Bismarck by Kevin - FINISHED - Trumpeter - 1/200 - PLASTIC

[Kevin]

good evening everyone, im back. just had my daughter husband and granddaughter visit. for the last week, 

 

This arrived today, i wonder what it is

 

 

[Kevin]

i can now restart my build, 

[NMBROOK]

Some nice looking goodies you have there Kevin Looking forward to watching the 'party' commence now you can fire on all cylinders.

 

Kind Regards Nigel

[JPett]

Ahoy Kevin

 

Can I ask what you have to bend your PE. I have the Mission Models Etch Mate 3C and I would not recommend it. If you don't have one get one made of metal, not plastic like mine. I highly recommend the Tamiya PE File however.  I also noticed that you may not be scuffing your PE. This is very important if you plan on painting it. Do it before you remove the PE from the sheet.

 

Looking forward to your progress

[Kevin]

Ahoy Kevin

 

Can I ask what you have to bend your PE. I have the Mission Models Etch Mate 3C and I would not recommend it. If you don't have one get one made of metal, not plastic like mine. I highly recommend the Tamiya PE File however.  I also noticed that you may not be scuffing your PE. This is very important if you plan on painting it. Do it before you remove the PE from the sheet.

 

Looking forward to your progress

i dont have a PE bender, well that's a lie - i do but it is a pair of pliers, i am scuffing it and having a great time

[Kevin]

a strange couple of hours, did lots but achieved nothing, stil cutting area's out of the hull, and tonight, the funnel had two large areas removed for the PE vents, i now need to decide what area i am going to do first and get on with it

 

[Richard50]

Hi Kevin, glad to see to extra's have arrived, the detail look incredible; I,m following the build with interest..

[NMBROOK]

Just a suggestion Kevin and I know it would be another thing to buy.On my RC DSV there were miles of railings including solder work.The nicest tool I found to clean these up was a Badger abrasive gun.It is like a mini shot blaster,but no where near as fierce as it sounds.The abrasive is aluminium oxide but it is a powder.This would make light work of your photoetch and make a superior surface for both paint and glue.Like I say it isn't harsh and wouldn't damage anything,I have even blasted items holding them with my bare hands,it really is that gentle.Just thought is might be an easy alternative to be doing it all by hand.

Kind Regards Nigel

[freewheelinguy]

Kevin,

 

 PE looks great.  Should be a very rewarding experience.  This is becoming quite tempting, but must get Billy done first.  If you wouldn't mind whenever you can, to give a width and length on a typically full deck plank from one of the deck sheets? Just curious.  I know on other forums it's mentioned that the plastic deck pattern on the kit is wrong.  To me a scale deck plank width should be probably a little less than 1mm (guessing real width around 6 inches), but can't find any information on a full deck plank length.

 

Len

[WackoWolf]

NMBROOK,

 

   Could you post a pictures of the tool your talking about, I would like to see this since I never heard of it before. Kevin you do have your work cut out for you, I know your happy that the stuff finally came. Will be waiting for the pictures.

[NMBROOK]

Here you go Joe,not much to look at,looks like one of the cheap sprayguns,but it does what it says on the tin.The abrasive powder is also a badger product and comes in plastic jars.Sorry no pic of that because I have run out and need to restock.The fitting on the air hose is my addition because I do all spraying from a large compressor.It does have the standard fitting on the end.

Kind Regards Nigel

Edited November 12, 2013 by NMBROOK

[popeye the sailor]

sweet looking P.E. !   your going to love the decking when you put it down! 

[popeye the sailor]

when you get to the point of installing the decking.......I hope your going to save all those cast offs..........they look too good not to.   you might find a use for them somewhere 

[Kevin]

tonight was PE practise, something at this size is a bit of an art, please dont take to much notice of the picture, it was my first attempt, the second was much better

 

this is a walkway  that connects the search light platform, on the funnel, made up of the platform with the folded lip and 7 strengthening bars 

 

for me that is another tick in the box 

[Beef Wellington]

Nice Kevin, I'm curious, do you need to cut away parts of the plastic to install the PE parts.  Oh, and by the way, yes, your build log is a mess   Of course I have no suggestions on how to do it better as the plastic kits don't really need to follow the same rigid approach as the wooden ones.  Keep it up, I've never seen a kit modified with PE being built.

[channell]

Well, you're getting a lot more done on the beast than me lately... I've been sadly short of free time for my (now 2) Bismarcks.

 

Just my $.02 but it may help to change strategies... instead of taking the "shotgun approach", divide the ship up into sub-assemblies that you complete entirely 1 by one before going on to the next section... think of them as little complete models of the Bismarck's turret Cesar, funnel or admiral's staff quarters, ect.  that go together as a diorama which happens to be the complete ship. Luckily, Trumpeter's kit engineering makes this fairly easy. When one section is done, celebrate... call it finished and put it up on a display shelf or somewhere safe and move on to the next section.

 

I say that because you WILL get overwhelmed eventually... a fully detailed 1/200  battleship isn't that far below a full-rigged wooden man o' war in difficulty or frustration potential. Don't forget to give yourself some victories along the way to keep the flame alive!

[Kevin]

Nice Kevin, I'm curious, do you need to cut away parts of the plastic to install the PE parts.  Oh, and by the way, yes, your build log is a mess   Of course I have no suggestions on how to do it better as the plastic kits don't really need to follow the same rigid approach as the wooden ones.  Keep it up, I've never seen a kit modified with PE being built.

there are several places like on this walkway where the PE replaces the plastic, i will do better in explaining it as i progress

this is not my photo but shows in this case the area to be removed

Edited November 14, 2013 by Kevin

[Kevin]

i was considering restarting this log, but have decided it is not a good idea, But reading through, it does not read like a build log, more  of a random "what shall i do next", this was a result of waiting for the PE kit to arrive

 

i will now treat the build with a better direction, and of course all the conversations in between, 

 

i have therefore deleted some of my not quite so relevant posts up to this date, in fact 3 pages have been removed

 

the funnel area is the area i will be concentrating on 

 

this way i can attempt to show some logic into the build rather than the way it was going, ie a bit of this or a little of that, any suggestions will be greatly appreciated

Edited November 14, 2013 by Kevin

[Kevin]

Well, you're getting a lot more done on the beast than me lately... I've been sadly short of free time for my (now 2) Bismarcks.

 

Just my $.02 but it may help to change strategies... instead of taking the "shotgun approach", divide the ship up into sub-assemblies that you complete entirely 1 by one before going on to the next section... think of them as little complete models of the Bismarck's turret Cesar, funnel or admiral's staff quarters, ect.  that go together as a diorama which happens to be the complete ship. Luckily, Trumpeter's kit engineering makes this fairly easy. When one section is done, celebrate... call it finished and put it up on a display shelf or somewhere safe and move on to the next section.

 

I say that because you WILL get overwhelmed eventually... a fully detailed 1/200  battleship isn't that far below a full-rigged wooden man o' war in difficulty or frustration potential. Don't forget to give yourself some victories along the way to keep the flame alive!

i have come to realize that very quickly, moving from one subject to another, doesnt save time. i never really thought through how i would approach the actual build it's self, that was until last night

[Kevin]

Build time 30 hours,

 

having sorted my thread out today, i feel much better about it

another 3 hours on the build this evening, lol - not much to show for it, the PE work takes some getting used to, the folding and keeping the correct shape when attaching

air intake vents in

searchlight gantry fitted,

the upper walkway built and fitted, the other end attaches to the forward structure, and i think it support one of the masts

Edited November 14, 2013 by Kevin

[WackoWolf]

Looking good Kevin. A little at a time will get you a long ways. Keep the pictures coming.

[SpencerC]

So you're not painting the pieces prior to putting them all together?

[Kevin]

So you're not painting the pieces prior to putting them all together?

lol - you wont want to see my painting, it makes my bad workmanship look worse,

The intentions are to build the sub assemblies and then prime them before the full colour scheme is applied, but in some cases -  like on the funnel i have already applied the primer, this is because of my inability to wait for the PE fitting kit to arrive

[artitec3]

Kevin,

 

you might consider getting a Hold and Fold (thesmallshop.com) or an Etch Mate (misiionmodels.com) bending tools. Also, I suggest you spray paint the etchings BEFORE folding as it is far easier to touch-up paint after folding than it is to paint these tiny etchings when already formed. Keeping the folded etchings in position could be achieved by using a moldable material like Play-Doh molding compounds, then applying CA and removing Play-Doh. It worked for me. 

Just suggesting. Am following with great interest. All the best,

Rafael.

[WackoWolf]

Play-Doh, now that is one I never though of. Very good tip, will have to remember that one.

[mtaylor]

Play-Doh???   Never thought of that for holding metal parts together.  Great idea.

[artitec3]

Play-Doh???   Never thought of that for holding metal parts together.  Great idea.

Ya, you fix the parts in position with Play-Doh (or a similar compound) and then apply glue.

[Kevin]

Good afternoon everyone, thank-you for your comments

wrt to the PE bender i successfully made one today, and it works brilliantly, i will show it tomorrow

 

put 5 hours in on the build today, mainly doing one of the platforms which forms part of the lower crane supports, im sure it has a proper name, i will look for that as well

 

some photo's for you

 

[UdoK]

Hello Kevin,

your PE parts are really looking good.

may I ask you what sort of glue you are using to put them together?

[Kevin]

Hello Kevin,

your PE parts are really looking good.

may I ask you what sort of glue you are using to put them together?

i am using elmers watered down and medium c/ahttp://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/330859307250?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649