Jump to content

Robert Stuart

Gold Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    4,435

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Everything posted by Robert Stuart

  1. Robert Stuart
    Saw this car in my LMS a few months back, and picked it up in the hope that it'd be a quick build, Heller's Bugatti T50. The T50 was produced in small numbers between 1930 and 1934, racing in the 24 hour Le Mans event between 1931 and 1935. (Sources: Wikipedia and Supercars.net) OT: interesting that Heller are advertising their ships in this box - I'm currently finishing off a wooden boat (Shallop), and eagerly awaiting a ship kit (HM Armed Cutter Sherbourne) that releases at midnight tonight ... both too early for this GB. Heller have kindly chrome (aluminium?) plated one sprue. Why do car kits have this? The box was sealed, and makes no mention of the chrome, so there is no marketing value to the feature. That metal plating will need stripping.
  2. Robert Stuart
    Sounds like an interesting cross-build, I'll watch with interest.
  3. Robert Stuart
    Not volunteering for the build, but, would a link to the web page with source photo avoid any copyright issue?
  4. Robert Stuart
    Thank-you @bissyboat. I've done more work on that foresail, and have most of the running rigging in place. The foresail was to be lowered. To that end, I put it under the bathroom tap for a second or so. This made the material soft and flexible, easy to manipulate. It also melted the (generic PVA) glue attaching the edge ropes to the sail. OK. The one rope that wasn't detached was the spiral wound around the forestay. This proved difficult to manage as I was lowering the sail, so ... off it came, to be replaced with homemade wire rings. The wire rings are much easier to manage in this task, allowing the (re-wetted) sail cloth to droop easily. When the sail was dry, I replaced the edge ropes and halyards. Other rigging lines are in place, with just the loose ends to tidy up:
  5. Robert Stuart
    I believe so, I worked from photos of the glider on the ground.
  6. Robert Stuart
    Seeing @Adam Poultney's post reminded me of this. In pastel, the drawing was a commission from a lady who had recently sold the glider.
  7. Robert Stuart
    @JOCKNEY Check out DK Decals P-39/P-400 sets - they have some US schemes (e.g. https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/DKD72114?result-token=MGySj) {edit}Sorry, P-63 was larger than P-39{/edit} You might find some French options out there. Or, if you like racers and a little conversion, look for Draw Decals - they have some attractive schemes (though I never tried their product - https://www.drawdecal.com/?s=p63&post_type=product&type_aws=true).
  8. Robert Stuart
    Rigging progress. I've made the sails, and added hearts and deadeyes to the stays. The main components of the rigging, including sails: The sails are made from two layers of teabag paper, 'glued' with acrylic paint. The paper has a rough side, and a smooth side. In this case I have the rough side out, in a smaller sail, I'd use the smooth side outside. The standing rigging and sails have been attached, along with some of the running rigging.
  9. Robert Stuart
    You'll be missed Bertie, but real life takes precedence. Be back at the bench soon.
  10. Robert Stuart
    Thanks Bertie. I'll experiment with glues and varnishes. Progress. I've, finally, made a new sprit (yard arm) - it's the stick to the right here. The sprit started as a length of 5mm square wood lime wood (aka basswood or linden). Looking at that photo, the sprit looks a little short to my eye. That said, shown without the hull or sail (yet to be made), many of my visual clues are missing. I'll stay with this one for now, but may make a longer version later. Other thoughts I wasn't planning to. I then thought that this is going to be an open boat, with sail set, but no crew. Could happen, but not an ideal situation. I have some Historex parts in my spares box. Historex figures were intended as, mainly French, mostly Napoleonic, 54mm figures and accessories. 54mm is, about, the right size for 1/32 scale figures; the same scale as this kit. Give it a go ... Hmm. These fellows seem to give the boat some sense of scale. The guy at the tiller A bit of chopping and carving, and that guy at the tiller looks like this: A change of upper torso, and a bit of animation. The standing sailor is more challenging. Initial thoughts are that he'll adopt this pose: As a source for clothing styles, I'll look to David Teniers the elder (1582-1649). He's another Dutch painter, but one who'd've been about 25 at the time of John Smith's American visit.
  11. Robert Stuart
    Maybe, but I doubt many full size builders work quite that fast. Looks like good progress Bertie, even with all that re-learning.
  12. Robert Stuart
    Lee boards and anchor The lee boards are on. The hinge is a chain. The kit's producer would have us make the chain from this etch: That's all very well, but ... the parts are small. Very small. Very small, and no spares. All of this makes an ideal hors d'oeuvre to the carpet monster. Such an impatient fellow, he (she?) took the first piece off the sprue, and so greedy as to swallow the part in one snap. A quick change of plan led to me using ready-made brass chain (brass, 18 links per inch chain). This did need to be squeezed at each end, to make it fit, But the new chain seems to work: Another addition to the boat is its anchor The starboard lee board, retracted: The port lee board, deployed: I need to work out how to add tension or droop to the rope there - any suggestions?
  13. Robert Stuart
    Damp breath can help too, but remember to breathe OUT.
  14. Robert Stuart
    Side keels? Lee boards? Either name works for me. (OT: leeboards come with a variety of spellings.) They work much like centre boards, but (in theory) are easier to set up, and are less likely to be damaged in shallow waters. Painting the shallop has continued. I am using a brown hull; raw umber in this case, though this brand looks dark enough for burnt. I think the colour is close to that used by late 17C marine artists Willem van de Velde. (This shallop is supposed to be ~1607, so early 17C) See what you think: https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/artists/willem-van-de-velde Details have been added, including the thwart at the mast position, rubbing plates for the oars and a cleat at the bow. The observant may notice I've moved the sheaves(? pulleys) on top of the side rail back a bit. A major advantage of PVA glue is that a bit of heat will soften it (I used a hot air gun, with a fresh scalpel blade to encourage separation). Detail work has moved on: Two boat hooks, an axe, an anchor, and five blocks (pulleys) on their varnishing rail, Those blocks have been given straps(?); one for the foresail and a pair for the sprit (yard arm). Oh, and those leeboards have changed colour, and gained some reinforcing straps:
  15. Robert Stuart
    That is good progress, Bertie, though I don't envy you your issues with CA fumes. Hope you can find a better solution. Be well Robert
  16. Robert Stuart
    Thanks, Bertie. Progress Work has started on the standing rigging. There was rope supplied with the kit, but, it is a polymer thread, that tends to explode: This is meant for the standing rigging. The straggle at the top is where I cut off a sealed (melted) end, twisted the cord tighter and let go. That seems unmanageable to me, so I got some Mantua thread. Since they only do black or hemp/linen thread, I went with the latter and painted it. The fore stay, with an untidy splice, and two pair of seized shrouds. Despite the photo, these are a very dark brown. Other stuff The wood work for the top rail is complete, including space and support for the oars. lee-boars Also, underway are the rudder (+ tiller), lee-boards and an axe. These all require metal fittings that require soldering and blacking - a task I've been putting off, but must address soon.
  17. Robert Stuart
    Good to see you back with L'O OT: I'm slow, and I dare say it has been said before, (maybe by you?), but ... Bertie's Boatyard make a nice alliteration. For the bow and larger voids, would packing (balsa) help? Or, is that even more shaping? They perform a similar function, and I'd use either term.
  18. Robert Stuart
    Thanks guys. I've been a bit quiet here, working on details. Things like filler for the hull. Unfortunately, the filler I chose shows under varnish, so I'll be painting the shallop's hull. The thwarts (benches) have been varnished, and most have been glued to the boat. Knees (angle blocks) have been added to the thwarts, each with a pin. The pins were pre-cut, but needed cleaning up, and slotting through holes in the knees - all about 3-4 mm long. Above all this, the boat's rail has been added. Other clean up has included these parts: Shown are cleaned up parts and (still scorched) spares. The bronze wire in the deadeyes (bottom right) was to keep the holes clear while gluing (deadeyes and hearts are each three layer sandwiches). In my last post, I suggested re-arranging the rigging on this model. I now have some tea-bag paper for the sail. In the US, some modellers suggest using SilkSpan. So far as I know, this is unobtainable in the UK, but tea-bag paper is supposed to be a suitable substitute.
  19. Robert Stuart
    p.s. Take a look at the Model Ship World Forum, especially the opening post in their New to ship modelling? But what do you build first? thread: https://modelshipworld.com/topic/18657-new-to-ship-modelling-but-what-do-you-build-first/ That thread dates from 2018, but the wooden ship hobby moves slowly, and the available kits are little changed. Two new makers since then are Vanguard (https://vanguardmodels.co.uk/) and Ships of Pavel Nikitin (http://shipsofpavelnikitin.com/shop), both of whom rate their kits as to level of difficulty. Vanguard kits are generally plank on bulkhead (two layers of planks on hidden bulkheads), while Nikitin's kits (at entry level) are open boats with a single layer of planks on frames. Either way, I'd invest in one of the electric plank benders that look like a soldering iron with a mushroom head (Amarti and ModelCraft supply them).
  20. Robert Stuart
    Thanks Alan I was specifically looking for rules about referencing other forums in posts here. Think there is/was some kind of veto, but I couldn't see the relevant rule, so avoided mentioning them in a post.
  21. Robert Stuart
    p.s. think I saw a Heller Bently on the shelf next to that Bugatti, if so, it'd be 1/24 https://www.scalemates.com/kits/heller-80722-bentley-45-l-blower--1380731
  22. Robert Stuart
    Just picked up one of these Hope that's OK?
  23. Robert Stuart
    Hello I was looking to check something in the forum rules today, and couldn't find them. The ones we sign up to when we join the forum. Is there a link? Thanks Pretty sure I've asked this before, and received an answer, but can't find that thread either, sorry.
  24. Robert Stuart
    Hello @Alun Gallie, PM sent. What Bertie said. I'm even newer to model boat building than him. As to kits, look for vessels with few masts - you don't have to be as extreme as NO masts (), but one will be easier than two, and two will be significantly easier than three. Most of what follows is based on stuff I've heard elsewhere, Artesania Latina's Mare Nostrum, Bremen, Jolie Brise should be good for people with little to no experience. Billings Boats? Probably look at these for second or third builds. Fishing vessels are, I believe, considered a good place to start model boat building. Model Shipways offer three kits designed to ease people into the hobby, that can be bought as a set together, or separately. Look for their 3 kit combo. Vanguard Models (https://vanguardmodels.co.uk/) are relatively new, have a good reputation and are owned by a respected kit designer (Chris Watton). They do have a few fishing boats that should make a good introduction to the hobby. Vanguard publish their instructions on the kit's webpage along with a difficulty rating, so you can check those out. (I am considering one of their kits for my third ship build.)
  25. Robert Stuart
    Getting ahead of myself here, I need to fill the hull seams and fit it outbefore the rigging. The mast (above) was necessary; it goes through one of the thwarts (benches), but, rigging? Not yet. Thing is, I have an issue with the way the rig is designed in the kit, with the muzzle of the spirit (the low end of the yard, also seen it called a snotter - still means muzzle). Anyway, this ... How does that work with the foresail? I'm not alone in my question, underwater ship archaeologist Kroum Batchvarov asks the same thing here: Following discussion on another forum, this is, I think, a feasible solution: This fits with (near) contemporary Dutch practice, as seen in paintings of the period, notably the work of Willem van de Velde (1633–1707). Examples at the National Gallery include (links): Calm: Two Dutch Vessels A Dutch Vessel in a Strong Breeze A Dutch Ship and Other Small Vessels in a Strong Breeze Dutch Ships and Small Vessels Offshore in a Breeze
×
×
  • Create New...