Looking at all the tab locations on the lower deck for the remaining PE, I would think it will be well worth the effort. On smaller scales extra detail like what your doing really lifts the completed model to a whole other level. Looking at the detail you've already added is impressive.

Keep it up, looks great so far!

DRUMS01

Well just when I thought I was working the final stages for painting the hull, this happened.....

The models hull has the degaussing conduit/cable molded around it which is represented by a raised ridge line. The line varies in height/width throughout different spots on the hull. It is also molded into vents, anchors, portholes, etc. So the question was, should I work on removing it from the hull and replace it with one provided in the PE set? Is the risk of destroying or removing details worth the effort? How much of an improvement is the roughly 30 pieces of PE over the raised rib, especially after the hull is painted? And after all,... what is a degaussing line?

What is Degaussing? The ship’s hull, made of steel, acts like a large floating magnet surrounded by an even larger magnetic field. When the ship moves through the water, the magnetic field moves along with it and produces disturbance in the earth’s magnetic field. This distortion effect on the earth’s magnetic field can easily be detected by the devices designed to track such distortions. The degaussing system is used to reduce the ship’s effect on the earth’s magnetic field by preventing the generation of the magnetic disturbances. The application of degaussing system started during the world war II to prevent the naval ships from magnetic mines and torpedoes. When the ship used to come near a magnetic mine or a magnetic torpedo,the magnetic field of the ship used to actuate the firing mechanism and cause the mine or torpedo explode. Thus, degaussing systems were installed to counteract the ship’s magnetic field by cancelling the changes in earth’s field around the hull of the ship. (source Military WIKI)

So I guess having the cable on the Yamato is not only accurate but needed. Back I went back to the first set of questions. Here is what the molded in cable looks like: (the black sharpie marker was drawn to better identify what needs removed and what does not, it will be removed prior to final painting).





I then asked myself, why wouldn't I replace it considering all of the other PE thats already been added to the model? Looking at the PE and its extra detail made it clear to me that the molded in degaussing cable had to be removed. During the removal process I could not avoid removing several portholes and very small ladder steps. My fix was to make those portholes open (like numerous others) by drilling them into the plastic with the same size bit and pin vise. The ladder steps will be more difficult. After several hours of removing the cable without removing the vents, anchors, ladders, portholes, etc. ; this is what the hull looked like yesterday:



Today I had a couple hours to begin adding the PE degaussing cable. Prior to applying the individual sections I started a new bottle of medium CA glue which I use to tack it down. After numerous razor blades, sore fingers, weeping and gnashing of teeth, I was able to get most of the cable added to the hull. For some reason, either the PE fret, the kit plastic, or the CA glue itself, it did not want to bond the PE to the plastic very easy. What it did like to do was stick to the plastic, and to the PE part, but not attach the PE part to the hull; almost like a chemical reaction to each other (?). I tried two other known good bottles of CA in both medium and thin and they were not much better. SO here I was fully committed to the replacement, glue sticking everything but the two part bond, but I fought my way through it. While there is still some mild clean-up to complete, this is what the new degaussing cable looks like:







I would like to know if anyone else has ever had anything like that occur? Considering the CA cement worked well on all the other PE and plastic (before and after), it must be this fret of PE. When continuing on other areas of the kit I did not have any further issues. Now its time to add the ladders and other details back on the hull, smooth it out and make final preparations for paint.

Till next time, take care of yourself, enjoy your loved ones, and build something....

DRUMS01

Ben, I would think it's the PE causing your CA issue. You may want to clean it using vinigar next time. I've never used it but it seem that many do. Yes, I had a simmilar issue adding the hand holds to the Ahagi. And I certently understand the desision to remove them. After removing the plastic handholds, I had several other items to replace.

Hi Steve,

Could you mark me down for the Tamiya 1/350 I-400 please.

Cheers

Tony

taxtp

Hi Steve,

Could you mark me down for the Tamiya 1/350 I-400 please.

Cheers

Tony

 

Awsome mate, looking forward to it 

I dunno what's going on Ben but again I love your work- it looks amazing to me! 

Ok, I'm looking at picking up another kit for the biuld, this time in 350th.  Are there any model companies I should stay away from?  I've built mostly Hasegawa, Tamiya, and now Fujimi.  As far as most of these other companies go, I have never seem any of their kits around here and don't want to waste any more money than necessary.  Between the kit prices and the PE and detail sets or part sets, it can add up fast.

I'll defer to your opinions Steve and Ben but were there any actually bad Japanese ship models? I believe Tamiya, Hasegawa, Fujimi, and Aoshima are all pretty good even their older kits may be a bit Spartan but still well molded.

Gamera

I'll defer to your opinions Steve and Ben but were there any actually bad Japanese ship models? I believe Tamiya, Hasegawa, Fujimi, and Aoshima are all pretty good even their older kits may be a bit Spartan but still well molded.

 

Finding one that affordable is going to be your bigest hurdle. The Japanese are very proud of their Japanese ships. Have you thought about a modern ship like the Atago by Trumpeter?

I was thinking of the JMSDF ships but so far I have only seen a couple 1/700 scale ships so far. and am trying to keep to the larger scale.  I have built the Tamiya PT15 but that was an exception.

Google trumpeters site and go to 1/350 ships.  They have several more modern self defense kits, and listed by kit number.  Makes it a little easier to search your usual suppliers.

With all their listings for US, GB, Italian and Russian ships from WWI, it's suprising they don't have anything in earlier Japanese hardware.

I have the Atago, nice kit and not huge.

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/trumpeter-04536-jmsdf-ddg-177-atago--140558

and Trumpiter makes a few others as well.

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/trumpeter-04534-jmsdf-ddg-175-myoko--1275834

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/trumpeter-04533-jmsdf-ddg-174-kirishima--153711

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/trumpeter-04532-ddg-173-kongo--106159

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/trumpeter-04537-jmsdf-murasame-destroyer--147323

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/trumpeter-04539-jmsdf-takanami-destroyer--147321

Pit Road makes a few as well.

I just ordered the I-27 sub and the Destroyer Kagero.  I'll check on PE for them next time.  Where can I order the JMSDF ships?  I checked Sprue Brothers and Free time but didn't see them, just a couple detail sets.

Took a look at Mega and scalehobbiest, only saw one newer ship in 1/350...ddh 181 class helo destroyer.  Fujimi, and they think it's made of unobtainium- $346.48.

Lot of WWII IJN stuff in that scale mostly from Aoshima and Fujimi.

goldhammer88

Took a look at Mega and scalehobbiest, only saw one newer ship in 1/350...ddh 181 class helo destroyer.  Fujimi, and they think it's made of unobtainium- $346.48.

Lot of WWII IJN stuff in that scale mostly from Aoshima and Fujimi.

 

 

I think I'll pass on that one... 

Try HobbyLink Japan 

Andy's Hobby has the Myoko in stock for around $44

I'll check them out.

I put more PE on my carries, lost a few pieces that managed to slip out of the tweezers into the black hole in the floor, hopefully they won't be noticed.  Hate it when I can't feel the pressure and they open up like that.  I'll post a couple shots later today.

That sounds good- best o' luck Ikar! Hope you find what you're looking for.

I know what you mean about tweezer launches. They're like a miniature catapult- capable of hurling PE all the way across a room. 

Even worse my fingers can't feel the pressure and they just open up enough to let the piece fall somewhere between the pickup point and the contact point, or sometimes the tweezers go with it and land somewhere else.

Here's the next set of pictures.  It took about a half hour to get tehm because I think my camera is smarter than I am.  At times it doesn't want to focus as I carefully push the trigger and other times it might focus but not trigger the shutter.  But here they are:

That is really looking sweet 

What I hate is brushing a small part off onto the floor whithout knowing it. My wife will hear me say "I SWEAR it was RIGHT HERE!" 

modelcrazy

That is really looking sweet 

What I hate is brushing a small part off onto the floor whithout knowing it. My wife will hear me say "I SWEAR it was RIGHT HERE!" 

 

Followed by some CG verbage.  I do the same thing, and more often now with my senior moments, in loud AF style so it can be heard over the J-79's.

This is the only photo that I can post today.  It seems there is a problem with the hosting service.  

They said they are working the problem and hopefully have it fixed soon.  Y just trued diwnloading from my camera again with no luck.

AWS web services is having issues - it's wreaking havoc across the web.

It looks like it's clearing up.

Here's another asttempt at a couple shots:

Your carrier is looking really nice so far IKAR01. This little bits are going to look super once they have a coat of paint.

Speaking of paint, sorry about the lack of updates, but have been trying to educate myself on Lifecolor paints, specifically how to mix / thin, with what mediums, ratios, air pressure, what primers to use under it, etc. I hope to have some photos with some color applied real soon. 

I ordered Lifecolor thinner but received Lifecolor airbrush cleaner in its place. After checking various sources I found some of their thinner but it seems very expensive to me. I've been informed by several people who have been using Lifecolor for quite some time that they do not use their thinner and instead mix distilled water and windex to a 60/40 mix. They say the windex gives the paint a better flow and bite thus sticking to the plastic in a more uniformed way (better).

So I now have the "stuff" and will be giving it a go shortly with photos forthcoming. 

Ben

The carrier looks great 

Ben, I used Lifecolor for the Akagi and really liked it. My problem is that it's hard to find individual paints. I'm probably just not looking in the right place. 

My next two IJN projects just arrived.  I hsvr the Destroyer IJN Kagero and submarine I-27, carrying what looks like a very familiar 2 man sub behind its conning tower.  They list it as Japanese Navy submarine I-27 w/a target.  Both are 1/350th and later I will order the PE or detail set for Kagero but I don't think I'll be able to find something for the sub, but I'll try.

Nice, some of the Japanese subs were huge. 

I did a little checking on thte history of I-17.  It was on patrol near Pearl Habor to attack any ships that might make for open water and later actually fired on California when it tried to hit a fuel depot.  About the only damage they did was to make some holes in the ground and damage a minor building somewhere, but it did panic the coast.  Oddly enough the next night was the battle of L.A. that dropped a bunch of shrappnel and some unexploded rounds on the city.  The I-17 was sunk in August 1943 by a ship and Kingfisher attack in the western Pacific.