knightyo

Ebony!  You sir, deserve a medal for attempting to work with that wood from the devil.  Please make sure to take all safety precautions while working with that stuff.  Your model is gorgeous. 

Alan

My wife has a condition which has resulted in severe scarring of the brain, and it's been a continual "rewiring" process for years.  The brain definitely does figure out how to do certain tasks again by rewiring itself to bypass damage. To get back motor skills, I'd actually recommend an x-box or similar game in which the game is played exclusively with your hands.  The more you use your hands, the quicker the brain will rewire.  Video games are the first things that come to mind for me, but anything which forces your hands to perform over and over and over and over... It works, it just takes time.   The other thing I'd recommend is to purchase Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain.  It is an amazingly enjoyable book which teaches you how to draw, and I think consistent drawing would also be beneficial for the rewiring process. 

Alan

It looks like you are beginning to conquer the hardest part of the hobby.    I don't have a single model that didn't end up being painted on the bottom; you can also add weathering to a painted hull to turn what you might have initially considered a liability into an asset. Some modelers also like to add a second layer of thin veneer planking of high-quality wood over the top of the hull.  P.S. You can also "save" your first model by strategically gluing thin strips of balsa or basswood, sanding smooth, painting, sanding, and then repeating as often as it takes. 

Alan

5 hours ago, ccoyle said:

 

Interesting. That's the first thing I noticed when looking at James' photos. I do think the look could be improved if your printer could use a serif font -- the sans serif font looks far too modern. Italics would probably also help improve the look, since the writing on the real carriages leans a bit. Example below:

 

SPIT FIRE

vs.

SPIT FIRE

Actually, maybe thin, laser-cut plastic templates that a modeler could use to "sponge" paint through onto the carriages.  That might yield the most realistic look of all.

Edit: I think there needs to be a North American distribution center for these kits.  I'm assuming that if I purchase this kit, I might as well book a flight to the U.K. to pick it up in person as that would probably be cheaper than the shipping cost to the states. Maybe I'll schedule a vacation for the wife and I to visit the U.K. "just a sec honey, I need to go pick something up real quick". 

1 hour ago, Jase said:

 I think every build of this will end up being different, I for one look forward to what people do with this kit.

The variations of this build are really going to be fun to see.  I'm hopeful that at least one builder will also add a sloth.

Alan

There are few things more satisfying than a freshly sanded hull.  It looks superb.

Alan

It's fun to see another builder in the West!   The prototype is looking fantastic.

Alan

I'll be excited to see what projects you develop now that you won't be stuck allocating so much time to cutting/sourcing, etc.  It sounds like you will have a lot more fun in your work.  Retiring at 67 in order to get SS max?  

Alan

Maybe a small funnel into a tube of the proper length and diameter

Am I reading this correctly that in NOT creating the kit based upon the ship that was used in the movie, that the kit you are creating matches more closely the ship depicted in the books?  If that's the case, I think most of the interested modelers would prefer your version anyway.

Alan

Still plugging away as time permits.  The deck beams and hanging knees have been installed.  It's not an optical illusion that some of the beams appear to be missing. I had to install the beams and sand them to proper shape, before cutting a few of them out to allow for the installation of the fragile internal components consisting of a lighted lamp which will sit on a shelf above the rudder and the binnacle, which will sit right behind the mast shown. I'm trying to do all of the "rough" work before attaching the fragile pieces and rudder. (note to self: don't forget to shellac interior before installing deck above).

Below, the main mast and its partners have now been installed. The tops of the partners just need a touch more careful sanding to get everything uniform and then they will be done, apart from the eventual shellac.  The parts laying on the deck are my next mini-project. They still need to be further refined before installation.

I won't ever be able to finish the models I already have, but this is mighty tempting.  I have to ask..  Have you thought about having Aubrey/Maturin figures as an option as well?  I'd imagine just about everyone who has read the novels would buy them, especially if they were molded playing their respective instruments. 

Alan

I've performed that method of planking on a number of ships. It feels fun and rebellious to plank in that manner.  Just sand the ends sharp to fit on each end, and use plenty of wood glue.  Once the hull is sanded, provided it's going to be painted, or have another run of planking over the top, it will be fine.  If you look at my Syren log, some of the photos show this type of planking method used.  The hull is then covered with copper, so no one knows that it was improperly planked.

Alan

Kurt, I half-wonder if there should be another clickable link under the NRG Journal (cover of the book) on the home page.  I think that could yield a fairly steady revenue stream.

Alan

I ordered a copy within about 2 minutes of receiving the email notification.  That is a fantastic price for the information contained within, and will probably generate a very large number of orders.

Alan

On 2/16/2025 at 2:29 PM, Chuck said:

 I can honestly say that I will never move again.  

I think I made this declaration about 2 moves ago.  

Alan

Seawatch Books has a really good page-by-page preview on Youtube as well.  If I didn't already have about 126 projects in the works, I'd instantly purchase this book.  I'm sure I'll be buying it eventually however, as the artwork contained within is gorgeous.

Alan

For a first-grade class project, I built a car out of a toothpaste box with an engine mounted in the front of the box (I think from an old hot wheels car) which gave the appearance of a funny car.  I can’t recall all of the detail of the model, but what I DO remember is the amount of praise I received from my teacher.

I grew up with two sisters who were both a decade older than I; my parents didn’t really have the desire/energy to bring up another child, so I was always left to my own devices and rarely received any type of encouragement.  Getting direct praise from that 1^st grade teacher was like a drug (now I understand, literally :D), and I think still plays a part in why I create.  The scratchbuilding bug had hit me early, all due to a random comment from a schoolteacher.  Reminiscing about this is making me want to see if she’s still around; it would be fun to let her know what an impact she had on a little kid back in the 70’s.

I usually find figures on ships to be major negatives, but the look and feel of your figures match the ship perfectly; outstanding job!

Alan

I've had similar frustrations and ended up applying black acrylic paint which ended up looking better than the powder coat.  Next time I have a part to be blackened, it will be a standard prime/paint, which is also far more enjoyable than playing around with caustic chemicals.  

Alan

Welcome!  You hit the jackpot in finding this forum.  One of my favorite things to do on the weekend is to brew up my beverage of choice and casually view others' build logs.  Eventually, you'll notice that you are developing a preferred niche to view, and will probably then start a model in that niche.  It's nice to have others' build logs to refer to when you are building your own model as you can see how others have worked their way through challenging sections.  I may be in the minority, but I get more satisfaction in viewing other people's posts about their work than I do in actually doing my own work.

Now that covers mornings.  For evenings, it's nice to fall asleep after reading historical fiction in this genre and there is almost a cult-like following of the books authored by Patrick O'Brien; the Master and Commander series of books.  There are 21 books in the series and many people find them to be very soothing to read;  I've been reading the series annually for years and years now.  We've all heard of comfort food; these become comfort books for a lot of people.  

Alan

I like #5, the shellac garnet

I offer my humble felicitations and trust that one of our estimable colleagues in your vicinity shall offer assistance befitting of your charming object.

Yours respectfully,

Alan

PPS, Maturin sends his compliments and asks that you pay no mind to the fingers in the side table. 

11 hours ago, Nirvana said:

Alan, it is always a pleasure to read through your build log. So instead of liking each and single entry give you a HUGE Like for the whole log.
Keep it up.

Thanks Per!  I'm still plugging away at it.  The supports to the upper deck are now in, and I'm now just in process of making everything look tidy in the steerage section.  

Alan

On 6/27/2024 at 3:19 PM, uss frolick said:

Don't forget to do a Killick, holding the toasted cheese: "Which I'm coming, ain't I?"

I actually have a secret wish for an Aubrey/Maturin set; adding Killick with a coffee pot would be magnificent.   I'm sure Chris wouldn't be able to make a profit on them due to relatively small number of people who would purchase them, but I sure would. Maybe they could be a premium option with an HMS Surprise kit down the road.

Alan