HMS Duke of York by CDW - FINISHED - Tamiya - 1:350 - PLASTIC

[popeye the sailor]

great looking crane........well done!   all this PE stuff is so awesome to see  

[CDW]

They are a big step up from the plastic blobs provided in the kit, but on the other hand, the Pontos detail set sells for more than twice the price of the plastic kit itself.  

I think that once a modeler has experienced the added level of detail and clarity that's almost impossible with plastic alone, we're hooked on the detail sets and don't want to do a model without them. 

AMS is the disease (advanced modeler's syndrome). No known cure. 

[RGL]

Addictive? Never!

[cog]

AMS ... I recently started to look for PE sets, before I look at the plastic foundation ...

 

I do like those craines Mr Bunny. Haven't started at mine yet, but it will come soon. First I need to get back to the work bench!

[Captain Slog]

8 hours ago, CDW said:

Hi Captain

I'm anxious to see your 1:200 Hood get started. Any idea yet when you might start it?

Hi Craig,

 

Thanks for your interest; unfortunately I can’t see starting the Hood in the foreseeable future.  It comes down to time, I am only home for 3 days every second weekend and for the past couple of months life has got in the way of that limited time although R&Rs should be free again from now for a while.  It’s painful as really itching to do a plastic ship with a ton of PE after following yours, Gregs and others builds!

 

I also really need to finish Borodino before starting something else and probably less than a third of the way through that.  There is also a couple of card Japanese battleships that I am keen to get started on at least one of them so who knows.

 

Cheers

Slog

[CDW]

4 hours ago, cog said:

AMS ... I recently started to look for PE sets, before I look at the plastic foundation ...

 

I do like those craines Mr Bunny. Haven't started at mine yet, but it will come soon. First I need to get back to the work bench!

I almost always look to see if detail sets are available for models before I buy them, and when I don't, usually end up regretting it. 

[RGL]

And one set per kit is never enough......

[Piet]

WOW, beautiful detail on that crane, really impressive work Craig. Agree, the PE makes the model - - - if one can afford it

 

Cheers,

[Old Collingwood]

Loving the detail with the PE,   I often wish some PE would come pre assembled like the Pom Poms or other complicated assemblies, surely companies like Pontas with all thier experience could do that - IM sure it would help a few of us with less tahn stella eyesight or dextrus fingers.

 

 

OC.

[CDW]

Piet

Thanks for the kind words. When I was a young lad, would have been hard pressed to buy a detail set, that's for sure. But there was no such thing back then, only magazines/periodicals where we could learn from the masters how to scratch build and add detail. Some were very very good. 

OC

I have bought some pre-built and painted limited production model cars whose detail and finish is just incredible. Price was very reasonable for what I got, in the $300-$400 range. So I do think pre assembled photo etch and resin parts could be done, I just don't know if there would be enough of a market for it to make it worthwhile to a business investor.

 

Tonight I have been working on the 30 or so little single 20mm Oerlikon gun mounts. I find these to be the most trying of all the gun mounts I've built so far. Part of the problem is an undersized hole in one of the very delicate photo etch parts and it needs to be enlarged to fit properly on a pin that projects from the gun base mount. Have not found an effective way to drill and enlarge the hole without destroying the part, so it makes that step of things exhaustive for each and every one of the guns. I probably should buy some other similar oerlikon guns from another manufacturer to see if theirs are not more user friendly. 

[thibaultron]

Is the pin in the gun base plastic, or part of another PE? If plastic cut it off, and drill for a smaller pin.

[CDW]

1 hour ago, thibaultron said:

Is the pin in the gun base plastic, or part of another PE? If plastic cut it off, and drill for a smaller pin.

All the parts are brass. Either photo etch or machined. I've been cutting off the locator pins and filing it down flat rather than try to drill and install another pin into the machined brass gun base.

These pictures give a good reference for how small we're working with here. I doubt I could drill holes in the tops of these gun bases, even on my best day. 

This is the stuff fly specks are made of.

 

 

[Old Collingwood]

1 hour ago, CDW said:

All the parts are brass. Either photo etch or machined. I've been cutting off the locator pins and filing it down flat rather than try to drill and install another pin into the machined brass gun base.

These pictures give a good reference for how small we're working with here. I doubt I could drill holes in the tops of these gun bases, even on my best day. 

This is the stuff fly specks are made of.

 

 

SUPERB Work,    I have to be honest,  I cheeted with my  Orks - I used the main plastic barrel arrangements and used the PE shields with them, then fitted them inside the tubs but with the PE Amo baskets - doors etc.

 

OC.

[cog]

Steady hands, steady fingers, Mr Bunny. Very impressive array of crisp AA guns!

[CDW]

Dry fitting some parts as they are completed. Lots remaining to be done. Lots of details and touchups, painting and weathering.

 

 

 

[Sailor1234567890]

Having seen plenty of weathered ship side grey in my time, I must commend you on your rust streaks sir. Beautifully executed. Now find the bosn, it's time for a paint ship routine. 

[CDW]

Thank you, sir. Finely ground dry pigment lightly dusted on with a dry brush. Will do some more here and there along with some light salt and sun weathering.

 

I'm surprised the Pontos set didn't supply a couple of hooks for the cranes...or maybe they did and I just haven't found them on the photo etch sheets yet. If none, will source them somewhere or maybe just make a couple of them. I think I might have some that were included with a Tom's PE set for a Liberty Ship. 

[Old Collingwood]

2 hours ago, CDW said:

Dry fitting some parts as they are completed. Lots remaining to be done. Lots of details and touchups, painting and weathering.

 

 

 

Now that is looking Smart nice and sharp very very nice

 

OC.

[WackoWolf]

She is coming along beautiful. Thank you for sharing this with us.

[Piet]

Superb looking ship there Craig. Love the weathering as well, which poses a question or two or three. You mentioned using powder and dry bushed it on. Never heard of such a thing. It was mostly sprayed on with airbrush or dry-brush with wet paint, but at this scale that may be difficult to do. 1. What kind of powder is it and where can one obtain it. 2. Does it adhere well enough, or is there another application afterwards?

Reason for asking - I ordered a 1:350 scale model of Hr. Ms. Java - the Dutch cruiser my father was killed on on February 28, 1942 - and  I like to finish her as she was going into that fateful battle.

 

Cheers,

[CDW]

Thank you for the kind words. The pigment used in this particular instance is made by Vallejo, product 73.117, rust oxide. The Vallejo line of pigments are stocked at my local hobby shop, but you can easily find it on line as well. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vallejo-Pigments-Pigment-73-117-RUST-30ml-Bottle-Weather-Armor-/321583741959

It adheres well to a painted surface but I cover the model with a clear matt varnish once everything is finished. Repeated handling could potentially smear the pigment to places unintended without a clear coat afterward. 

Is the Java a resin kit?

[CDW]

I think these photo etch parts represent some type of sight devices, but no books I have give reference to what exactly they are. Anyone know for sure?

One thing I do know, the parts represent the extreme edge of what I can see to work with. Using magnification, begin to lose my depth perception making the pieces difficult to position. I believe these are perhaps the smallest parts on the photo etch sheets. Any smaller and I will not attempt it. No point really, as I would not be able to see it after the model is finished even if I could.

 

 

[Captain Slog]

Nice progress Craig. 

 

Time to move up to 1/200 scale with the card models. Looking forward to seeing what ones you got. 

 

Cheers

Slog

[RGL]

They're not MG stands/brackets? I agree on too small, sometimes it's just a bit too gimmicky to produce a .1mm x .1mm thing and even expect it to stand out yet alone be able to be glued. 

[CDW]

16 minutes ago, Captain Slog said:

Nice progress Craig. 

 

Time me to move up to 1/200 scale with the card models. Looking forward to seeing what ones you got. 

 

Cheers

Slog

I'm pretty sure I bought something that will be quite a challenge for a first card model. Maybe over extended myself? It's the 1:200 USS Oakland, a WW2 light cruiser with a lot of twin 5" gun turrets. An anti aircraft platform to be sure. 

[CDW]

22 minutes ago, RGL said:

They're not MG stands/brackets? I agree on too small, sometimes it's just a bit too gimmicky to produce a .1mm x .1mm thing and even expect it to stand out yet alone be able to be glued. 

I think they are supposed to represent binoculars, but not a very convincing replica IMHO. Will probably order some 3 dimensional ones rather than fool around with these.

[Captain Slog]

1 hour ago, CDW said:

I'm pretty sure I bought something that will be quite a challenge for a first card model. Maybe over extended myself?

 

I would be the last person to judge someone diving in at the deep end, go with what interests you is my mantra.  I look forward to a review of it and I hope you do a build log when you start it.

 

Cheers

Slog

[CDW]

10 hours ago, Captain Slog said:

 

I would be the last person to judge someone diving in at the deep end, go with what interests you is my mantra.  I look forward to a review of it and I hope you do a build log when you start it.

 

Cheers

Slog

Captain Slog

I'm probably going to depend quite a bit on your experience with card models to build something like this (will review your build threads for tips) and may need to message you even to do a review. Having no experience with card models, wouldn't know whether the features of it were good, bad, or indifferent. 

The one thing I do recall from your advice was to buy a kit with laser cut frames, which I did. What about laser cut details such as railings and ladders. Are they okay, or is photo etch preferable?

[Captain Slog]

Hi Craig,

 

Thanks for your vote of confidence. My total card modelling experience is here on this site  but I will definitely help where I can and feel free to message as you need. 

 

Don't forget Chris ( ccoyle) who is the resident card guru who I picked up most of  my techniques from and I am sure he will drop in once you start your log. I advise going through his tutorial in the card section also. 

 

RE laser cut details, I haven't used them so can't fully answer your question. I know Chris is a fan and I believe they are easier to work with particularly things like railings. I went with photo etch as I assumed they would be finer especially things like gratings etc. 

 

Good luck and looking forward to following along. 

 

Cheers

Slog

[CDW]

Fire control/Gun directors (some of them)

Will start building the masts today