Iceonaboys type VIIC build 1.72

[iceonaboy]

Yeah, it worked a treat Wink. I reckon it will take a bit of practise to become adept at it, but the Dremmell is ideal for the job and pretty affordable too

[iceonaboy]

I spent a bit of time over the weekend as I am determined to get the flood holes finished and see a little bit of progress, as it seems like forever since I started this project.

Did the front flood holes first



Some nasty chopping with the hot-knife.



A schoolboy error! Remember children, knives can be dangerous! Doh!



Roughly filled with Tamiya paste



Tidied up a bit. The aft floodholes are a lot trickier than the front because of the bending and twisting that needs to be done to make them line up, but the brass bends very easily and can be flattened out again if you make a hash of it. Much to my delight

[Rokket]

oh noooooo...bloooood!

I've been generally lucky (now that I've said that, the most potent physical force in the Universe, the Law of Irony, will strike me) and only have had a few nasty cuts. I tend to get this Star Wars Force/Spidey Sense when I'm on shaky cutting ground...like I can see a ghost version of the knife slipping with lightning speed and freight train force and cutting into me...and I stop and re-assess.

Yet I have made some great "bad" cuts. At work recently I was doing some wiring. I had cable-tied some stuff together, only to find I needed to access one of the wires. I could have gone and gotten the snips which would have clean and neatly cut through the cable tie without threatening the wires underneath. But I was lazy. So I used my pocket knife (Swiss Army!), and very fiddly-carefully cut through the tie without hurting the wires.

That actually worked well - it was effort, and I was holding back my great superman-like strength, but I didn't damage the bundled wires.

What I DID do, was slip. I got through the cable tie nicely, but all that shaky energy and force had to go somewhere, and when the tie parted, my hand RIPPED and SLICED in an arm-swinging arc and sliced through a wire two feet up above! Cut the damned thing right in half.

It was hysterical, but then I had much repair to do...

Glad your finger is still attached. The work is looking mighty good!

[iceonaboy]

Thanks a lot Wink, fair praise from a master like yerself  
Yeah the cut, I was trying to trim the worst of the melted plastic away before filing and used my scalpel. Stupid bugger that I am, was cutting towards my hand, and I got a nice deep slice which wouldnt stop bleeding.

....Youd think I would have learned by now how to use a knife proper like, cos I is more maturer, than what I was

[iceonaboy]

Right Wink, while I have your attention. When , oh when, are you and Dougie gonnae bring oot the PE sets with lower flood holes?  ;)I have heard about them for so long and nothins` happened! I ordered the Modelbrass sets, but they dont have torpedo vent holes, and Im running out of disposable income for more aftermarket kits .  I may be sunk with all hands!

[Rokket]

NEWS coming

[iceonaboy]

I decided to make a go of putting the hull together, so I could see some results before having to go back to work 






I realised after doing the aft flood holes , that I hadnt lined them up properly. Thats something I will definately ammend on the next build. I aint too worried about that to be honest, as this is my first large scale U boat, and also my first time working with PE parts.

She aint gonna be sailing into any competitions anyway. This is purely for my own enjoyment, and I have to say. Its great fun. Im loving it

[iceonaboy]

A couple of the pics didnt load

[Pat]

You're right iceonaboy, it DOEs take a fair amount of practice with the hot knife to be able to use it safely (both for the model and for your fingers).  Before using, always practice on a piece of scrap spru

As I bought my hot knife possibly more than 30 years ago, I've had a lot of practice and can now cut plastic with it into slices as thin as card stock.  This often requires a bit of straitening the edge up with a scalpel, but comparing to the laborious task of drilling through thick matierial with a row of holes, or sawing (even rougher edges and too difficult to cut a straight line), it's great.  I've often undercut lapels, cuffs, and jacket bottoms in the old Airfix 58mm figures, something that you can't do with a scalpel.  Even separated the backs of ears from the heads for more realism.

Not as much worry of cutting yourself with it though.  The blade tends to get dull with a buildup of melted plastic (you have to scrape it off when hot once in a while) and needs a lot of force to cut skin. 

But don't worry about bleeding on your model and ruining the paintjob if you do slip and cut yourself.  If hot enough, it cauterizes itself and doesn't bleed (But then it hurts like you wouldn't believe!!!!)

[iceonaboy]

Ha ha Pat , you are right, I have bled myself, so many times on this build, you would think I would have learned by now. Its all part of the game though, innit? What would the hobby be, without some kind of pain? You have to put some of yourself into a build that you care about. Blood getting into the welds of the boat is payback for the lives wasted in the iron coffins!

[iceonaboy]

forgot to mention. I had tried to work my way round sanding the excess filler from the PE and was pulling my hair out. I then bit the preverbial, and ordered the Archer rivet sheet. Once I knew that it was on its way, my sanding took on a new frenzy, and I was able to properly tidy up those problem areas, safe in the knowledge that I could save the surface detail I reckon if you are working with PE, The Archer rivet set is the logical next step!
Now I got to practise all the different weathering techniques

[Rokket]

The archer set is excellent, our own forum mate Glenn Cauley designed it. The only downside: the price!

[Rokket]

oh, forgot to say, looks great so far, nice yardwork on that hull!

[iceonaboy]

Thanks very much Wink. Im sure you are just being nice, cos I know its nothing compared to some of the boats on display here
I was wondering what you used for your 88 deck gun and the 20mm? Also, did you use aftermarket kits for the periscopes. I have searched Griffon`s site and they have kits for the VIIC/41 but not the VIIC.

[Rokket]

Guns - 88 I added the tubing seats, and tried to make them seem like photos, but did nothing special. I think ti still works, but there are aftermarket and scratch builds that are waaaay better. 20m I used an AM kit, from White Ensign. gave you ammo and some PE bits.

Barrels - I used turned brass barrels. The same fellow did scopes. He's dead now, died young tragically. Steve...Nutall? His family was looking to sell his CNC equipment and the business (not just the lathes but the idea of continuing). but I don't think it worked out.

I did my scopes retracted with covers on th ells, so did not buy scopes.I really don't know who is doing anything comparable, I think some are as you have found Griffon. get them, there is no good way to reproduce such fine detail except in brass on a lathe.