Eilean Mor

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Mattias

I almost hate to ask, but what are you going to do once this beautiful model is really and truly finished?

Dave M

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

I suspect the model has more detail than the original!

Colin

[BanjomanParticipant @banjoman]

Hello Dave,

Erm … dunno. Sit down and weep, quietly? Source a 1:24 bottle of champers to break over her bows? Throw a party? Nah … actually, I do know! Before I attempt my next model, I shall help redecorate the living room, but once that's sorted, I have a list of projects and ideas that's long enough that I shall have to live until at least 120 to even begin reducing it. In fact, I am pretty sure what my next model boat project shall be, but I think I'll keep it under my hat for the time being – I might yet change my mind … And in the meantime, i shall enjoy an outing every now and then to the pond with Eilean Mòr

Colin, practical considerations aside that is, I'm afraid, philosophically impossible, given the fact that there is no original for the model to have more dtails than as she is a generic …

Any road, to make up the leather facings for the oars, I had first thought about using painted masking tape, but decided to first have a crack at making them out of real leather.

To this end, and old, worn-out wallet was found in a drawer, and taken apart.

The middle fold had a nice, thin strip of leather glued in as reinforcement that I pulled away.

From this, I cut a 6 mm wide strip that I thinned down considerably against a sanding drum set up in the Dremel. I actually sanded both sides of the leather, to remove most  of the, in my eyes, too glossy original finish.

From the strip, short pieces were cut off and glued round the oar strakes …

… with the following end-result …

… when ,ounted in the rowlocks.

The oars and the rudder will of course be kept stowed in the bottom of the dinghy.

To be continued …

/Mattias

Edited By Banjoman on 14/08/2015 12:51:40

Edited By Banjoman on 14/08/2015 12:53:14

Edited By Banjoman on 14/08/2015 12:53:41

[BanjomanParticipant @banjoman]

As mentioned earlier, I was not entirely happy with the print-out quality of the cigarette packet and match box to go on the chart table in the wheelhouse.

I therefore created a high resolution .jpg in standard 4×6 photo format, with multiple copies of the necessary images, and had it printed as a photo.

This seriously increased the degree of resolution, so that even at 1:24 one can actually see that the match box on the left says "Swan vestas" (and that the logotype is a swan), whereas the previous attempt was just a green, red and white blob in the general shape of a box of Swan vestas.

As for the packet of Woodbines, I decided to try to add a bit more detail. These packets actually consisted of two parts: an outer sleeve and an inner cardboard box with end flaps that held the cigarettes, and which could be slid in and out of the sleeve.

I thus began by glueing on end of the inner box to a strip of wood, sanded down to the appropriate proportions. The interior of the box was painted buff, as this was more or less the colour of the cardboard used in the real article.

In the open part of the inner box, I then glued seven 1.5 mm long pieces of 0.2 mm brass wire, painted white.

To hold the sides of the box in the correct position while the glue set, without crushing the whole thing by appyling too much pressure …

… I set up a Heath-Robinson-ish thingamjig , with the points of a pair of tweezers applying the pressure, and the pressure set to just the right amount – light but firm – by a weak clamp applied quite a way up the shanks of the tweezers.

The back lower half of the sleeve blank was the also painted buff, as were the edges of this piece of paper. Bye-the-by, I should perhaps add that the photo paper, which was of course much too thick, was reduced in thickness by having the back support paper peeled off.

Anyway, the sleeve blank was glued around the inner box, one face at a time …

… until a half-open packet of Wild Woodbine cigarettes, with seven cigarettes still in it (and one loose on the table) was produced; this, together with the match box, was then glued doen on the chart table, like so …

… and (in daylight) so.

To be continued …

/Mattias

Edited By Banjoman on 16/08/2015 20:31:17

[BanjomanParticipant @banjoman]

Well, with the addition of those final two minor details – the cigarettes and matches – I consider this build to be officially finished!

I dare say I may yet add summat here, tweak summat there or otherwise do the odd odd job on 'er, but as one has to draw the line somewhere, well, here is were I draw mine on this project.

Dave Milbourn asked the other day what I would do when I was finished, and after the final glue joint had set at 9.15 this morning, I looked out the window, found the sun shing and decided to take 'er to the water!

Here, thus, are some photos of Eilean Mòr, taken at the pond (which, except for a posse of scuba divers, I had to myself) this morning:

(time to stop briefly for coffee and a bun)

To be continued (one final time) …

[BanjomanParticipant @banjoman]

I also shot a POV video sequence with a miniature camera attached to the shop, just forrard of the wheelhouse; it can be viewed here: **LINK**

Here, also, is the finals set of photos from this morning's sail:

The end.

/Mattias

[IAN_IParticipant @ian_i]

Hi Banjo…

The model looks even more realistic on the water, your eye for detail is amazing.

Great work and please keep in touch and let us know what you are working on, its very inspiring to see.

Best regards,

Ian

[BanjomanParticipant @banjoman]

Hello Ian,

And thank you very much indeed for your kind words! Here is another short video from last Sunday's sail, this time uploaded to the YouTube-channel (**LINK**) of the Model Boat Club were I'm a member.

Best regards,

/Mattias

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Very nice, Banjo………….But, can I make a few suggestions?

You've spent probably, 12 months building your most emaculate model and you've done your very best, paying great attention to the finest detail

Then comes the sailing part……..Er…….A slight disappointment……eh?

I've thought about this phenomina for some time now……And I think I have the answer……We need to pay more attention in making a video that is worthy of the model's quality…………..Tell me more, Bob……I hear you say?

On scale models, the illusion of imitating the real thing can be continued by taking low slow speed, waterline shots…..With a distant suitable background?

This would give the impression of size and would show all the lovely fine detail etc and the views would be quite fascinating and interesting to see on the screen

I think the long shots should show the ship, travelling in straight lines, with very little turning?

We don't want the scene spoilt by Birds Eye views, showing a little boat, buzzing about in circles?

We want to see close ups of the bow wave, close ups of the paddle wash and shots through the rigging etc

What do you think of my suggestion, Banjo?

Try a few impressive very low shots and see how it turns out and post a few on the forum please?

Hope you like my ideas! Chaps?

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

A few waterline shots to ponder…..

I suppose, a special waterproof box with a glass window, ought to be used, to protect the camera

Perhaps a floating box?

Bob

[BanjomanParticipant @banjoman]

Hello Bob,

The build has indeed taken a fair amount of time: approximately 1100 hours over two years, one month and 16 days to be specific

About the filming, I think you make some very valid points indeed, although I will say most emphatically that I certainly don't find the sailing as such a disappointment — on the contrary I have had very good fun indeed, even "buzzing about in circles" …

I do indeed agree that the sort of filming you suggest would make for much more interesting and impressive viewing — however, for the time being this has, alas!, not been an option, as I have done the filming myself from shore, with my mobile phone camera in one hand and steering the boat with the other hand.

For filming of the kind that you propose, one would need (a) a better video camera, capable of some serious zooming, (b) a trusted second person to either run the boat or do the filming, and ideally also (c) a platform out on the water, either in the form of a dinghy or another model boat, stable enough to take the video camera, but in any case something that would facilitate getting the camera really close to the water without getting it wet.

The resulting footage should then of course be edited, alternating as you suggest between long view shots and close-ups. They could (should) also be interspersed with sequences of POV footage taken from on board the model itself, similar to what I shot the other day (see embedded YouTube-video below) although again a much better camera than my current cheapo job would be required to get HD quality (and of course only sequences not showing the shore with out-of-scale people on it should be used).

All of these things have already gone through my mind, and one day I will certainly attempt a proper film of the model in that sort of vein, but first I will need to source a proper camera (or rather cameras, including a good one for POV filming), and then plan the whole thing carefully, including finding the right helper and the right day (nice weather but not too many other boats on the pond).

In other words a both worthy and most intersting sort of project for bringing a model boat "to life" in its proper element, but not something that will happen in the next few weeks, I fear, as I don't know anyone with the right equipment and haven't quite got the budget for it myself just now either.

Your very valid points about model filming are taken, though, and sooner or later summat will be done!

What about yourself, though? How about leading by example — I'm sure the VGC would make a splendid subject for some such filming!

/Mattias

[BanjomanParticipant @banjoman]

Hello again Bob,

As you may have noticed from my recent posts, i did manage a couple of fairly low level still shots the other day; those are much easier to achieve, as the boat can be sat in the water just of the shore line without going anywhere, which allows the photographer to get down flat on the ground and snap the pictures, or hold the camera down just above the water, with the furher shore in he background far enough away that at least a weak illusion of scale distance is produced.

As far as protecting a video camera is concerned, I think there are waterproof boxes with good quality lens windows to be had for if not most then at least many video cameras, so that I don't think would pose too much of a problem. It is certainly the case for action cameras.

/Mattias

Edited By Banjoman on 18/08/2015 09:21:19

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Banjo

I am very pleased you appreciate my comments

I realise, my suggestions would entail some serious filming and editing, but the end result would be very interesting

I like your waterline shots……..How about a few static atmospheric propwash shots?

Will get my pal, Duckie on the job next week, as the club is holding an evening sail and BBQ……and hopefully, make a suitable video of the VGC

Bob

[BanjomanParticipant @banjoman]

Thank you very much, Bob!

Yes, I dare say some propwash photos might be arranged the next time I take her to the pond; might be a couple of weeks before that happens, though, as I can only go sailing on a weekend, and there's plenty of banjo work coming up just now …

/Mattias

Edited By Banjoman on 18/08/2015 10:32:41

[Ralph PinchParticipant @ralphpinch41762]

Hi Mattias,

The boat looks splendid on the water, in some of the POV stills you would not know if it was the real thing or not, she looks first rate,

Well done.

Ralph.

[Amy jane SeptemberParticipant @amyjaneseptember49770]

Quite lovely

Quite lovely indeed.

[BanjomanParticipant @banjoman]

Warmest thanks to you both, Ralph and Amy jane, for your kind words

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