John's Whatever Bench Returns ...

[JohnRatzenberger]

Here we go again ...

Not counting a small effort on the old forum, my 1st WB was John's Great War, January 2014 - November 2015, which got OBE despite being Great Fun also.

My 2nd WB, and the natural predecessor of this new one was John's Whatever Bench, July 2018 - June 2019, which got overcome by health issues.

I think my problem is that I like different things but I like to work on, and post, them as a single entity. The WB format makes it hard for me to restrain myself and maintain continuity - of course, the same thing happens with too many GBs, so the problem really is me, isn't it?

Anyway, the extended COVID GBs just illustrated the height/depth of my problem and I did a bunch of thinking about getting older and the size my stash and other things and have decided I can do better at managing myself. I have been looking at the stash, subjecting all to the Marie Kondo "what brings me joy" test and think that has given me a way to prioritize my efforts, manage my time, and not get distracted by shiny objects.


The 1st project will be what's on my WB right now, finishing the paddle steamer HMS Queen of Thanet from the Battle of France GB ....

In brief, I have the bulk of the resin work done, painting done, and most critically I jumped to the very last step, built and mounted the paddle wheels underneath without smashing all the work on the deck so far.





From here on, it is mostly photo-etch railings, gun platforms, and details -- all on the top where it should all be safe, right ???

So, here we go .... happy to be back ....

[iggie]

Good to see you back in the asylum workbench window again John
I really hope you get all the topside details in place safely The Queen is looking good

[wokka]

Nice to see you've opened a new WB thread. I'm like you in that I prefer to do one thing at a time so I build it on the WB then post the finished article on the Aviation section. These last few weeks my wife has been away hence I could do a few models and I needed to get them completed before she comes back next week and that's why I've had two on the go at once.

Anyway, I like what you've done with the paddle steamer, no need to rush and I'm sure you'll manage to do a good job finishing it off.

[Lone Modeller]

Yes welcome back John. Never mind if you get distracted and only post now and again. Some of us are slow builders and only post infrequently when we have something to show. I am sure that some readers have long since given up hoping to see some of my projects finished!!

[Andy Dighton]

Good to see you back. The Queen Of Thanet is looking very good.

[ShaunW]

It's good to see your WW thread back and the QOT build is shaping up very nicely, John.

[JohnRatzenberger]

Thank you iggie, wokka, LM, andy, shaun.

This is some fiddly photoetch - some of the legs, gun platform, railings, etc, are so thin as to be underscale and very tough to work with. If I were to show a proper view of the aft gun platform you'd see a few legs missing. Maybe I'll stand some 1/350 sailors nearby.

Anyway, I had problems getting my eyes & fingers and the railings on the pilot house to work together so I switched to the stern of the ship, which lead to the afore-mentioned gun platform legs.



So, the two sweeps are mounted as are their cranes and the jack-staff (which is probably too flimsy to take an ensign decal). We also have the railings, two short ladders, and that railing thing which keeps the sweep cables up off the deck. And the gun platform is mounted - next task is the protective railings front & back which I will have to pre-bend to 17/32" diameter and then glue on. Once that is done, it is on to the two boats, davits, and railings and this section will be done.

I am already having trouble not bumping the two cranes and staff.

[ShaunW]

I can well imagine that some of the PE aimed at ship modellers is tiny and difficult to use but it does really make a difference, especially when used for things like railings, cranes or those large bedspread type radar arrays seen on more modern warships. You're continuing to make great progress with this build, John, even if you have lost a few legs here or there!

[skypirate]

The Queen of Thanet is looking great, John.

I'm sure that many of us (myself included) are reviewing our kit build priorities in the light of current events.

Take care,

David

[Lone Modeller]

I think that some of the detail work that I make is fiddly, but this is even more so. I truly admire your skill in attaching those parts and can assure you that I would not have seen the missing legs unless you had pointed them out.

[JohnRatzenberger]

I have fixed most issues with the rear gun platform and have one more to tackle - if lucky it will go from crappy to war-waery and I'll be happy. If not lucky, it's a whole other story.

[JohnRatzenberger]

I know it has been almost 2 weeks, but I have been in the one-step-at-a-time mode, trying to correct some of the problems I had with the very fine photoetch and move along. I'm happier than I was 2 weeks ago.

Next let me apologize - apparently I and my camera aren't communicating about ease of photography, quality of image, and so forth. I used to get bright, clear, sharp images and maybe have to take my instruction booklet and go through settings one at a time. I know I tend to fat-finger things.

Anyway, here is the stern third of the QoT complete. Well, except for a gun to go on the bandstand - that's very, very last.



My main work was trying to fix the bandstand legs about half of which fell off - that was done with very thin brass rod, which I think looks better than the really thin kit stuff. I also got the bandstand rail straightened out somewhat. From there I added all the rest of the detail - ammo boxes, sweeps & cranes, boats & davits, aft mast & flag staff, etc.

Then I did some touchup painting to hide glue smutz and cover any brass gleaming out ....



Calling it good enough, although I reserve right to mess something up while working on the rest of the ship. Having this as a process model, I move on to the center third next.

[PaulBradley]

That's looking very good, John!

[wokka]

You've done a good job with so far.

[Ernie]

The detail looks amazing! Your persistence in getting everything just right is being rewarded with a very impressive model.