Lady Isabella by EKE - FINISHED - Vanguard Models - 1:64 - Zulu

[EKE]

6 hours ago, Mike_H said:

Erik, she’s absolutely beautiful, small wonder you have her on display as people enter the house.  I’m impressed by your rope-work and that the nail polish you have used is not obvious at all in the photographs.  Would you mind sharing the details of the product you used?  The bottle coyly has it back to us in one of the phots, and I can see it’s an OPI product from Coty, and appears to be available in the UK.  But that doesn’t narrow it down much!  Anyway, well done on the build.

 

Mike

 

Thanks so much for the kind words, Mike.  The clear nail polish is nothing special, really. It’s a clear nail top coat.  Lots of companies make it.  You want a lacquer-based polish, not the acrylic stuff. The lacquer based polish dries really fast and sets up really firm.  
 

The OPI polish I’ve been using dries with a slightly glossy finish on rope and thread, so if it’s applied too heavily, it looks too shiny in my opinion.  I ordered some matte-finish lacquer-based clear nail top coat (whoa, that’s a mouthful!), but I haven’t tried it yet.  It may prove to be the “secret sauce”.  I’ll let you know.

 

I’ve always been used to setting knots with CA, but I’m really against that now.  The thin CA tends to rapidly wick into anything porous, like cord, thread, rope, fabric.  It’s really hard to control.  That’s why I think the clear nail polish works so well.  It’s thick, it goes only where you put it, and it dries really fast.  

Edited April 20, 2021 by EKE

[Mike_H]

13 hours ago, EKE said:

 

I’ve always been used to setting knots with CA, but I’m really against that now.  The thin CA tends to rapidly wick into anything porous, like cord, thread, rope, fabric.  It’s really hard to control.  That’s why I think the clear nail polish works so well.  It’s thick, it goes only where you put it, and it dries really fast.  

Couldn't agree more.  Will be hunting down some "matte-finish lacquer-based clear nail top coat".  

[EKE]

37 minutes ago, Mike_H said:

Will be hunting down some "matte-finish lacquer-based clear nail top coat".  

 

This is the product I just ordered.  I'll let you know how it works. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JNWLTVY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Mike_H]

And I this https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00KR9IW9U/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

ditto!

[EKE]

19 hours ago, EKE said:

 

This is the product I just ordered.  I'll let you know how it works. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07JNWLTVY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

A follow up on the nail polish product.  I received this from Amazon.  It indeed seems to be the “secret sauce”.  I tested it on on some scrap wood and threads.  It is indeed lacquer based, quite viscous and controllable.  Dries fast, with a nice matte finish.  Looks very natural on thread and cord.  I think this stuff, or something very similar, is the perfect product for setting knots, and controlling/fixing coils of lines and sheets.  Recommended.
 

 

Edited April 21, 2021 by EKE

[Keithbrad80]

What an awesome model! I honestly would have believed you if you said this wasn’t your first model. Congrats on finishing this one! I’m looking forward to your next build. 
 

Bradley

[EKE]

2 hours ago, Keithbrad80 said:

What an awesome model! I honestly would have believed you if you said this wasn’t your first model. Congrats on finishing this one! I’m looking forward to your next build. 
 

Bradley

 

Thanks so much, Bradley!

[BobG]

On 4/21/2021 at 7:14 AM, EKE said:

the nail polish product.

Thanks for the tip on the nail polish. I have generally used just a tiny spot of CA to get a hard, quick set on knots but it has its drawbacks since it dries shiny and will darken lighter colors of rope.

[Mike_H]

Hi,  I've built on your super-sauce and started a thread on the topic.  You get the credit!

[Kevin-the-lubber]

Erik, that's exquisite. If you'd posted a picture of it bobbing on the waves I'd have assumed it was a freshly overhauled real thing. Even if I wasn't an engineer by training and nature, I wouldn't be able to walk past this without wanting to take it all in.

 

 Nail polish tips added to my ever-expanding bookmark list from this site!

[GrandpaPhil]

Congratulations!  Very nicely done!

[Glomar]

On 10/30/2020 at 9:43 AM, EKE said:

While I finish up the planking, I need to make some decisions about painting the hull, and I’m hoping to solicit some advice.

 

My plan is to fill and sand the hull surface, mark the waterline, and to paint up to the waterline with a matte red oxide spray to simulate the bottom paint.  All good there.  But I want to paint the hull above the waterline black, in conformance with nearly all of the photos I’ve seen of Zulus.  My first thought was to simply use a matte black acrylic paint like the Vallejo acrylics I have.  But looking at vintage photos, it looks to me that the topsides paint on the Zulus was most often glossy, or at least a satin finish.  I’m having trouble locating  a good satin black paint to use.  Can anyone recommend one?   I suppose another option would be to use the Vallejo black, and then topcoat it with a satin sealer of some kind, to give it a bit of sheen.  I’d love to hear any advice you all may have on how to proceed.  My plan is to do the bottom and topsides as described, and then to paint the white boot stripe last.

 

Another question, this one for James... in your build log, you mentioned after painting that you coated the entire hull with a matte clear varnish.  Do you recommend putting the varnish over the painted surfaces, including the red bottom paint, or just the bare wood surfaces?

 

Thanks to all for any advice! 
-E

 

 

Absolutely love your building log for this @EKE, and this has been super helpful for my building of the Nisha, so thank you for the excellent job explaining your build! What paint brand did you end up using for the red oxide paint? 

[EKE]

4 minutes ago, Glomar said:

Absolutely love your building log for this @EKE, and this has been super helpful for my building of the Nisha, so thank you for the excellent job explaining your build! What paint brand did you end up using for the red oxide paint? 

Thanks!  Glad you found the log useful, Glomar.

 

The bottom paint was PlastiKote Red Oxide Primer.  Rattle-can all the way.