Sounds like a lot of work on that scale GH, no problem, I had a few to move off the bench before I went back to the Spruecan in earnest. After that I need to start on the NC.

Been working on the lower tier (of 3) on the shears.  Ten pieces in the lower part (not counting the scope tubes), but waiting for the 'scope brass tubing to arrive.  Kind of dry docked till those arrive.  Cut the main fairwater parts loose last night to start working them over.  

Have  two other GB's to try and finish up before the end of the year before I get too deep in this one.

GMorrison

HECEPOBs.

Hideously Expensive Central European Plank On Bulkhead kits.

 

That's it.

Bakster, keep plugging. That's why the GB is open ended, I know how long it can take.

Here's some more progress on mine.

Good tip Bill, I may try that on mine. Which by the way, I am still working on--if anyone is wondering. I have two projects running right now and I plan to keep working on both.

I am currently working on the superstructure, painting, some weathering too, just so I can add the PE back. I wish I had known about the decking color on these pieces earlier because I would not have mounted as much as I did. Now I have to mask all that stuff, big pain in the (beep).

My fault for not researching more, live and learn.

HECEPOBs.

Hideously Expensive Central European Plank On Bulkhead kits.

Great reminder GM! Some kits spell it out for you by having pre marked the boot top but some don't and leave the builder frustrated trying to get it streight.

I read about that trick years ago working on one of those overly expensive European wooden ships (what did JTilly call them?). 

I spent a couple of hours setting up the boot stripe on Midway. At the risk of boring those who know, I offer this miny toot.

Ignore the tape because I staged this after I marked the hull, but set a pencil where you want to draw a line for the boot topping. You will do this twice. Once at the top and once at the bottom.

A boot topping or stripe is not a constant width, if you will. It has a top line and a bottom line that are parallel in vertical axis.

Hey KC, I am really sorry to hear this. Listen, I’d like to offer you one of the pickup pencils  that I bought. The order came with more than I will ever need. These work better than the grease pencils that i tried. I had the same issue in that it took a fair amount of pressure for them to stick, and I’d end up bending the pieces. I am not saying that is the problem, just sayiing that ones like I bought might help you deal with the flimsy PE you have.

If you want to try it, PM me your address and I will send it free of charge.

Steve.

KC, man I'm sorry. Thank you for letting us know about Flyhawk PE. I was under the impression Flyhawk was on of the best for AM. Now I wonder about their kits.

I trully hope you don't scrap the whole thing. Can you sell the rest of the PE sets on eBay? Maybe recoup some of the cost?. I like Eduard PE. their instructions are easy and the thickness of the PE is just right, with little etching lines to ease bending.

KC: Ouch!!! Sounds like the Flyhawk guys made the PE so thin it's impossible to work! I don't know what to tell you, good luck in any case!!! 

Guys, I'm giving you a WARNING!!!!

Do NOT ever buy FlyHawk PE!!

I said it was fragile, the stuff will not ever hold it's shape. I was starting on one of the "ammo racks" for one of the 40 mm Bofors guns. Once cut free of the fret it was near impossible to keep the racks in their shape. I used my Tamiya bending pliers to hold it while I bend those points down the whole thing was just bending all over, I spend more time trying to bend the darn thing back into shape than anything else. 

Trying to put it in place was a job that was about to drive me crazy, It fits right in BUT as your putting it inside the "tub" if just one tiny piece touches the other side of the tub it bends out of shape and I had to take it out to bend it back. By the time I finally glued it in place it looks awful. There is 3 full and one 1/3 racks for that tub, the ONLY one that looks ok is the very top 1/3 rack. It's so bad I'm ashamed to post a picture. I spend over 2 hours trying to make that junk work just on that one tub.

Like I said I've worked wirh other PE and have the bending pliers, a Mission Models Etchmate 3C and other tools, you DO NOT need any of that stuff at all. Remember those wax pencils we were talking about using them to pick up and place the extra small PE parts? I'm afraid they will flaten out the PE part, that's how bad these are.

I don't know what I'm going to do. I've already spend all this money on everything for this model and now the PE set is worthless. I'm either going to have to buy a different PE set or just scrap the whole thing. It's going to take me a while just to make up my mind on spending any more money on this. I'm going to have to back out of this build until I make up my mind, I hate to not build the ship but this junk has driven me off.

The FlyHawk PE is nothing but CHEAP JUNK!!!!

On the other hand I can not say enough good things about the newVMS Flexy 5 K Ca glue for PE. Their new bottle is great and the PE ca allows time for you to set the PE in place if your PE holds up. Everything I build before using that worked great.

modelcrazy

Sure buddy, I can change it.

The girls intecepted something you bought and are going to give it to you for Christmas? LOL. That's classic! Something I did as a youth before I could buy anything. I repackaged my dad's tennis balls for Christmas once.

 

They say I'm hard to buy for and that I seem to have everything.  Its kinda a new tradition that was started a few years ago, that within two months before Christmas, if something arrives at the door, then it can be intercepted and the person who ordered it must wait until Christmas to get it.  Its brought back that old feeling in me of dying to open my presents in order to see that kit I ordered.

This had to have been planned for a while, when my wife was tipped off with the emails from Russia, and then a post card from Customs followed by a package marked in Russian.  She either thought I was some politcal operative, or I ordered some rare, hard to get model kit and was going to have a little fun watching me wait a few more months before I can play with it.  

Sure buddy, I can change it.

The girls intecepted something you bought and are going to give it to you for Christmas? LOL. That's classic! Something I did as a youth before I could buy anything. I repackaged my dad's tennis balls for Christmas once.

GM, the Midway is something else and is going to be remarkable when its finished.

Steve, I may be changing my build. Many months ago, I ordered from Russia, a Combrig 1/700 USS Kansas, but it got intercepted in the mail by my girls and was told it will be given to me at Christmas.  I am excited because I just finished reading "Around the World with the Battleships", I live in Kansas, I always wanted to build something from the Great White Fleet period, and I have never built a complete resin ship.  It should be a fun build log.  

Scott

Those Bofors are great looking but it's a ton of work for quite the price. Like GH said, it all depends on how far you want to go with it.

Kentucky Colonel

 

Speaking about instructions. I bought a MK1 Design 1/350 Life Ring PE set. There are no instructions. The life rings themselves are simple but it's the ring holder that's throwing me off on where or how to bend it. I would like to use them but not sure how to do it.

 

USS Olympia

goldhammer

Those are nice but a lot of work not to mention the $$.

 

Those are nice but a lot of work not to mention the $$.

Just depends on how far you want to take her.

I was looking around on the internet and found these.

Think they would be worth it in 1/350 scale? There are 6 sets in each package so it's 3 1/3 packages meaning $100.  Too much for me.

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That is some awesome PE work that guy did.

Here's one I found. It's a 1/200 scale and has several rings and fire hose  but looking at the 350 scale it just mifght be a fire hose holder. I'll try it out, paint it white and red and if it works then I've got something nice that I didn't ever know I had.

You will need to go to YouTube to see it in full screen. I bet it is a fire hose.

I was thinking the same thing but that's a Life Ring flet and it never said anything about fire hose. I've been watching videos of 1/200 Missouri builds and I see both the life rings and fire hose. The fire hose looks much bigger that those in the picture. I'll make some "hooks" out of scrape PE for the rings and try to bind those "hose" if I can to make it look something like in the videos.

Agreed, you can see the "hose" around the square section if you look close. I don't how it attaches to the superstructure though. 

I can't find a good image on www, but those brackets look a lot like fire hose holders.

It's a half moon basket open side up, with some kind of back bracket.

modelcrazy

KC can you post a pic of the life ring?

The only PE sets I have installed were Eduard, Tom's, Gold Metal Models and White Ensign. Eduard out doe's them all for instructions. 

 

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Nino

A correction...

  This one was courtesy of Brian.  I supplied that High def shot of the stern of Coral Sea in my PM.

Thanks Bill. 

And Thanks Brian. You have provided some fantastic Images and Insights.

     Jim.

 

Here's todays progress. I painted the bottom of the hull a little higher than it needs to be, but I find thats easier than going back and touching up gaps. I think the anti fouling is probably browner than it ought to be, but my alternatives seem to be too red. It does look like a faded or dirty version of the paint in Brian's photo.

I've painted the anti skid on the gallerieres, anchor and fantail decks. Again, masked for a little overlap, but it's my best way to proceed. Haze Gray is next once the red and Dark Gray are cured, later next week. While I'm waiting for that, I will get started on the air wing.

A correction...

  This one was courtesy of Brian.  I supplied that High def shot of the stern of Coral Sea in my PM.

Thanks Bill. 

And Thanks Brian. You have provided some fantastic Images and Insights.

     Jim.

KC can you post a pic of the life ring?

The only PE sets I have installed were Eduard, Tom's, Gold Metal Models and White Ensign. Eduard out doe's them all for instructions. 

modelcrazy

Good lookin mast Bakster.

KC, I have never worked with the Flyhawk PE, how are the instructions?

 

They are ok but I would not recomand them for a first time use of PE. I've used Voyager and Eduard before so they were better for the first time. I have not had any time to really get started on it yet, just messing around to see how good it will work together. I was going over the instructions  several times and was really puzzled over a couple things, they showed some parts that were color coded. All the frets had a letter and numbers on the parts like say, K-6, but one had nothing but a long number, it was to replace the ammo boxes on the deck, and for the life of me I could not find what it was in the Flyhawk kit. While looking over them again the other night I realized all the flets had a letter but also had a small long number on the other side. Well I went though all the flets looking at the number instead of the letter and found it. So I recomand anybody getting them study the instructions,

Speaking about instructions. I bought a MK1 Design 1/350 Life Ring PE set. There are no instructions. The life rings themselves are simple but it's the ring holder that's throwing me off on where or how to bend it. I would like to use them but not sure how to do it.

modelcrazy

Good lookin mast Bakster.

 

Thanks Steve. Now its time to review and purchase the paint colors you recommended so I can start painting other things.