lower volume cast or 3-d printed resin.

Don't usually see that much of a gap. I would just cut a 'shim' of pear and glue it to the stern post, to bring it in a little more.

Cheers guys, your comments are really appreciated! I remember my wife saying, when Alert was almost ready for release (our first kit), 'Just buy enough stuff for 20 kits, that should be more than enough for now'. Since then, she has been packing kits almost daily, whilst still holding down a full time job! Oh, forgot to mention, I had a fresh delivery of AK paints this week. I ordered much more of the ochre, red, black, blue and off-white, so I will soon be able to offer these as separates, rather than having to have them in a set. Regarding blocks, I would very much like to continue offering the fantastic machined pear blocks. However, right now, the UK has sanctions with the country I buy them from, so if caught, I could lose my entire business. So the stock I have will be the last for a good while, I think. I have tried other avenues, but nothing concrete. It was even suggested that I laser cut my own. However, I can think of few things more tedious than making your own blocks and deadeyes, trying to glue the three layers together, and then sand to round off - and to have to do this many hundreds of times. I figured that if I baulk at the thought of having to do that, then the majority of my customers would feel the same. I like to try and make the building of these models as painless as I can – asking the customer to make their own blocks from tiny laser cut parts (Which would take an age to laser cut anyway) would be akin to a swift kick in the shin with a size 12 steel toecap boot! So for the time being, I will only be able to offer the standard blocks, which, in all honesty, the majority of customers have anyway.

But if I did that, overheads would increase greatly, and prices would have to rise accordingly, and some moan now that prices are already high (but they really are not, not for what you get, I have said before, my profit margins are not nearly as wide as other manufacturers, but I can live with that due to low overheads plus laser cutting the parts myself) Trying to keep on top of everything can be quite the balancing act at times, though, from making sure I have enough cannon balls (crazy expensive, but so perfect for the job) and special masking tape for keeping thin sheets flat when laser cutting, to keeping an eye on photo etch sheet stock, dowel, blocks/deadeyes, thread, materials etc. If I run short of just one little thing, then I have to put the kit out of stock.. All good fun, though!

Just thought I would give a little update on what is going on with Vanguard Models. Since coming back from vacation a few weeks ago, I had the Flu, recovered, and then managed to put my right hand out of service for almost a week by pouring (accidentally...) boiling water on it – this happened because in essence, I am an idiot… Also, since coming back, orders have gone mad, both from direct customers and my German and Japanese distributors, not that I am complaining. What this means, though, is that I am spending 90% of my time producing kit parts (laser cut parts and fittings I produce myself), rather than spending the time developing new stuff. I am desperately trying to find time to finish the Adder plan sheets, so that I can then build up the prototype model for the building stages. I already have the sample PE here. I would have liked to have this out before Christmas, but existing kit production and making sure all stock levels are healthy must come first, so this may not be possible. I have done a little re design of all existing cannon carriages that I sell separately, with the square cap now integrated in with the carriage side, as they are for the kit versions. These will start to filter through once existing stock is gone. I have also produced 3-d print files for all sizes on cannon barrel, from 3-32 pounder. These will take some time to produce, as there are a lot of sizes. For example, from 9-24 pounder sizes, there will be both Armstrong and Blomefield, with each having two sizes. This means that for the 4 sizes, 16 different barrels need to be produced, not counting the 3, 4, 6 and 32 pounders. That is 24 different barrels in total. This will be something for next year, I think. Looking a little more into the future, I think we will have to move to a place that has a larger outbuilding for Vanguard Models, as we are now reaching, and probably exceeding the limits of what we can do in our current property. By very early next year, we will have 16 full kits to offer, and they all need space. We have outgrown our current house. And thank you all, for your continued support, it is always very much appreciated. I have learned a lot in the past 4 years, since deciding to produce my own kits, and still have a lot more to learn..

I did agonise for days about the poop skylight position. The safer ground was to leave it as per the plans, as no one can really argue against that, with no evidence to the contrary available (as far as I know, and I did look...). Initially, I did add a belaying rack to each side of the poop rails, but this didn't look quite right to me, with these being very exposed in battle. However, I could not get the thought out of my mind that it (the skylight) was just too close the poop rails, with the shortended poop deck. I became convinced Pellew would have asked/ordered for the skylight to be moved aft, as the mizzen bits certainly would have had to have been moved aft, unless left 'floating', forward of the poop.

That is truly an epic read (or listen, as in my case)

They are ugly looking things, like a block of flats on the water, so no! lol

Not Covid, too much sneezing for that...

I am back from holiday, it was very nice. However, the last few days I started to feel ill, and when we got home, it turned into full blown flu. So I have been out of action this past week, not being able to do anything but moan, sneeze, ache like hell and moan! So no work until next week now, dammit...

The catharpins helped pull the upper shrouds in.

Very nice job you have done, it looks amazing! Fo me, I always make all masts and yards together, then I know all 'woodwork' is then complete. I make up the masts away from the model, and block them, same with yards. I then step the masts (with a small drop of PVA on each of the bottoms of the fore, main and mizzen lower masts). I then add the yards, pinning them in place and adding the parrels, before starting on shrouds. Some prefer to leave yards off until later, however.

Thank you for your kind comments, buys, much appreciated. It will be very strange not working for a whole two weeks!

Just thought I would mention on here - Vanguard Models will be shut From Saturday 23rd September until 7th October. The last date for kit orders is Tuesday 19th September and for small package postal orders, Thursday 21st September. Orders made after closure will be processed upon re-opening. I am being made to take a two week vacation, first in 8 years!

I think if you taper to 25% of the width of the following planks, it should right itself. As a rule, I always taper to half width at the bow. I don't think 4mm planks would help, because if you do not taper enough, you will always have the exact same problem, even if they were 2mm wide planks.

It looks like I tapered a little more for each plank at the bow, here are some pics from the manual

I have learned over the years (decades even) that every modeller has his or her own method of planking. No matter how I show any method, someone will say it is wrong. All I can say for Trial is that the first planking took 4 hours in total (an afternoon), with tapering for every plank and a light soak in water and hand bending some planks. This was by far the easiest and quickest hull I have ever planked. Usually, in other kits, the first planking is 1.5mm thick. In mine, the lime is 1mm in all but Indefatigable kits, so it should be quite pliable. I think people worry too much about the clinker effect in certain areas of the hull, and expect the surface to be glass smooth. I have always had the clinker effect and I have never seen this as an issue. But this is me, and there will be many others who have a different view. I have also never once in my life used a plank bender, but 99% of the time use my fingers to manipulate the planks when a little wet, or, if the bend required is more severe, I just use an old rusty pair of pliers to do the job.

I am sure the gunwales that have expanded are made from 'Flexible Beechwood Strip'. I have used this before, but never again. As soon as a little water gets into it, it expands wildly. I don't envy you....

Brilliant!

It really is no big deal. I have many books that show the extra detail on the carriages, and many books that do not. If you prefer plain wheels for the carriages, it is simply a case of a very light sanding to remove the light etched detail, or even simpler, just fix the wheels so the detail is on the inside. Either way, the choice is there.

There really sin't a lot of difference, size wise, between the 24 and 32 pounder barrels, the latter being a tad 'fatter', and that's it, as they're the same length.

Watching you progress and hone your skills with each model has been a delight. Enjoy your holiday!