Chris Watton and Vanguard Models news and updates Volume 2

[rookie]

Hi Chris

may I ask what 3D printer you use?

I have tried to print whaleboats for my Morgan but they are quite rough.

it could be the printer or the STL file, not sure

 

Colin 

 

[chris watton]

2 minutes ago, rookie said:

Hi Chris

may I ask what 3D printer you use?

I have tried to print whaleboats for my Morgan but they are quite rough.

it could be the printer or the STL file, not sure

 

Colin 

 

I have Elegoo Saturn 3's and 4's

[Blue Ensign]

1 hour ago, chris watton said:

 

 

On Monday I received the 33 foot 'Shallop' or Barge STL file. I have now printed out the first samples, both in 64th (158.5mm long) and 1:48th (over 211mm long), with the latter taking 12 hours to print.

 

I have attached the results of the very first run. On the whole, very nice, but have asked for a couple of minor changes before I start producing them. I may offer this in 48th scale, as I think this would make a nice standalone model in itself, what do you think?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Very nice Chris, I would buy one at 1:48 scale as a stand alone display model.

I like that you have included the supports for the stretchers for rowers to brace their feet against.

Now where can I get a crew of 1:48 scale rowers.🤔

 

Great stuff.

 

B.E.

[chris watton]

16 minutes ago, Blue Ensign said:

 

Very nice Chris, I would buy one at 1:48 scale as a stand alone display model.

I like that you have included the supports for the stretchers for rowers to brace their feet against.

Now where can I get a crew of 1:48 scale rowers.🤔

 

Great stuff.

 

B.E.

Funny you mention the foot supports/bars, one of my amendments I asked for was to have the laser cut drawings for these, so they fit at each station - failing that, I shall include a length of pear.

 

I shall look into rowers at a later stage, but right now, this commission wasn't cheap and have just spent a load on materials to replenish stock and of course, the Harpy stuff.

 

I am now laser cutting a brand new batch of Indy stuff - this takes some time..

Edited December 4, 2024 by chris watton

[chris watton]

Oh, I don't think I ever showed the harpy box label. My step son, who works in marketing, asked if he could have a go, so most of this is him, a little more minimalistic than normal...

Edited December 4, 2024 by chris watton

[rookie]

Thanks for the printer names.

I think my problem is I have a PLA printer so it cannot do fine details 

Should have listened to advice to buy Resin ... 

[vossiewulf]

Hey Chris not sure if you remember me (it's been a five year layoff) but I helped you with your first Vanguard Models logo and showed you my very heavily kitbashed Lady Nelson, which is finally back in dock for masting and rigging.

 

I just wanted to say I'm very happy to see how far you've come with Vanguard, back when we talked last you were sweating your first kit release and look where you are now!

 

In fact I'm pretty sure I'm not going to be able to resist buying at least one of your kits, they appear to me to be best in class. Really awesome work, Chris.

[thibaultron]

I think a 1/48th scale of the Shallop would be great!

[chris watton]

Just a small update.

I have not really been able to find time for the new development over the past few weeks (still), as laser cutting and other production processes have had to take precedent, I forget just how long Indy and Sphinx laser cut parts take to produce.

 

However, I do now have the last of my main 3-d printed boats done, the 28-foot pinnace. This means I shall have a complete 3-d printed boat set for Sphinx in the near future, featuring the pinnace, 24-foot launch and 22-foot yawl. I also now have all the 3-d printed boats I shall need for the Surprise kit.

 

I also have the Surprise stove files. I have two files for the main body, one with the outer railing running along the top edges and one without. Not sure which to use yet. The one with the rail is more of a pain to produce.

 

I have added some pics, but apologies for the quality, these were taken in laser room, and the light is very bright! One of the pics shows the 28- and 32-foot pinnace - these are not simply rescaled from the same file, but designed using their specific lines for their size
 

[oakheart]

5 hours ago, chris watton said:

The one with the rail is more of a pain to produce.

Just go with the one without rails and include a strip of styrene or wood for us to add, it is a kit after all, we need to have some work to do 🙂

Tim

 

[Mike_H]

I very much prefer the one with rails, but well-understand why it's a pain to print.  If you printed it with brackets, then a rail would be easy-enough to scratch, or could you print the rail and brackets as one piece and leave us to glue that to the stove proper? Anyway, I vote for rails.

[Pitan]

Rails could be replaced with wire*, which would be more robust, so easier both for the customer and yourself.

Brackets would be useful though.

 

*Customer can supply the wire if needed, either from electric cable, or from a reel ... we are modellers after all.

[vossiewulf]

25 minutes ago, Pitan said:

*Customer can supply the wire if needed, either from electric cable, or from a reel ... we are modellers after all.

 

What wire, I don't have any wire...

[Pitan]

9 hours ago, Pitan said:

Rails could be replaced with wire*, which would be more robust, so easier both for the customer and yourself.

Or reviewing that design, plasticard down to 0.25 mm is available, and can be cut into strips.

Again, I'm not certain that needs to be supplied by Vanguard

[oakheart]

On 12/23/2024 at 9:15 AM, Pitan said:

can be cut into strips

It's also available in square and rectangular strips.

I have some 0.5mm square by Plastruct, made in USA

 

Tim

[chris watton]

OK, small update:

 

I am hoping to start Surprise development in the next week or so. I have been a little under the weather for around 12 weeks (seem to have had a bug and taking an absolute age to go away completely), so all I have been able to do is continue to produce stock for our kit range (even having the laser machine running throughout Christmas Day)! This has taken all of my time - but am certainly not complaining. I am expecting delivery of my second large laser machine next month, which will help a lot.

 

The website platform will be changed within the next few weeks from WooCommerce to Shopify.

 

The 33 foot Shallop is still ongoing, I have asked for a few more slight changes after trial fitting some of the laser cut pear parts, so am waiting for the updated file for that.

 

What I do have ready now, however, is the Sphinx 3-d printed boat set, consisting of the 22 foot yawl, 24 foot launch and the ubiquitous 28 foot pinnace (Also now in stock as a separate item):

 

HMS Sphinx Boat Set – VANGUARD MODELS

 

Separate 28 foot pinnace:

28′ Pinnace – VANGUARD MODELS

[Kevin]

Love my Indy Boat set @chris watton, hope to fit them soon

[thibaultron]

Hope you start feeling better soon!

[glbarlow]

Yay for Surprise!  Hope you feel better soon.

[DocRob]

1 hour ago, chris watton said:

What I do have ready now, however, is the Sphinx 3-d printed boat set, consisting of the 22 foot yawl, 24 foot launch and the ubiquitous 28 foot pinnace (Also now in stock as a separate item):

Phantastic news Chris, I ordered the Sphinx´s boats along with some figures immediately. Having build one boat for my DoK, I don´t feel like building three for Sphinx anymore . All the best for your health.

Cheers Rob

[mtaylor]

I know you feel strongly about your products and developments, Chris.  But do take care of yourself.  I'm hoping you start feeling better soon.

[Tossedman]

Chris, I love how you combine the 3D printed boats with laser cut parts. Nice to see such technologies put to good use.

 

Cheers,

 

Todd

Edited Wednesday at 04:34 AM by Tossedman

[chris watton]

11 hours ago, mtaylor said:

I know you feel strongly about your products and developments, Chris.  But do take care of yourself.  I'm hoping you start feeling better soon.

Thank you!  I am fine, I think I just needed a little break, as I haven't really stopped since 2019! I need to take it a little slower this year, I think..

10 hours ago, Tossedman said:

Chris, I love how you combine the 3D printed boats with laser cut parts. Nice to see such technologies put to good use.

 

Cheers,

 

Todd

Thank you, I have said before that I personally would prefer the 3-d printed hulled boats over standard if I were buying the kit. I had to make sure they were as accurate as they could be, using original plan lines in most cases. Before, I know many had to settle with what looks roughly correct, but really wasn't, as there were very few choices. I wanted to ensure I have a full range of the most often used boats for my kits, with all the hard to do detail already done - especially for the clinker planked boats. 3-d printing allows me to do this, and at a near scale thickness, too, rather than white metal or cast resin, which always made the boat look way too thick and toy-like. I know some still love the all wooden ones, but I also know there are very many more who prefer the pre made hull versions, and with the 3-d printed hulls, there is no longer any need to compromise on historical accuracy so much.