Red Dragon by UpstateNY - FINISHED - Artesania Latina - Scale 1:60

[mrangus]

Looking great Nigel. YOu have an eye for getting the details right. very clean build.

[UpstateNY]

Thanks for the kind words Robb... support is much appreciated!

 

As for progress, this weekend I managed to finish the cabin windows. The cast windows were very small and western looking so I had a go at scratch building my own.  

 

First step was to make some frames out ~2mm square walnut strip. Window design was added from cut down 1x5mm walnut strips glued into the frame so only the 1mm edge was visible. Once the glue was completely dry, I filed down the 1mm strips down until they were about 0.7mm in width to lighten up the look of the window. 

 

An outer frame was made from 1mm thick walnut and glued so it formed a recess when viewed from the back. Glass microscope cover slips (~0.2mm thick) were scored using the tip of a diamond needle file to make a window pane to fit into this recess. A flat diamond file actually worked quite well to file the cut panes to fine tune the fit. Finally, some card was painted matt black and glued into the recess to gently hold the glass in place before the windows were finally glued onto the cabin.

 

Overall I am pretty pleased with the way these turned out!  Hopefully the nice reflections from the glass panes show up in the attached photos.

 

Images below and thanks for reading!

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Omega1234]

Hi Nigel

 

Those window panes look pretty impressive. A real credit to you.

 

Nicely done!

 

Patrick

Edited August 25, 2015 by Omega1234

[janet bode]

Hi UpstateNY.

                                         I think your windows on your Red Dragon look really oriental ,have you decided what colour you

 

                                         make your sails i was thinking i might try Red but i am not sure yet. I hope to post some pictures

 

                                        of my Red Dragon but at the moment i cannot remember how,i am hoping ask another member

 

                                       who lives not to far away from me.

 

                                                      Kindest regards. Janet B

 

                                   

Edited August 26, 2015 by Janet B

[UpstateNY]

Many thanks Patrick and Janet. Appreicate the kind words very much.

 

Janet,

 

I am very much looking forward to seeing your update.. Perhaps try the link below on how to upload images in case it helps. 

 

http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/540-how-to-add-pictures-in-your-posts-and-pms/

 

On the sails, I am going with red. I'll use the kit white sail material to practice on as will be quite a learning curve  and then find a finer material to use for the final sails as the kit material seems rather heavy. 

 

Below is an image of a junk called the Aqua Luna in Hong Kong harbor I will be using as a reference.

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel.

 

Edited August 26, 2015 by UpstateNY

[augie]

That red will be the fitting finishing touch.  Great idea.

[CaptainSteve]

I gotta second Augie's comment ... she'll look quite striking decked out with red sails.

[Jparsley]

red seems to be the way to go

[UpstateNY]

Thanks for the votes guys! 

 

I was pretty much set on red already, but your support has now sealed the deal!

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel.

[Jparsley]

wouldn't be called the red dragon without some red wings now would it?

[UpstateNY]

Hi All,

 

Firstly, thanks to all for their kind comments and of course for the likes!

 

Over the past few days, I've enjoyed myself making another anchor as the kit provided anchor also started to looked a little too western. After a few minutes searching on the web, I found a nice reference. I made up the main pieces from the left over wood from the kit's laser cut pieces. I then spent a few hours slowly shaping the anchor using my needle files until I matched the design as closely as I could. Finally, I added some metal work to complete the anchor.

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GuntherMT]

I really like that anchor, it is nice to see you making a non-western style anchor to complement the ship.  Well done!

[Jparsley]

Nicely done on the anchor

[augie]

Very nice!!!!

[CaptainSteve]

I really like that anchor, it is nice to see you making a non-western style anchor to complement the ship.  Well done!

 

Gotta second that !!

I have no clue precisely what a Chinese anchor of this period would look like, but anything which appears distinctly non-Western would look much better on your build.

[UpstateNY]

Thanks for the kind comments guys!

 

Gotta second that !!

I have no clue precisely what a Chinese anchor of this period would look like, but anything which appears distinctly non-Western would look much better on your build.

 

Me neither and I also don't know what period AL used as a design basis for the Dragon so there are certainly no claims from me regarding any sort of historical accuracy.  I am just having fun making these details.   . 

 

Next up, before I get back to masts and rigging, is I want to make the ships boat more interesting. I found the below picture on the web I am trying to figure out how to build.

 

I am also re-thinking the railing design from a few posts back. The turned style doesn't look so good when set just over the very square design of the windows I just made. No worries, but a redo is probably in order there...

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel.

 

Edited August 31, 2015 by UpstateNY

[mrangus]

really cool design Nigel. Patience and fortitude pay off....

[xken]

Great looking anchor!

[janet bode]

Janet B

            I think your anchor looks great and very Chinese,one thing about this kit is you can build it many differant ways.I suppose my Red Dragon

            looks a bit European but i intended it to be like that.My ship is all wood and i am thinking should i go to Red or off white sails,i am looking forward

            to rigging her.

[UpstateNY]

Again thanks for the nice comments everyone!

 

Hi Janet,

 

Yes, I agree nice thing about this kit is you can do so many different things with it. It is simple enough for a beginner like me, but also offers many ways to add extra details here and there.  I think your build is fabulous exactly the way it is and I just wish my work was half as clean as yours. Vivian was also doing some really cool things on her Dragon build and I am hoping she will post her progress again one day.  

 

Look forward to seeing your sails. As I said above, I am going with red...exactly what shade to choose however will be a fun thing to decide!  

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel.

[Jack12477]

Nigel, I'm a little late to your sail color discussion but these photos were taken in 1991 on the Hudson River of an authentic made-in-China junk - single mast with blue sails. The junk was made in China, placed on a container ship, and sent to the States. Made entirely of teak. Guy sailing bought it from the original and restored it . Don't know where it is today.

 

[UpstateNY]

Thank you for sharing your pictures Jack and only an hour or so down the road on the Hudson in Saugerties!

 

Very interesting to see more references of how the junk sails are rigged. The AL plans also show more battens bracing the sails than I see in your pictures as well as the reference images I posted.

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel.

[UpstateNY]

Hi All,

 

Made my first attempt to scratch make the ships boat. Thanks to Igor for sharing his methods in his SIB scratch build Lena log.

 

Floor of the boat was made from some walnut strip and shaped. Square walnut strip was used to make the stern, forward and center storage lockers and 1x5mm walnut strip to form the bow. These were faired to the shape of the hull and also acted as the planking supports.  I used some left over sapelle strips to plank the hull, spilling them slightly to get a decent fit.  

 

End result is not exactly the same as the reference I posted above, but overall pretty happy at my first attempt. I am wondering from the pictures on the deck if it is actually a bit small.  May take another crack at this and make it a bit bigger by perhaps by 1cm in length and 0.5mm or so in beam.

 

Thanks again for the comments, likes and for reading!

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[augie]

Your prototype rendition of the boat looks pretty true to the reference photo.  The appropriateness of the size is tough to call without knowing the structure that will hold it on deck.  Whatever you decide, it's a great upgrade !

[Jparsley]

Nigel I think you did a great job on the little boat Nice scratching lol

[UpstateNY]

Hi Augie,

 

Ah..good point! In the kit they only say to tie the boat down to some eyebolts.

 

I will make a support for the boat and see if that helps.

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel.

[cog]

Nigel,

 

Nicely done. You've got the 'Igor-way' well executed!!!

 

Cheers,

[UpstateNY]

Hi All,

 

Thanks for the more than kind words guys....making this little boat was a lot of fun.

 

So to follow up on Augie's point, I made up a simple base today. I think it adds a nice detail and help the boat fit into the rest of the deck furniture. Still mulling over if it needs to be a bit larger but I think it looks better.

 

Inputs welcome, as even if consensus is it should be larger...no worries. I've figured out I can make some davits and hang this boat off the stern to add another neat detail. 

 

Cheers, 

 

Nigel.

 

 

 

[augie]

Looks great from here!

[Jparsley]

Nigel your boat has to be one of the cleanest models I have seen clean lines no smears or dust of any kind she is absolutely pristine I'm not into Asian boats but yours is lovely