another.. old but may as well add

That's just a painted "canvas cover" over the compass. We'd put that on at the dock in the evening to keep the dew off of the compass. During the day if we were doing harbor or inshore patrols we'd just leave it on.

What is this?

... and not to mention the wrinkles on the crews uniforms! Very well done. Museum quality.
Lew

Blackshoe, how did you create the none slip deck?

It is amazing how much detail you put into your models! Each of your stanchions are wrapped in white rope and then tied off with an appropriate manner.

The grab bars are wrapped or woven with rope too, and look at the wheelhouse details!!! The rope woven between each spoke on the wheel, wow! The Spike too & how it is hung from the steel cable.

Tim, the mechanic who is attending to the engines, only a person with real life knowledge could exhibit a model with such accuracy.

I said it before, but I will again, your work is simply incredible.

Looking forward to seeing the smoking cigar 😁

Your friend

Ron

Thank you Lew.
I was introduced to the "40 boat" back in 1963. It was always one of my favorite boats. Mine is 1:12 scale and has a lot of hours on it.
My second favorite was the 82ft Point Class. Not sure I have the courage to build that in 1:12!😀

Just got home and pulled out my camera and tripod. Photo shows the removable feet. I plan to make the feet stick out a little longer as it close to tipping over. (Photo)

Lew

Updated: ...and by the way, your CG boat looks pretty good. Last time I saw a model one of those was back in the 1970's. Mike Shriver scratch built one (a bit bigger) powered by an O&R gas engine. (Photo)

Blackshoe, excellent photos. I had a Sony HX300. Had a great 50X zoom... until it died. Replaced it with a Lumix with a 35X zoom, but this one has wifi. You are right, Bluetooth's range is only about 10 meters.

I have the same tripod but 3D printed new feet for it to give it more surface contact and stability (this camera is a little heavier).

Lew

Great pictures of a fantastic model. Well done!!

Thank you all!
The camera I've been using is a Sony DSC-HX80, and a dedicated small tripod that has extendable legs which allows it to stand on uneven ground. It's not the only camera with wifi capability, but I've had pretty fair results with it. The prices are all over the place for these type of cameras and may seem excessive for a hobby camera, but if the price is extended over several years of use it becomes a useful tool for our purposes.
I prefer the wifi to the bluetooth because the range is better and not as likely to disconnect if the phone gets too far away.

Black Shoe!!!!!!
👍😊

Blackshoe... I've been saying this for years, get the camera closer to the surface of the water or shore so you can take more realistic pictures. That goes along with getting the boat closer to the camera or having a zoom on the camera so that the boat almost fills the frame of the viewer.

I'm sure you're talking about the Bluetooth, or even better yet, the Wi-Fi connection between the phone and the camera.

There are apps you can put on your phone that do this. You can find out if there is an app by looking at the camera's instruction manual or online.

I have a handheld stabilizer that I can mount my older GoPro camera on. Then I can load two apps, one for the stabilizer, and one for the camera. This way I can see what the camera sees, and I can also Pan the camera through the stabilizer app remotely.

Lew

Tell me more about these cameras.

Thank you JB.
There are some relatively inexpensive digital cameras that have wifi capability and can "talk" to a smart phone. I put the camera on a makeshift tripod at water's edge and monitor what the camera sees through my phone which is mounted to the transmitter. When the boat is in position clicking the button on the phone triggers the camera.

Great photos black shoe, like the background scale match,- unfortunately where I am on the coast there are few places to get in the right position to get the background scale looking right. Our local pond has houses and apartments all round it making that impossible. I've done videos from other boats (as in the last pic of mine) but there's always something in the background which has to be edited.

Must invest in a selfie stick👍. I was thinking a while back about making a setup for my GoPro type camera, where I could operate it remotely from the shore, to take pics from another boat (servo to operate the shutter) Might have another look at that for a bit of fun. Some cameras have this function, but the IR/BT range is usually limited.

JB

JBKiwi, The closer to water level you can get, the better.

Outstanding workmanship Mates!!!!!!

Hi Lew,
Great work—perfect match!

Is that component from a pontoon bridge or ferry system, like the WWII-era M2 pneumatic pontoon used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers?

I ask because I tried something similar—though not nearly as well done as yours. I made a Carley float, the life raft widely used during WWI and WWII, especially by the Royal Navy and Allied ships.
I’ve added it to my Subchaser.

😎

That's a lot of knots!

(PT61 - 1/20 scale)
Lew

(Added b/w photo: - I think I got it close.)

Had a hunt through my files to find any pics of models which might look anything close to realistic in their element. Only adjustments I made were to normal exposure/contrast etc

Hard to make things look realistic when there is always background clutter which gives away the scale,(people, trees, buildings, water movement etc) Water is seldom to scale. Last pic has had the background of houses removed. I'm always trying to find a decent place for a model photo, but there aren't a lot without leaving the city these days.

JB

Target practice.

Lew

A very hearty laugh Doig.

Dave B, maybe this?

Lew

That's funny Brinkman!😂🤣
😎

😂😂

While we are on the topic of 3D printing, I recently ran across the attached post.
Does anybody have the answer? 😂
Dave B

Cooking cats😮
No! NOT Cat fricassee😉

😎

Time for a breath of fresh air!
Lew

Lew,

Thanks for the pep talk for people like me. I’m 70, but for quite some time now I’ve had a strong inclination to buy one and learn the process.

You mentioned that some places teach people how to use them—I think that’s exactly where I should start.
😎

Well said Lew.

I've responded to those questions with similar advice as PM.

I typically use Resin printing for fine detail work and FDM for more strictural items and hull parts. They are worlds apart in process, but use the same design software.

It may be best to start with learning to design first if you have a friend or family who can print for you. Or, you can download files of designs that meet your needs.

Age shouldn't make any difference. You probably have a better understanding of things, overall against young beginners.

Having a 3D printer and creating 3D printed parts are two different things.

Think of it like if you own a copy machine and your neighbor created the document and wanted some copies. They would come to you and you would make the copies. The creativity of the original document versus the finished duplicate copy of it shows the is difference.

So with a 3D printer you need to have the design file, typically in STL or OBJ format.

Here are the simplified steps:

1. You start out with a design file, either one you created yourself using a 3D software design app and output it to a STL or OBJ format file. (OBJ is better.) Alternative: Download the STL, OBJ file from the internet. This could be free, cheap, all the way to expensive.

2. This is where the software application called a "slicer" comes into play. The slicer is usually supplied with a 3D printer. It converts the design file (STL, OBJ) into a "gcode" format file like those used for NC machining.

3. The slicer app is where you make the settings or instruction for the printer to follow. Size, shape, thickness, material, and numerous other things.

4. The FDM printers (a good choice for beginners) do need to be maintained to work properly. One does not merely turn it on a it spits out a copy.

You might want to find someone with a 3D printer willing to show you the process. Some libraries have classes on this.

Age should not restrict you. I'm 82 and have had 3D printers for 8 years. (The first one I saw was in 1990 at a missle manufacturing plant. It was printing out a new nose cone for a missle prototype.)

Creating your own designs and making them physically real on a 3D printer is certainly enjoying. Occasionally I do get a little frustrated, especially if I get a "birds nest" pile of filament on the build plate. Fortunately this happens less and less as time goes on. The printers get better and as you improve with experience it the settings you get better parts printed.

Photos: My current 3D printer (I have another still in the box). Two items on my M5A1 Stuart (1/16 scale) tank: added storage box and working trailer hitch.

Lew

Very impressed with your 3D printing Olly, would love to know where you got the files for your workboat crew, been searching everywhere without any luck.

Cheers, Pete😊

OLLY,

What would be fir someone starting from zero experience, a good beginner 3D printer (filament/FDM type) should be easy to set up, reliable, and not require much tuning.
😎

Chugalone,
Thank you for your comments.
I've found that age does not stop you learning to 3D print. The art is to create files that do what you need as ready made files may not help. However, you have AI on your side now and freebies are possible. Alternatively, friends or family may be eager to help.

OLLY:

My goodness, that coiled rope looks incredibly real. Every time I see what you guys are achieving with digital printing, I can’t help but feel a bit envious.

I’m very tempted to get one myself, but I wonder if I might be a bit too old to learn how to use it.

Still, seeing what this method can do really opens up a whole new world in our hobby—the possibilities seem endless.
😎

Hi Chugalone,
Sorry, no build log. Something I should have considered from the start.

It is scratch built and I've based it loosely on a Damen 1908 SD at 1:32 scale, making it a very portable light weight model.

A contentious subject though... This model is almost entirely 3D printed parts on a GF hull. I've researched each individual part, from Spud lifters to winch, Kortz nozzles to Swiss radar, and made my own files. At the moment I'm painting a modern workboat crew that I've made. I still regard myself as a modeller who can use traditional methods too, but detail is much better than I could achieve otherwise.

Funny stuff! I guess I forgot to mention "...of a model boat."

I'm happy you all are having fun with this topic. Looking forward to seeing more videos and photos.

Got a tip for anyone interested: I rarely post an unedited video.

I usually use my digital camera, GoPro, or phone to record the video. I then upload the video to my PC for editing

I use Microsoft's "Clipchamp" video editor (free) on my PC. This allows me to cut and spice removing unnecessary parts and shorten the video. One can edit scenes to bring them closer, center the subject, adjust tilt, and add titles, sounds, etc. for most of my boat and tank videos I reduce the speed to about 8/10s of the original. This smooths out the "jerks" and "bobs" to a more realistic look. Clipchamp really improves the video without changing the model.

Lew

Lew

100% Original

OLLY:
Do you have a build log for that great-looking vessel? Is it from a kit, or are you scratch-building it?
😎

And my current workboat project. - AI modified.

This is my Billings HM218 hovercraft. - Real.

Hi Ron. I have not noticed that beeping. Just behind me is "the pits" so it was probably someone setting up an esc or a radio...

Nick
What is beeping in the background of your video?

The new boiler seems to be working well.

Little Anna testing her new boiler.

😊

Here’s one of my Monterey Clipper in a local pond.

Admiralty coaster plugging across Southport lake and Borkum attending to harbour duties..

Old and won't float - but I'll hunt some more - most of my boats right now are in their natural environment- the workbench
Not sure if they would count
and here's a old short vid of the above making way



Very anti AI