Chris Watton and Vanguard Models news and updates

[Glenn-UK]

5 minutes ago, chris watton said:

Sphinx kits will not start shipping until the week after next

Perfect timing for me, as I'm away from home until Saturday.

[BobG]

13 minutes ago, glbarlow said:

Mine is ordered, just yesterday…. It will be a fun build. 

Is this your next build, Glenn?

[glbarlow]

I’m working on Flirt now after finishing Cheerful, so it will be a while. 

[BobG]

1 hour ago, glbarlow said:

I’m working on Flirt now after finishing Cheerful, so it will be a while. 

I have the Flirt on the shelf but I have a dilemma now. I love the Flirt and the Sphinx but there's not much room in our small house for both. So what to do? Maybe build the Flirt first and give it to my son and then build the Sphinx...? So many wonderful models from Chris and Chuck with too little time and space...

[mtaylor]

Quick question for you, Chris.  By pear wood, I'm assuming (bad move on my part to assume) that this not Swiss pear (pinkish) but unSwissed pear which is more "woody" colored?   

 

I've been reading the instructions and making notes....  maybe a bit of a bash  (maybe some ebony or individual deck planks) but not much.

[Nirvana]

On 8/6/2021 at 12:57 PM, James H said:

Ok, the HMS Sphinx Manual is now available for download.

 

About 950 photos. This has been intense!

 

https://vanguardmodels.co.uk/product/hms-sphinx-1775/

 

Download time not on fiberoptic, 21 seconds!
Starting looking into this amazing kit.

[Nirvana]

That is so far the most comprehensive manual I have seen!

Amazing job! I like to build but have to many in the yard waiting.

[Old Collingwood]

On 8/7/2021 at 12:45 PM, chris watton said:

I am stunned, thank you all for your support. I never thought I would sell so many. I did enough for 50 in total, as I always order 50 PE sets (which weigh in at 20kg for Sphinx). But castings, thread and anything else non PE and laser cut, I ordered 100 kits worth.

 

I will add a couple more to stock, but damn, thank you!

 

I have put in a repeat order for the photo etched sets, and will start another production run of laser cut parts, each kit takes well over 6 hours cutting/engraving time..

 

And again, thank you!

Its the level of our faimly here  Chris  Always supportive - Always  here for Everyone.

 

OC.

[Jasseji]

24 minutes ago, Nirvana said:

Download time not on fiberoptic, 21 seconds!
Starting looking into this amazing kit.

It's a hefty 180MB PDF, i dont want to think how big the original Pictures were in Total

[Old Collingwood]

On 8/8/2021 at 1:26 AM, mtaylor said:

Trigger pulled.... order made.   I think this build will be good for me...   I will do a build log once it's here.

So pleased for you Mark  - this will  be Brilliant for you mate.

 

OC.

[Old Collingwood]

Thank you @chris watton  for what you have done  -  your time and commitment at creating something so special.

 

OC.

[James H]

2 hours ago, Jasseji said:

It's a hefty 180MB PDF, i dont want to think how big the original Pictures were in Total

After converting from RAW, the JPG (set to low compression) images were almost 6GB.

[chris watton]

5 hours ago, mtaylor said:

Quick question for you, Chris.  By pear wood, I'm assuming (bad move on my part to assume) that this not Swiss pear (pinkish) but unSwissed pear which is more "woody" colored?   

 

I've been reading the instructions and making notes....  maybe a bit of a bash  (maybe some ebony or individual deck planks) but not much.

Never asked my supplier, all I ask for is pear, and also ask for it to be good quality, so no idea about swiss/unswiss - but am sure I will now you have asked. I have actually sent a batch or two back, as they are awful..

 

Most of time what I get is pinkish, but for the planking, I did ask for a lighter tone in my last batch. I cannot always guarantee this, as I get what I am sent, which is the way for a natural product. I would prefer the very light pear every time, as to me, it looks perfect on 18th Century subjects, but I also know most of the time, I get the pinkish colour.

 

What I do know for sure is that I desperately need another larger, more powerful laser machine, and soon! 

[Jasseji]

3 minutes ago, chris watton said:

What I do know for sure is that I desperately need another larger, more powerful laser machine, and soon! 

 

I think you need this:

[Kevin]

26 minutes ago, chris watton said:

 

 

What I do know for sure is that I desperately need another larger, more powerful laser machine, and soon! 

Is it time for crowd funding from your followers?

[chris watton]

2 minutes ago, Kevin said:

Is it time for crowd funding from your followers?

Damn, you make me sound like some kind of weird cult! lol

 

No, I  finance all new equipment from kit sales.

[Jasseji]

1 hour ago, chris watton said:

Damn, you make me sound like some kind of weird cult! lol

Well, and the symbol would be a wood file crossed with a clamp on a sheet of sandpaper ?

 

[chris watton]

James did an article in the latest Tamiya Model Magazine, for anyone that's interested.

[chris watton]

OK, we have released the final 5 Sphinx kits to stock. Once these are gone, that is it for this production run. I will not be able to get more PE until next month at the earliest, as Italy is now on holiday. And I thought I had enough to last a while!

 

I think I have already mentioned this, but the photo etched sheets were changed at the very last minute to include all PE part numbers etched on the sheet, which should make identification easier..

[mtaylor]

No worries on the pear, Chris.  Just wondering out loud.   

 

What?  Model shipbuilding isn't a cult?  I'm shocked... shocked I tell you.  

[Wahka_est]

Superb job Chris!

 

Regarding lasers check Trotec. They have new affordable line coming out in few months(if not allready). I think its called Q400 or similar.

 

All awesome features as normal  superb Trotec but assembled in China to take costs down etc. To be noted i have no connections to Trotec or their sales.

If you are interested you can pm and i can send you info that they provided me few months ago.

 

[chris watton]

9 minutes ago, Wahka_est said:

Superb job Chris!

 

Regarding lasers check Trotec. They have new affordable line coming out in few months(if not allready). I think its called Q400 or similar.

 

All awesome features as normal  superb Trotec but assembled in China to take costs down etc. To be noted i have no connections to Trotec or their sales.

If you are interested you can pm and i can send you info that they provided me few months ago.

 

Cheers! But I would like the same make as the one I have, as I have grown to know the machine intimately, and knowing how to prepare the files for laser cutting/engraving. A completely different machine will have different software requirements for the laser to read the files, and this could be a problem if I need to swap files from one machine to the other. They are not cheap, but it has not let me down once, the only ongoing expense being the extractor filters (and many cans of Mr.Muscle oven cleaner to clean the bed...)

[mtaylor]

I've heard that some line their bed with aluminum foil for easy cleaning.  Not sure myself as it's reflective.

[chris watton]

Just now, mtaylor said:

I've heard that some line their bed with aluminum foil for easy cleaning.  Not sure myself as it's reflective.

One of the first things I tried when wet between the ears. You are right, the laser reflects right back to the underside of the material, rendering the sheet scrap.

[glbarlow]

I'm thinking Chris has the laser thing worked out, my skill set in offering unsolicited advice in case you werer't already aware is to plug it in before turning it on - that's about all I have to offer.🤣

 

[Glenn-UK]

Having spent some time reading the manual and James's build log the HMS Sphinx build is very well explained, the photos really help also. My initial impression is this will probably be a time consuming project for me, maybe 9 to 12 months, but hopfully it will be relatively problem free. There are a couple of build items I'm not sure about at the moment but I hoping once the kit arrives all will become clear.😀

[James H]

37 minutes ago, glennard2523 said:

Having spent some time reading the manual and James's build log the HMS Sphinx build is very well explained, the photos really help also. My initial impression is this will probably be a time consuming project for me, maybe 9 to 12 months, but hopfully it will be relatively problem free. There are a couple of build items I'm not sure about at the moment but I hoping once the kit arrives all will become clear.😀

 

Under normal hobby circumstances, 9 - 12 months for a ship is nothing.

 

Just take your time. Remember, I have to rush for a reason  

[paul carruthers]

James H, Re step 15 in the manual, is there more information regarding the sanding angles, also for the other bevelled filler Hull parts?

Edited August 10, 2021 by paul carruthers
Clarification

[James H]

22 minutes ago, paul carruthers said:

James H, Re step 15 in the manual, is there more information regarding the sanding angles, also for the other bevelled filler Hull parts?

 

No, but it's all very elementary ship modelling.

 

Just sand and fair those parts until they flow correctly. You will also finalise any sanding when the hull itself is ready to be finally faired.

[glbarlow]

4 hours ago, glennard2523 said:

a couple of build items I'm not sure about at the moment

It’s not fun unless I am completely lost a couple of times during a build.