Thanks Angel!
I see close to 60 parts on just the front and port side of the turret.
makes my blood pressure go up thinking about it.
…And more to come, Greg!
I’ve begun the process of adding the miniscule handgrabs using AKA Model 1/350 scale etched brass ladder steps (set PD3503).
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Wow, amazing work Tim!
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Tim,
absolutely unbelievable! Every time I think it can’t get better you are topping it, just awesome!! Can’t wait to see them under a coat of paint and in place on Hatsuzuki!
Cheers
Jan
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Ezra and Jan, thanks!
The rungs do look cool, but these tiny things are close to my limit for micro-detailing!
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The grabs on the upper starboard sides of the gunhouses were awkwardly positioned, so I made a simple template from kabuki tape to ensure their accurate placement.
After lightly marking the locations through the template, I deepened them with an awl.
The marks were then drilled through with a No. 80 bit chucked into the handle of my hobby knife.
With the locator holes in place, it was a simple matter to set the tiny etched rungs into their places.
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I used your turret photo in a discussion on the armor forum about parts count.I would be courious to know how many kit parts there are when the kit is finished and how many pieces you crafted on the finished kit. I am totaly impressed with your ability to create your vision.
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I used your turret photo in a discussion on the armor forum about parts count. I would be curious to know how many kit parts there are when the kit is finished and how many pieces you crafted on the finished kit. I am totally impressed with your ability to create your vision.
Thanks Greg… I haven’t counted the parts on this build so far, and I have no idea how many it might come to in the end, but just for fun I went back and counted the parts on the completed torpedo launcher.
The Nichimo kit provided the five basic shapes, and I added another 130 etched brass and plastic bits and bobs. Yikes.
It has been fun, but I fear that I’m starting to sound like some sort of OCD poster child! 
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Well…send me an extra poster.
As I get older I think am slowly developing ADHD. I have the wiggles ( Not like Parkinsons) and my sit and model time is shrinking slowly. I am down to about an hour per sitting before I am finding reasons to get up. I am impressed with your stick to it ness. I am enjoying every piece you fabricate. Shepard Paine would be impressed.
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Thanks Greg. I’m glad you are enjoying my perseverations, but you are perhaps too generous - even being mentioned in the same breath as Shepherd Paine is truly an honor!
Anyway, here’s another homemade template helping place a few more handgrabs…
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Tím, somehow I have been remiss and missed the fact that you had brought your most excellent build over to the new forum 
My apologies sir! 
I have read through from the very beginning and am in awe of what you’ve achieved in terms of bringing what is a very basic kit to life that would have any museum curator drooling over having your completed build on display!
Following along now to make sure I get all the updates! 
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Thank you Russ, you are too kind! Nichimo’s classic big scale kits were really quite good (especially considering that they came out nearly half a century ago!) I’m just adding stuff to this one to bring it a little more up to date. 
More handgrabs; there was also a line of them on the port sides of the gunhouses.
As before, I started with a template to mark out the rung locations. Simple as this is, the previously installed assemblies are quite fragile; note the lower footrail damaged from handling!
After repairing the footrail, I drilled out the holes for the rungs…
…and installed them on the first gunhouse. Now to do this three more times!
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Wow!
Even more truly amazing work!
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Totally agree 
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Tim,
hard to find words, just amazing! I fully concur with Russ and Ezra! You are setting new standards, and it’s not just the turrets, your picture of the torpedo tubes reminded me of the beautiful work you’ve already done earlier…
I just love it!
Cheers
Jan
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Tim, I agree with the others. You’re really setting the bar high. This isn’t just a build. It’s art.
I’m just another peanut in the gallery.
John
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Thank you gentlemen! 
All these little details are actually pretty simple, but they seem to take forever since there are four gunhouses so everything has to be done four times! Still, it is enjoyable work as I slowly plod along with it. The handgrabs on the other three gunhouses are now installed, so maybe after work today I’ll make a start on the roof railing…
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Earlier on I had added sliding doors and tracks to the backs of the gunhouses, but these were a little plain.
To these I have now added (slightly modified) etched brass doors from the Tom’s Modelworks 1/200 scale IJN Doors set and AKA Model steps.
The surfaces behind the gunhouses won’t be highly visible, but these little improvements were straightforward – so why not?
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Indeed Tim 
it’s these little hidden gems that keep the onlooker interested, looking for more details around corners and behind objects
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Ditto!
Mark 