Pair of Remoras

[FichtenFoo]

Started testing some paint techniques on my plaster bridge pylons for the base. I'm testing on one I broke accidentilly this morning. Now I have to wait a few days for the new ones to fully cure. Bah! Details on my site: http://fichtenfoo.net/blog/tag/remora/

[FichtenFoo]

As promised... Progress! Finished the clean-up and started primer and paint. I primed with dark gray and "red" dumplicolor auto primer, then airbrushed on a coat of Tamiya Flat Hull Red and sponged on some watered down Orange Tamiya for the rust. This is just a basecoat that will show through after the next step: the hairspray chipping technique.

More pics and info here: http://fichtenfoo.net/blog/tag/remora/

[shropshire lad]

Great start you've made , Michael .

I am pleased to say that my kit arrived yesterday and I have been making a start on it this evening . And what a great kit it is . I wish all resin kits went together this well . Virtually no flash and not a drop of hot water needed to make parts fit . I'm not exactly one hundred percent sure how all the parts are supposed to fit , but as I'll be able to study your progress shots I don't anticipate any problems . The casting block on the front of the hull took some sanding off and I lost some of the rivet/bolt heads , but that won't be visible when it is finished .
   
  I drilled/reamed out the smokestack and drilled the holes out and I shall put an inner piece of styrene tube in later .

  Rather than , or in addition to , using the tyres as fenders I thought about getting some of these fenders to put around the vessel . Not cheap but worth the expense I think . http://thachweave.tripod.com/

Lastly , I am going with Marc suggestion with having it moored up against a Roger Dean type floating island . That way I get to do some scenery as well as rusty tub weathering . I just need to think of a way of incorporating some brickwork ! A couple of photos to be going on with ,

  Nick

[FichtenFoo]

Awesome! Glad you like the kit. You may need some boiling water for the arch as I did to make it a tighter snap-in fit, but otherwise I needed no water on any other parts. The pour-stub was unfortunate, but a necessity. Did you notice how strong the side-walls are? I love that!

Those fenders look great. You can always attempt the "mustache" style as well: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nypl/3110606352/

For those fenders you linked to... why not try doing them yourself following some friendship bracelet tutorials and plain colored string? Now I'm tempted as well!

http://www.how-to-make-jewelry.com/how-to-make-friendship-bracelets.html

Love the island idea! I've attached a sketch of Ian's that's as close to that as he's gotten I think.

[shropshire lad]

I had no problem with the arch , it fitted just right .

The fenders on the tug are a bit hairier than I was thinking , but they might be a bit easier to make then the others .

  I shall ask the Missus if she wouldn't mind knitting me a few up .


  Nick

[marc_reusser]

Great progress!. Love  the bridge and abutments.
(Will you be doing a second run of the Remora kits?)

Nick, Look forward to seeing your progress as well.


Marc

[finescalerr]

Will both of you lunatics please continue to keep us up to date on your progress? This is fun! (And impressive.) -- Russ

[artizen]

The fenders look like they have been done crochet. You know - the little wooden tube thing with the pegs on the top and the finished item drops down through it like a woolly worm.

My wife would know all the technical details but I am sure you could make your own using fine wool or cotton.

As it is, this thread is a really good yarn already.

[Mr Potato Head]

That doesn't look like any friendship bracelet I have ever seen!     It looks more like that Tug hit a heard of Wooly Mammoths! 
I was thinking when you said moored up to an Island that the Island was floating too ?
This is so cool, now I am whishing I would have gotten one! Oh well maybe second edition?
MPH
not really into this, but you make it look so cool!

[shropshire lad]

That doesn't look like any friendship bracelet I have ever seen!     It looks more like that Tug hit a heard of Wooly Mammoths! 
I was thinking when you said moored up to an Island that the Island was floating too ?
This is so cool, now I am whishing I would have gotten one! Oh well maybe second edition?
MPH
not really into this, but you make it look so cool!

MPH ,

  Yes , that is exactly what I was saying . That the island was floating in the air . Like the ones in Avatar , which probably got the idea from Roger Dean . As this is all fantasy we can let our imaginations run wild .

  I'm pretty sure Michael will be doing a second run , and probably a third and fourth . So get one while they are hot .

  I'm not really into this sort of modelling either but sometimes you gotta take a break from what you normally do . Plus I don't like to be pigeonholed . I consider myself a modeller first , a structure builder second and  a railway modeller possibly third .

Nick

[Gordon Ferguson]

  I'm not really into this sort of modelling either but sometimes you gotta take a break from what you normally do . Plus I don't like to be pigeonholed . I consider myself a modeller first , a structure builder second and  a railway modeller possibly third .

Nick

Well if thats your story Nick, you stick to it  ................. but I look forward to seeing what you have been taking a break from 

[shropshire lad]

  I'm not really into this sort of modelling either but sometimes you gotta take a break from what you normally do . Plus I don't like to be pigeonholed . I consider myself a modeller first , a structure builder second and  a railway modeller possibly third .

Nick

Well if thats your story Nick, you stick to it  ................. but I look forward to seeing what you have been taking a break from 

    I've been taking a break from doing nothing . As you'll see in a couple of weeks .

[FichtenFoo]

I've been quite busy since the last update. Check out the two hulls and fin progress for the two build-ups. There's LOTS of progress pics and build-step info on the link.

http://fichtenfoo.net/blog/tag/remora/

[shropshire lad]

Great  progress , Michael . I am getting close to priming mine . So I'm a long way behing you, not that that matters .

  What will get me scratching my head is what colour to paint it . It looks as if you have already used most of the available Tamiya ones , and in order to not appear to be copying you I'll have to come up with something different . Still it'll give me a chance to use some colours that I don't usually have a need for .

  What I will mention , is that where ever I can I have strengthened glue joints with brass rods . I have the feeling that the finished boat could be quite vulnerable to damage with all those sticky-out-bits (one of my technical terms) so I'm doing my best to make sure it stays glued . This may be standard practice for you , but as you haven't said anything about it in your instructions I thought I'd just mention it .

  Nick

[FichtenFoo]

Thanks! Check out Ian's website for ideas... there's plenty of inspiration on it. As for available Tamiyas... I've used them, but I tend to custom mix so just about everything is a custom color. Plus I layer/mottle different colors to make the color appear more varied and worn. Really though, just do your favorite as ultimately it'll sit on your shelf. Before the blue/orange, I was going to do a construction yellow with black bow and stern. I just finished the fins on mine and they're black/yellow and/or red/white striped. Looks cool and I'll show pics next update.

Yeah, I'm pinning everything. Makes tacking it together for pics easier and like you said, for support. Plus I need to ship Ian his broken-down so it'll make it easier on him to rebuild. If you look close at the fin holes and the bow/stern, you can see pin-holes I drilled for the lights and fins.