Permission to come on board?

[Laurent Gontier-VersaillesParticipant @laurentgontier-versailles47241]

[Laurent Gontier-VersaillesParticipant @laurentgontier-versailles47241]

Hi all,

 

first name is Laurent, living in Belgium, long time modeller, joining the group, seeing some known names seen elsewhere (Modelwarships, TRMA, other forums)

 

I’m 45 years old, being an engineering Officer in the Belgian Navy (Yes, we have a Navy in Belgium, only God knows for how long though ).

 

Main interest is scratchbuilding steamships from 1875 to 1930, at scale 1/100, R/C, electric powered.

 

My latest project is a little freighter, named Proteus, being built in 1921 in Germany, has sailed under dutch flag between 1927 to 1934, still under construction for now:

http://www.kroonvaarders.com/alfabet/pschepen/proteus.htm

 

Funny stuff is that I build my hulls plank on frames, but I do all the remaining items (hull plating, superstructures, boats, wooden decks, ventilators, winches, whatever else) in paper & cardboard, soaked with a PU resin, it becomes tough as plastic, and also becomes completely watertight.

 

I’ll start later on some threads with my models

 

Regards,

 

Laurent

Edited By Laurent Gontier-Versailles on 03/09/2010 09:52:21

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Welcome to the Forum Laurent. It sounds as if you build some very interesting models. We would certainly like to see some photos of them and find out a bit more about your building techniques. Which PU resin do you use – is it similar to G4 which is marketed in the UK?

 

I am also interested in a similar period to yourself although perhaps up to 1950.

 

Your Navy may be bigger than ours before long the way thing are going!

 

Colin

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

aye aye sir, permission granted.

 i also would like to see your models, and know of one member who definately would, our own Bob Wilson….he’s been waiting for a man like yourself with such interests for a while.

neil

[Laurent Gontier-VersaillesParticipant @laurentgontier-versailles47241]

Thanks to both of you.

 

I’ve been in touch with Robert on another forum, what he does is plain wonderful, certainly at such a tiny scale!

 

Colin,

 

Yes, you’re right, it’s G4 I use to seal the paper.

 

some albums with pictures of my models:

 

Proteus, currently on the stocks:

http://picasaweb.google.com/rmslusitania/Proteus?authkey=Gv1sRgCL-jgsGD5Ond4AE#

 

HMS Zinnia, 1915, built two years ago, she was a RN sloop, a WW1 “Flower” Class, better known as the “cabbage” class, built on Admiralty plans coming from the NMM archives:

http://picasaweb.google.com/rmslusitania/HMSZinnia03DCembre2008#

http://picasaweb.google.com/rmslusitania/06DCembre2008#

http://picasaweb.google.com/rmslusitania/HMSZinnia23Octobre2008#

http://picasaweb.google.com/rmslusitania/AldisLamp#

http://picasaweb.google.com/rmslusitania/HMSZinniaAnchorWinch#

http://picasaweb.google.com/rmslusitania/HMSZinnia17Novembre2008#

 

Sea going tug “Mount’s Bay”, 1908, tug has never existed, inspirations comes from early 20th century dutch tugs:

All those models are at scale 1/100

 

Regards,

 

Laurent

Edited By Laurent Gontier-Versailles on 03/09/2010 13:23:33

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Some very nice work there Laurent. Do keep posting.

 

With regard to G4, I have used it on a full size boat in place of GRP resin as it will cure down to almost freezing level. I have not used it for modelling so far as I wondered how long the shelf life would be – what is your experience of this.

 

I have just returned from Canada where I visited the Maritime Museums in Vancouver and Victoria. These two models of the liners both named Empress of Japan are on display in Victoria,

 

Colin

 

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

those are superb Laurent. lovely looking model/

neil.

[Laurent Gontier-VersaillesParticipant @laurentgontier-versailles47241]

Hi Neil,

 

thanks for your comment! The more I build, the better I come. I don’t have a high nose, I just see the difference between the boats I built 15 years ago vs what I’m building now. I’m really comfortable with paper & card, I already tryed litho plates or plastic, I don’t like to work with those materials.

 

Colin,

 

depending on the % of moisture in the air, the pot life of G4 should go from 6 months to one year. G4 polymerises due to the moisture in the air, the more moisture, the shorter the pot life. Main advantage with G4 is that there is no mixing needed, just pour what you need, apply with a brush, that’s it. Take cheap brushes, as the cleaning compound is more expensive than brushes…

 

Regards, 

 

Laurent 

 

 

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