Andy's Modelmaking Misadventures

[Reynard]

Well you can fix both those.
Personally, I'd go for the social Iife

Both are overrated.

I too, personally prefer a good imagination.

And if people didn't have a good imagination, things like books and netflix wouldn't exist.

 

[Punkawallah]

‘Reading books is basically hugging a tree, and hallucinating’.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I'm working on a new story, involving a Wannabe crime boss on Ascension Island:

Let me know which one you think fits the character.

Version 1: Background manipulator


Sir Charles (“Weather”) Vane came to Ascension a few years back and has carved something of a niche in the thriving semi-legal underworld of the Island; although ‘carved’ implies rather too much effort; he bought a niche, by throwing money at the previous occupants. Then he occupied it, and padded it with more money.

Version 2: Flamboyant card shark

Where this money comes from is a matter of conjecture; he claims to have made his fortune from his “Import and Export” business, but his failures in this are well known; the episode of the exploding cigars is still spoken of in high society.

Most likely he has a stipend from a wealthy family in the UK, paid as long as he stays well away and thus doesn’t embarrass them too much. On arrival, he bought a business offering “security services” which discretely makes sure client businesses aren’t troubled by rivals, burglars, or employees who get too vociferous about being paid. This probably extends to other less legal services like protection rackets and similar.

Version 3: Amiable man about town


He also claims to be a “Professional Gambler”, and is rumoured to be one of the businessmen behind the new casino. Anyone foolish enough to sit at a table with him should certainly look very carefully at the cards he deals.

Vane is as likely to be seen in a reception at the governor’s house as having a quiet card game with an organised crime leader. He knows anyone who is anyone in the intense world of Ascension’s political elite, but will move on quickly to the next rising star. That’s how he got his name: “Weather Vane”; you only have to watch him to know which way the political winds are blowing.

So now we have Vane’s personality, which of the figures above can represent him best? The unassuming gentleman who fades into the background and controls behind the scenes, the flamboyantly dressed card shark and man-about town? The smiling gentleman whose amenable exterior hides a dark schemer, or the strong jawed, well-dressed son of the Empire who hands out chocolates at the Ambassadors receptions?

Suggestions please...

 

[Punkawallah]

The three to the right need to see a tailor - the tall one is wearing turn-ups, for heaven’s sakes! The other two look decidedly working class, and their trousers are too short. That only leaves the chap on the left. Elementary, really :-)

 

[Gwylan]

I'm working on a new story, involving a Wannabe crime boss on Ascension Island:

View attachment 765430

Let me know which one you think fits the character.

View attachment 765431

Version 1: Background manipulator


Sir Charles (“Weather”) Vane came to Ascension a few years back and has carved something of a niche in the thriving semi-legal underworld of the Island; although ‘carved’ implies rather too much effort; he bought a niche, by throwing money at the previous occupants. Then he occupied it, and padded it with more money.

View attachment 765432

Version 2: Flamboyant card shark

Where this money comes from is a matter of conjecture; he claims to have made his fortune from his “Import and Export” business, but his failures in this are well known; the episode of the exploding cigars is still spoken of in high society.

Most likely he has a stipend from a wealthy family in the UK, paid as long as he stays well away and thus doesn’t embarrass them too much. On arrival, he bought a business offering “security services” which discretely makes sure client businesses aren’t troubled by rivals, burglars, or employees who get too vociferous about being paid. This probably extends to other less legal services like protection rackets and similar.

View attachment 765433

Version 3: Amiable man about town


He also claims to be a “Professional Gambler”, and is rumoured to be one of the businessmen behind the new casino. Anyone foolish enough to sit at a table with him should certainly look very carefully at the cards he deals.

View attachment 765434

Vane is as likely to be seen in a reception at the governor’s house as having a quiet card game with an organised crime leader. He knows anyone who is anyone in the intense world of Ascension’s political elite, but will move on quickly to the next rising star. That’s how he got his name: “Weather Vane”; you only have to watch him to know which way the political winds are blowing.

So now we have Vane’s personality, which of the figures above can represent him best? The unassuming gentleman who fades into the background and controls behind the scenes, the flamboyantly dressed card shark and man-about town? The smiling gentleman whose amenable exterior hides a dark schemer, or the strong jawed, well-dressed son of the Empire who hands out chocolates at the Ambassadors receptions?

Suggestions please...

Sir Charles is recognised for a fortune snaffled in fees for providing front companies for dodgy offshore enterprises.

 

[Reynard]

Have you read any of the Miles Vorkosigan books, @Andy in Germany?

There's a character in a few of them called Byerly Vorrutyer - a seemingly impoverished "clown about town" with no visible means of support because he is from a cadet branch of his family. Always succeeds in attaching himself to groups to get into parties and have drinks bought and such like. But his real job is actually as an informant on members of high society. He gets away with it because people only see as far as the flamboyantly-dressed "clown about town" persona.

I think By would be an interesting model for Sir Charles.

 

[Pinno718]

@PhotoNic69

 

[classic33]

Version Three

He doesn't look important, so could go unnoticed in almost any surrounding.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Thanks for all the votes, mind you it looks like you can't make your collective mind up either; after asking on various forums and on my blog the results are:

Fourth:
#2: "Card shark" (6 votes)

Third:
#1: "Background manipulator" (9 votes)

Second:
#3 "Amiable man about Town" (10 votes)

First:
#4 "Pillar of the empire" (12 votes)

It's interesting that I originally bought the #2 figure to be Charles Vane and then had second thoughts after painting: it looks like my second thoughts were correct, at least...

 

[Andy in Germany]

I really shouldn’t hang out on those Tabletop gaming internet forums: they are a bad influence on me…

I’d got stuck again. This seems to happen when I finish a project: I get all sloppy and put off starting another. I’d like to claim it’s to do with some kind of artistic muse, but I suspect I’m just lazy.

To the frustration of family and friends, once I actually get myself in gear and start a project, a switch gets thrown, and I end up obsessing until I finish it, and the whole process starts again. In this case, after some online discussion, I decided I wanted to build a ship for my characters on Ascension Island to use for travel or transport. This being Ascension, it will likely involve smuggling, stolen goods, or stowaways.

Someone on a forum suggested the SS Robin, a schooner/tramp steamer built in 1890 and now a museum ship in London. A few minutes research with a calculator showed that the scale length was 800mm by 120mm, and after I made a mock-up of the deck I decided I could reasonably reduce this to a more manageable 600mm without it looking too silly.

I made a base for a waterline model and in a fit of enthusiasm started building the substructure. It was then that I realised I’d gone and chosen a design with all kinds of awkward curves, which is why on the model only the rear cargo hold and the bridge are actually square.

Of course, you could argue that this probably won’t be as important as it sounds: after all, even on my best day I can’t cut everything square and no-one seems to have noticed yet. I’ll just have to use my normal method: measure twice, cut once, and get the filler and sandpaper to cover the worst of the mistakes…

 

[Andy in Germany]

I’ve been learning lots of new things on this project; for instance, I’m told the “sag” in the hulls of ships in the 1920’s and 30’s, is called Sheer, and the overhang on the stern is known as the “Elliptical” or “Counter Stern”.

If you’re planning to build a boat with one or more of these features, the first step is to gather lots of pictures as reference material, gain a good understanding of how these features interact with each other and the other parts of the ship.

The second step is to then go and lie down until the desire passes, and make something sensible like a landing craft.

If you still insist on this madness, you will need plenty of 1mm thick card, more superglue than is healthy to share a room with, shellac, and a square kilometre of sandpaper.

The counter stern in particular was a long process. The first step was making a template. This was held against the model, at which point it became obvious it was entirely the wrong shape, so I made another template, held this against the model, and repeated the process. Eventually I ended up with a piece of card that was the right shape. Sort of. At least close enough that I could fill in the gaps with scraps.

Now came the job of sticking it on. I applied glue to all the surfaces which would come in contact, and added drops of superglue to the corners, in the hope this would hold the card in place while the rest dried. The Superglue, of course, stuck to my fingers, modelling board and anything else until it came in contact with the rest of the model, at which point it became ineffective. When the card finally ended up in the right place I had to hold it awkwardly in position; letting go to change grip would have caused it to spring back.

After a fairly uncomfortable ten minutes holding the stern together, I decided to check if the glue was working.

It wasn’t.

Eventually, the card was subdued and after leaving it to solidify overnight, I added a second layer, which worked somewhat better because of the larger surface to glue, trimmed the result down in places and filled gaps in others, and left that to solidify.

This done, I gave the lot a rough sanding, painted shellac all over the model and left the whole sticky mess overnight. Next morning it got more shellac, before going to work. Then I got out the 80 grit sandpaper, and lots of it: card soaked in shellac is very solid, so the sandpaper tends to give up first. Eventually I was able to go down to finer sandpaper, and fill remaining small gaps with wood filler and sand that in turn.

And then finally, a smooth hull. I was about to celebrate, then realised that having made all these complex shapes, I now had to make a deck to fit them…

 

[Punkawallah]

View attachment 766983

I’ve been learning lots of new things on this project; for instance, I’m told the “sag” in the hulls of ships in the 1920’s and 30’s, is called Sheer, and the overhang on the stern is known as the “Elliptical” or “Counter Stern”.

If you’re planning to build a boat with one or more of these features, the first step is to gather lots of pictures as reference material, gain a good understanding of how these features interact with each other and the other parts of the ship.

The second step is to then go and lie down until the desire passes, and make something sensible like a landing craft.

If you still insist on this madness, you will need plenty of 1mm thick card, more superglue than is healthy to share a room with, shellac, and a square kilometre of sandpaper.

View attachment 766984

The counter stern in particular was a long process. The first step was making a template. This was held against the model, at which point it became obvious it was entirely the wrong shape, so I made another template, held this against the model, and repeated the process. Eventually I ended up with a piece of card that was the right shape. Sort of. At least close enough that I could fill in the gaps with scraps.

Now came the job of sticking it on. I applied glue to all the surfaces which would come in contact, and added drops of superglue to the corners, in the hope this would hold the card in place while the rest dried. The Superglue, of course, stuck to my fingers, modelling board and anything else until it came in contact with the rest of the model, at which point it became ineffective. When the card finally ended up in the right place I had to hold it awkwardly in position; letting go to change grip would have caused it to spring back.

After a fairly uncomfortable ten minutes holding the stern together, I decided to check if the glue was working.

It wasn’t.

View attachment 766985

Eventually, the card was subdued and after leaving it to solidify overnight, I added a second layer, which worked somewhat better because of the larger surface to glue, trimmed the result down in places and filled gaps in others, and left that to solidify.

This done, I gave the lot a rough sanding, painted shellac all over the model and left the whole sticky mess overnight. Next morning it got more shellac, before going to work. Then I got out the 80 grit sandpaper, and lots of it: card soaked in shellac is very solid, so the sandpaper tends to give up first. Eventually I was able to go down to finer sandpaper, and fill remaining small gaps with wood filler and sand that in turn.

And then finally, a smooth hull. I was about to celebrate, then realised that having made all these complex shapes, I now had to make a deck to fit them…

All part of the learning process - or so they tell me :-)
Is now the time to tell you that ‘cruiser’ sterns were quite common on tramp steamers? (ducks)

 

[Andy in Germany]

All part of the learning process - or so they tell me :-)
Is now the time to tell you that ‘cruiser’ sterns were quite common on tramp steamers? (ducks)

The model is based, sort of, if you squint, and as long as it's convenient, on the SS Robin, which has a counter stern:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Robin

Of course, when I find something on the Robin that I don't like, this will change...

 

[Gwylan]

The weather is so nice. Shouldn't you be outdoors cycling?

 

[Andy in Germany]

The weather is so nice. Shouldn't you be outdoors cycling?

It was raining yesterday