Newsworthy updates from Chris Watton

[Morgan]

3 hours ago, chris watton said:

For the cutter kit, should it be named Alert or Sprightly?

 

People will recognise Alert from the AOTS book so it will probably register easier with your target market, but can there be a Sprightly option to increase appeal? 

[flyer]

Hi Chris

 

First of all I wish you much fun and success with your newest enterprise and I'm looking forward to more outstanding kits.

 

Of the cutters I would prefer Alert and think it would make a good start for your new line of kits. Small enough for the beginners and possible to build alongside a bigger project (e.g. Bellerophon)  for a change.

 

A smaller 28- or 32-gun frigate would fulfil a dream of mine. The ex-french La Tourterelle(28) or a Mermaid(32) would be nice or even an actually launched kit of the Surprise.

 

Do you plan to build in 1/64 scale or would a scale 1/72 frigate model perhaps sell as a nice complement to a ship of the line of the same scale?

 

Cheers

Peter

[HSM]

If you were asking about the Nonsuch built in 1650 and sailed into Hudson's Bay then yes there are very good plans available. I have a set from the Manitoba Museum where the reproduction is housed in my hometown of Winnipeg, Canada. The plans are 1:24 scale and there are probably 15 or more large, detailed sheets. They must be builders' plans because there are some minor differences between the drawings and the physical ship, so they are not "as-built" plans. I started building a scratchbuilt Nonsuch several years ago in between commissions but then got too busy with other projects and have never been able to get back to it. It is an absolutely beautiful ship!

 

Jarod Matwiy

www.historicshipmodel.com

[reklein]

Jarod,I too have that same set of plans that I bought at the museum ten or more years ago. Wonderful plans and very complete. I just haven't made the time to build it. Quite a story about that repliccas travels too.

[ASAT]

Hi Chris, welcome back to MSW and I assume you are back home in the UK as well? I am sure that your new venture will be a success for all us modelers and I for one feel like you have a unique gift for what subjects will attract the attention of a large portion of the wooden ship model community. It must be refreshing to be able to finally have not only the creative control but the production and distribution control as well. (I hope I am not assuming too much!). 

How do you feel about developing a POF kit that can produce consistent, repeatable results? It seems to me with the advances in technology there could be a laser cut jig system that would allow most modelers a high level of success? Something that might give modelers a legitimate source for a POF kit of high quality without having to support the unscrupulous vendors in China? Perhaps even produce it there to keep it affordable? Is there even a way to produce a kit there and still protect your investment?  I feel like they are producing some cutting edge stuff (some of which look like your designs!!??) that makes the current market look like they are still in the dark ages with their ages old kits and techniques and are definately competing in the marketplace. The only other innovative options are the recent crop of your designs, which may or may not ever see the real market. Well till you get going that is....   Anyway, it’s great to see you throwing your hat into the ring and I can’t wait to support your endeavors!!  Best wishes for much success!!  

Lou

 

 

 

[hollowneck]

19 hours ago, chris watton said:

You may be right, it is about the same length as Victory isn't it, and that model in 64th is an absolute behemoth!

 

Anyway, I intend to focus on British subjects for the first lot..

British sailing ships, 17th/18th century. 1/64 scale. Frigates (or smaller). Here! Here! Once you begin to zero-in on a few final choices, list them here (in the order you'd potentially release them). I am certain you'll get lots of positive feedback among those who are your target market (high-quality kits and not price sensitive).

 

Cheers,

Ron

[hollowneck]

Chris,

You must be aware that you cannot receive PM's (private messages) here, yes?

Ron

[James H]

38 minutes ago, hollowneck said:

Chris,

You must be aware that you cannot receive PM's (private messages) here, yes?

Ron

I've just increased member quota, so he should be ok now. 

[ccoyle]

Hello, Chris -- good to see you back. I'm kinda surprised to hear that designers suffer burnout, too, though I guess I shouldn't be. I have been fighting the malady myself for a number of years now (but pushing ahead with my current non-ship project). Since I know that you'll be swamped (if not already) with requests to design everybody's particular favorite ship, I will try really, really hard not to add mine to the pile; but -- I will take exception with the assertion that sail/steam transition ships are not interesting. Some are certainly more interesting than others, for instance the protected cruisers of the 1880s (e.g. USS Boston 1884 or HMS Imperieuse 1883) with their still substantial rigs and armored casemates. They're not everyone's idea of nautical beauty, but they are nonetheless very visually interesting. Just sayin'.

 

Cheers!

[amateur]

Hi Chris,

 

the same 'request' I did: the steam/sail transition.... I'm affraid that we are such a minority that there is no business modell for kits from this period....

 

Jan

[paulsutcliffe]

Hi Chris

Whilst I agree about frigates and probably the earlier ones with more decoration which everybody likes, I'm not sure about the nineteenth century statement, the Duke of wellington was launched as a first rate 131 gun ship then converted to steam, imagine the victory with a funnel and propeller awesome but probably far to large for most people especially at 1/64

Would you not be able to produce/sell your 1/64 victory or is that owned by amati now, I know lots of people on here would certainly be interested in that, certainly I would.

Regards

Paul

[ChrisLBren]

Hey Chris,

 

The other model that would be a huge seller would be the HMS Prince.  I think you were working on a prototype with Amati.  An HMS Prince along with a HMS Victory, USS Constitution, and an 18th Century English or French Frigate could be the basis for a line of ship models that would sell as they are popular subjects.   I do agree with Lou regarding a plank on frame build - however these can be very challenging for the average modeler and therefore a smaller niche.  Your new technique of full guns and carriages (none of this dummy gun nonsense from the 70s designs) is also a  big selling point.  

Edited October 23, 2018 by ChrisLBren

[Thunder]

Another advantage would be to pick a vessel for both sides of the pond. Nonsuch could do this. Alternatively another Hero such as Pellew. The Indefatigable as a Razee would be unusual if drawings are available. Most of his early career ships were prizes of French origin making research more difficult.

 

Perhaps a short list of your favourites on here for a vote would stick with your requirement for personnel interest and do the market research as well. We could all go on suggesting subjects forever!

[yancovitch]

aaaaah  the prince......my favorite of all!!.................the sculptures alone would probably take 10 years to produce as a kit 😀.....thought of building one from scratch, but i couldn't find enough detail of the sculptures, to copy them from the gorgeous kensington museum model.....lots of lines and squiggles, but i didn't know what they were or what they meant....so i did an 8' royal william instead.....but i sure would have loved to do the prince...too old now to start anything new..smiley.......best kit i've found was the little aeropiccola prince, which i think is no more.....it looked so close to the museum model.....mile bijelic did a beautiful model of it, but it seems to have disappeared online......maybe sold it.....also zaharenko, if that is his name, has a great model......

 

 

Edited October 23, 2018 by yancovitch

[ASAT]

4 hours ago, ChrisLBren said:

Hey Chris,

 

The other model that would be a huge seller would be the HMS Prince.  I think you were working on a prototype with Amati.  An HMS Prince along with a HMS Victory, USS Constitution, and an 18th Century English or French Frigate could be the basis for a line of ship models that would sell as they are popular subjects.   I do agree with Lou regarding a plank on frame build - however these can be very challenging for the average modeler and therefore a smaller niche.  Your new technique of full guns and carriages (none of this dummy gun nonsense from the 70s designs) is also a  big selling point.  

Hey! A POF model of Prince!! Nobody wants to plank that bluff bow below the wales anyway! 😁

[chris watton]

Thank you guys for the replies, all are very much appreciated (just got back from work..)

 

OK, I plan to work on the Alert cutter first, followed by a mid-18th century brig, heavy frigate ( I have three frigates in mind altogether) and then a very nice looking 5th rate. That is as far as I can go at the moment. I have found a laser cutting company in the UK, and have plenty of viable options for the PE work. Will probably end up selling my car to invest further if the first model does OK. Not sure how to go about getting the 'off the shelf' fittings like blocks, rigging, ladders etc. yet...

 

The models with gun ports will have the new way of incorporating the gun port frames into the hull, like Victory and Bellona - I was never 100% happy with the pre cut gun port patterns as you only have to get one side slightly off and nothing will line up properly, plus you then have to build up the inner edges to simulate the correct thickness of each port. I first did the pre-cut patterns for gun ports on the Cruiser 20 years ago!

 

It will add cost to the kits, as there is a lot more laser cutting and a lot more parts involved, but at least I know that every kit will have their gun ports always in their correct positions.

 

About the Chinese and copying stuff, not much I can do about that, except not sell anything to them!

 

Hollowneck, I received your message, thank you, I will have a good read of that tomorrow (or later today), when I am less tired.

 

Cheers,

 

Chris

[GrandpaPhil]

Best of luck!  I look forward to seeing your kits!

[Jaxboat]

Hi Chris, Great to see you back. Best of luck in your new ventures. You have not mentioned your canine apprentices. Hopefully they are in fine fettle

Best

Jaxboat

[chris watton]

22 hours ago, Jaxboat said:

Hi Chris, Great to see you back. Best of luck in your new ventures. You have not mentioned your canine apprentices. Hopefully they are in fine fettle

Best

Jaxboat

Hi Jax,

 

Yes, the sausage dogs are still here, all present and correct!

[aferox]

Hi Chris!

 

You're full of interesting news.  I'll definitely be looking for your kits to appear!  I would buy a Nonsuch kit in a heart beat.  If Prince is Amati's, I'd also like to eventually see another ship from the period.  I've always loved van de Velde's "Resolution in a gale" painting. Brian Lavery put out a book, "Deane's Doctrine of Naval Architecture, 1670" with some interesting drawings of Resolution based on the available information and his best guesses.  

 

Glad to hear that the sausage dogs are well.  Best of luck!

[Thunder]

I Agree with the Resolution, a great ship from my favourite era, perhaps a future project as Chris said he wanted smaller vessels first. A similar vessel from that era would be the Lenox which has Richard Ensor's book dedicated to it. Some great drawings to aid the modelling process.

 

Perhaps the title of this topic should be changed in light of Chris's new employment status?

[maaaslo]

Chris,

did you perhaps think about using gofundme or similar campaign? To help funding the developement. I mean one does need the car sometimes. I would certainly chip in if it would mean that a lovely model with a lot of detail would get to be sold on the market. Im sick of generic details in all the kits i have. The best looking ones are those i purchased sepparately. If youd be able to produce or get produced any nice details, im in.

Edited November 28, 2018 by maaaslo

[chris watton]

Hi,

 

Thank you for all of the very kind comments, they are very much appreciated help me realise that perhaps I am not as mad as a hatter for doing this. 

 

Been a while, but I have been working away and trying to sort everything out that I need.

 

I have just had the laser cut files and photo etch arrive for me to start building the prototype for the cutter Alert (64th scale) - I have attached a pic of the very first dry fitting of parts (about 5 minutes after receiving the parcel..)

 

I originally turned the 6 pounder cannon and half pound swivel gun on the lath, for the masters. Then, I started researching further 3-d printing and better 3-d software packages. The cannon barrels are now 3-d printed (complete with motif). All other fittings which are usually 'off the shelf' types are also drawn in 3-d and then 3-d printed for the masters. I love this method, as it gives me complete control so that every fitting to each model can be bespoke, and match exactly what was on the real thing, rather than an approximation. Also, the octagonal drum winch was initially designed using many parts from both laser cut wood and photo etch, but was worried it would be a little too fiddly for some beginners, so I re-drawn the assembly as one piece and had it 3-d printed. I have drawn all hull, mast and rigging plans for Alert, including sail plans for those who with to rig her with sails.

 

I am not yet skilled enough to draw figureheads and other decoration in 3-d CAD, so have to sub-contract that work out. I did sell my beloved car (last weekend, in fact), so I now have some money to invest in the development and release of the first few kits (I hope). I can say that the next model will be a lot more ambitious than Alert, being roughly the same size as something like Vanguard.

 

As soon as kits are ready, they will be released.

 

Cheers,

 

Chris

Edited January 16, 2019 by chris watton

[ccoyle]

Hello, Chris. Will your Alert have the spread-yard rig as shown in the AOS book? When I built Sherbourne, I modified her rig to that configuration.

[chris watton]

6 minutes ago, ccoyle said:

Hello, Chris. Will your Alert have the spread-yard rig as shown in the AOS book? When I built Sherbourne, I modified her rig to that configuration.

Hello Chris,

 

Yes, the sail plan is as the AOS book, 6 sails in all, with three being the square sails.

[vossiewulf]

Chris, I sometimes wonder why there isn't a good USS Independence of 1814 kit, if you're looking for ideas. Otherwise I look forward to the Alert and any other kit you produce.

[chris watton]

2 hours ago, vossiewulf said:

Chris, I sometimes wonder why there isn't a good USS Independence of 1814 kit, if you're looking for ideas. Otherwise I look forward to the Alert and any other kit you produce.

Will have a look into that. However, the first three kits have already been mapped out, and am pretty sure what the forth and fifth will be (have already started the drawings for the 24, 12 and 6 pounder barrels for the second kit, ready for 3-d printing).

 

For now, I want to stay in the mid-18th Century era, as for me, this period strikes the best balance between beauty and functionality - no OTT decoration (or 'useless froth' and the seamen who would have to endure the splinters from them when in battle, called it), but just enough to be pleasing to the eye, and graceful curves of the top of the gunwales and wales themselves.

 

One thing I realised, I will be able to keep all of the prototype models, as I have no need to send them away to Italy when complete!  

 

ETA - When I have some progress pics of the Alert model building, should I start a new thread, do you think?

Edited January 18, 2019 by chris watton

[James H]

1 hour ago, chris watton said:

 

ETA - When I have some progress pics of the Alert model building, should I start a new thread, do you think?

 

...you mean you haven't already? 🤣

[chris watton]

2 minutes ago, James H said:

 

...you mean you haven't already? 🤣

LOL, Silly me, didn't notice the change in thread title!

 

Have new camera background stuff arriving today, for pics of construction stages...

[Kevin]

Chris you might even persuade me to build another period ship, so looking forward to your updates