Rebuilding the fleet by mikegr - 1/700 - restoring old plastic models

[Canute]

I think after 40 years or so, she's used to my eccentricities. I tell her it's from the hypoxic events in my flying career. And the Darlin buys that. 😁

[mikegr]

Just a small update. I installed the funnels, did some mast work while experimenting with snow camouflage. It certainly worked to a point while passed almost unnoticed in the freezer until an octopus next to it revealed the presence of Kiso. We can't compare to nature at this point I guess

[Baker]

Instead of usually clicking on the like button.
This rebuild of your models is very interesting to follow, and you are doing a great job.

[mikegr]

14 hours ago, Baker said:

Instead of usually clicking on the like button.
This rebuild of your models is very interesting to follow, and you are doing a great job.

thanks, i return the favor with my comment

[mikegr]

Camouflage extended.

Boat work and ropes added.

Metal anchor added

[mikegr]

I'm done with railings. Also did some contrast weathering. That means in the dark areas only light color weathering is applicable while in white areas I could use some black and rust color.

Time for rigging now

[mikegr]

I finished rigging. I used mix of elastic line and melted sprue, for the shorter parts. Time for the seabase now

 

[mikegr]

So time for the sea bed. Took a piece of wood, painted it accordingly and covered with a thin layer of express curing resin, just to get a shiny and sticky surface

Then I added the snow packs. I simply scrapped off some old paint, crushed with hummer and added to the resin. Then I used airbrush to paint the white fog over water. Finally to make ice bits I came up with the idea of using white spray with "snow effect" cap on it.

Unfortunately after almost resin cured some "ice pieces" were curled cause of the thermal effect. I tried to correct it but had limited success, a lesson learned for the next time.

The cutting board  set on background maybe help you spot Kiso with the stealth ice camouflage.😁

[king derelict]

The sea is really well done. I like it a lot

Alan

[mikegr]

5 hours ago, king derelict said:

The sea is really well done. I like it a lot

Alan

thanks. I am also quite pleased . And it was easy too as it can be done in a single day without waiting layers to dry and spending hours of sculpting waves etc

[mikegr]

Νext project. I will put them in the same base as these are small enough

[mikegr]

Ι made the sea bed and base. The raised frame is a resin guard preventing it from overspilling during process. Its made of balsa so if can't be removed at the final stage, can be easily trimmed down.

[mikegr]

 First work was to drill portholes and funnel which were solid.

I used a battery operated dremel tool to speed up work and 1 mm tape as a guide for straight line.

It was a big problematic work as on high revs caused heat to melt the plastic and refill the hole! I have seen this in the past while cutting plexiglass with table saw, the temperature produced  caused the pieces to be soldered together.

Also I found some torpedo tubes from my stash with decent appearance to replace the ones in the kits.

[Veszett Roka]

such tiny holes i'm using syringe needles turned by hand - they are extremly sharp and easily go through any plastic.

[mikegr]

I did some work on torpedo tubes. Then replaced the 5" guns with some better ones and added some detail. These are from different manufacturer thought so they are not exactly the same. I will use some epoxy primer as copper is very resistant on paint especially acrylic.

[mikegr]

I restructured the bridge by cutting and adding windows, portholes and hatchdoors.  Then I scratch built masts using soldering for the main frame  and CA glue for the smaller parts around the tripod base

Edited June 21, 2022 by mikegr

[mikegr]

I checked drawingns and pictures of Amatsukaze only to find that mast is quite different. So I scratch built a new one using real 0.4 mm solid steel rods.

A bit hard to cut but hold much better with CA glue comparing to brass maybe cause of less shiny surface. I added the secondary mast and a third 5" gun aft as seen also on box of kit but for a reason in plans there was a triple as gun instead which I replaced.

Finally I added front funnel with some pipe details

 

[mikegr]

 So I did a bit of scratch built on AA platform. I replaced the frame with PE canvas style. I also added supports but look a bit long. Will be shorten in the other platform. I used brush hair for this.

Guns were replaced. I have PEs but I'm not sure how they will look as they are quite thin. Maybe fit them on the other ship.

 

Edited June 27, 2022 by mikegr

[mikegr]

Same style upgrade for the searchlight tower. Here I drilled the light with mini drill and round file. I dropped a little amount of epoxy resin, hopefully to have a transparent light effect.

[mikegr]

I done added some extra details. I also found out that I was rebuilding Hatsusimo not Amatsukaze as I thought. Therefore the mistake with the rear turret. 

Back to the plan, second rear turret replaced again with AA gun.😁 Better concentrate on one ship each time.

Added ladders,  doors and few other PE details. Then I sprayed photo etched primer. Now will finish up details by adding rails and prepare for final paint

 

[mikegr]

I almost done with Hatsushimo

Need only to paint, add boats,  rigging and weathering. I used general ww2 railings. Hopefully when visit Malaysia this winter again will stock up with supplies from nearby China and Japan.

I will paint it with IJN Gray later along with Amatsukaze

 

[mikegr]

I done some detailing in Amatsukaze, same style. Added bridge windows, put new AA guns, railings, depth charges and paravanes on stern as I show on a 3d detailed model online. Then I sprayed them with IJN grey. I will paint again, add some minor details like boats then finish paint and weathering. But after o get back, in two weeks

Edited August 5, 2022 by mikegr

[mikegr]

Back to work

Project Hatsushimo is almost done, need rigging and weathering. It wasn't easy to paint the deck, used a 0000 paintbrush and a pin.

Will continue work on Amatsukaze now

 

[Aero]

What a project! I really like all the different models and the work you are doing.

 

The only plastic ship I remember building was the USS Guadalcanal because my oldest brother was a Marine serving on her in Viet Nam. I may try another one. I do have a Revell submarine. Might try building it.

[mikegr]

Both models are done. Weathering was light to moderate. Some black wash, light rust and some chipping. Ready for another painful season of rigging.

 

[mikegr]

Rigging job is done. In IJN ships actually is never done but cause of the scale and the size of the models I stick with the basic work.

Took a pic with white background so it can be more visible. Taking good pics is another art. I even used the beauty mode, lol

[mikegr]

Time for the seabase

 

First i used some wood putty to make sure that there will be no resin leak. My first wavy resin sea failed lets see now. This time i am using a fast drying resin, curing time aprox 40 min.

 

First i measured the volume, and filled 80% full about 80 ml. ,waited about 10-15 minutes. Then took  a hair dryer while having a heat gun on my other hand. The dryer gave the desired wave shape while the heat gun provided extra heat for rapid drying.

At first resin was too liquid some spilling was inevitable. Later it dried and caused a sticky base. But far less than previous time. Heatgun was reduced to lower scale as on full scale smoked the resin a bit giving me a bath of cold sweat. But seemed that no damage has been done.

I continued working with both hands and as the mixture got thicker i reduced the blowing distance

Not that at the moment that this photo was taken the black hairdryer on the left died from overheating. Its just present for demonstrating purpose. Fortunately started working again.

 

After almost an hour resin got thick but i still applied heat for another 30 minutes. This time with hairdryer only and with short brakes. I took it upstairs let it rest overnight and next day i inspected it

The wavy effect has been achieved and the uneven sea level is also welcomed. Some dust spots appeared remind me another rule. Everything around must be very clear during process as well as tools, cups, mixing spoons etc.

Now the other challenge is to level the surface so ships can sit properly. You see putting the models while curing the resin would have disastrous effects caused of the excess blowing and heating. The dremel tool seems to sand resin well, did some work, will do the rest tomorrow

[king derelict]

Mike

You make great seascapes. The waves look very convincing

Alan

[mikegr]

6 hours ago, king derelict said:

Mike

You make great seascapes. The waves look very convincing

Alan

Thanx.

I am giving a great effort on seascape so I can cover the imperfections than can't be corrected on these old models. So I can't get a satisfying result . Also I try every time to use a different approach. Next built will be entirely different with other materials

[mikegr]

Sculpting the resin wasn't the best experience. Lots of dust and a constant fear that dremel tool might slip and damame the surface. Which happened in a few cases. But I think this will be covered by the wakes I guess.

Ships were put in place gap filled with acrylic putty and small gaps with thick paint.

At the lower ship on the right side you can see a few thin scratches caused from my very thin tip of the tool. They look like splashes. Maybe set up a small experimental resin base in the future and see if I can draw some wave lines on it