HMS Savage build

[Jim Krauzlis]

Yep, sunlight sure gives you the full color spectrum too!

I snookered my wife into letting me get one of those full spectrum lamps for the work area, rather than try and go blind with the bulbs in the overhead light...I work on the kitchen table and it was really getting tough to focus without some close in light.
She even loves it for reading...easy on the eyes...and it helps in taking indoor photos of my attempts at modeling without using the flash.

Oh, yeah, to be honest Photoshop rescues ALL of my pictures! :lol:

Jim

Hope to get crackin' on the Mexico Victory this weekend. Spent a bit of time last weekend building four of the eight 20 mm machine guns; came out okay, but nowhere close to what Scorpio showed us!

 

[Jim Krauzlis]

Thanks, Barry.

That was a great link!

Boy oh boy, it would be great if I could some day build something that clean and crisp and detailed! Just beautiful! I've got a lot to learn from you and those guys...

Jim

 

[Ajax]

Looks like Savage is coming along nicely, Barry! Thanks for the pictures!

A.J.

 

[barry]

Using the right paper

Hi

Built another carley float last using the "right" thin paper (see DN's comment in "How thin can you roll") it makes life so much easier I think the photos show the difference very clearly.

barry

 

[jrts]

Hi Barry

That seems to have done the trick, looking back at the other one built the thinner paper does look better.
Although I would not have noticed if you had not pointed it out, both look good.
Always like to watch a pro at work.

Regards

Rob

 

[barry]

Midships deckhouse

HI

Got a bit more done today, tried out a variation on the "boxes" if there tabs cut them off and make an internal one and cut the "lid" seperately. The one I redone so far is the one on it's near the carley float.

It certainly made building square ventilators a lot esier the one that was a mishapen lump now looks reasonably square. I used a coloured pen on the edges but it still shows white so I will have to do some touching up.

A lot is still just dry fitted.

Sorry the steampipe is plastic !!

barry

 

[barry]

Savage bridge

Hi

Added a few bits to the bridge structure, a lot of these parts very small so I have learned to use tweezers to hold them while I apply the glue to the main part and a pair of needle tweezers as well to offer up thin strips like the small platforms near the control tower.

I found the control tower fairly difficult to get together on the front face, to look right you have to get some intricate folds into it. t just takes time and a lot of dry fitting.

bridge, deck house and funnel still only dryfitted.



barry

 

[jrts]

Hi Barry

Great work you don't seem to have a problem working with tweezers.

look forward to the next set of photos

Regards

Rob

 

[barry]

tweezers

rob

You don't know how many times I dropped the bits though ops: :lol:

barry

 

[jrts]

Barry

Yes I do I spent most of my time on the floor looking for them as they shot of the tweezers :lol:


One thing I did learn is not to do it again on a dark carpet with my eyes
:x

Rob

 

[Jim Krauzlis]

Barry and Rob.
I do believe it's referred to as the shipmodeler's crawl...that annoying dance where one has to get on one's hands and knees on the floor and carefully scan the immediate work area to locate that piece that flew from the work surface...and it always seems to be the smallest piece which is the same color as the floor! :lol:
I was able to make some good headway this weekend on my Mexico Victory, but had to do the crawl so many times my wife thought I was playing with the cat.
Barry, I don't know if you've seen it before but I found using what is called a "third hand" invaluable this weekend. It's a tool I first came across in wooden ship modeling. It is a heavy stand with two alligator clips attached to a movable bar, and each clip is on a swivel too. I had to rig fourteen little cargo booms this weekend and I could not have done it without this little portable clamp-like device. I usually add a smaller smooth jawed clip to the alligator clip to avoid marring the piece. Works like a charm!
Your HMS Savage is coming along very nicely!!
Jim

 

[jrts]

Hi Jm

Good idea, they have them in my local shop. never thought to use it.
I'll give you an idea where I'am off to :lol:

It will come in very handdy

Thanks

Rob

 

[Jim Krauzlis]

Rob,
I have seen them at Radio Shack as well. That's were I got the little copper clips I use to hold the piece rather than clipping the part directly to the alligator clips, which as teeth that will mar the paper (or even paint finished wire).
Glad I was able to suggest something that might be of some help!

Now if I can only figure out a way to avoid the ship modeler's crawl...saw a tip a while back using a shop apron. The front had an extra flap which you attached to the front of your work area to form a lap, the idea being if you dropped something it would land right there in front of you on this apron...trouble is, most pieces fly off to the left or right, and I would no doubt forget the apron was attached and land on my hind quarter when trying to get up still attached to the table, or more likely pull the whole table with me, dumping everying to the floor as well. :lol:

At least I don't have carpeting in my work area right now...that use to be a REAL pain, because not only were the pieces small and the same color as the rug, but they also fell into the fibers making it almost impossible to find. Being visually challenged (i.e., needing reading glasses to see anything clearly within a few feet of my snoze) it's even more difficult locating those little buggers, things within a foot and a half being blurry without the glasses and things beyond that being blurry with the glasses...urgh! :roll:
Have fun shopping!!
Jim

 

[barry]

Savage Control tower

Hi

Funny thing that, I bought exactly the same with 2 clips yesterday (well if we tell the truth, it was in a soldering kit I bought, lucky me). Shall we just settle for great minds think alike!! :lol:

I built most of the control tower tonight, but the arrays on the top will need such fine wire I am at a loss where to get it(hint,hint Rob :lol: ) again a part needing time to complete. I didn't spend quite so long on my knees though!!

I think the bridge will take about another week to complete (groans from the assembled multitude)

This time I will end up with a box of assembled bits while I practice on the railings.

barry

 

[jrts]

Hi Barry

Great work, keep it up.

As for the wire.
Look at the braided flex around the house, as the greater the amount of power going through it the bigger gague of wire.
Grey twin and earth used for most standared fitting in the home is 1.5mm.
The next size is 30amp twin and earth for cookers, this is about 2mm.

For an idea go to B&Q and they have the full range. It won't kill the to give you a small sample to see which one you require.

The only thing to watch out for is that the wire inside is copper not another alloy.

Hope this helps

Regards

Rob

 

[barry]

Savage midships deckhouse

Hi

After a few days building this ship I have finally given up on tabs I find with the small parts and larger ones even I make a lousy fold on tabs.

I cut them all off now and replace them with an internal jointing strips and butt the joining corners.

Next step is to try and build some railings etc because I will never be able to fit them later so everthing is still dry fitted again. If that works I can then finish Takao which is sitting patiently waiting.

Tonight I managed 3 whole cooling extractors behind the bridge I cut these apart to build them, did the midships deckhouse to rest the old eyes.

barry

Thanks for the usual tips Rob

 

[wunwinglow]

Talking of wire, telephone cable has really nice core which is quite stiff. If you roll it under a steel rule it goes straight as a die, as do all such wires.
You can strip the insulation off, or cut it away , like hydraulic rams, or rings, like clamps.

Tim P

 

[jrts]

Hi Barry

Glad to help.

Will be intresting to see how you do the rails, material and method.
I always cut of the tabs, I always make a pigs ear using them.
For me butt and strips are the only way to go on all size of parts.

Look forward to more photos

Regards

Rob

 

[Ajax]

You did a great job on the control tower, barry! And it's a really neat looking piece too.

Thanks for the pics!

AJ

 

[barry]

Savage ladder box

Hi

Thanks everybody for the tips on wire so just to be perverse I've tried to build one from cotton using barry's cheapo ladder box, mass production it is not. I folded up and glued a cornflake packet, stuck the ladder plan in the bottom, then cut a notch to hold the first cotton vertical of the ladder wound it round the outside of the box and secured it with pvc glue(neat pvc). I then ran 2 or 3 coats of pvc glue over the two verticals and the wound the rungs dabbing pvc on with a cocktail stick and wiping the excess off with my finger tip.

The result looks quite good but I haven't fixed it in place yet !!!!

I think this forum is driving my crazy what am I doing

anyway have a laugh

barry