It could depend on how long you left the varnish to cure. It dries quickly but can take a while to cure properly and bond with the red oxide. The red oxide is a primer so should provide a good base for the varnish. I suspect there is some incompatibility there.

I tend to use the Hycote (previously Halfords) matt lacquer as a top coat but it does need a good shake otherwise too much of the matting agent can really dull the surface and give it a grey appearance.

Frustrating isn’t it?

Just no substitute for doing a test piece in these circumstances.

Colin

Looks ok except I decide to varnish the red, before starting the to paint the black. On removing the tamiya tape I have lost some of the varnish. Don’t know if I left the tape on too long .

The varnish I used was a Satin polyurethane from Vallejo. Not used before but it says it’s permanent and very resistant.

Frankenboat went very well, considering the weight of the carrier hull ( about 5 by 30 inches) bothered hope for the project. A proper hull will be probably be less than half thexweight of the carrier hull and a better faster shape.

Nice day at ‘t pond. Sunny and warm. All boats performing satisfactorily.

Ashley

I think that is what is referred to as a ‘bollard’ test.

Colin

Absolutely Colin, and stand well back while they are being conducted.  Twice over the years I have been on a ship that has broken its ropes as a result of excessive wind when alongside.  Both times ended up with us being adrift!  The thing I remember most was the ropes parting sounding just like artillery shots.

He is also happy to take photos of my Silver Shadow when I can get it up to Bushy. I can take decent photos but have used Ashley’s for the main on the water photos of my recent models as he does a much better job.

Colin

I have ordered a magazine from America hoping it has more info regarding the project, but if not I will just extrapolate a best guess ( make it up).

Trevor also has a project and in both cases the inspiration is front cover artwork…simply that, an artists impression of something never built AND illustrated by someone with absolutely no technical knowledge of a real boat. Makes it interesting of course.

An article i am working on has been skimmed over by….someone..and they have identified that its too wordy. It IS too wordy of course and needs shortening without missing out the interesting bits. To be honest, I think the interesting bits are the aim, background of whatever it is, design challenges and indeed build challenges and compromises along the way…with an interesting on the water  description. We can all cut and stick bits of wood together, let’s face it. Does anyone need to know too much about how I measured, cut and stuck some styrofoam together???

Ok…the article in question hopefully will be accompanied by a plan..so I suppose there will have to be some boring stuff in there…

.Us warship buffs are being boosted in the paint department by the appearance of a lot of non-metallic  “undercoat grey” cars, which means these colours will be available at Halfords at some time in the future,  giving a wider choice over the only non metallic grey currently available,  Ford Polar grey. However the polar grey is exactly the right shade for current RN navy vessels handily.

Ashley