HMS Speedy by Vane - Vanguard Models - Scale 1:64 - Master Shipwright (limited edition)

[glbarlow]

On 12/1/2019 at 1:46 AM, Vane said:

Good to hear that, it will be interesting to see more logs here!

Just ordered mine as well. As an aside, you’ll enjoy your time with Granado, she was a fun build for me. 

[glbarlow]

On 12/1/2019 at 4:26 PM, Vane said:

It takes some practice, but once u get the hang of it u will plank much quicker. And the planks will look much nicer without any holes from pins.

I have insufficient patience for white glue when planking, all mine is done with CA.  The thrill of it all, get it right in 20 seconds or ... not...

[Vane]

My whole armada getting ready for war... Here you can see that Speedy is not the largest boat... but it is one of the more beautiful!

[glbarlow]

On 12/26/2019 at 10:41 AM, Vane said:

I think your photography is excellent of the ships and also the "explaining" photos.  I also dont mind the blue background at all. I am only talking about consistency where the colours are slightly different in different shots. You can either fix this "in photoshop" or perhaps better (and which will save u some time considering how many photos you take) is to make sure you are using the same settings and setup for every photo. My guess is that you have had the "whitebalance" setting in auto, and the camera has interested it differently where some photos are "too cold". Just switch the whitebalance to manual and 5500K usually match most flash. 

 

In "Product photography" consistency is key, compared to other forms of photography where you might want to be  more exprimental. Just find a style that suites you and your website and stick with it. 

I’m also a photographer.  Even basic cameras have white balance settings.  Vane noted you probably have it set in Auto, meaning the camera adjusts and has different color balances often even for the same “scene,”. Just change White Balance to any fix3d setting such as Daylight (colder, or bluish) Cloudy (warmer or yellowish) or Flash. The words don’t mean anything, just choose which you like best and consistently use it on every photo.  Easy...

[Vane]

Thats just a shot with my mobile. The lamp was on and full daylight from the window so I am not surprised that the whitebalance is off.  I will do studioshots with my profoto flashes and Nikon D500 once the deck and 2nd planking are complete.  

[Vane]

When I want better photos it looks like this… but most of my production photos is just with my mobile.

[NateB]

lol that is how you take a photo!

[Vane]

While trying to decide about the deck i did a mini project: swivelguns.  Here i also got to try out my new airbrush which was quite fun but also abit of a challange to use. 

Once again, the design with resin guns with photo etched parts made this not that difficult. Everything is very small but came together nicely.  It was even easy to drill out the guns with a 0.8mm drill.

[Vane]

Finally,  I have completed my Snake maple deck and can compare before i move on with my Speedy deck. My Snake took about 2 weeks to do and i would say that the pre engraved would save tons of time. So which look do you prefer?

[Norway]

I will use the pre-engraved when i build my Speedy. Give it thorough sanding first to shake off the some how excessive laser caulking. 

[dzerbato]

I plan to build this model as well and can’t say what I’ll do, although I’m leaning towards the laser engraved. I wouldn’t let time necessarily be the deciding factor. If that were the case no one hear should be in this hobby, lol.

[usedtosail]

Can you sand off the laser char without affecting the other etched lines on the pre made deck? I am going through a similar dilemma on my Chris Craft build.

[Bob Portsmouth]

Sorry guys, I really don't understand why you would consider not planking?? Yes, it requires accurate work???? You're mom never said it was going to be easy!!

Edited February 3, 2020 by Bob Portsmouth
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[Bob Portsmouth]

[AlanDavison]

I will use the laser etched deck, saves a lot of work and time. From Bobs picture you seem to be a proficient scratch builder, so are well able to “kit bash”. Chris’s innovations are first rate and I am sure will encourage more modellers to take the plunge into wooden ship construction. Bearing in mind the cost of wooden kits and the fact that some were designed and first produced 30-40 or more years ago, it is refreshing to see a Vanguard Models using the latest techniques such as laser engraving and resin castings to bring the hobby into the 21 century.

[DelF]

22 hours ago, Vane said:

So which look do you prefer?

I think I'd like to see your maple deck once it's been varnished (or whatever finish you plan) before deciding which I prefer. You've started an interesting debate, though.

 

Derek

[Gregory]

23 hours ago, Vane said:

.So which look do you prefer?

I believe your planked deck looks much better.

I see problems with the quality of the Laser etching.  There is a lot of over-burn at many points.

I have seen this problem with my laser when the power is too high and the speed too slow.  The over-burn happens when the head changes direction.

 

[Vane]

Thanks for a good points all of you have raised. I dont think any of you are right or wrong, just different ways of looking at the problem. The interesting thing with the whole kit is all of the new design solutions using latest technology and with an idea of speeding up the build process. Some of those may not look as good as an advanced and highly skilled scratch built solution,  but its saves time and some people my not have the needed skills. Even though some details are important, I dont think they are as important on wooden ships as on plastic models where u spend lots of time on weathering effects. The rigging is what stands out.

[dzerbato]

Certainly a good debate. I do agree there is no right or wrong answer hear. While I've only started on my first wooden model ship, I've been built several in plastic and many airplanes, tanks, etc. What I've found interesting with respect to the appearance of the various features, particularly weathering, decking and the attempt to make the model as accurate as possible is that often, the end result, while looking "good" on the model, in no way reflects what the actual subject looks like. For example, pre-shading panel lines on model airplanes is a huge thing right now with the intent to have a darker color on the panel lines and a lighter, "weathered" color in the center of the panel. Some do it subtly and it certainly adds visual interest to a model, and others go more heavy handed. However, if you've seen a real plane in person, IME, it doesn't weather like that and there is no color distinction between the panel edge and center. (perhaps after weeks/months under the Pacific sun, but I can't speak to that). Getting back to the subject at hand, I think the same concept applies. While I think Bob's work is fantastic, and I certainly wish my skills were at that level, the caulking and trenails look out of scale to me. Moreover, often the trenails were capped anyways and nearly impossible to see, even standing on the deck. The laser engraving offers a different, modern solution, and while certainly not perfect, I can see how it would appeal to a new generation of modelers who may want to focus on other aspects of the model. I also agree with Vane in that the masts and rigging are what stand out to most people.

[Bob Portsmouth]

We are of course free to work as we wish. As an adviser on other forums I do try to encourage people to push a little further, to kit bash, even if only slightly, to experiment. I started to make small 'try outs' alongside my build, like a portion of deck, many went to the bin. Some were useful. My skills improved faster the more I pushed. Eventually it became the building I enjoyed more than the finished ship. I have to admit, retirement helps!! So, gentlemen, we have debated. I have nothing further to add. The most important thing is to enjoy the ride and be justifiably proud of our efforts. Good luck to all.

[Nunnehi (Don)]

I would very much like to see how it looks with a little light sanding and some wipe on poly. 

[dzerbato]

Agreed. No harm to see how it turns out.

[Ronald-V]

As I see it...the laser engraved deck is a good template for planking the deck myself with prefered wood. But it's al just a matter of taste in my opinion.

[Glenn-UK]

I have just ordered the HMS Speedy kit and I'm looking forward to starting the build when the kit arrives. I plan to keep a build log and maybe also track some progress with some video's.

[Vane]

So I have finally decided to go with my own maple....

[ASAT]

It’s gonna look great Vane, I’m using maple on my Revenge build and I’m loving the flame figure coming through on the planks. Adds some extra dimension and just looks rich! I’ve seen a lot of clear grain/white maple decks on here and they all look great!

[Vane]

Only one problem and thats is that my maple is not the best. I have to sand all sides of each plank individually due to the rough edges.  Its ok for a small deck like Speedy's but it will be very time consuming for my Diana. 

[glbarlow]

On 1/25/2020 at 6:02 PM, Vane said:

Thats just a shot with my mobile. The lamp was on and full daylight from the window so I am not surprised that the whitebalance is off.  I will do studioshots with my profoto flashes and Nikon D500 once the deck and 2nd planking are complete.  

sorry, I was actually responding in terms of Chris' Instruction manual photos....

Edited February 17, 2020 by glbarlow

[glbarlow]

On 2/14/2020 at 2:50 PM, Vane said:

So I have finally decided to go with my own maple....

I'll be interested to see how it comes out.  My current plan is to use the engraved deck and see how that comes out.  I've planked every ship with holly or ash, spent all the time doing it and then once the ship is built out and rigged its not all that noticeable. I get the master builder point and the nuance of all modelers - and the fact that before now we really didn't have a choice. But maybe on this one I'll just enjoy the engraved deck.  The Speedy might be the first kit I don't bash.

 

One thing that did jump out is how wide the planks on the engraved deck are, mine are normally 4-5mm.

 

One point to check before you get to far is making sure the cannon still fit in the gun ports with the thicker planking..

Edited February 16, 2020 by glbarlow

[glbarlow]

On 12/14/2019 at 2:33 AM, Vane said:

Interesting, I have to try that too. there are many ways to do this. But i Think the gamechanger for me was when i bought my heatgun from Proxxon and started prebending the planks sideways. Everything fits so much better.

 

I’ve adopted the Chuck method too. It’s great. I’m m using a stream travel iron though as the heat source, much quieter:-)