# 1/72 Proteus from Crow's Nest Models



## Carson Dyle (May 7, 2003)

Fellow Proteus nut Drew Huffman, the man largely responsible for this kit, was kind enough to forward me the first casting out of the gate to build as a sample piece. The following build log will give those interested a chance to see the model come together (for those not familiar with the subject, this is the experimental submarine featured in Fantastic Voyage).

The parts a crisply molded – and there are a lot of them...



















After a small amount of sanding and puttying (the latter to fill in a couple of small bubbles on the window frame) the hull halves were given a medium coat of grey primer.










The halves are designed to sandwich together so the top can be removed for a better view of the interior. Prep work continues, but this gives you some idea of where I'm at on Day One of the build.










Still a little puttying and sanding to do, but she's off to a good start.










For display purposes, the kit includes a pair of support pieces like those seen in the film’s miniaturization sequence. As an option I also drilled a small hole in order to accommodate an aluminum rod (not included with the kit).

This model was a labor of love for Drew. The result, I think it’s fair to say, is the most accurate version of the subject produced to date. Proteus fans will not be disappointed.

For additional info re: where to order got here…

http://www.needfulthings.net/host/crowsnest/catalog/index.php

Stay tuned for additional updates.


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## Nektu (Aug 15, 2001)

Amazing...! When will it be ready for order? Is there a list to be on, or something?

Best,
KK


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## drewid142 (Apr 23, 2004)

Rob! Beautiful! It is sooo nice to see her on someone else's workbench, and I am honored that it is yours! I can't wait to see her come to life!

Nektu... she is in casting right now. I am not doing any lists as it just gets too crazy. The day job doesn't leave me all that much time to devote to the models so I try to keep it simple on my end. I will put her up on the Crow's Nest site as soon as I have accumulated enough stock that I won't run out of stock immediately. I hope to offer her in January some time.

www.crowsnestmodels.com


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## Gilusions (Apr 25, 2006)

Anything new?


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## Lou Dalmaso (Jul 13, 2004)

Well it IS Christmas weekend...Rob might not be able to get to the workbench


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## Carson Dyle (May 7, 2003)

Yeah, kids and visiting relatives have kept me pretty busy of late. Instead of building the Proteus I've been building Legos...










Thing is, if I can assemble _this_ I can assemble anything.

I'll post a Proteus update soon.


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## oshkosh619 (Feb 24, 2009)

Rob,

As one who shys away from after-market or garage kits due to the lack of skills most of the rest of you clearly display (I learned my true abilities after attempting Lunar's J2 and Proteus twenty years ago.... ended up having a pro build the J2... the Proteus still rests in pieces in its box), is the Crow's Nest kit something someone like me (who can handle factory kits pretty well) could tackle without much frustration or special skills? I want an accurate model of the U-91035 (especially something I can display in a smaller space) but have really very little experience with resin aftermarket kits. I'll trust your judgement on this one.

Thanks in advance

Mike


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## Carson Dyle (May 7, 2003)

oshkosh619 said:


> is the Crow's Nest kit something someone like me (who can handle factory kits pretty well) could tackle without much frustration or special skills?


Good question, Mike.

This is certainly a much easier kit to build than the Lunar Proteus.

In terms of "special skills" it would help to know how to use spot putty and a sanding stick but, honestly, the assembly is not rocket science. The hardest part will probably be trimming and gluing the windows in place.

The one "skill" you really need to have above all is patience. You can't be in a rush, and you can't expect the thing to go together without a little effort. Nothing about this build is especially hard, but doing the job right does take time.

Work and family have been keeping me pretty busy the last few days, but I'll be posting more pix soon. Hopefully they'll give you a better idea of what's involved assembly-wise.

But, yeah, even _I_ gave up on the Lunar Jupiter 2. That thing was a nightmare!


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## oshkosh619 (Feb 24, 2009)

Thanks for the feedback Rob. I think I am going to give this one a whirl!


Best Regards and Happy New Year,
Mike


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## Lee Staton (May 13, 2000)

Mike--

One of the great secrets of good modeling is the ability to re-do. Rob has shown in his posts here that things don't always go smoothly, and the art of re-doing work is pretty important.

My friends who come over and build with me know this is VERY true for me. I mess up as much as the next guy, but I excel at fixing my boo-boos!

So don't think you have to be a perfect modeler. Patience is key, and not sweating it when things go wrong.

Lee


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## Carson Dyle (May 7, 2003)

Man, if you can take Lee's words of wisdom to heart two things will happen: A) you’ll build better models, and B) you’ll have more fun building them. If there’s a secret model making happiness, that’s it.

Which brings us to a small update. 

I spent a fair amount of time sanding, priming, and spot-filling the upper and lower hull halves. I did this not because of any deficiencies with the kit but because the hull is what most people will spend the most time looking at when the model is done, and one of the keys to a smooth, even finish is a properly prepped hull. Fact is, prepping and finishing the hull will probably account for 1/3 of the total build time on this kit (unless, you know, I really screw something up). 

Anyway, here’s where I’m at after approximately 18 hours of (non-consecutive) work time…










After getting the hull halves basically where I wanted them contour-wise I affixed the upper tail to the upper hull using “super glue.” A little auto-body filler helped smooth out the seam where the tail met the hull. To make sure the lower fin aligned properly with the top fin I taped the two hull halves together, and used small magnets to clamp the lower fin in place. This allowed for minute adjustments prior to permanent bonding with glue (those little magnets really come in handy for this sort of thing).

A fine-toothed jeweler’s saw also came in handy for trimming out certain parts (although the manufacturer appears to have done most of the trimming for me. I have to hand it to Drew and his team; the parts are very crisp and detailed, and very little clean-up work was required). 












Here’s rough test-fit of the interior parts. This is basically a “color test” to make sure the shades I’ve selected for the interior “jibe” with one another. It may be hard to tell from these shots, but five different shades of grey were used (I’ll post a complete paint list at the end of the thread).











A note about the paint scheme: when it comes to the Proteus interior the only thing we really have to go by is the movie itself. That being the case, my “reference data” was limited to frame grabs from the Fantastic Voyage DVD. Suffice it to say it’s not an exact science, so if my choices seem “off” to you feel free to disregard them.




















After applying a base coat to the interior cavities of both hull halves I masked those areas off and applied several light mist coats of Tamiya Pure White straight out of the rattle-can. I slowly built up a fairly thick base coat of white, because I intend to go over the cured surface with polishing abrasives in a couple of days (to get rid of any residual “orange peel” texture in the finish), and I don’t want to accidentally sand through the finish.










Here’s where Lee’s advice comes in handy…

When I was prepping the lower hull I failed to properly protect the small circular ballast vents from overzealous sanding. As a result most of the detail was lost (sorry, Drew). In order to correct this I sanded down the damaged vents entirely, punched small replacement vents out of thin-gage styrene, scored horizontal lines with the back of an X-acto blade, and glued the vents to the lower hull prior to laying down the white base coat. 

Unfortunately the replacement vents ended up looking like crap when painted (too thick and gunky), so I’ve decided to pry them off and start over. 

It’s not the end of the world, but it would have saved me some trouble if I’d been more careful when sanding the hull. One or two accidental swipes of sandpaper and you can kiss those raised resin details goodbye!










Stay tuned for another update (probably next Monday).


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## scotpens (Sep 6, 2003)

That's a beautiful gloss white finish -- and it hasn't even been polished yet! The bottom half looks like a futuristic porcelain plumbing fixture.


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## Hunch (Apr 6, 2003)

Nice kit. Looks like it was injection molded!


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## Dave Hussey (Nov 20, 1998)

"several light mist coats of Tamiya Pure White straight out of the rattle-can".

Rob - is that what will form the finish for the hull?

How do you find that from a handling perspective? For example, when you sand the hull, do you hold it in your hands? How stury is the paint? Is it soft and subject to marring when you handle the model to work on it? Or, is it tough enough to withstand that?

Cheers!

Huzz


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## scotpens (Sep 6, 2003)

Hunch said:


> Nice kit. Looks like it was injection molded!


I was going to say the same thing. The parts have a precision and crispness of detail that you don't usually see in resin kits. I'm sure that's largely due to the use of digital prototyping to create the master patterns, plus first-class craftsmanship in the production of the actual kit parts. Looking at the pictures, it's still hard to believe the model is just over 7-1/2 inches long.


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## Carson Dyle (May 7, 2003)

Dave Hussey said:


> "several light mist coats of Tamiya Pure White straight out of the rattle-can".
> 
> Rob - is that what will form the finish for the hull?


Yeah, it's the same stuff I used on my Lunar Models Proteus. Ditto the Moebius Flying Sub. 

I generally allow a couple of days cure time before sanding Tamiya synthetic lacquer, especially when I've laid it on as thick as I have here. After two days the stuff is absolutely ready to be handled, and the finish is as durable as the finish on a model this size will ever need to be. 

I mean, if I was modeling a larger subject (like, say, an RC sub like those Dave Merriman builds) I'd use auto lacquer, but for a smaller scale model I've found Tamiya paints to be really hard to beat.

I know some of the car guys like to top off the base color with a glossy clearcoat, but I've never seen the point-- especially when working with white (which clear coats tend to yellow).


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## Dave Hussey (Nov 20, 1998)

Thanks Rob!

When I did my Wilco Proteus I used Duplicolor car paint for a rugged finish. Its good to know that I can go with something different!

Dave


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## oshkosh619 (Feb 24, 2009)

Rob, Lee, thanks for the words of advice and encouragement! I think I'm going to take the plunge and attempt this kit, and your advice (and build-up progress) will be invaluable. While I know I'll never be as good as the pro who built my Lunar Gemini XII for me (Jim Key.... a master), I think I can do this kit justice. BTW Rob, beautiful work so far! I would have never thought to use tools such as small magnets to align parts for test fitting, matching sanding contours, etc. Ilearn something new every time I visit this site!

Mike


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## oshkosh619 (Feb 24, 2009)

Rob, 

Any updates on this exciting build-up? We'd love to see any further progress made (cannon fodder for those of us considering tackling this all-time-favorite sci-fi conveyance).

Best Regards,

Mike


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## nurturer (Mar 24, 2007)

This is gonna look great in the bathtub!


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## Lee Staton (May 13, 2000)

oshkosh619 said:


> Rob, Lee, thanks for the words of advice and encouragement!


You're welcome, Mike! I hope you do dig into this kit. Experience is a great teacher (the best!), and thanks to Hobby Talk you have tons of "expert" advisors.

I brought up the topic of re-dos because Rob has been so open about sharing his successes AND mistakes. But when he gets the model finished, it's beautiful! You'd never know the struggles if he posted only the results.

I'll never forget an article I read way back that said that Industrial Light & Magic's work was superior to others at the time because they budgeted for re-dos to massage a special effects shot. Interesting thought!

One thing that intimidates new modelers is the idea that the good builders are somehow golden and get it right the first time. Speaking only for myself, I normally feel unbelievably blessed if something works the first time! Model building and finishing is a process.

When I make small mistakes I try to do quick fixes. If I make a big mess-up I walk away for a few days and think about a new approach. Walking away gives a little perspective and helps to figure out a correction strategy without anger and frustration making it worse.

I have stripped paint jobs and started over. Or done tons of touch-ups.

So go easy on yourself, de-stress, and have fun!

Rob, I can't wait to see your finished Proteus!!!

Lee


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## Carson Dyle (May 7, 2003)

Words of wisdom, Lee. As you say, I don't think I've ever had a hitch-free kit build. Sooner or later, something always seems to go wrong. Just part of the process, I guess.

A word of explanation re: the delay in posting Proteus update pix... 

After 10 years at the same ad agency my business partner and I are relocating to another firm. Suffice it to say this is a major undertaking, and one which, sadly, has eaten into my spare model making time. Rest assured I will continue work on the Proteus (the lower hull/ interior is essentially finished), posting updates as I am able.

With any luck the end result will have been worth the wait.


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## Lee Staton (May 13, 2000)

Good luck with your agency move, Rob. Having been an agency creative director for 10 years in a past life, I understand completely!

Lee


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## oshkosh619 (Feb 24, 2009)

Hope things go smoothly with the move Rob, and you can rest assured we'll all be patiently awaiting your next installment!

Mike


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## GKvfx (May 30, 2008)

The moral of Rob's tale is, when taking on a job and accumulating lots of toys in the office, make sure you have an "exit strategy" for both your career *and* your toys......



Gene


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## Carson Dyle (May 7, 2003)

GKvfx said:


> … when taking on a job and accumulating lots of toys in the office, make sure you have an "exit strategy" for both your career *and* your toys.


The career transition was painless; it’s the toys (and books) that damn near killed me. :drunk:



















Thanks again for your help, Gene. :thumbsup:


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## GKvfx (May 30, 2008)

I just feel sorry for those you left behind. They'll have to bring in their own toys....

Gene


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## machgo (Feb 10, 2010)

I know I'm very late to the party, but is this kit still being produced? The Crow's Nest website shows sold out......


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## drewid142 (Apr 23, 2004)

Hi Machgo... I'm the guy making the kit... and it still hasn't shipped yet. 

I apologize for my site not making that clear. I will find time to improve the communication on my site some time soon. Look for the Proteus kit to be available some time in the next few months.


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## machgo (Feb 10, 2010)

10-4....I'll keep watching out for it. Thanks. I always liked Fantastic Voyage and the Proteus.


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## Nektu (Aug 15, 2001)

Any latest on this kit? Is it still being produced?

KK


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## BlackbirdCD (Oct 31, 2003)

Carson Dyle said:


> The career transition was painless; it’s the toys (and books) that damn near killed me. :drunk:


What's the C-57D kit in this shot? That can't be the PL one (I'm guessing it's too small).

Great office, by the way!


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## Carson Dyle (May 7, 2003)

That's the Lunar Models saucer, Chris.

Quick update: While working on the Proteus model I discovered the paint wasn't curing properly. Backtracking, I stripped the hull of paint and re-primed, only to discover the problem lay in the resin itself (long story short, it was out-gassing). Unfortunately, as those familiar with resin kits know, there's really no way to "fix" out-gassing parts (I tried self-etching primer, but not surprisingly it too failed to cure properly).

Please know that *Drew is aware of the problem, and steps are now being taken which will insure it does not re-occur*. Trust me, Drew is determined to get this thing right, and having busted his hump to engineer a beautiful model the LAST thing he wants is for his customers wind up with gassy hulls). 

I'm not sure what Drew's time table is with regard to creating new parts (he can address that better than I) but rest assured work will resume as soon as replacement parts are made available.

No one said producing incredibly detailed, accurate, and user-friendly resin Proteus models would be easy...


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## Ductapeforever (Mar 6, 2008)

Do the other products produced by Drew suffer from this as well? It is my understanding they are cast by the same guy.


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## Carson Dyle (May 7, 2003)

Ductapeforever said:


> Do the other products produced by Drew suffer from this as well?


No, this appears to have been an isolated instance.

I know Drew's caster, and he has a pretty good record with this type of stuff. 

Thing is, if you work with resin long enough, sooner or later you'll get a bad batch. Better for this to have happened now than later.


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## drewid142 (Apr 23, 2004)

Hi Folks!

I've been quietly working on a whole host of issues. The caster that was working on the Proteus for 11 months is off the project. It is a large and complex project and needed to go to more of a real factory production environment. I am putting final touches on new and improved masters to go into a very cool new caster's hands in about 10 days or so. I'm not saying who it is until agreement is official, but it will be very good news and my products should start shipping on schedule and at very high levels of quality. I thank all of you for your patience that have been waiting so long. Rob is right... I'm determined to get this right. Improvments include separate grill parts for improved exterior and a number of subtle but significant improvments to re-mastered parts. I'll make some kind of announcment in about 2 weeks or so. I don't know what will be ready for the fest... it's been a long haul. My old caster is working on the J2 figures and they should be ready... I hope. THe big kits, Proteus, Mercury 32 scale, and real space boosters in 96 scale, Ultimate Spindrift Stand, and some surprises, are coming right up. I just got into the weeds on casting and went dark until I could get things worked out.

As for the "does this happen with other Drew products" question... after shipping 200 sets of Flying Sub figures, I had only one instance where the resin did something wierd for a customer, and I replaced the product right away. I have not had any significant problems with quality... only quantity and schedule, and I think I have that problem fixed. If you think it is frustrating waiting... well... I know what you mean. Sorry 'bout that! It's been a learning process for me to say the least.

Cheers!

Drew


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## Ductapeforever (Mar 6, 2008)

Drew, did not mean to impune any of your work. I know when working with chemicals, the slightest error can cause major problems. No worries mate. I trust your quality ranks right up there. Keep Up The Good Fight.
Herb


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## SteveR (Aug 7, 2005)

Do outgassing parts eventually stop outgassing?


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## drewid142 (Apr 23, 2004)

No worries, Herb. It always saddens me that "tone" does not translate well in short text messages. Whenever I say anything try to assume that i am smiling, with perhaps a wry, almost evil smile... with a wierd twitch. I try very hard to never take anything overly seriously and your question is very valid. When the gassing problem occured it was the first thing I wanted to check out with my casters. I have actually been working with 2 different casters... both quite talented, I think, but both with day jobs. That has been the problem. I sent too many masters to them and swamped them both. I have now taken the really big projects back from them and am putting them into a well developed larger scale "factory" and will be anticipating results faster with cleaner castings. I continue to work with both my other casters on the smaller kits like the little figures. I am hoping that with the numerous other kits off their plates that they will be able to get the castings of those kits done on a more realistic schedule... we'll see. I plan to make some significant announcements fairly soon, and to begin keeping to promised schedules after that.

SteveR- It is my understanding that if the resin is outgassing that it is a throw away and will not correct itself over time... any experts feel free, of course, to chime in with any corrections or expanded explanations,


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## monchie72 (Dec 12, 2009)

Hi I'm new to the post, I work with resins and 2 part epoxies for concrete and metal.
I have allot of out gassing, in do time It will correct it self, so nothing has to be thrown away or done over, of course models might be a different story.


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## Seaview (Feb 18, 2004)

Thread bump (because it deserves it)! :hat:


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## Tim H. (Jun 23, 2009)

Yup, been following this one, great thread.


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## Mark Dorais (May 25, 2006)

Is this beautiful kit still available? The Crows Nest site informs that it's sold out.


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## jbond (Aug 29, 2002)

It's not available YET.


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## Carson Dyle (May 7, 2003)

Oh f'r cripe's sake guys, read Drew's posts. 

The kit (the first copy of which had some casting issues -- see pix above), is being recast by one of the finest GKers in the biz. No doubt Drew will let us know as soon as it becomes available.

Since this particular build-up is in a holding pattern pending the release of the revised version, I'm going to close the thread until I have new images to post.


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