Work in Progress

Tyre 332 BC

Posted by huib on 05 May 2017, 18:37

Dear Mr. Cryns,

First I am happy to see you managed to save your boat hull from the silicones by exercising some patience.

And second, your skill for sculpting figures on this small scale is amazingly excellent. Great work!
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huib  Netherlands
 
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Posted by Cryns on 08 May 2017, 16:10

Dear Chariobaude and Huib,

Thank you so much for your nice replies.

Chariobaude wrote:i basically spend a third of my work time writing BPs without a predictable future

Searching for the meaning of 'BPs' I came upon Buddy Projects :-D , (social work!) besides the British Petrol Company that I already knew since a very young age.
But reading the rest of your reply made me realize you earn one third of your money by writing Bizniz Plans. I hope these plans are for other people too, not all of them for your own company otherwise there is not much profit.

These are your most remarkable words:

Chariobaude wrote:You have to create two ranges: a very expensive range (XXX euros) with many options, and another, much less expensive (XX euros) but also simpler, with less details, load to the buyer to Customize it as he pleases. For its viability, the second range must be more "industrial" in its mode of production.

I say that because this is exactly what my friend and teacher Gerard Boom told me: offer a complete ship with all extra's for a higher price, and just the hull with front and aft decks for a much lower price. Thats because wargamers and fantasy gamers often just want open hulls to ship figures. They don't care for a proper scale, a mast, sail, rudder or oars, they care even less for rigging, cargo and crew: :eh: :drool:

That was hard for me to accept. But I think he was right in saying so, and so are you. So thanks for the whole biznizplan. I will use it for sure in the future. :yeah:
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Cryns  Netherlands

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Posted by Alex on 09 May 2017, 10:51

Your persistence, talent and thoroughness deserve the highest respect! It is very pleasant to see all this, true pleasure.
:notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:
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Alex  Russia
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Posted by Cryns on 10 May 2017, 11:12

Dear Alex, I feel honoured to read your words. Thank you so much.

Sailor on the yardarm:
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Lookout in the mast:Image

Pilot at the prow:Image

Sailor throwing anchor out:
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Helmsmen sitting stearing straight ahead:
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Sailor pulling rope:
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Sailor lifting yard:
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Sailor walking beam:
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Every time I think I finished sculpting some new figures I make macro pictures and to my astonishment I find ugly cracks, holes, rims, scratches and messy area's on the figures' surfaces. Especially the bottom sides of limbs and bodies. It must be because I do a lot of cutting and scraping after each sculpting session. And because I use green stuff that is not water solvent to soften it. I have to try smoothen it again.

Sailor lifting anchor:Image

Sailor unknotting rope:
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Sailor drinking
Image
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Cryns  Netherlands

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Posted by Kostis Ornerakis on 10 May 2017, 16:28

Wonderful my friend! :thumbup: :-D
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Kostis Ornerakis  Greece

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Posted by Wiking on 13 May 2017, 09:31

Wow !
They look all anatomic right proportioned. With the perfect body. And so much dynamic in the poses!
I like that all extremities are used in all three dimensions and possible movements. like the legs of the sailor walking beam. The soft plastic figure are mostly use two dimensions if they move there leg or arms. Due to molding process.
And it is not only the sculpting. Additional how to shoot the photo. From the right angle.
As two shining example the sailor lifting anchor, sailor drinking.
All your sailors wear a full beard. More real as Hollywood show us.
:yeah:
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Wiking  Germany
 
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Posted by sberry on 13 May 2017, 10:03

There are many good works shown on this forum, but this project here is certainly among my all-time favorites: the huge scope of the project, the quality of the painting and sculpting, the great care even for minor details, and last not least the depth of research that is the basis for everything.
And as Wiking said: the fact that the figures are hand-sculpted means that there are lots of dynamic, realistic poses which cannot be achieved by using conventional moulds.
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sberry  Germany
 
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Posted by stenfalk on 13 May 2017, 13:01

You are truly an outstanding observer. This can be seen again in these reproductions of human physiology - but as well as in all other of your projects. However, i believe something is even more important in you: there is an unconditional willingness to do your work always with the maximum in action, knowledge and craftmanship so long until your own highest demands are fulfilled. So you are trying to develop yourself all the time. And it's visible in every new piece. Grest praise! :thumbup:
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stenfalk  Germany

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Posted by Cryns on 21 May 2017, 22:57

My dear friends thank you so much for your beautiful words :love:

Today a report about things going wrong, a favorite topic for many of you: enjoy and learn from other ones disasters :mrgreen:
A few months ago I casted 10 full sails and none of them was perfect. Having a critical look with bigger glasses I was in shock. Especially seen from the top of the yards (thats how gamers and spectators see the ships most often when finished and displayed) they look horrible.

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Bamboo is visible for strengthening the inside, some shiny resin was added later on, trying to fill up the air gaps... it didn't work. Iron wire to strengthen the sails was another poor idea.

Here the resin was not mixed properly:

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Also the mold did not close correctly so I had two yards grewn into each other like siamese twins, I tried to cut away the head of one of them but it makes it only worse.

Other sails had cracks in the cloth. I tried to glue it with fresh resin. Gluing turned out going well but the sailcloth profile gets lost:

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I gave up.

No I did not give up, :mad: I went to the chemical store once more, choose another rubber and made a brand new silicone mold with it:

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But first I had to do a make over and full repair of the original sail first.
Traces of blue silicone from the first mold got stuck inside the original and never can get out.

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I had difficulties cleaning the original sail from clay for the temporary molding bed. What material do professional casters use instead of clay?

I casted seven new sails of which only two were reasonable. Seven casts, stuffed with iron wire to strengthen, that means a full day of work... for two poor sails only. Some minor damage and holes I fixed with putty.

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In fact most of my old blue sillicone molds are bad: like this one for the board fences with two excessive bulbs top left and right:

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It comes from a single part mold. I cut that mold in two halves to see what causes the problem inside:

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Same bulbs again. It may be caused due to using too much parting agent, while I should not have used it at all in the first place for making a silicone mold. :eh:
Having a real close look at that mold:

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In the center the giant bulb and thousands of small air bubbles around. I need a de-gassing vacuum machine to solve this. Instead I made my third set :stressed: :mad: of silicone molds for this object using another rubber product. No airbubbles this time. Finally. :sweatdrop:

Also the ladder molds were bad (blue rubber again) so I replaced it with this:

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Lots of flash but the quality is better now.

Progression again:

Every one of these ships need at least 16 blocks for rigging:

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Inspired by Phersu casting his hundreds of wine bottles in long rows, I came up with this idea:

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The first set got lost after stuck onto the iron poles. Before the second casting I covered the poles in vaseline before pouring the resin.

And now, finally, my first two home made model-ship kits are ready for distribution. The Greek merchant ship:

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And the Phoenician rowing barge with sail:

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With every model kit comes a manual. Critics and comments concerning the rigging of the sailingship is appreciated:

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Image

Image
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Cryns  Netherlands

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Posted by Wiking on 22 May 2017, 04:47

Interesting post.
Fails (Puuuh, nice to see that happen not to me alone.).
And again: The one who work nothing will do not make mistakes too.
Complete set of good resin parts. For two ships. :-D
Most I like the Instruction. :yeah:
All in all for the first impression it look promising to me.

Miss the rigging cable in the set. ;-)
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Wiking  Germany
 
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Posted by Kostis Ornerakis on 22 May 2017, 05:47

:notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy:
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Kostis Ornerakis  Greece

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Posted by Bluefalchion on 22 May 2017, 05:58

What beautiful ship kits! And your perseverence in the face of multiple setbacks is admirable. Thanks for sharing with all of us.
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Bluefalchion  United States of America
 
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Posted by Cryns on 22 May 2017, 09:23

Wiking, Kostis and Bluefalchion, thank you so much for your fast replies.

Wiking wrote:Miss the rigging cable in the set.


You have an important point here. :yeah:
I thought about adding some meters of cable to it.
But my personal experience is: I never use the cable that comes with the kit.
Because its too thin, wrong color or looking like cheap sewing thread.
Wiking what is your personal experience with cables that come with ship kits, because you build several of them already?

For rope I use beige colored wire produced for wooden ship models, bought in the modelshop that does not exist anymore. :( It came in different thickness and for each chip I use those different thicknesses.
I have to find new cables somewhere online.

Kostis, what is your opinion about cables? You build several ships too. What did you use in the past?
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Cryns  Netherlands

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Posted by Kostis Ornerakis on 22 May 2017, 09:37

Mr. Cryns wrote:But my personal experience is: I never use the cable that comes with the kit.

Most of the times I don't either.
I use beige thread. First I put it in a varnish of dark wood (walnut) and wipe it through my fingers then wax and finally when attached to its final position wash with diluted white glue. :-D
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Kostis Ornerakis  Greece

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Posted by Cryns on 22 May 2017, 09:43

Kostis I knew it! :-D
You always use more delicate ways in modeling than us (the other modelers) :notworthy:

Kostis Ornerakis wrote:I use beige thread.

Thread produced for modelships or for sewing?
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Cryns  Netherlands

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Posted by Kostis Ornerakis on 22 May 2017, 09:50

I'm looking for the appropriate diameter in my wife's stock. :-D
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Kostis Ornerakis  Greece

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Posted by Beano Boy on 22 May 2017, 11:58

I have used thin braded fishing line on boats in the past. £1.08 for 100M Reel on E Bay.
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Posted by Frankzett on 22 May 2017, 12:44

Well the castings don't look so bad i think - without degasing! If you want to economize your moulding and casting works you should have a desiccator. I am happy to have one. I remember the time without it - most mould making and castings were like roulette. With such a machine nearly every mould was working fine ...
About the moulds; i think you should try single-piece-moulds, with a more flexible silicone. Fixing the model, then pouring in the silicone, and then after the solidifying, making some cuts along the model to take it out of the silicone, but not cutting the mould in two pieces.
If you cast the resin in, you can squeeze and crease the mould like a bag, to help the bubbles rising up. If you need exact measures with thin castings, take braces with the mould, because some bulging with the filled mould . And then, if available, take it into vacuum. When I cast such things I make vakuum, then again some more squeeze and crease, then vacuum again ...
I see, you make some wood yards into the mould, I think this isn't neccessary, I think it hampers the bubbles ...
But o.k. I am not high professional, If there are complex or thin models I need putty too :mrgreen:

Go on further with your great project :thumbup:
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Posted by Wiking on 22 May 2017, 15:13

Mr. Cryns wrote:
Wiking what is your personal experience with cables that come with ship kits, because you build several of them already?

I feel me honored to be asked such a question by you! :oops:
And it is a good choice to ask Kostis too.


Mr. Cryns wrote:
But my personal experience is: I never use the cable that comes with the kit.

In spite to you,
for all my ships and one plane I always used in the past the same thread that I get with the Airfix kit, Bounty. If I want to change the color I simply paint it and sometimes use a wash.
Only for my planes now I get a thin black thread that is possible to tension. Started with the " Message in a Bottle" Dio.
The small ship in these Dio get a white cable. This was from my old defective radio/ cassette recorder that my mum spend me in 1986. Last year I slaughtered it. And these white rope to adjust the radio frequency mechanically I used for the small ship inside.
I ignored in the past the different size of rigging. But want to change it in the future.

In short I can`t support you with a useful answer. Sorry.
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Wiking  Germany
 
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Posted by sberry on 22 May 2017, 17:54

When something at the bigger model companies goes wrong, one gets only some imprecise information on ”problems” – or no information at all, just “release date to be announced”.
Therefore, it is to be applauded that you share all negative experiences so honestly. This will be of great value for anybody who wants to start his own casting adventure.

I have made experiments with silicone molds in the past. This stuff worked quite well for me (although a bit expensive IMHO).
But the molds were made for plaster casts of architecture parts where only one surface would be visible in the end product. Therefore, a much less challenging situation than the problems you encounter with your ships and all those fragile parts. But I understand very well how troublesome the problems like air bubbles etc. can be.
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sberry  Germany
 
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