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[Walter Cooper]

Hello Martin,I think that your doing a wonderful job on her Simply beautiful,Walter

[cbr900]

Martin,

The vent strips you have attached with the repairs are
I am afraid not going to work out, as you have to insert
small little brass sheets into the different shapes and
the repair strips you have used are way to big you will
not get them into the holes, you will have to cut down
your repair strips quite a bit, sorry mate...........


Roy

[Martin (Admin)]

Oh! OK, what issue do they come in?

[rem2007]

I think their the brass bits in issue 48.

[cbr900]

No sorry they are in issue 47......
they do make those little holes look a lot better........


Roy

[Martin (Admin)]

Question, the step in the hull, at the top, the 2 'inset planks'....... I can't see this in any of the original photos?!!

[rem2007]

Oops sorry, I was close, but that only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades

Anyway, added the numbers 1 and 2 in your top photo. these 2 rows of planking represent the recesses area at the top of the armour belt. they are not double planked as the rest of the hull. and if you want a good modification add a third line of planking on top and form your removeable deck to fit. There is a modification thread on this on Mark's page and it does take some doing but will benefit in the water-proofing ability. Some have joined the 2 removeable pieces,I'm still toying wth this idea.
Hope this helps.

[Martin (Admin)]

Thanks Rem2007, do you mean this?



http://buildthebismark.proboards52.com/index.cgi?board=info&action=display&thread=941

[rem2007]

That was quick

[Martin (Admin)]

2nd layer of sticks..... going well !!!! 

Just been on fleaBay, can anyone tell me what the difference between SANDING SEALER & SHELLAC WHITE SANDING SEALER is please?

[rem2007]

Good question , hopefully we have a chemist onboard

[Colin Bishop]

Correct me if I'm wrong but my understanding is that conventional sanding sealer is cellulose based. Shellac is derived from resin excreted by a certain type of beetle. Having used both, I prefer the latter as it gives a very hard and smooth finish when abraded and takes paint very well. It is particularly good as a finishing coat on gummed paper strip and I have completed most of my models with this combination.

Colin

[Philipsparker]

Use sanding sealer - it smells good and works better. A few coats and you'll have a very waterproof hull. That's what we used on my Dad's Bismark followed by several coats of high-build primer to help smooth things out. The primer will want a coat of gloss airbrushed on to waterproof it properly but that's easy enough then it can go grey.

He's bang up to date at the half way point. The etched bits for the superstructure are very good:



I'm using the same hull treatment on my Fantail Launch. If there are to be any problames I'd rather find out on this than the battleships !
Pics of this at: http://philsworkbench.blogspot.com/search/label/Fantail%20launch

Hope this helps !

Phil

[Martin (Admin)]

I was looking about buying one of those etched brass benders "hold n Fold" etc ... but then i saw the price!!
£35 - £95... yeah, Right!


http://thesmallshop.com/index.php

[Philipsparker]

I own a Hold'n'Fold device but my Dad hasn't needed to borrow it yet. A pair of small square ended pliers (I bought a Stanley set from a pound shop once) will be more use to you. The lines to fold along are half etched and the brass not very hard so the biggest problem is the tiny size of some of the parts ! The fit of them so far has been excellent, far better than many of the etched locomotive kits I build.

Phil
philsworkbench.blogspot.com

[colin-stevens]

go to youre local hardware store and buy a large, good quality hinge.
keep the edges sharp, result
colin

[Eric65]

A metal ruler and pliers work for me, as Phill said the brass parts fold along their lnes and fit together very nicely.

[Captain Povey]

Hi Martin you are doing a great job, or is it really your little work mate who is in charge. Can he be hired and if so what's the hourly rate?  Cheers Graham

[rem2007]

hey martin
when are you going to post some more pics of your build?
are the little men on strike?
 

[Martin (Admin)]

He's been on holiday.... without me!  :(

[amdaylight]

Martin,

Do you know the people that are producing this kit, when I e-mailed them saying that there were a couple of us interested in starting their kit, they e-mailed back that they only sell in England, not the US.  >:( Could you possibly convince them to start selling in the US as I think that they could really expand their business.

By the way you are doing a great job on her (him?  ???) so far.

Andre Anderson

[rem2007]

hi andre,

actually it started in germany, then the uk, then south africa, austrailia, kiwi land and now france and holland, so if you move to holland you could get it. not quite the same as portland, but still lots of flowers around.

[berth44]

G'day to all, haven't been on line for a wee while, but that doesn't mean I'm out the game, I just lost this one!! I'm still building away, got over the problems with the ''rubbish' planks' that were the 2nd layer. Most were replaced with 2 dollar bags of lollypop sticks!! It's finished now and it has turned out pretty good.
I don't know how you fellow builders out there went with the 'portholes', but I had used the 'ply' parts with the 'pre drilled' holes, and when the 'paper template' came in 54, well, I had a lot of filling to do, like them ALL!!, every hole was wrong and filled in, re marked, re drilled! (I also fitted 'plastic' inserts into every porthole, if anybody is interested, I'll tell you how!)
We are all aware of the 'aft resin anchor pocket' enough has been said about it, so dare I say, even the replacement isn't right!! It all comes to light with the top row of portholes, like I mentioned, I fitted the ply parts, but when the template is placed on the stern, the 'ply holes' are like 3mm lower. So, when you look at the anchor, look at a good photo of the stern and see it's placement in reference to the deck and to the 'new' row of portholes you just might see a bit of a difference,you'd need to be blind not to see it...I was, and I admit it, nobody is perfect!!!
Anyway, I could go on for ages, write heaps, all I'm going to say is, I 'moved' the anchor pocket into it's new position,(without moving it????) and visually, it looks correct!, if anybody is interested or has done it, let me know!
I'm up to part 59, just going through all the various parts and finishing them off. No real problems so far, a few niggly things perhaps that have crept in, mainly AMATI'S fault....Nice to be back....Dave (I'll try to be shorter next post!!)

[Martin (Admin)]

Hi Berth44,

I must admit I'm pushed for time to get some more of my model done (Truth be told the 2ndlayer planking is one of the most disheartening tasks I've undertaken in a model boat for many a year!).

Interesting what you say about the portholes, stern anchor, corrections, corrections to the corrections, amount of words being lent to this project...... how can that be when it comes in 140 parts?!?!?!  - At this stage I must admit, I would like to see a "factory finished" model just to see what it mine "will look like" once it's finished!...

[Ladybug]

Hello,

First some greetings from Holland.
After reading all the comments and tips, i've desided to build the Bismarck too.

I'm happy to say, that i've just finished the first two chapters of the 140 (got 3 left for the next days)
But i've already a question: Is it correct, that part 1 is lower then the ones on each site (about 1 mm) ?
I bought a second copy of chapter 2, and the part 1 in that one is the same height .
I'm just asking this, because when i look at all the nice pics of you guys, a see only a flat deck at that place, not a little curve

Greetz Paul

[Martin (Admin)]

Yes, it's not important, nothing goes on top of that rib.

[Ladybug]

Thanks Martin,

i thought the deck rested on that part, (so i'm wrong)
i shouldn't read that far ahead 

greetz Paul

[Martin (Admin)]

Despite being laser cut, I've found most hull parts needed a little 'tweaking' to get them to fit properly. 

[berth44]

G'day Martin, I love that word, 'tweaking', definitely sounds better than 'thumping' 'bashing' 'tearing' (as per your hair out!!) I'm sure that there are many out there who have complied!!!)Sorry to hear your view about the hull,( 2nd lot of planking),  'disheartening'  I would probably agree as the planks I received for the job were awful, it's the cost factor as well, I used some, but most of it were' 2 dollar per hundred' lollypop sticks!!. I also chucked the instructions and went about it in an 'unorderly' berth44 fashion which seemed to work!
In the end it will no doubt be a great model, seeing one finished would definitely be a bonus, keep the chin up..Dave

[cbr900]

It would appear that Amati's quality control is almost non existant,
from what Martin and Bertha44 have said, I must be one of the lucky ones as so far every peice has fitted together perfectly, also my second planking strips were excellent, don't want to be nasty but I hope you guys keep getting the rubbish and I keep getting the good bits.........


Roy

Ps.  Will take a pick of the hull tomorrow and post on here..........

[berth44]

G'day Roy, you are a naughty boy!!, wouldn't wish that on any builder, joke or no joke!! Remember, some of this 'so called 'rubbish'' is costing us 15 bucks a pop, definately, no joke!!.....Dave

P/s, remember this Roy, if you do get something that aint quite the way it should be, you've just offended the very people who can help you!!

[Martin (Admin)]

In defence of Hachette, nearly every bit of wood I've received has been excellent, first class quality.
.... the 2nd layer of planking.... there's just so much of it .... and I've planked the hull once already!  :'(

How do these  guys build these double diagonal planked hulls?  ???

[Colin Bishop]

How do these  guys build these double diagonal planked hulls?

They sort of lean sideways Martin....

[Eric65]

I slightly cheated when it came to second planking, and bought 1m long planks. They were a bit of a pain to glue on because of the extra lenght involved, but planking went really fast.

I did note however, that the supplied Hachette planks were excellent quality, I just got impatient waiting for them to arrive and went for the long ones instead and got a headstart!

Over all, I feel that the quality of the kit is tremendous, the brasswork all seems to fit snugly and the few small detail errors will in no way spoil the model. I can't wait to see the finished ship sitting proud.

I wonder if the wife will let me put it on the mantlepiece? ::)

[berth44]

G'day guys,OK, before I rabble on, this will be a great model, I have no doubt in my mind that it be anything else, and I do commend 'AMATI' for their planning and craftmanship!!. IT does seem that I'm in a minority regarding the 2nd lot of planking, the other wooden bits?, no complaints, and as far as the brasswork goes, it has been fine, don't know about 'the fit' as yet, I've only did the detailing as per the instructions , no doubt fitting and bending will come soon, that'll test their fit!!
The only brass ' 'bent' so far, is turret Caesar and the 'gun control thingy',that was fine. The brass for 'Caesar on the other hand, it was a tad long, about 1/16th, so I figured it it to be correct, the wooden structure to be out in it's circumference!. 0.25 mm Plasticard was used to fix that!!.
 Only one more  item, re one of the 'cabin sides. (just thought of it) two of the porthole covers that were a part of the detailing , not the 'glue on' ones, were not under the porthole where they should have been, but a 'few mm away!?! , just stuck there,not covering anything, just 'hangin' around for no reason, and there's no explanation!! Anybody else notice that with theirs that can offer an explanation???......or once again, am I the stooge!!!!
These two things on the brass are just nigly things sent to try us, items like that are a modellers delight, but those 'blinking!' planks!!...................Dave