Chris Watton and Vanguard Models news and updates Volume 2

[mugje]

That looks great! Nice details with that lower deck  

[chris watton]

I have the second in my new line up of alternative printed resin boats almost ready. This is a 24 and 26 foot launch, complete with windlass and davit.

[Pitan]

Don't think I've seen a small boat with a windlass before, what was the purpose?

 

[chris watton]

55 minutes ago, Pitan said:

Don't think I've seen a small boat with a windlass before, what was the purpose?

 

The windlass and stern davit was used for various tasks, one of thich was to help work the anchors with their parent ship, helping lifting the crown so that the anchor could free itself, and the the ships capstan did the work of raising it. The windlass was used to coil the buoy rope.

[druxey]

If you go to the Royal Museums Greenwich site, there are many open boat plans showing davits and windlasses. An example:

 

[Vane]

I am just curious... considering all the details of the lower deck, will it be visible or mostly covered up by the upper deck? 
Peep holes through the deck?    

[chris watton]

Yes, most will not be seen, as I have to take into account the depth of the carronade carriages and the various openings down the centre of the deck. When I started this, my main thought was that I want to include a ships stove, and it kind of progressed from there.

 

However, as some build logs of Sphinx and Indy has shown, the modeller can choose how much of the upper deck is planked, and this one will be easier due to the sub deck being much less prominent, and the beams being flush with the upper surface of the ply deck.

 

I always think back to the excellent Tamiya kits I have, where they have details that are almost, sometimes completely covered up once fully built. 

Harpy also has 17 bulkheads with lots of bracing, so very structurally sound..

 

Yesterday I clamped and then glued the final iteration of the gun port patterns - as usual for this sort of kit, no gunports or oar ports need to be marked and cut out, these will be already done.
 

[chris watton]

Here you can see the ply pattern clamped and glued in place. No pins were used at all in fixing these. They were first clamped in place and then brush glued. Note there are no kinks in the lower edges at all, all fits nicely. The second pic shows were I am up to, checking the very first iteration of the outer bulwark skin and main wale, just clamped loosly in place to check general fit. The final ones will have engraved detail. Next job is to first plank the hull, which I shall start next week.

Edited April 27 by chris watton

[chris watton]

Here is an unboxing review of Sherbourne, bt the Midwest Model Shops in the US:

 

(Not much else to report on, just been producing/re stocking Indy laser cut sheets, which has taken an absolute age to do...)

Edited May 5 by chris watton

[Nirvana]

Very nice review, but when watching this video my low point was the person reviewing the kit.

There were several places where he stumbled on definitions of parts. That being said, I still like to get one of the Sherbourne kit some day.
I truly believe I can do her true justice. And being presented in the new lawyer bookcase that the Admiral and I will pick up in a month.
Chris, one day my order will drop into your box.

[chris watton]

I have commisioned a second figure of Nelson using a new carver with more accurate facial features:

 

These are a work in progress with a little more tweaking required. The render showing Nelson on the plinth was the first. I asked, based on previous feedback, to have dowels on the bottom of the feet and holes to take the dowels in the plinth, if people want to display the figure either on the plinth, or on the deck directly.

[Blue Ensign]

The detail looks amazing Chris, but I'm intrigued by the style of the sword.

 

It does not  resemble any Naval sword I recall seeing, was it perhaps a specific sword gifted to Nelson?

It rather looks like the sword on the Nelson statue atop his column.

 

The Nelson Companion edited by Colin White has a photo of the only sword that is known to have been owned by Nelson, and it is of the traditional type.

 

For the purposes of displaying the figure on a model I think it would be safer to include a Naval pattern sword.

 

Just a thought.

 

B.E.

[chris watton]

The sword will be replaced with a 1795 Naval Pattern

Edited May 6 by chris watton

[Blue Ensign]

Good move Chris,

The one in the centre is apparently Nelson's sword found in his cabin after Trafalgar.

The ones right and left are the surrendered French and Spanish swords.

 

Cheers,

 

B.E.

 

[thibaultron]

If the sword in the original model above, is the one used in his monument, why not offer both? Someone might like to display the monument version next to the ship, rather than a figure on the deck.

[wvdhee]

The question is; is there a Nelson's ship coming? 😉

[James H]

6 minutes ago, wvdhee said:

The question is; is there a Nelson's ship coming? 😉

 

No! 😆

[chris watton]

I am trying out a new digital carver, and thought it best to start with a figure. I did want another Nelson figure anyway, one that would stand up to closer scrutiny at larger scales.

[hollowneck]

4 hours ago, chris watton said:

The sword will be replaced with a 1795 Naval Pattern 

 

Touché, Chris. A cut above.

[BobG]

On 4/27/2024 at 3:26 AM, chris watton said:

Here you can see the ply pattern clamped and glued in place. No pins were used at all in fixing these. They were first clamped in place and then brush glued. Note there are no kinks in the lower edges at all, all fits nicely.

Chris, I'm curious to know if you have done anything different in designing the ply pattern on this model than on some of your previous models so that this ply pattern fits so well without any waviness or crinkles?

[chris watton]

6 minutes ago, BobG said:

Chris, I'm curious to know if you have done anything different in designing the ply pattern on this model than on some of your previous models so that this ply pattern fits so well without any waviness or crinkles?

It's more dependant on the hull lines, but there are a couple of things I can do to mitigate it further.

[Pitan]

Chris, this looks as though it was taken from Nelson's statue at Trafalgar Square?

There will be some distortion on the statue, due to the original sculptor exaggerating the top of the figure to compensate for perspective.
It is worth checking paintings made during Nelson's life, to make a more balanced form.

If I remember Nelson's biography, he had a relatively slight figure for much of his life.
He did, for a while, bulk up, but lost the extra weight during an illness (possibly malaria, though may have been some tuberculosis).

[Pitan]

p.s. that Sherbourne kit review ... I happen to like the box you supplied, it suits my way of working very well.

 

[chris watton]

[Pitan]

That's better

 

[Pitan]

Off-topic, but the Royal Collection Trust site may have items of interest.

Examples
Painting of "Dirk, sword and cocked hat of Lord Nelson" (Willliam Gibb): https://www.rct.uk/collection/search#/8/collection/929407/dirk-sword-and-cocked-hat-of-lord-nelson

Images from Robert Southey's book Life of Lord Nelson (v1 1814) https://www.rct.uk/collection/search#/26/collection/1047034/the-life-of-lord-nelson-v-1

Less relevant, but maybe of interest
[Planning for Trafalgar,] a fair copy of memoranda issued by Lord Nelson: https://www.rct.uk/collection/search#/25/collection/1198306/fair-copy-of-memoranda-issued-by-lord-nelson-regarding-tactics-and-sailing

 

A letter from Lord Nelson [, in his own hand,] to his father following the Battle of Copenhagen: https://www.rct.uk/collection/1198309/letter-from-lord-nelson-to-his-father-following-the-battle-of-copenhagen-dated-5
 

[druxey]

I agree with Pitan's observations; Nelson was not a weight-lifter! The revised figure is more convincing, but perhaps still tall for the size of his head.

[chris watton]

Well, the file's been done now for that figure, so can no longer change it. I will ask for a seated officer next.

 

What a morning, from 9am until just now I have been cleaning the laser machine after re stocking Indy and other laser cut parts. Not an enviable job..

[chris watton]

Little update.

 

I will soon have a new 24 and 26-foot launch for sale later today. These have 3-d printed hulls, windlass and stern davit, and a 0.8mm pear laser cut sheet containing knees, thwarts, oars etc. Both in 64th scale for now.

 

I have also commissioned a 22- and 24-foot cutter, 22-foot yawl, 28 and 32-foot pinnace and another launch, so ultimately, I shall have complete pre made hull sets (along with the laser cut wood parts to go with them) for all of my kits, including future developments, as an alternative to the plank on bulkhead versions.

 

Also almost ready are the new Nelson figures. This will be available in 72nd, 64th, 48th, 32nd and a few in 1:16th scale. These have a separate base.

[chris watton]

Page for the launches are now live:

 

24′ and 26′ Launches (3D printed hulls) – VANGUARD MODELS

 

26 foot – 123 long x 37 mm wide - £29.00
24 foot – 112mm long x 34.5 wide - £27.00

 

Each mini kit has three 3-d printed parts and one sheet of 0.8mm pear laser cut parts.

 

I am very happy to have started to produce these, and the forthcoming boat types. I remember the choices always being pretty slim (to put it mildly) for pre made hulls, usually having to settle for some generic type that was always too much of a compromise - and I also know that many have trouble, or do not like the plank on bulkhead mini kits. I am hoping these will help fill a gap...

Edited Saturday at 05:36 PM by chris watton