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Building Imai's HMS Victory cross-section kit.

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MJH
  • Member since
    April 2005
  • From: Melbourne, Australia
Posted by MJH on Thursday, April 26, 2007 8:32 AM

Has anybody used this stuff;

http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=81528

and is able to tell me if it's any good?

Michael 

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  • Member since
    May 2004
Posted by CODY614 on Wednesday, April 25, 2007 9:57 PM

Thats' what I would do Michael...Leave the 'Cut Edges' stained or natural.

With the inside colors of 'White,Yellow and Stained wood', I would think the 'Exposed Edges' being done a little lighter than the 'Hold Color' would make the difference you are looking for.

I also took the liberty of showing your build to the fine gentelmen across the pond at...

http://www.pete-coleman.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=222 

I've seen some really 'Realistic' stain jobs with the Floquil stuff. Seems to give the right amount of age to the wood. 

 

Ohhhh...One more thing....If you trek across the pond to the Victory site you may never be the same! Big Smile [:D]

 

Jeff 

Deep in the heart of a war, God heard a Soldier's Prayer.

MJH
  • Member since
    April 2005
  • From: Melbourne, Australia
Posted by MJH on Wednesday, April 25, 2007 8:37 PM

Thanks for that Jeff, I'll look into it.  I had thought the model railway fraternity might have the answer but all I'd seen so far was treatment for wood exposed to the weather and therefore usually in grey shades.

I'd also like your, and anyone else's, opinion on how to finish the exposed 'cut' surfaces.  In cutaway engines and tanks and so on they're usually painted red but I don't think that would be appropriate here.  Natural wood is the most realistic of course but I'd like to differentiate them somehow.

Michael 

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  • Member since
    May 2004
Posted by CODY614 on Wednesday, April 25, 2007 6:02 PM

I was gonna say try using 'Floquil Stains'....

Mainly a model rail road thing, but I know some guys that ahve real good luck with it on ships.

http://www.cccrow.com/how-2/stone.html 

This for doing stone...But it will give you an idea as to how it looks.

 

 

Jeff 

Deep in the heart of a war, God heard a Soldier's Prayer.

MJH
  • Member since
    April 2005
  • From: Melbourne, Australia
Posted by MJH on Tuesday, April 24, 2007 8:48 AM

Actually Jeff I agree with you on that score.  It is my intention to try and paint it as accurately as possible.  Those photos you've posted complement the ones I've already stockpiled for reference - I'll download and store them.

This shot from the Victory web-site shows the hold and the natural colour of the wood on that level, not to mention the shingle ballast.  As far as I can determine there's no paint in that area so I want the wood to look old and well weathered.  This is the colour I'd like to represent.

Michael 

!

  • Member since
    May 2004
Posted by CODY614 on Tuesday, April 24, 2007 5:15 AM

When I opened this up this morning....The hairs on my neck stood up!

I have to thank you for sharing this with us.  I have,for a very long time had a place in my heart for the 'Victory'...This is really an awesome little twist to modeling her!

Micheal, I know that the purist's will hate me for this...But why not step outside the norm and do it the 'Scale-Way'.......Paint it! I know...I know...."What did he say?"

Build it true to 'Scale'.

I'm sorry...Just my humble opinion! I have seen 100's of older ships in the bare wood mode,Just would like to see some one do one of these with all the stops' pulled out.

Now I will run for cover......

 

Jeff 

Deep in the heart of a war, God heard a Soldier's Prayer.

MJH
  • Member since
    April 2005
  • From: Melbourne, Australia
Posted by MJH on Monday, April 23, 2007 8:40 PM

Here's the hold fitted out with all its new furniture, not all glued down yet.  The pillars and rails are meant to go in at a later stage according to the instructions but I can't see why they shouldn't be fitted now.  I want to stain this assembly to represent old unpainted wood - any ideas?


Imai's somewhat sparse arrangement.

 

Mast step.  The mainmast is meant to be glued directly to the step but I want mine to be removeable (just in case worst comes to worst!Sign - Oops [#oops]).  The 6mm dowel will fit snugly into the hole I've drilled in the mast and provide both a secure fitting and a guide to keep it vertical.....I hope.Wink [;)] 

 

Michael 

 

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MJH
  • Member since
    April 2005
  • From: Melbourne, Australia
Posted by MJH on Sunday, April 22, 2007 9:20 AM

I realise how lucky I am to finally get hold of this model, especially in its 'started' condition which means I don't have the vexed problem of whether to start work on a mint (and therefore possibly 'collectable') kit.  What I didn't realise was how relatively unknown the kit is and that caught me by surprise.  It was only recently that I myself discovered Imai did a wooden kit of the Susquehanna so I suppose it shouldn't be all that startling.

As I've said, the model does require some correction (what kit doesn't?) but the hold is the area requiring the biggest changes - after that it's mostly a case of adding missing detail.  There are some minor deficiencies in the instructions too.

I'll post some pics of the box shortly for those who may want to try and chase the kit down but comments here so far, and my own experience, increasingly suggest that it won't be easy.   As Mr. Tilley comments the demise of Imai was great loss to us all.

Here are the box pics as promised;

 

<>Michael 

!

  • Member since
    May 2004
Posted by CODY614 on Sunday, April 22, 2007 5:35 AM

Thanks for the info...

Michael,you are one lucky guy. Having seen the other 'Cross-Sections' Mr. Tilley mentioned,this one looks to be a lot better so far!

You must keep us posted!

 

 

Jeff 

Deep in the heart of a war, God heard a Soldier's Prayer.

MJH
  • Member since
    April 2005
  • From: Melbourne, Australia
Posted by MJH on Sunday, April 22, 2007 3:21 AM

Sorry I didn't go into detail, I've been into Imai stuff for years and didn't consider that it may not be all that well known.

Firstly the kit is to 1:80 scale and on completion will be about 950mm high (roughly 3 foot).  It represents a 10 metre slice (32.8 feet) around the mainmast so it's 125mm (5") front to back.

It's not related to the Corel kit at all but I haven't seen that one so I can't comment on how it compares - knowing Imai I suspect this kit is much better.  The kit consists of some 60 different cuts of timber - complex parts such as the ribs and riders you see are die-cut ply but these are accompanied by many, many packs of various types and sizes of prepared wood.  It also includes many brass parts, such as gun barrels of course. along with belaying pins, rod, wire, flat strip and a few white metal castings.  Finally there are three sizes of thread, blocks and deadeyes (the only plastic parts) and a few buckets and barrels to fit the model out.

As I said there are some things that need attention but it's a great basis for a marvellous model. I've been after the kit for years and finally had to settle for one that had been started, fortunately reasonably well.  I daresay it appears on eBay from time to time but I've yet to see one.  I'll post a picture of the box when I have time.

Michael 

!

  • Member since
    May 2004
Posted by CODY614 on Saturday, April 21, 2007 9:12 PM

Yeah...I dont' think this anything we've seen before.

How unfair!

This appears to be a very detailed 'Cross-Section'.

Hmmm. Iwonder if it would any good to search Evil-Bay?

 

 

 

Jeff 

Deep in the heart of a war, God heard a Soldier's Prayer.

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: Greenville, NC
Posted by jtilley on Saturday, April 21, 2007 7:49 PM

Unfortunately Imai went out of business quite a few years ago.  The company made quite a few kits in different media; I confess this is one that I hadn't seen before. 

I'm 90 percent sure the Corel kit is a completely different product.  (Several European companies have made cross-section kits roughly like this; they've been on the market for several decades.)  Corel is one of the notorious HECEPOB (Hideously Expensive Continental European Plank-On-Bulkhead) companies, which I've ranted about on various occasions in this forum and elsewhere.  (Others include Mamoli, Sergal, Euromodel, Constructo, and Artisania Latina.)  Even among HECEPOB fans (of whom there seem to be quite a few, though I've never been able to figure out why), Corel has a miserable reputation for producing kits that bear scarcely any resemblance to reality.  There is, in fact, good reason to wonder whether the people who run the company know what the term "scale model" means.

Imai, on the other hand, in its brief lifespan produced some of the nicest, most accurate sailing ship kits ever.  The company's disappearance had a devastating effect on the industry; we'll never know what the plastic sailing ship kit market would look like today if Imai had stayed in business.

Years ago a friend of mine built one of those Victory cross-section kits from some company or other.  He modified the box contents quite a bit, and I was impressed with the result.  I also liked the technique he used to display it:  he hung it on a wall of his dining room, over a sideboard.  Worth thinking about.

Youth, talent, hard work, and enthusiasm are no match for old age and treachery.

  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: Central USA
Posted by qmiester on Saturday, April 21, 2007 5:34 PM

Last week I received a sail flyer from Model Expo for their spring sail.  30 pages - 10 of model ships and 20 of tools (gasp! Lust!).  Anyhoo, they do list an H.M.S. Victory Cross-Section kit, but it is listed as a Corel kit. 

www.modelexpoonline.com

Quincy
  • Member since
    May 2004
Posted by CODY614 on Saturday, April 21, 2007 4:15 PM
 Grem56 wrote:

Very, very nice but I can't find any reference to it. Could you give a wee bit more information on scale, where to get my greedy little hands on it etc.?

Julian Smile [:)]

I googled it and coulndt' find eitherDunce [D)]..... This looks like fun!

 

Jeff 

Deep in the heart of a war, God heard a Soldier's Prayer.

  • Member since
    June 2006
  • From: Netherlands
Posted by Grem56 on Saturday, April 21, 2007 12:20 PM

Very, very nice but I can't find any reference to it. Could you give a wee bit more information on scale, where to get my greedy little hands on it etc.?

Julian Smile [:)]

 

illegal immigrants have always been a problem in the United States. Ask any Indian.....................

Italeri S-100: http://cs.finescale.com/FSMCS/forums/t/112607.aspx?PageIndex=1

Isu-152: http://cs.finescale.com/FSMCS/forums/t/116521.aspx?PageIndex=1

 

  • Member since
    May 2004
Posted by CODY614 on Saturday, April 21, 2007 10:34 AM

Two things............

I'm drooling.........And where can I get it ?

This looks awesome,I'm really looking forward to more pics on this!

 

 

Jeff 

Deep in the heart of a war, God heard a Soldier's Prayer.

MJH
  • Member since
    April 2005
  • From: Melbourne, Australia
Building Imai's HMS Victory cross-section kit.
Posted by MJH on Friday, April 20, 2007 11:16 PM

As a life-long plastic kit builder this is quite a departure for me, my first ever wooden ship-building project – Imai’s HMS Victory hull cross-section.  Thanks to the unstinting help and advice from a member of this forum I've identified some inaccuracies and simplifications that are within my capabilities to correct.  This includes the complete absence of knees in the kit for example.  The kit is only meant to be planked up on its port side with the starboard ribs left bare but I'm going to completely plank the hull inside and out and finish it as accurately as possible.  This is going to be a long project and a steep learning curve.

 

The basic hull structure mounted on its cradle.  I've added brass rods from antique stationery supplies (used to hold wads of office paper together at one time) which go right through the keel so the hull is held securely, both for working on it and to prevent a disastrous topple when it’s complete.  These can be unscrewed from female halves permanently embedded under the keelson.

 

Here the hold floor is planked and fitted with scratch-built platforms and reshaped riders.

 

The kit provides two shot lockers (‘rockers’ according to Imai), one for either side of the mast step but apparently only one is required which is abaft the newly scratch-built 'pump-well'.  Next stage is to fit the hold out with ballast, barrels etc. before the orlop deck goes on.

Michael

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