You probably think I need my bumps feeling. As you can see, it's another bargain from Toymaster.
It's a Chinese Frigate, in service at the same time as "NINGBO" so I guess it's in order to display both models on the same base, perhaps in some sort of a "U" shaped basin. Don't know yet, can't make my mind up so watch this space and see what happens.
Haddock.
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What a devil for punishment you are.
Faint heart never won fair lady.
It just falls together. Still, if you're a Chinese company making a model of a Chinese ship that is still there to look at in China there's really no excuse for getting it wrong, is there?
This is the result of about three hours modelling. The fun starts with the etched brass and small parts.
Haddock.
I wonder if Zhoushan is Chinese for Susan?
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Get your Google translator out.
Never mind a translator, what Haddock needs is careful handling.
He's obviously blown a gasket or two at our show. Two models at once...................shiver me timbers!!
Bigkev
A severe case of P.M.S. (Plastic Modellers Syndrome)
Haddock.
Susan doesn't have quite the same ring as Queen Elizabeth or Warspite does it?
And that's it water-lined, always a bit nerve-racking, never quite sure what's going to happen when you release all the stresses in the hull, it's gone about 0.05mm so nothing to worry about, there are two brass rods separating the halves to stop it collapsing inwards.
Haddock.
note the thickness of the plastic around the fore-deck, you can see daylight through it.
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You have better eyes than me.
It's all done with mirrors, and a couple of engineering techniques. If pressed, I could describe the method, it doesn't rely on a great deal of skill, just patience and the right tools.
Haddock.
"neither wise men nor fools can work without tools"
There are 18 individual parts on this little beast, with two to build.
Haddock.
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Hi Haddock,
Superbly done as usual. 18 parts, eh? I reckon I could manage that on a full kit!!
Bigkev
I don't know how you do it.
You must have a good set of glasses and tweezers,
I have, but it's mainly shear bloody-mindedness, ( can I say bloody here ) I don't like to be beaten by a lump of plastic.
I could do with a set of hands that don't shake like a Harley Davidson on tick-over.
Haddock.
Love the Harley Davidson comment!!
Perhaps you could adjust your tick over to a higher setting?
Bigkev
My hands would just shake faster. I think the secret is to use slow setting glues and poke stuff around till it looks OK.
Haddock.
Getting myself prepared to continue with this little beast. Now what colour should it really be painted?
Haddock.
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Never trust those photos, and then there is the light, the optical device used, your computer, my computer, Chinese paint and painters - how long have you got, the same old chestnut...... I think we may have chatted about this before Tony?
Yeah, but it still adds a bit to the challenge!
How about Dove Grey- then it could go in the competition.
But what shade of Dove grey?
Wel,l if I refer to the Dove above it is standard Dove Grey, but then my eyes are not as good as they were.
Here's some snaps of progress to date. The brass is a bit problematic. Each individual stanchion is glued to the deck except where I have added bits not provided in the kit. The handrails for the ladders are incorporated into the horizontal rails (see pic), still,it don't look too bad for a ham-fisted old git.
Haddock.
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Just keep poking, it always looks good.
Looking good....very good
Here's the safety rails around the helicopter landing desk going on. There are 12 sections in all,each one is perched on 4 stanchions, about 0.75mm high and 0.1mm square. It's a slow process. The technique if you can call it that, is to hold the section in position with the blocks and tack each end with Gator Grip, thin blend, leave it for about 30 mins, remove the blocks and fix the other 2 stanchions. It takes about 6 hrs for the glue to fully harden. It gives a strong but flexible joint, if you fart in the same room, every-thing moves, I fart a lot. As you can see, one little so and so refuses to sit down, don't know why yet, it may have to stay like that. Can't have every-thing can you.
Haddock.
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As always, another excellent job.
Have you been giving things a wash of some sort to make the embedded detail stand out, or is it just shadows?
It's a pin wash, some of the detail is too fine to respond to a wash,perhaps I should have scribed it a bit deeper, could have made a mess of it though. You can barely see it with the naked eye, the camera don't half see stuff that I can't.
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Yes, what I think looks ok, isn't when I look at a photo.
Strange.
Old age!
It is a strange phenomina isnt it. I use photos to find errors or areas for improvement.
You can get carried away with this detailing lark. These handrails aren't provided in the kit so I made my own. Bit Kipling!
Haddock.
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Oh now I understand, I looked at the "Kipling" post first.
Try to keep up!
Hi Haddock,
Just like to say how good this looked at the meeting, "a nice shade of grey" from your 49 shades you possess.
Great work mate.
Bigkev
I should have looked at this in more detail last night, but as usual I was too busy getting in the way of everything. It looked such a simple kit when it was on the table too, however, now I have seen this thread at last....! I know, I need to get on a bit more and keep up. A bit mind boggling really, all them little bits.