Atlantic Conveyor by kirk - JSC - 1/400 - CARD - auxilary aircraft carrier

[kirk]

Greetings to all who are interested. here we go, my first build log and my first attempts at paper modelling. the full title of the kit seemed too long as the kit includes a second model: the destroyer SHEFFIELD. i'm starting with this one and using it as a 'throw away' so i can figure out how exactly to tackle this card thing that has so intrigued me. i will then move on to the container ship. 

[kirk]

i figure i should start my first log with with an introduction of my perspective on model building. i tend to see models as a representation of the real thing more than a reproduction. as such true 100% fidelity is not my primary focus. now obviously i still attempt to be as accurate and faithful as possible when building a kit, but i want to have fun and not get bogged down. there are already enough details on a ship of any scale. 

 

so i managed to get stuck waiting for the internet repair person to show up at my house the other day and as is all too common in this scenario i had to wait all day- the good news is that i got into the kit! 

 

pictured here is my initial layout on the kitchen table- a new cutting mat (as my old ones are filthy), scalpels, steel rules and some glue- included is my tool box which holds practically every tool i ever use- files, drill bits, saws, mandrels, pin vices, hold and fold, and all manner of goodies i have collected over the years.

[Kevin]

i will be following, good luck

[kirk]

my initial response to JSC is one of amusement as the instructions are pretty vague... if present at all. it seems the builder is assumed to know what they are doing lol. anyway....

i cut, i fold!

i have these old photo etch bending blades, they are plastic, relatively true and worked pretty well for all those small bends

[kirk]

after about 4 hours i managed to produce the following- it seems to have worked because i didn't squish all that work

[kirk]

under normal circumstances i wouldn't rush through a build like this as things inevitably get out of alignment. i found that i struggled with all the tabs as i couldn't really see what i was doing most of the time when marrying parts together- although its nice to have a larger gluing surface they simply get in the way.

i'm pretty sure i read in one of Dab Vadas' build logs that he doesn't like them- and if his beautiful, immaculate and dazzling results are any indication of this- well then i'm convinced. 

when i start to build the auxiliary carrier i think i will dispense with the tabs and go for more internal support via thicker card stock

i am currently reading and rereading some card build logs expanding my repertoire as it were. i can already see myself having a dedicated 'paper model toolbox' as the need for cleanliness is obviously paramount.

[GeorgeKapas]

Paper models are a very interesting subject. I am always anxious when I built card models, not to spoil the printed surface of the parts. Although I use to make buildings using card kits, ships are also really viable, I should try too. 

[kirk]

2 minutes ago, GeorgeKapas said:

Paper models are a very interesting subject. I am always anxious when I built card models, not to spoil the printed surface of the parts. Although I use to make buildings using card kits, ships are also really viable, I should try too. 

i typically build 1/700 scale WW ll  IJN- plastic/ photo etch, but wanted to try card (and a slightly larger scale!) it's nice avoiding all those fillers/ sanding plastic et al. there is definitely going to be a steep learning curve though.

[GeorgeKapas]

Indeed, one bypasses some annoying steps with card. Making spheres and domes is most dificult and annoying, but in everything else, its a very smooth and satisfying process. 

[Dan Vadas]

Hi Kirk, and welcome to the wonderful world of Card Modelling . You're off to a pretty good start and I hope you won't find too many difficulties along the way.

 

Yeah, I don't like Tabs but some models just won't go together without them - my Sydney Opera House for example. If you want to dispense with them (and even on a Tabbed model you can do that for some parts) you need to virtually re-design the support structure of the kit. Laminating using heavier card is a good option, as is adding extra card where you think it may be needed for keeping things square (or not).

 

As far as "instructions" go in Card Kits - no publisher has the perfect examples. Some are just worse than others . You'll tend to pick up the gist of it with experience. Planning a step or three ahead is a pretty good idea. So is "dry-fitting" parts before applying any glue.

 

BTW - a proper Swann-Morton Scalpel with replaceable blades works far better than an Xacto blade. They are cheap enough, and you can buy blades in boxes of 100 which is a lot cheaper than buying 5 or 10 at a time (see HERE) - believe me, you'll need LOTS of blades .

 

Have fun, and I'll be following your Log.

 

Danny

[kirk]

thanks danny!- i have a ton of different scalpel blades- they are indeed far superior to x acto- anyway i've been swamped at work so i'm stuck in a holding pattern- i will be back soon and bugging you all for advice. 

kirk