Chris Watton and Vanguard Models news and updates

[James H]

9 minutes ago, glbarlow said:

So caved to the demand and moved from MDF to ply...? My Speedy will have white stuff anyway, historical issues aside no copper for me. Sure wish I had boxwood though

It's only the stern frames in birch ply and not a wholesale replacement of the MDF core.

[glbarlow]

10 minutes ago, chris watton said:

MDF will however, always be used

Good, I prefer it as well.

[chris watton]

Oh, almost forgot, I had these arrive this week, resin casting samples for me to build the prototype model, which will be the next main VM release (after the 2 little fishing boats, which I should be able to complete over the next three weeks - but then have to wait for other things related to them, due to lockdowns..). cannot wait to continue with the kit development these castings belong to, though..

[Bobbuild]

Any more hints...? Bristol? Bellona?

[chris watton]

43 minutes ago, Bobbuild said:

Any more hints...? Bristol? Bellona?

Bristol stern would be larger, Bellona larger still. here is Bristol stern above the other..

 

ETA - I am sure I have never shown this, it looks a little worse for wear now, but here is a pic of the original Alert prototype main winch drum that I designed using laser cut and PE parts. It made up great, but decided it may scare some novices off, as it is made from quite a few parts. It was replaced with the white metal version, which in turn was then replaced by the resin version..

Edited March 26, 2020 by chris watton

[Bobbuild]

The Alert prototype winch drum looks awesome. Too bad it is not an option

[Nunnehi (Don)]

Chris, I’d do that in a heartbeat, it looks great! Many of us have a lot of experience with tiny photo-etched parts common to the “other” side of the hobby, especially the 1:200 scale offerings currently available and, by those standards, it looks pretty straight forward.  Like many of us on this site, I’m sort of new to working with wood and the learning curve has been steep but marvelous and truly enjoyable. I have a couple of other projects on the bench but your Speedy is definitely on the horizon!

 

Don

Edited March 27, 2020 by nunnehi
Spelling correction

[glbarlow]

8 hours ago, chris watton said:

thinking about a different stand,

I appreciate the effort but I’m not comfortable sitting my models on a stand, I need to have them mounted and fixed, so from my standpoint it isn’t needed. But that’s just me. 

[Vane]

12 hours ago, chris watton said:

It is actually Speedy's sister, Flirt. As I have a little more time on my hands that I thought I'd have, I decided to compile a set of cut files for Flirt. There are changes, as the vessel will be depicted 'as built' rather than the later guise that Speedy is depicted. No copper plating for the bottom, but 'white stuff', and no flying jibboom.

 

Stern frames are cut in 2mm birch ply, this will be incorporated into future Speedy laser cut runs, including the lower deck 2mm Ceiba or poplar plywood with etched deck detail. 

 

In the meantime, I am finishing the two small kits...

 

Am thinking about a different stand, what about this, the base is 4mm MDF and oak veneer, and the acetate cradles are a push fit, no gluing?

 

I think this looks nice, but I would argue that as a brand Vanguard should keep some "consistency" in the look of the line-up of boat models. Its great that you constantly try to come up with new solutions and better designs, but you also need to think of what Vanguards model stand for. The more the business expands the more important it will be to create a certain style that flows through the whole line up. You created a very unique look with the transparent stands and i Think you should continue with that kind of look in all of your models. 

[amateur]

A coupleof months ago you showed another one that looked promising to me. Any news on this one?

jan

[chris watton]

4 hours ago, Vane said:

I think this looks nice, but I would argue that as a brand Vanguard should keep some "consistency" in the look of the line-up of boat models. Its great that you constantly try to come up with new solutions and better designs, but you also need to think of what Vanguards model stand for. The more the business expands the more important it will be to create a certain style that flows through the whole line up. You created a very unique look with the transparent stands and i Think you should continue with that kind of look in all of your models. 

You are right, thank you. I will leave things as they are. If I'm honest, I too wasn't sure I liked it. I know some do not like stands at all, and prefer columns, but I also know that some kits come with no stands, something I never really understood, and the majority will use the acrylic stand provided. But of course, a few will use columns, which is also perfectly fine.

 

[chris watton]

5 hours ago, amateur said:

A coupleof months ago you showed another one that looked promising to me. Any news on this one?

 

jan

As soon as I have completed the two little kits, that one you shown is next, that is what the resin castings I posted up yesterday are for. And after that, I will be concentrating on the larger stuff.

 

ETA -I decided to do the two smaller kits first, as there were a couple of new things/ideas I wanted to try out, to see if they worked well enough to implement with the larger main kits. They do, so they will be integrated in with my third main kit.

Edited March 27, 2020 by chris watton

[glbarlow]

On 3/26/2020 at 12:23 PM, James H said:

Another new release

This doesn’t look like a frigate☹️😏😂

[ASAT]

Yeah, this is a mystery ship - looks like a sloop of war or a corvette? Perhaps some type of brig?  In any case it is going to be developed before the Bristol as well.... I thought the Bristol would have been close to being released by now, but these smaller designs have been the focus for a while now to facilitate more demand and establish the brand? Hoping it will create an established lineup to support development of a few larger ships that obviously take more time and investment to produce. Chris has stated a few times now that Bristol will be developed after this latest design. And possibly something even larger after her...

[Edwardkenway]

On 3/27/2020 at 8:42 AM, amateur said:

A coupleof months ago you showed another one that looked promising to me. Any news on this one?

jan

It looks a bit like Blackbeards Queen Anne's Revenge???

[Glenn-UK]

Hello Chris

I have a clarification with regards to the Speedy build related to parts PE 7 (cannon eyebolt) and PE7a (cannon eyebolt ring). I believe correct fitting of the cannon eyebolt ring is as shown in photo (page 34 of the instruction manual), i.e. they are simply fitted over the cannon eyebolts so the eyebolt ring can then be used if the cannons are rigged. Is this correct?

 

The diagrams shown on page 35 of the manual initially made me think that the eyebolt rings were actually fitted to the hull (as decoration), which I do not believe is the case, the diagram is just simply showing the eyebolt rings in place fitted over the eyebolts, as per the photo on the previous page. I thought it better to clarify as these parts are currently being painted so I can fit to the hull in the next day or two. I have made a few mistakes along the way and I would like to make sure I get this part of the build right first time.

 

Many thanks for a great kit, I am really enjoying building it at the moment.

Edited April 5, 2020 by glennard2523

[chris watton]

10 minutes ago, glennard2523 said:

Hello Chris

I have a clarification with regards to the Speedy build related to parts PE 7 (cannon eyebolt) and PE7a (cannon eyebolt ring). I believe correct fitting of the cannon eyebolt ring is as shown in photo (page 34 of the instruction manual), i.e. they are simply fitted over the cannon eyebolts so the eyebolt ring can then be used if the cannons are rigged. Is this correct?

 

The diagrams shown on page 35 of the manual initially made me think that the eyebolt rings were actually fitted to the hull (as decoration), which I do not believe is the case, the diagram is just simply showing the eyebolt rings in place fitted over the eyebolts, as per the photo on the previous page. I thought it better to clarify as these parts are currently being painted so I can fit to the hull in the next day or two. I have made a few mistakes along the way and I would like to make sure I get this part of the build right first time.

 

Many thanks for a great kit, I am really enjoying building it at the moment.

Hello Glenn, you are correct. I would never advise or expect any modeller to simply glue a ring to the hull! The rings would always be attached to an eyebolt.

[captain_hook]

Dear Chris, 

 

I hope you don't mind me asking a question. The Amati Pegasus and Fly as well as the Vanguard Models Cutter Alert have brass etched frieze parts instead of paper ones. A paper strip with fully coloured frieze would surely add some depth and realism to the models. Is that to difficult to realize in 3/16 scale?

 

Best regards,

Andreas

[chris watton]

10 minutes ago, captain_hook said:

Dear Chris, 

 

I hope you don't mind me asking a question. The Amati Pegasus and Fly as well as the Vanguard Models Cutter Alert have brass etched frieze parts instead of paper ones. A paper strip with fully coloured frieze would surely add some depth and realism to the models. Is that to difficult to realize in 3/16 scale?

 

Best regards,

Andreas

That very question is something that I will be looking into for future kits, as I agree, I think having the friezes as decals would be much better and more in keeping with scale accuracy.

[glbarlow]

2 hours ago, chris watton said:

will be looking into for future kits

I'm pretty sure I wouldn't put paper decals on my model, as just another opinion. I painted and installed the frieze on my Pegasus.  It wasn't simple or quick but I like the final look - the yellow ochre painted brass on a blue painted background has a nice relief that paper couldn't achieve.  Again, just one opinion. Paper isn't for me.

[ASAT]

2 hours ago, glbarlow said:

- the yellow ochre painted brass on a blue painted background has a nice relief that paper couldn't achieve.  Again, just one opinion. Paper isn't for me.

I felt the same way till I saw what Chuck is accomplishing with his Winchelsea- that looks pretty darn good, but I’m waiting to see if others can make them look that good! New tech will always catch up with us....

[chris watton]

11 hours ago, ASAT said:

I felt the same way till I saw what Chuck is accomplishing with his Winchelsea- that looks pretty darn good, but I’m waiting to see if others can make them look that good! New tech will always catch up with us....

I first did the thein PE brass friezes with Fly 16 years ago, and it does seem to work well and look good. However, I was always aware that the friezes were painted onto the hull. A few of my future developments have this painted frieze work shown on the original models and in some cases, the plans, too. To my mind, the best solution would be high quality waterslide decals (not paper). I have a couple of contacts for this, and when the time comes for me to look into this further, I will weigh up the options.

[Vane]

When it comes to shipmodelling, is there some materials that are considered to be "taboo" to use and others that we have to use? Alot of things could probably be much more accurate done in plastic but where do you draw the line?

[chris watton]

10 minutes ago, Vane said:

When it comes to shipmodelling, is there some materials that are considered to be "taboo" to use and others that we have to use? Alot of things could probably be much more accurate done in plastic but where do you draw the line?

I have always been of the mind that I do not care what materials are used in the making of a scale model as long as the finished model looks accurate. This is one aspect of modelling that I have never changed my mind about - As long as it looks right, I really do not care what the material is under the paint as long as it is stable. Plastic strip is used a lot, especially for thin upper rails, and 1x1 wood can look a little too rough, sometimes even split slightly when curving around the bow area. Ribs for boats are usually done in 0.5x1 plastic strip with the end result being better scale accuracy in most cases.

 

For commercial, you cannot assume too much, and you most certainly cannot assume the modeller is going to want to paint on the frieze work themselves, that would almost equate to a 'semi-kit'. So it's either PE or decals - but not paper.

 

But bare in mind that these are my own thoughts, many others will have differing views, depending on what works best for them.

[captain_hook]

I would love to see a Bristol with full (simulated) painted friezes on it, that is why I was asking. That would be the first VM kit for me to buy - if everything else is just fine. Frieze would push kits a lot more in the scale direction and make them unique (as a special reason for buying a VM kit) especially because you don‘t find a lot of kits in the area 1750 - 1780 that have the typical blue / yellow frieze on it. Almost every finished model ship you find is scratch-build. But I only speak for myself. 
 

Edited April 6, 2020 by captain_hook

[Sea Hoss]

I think what ever one decides for their model, is how to go. On my MS Armed Long Boat, I used the supplied PE scrollwork and I thought it looked flashy. But after having done that ( still like it), I have decided to attempt painting my own friezes. I have a steady hand and a bit of artistic ability so next time I have the opportunity, I shall give it a shot. I sure will do a little practice though before doing it on the actual model.

[catopower]

How about a super tiny paint-by-numbers frieze?

[BobG]

1 hour ago, catopower said:

How about a super tiny paint-by-numbers frieze?

That's a great idea, Clare! I'd love to try my hand at painting the friezes and this would certainly make it a whole lot easier.

[captain_hook]

3 hours ago, catopower said:

How about a super tiny paint-by-numbers frieze?

I fear, at 1/64 scale it would be almost impossible to read the numbers even for an elf. But if you already have the decals you may be able to overpaint it with the appropriate colour. 

[BobG]

9 hours ago, captain_hook said:

I fear, at 1/64 scale it would be almost impossible to read the numbers even for an elf. But if you already have the decals you may be able to overpaint it with the appropriate colour. 

That's true, the tiny size probably wouldn't be manageable. However, another possibility, would be to have the friezes printed with just the outlines like a coloring book. A larger pattern with a suggested color scheme could be used as a visual reference for painting on the outlines and we could paint our own color scheme if wanted to also. It would be like painting by the number without the numbers on the friezes.