TJM
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Everything posted by TJM
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Ahh, thanks!
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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?
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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.
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That sounds smart! As a chemist, I approve! But that would entail making the eyelets yourself I guess. Also a fair bit of work! 😉
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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!
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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
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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!
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Thank you for the compliment, much appreciated!
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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 😉.
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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!
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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!
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Really!? Wow, that must have been tough with a 200 ton boat! Thanks for the compliment!
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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
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Thank you! 😊
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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
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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!
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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
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Log entry 15 I have now added the last 5 planks on both sides. I first sanded with 120 grit and was very pleased with the result. There were, as expected small gaps between planks here and there, and I had gathered the sanding dust, so I mixed it with pva and filled the gaps. However, I discovered that the pva I use does not sand very well! It smears instead of being removed and it took quite an effort to remove the excess filler, even though I added very little and wiped it off the hull itself after application. But after a few hours, I had a nice hull sanded with 240 grit. While there are minor issues here and there, it turned out better than I had hoped! I think I will keep it unpainted - this looks good enough for me. The only really bad issue is at the stern, where I had to use a bit of filler. It does not look that nice. But I think I will have to live with it as it is. I will now open up the gun ports and then it is time for some varnish of some sort. I thought I had a satin polyurethane, but it is matte, and I think that will not be the best. I will find some satin polyurethane varnish and make som tests. But I found my airbrush, so I have the option to spray varnish, if I want to. TJM
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Thanks! I do have the manual printed in english, so only my full size plans are left in German. But I will reach out if I run into trouble with them! BR TJM
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Hi Allan, I have tried a few things, but not drilling out most of the lines before cutting. I will give it a try now with the ports in the outer bulwark planking.
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Welcome! As a newcomer myself, I can already attest that this is a great and very helpful community! I am thoroughly enjoying my own first build, also of Flirt and based on the beautiful result you achieved with the small pinnace, I think you will have no trouble with Flirt! I look forward to following a fellow Flirt build! TJM
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Log entry 14 I have now planked the inner bulwarks. The planking itself went easyly, but cutting out then gun ports took a while! The pear wood is not so easy to work with here! I may sand them down a bit more and repaint, as the finish may be a bit too rough as it is. Then, to repeat the exercise on the outer bulwarks and finish the second planking... TJM
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