Author Topic: HMS Bulldog - compact kit  (Read 26259 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline colin

  • Building HMS Enchantress
  • Administrator
  • Admiral
  • *
  • Posts: 1578
  • Gender: Male
Re: HMS Bulldog - compact kit
« Reply #15 on: 23 November 2015, 05:22:46 »
looking nice a crisp..  ^^^
what did you use on your port holes.. notice you have the port hole eyelids.. did they come with the kit..? 

Offline karlgalster

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 429
  • Gender: Male
Re: HMS Bulldog - compact kit
« Reply #16 on: 24 November 2015, 19:01:34 »
Thanks Colin. The ringols are easily made from styrene tube. The tube is cut in a mitre block using a razor saw to produce a ring about 0.5-0.75mm width. The ring of styrene is then cut up to give the arc required which I have taken as about 120 - 150 degrees, so two ringols produced per ring. Being styrene they bond well to the deckhouse sides but I am using super glue for bonding to the hull port holes - this might not be as good a bond but so far they are still in place.

By the way  - this forum is much quieter than when I used to post quite a lot a few years ago.

Offline colin

  • Building HMS Enchantress
  • Administrator
  • Admiral
  • *
  • Posts: 1578
  • Gender: Male
Re: HMS Bulldog - compact kit
« Reply #17 on: 25 November 2015, 05:47:34 »
thanks for the info Robin... yes it is rather quite.. I guess others are working on other projects... so no time to for a Build log..
I for example have not done a build log for some time, but I guess I have an excuse... that's a different story..
but on the lighter side of things there will be a couple of build logs from me in the new year hopefully..

yes I guess that is one way to make the eyelids... depending on the scale, the styrene tube could be a little over scale..

I use very thin brass wire, and wrap it around a Drill bit that is about 1 size smaller than I require.. cutting the wire in roughly the same way but with a pair of scissors..

Offline swiftdoc

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 400
  • Gender: Male
Re: HMS Bulldog - compact kit
« Reply #18 on: 25 November 2015, 09:17:31 »
For my part, I am working at a different project (Brabham Alfa BT 46 B fan car, for those who are interested in classic formula 1 cars). After Christmas I will begin the build of the Deans kit MV Velarde and post a build thread here :)

@Robin: I follow your build with great interest ^^^

Offline Troy Tempest

  • Building HMS Zulu since 1987
  • Lt-Commander
  • *
  • Posts: 141
  • Gender: Male
Re: HMS Bulldog - compact kit
« Reply #19 on: 25 November 2015, 15:58:44 »
Thats a super looking model coming along there
I posted some photos of HMS Fox here http://www.deansmarine.co.uk/index.php?topic=734.0 if they are of any use?
If the link doesn't work they are under General Discussion - Photos of HMS Fox
BTW the reason bridge windows are angled is to prevent internal reflections on the inside of the glass at night

Offline karlgalster

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 429
  • Gender: Male
Re: HMS Bulldog - compact kit
« Reply #20 on: 26 November 2015, 18:20:55 »
Thank you for the photos Troy Tempest. I have done a general search on the web for Bulldog images but they are all views of the entire ship which although nice are not a lot of use to modellers but the photos of HMS Fox have some very useful close up views. I am still struggling to find much information on the two boats, particularly the survey boat. Thanks for the info on the slanting windows - I had not thought of that.
Robin

Offline karlgalster

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 429
  • Gender: Male
Re: HMS Bulldog - compact kit
« Reply #21 on: 21 December 2015, 18:47:24 »
Hi guys. I have moved onto the deck planking task. The kit came with some quite reasonable vinyl printed deck which is designed to fit the various  deck areas of the model. You could use the vinyl decking but it would be quite tricky and I have decided to do a conventional wooden planked deck. Mind you the vinyl could be fitted in a couple of hours tops whereas planking wooden strips is likely to take me about 50 hours minimum. I am using 2mm x 0.25mm strip lime wood bought from Mantua at the Warwick show at 50p per 1 metre strip  >:D. It is stuck down using 10-20sec Super glue direct onto the styrene deck. Its going to take a lot of varnishing to protect it specially as HMS Bulldog is going  to be very wet on the quarterdeck.  The individual planks are cut to 60mm length which represents a 19 foot plank. The planks are put down in a staggered pattern repeating every 4th plank. I have used pencil graphite on the edges and the ends of each plank to represent caulking. Belatedly I have come to the conclusion that this is not appropriate at this scale (1/96) except for the ends of the planks. Very obtrusive caulking on a 1/96 model looks wrong.


Offline karlgalster

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 429
  • Gender: Male
Re: HMS Bulldog - compact kit
« Reply #22 on: 28 January 2016, 18:30:38 »
Hi guys, I have made a lot of progress since the last post. All the planking now complete (thank heaven). Well into the painting phase now and attach photos of the two buff coloured areas - the main mast and the funnel. For the mast I have replaced all white metal parts with replacements made from styrene. In general I have avoided using the white metal parts not because the kit items are not good enough but because I suspect this model is likely to be a bit tender so any reduction in weight above the water line will beneficial.

Offline karlgalster

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 429
  • Gender: Male
Re: HMS Bulldog - compact kit
« Reply #23 on: 13 February 2016, 16:05:22 »
Got her finished. Makes a nice little model. Looks good in the bath. Took about 150 grams of lead to bring down to the water line making it about 1.2Kg as finished. DM info is a bit confusing about the in service weight. Box label says 1.35 Kg but the documentation says 0.9Kg. I have a lot of spare white metal bits as nearly all have been replaced by styrene scratch made items.

The individual houses:

Offline karlgalster

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 429
  • Gender: Male
Re: HMS Bulldog - compact kit
« Reply #24 on: 13 February 2016, 16:08:06 »
Ballast test in the bath. Seems quite stable but sea tests will reveal more (when it gets a bit warmer ;D)

Offline karlgalster

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 429
  • Gender: Male
Re: HMS Bulldog - compact kit
« Reply #25 on: 13 February 2016, 16:12:01 »
Crew now installed (all six of them). Oh yes by agreement with the owner the ship has been renamed as another of the survey vessel quartet - HMS Fox. Too many Bulldogs about :)

Would I recommend this kit? Yes, for the effort involved it does make a very nice looking boat but I would recommend -

a) Use individual wooden planks for the decking as although it requires a lot of effort it is worth it and using the kit supplied printed vinyl looks a bit tricky.
b) Replace as many white metal parts with scratch built plastic equivalents - not that difficult and the top side weight saving will pay off. NB particularly the main crane, small cranes and the four boat davits.

A really enjoyable build.
« Last Edit: 13 February 2016, 16:22:08 by karlgalster »

Offline swiftdoc

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 400
  • Gender: Male
Re: HMS Bulldog - compact kit
« Reply #26 on: 13 February 2016, 20:29:48 »
Excellent work, Robin ^^^ :) ^^^ I agree with you: it is always worth the effort spending time in extra detailing. In the end that makes the difference :)



Offline Dennis

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 253
  • Gender: Male
Re: HMS Bulldog - compact kit
« Reply #27 on: 14 February 2016, 00:13:39 »
Very nice build you have there. Well done!!! It will look amazing on the water. ^^^ ^^^ ^^^

Offline Troy Tempest

  • Building HMS Zulu since 1987
  • Lt-Commander
  • *
  • Posts: 141
  • Gender: Male
Re: HMS Bulldog - compact kit
« Reply #28 on: 14 February 2016, 17:34:15 »
Looks lovely, well done

Offline karlgalster

  • Captain
  • *
  • Posts: 429
  • Gender: Male
Re: HMS Bulldog - compact kit
« Reply #29 on: 14 February 2016, 18:21:40 »
Thank you fro your comments guys. I hope to get the boat to the lake in a week of so to see how it handles - I will report back on the performance.  :)

Robin