Jump to content

TJM

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    209

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Everything posted by TJM

  1. TJM
    You are progressing unbelievably fast! Looking great as well!!
  2. TJM
    Looking very good!
  3. TJM
    Log entry 21 This is just a small update, as I continue to affix the shrouds. Not that much has happened, but mostly due to me being away all of last week so the progress only reflects a couple of evenings work. When I took the pictures, I had not noticed that Cochrane were lying at the back - guess he had a tad to much from a certain barrel... But it is very satisfying to see the shrouds I have completed on the model. I think it really moves the visual impression up another level. TJM
  4. TJM
    Thank you for the comments and the answers to my question! @Thukydides, what a great resource! At first I could not make sense of your numbers, until I realised that the 5in and 1in were circumferences! That will indeed give only around 8 mm i diameter, which is really quite thin! It also fits well with @chris watton's comment that the actual thread size is slightly larger than 0.1 mm. I was never actually in doubt that the kit is correctly designed, I just couldn't understand how thin these ratlines were - it is so great to have the creator of the kit explain, so thank you for that. And thanks @glbarlow, it is clear that 0.1 mm is good fit, it is just much thinner than I thought (based on no experience 😅). And I totally agree, the time spent matters not at all, as long as it is fun time - and it is! I just can't help gathering this kind of data for my own amusement and though perhaps other newcomers to the hobby might be interested. I don't think I shall keep this kind of track on hours spent on future projects. TJM
  5. TJM
    Log entry 21 It has been a few days since my last update while I have been working on the main and foremasts. It took quite a bit longer than expected! There really is a lot of components on them once you get down to it. And this was also a small start on the rigging, as there is quite a few blocks that need to go on. I decided that I would need a small break from masts and booms, so I started adding the shrouds. I am reasonably happy with the result so far. I made a small mistake and used the 0.25 mm natural thread to tie the shrouds around the upper dead eyes - it should be 0.1 mm. I will just go back and replace them before I continue. This is the 90 hour mark of the build. Either I am working very slow, or the 70-80 hours build time listed in the manuel is without rigging! 😅. But no worries, I keep having fun and are already planning future builds in my mind 🤪. Question: I have a question though: the manual says to use the tiny 0.1 mm natural thread for the ratlines (when I get to that), however, are they not too thin? That would correspond to a rope diameter of only 6.4 mm! It may just me ignorance on my part, but is that not too thin? Using 0.25 mm thread, would correspond to 1.6 cm rope - but is that way too thick? BR TJM
  6. TJM
    I would recommend attaching the keel now! I did not do that, and was left wit a gap that I had to fill! I guess the keel will be at risk, getting knocked off, but if I did it again, I would do it now. Or leave the garboard plank hanging over the edge, to enable trimming back to the 3 mm keel width later. But that could also be tough to get neat! Your capstan and anchors are looking really nice! And the hull is VERY neat and crisp 👍
  7. TJM
    Log entry 20 I have been working on all the deck fittings over the past few days, an I am very nearly there. Just missing the pumps and the anchors, thought the latter wont really be fitted until a bit later during the rigging. The manual would also have me assemble and attach the swivel guns now, but I will hold off on that, as I am sure I would bend and crunch them during the rigging! They will probably be some of the very last things to be added to the ship. This is the status now: I am very pleased with the look and relieved that the paint job turned out well as it did. And without any spills and drips on the deck! Phew! After I finish the two pumps, it is on with the masts - a very different part of the build. It will be interesting to work from the plans as opposed to the manual (though the manual still sets the order to progress and provides some helpfull images for reference!). Fortunately, I know where to ask if I have questions! TJM
  8. TJM
    Ahh, thanks!
  9. TJM
    Very interesting and I think I understand what you mean, but can't find anything that seems suitable - can you send image or a link for the type of heliostat pliers you use?
  10. TJM
    Thank you! But I really can't take any credit: I was inspired by the Sphinx build by @Blue Ensign, and basically copied his colour palette! It just looked so good to me! It was actually for a large part due to that log that I finally took the plunge and bought the Flirt kit, after having lurked here on MSW for a while.
  11. TJM
    That sounds smart! As a chemist, I approve! But that would entail making the eyelets yourself I guess. Also a fair bit of work! 😉
  12. TJM
    Thanks a lot, Glenn!
  13. TJM
    Thanks! I did prime them black with a rattle can primer. Normally it sticks pretty well to the metal, but it cant take the handling I give it with the pliers during application. But I agree, I want to avoid too much glue spillage. And there is no chance of me handling the small eyebolts without a tool!
  14. TJM
    Thank you all so much for the nice comments and likes recently 😊! This is such a great community! Log entry 19 Quite a bit of progress since the last update: I started by assembling the headworks - it went quite smoothly! Then I added the water level guage on the bow. I was worried about getting the alignment right and also about getting CA glue splotches on the wood that would be impossible to remove afterwards. My solution was to make a copy of the full size plan and cut out the relevant part AND the roman numerals. That made a nice template for positioning the small brass pieces: I held the small numerals with a toothpick with some wall gum (don't know the English term, in Danish it is unflatteringly called 'elephant snot'!). The result was neat and clean! Then I added the racks for the belaying pins and the pins themselves. This was frustrating work, as the racks repeatedly came off as I inserted the pins, no matter how gently I worked and even though I had used brass pins to strengthen the connection as per the manual. But I managed in the end. Then I added the channel parts, using some 0.8 mm copper wire to strengthen the connection with the hull and I have now managed to add all the deadeye strops and deadeyes for the starboard side. Port side will follow soon. I I am really liking how she looks now. There will be a bit of paint touch ups on the blue and on the wales where I have scratched the paintwork when pinning the deadeye strops, but nothing that won't be fixed easily. I actually also stated adding the tiny eyebolts around the gunports, but I am really struggling with the tiny parts and the paint is coming right off when I hold them with pliers. This is going to take a while and if anyone has any good tips for how to handle these tiny parts, it would be much appreciated! TJM
  15. TJM
    I should have done that as well on my Flirt! I noticed it a bit late and elected to add a bit at the ends to make them long enough. Your way is better! But interesting to see that others have found these pre-cut parts a bit on the short side! I thought it was just a mistake I had made (still may be, of course...!) Looking very nice!
  16. TJM
    Thank you for the compliment, much appreciated!
  17. TJM
    Thank you so much for all the kind words and the encouragement! It is truly appreciated! I am kind of looking forward to the standing rigging but am still a bit worried about the running rigging. I know I could stop after the standing rigging but I suspect I will not be satisfied with that 😉.
  18. TJM
    There are other German or Czech sites that offer the original manual for Vanguard Model kits, but I am not sure about the policy concerning links to those here. But Google will provide the anwer!
  19. TJM
    Yes, the only reason I got German manual and plans is because i purchased the kit through a German retailer! I have printed the English manual, but I am still left with the German full size plans. This is obviously only my own fault and I am just very grateful that Chris has the manual available from his website!
  20. TJM
    Really!? Wow, that must have been tough with a 200 ton boat! Thanks for the compliment!
  21. TJM
    Log entry 18 A fair bit of progress. I have added the gunwales, painted the blue section and added the swivel gun post timbers. I also added the stern post and the rudder (not glued in yet). With the painting, I am trying to not use all flat colours, by adding a bit of shadows with washes or adding som edge highlights. As a long time miniature painter, I have a bit of an aversion to flat colours, especially on areas with surface detail (like hard edges). I think I may go over the blue and clean up a few things, but overall I like the look. I also went for a much lighter and less saturated blue than the manual, as well as a darker, more muted yellow. It is Vallejo blue gray and yellow occre respectively for the base colours. BR TJM
  22. TJM
    Thank you! 😊
  23. TJM
    Log entry 17 Quite af few things have happened since the last update: I attached the keel and filled the gap between the keel and garboard plank with scrap strips af planking: Now that changes the profile! I then masked off around and painted the wales. To avoid paint running under the masking tape, i primed with varnish to seal the edges of the masking. Then I primed black, but inspired by the brilliant Sphinx build by @Blue Ensign, I decided to paint in a slightly lighter shade than all black. I tried with Vallejo black gray, but found it a tad too light. It looked a bit too gray instead of 'light black', if that makes sense! So I mixed it with black in a 2:1 ratio and liked the result better. The edges are highlighted with the neat black gray, though the effect is very subtle. The masking worked great and I had very few touch ups to do when I removed the tape. I got some nice, crisp lines which I was very relieved to see! Then a few details were added along with some paint touchup around the gunports and this is now the state of my Flirt: It is slowly starting to look like something! TJM
  24. TJM
    Regarding the bulwarks, I did something very similar on my Flirt, i just used an electric iron. Worked like a charm! A slight moistening of the plywood and ironing on low heat allowed be to shape the bulwarks to the bulkheads. I did not even have to use sny glue above the deck level. Yours are looking good!
  25. TJM
    Log entry 16 Gun ports have now been opened. Thanks @allanyed for the tips, it worked well, though I am happy that I only had 22 openings this time around. Doing this on a 74 would have been a chore! Now my lack of knowledge of ships shows itself: what is ther purpose of the small holes between the gun ports? I also added the wales, which went easily and sanded everything (though a bit of touch up may still be needed here). Oh, and as you can see, I couldn't resist lining up the 7 guns I have assembled while glue has dried in various steps of the build so far! I have the other 7 painted as well, just need the final glue up. Now for trimming the wales at the stern and adding the keel! BR TJM

About us

Modelshipworld - Advancing Ship Modeling through Research

SSL Secured

Your security is important for us so this Website is SSL-Secured

NRG Mailing Address

Nautical Research Guild
237 South Lincoln Street
Westmont IL, 60559-1917

Model Ship World ® and the MSW logo are Registered Trademarks, and belong to the Nautical Research Guild (United States Patent and Trademark Office: No. 6,929,264 & No. 6,929,274, registered Dec. 20, 2022)

Helpful Links

About the NRG

If you enjoy building ship models that are historically accurate as well as beautiful, then The Nautical Research Guild (NRG) is just right for you.

The Guild is a non-profit educational organization whose mission is to “Advance Ship Modeling Through Research”. We provide support to our members in their efforts to raise the quality of their model ships.

The Nautical Research Guild has published our world-renowned quarterly magazine, The Nautical Research Journal, since 1955. The pages of the Journal are full of articles by accomplished ship modelers who show you how they create those exquisite details on their models, and by maritime historians who show you the correct details to build. The Journal is available in both print and digital editions. Go to the NRG web site (www.thenrg.org) to download a complimentary digital copy of the Journal. The NRG also publishes plan sets, books and compilations of back issues of the Journal and the former Ships in Scale and Model Ship Builder magazines.

Our Emblem ®

Modelshipworld - Advancing Ship Modeling through Research

Nautical Research Guild ® and the NRG logo are Registered Trademarks, and belong to the Nautical Research Guild (United States Patent and Trademark Office: No. 6,999,236 & No. 6,999,237, registered March 14, 2023)

×
×
  • Create New...