What's on your workbench for January?

[Diamondback]

I would love to be able to see those early historic guns in the flesh asit were DB.

Rob.

I probably won't be getting into that for a while, but I'll see if Andy's good with sharing pics of his table-o'-smokepoles from one of his old Mountain Man reenacting sessions. :)

Okay, my prior isn't entirely accurate... there are a very few Not-Built-Here that if I could somehow track them down would be welcomed home. Grandpa's old Air Force service 1911, and Uncle Frank's bringback Garand and M1 Carbine. Kinda hard to find them since I don't have the serial numbers to look for, though...

[Volunteer]

No there is nothing there except the text now. Well here are some more for you to turn. I don't understand why they are lopsided when they aren't on my device or anywhere else I post them. Weird!

Now there are some lights added



DB, my dad and I hunted with muzzle loaders for years. I have several, including my great grandfather's old muzzle loading shotgun. One is a home built 50 caliber percussion that an old hunting buddy built for me.

[TexaS]

A first rate wreck…

[Bligh]

No there is nothing there except the text now. Well here are some more for you to turn. I don't understand why they are lopsided when they aren't on my device or anywhere else I post them. Weird!

Now there are some lights added

I can still see them O.K.Vol.
I dare not turn these in case the same happens again.
let me pondewr the problem for a while.
Rob.

[Bligh]

These outerworks are now complete and re4ady for the building complex inside them to be made.

[Bligh]

Yesterday's work comprised of completeing the building complex within the outer works.

Rob.

[Volunteer]

Wow that is turning out amazing Rob!

[Bligh]

Thanks Vol.
It is actually turning out to be the most difficult bit of model work I have taken on simply because of the amount of scratch building I'm having to do to get even a semblance of accuracy to the actual town.
Rob.

[Volunteer]

Which makes it all the more impressive to me Rob. Oh and your post was the first email notification I've received since before Christmas.

[Diamondback]

Huzzah, notifications are working again here too! *cannon salute*

Better pic, I hope, with latest arrivals... looks like I'm gonna have to write off most of the case's standard foam, at least the last 2" to make room for the long barrel.


Tools in the lid organizer, forgot to move the grip over from the project box for snapping this. Funny story here: list price was on the case was $40, website price was $28, with a 25%-off-anything coupon it walked out the door with me for $21. Even having to spend an extra $10 to buy a better shoulder strap (half-off Daily Deal at a camera shop) that's still coming out ahead. I don't know whether I should have taken it as a compliment or an insult when my gal told me "you powershop like a girl"...

[Bligh]

Glad to hear that Gents.
I have not been getting them for a couple of weeks now, either here or on the Drome. I hope that my service will soon be resumed also.
Rob.

[Volunteer]

That is definitely a compliment DB! I live with three "Power Shoppers".

[Bligh]

Meanwhile, back at the ranch someshopping of my own today.
Arrived on overnight delivery my large Plasticard sheet for the base of the town, and ordered some more wall and towers, as all this double walling has just about run me out of curtain wall for now. So for tomorrow I will be mostly building more of the significant large buildings whilst I await my delivery.
Rob.

[Bligh]

Here are the ones I managed to get done today.
You may spot them on the other picture.

[Volunteer]

Can you put a ruler on that town photo Rob for a size perspective please. Did you print out a map of the town, is that what I'm seeing? You have been calling the material platicard, but it looks like what we call foamcore, is that the same thing? This is really going to be something!

[Lieste]

Can you put a ruler on that town photo Rob for a size perspective please. Did you print out a map of the town, is that what I'm seeing? You have been calling the material platicard, but it looks like what we call foamcore, is that the same thing? This is really going to be something!

The blue is foamcore, but the white material used alongside the cream resin(?) and white metal castings is sheet or rod plasticard (styrene) glued together and cut to match the style of the existing resin walls where non-stock parts were needed, and to add elements to surgically altered castings.

[Bligh]

Can you put a ruler on that town photo Rob for a size perspective please. Did you print out a map of the town, is that what I'm seeing? You have been calling the material platicard, but it looks like what we call foamcore, is that the same thing? This is really going to be something!

I will measure the town today Vol.
The Plasticard is the white thin base material that the whole thing is standing on.
The blue is the insulation material used in caravan walls. Probably what you would call foam core, but I call it High Density Styrofoam.
Rob.

[Bligh]

Here you are Vol.

[Bligh]

Today I filled in time with a bit of work on the Harbour frontage and defences.

[Volunteer]

Wow, only 13 inches diameter. It appears much larger. It really does look great.

[Bligh]

Today I completed as much of the walls as I had remaining bits.
I will now have to go back to the three remaining scratched buildings until fresh supplies arrive.

[Diamondback]

Rob, too bad we can't get Ares to either make or 3rd-party-license town kits like that...

[Bligh]

It would certainly add something to the ambience of the game especially if Ares are bringing out the Pirates line DB. Just imagine sallying out from Port Royal, Nassau or Tortuga on an adventure, or carrying out a raid on Portobello, Havana or Panama.
Rob.

[TexaS]

I would be happy with somebody making several different 3D models that could be combined to make things like this.

[SkeenaH]

This is brilliant! Thank you for the continuous updates, it's fun watching a town grow in front of us.

[Bligh]

Today I began work on my church, but got sidetracked by the bowls games on TV.

Rob.

[Volunteer]

I finished the booknook just in time to present to my oldest daughter for her birthday. Now my younger daughter wants one for her birthday. I could have built 3 or 4 ships in the time this thing took!
There is a short video on my blog that shows the action going on inside the nook.
https://volsminiatures.blogspot.com/...erent.html?m=1



Rob, this time I even went into my device and rotated the photo 90 degrees to the right before I uploaded it and it is still lopsided to the left.

[Bligh]

This time I left your picture in Vol. Just in case mine did a magic trick again and vanished.
That completed model is a wonder to behold Vol.
I wonder if I could do one for the gundeck on a Frigate?
Oh no! That way lies madness.

Rob.

[Volunteer]

This time I left your picture in Vol. Just in case mine did a magic trick again and vanished.
That completed model is a wonder to behold Vol.
I wonder if I could do one for the gundeck on a Frigate?
Oh no! That way lies madness.

Rob.

Thanks Rob. I'm not sure what's happening but I don't see any pictures now again. But if everyone else can that's ok. And the link is still there to the blog site to see the two videos and build process.

[Bligh]

I can see your sideways on view and my own correction.
Please let me know if anyone else can see Vol's pictures.
Rob.

[Bligh]

Meantime here is the Facia for the church which I added today.
I also turned the spire for the dome.

Rob.

[Volunteer]

That turned out nicely Rob!

[Bligh]

I still have some tarting up to do Vol.
Steps at front and side doors which I dislike doing. The side doors themselves and several windows plus the wall around the front entrance.
Rob.

[Bligh]

Now all the windows are done and just the front and side door steps are needing to be made.

Rob.

[Bligh]

Today I added the front steps and part of the balustrade, plus a couple of smaller windows in the top story. Hopefully, tomorrow I will get the side steps done and the rest of the balustrade.

[Bligh]

Here is the finished church with the small side windows added, a finial on the pediment, and the balustrade for the main steps completed, together with the side steps.
Tomorrow I will be turning a tower for the fortification on the entrance to the harbour.
Rob.

[Diamondback]

Makes me wish I had the dexterity to tackle stuff like that, Rob... building and raffling off or auctioning fortifications like that once a year could be a good Anchorage fundraiser, much like my stalled if not stillborn tanks project for the Aerodrome might have.

[SkeenaH]

That's a really beautiful building. The detail is incredible. Very well done!

[Bligh]

That's a really beautiful building. The detail is incredible. Very well done!

Thanks for the Rep Howard, and as luck would have it there is a spinoff. Whilst looking for some spare fortification towers today I came across the unopened pack of cards with captain and crew abilities for USS Constitution. I knew I had them somewhere but they were lost in the ether.
If you PM me with your snail mail address I will post them over to you.
Rob.

[Bligh]

Makes me wish I had the dexterity to tackle stuff like that, Rob... building and raffling off or auctioning fortifications like that once a year could be a good Anchorage fundraiser, much like my stalled if not stillborn tanks project for the Aerodrome might have.

I will let you in on a secret DB. I have made Mrs Bligh remind me never to embark on a totally scratch building again. It has consumed me over about a week, for several hours a day not including pondering time and finding photos of it before it was shelled in the war in 1991.

However it did show me that I can still produce the good even with my failing eyesight. It just takes longer and the lighting has to be spot on or I can't work on this scale.
Rob.

[SkeenaH]

I came across the unopened pack of cards with captain and crew abilities for USS Constitution. I knew I had them somewhere but they were lost in the ether.
Rob.

Hello Rob, very kind of you to keep me in mind. I did succumb and bought my own Constitution and Victory. I figured I could get half of the cards and draft up the rest. Very good of you to consider.
Howard

[Bligh]

No worries Howard.
We all try to scratcg each others backs when we can.
If I can help you out in any other way let me know.
Rob.

[Bligh]

Today I started off by turning down a tower for my penultimate fortress.Rob.

[Bligh]

This morning I began shaping and assembly of the fort.
The tower from yesterday is in the top right hand corner.
Hoping to complete this fort tomorrow.

Rob.

[TexaS]

Rayo 100 guns:

[Bligh]

Another great looking ship Jonas.
Very accurate painting as usual.
Rob.

[TexaS]

Thank you, Rob.

Now there’s two 64s and possibly a few 74s more and my Spanish fleet will be full. Then there’s rigging, bases and printing ship cards and it will be all finished.

And then there’s the wrecks…

[TexaS]

First 64 started and started a wreck too.

[Bligh]

My word Jonas, you are certainly getting a move on with these.
Rob.

[Bligh]

All I have managed to get done today is go out for a coffee with some friends, and then finish off that Fort.
I will be joining it onto the wall and fitting the next Bastion tomorrow. All these compound angles are taking a lot of fiddling with to get a good fit.
Rob.