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Elroy

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About Elroy

  • Birthday 10/07/1952

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  • Gender
    Male
  • Location
    Dirranbandi, Qld, Australia
  • Interests
    Model building (almost anything in plastic or wood), reproduction furniture making and car collecting.

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  1. I find the AL kits are great for 'scratch' building. I only bought mine because at the time, I had no idea of the quality and as it is a 10 hour drive each way, to my nearest hobby shop, I usually have to buy in bulk. Overall, the kits are inaccurate, but this may only be a problem if you want to stay 'authentic'. I try to get close, but then I pick a particular time and try to stay with that, but will never lose a moment's sleep over it. I really do enjoy working with them and as I don't have the opportunity to compare model brands 'in the flesh', I live with my decision. What I aim for is a model that is reasonably close, and these kits present the opportunity to modify them to one's particular taste. For me, it is the journey rather than the destination and modelling is an incredible and interesting diversion. Errol.
  2. I too am planking my Supply with the planks following the line of the hull, but well worth the effort, I reckon. Thanks for the pics of your build. Errol.
  3. No worries. As soon as I get some more sanding done, I'll post some more piccies. It will look terrible, but you'll get a better idea of what you're up against...which will be a piece of cake. Don't think for one minute that most wooden ship modellers haven't been in pretty much the same boat at some time. Errol.
  4. Here is a shot of the bow with everything broken off. You might get a better idea from this one, just how thick the paint/filler really is. The hull already had around twenty thin planks glued down, but I was able to peel all of them off without the filler and the only reason the hull is as smooth as it is now, is because I spent a lot of time sanding slowly to see what was going on. Again, Rtropp, you will have no problems if you decide to go a second layer of planks.
  5. I hope these are clear enough, but let me know if you would like them larger. These are the parts where I have sanded through the paint/filler to see what was underneath. I have also broken off every piece of the gunwhales, gun ports and the bow and stern pieces. Most of the stuff I broke off is now useless, but I will use the pieces to fashion replacement parts. At this stage, I can now finish sanding the hull and then look at re-planking it. There are no instructions with this kit so I will assemble it as I would any of my other wooden ships. You may notice that there will be a few gaps in the planking, but as I will lay another set of planks over it, then it is of no concern. The paint/filler is up to 2mm thick in parts, but again, it is of no concern as I will be sanding it all back anyway. Over the next day or so, I will get into a bit of heavy sanding and post some more pics so you are able to see just how simple it is to fix these things or in your case, lay a second lot of planks. Errol.
  6. If you are unsure, do some heavy sanding on the first layer and this will ensure you have no lumps or bumps which may be exaggerated by the second layer and use the thin planking to finish. The lighter planking can sometimes be easier to fit due to its greater flexibility, and laying it over the top of a smooth even surface, will give a beautiful finish. All up, you could be looking at a difference of around 1-2 mm (at worst) in thickness and this will allow you quite some leeway for adjusting thicknesses if tolerances present a problem. I very much doubt that you will have any problem with the thickness or positioning of any timber work in the situation you describe. In fact, I was given a model that is so badly planked (single plank model), that I am actually working on sanding the planking to allow a new layer to be fitted and the tolerances, as far as planking goes, are extremely generous. If you wish, I can post some pics of my repair job as it was presented to me. Let me know either way if that might be of any help.
  7. The dark art is alive and well. What a talent. May you keep on modelling forever.
  8. I have just about every electrical and hand tool known to man and a few that haven't even been thought of yet (I'll let you ponder that one yourself), and I still prefer to use hand tools for very fine work. My scroll saw and band saw get plenty of use, but I still seem to gravitate to the hand tools for the finer stuff. This applies not only to my modelling, but furniture making as well. If you are working to a budget, then invest in a few quality hand tools from time to time. A good vice is worth its weight in gold as is a set of small palm planes. Quality hand tools will eventually cost almost as much as the electrical stuff, but they will outlast and outperform most other tools and you don't need to buy them all at once, so you can spread the cost over a longer timeframe as finances permit. If you have your heart set on electric tools, buy what you can afford, not what you wish you could afford. Good luck mate, either way. Errol.
  9. Idea for the 'settling' sediment. Would sprinkling some concrete powder into the water with the wreck temporarily in situ work? It is grey and will set underwater permanently and be introduced slowly and then you can set up the diorama at your leisure knowing that the silt won't move around during handling. Just a thought. Errol.
  10. Can someone please move over a little...I can't see properly, and keep your heads down you lot up front. This sounds very interesting and I will be following this with interest. I doubt you will have any competition. Is it just me? I have never heard of such a thing as an underwater diorama as you envisage, but it sounds fantastic. Okay, I'll shut up if you hurry and get started. Errol.
  11. I have a collection of Al kits and am working on two as I write and the instructions are very ordinary with so many steps not even mentioned in the build. It really is akin to a scratch build. Having said that, I enjoy the challenge but I also have extensive experience with woodworking and scratch-building. If you ever wish to discuss the AL kits or if I can help in any small way, feel free to pm me any time and since I travel to Brisbane occasionally, I'd be more than happy to catch up if that's of any help also. I visit my brother on the Southside (another mad modeller) and my son (mechanic and drag racer) in the Western suburbs whenever I do any shopping in Brisvegas. This site seems to be one of the best I have ever encountered as far as assistance goes and I enjoy the way these people don't bag other modeller's builds, so from what I have seen here, there is no shortage of information and help. Errol (way out west).
  12. Actually, I reckon you have a point Dave. I am certainly not one for 'historical accuracy' most of the time. If I purchase a model ship that is fictitious then I am happy with that. I would not be happy if I made a purchase of a model of a 'real' ship that turned out to be fictitious, and with a fictitious history. I sometimes make a decision on a purchase based on whether the model is either interesting, based on a factual ship (at some point in time), or just a good looking fictitious ship. In any case, I object to being 'tricked' or 'conned' by the manufacturer's spiel, which is why I can sometimes take months to decide upon a particular model to buy. If I like the look of the kit, then I will not hesitate and I don't care about its history or lack thereof, but if it has an interesting history (real), then I will buy on that basis. Either way, it has to be my choice...not the manufacturer's.
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