It's a Small World - the modelling thread.
- Thread starter Pyan
- Start date
New ship on the stocks: the pre-dreadnought battleship MN Condorcet, 1909.
Harpo
Getting away with it
I don’t make models, and haven’t been following this thread.
But I thought you might like to see this, which I just happened across
But I thought you might like to see this, which I just happened across
I’m starting to think building Akagi was a bad idea. Lots of tiny pieces but that’s the norm for a 1/700 build.
Akagi was originally designed as a battlecruiser and then earmarked to be scrapped under the Washington treaty - that was until her sister ship, Amagi, which was to be converted to a carrier, had her hull so badly damaged in an earthquake that she had to be scrapped instead and this paved the way for Akagi to become Japan’s most famous carrier.
What this all means in model building terms is that the flight deck was essentially built on stilts and struts well above the hull. There is an awful lot under the flight deck that will be on display and will have to be painted long before fitting the deck. I’m trying to figure out the best way of doing this and I think approaching the task as two separate model builds might work. But then I need to figure out the demarcation between the two. It doesn’t help that the instructions are pretty sparse and in tiny print. Also, most of the painting instructions are in Japanese.
Needless to say, the build is on hold for now (I might take longer to build a ship than the MOD)!
Alternatively, I could put all the parts back in the box and go build something easier instead
Akagi was originally designed as a battlecruiser and then earmarked to be scrapped under the Washington treaty - that was until her sister ship, Amagi, which was to be converted to a carrier, had her hull so badly damaged in an earthquake that she had to be scrapped instead and this paved the way for Akagi to become Japan’s most famous carrier.
What this all means in model building terms is that the flight deck was essentially built on stilts and struts well above the hull. There is an awful lot under the flight deck that will be on display and will have to be painted long before fitting the deck. I’m trying to figure out the best way of doing this and I think approaching the task as two separate model builds might work. But then I need to figure out the demarcation between the two. It doesn’t help that the instructions are pretty sparse and in tiny print. Also, most of the painting instructions are in Japanese.
Needless to say, the build is on hold for now (I might take longer to build a ship than the MOD)!
Alternatively, I could put all the parts back in the box and go build something easier instead
I’d really like to move up to1/350 but, frankly, I have no idea where I’m going to put Akagi when (if) I get it finished. It’s a pity Airfix don’t sell bigger house kits
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2007
- Messages
- 6,447
Can't you just leave them floating in the bath?
Take your pick!.....I’d really like to move up to1/350 but, frankly, I have no idea where I’m going to put Akagi when (if) I get it finished. It’s a pity Airfix don’t sell bigger house kits
Thinking more on my problem - it's more an issue with the actual ship design than scale (although a larger scale would certainly help). Up early this morning for F1 practice on the radio so, between stints, decided to prime all the parts before assembly. That was when I realised that I also had to prime the underside of the flight deck. On other carriers this is normally hidden by the hull but on Akagi, much it is open and needs to be painted.
Culhwch
Lost Boy
I’d really like to move up to1/350 but, frankly, I have no idea where I’m going to put Akagi when (if) I get it finished. It’s a pity Airfix don’t sell bigger house kits
I have this issue too - I don't really have room for the kits I've finished, let alone the ones still in their boxes!
I also have some permanent houseguests who have, on occasion, been known to knock fragile models from high shelves...
- Joined
- Jan 22, 2008
- Messages
- 8,121
More Eldar harlequins. These are metal models from the 1980s and they're pretty small. The sculpting is amazing, given that no computers were involved.
Main hull paint finished - it'll need touching up continually during the build, as the acrylic paint is so soft, compared to the enamel. There's a fair bit of PE to go on the hull as well, but that comes a lot later, as it's easy to knock off - things like the doors for the 77mm casement guns, access ladders, etc.
@Pyan How do you find gluing the PE to the model?
When I did the handrails on Chitose, I found it quite difficult getting it to sit just right. I tried to use the absolute minimum amount of glue and maybe that was part of the problem. It seems that using the glue you recommended doesn’t have such a detrimental effect on painted surfaces. I’ve found that the standard glue tends to lift the paint very easily.
When I did the handrails on Chitose, I found it quite difficult getting it to sit just right. I tried to use the absolute minimum amount of glue and maybe that was part of the problem. It seems that using the glue you recommended doesn’t have such a detrimental effect on painted surfaces. I’ve found that the standard glue tends to lift the paint very easily.
I use the reverse-action tweezers*, use the cocktail stick point to put a dot of glue on the model** where the PE (or unfeasibly small plastic) part is to go, then position the part just so and squeeze the tweezers. That Everbuild glue gives me about two to three seconds to adjust, if necessary.
*
They're a lot easier than normal ones, as you only have to concentrate on positioning, not positioning + pressure.
** Doing it this way around (glue on model, not glue on part) minimises the risk of the part sticking to the tweezers. I once spent twenty minutes fruitlessly searching for a small but vital part that I thought I'd dropped, only to find it firmly stuck to the outside of the tweezer jaws...
*
** Doing it this way around (glue on model, not glue on part) minimises the risk of the part sticking to the tweezers. I once spent twenty minutes fruitlessly searching for a small but vital part that I thought I'd dropped, only to find it firmly stuck to the outside of the tweezer jaws...
I’ll give putting the glue on the model rather than the part a try and see how I get on.
I’ve been having trouble with reverse tweezers but will persevere. My brain cannot seem to compute that my fingers should do the opposite action to normal tweezers.
I’ve been having trouble with reverse tweezers but will persevere. My brain cannot seem to compute that my fingers should do the opposite action to normal tweezers.
Akagi is starting to do my head in. So many parts. So many parts to paint prior to building. Instructions are minscule on one piece of folded paper. Drawings of parts with meandering lines finally ending in arrows to show where it goes on a cluttered diagram. It's like one of those puzzle mazes you try and draw your way out of with a pencil. Already made two mistakes which I (thankfully) was able to rectify without any damage.
I need a break (and a drink)...
I need a break (and a drink)...
It doesn't say (or if it does it's in Japanese).
I had a quick check. There are 12 different sets of parts. Four of those are in clear plastic with 28 parts per frame. I see (going by the highest number on the rest of the frames ) roughly 260 other parts. So 260+112 =372 parts approx. Around 20 of those parts are inner strengthening struts that will never be seen. Hull is in two long parts that then fits to a bottom part and the struts are there so it keeps its shape and isn't flimsy when built I presume.
I'm 100 behind you but building for a smaller universe
I had a quick check. There are 12 different sets of parts. Four of those are in clear plastic with 28 parts per frame. I see (going by the highest number on the rest of the frames ) roughly 260 other parts. So 260+112 =372 parts approx. Around 20 of those parts are inner strengthening struts that will never be seen. Hull is in two long parts that then fits to a bottom part and the struts are there so it keeps its shape and isn't flimsy when built I presume.
I'm 100 behind you but building for a smaller universe
| Thread starter | Similar threads | Forum | Replies | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F | looking for a small sci fi book | Book Search | 2 | |
|
House of the Dragon: 2.06 - Smallfolk | House of the Dragon | 9 | |
|
A Bigger Smaller World - Overpopulous | Critiques | 5 | |
| M | ShortStory SciFi: People in a small world | Book Search | 15 | |
|
1.05: Small Worlds | Torchwood | 9 |