Irish Royal Mail Steamer Connaught build

[Stuart Badger]

That's our German friend Sasha Kim. He called round so I decided to use his help to get Connaught in the pool - it only cost a can of beer!

All the best

stuart

[scotfriend]

Hi Stuart,

that's a great job, this is such a nice model i like to see her sailing, once more a brilliant job.

kind regards Hans

[Stuart Badger]

Thanks Hans - and all
Stuart

[pete]

Congrats Stuart, - that is beautiful.
All the best.

[neil howard-pritchard]

I am so envious of the new owner to be.
just so sad for me,that her being so long and me suffering worsening back problems, I'd never have been able to keep her safely or sale as often as she should be.
who ever be the eventual proud owner, keep her safe, and sail her well.........she is and will be a beautiful model and deserves a good home..
neil.

[Stuart Badger]

Thank you all for your comments - I am truly moved by your responses. I shall try and keep up standards as I finish her - and whatever happens she WILL BE at Paddler day!

All the best

Stuart

[Eddy Matthews]

I can only agree totally with Neil's comments above!

I would love to have owned her myself, but sadly I don't have anywhere to store her or a method of transporting her - Add to that three lots of spinal surgery, and I think you'll see that a large model and a knackered back don't go together!

I'm still eagerly awaiting her appearance at the Paddler Day though..... The downside is I guess we know which model will win the prize for "best on the water"? I should point out that the prizes are voted for by everyone that attends, so I don't have any say in it!

Hey, I just thought, things generally get smaller if you pop em in a microwave..... Fancy trying Connaught on full power for 2-3 minutes and producing a 5 foot model? I could cope with that!

Regards
Eddy

[Tug--Kenny]

Well Stuart, she's come to life. What a superb result. I would make the journey to Paddler Day just to see her.

Congratulations on a splendid build so far. I can't wait to see the rest of the build.

                         


all the best

ken

[djcf]

Hi Stuart,
I can't add anything new to the comments made already, so I will just say WOW
Clark

[R.G.Y.]

Here here. R.G.Y.

[Stuart Badger]

Hi PDs!

this is just a small update for you - no pictures I'm afraid.
Just to let you know that the build is progressing slowly but that there will be small 'breaks in progress due to my having to go to Athens once every 3 weeks. So I have about 10 days out of modelling each month to recover!
All the parts for the rigging and the ship's boats have arrived so the next job is to make and fit the davits, paint the boats and start the 'mechanicals.'
Apart from all of the railings and some fittings the major work is done. Two small sections of deck and the protruding back of a cabin under the turtle deck need to be built, and then the final fettling.

Watch this space - more soon. And once again - sorry for the slow down - we'll be moving along again more quickly soon!

All the best

Stuart

[R.G.Y.]

Yes Stuart the little bits that take the time. I shall be slowing down too but for differant reasons. All the best R.G.Y.

[Stuart Badger]

Hi PDs!
Connaught is now at the stage where the detail that makes a model (hopefully) come alive is added. When I make a 'working' scale model - I try to avoid producing a Museum quality result. If something is wood on the real thing it should, in my opinion LOOK like wood on the model - and not have a super smooth shiny finish. This can lead to critiscism about 'lack of finish' but for me a scale model should look like a USED item - not weathered neccessarily - but worked.
Today I have been making and fitting handrails, companionways and staircases. The decks are now, I think starting to look like a working vessel and I have completed the two mahogony staircases that were a complete pain in the **** to make!. Each handrail is drilled through from above onto its base so that the stanchions line up, fixed in place and then capped with a boxwood rail sanded to profile. The railings are a little complicated as some transit from wood capping to a rail without a break and a few of them as you can see, are curved..

I have also fitted the bowsprit - so that I can have an accident and break it at least twice before I finish the model!

All the best and more soon.

Stuart

[Eddy Matthews]

It's looking really nice Stuart! I assume the capping rails aren't glued in place yet so you can paint the stanchions? Or do you have a much steadier hand than me?

Almost time for Ros to dig out the bathing costume again.....

Regards
Eddy

[Stuart Badger]

I shall mask off the railings Eddy to paint them. I have to glue the cap rail on to secure the bottom section onto the stanchions, if I leave it they invariably get knocked out of line!

All the best

Stuart