IJN Mikasa by Salty Dog - FINISHED - Wave Models - 1/200 - PLASTIC - W/Pontos PE

[Salty Dog]

Hello all,

I began this build about a year ago.  I took several pictures during the progress of the build.  Although it was not a true "log", it will show how it came along.  I started a log on "another" website, and got very little interest, so I gave up.

Recently I was looking at some of the ship builds here, and found CDW's Mikasa Log.  He inspired me to continue on my Mikasa with his very detailed log. He was very helpful with some rigging tips and I posted some of my own rigging attempts. I figured I was hijacking his build log, so this is why I'm doing this.

I hope you all enjoy what I've come up with.  I decided NOT to paint the PE. I have built several kits with PE, and those that I painted, lost all the detail, all the wonderful, beautiful photo etch work that went on. The amount of work and incredible dedication that it takes to install this stuff, in my opinion, dims when it's painted. The pretty gold color of the brass is like jewelry. Even those that couldn't care less about a model ship, are drawn to it with "ooohs and ahhhs".

I also like to mess around with my own colors.  I just can't see making a bunch of gray ships that look like floating penitentiaries. So some might be highly offended by my interpretations. Sorry. Life's too short and I'm having fun.

So here we go...

[Salty Dog]

Here are a few shots I took in the backyard just before I started with the masting.

[Salty Dog]

Current status. 

[cog]

Mavelous work

[dvm27]

Gorgeous work! Personally, I love the brass look which mirrors the builders ship models of that era.

[Reg]

I think it looks great unpainted!!!

 

Greg

[Salty Dog]

Thanks everyone. When I'm done with this, I think I'm working on my HMS Hood, with Pontos, UNPAINTED. The bummer is, no matter how well you take care of that brass, it always tarnishes.  When I get it, I immediately de-grease it with denatured alcohol.  Then I spray it with a clear lacquer.  The minute you do that, it starts to lose it's brightness. It no longer looks shiny, but takes on a nice satin look.  And in a short time, it starts to oxidize, slowly but surely. It really sucks.  I have a couple of PE sets that are brand new, never touched and they are totally tarnished just by sitting in the box. If that happens, I Tarn-X them and they look great....for a while.

Anyway, here's an update.  I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Barely! I worked for several hours and my eyes are very tired.  Tackling the torpedo nets is last, aside from putting it in the display case.

[cog]

3 hours ago, Salty Dog said:

I worked for several hours and my eyes are very tired

Tell me about it, I work at 1/350. I can relate to the feeling. I do, however, find a pair of magnifying glasses quite helpful against the splitting headache, besides diminishing the time working in succession on the model. Good lighting is another important factor

[RGL]

The lovely thing about this model is you just can’t hide your mistakes under paint like I do.  As a builders model it’s fantastic. 

[Salty Dog]

8 hours ago, RGL said:

The lovely thing about this model is you just can’t hide your mistakes under paint like I do.  As a builders model it’s fantastic. 

You're right Greg. There is very little you can do to hid mistakes.  The worst are the glue marks. I use extremely small amount of glue. Hard to see where. But if you barely touch or jostle the model, it never fails to knock something off with the classic "ting" sound as it does.  PE is a real pain.  I even installed black vinyl flooring in my workroom in the hopes that when I dropped something I could find it more easily. NOPE! Even then, good luck!

[cog]

Vinyl makes it bounce around, like any other hard floor. You should put a sheet on the floor, at least you've got a chance finding it in the spot where it dropped.

[Salty Dog]

Hello again,

So as I went to work on the base, I was not sure what to do. Because I planned to place the torpedo net only on one side, do I offset the ship itself so that the entire assembly, including the net, are right at the center of the base, or do I place the ship in the center, and allow the net to extend way past the other side of the model?

I decided to place the ship right in the center, and when I saw how it looked, I decided the net was not going on. I wasn't crazy about it in the first place. Way to fragile and too "artificial" looking.  So no net.  Now I have to just button things up, replace as many lifeboats as will fit, and mount the name tag correctly.  Hope you like it.

[paulsutcliffe]

Love it, Great work

Regards

Paul 

[Salty Dog]

1 hour ago, paulsutcliffe said:

Love it, Great work

Regards

Paul 

Thank you Paul! Although we do this kind of stuff for our own satisfaction and amusement, it wouldn't be HALF as satisfying without the compliments from others.  It's what keeps ME going.  Thank you again.

[RGL]

Glad to have you heard mate. 

[Salty Dog]

And....it's done! Worked on the placard today. Wanted it to match the base with the faux marble. Trimmed lose ends. Replace the boats that "fit".  After adding some of the rigging, not all fit.  They barely fit even without the rigging. Lots of things getting in the way. The boats smashed up against the superstructure, etc. 

The glass was a "pane". You really need to do all your calculations right. Then gluing it is very stressful.  Typical glass cutters don't care about precision. They're used to cutting window glass that can be off by at least 1/8!  I had to go back a couple of times. Finally got it as right as I can get. I love it! I've carried it around several times and it feels nice and solid. I had planned to add some angle stock to the corners and edges for support but it's totally unnecessary.  Cleaning the silicone afterward was a nightmare!

The base is totally non traditional to say the least. But since the model itself, with the unpainted PE is non traditional, I decided to keep it that way.  I Like it.  Hope you do too.  The pedestals were solid brass drawer pulls haha.  Again, I like them.

I really loved working with the E Z line. Can't say how many times I snagged a line by accident and it just stretched....and stretched... and never popped off.  Had it been typical line like on one of my wooden ships, it would have been a disaster.  For such tiny scales, I think this stuff is the answer.  Obviously, if I needed something "rope like", this would be out of the question.

Anyway, I plan and taking better photographs later, but here are these for now.  IT'S DONE!!!

 

[cog]

She turned out to be a beautiful model. i like the unpainted PE

[lmagna]

I agree that your concept of using unfinished brass makes a most beautiful and unique model and it is clear you have truly created a striking model.

 

Well done Paul.

[Salty Dog]

Thank you Carl and Lou. Actually my name is Ed haha. Don't know where Paul came from.

I am doing the same thing with my next. No painted PE.  I'll post some pics as the model comes along.

Thank you again.

[cog]

Looking forward to your next build Ed (glad I didn't rename you  )

[chris watton]

Excellent work, it looks amazing!

 

On a very tenuously related note, I have just watch a YT vid of the Russian 2nd Pacific Fleet 'Voyage of the Damned'

 

I laughed so much at some points, well worth a watch if you have time for comic value alone:

 

 

[yvesvidal]

Gorgeous and so unique work. Your model is truly a jewel and you are an artist.

I love the uniqueness of that approach, even though I am far from being able to do what you did with the Mikasa.

The paint is for me a way to hide the imperfections of my models and the lack of details sometimes.

I have the Mikasa and may one day try to copy you....

 

Thank you for showing us this great model.

 

Yves

[popeye the sailor]

fantastic model!  

 

 

 

was that video for real........    

[Salty Dog]

Thank you all for the nice words. Keeps me going.

Thanks Carl!  It's started. HMS Hood with Pontos PE set.

Yves, there's no reason why you can't.  Just don't paint the PE. It helps to spray a clear coat after thoroughly cleaning it, but not much.  As you can see in my model, the brass is already turning.  Eventually, it will look like a worn out penny!  Bums me out.  I wish it would stay nice and bright.

Good luck and do it!

Ed

Edited June 5, 2019 by Salty Dog

[GrandpaPhil]

Very nice!

[cog]

Ed,

It might be the pontos brass. I've got some from Eduard, which is still shiny and bright, whilst the pontos looks very poor (your used penny) both 2+ years old

[lmagna]

21 hours ago, Salty Dog said:

Thank you Carl and Lou. Actually my name is Ed haha. Don't know where Paul came from.

Sorry Ed

I'm going to mark it up as total confusion. I am in the unique position of entering the next decade of my life in a few days while relearning how to walk as of a few days ago, all at the same time. With all of the trying to keep up with life and catch up with all that has managed to go wrong in the last three months while I was unable to deal with it, it's a wonder that I am reading anything right!

 

The good part is that you did say what your name is, so now I can get it right. Regardless of what your name is, I loved your build and look forward to the Hood. 

Edited June 6, 2019 by lmagna

[Kevin]

I would love to have  followed this build from the start, good luck with your new project, 

[Salty Dog]

Hi Lou!

Nice to meet you! Thank you very much for the nice words. You can call me anything you like haha. So sorry things have been difficult lately for you. If I had known, I'd keep my mouth shut. Hope you get better and better.

See you around!

Ed

[Salty Dog]

Just now, Kevin said:

I would love to have  followed this build from the start, good luck with your new project, 

Thanks Kevin.  I didn't really keep a steady log.  Once I get working, I forget to even pick up a camera, much less take pictures.  I usually take pics as I finish each sub-assembly.  I admire those that seem to have built in cameras in their eyes.  If you have any questions, I'd be more than happy to answer them if I can.

I have been a member of this Website for a long time.  But it was almost always wooden ships. I got pulled into the dark side by the availability of photo etch kits. I saw one and just had to do it.  I love detail and shiny stuff haha.  So I was posting on another website that caters mostly to plastic kits and recently realized they were showing up here too, so I will post here.

Take care Keven.