Old Collingwood

I was thinking of you, Greg, when I began looking through the Pontos detail set. With the "instructions" being no more than some photo illustrations, I am wondering how modelers such as yourself get all these pieces sorted out. It looks a bit intimidating to say the least. Keeping in mind what you said about eating an elephant, I will just tackle one thing at a time and see where things lead.

I guess one of the first things I need to do is to decide whether I want to open up any of the hangar decks and add some detail and maybe some lighting to see it. Will do some research first then decide. Right now, just am not sure whether I should or shouldn't. At 1:350 scale, it may be too small to see much of it once its all done, I don't know.

Just do like i do - spend the next 1-2 years building it - guarantee you learn a lot about your skills that way

OC.

HELLO!    This is going to be good :)

OC.

Jud,

 

Thanks for posting the photo of the USS Ammen. The prop shafts appear identical to the Arleigh-Burke, but the Ammen props have 3 blades while the A-B props have 5. (see below.)

 

PROPS.jpg

The props in the kit have a metal hub and photo-etched brass blades. I haven't built them yet but they didn't seem nice enough, so I ordered a pair of of 25mm cast props from http://www.model-dockyard.com/. I'll decide what to use when they come.

WOW  That bottom hull looks so shinny like new.

OC.

Massive MP cameras that can crop - in - in - in  on a picture are not that great for our boat building, its bad enough scrutinizing our work under a magnifier, but to then zoom in even more is not good I dont think, its best photographing them at the same scale we view them in normal life.

OC.

Good recovery OC, as if she came straight from the slipway

Thanks Carl.

OC.

I finnished off touching up both Ap507C  and 507B  so the port side is finnished.

Here are a few pics folks.

OC.

I have no idea where to start, internet research I expect, then shop for the cheapest price.

Badger are supposed to be good I have read.

OC.

Thanks gents, I'll leave the talented to the scratch builders, I have several of Jean Boudriot's books (who recently passed), that is talent.

 

I use Tamiya rattle cans mostly for the big stuff, then washes and drybrushing. My next project is huge and I think the time has come to buy an airbrush.

Been thinking the same about an airbrush, but our room dictates i hav eto build on the living room table, so I have to be as tidy and smell free as poss, hence why when i used a rattle can I had to do it outside-doors closed then put it away to dry for a bit till the smell went off.

OC.

Do you hand paint or spray greg?

OC.

"GULP"  :o

How on earth can you see all that thread let alone work with it :o

Sorry words escape me  looking at your amazing work.

OC

As a massive exercise in futility, I have commenced rigging the inboard parts of the torpedo net booms. I have completed the starboard side using tiny eyelets as rigging blocks (they don't Kate them this small), running as described in the AOTS to the deck winches. I have not found anyone else stupid enough to do this method yet at this scale. I have lines running everywhere down the sides of the ship that will eventually be attached to the torpedo nets.

 

Running alongside the hull you will notice a wire, rigged through eyelets, there are two turnbuckles attached for each boom to the wire. I had to use wire as the elastic rope will stretch away from the hull and look silly (or uneven, same thing).

 

When the nets finally go on there is more rigging required which I just can't do yet. Photos to follow.

Waiting with bated breath in anticipation to see the magic you do in front of our eyes, an insight into the miniture world you are king of greg.

OC/

The plan for tomorrow -  Finnish off touching up the Ap507B mid grey colour around the stern and the bow, that will finnish off the camo on the Port side.

After letting this settle for a bit it will be the turn of the Starboard side - repeating what I have done but minus the repair work to the damaged section.

OC.

Looking Superb  - realy stands out sharp and tidy.

OC

You know, there's something else I thought about that happened to me one time before...

 

I had this magnifying glass that was attached to a movable stand. Well, it was in just the right place where sunlight from my window came through and it darn near started a fire in my workshop. A set of plans were scorched from it. Taught me a lesson about leaving magnifying glasses in close proximity to a window and sunlight. 

This makes A lot of sense and I think is the Cause, I had my magnifier (6 inch round one)  on the stand and there was strong sunlight coming through over my shoulder,  I will learn a lesson from it.

OC.

Came out great! You would have to know it was there in the first place to even notice it. Sometimes as model builders, we are our own worst critics and nothing is ever perfect enough. That's me, anyway, and my OCD disorder.   

Thank you for that,  I am quite pleased with it, using the magnifier I can paint cleaner with my fine brush.

OC.

An update folks with a couple of pics courtesy of my wifes cam,   I managed to build several thin paint layers with drying in between,  I worked on the Black bootline first, then the next day I worked on the light grey section where the damaged area was, its 90% done and I think viewing at normal distances and magnification, It wont be all that noticable.

Here are a couple of pics.

OC.

How about Trumpy's 1/350  HMS Belfast?  That kit also has some excellent brass by flyhawk pontos etc,  It also a current ship and well worth a visit in London.

Superb work you are doing by the way.

OC.

prachtig  sjors 

OC

Looking very good - I to will follow as I am plastic building at the moment

OC.

A bit more work attacking the offending area - i got some wet and dry on the go keeping it on the area and not going to wide on the other areas, I think when its painted up it wont look to bad,  the rear quarter still needs some work tidying up and getting a better boot line.

I have included a shot of the bottom - the detail I put into the hull plates is Inspiring me to push on and get the hull finished, then I can get back to the more enjoyable deck fittings etc.

OC.

My first instinct is the plastic reacted to the paint you are using. Is it a rattle can paint? If so, what kind/brand is it?

Certain types of paint can take quite a while to gas out. If multiple coats are applied, the plastic is damaged by the volatiles in the paint that are gassing out in the curing process.

 

PS: also, "bondo" or other types of filler have the same effect on plastic.

Thank you my friend, the only problem is - it extends firther up where I had it masked away from the rattle can spray, could it have worked its way even without causing a paint creeping(there was no paint creeping under the mask)  it hasn't reacted anywhere else - everywhere is fine.

Its as if a naked flame - lighter had come to close to the plastic and made it soft and form a dent/smudge in the plastic - you can feel it aswel as see it.

OC

With all the trouble I have had with the hull Im tempted to do not just a waterline model,   but a deck line model and cut off the entire hull :( pretend she has sunk and just the superstructer and deck visible :o

OC

Thanks to all for the encouragment - it does seem like im up against it with my build, I decided to a bit more touching up of the hull paintwork, I masked a small section over the boot line on the rear quarter ready for some more light greay AP502C, this went on well in thin applications as it was drying ready for the next coat in a few minutes, I carried on till I was ready to remove the tape - and it looked ok, just need to tidy up the boot line a bit (you know the situation - touch up one area then have to go back over another till its strait).

But another strange think caught my eye - a small section of the hull mid ship,   has some how sunk in and almost caused like a hot grab like if a hot finger, had pulled at the plastic but with enough heat to melt the plastic, and form a dent,  its quite noticable and makes me feel - "not something else going wrong on the build"     I just dont know how it happened - I didn't do it and it wasn't like it before and nothing has been by it on the shelf - Weird.

OC

Folks I am just posting a bit of an apology for the lack of updates and the slow progression I am making with my build, I know it is taking a long long time, but to be honest its just my way as I have to feel the the need to work on her, I also like to do small stages as I feel in more control that way, and by taking several atrtempts at it, I am learning as I go along and improving day by day.

I have built many many plastic kits before of many transport type things, but nothing that I have done as required a level of knowledge or research to this level, much of it my doing - I admit as i want her as historicaly corect for the time period 1944 D Day as possible.

Brass Etch has also been an adventure for me as I have never ever come across it before in any model, and requires some learning and understanding how to work with it.

I guess what I mean is - Its going to take some time and I hope you folks dont get to bored.

OC.

I bet if you do a 200 scale kit like the HMS Hood one (please) it would be easy peasy for you with the extra scale,  Im only envious of your talent and skills.

OC