Mont-Saint-Michel

**Kevin WS** · #1 10-25-2010, 09:56 AM

Well, after a lot of humming and hawing I decided to build the L'Instant Durable Mont-Saint-Michel.

Spent last week looking at the book and doing some calculations. The result was that I decided it was too large for me as it stood, so I decided to detach all the pages and then reduce the kit.

This I duely did and then printed all 30 odd pages out. Having "burnt" myself before after doingt this, I then hunted through for some of the really small components and tried a test assembly.

Had blown it - they were far too small for anything practical.

Back to the redrawing board, and I tried a this time a few reductions of the smaller parts checking the size by eye until I felt they were usable.

Then reprinted everything and decided to get cracking. Will work out what the scale is later!

The next issue was the instructions (or rather lack of). There are some really unedifying pictures that are of minimal assistance, and then the usual mass of L'Instant Durable notations - the relevant pieces printed all over the show so there is a never ending search for pieces you are not certain even really exist!

By the end of the week I remained somewhat confused, but decided to start regardless and started cutting out the all the basic core pieces joing onto Part A1 (a rather flimsy base).

Saturday saw me continuing with this, and the exercise did help me start to understand some of the basic construction - I think. Though at the moment I am cautious about sticking anything just yet until I am clear about what parts attach "all around".

Took my first lot of pics.... and will put these up tomorrow.

Hopefully I will be able to finish this one, but you will have to bear with me - as with work and other pressures I am bound to hit slow spots!

**AN_1123** · #2 10-25-2010, 07:31 PM

Hi Kevin,

Look forward to your photos, i have got almost 90% of Instant Durable card model but sometime i do confused about the construction because of the lack of instructions, they are the very best quality models i have even seen so far and there are some certian difficulities to build them up. I hope you have fun and would be appreciated a lot if you could share your ways of building their models.

Good Luck and have fun

Cheers
Anthony

**Kevin WS** · #3 10-26-2010, 07:00 AM

Anthony, thanks.

I will see if I can try and explain what I am doing - if I manage to sort this kit out!

As I mentioned I had not the foggiest idea how to start, so found Part A1 and cut this out.

In this case it looks like it is the start of the Model. I have then identified all the pieces that attached to A1 and have cut out most of these - still some to go.

Nothing glued yet, but seeing how these fitted (the base and sides) helped me to figure out what would go on top.

Thinking about the top, I have decided that I should now perhaps build this first - sticking all the buildings on - so I can ensure the top remains flat when I attach it to the sides.

So while I continue to cut out the sides, I also have started work on the top parts.

One thing I have decided is important for these kits........because the part numbers have no logic - for example to Part A1 attaches part 105, 33 etc. - is to cut out all related parts at the same time for each section. What I mean by this is that for A1 I have cut out all parts that attached to it. For the top plazza and each building that attaches to it I will do the same!

**Kevin WS** · #4 10-26-2010, 07:37 AM

OK - here are some of the build pictures.

The first is a photocopy of the cover I will use for reference (after I scaled the kit down, I have put the original away).

The second picture shows some of the reduced pages by comparison with the cover (A4 size). There are 33 pages of parts. And no - I am not going to count the parts!

Third picture - Part A1 - the base of the core. The instructions say to cut out the centres, as I have done. I am not certain why and would have left the pieces in, but maybe this will help with assembly later? Notice all the different pieces that go on here - 20 odd.

Picture Four - Part A1 with some of the pieces that attach to it.

Picture Five - another view.

**Kevin WS** · #5 10-26-2010, 09:30 AM

Forgot to mention in the post above (and its too late to edit it) that as I cut the pieces for a complex part I mark them of on the "master" piece. Photo 3 shows this - you can see where I have marked the pieces I cut and dry fitted with an "X". This helps when you start to assemble a batch of parts. It also helps with these particular kits when it is not clear at first where everything goes.

**Marco** · #6 10-27-2010, 12:51 AM

This should be good! I have not gotten around building any Instant Durable kits yet, but they do look nice.

**Kevin WS** · #7 10-27-2010, 12:57 AM

Right at the top of the models sits a church/cathedral on a smaller seperate base. Between part A1 and this I assume will be the basic core of the model.

The pictures below show the small base and part of the church - designed I assume to be removable as it has the "inside" printed on it - see the third picture.

First Picture shows the parts to be made up so far, the second, the removable part made up - fairly small around 3 cm long.

Last picture shows it placed - loose - where it goes on the small base.

My idea is to build some of the buildings for the small base and attach these before making up the core. this hopefully will keep the base rigid and ensure the building on it sit level. It will also help with the fit of the sides.

**AN_1123** · #8 10-27-2010, 07:32 AM

Hi Kevin ,

Thanks for sharing your great experience, although I haven't started building any Instant durable models, I spotted on when looked at the book yesterday.

One of problem is to build the model with a lot of little part which I am not really good at. I am building MELK Duha at the moment and everything so far so good.

Hopefully later on could have time to start one of their model, what I can see from your pictures, they look fantastic and obviously u have done a great job.

I will keep watching your update.

**AN_1123** · #9 10-27-2010, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marco

This should be good! I have not gotten around building any Instant Durable kits yet, but they do look nice.

Hey Marco,

How is the Prague going so far, I am sure you have a lot of fun with this enormous model.

Good luck.

**Kevin WS** · #10 10-27-2010, 10:54 AM

Anthony - do not worry about the small parts - just keep building! You will get there slowly and learn all the tips and tricks as you go.

Remember you an always make copies before you start and then make more parts if you mess something up! I have done that lots of times with the Micromodels!