Teazer by dgbot - FINISHED - CARD - Blockade Runner

[dgbot]

  I have started my next model.  It is the Blockade Runner Teazer.  It was part of fleet of steamboats used by the North during the Civil War to blockade Southern harbours and ports,  The scale is 1/250.

  I  started the model the same as the last one using what I learned from the last one.  However this kit is far more advanced and as a result it is easier to make mistakes.  Everything started out okay but after awhile as you will see I have decided to start over.

 

[dgbot]

This time I had to make syre  the forms were seated proper and square. Then test fit the decks before I go any further.  So far everything seems okay and aligned properly.

David B

Edited March 21, 2014 by dgbot

[dgbot]

My second try at this kit proved to be interesting in that I learned several new things.

The first thing was to cut out the hull and the backbone and make sure they they fit perfect. Once I was sure of everything they were glued together.

Then I cut out the bulkhead formers and dry fit each one before they were permanenly seated.

I made sure the aft deck was perfecly aligned.  Thi took some time and playing with.  Paper unlike wood is flexible and you have to double check every joint.

The main deck was cut out oversize and length was measure to insure a proper fit once all the slots and holes were cut out.  I am glad I did this.  Note to self when printing always double check the dimension,  you could always be off.  Even 1/64 could mean serious trouble.

The for deck was added and I am happy so far. 

Once more several lessons were learned and one is alway double check everything and take nothing for granted.

David B

 

Edited March 22, 2014 by dgbot

[BobF]

David -

 

I love your advice: "Always double check everything, and take nothing for granted."  Excellent words to model by!  The Teaser is looking good.  Keep up the nice work.

 

BobF

[dgbot]

After installing the deck I proceeded working on the hull and the bulwarks.  This also presented some new twist. On my first attempt I failed to get a really good alignment thus a hull that was a little crooked.  And the stern was not not put on properly.

This time I tested each part and made sure I was getting a proper fit through out the process.

 

The bow proved to be a little difficult because of the camber.  One of the things I did this time aroud was glue the sides to the bottem of the hull first and once that was completed glue to the deck.  This was difficult but made for a bitter fit and more control.

This worked well. for the stern.  But but the connection still need sime backing ro it.  It still is not perfect, however I have added this bit a knowlege to my memory. 

I then proceeded to glue in the interior bulwarks.  After a little trimming they came out pretty decent.

So far so good.  Since paper is flexible it is made to bend to contours.  This learned at the stern.  I also learned that at time you have to add a little backing not in the kit so it will bend to the proper curves.  And for the glue up a light touch is needed to prevent accidental damage. 

David B

Edited March 27, 2014 by dgbot

[dgbot]

It has been awhile but I am making some progress as well as mistakes as usual.  I started working on the boxes for the paddle wheels. Once the parts were cut out they were formed and glued in place.  This involved adding some filler piece so that the box would keep its' shape during the glue up.

After the box was assembled and glued in place the wheel came next.  I opted to remove all the paper between the spokes and met with disaster until I used a couple of drops of thin CA to harden the paper.  This kept the card from tearing and added a little stiffness to the part.  Once I finished with the wheel assembly it was glued into place.

David B

 

Edited April 8, 2014 by dgbot

[dcicero]

Looking really good, David. I think I have this model in the big pile of paper models on my hard drive. I'm enjoying watching you build it.

 

Dan

[themadchemist]

Wow David, what a tough medium to work with and at 1:250 it makes it even tougher.

I didn't realize just how small she was until I saw your fingers in the picture.

 

So are you going to have a small card stock Rhett Butler on deck?

 

I liked the CA idea for stiffening the stock for cutting, good idea.

[dgbot]

Dan & Keith  thanks for the comments,  it looks better in photos than in real life.  I find this kit more difficult than the last one,  I am having fun doing it. One of the things I have found out is that this medium is very different from what I am used to.  If not on this one then on the next I will be replacing some of the pieces with other material at the moment most of the stuff I could use is back in Chicago.  Plus when I go to the University of Iowa for further treatments I will not be able to take much with me.  Dan,  I wish I could be at a club meeting right now so you could help me with some of this stuff.  Keith,  this is truly smaller than what I normally work in, but the advantage is the foot print ouside a printer is pretty small.  My sister would not like it if I turned everything into a workshop.  I wish to stay alive

David B

[dgbot]

Once the paddle wheels were put in I took care of the navigation  roof and the galley.  This part was pretty straight forward but once more the blade had to be very sharp to get a clean cut.

David B

[dgbot]

The next part of this build was to build up the smoke stacks.  After cutting out the bottom have I had trouble lining the pieces up so I cut around the parts and glued one of them to  a backer of paper and then glued the other one next to it and trimmed them to fit. I also added a strip tab to edge glue the part together. This worked out very well

The top half was done bacically the same way

Then they were asembled and applied to the model.

So far so good less do overs and learning a little more.

David B

Edited April 16, 2014 by dgbot

[dgbot]

Unfortunately I was preoccupied with being at the University of Iowa and the kind people at the Hope Lodge so I did not have much energy to get much done.  But I am now back.  I finally started on the bow.  The crane, anchor and chain.  Since I am working with just the stock itself I did the best I could.  Though this would have been easier with other material.  I cut out the sheet and glued it up

This time around I soaked the pieces in CA in order to reinforce them.  And once cut out I used a marker to touch up the color.  Note to self always keep a pack of markers handy.

By using CA I was able to make everything piable enought to glue to the hull.  For this I used white Elmers.

So far so good. 

David B

[dcicero]

David:

 

Your work inspired me to look at some of the old paper models I have.  Luisa had some health problems recently and I just didn't have the mental energy to work on the Longboat.  Paper modeling was just the thing.

 

I printed out this model of the Bell Aircraft X-1, aka Glamorous Glennis.  This was the aircraft in which Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier back in 1947.

 

Took just a few modeling sessions, maybe four in all.  It turned out alright, although I need to do a better job touching up the seams.  Tried the colored pencil route, but the kids just didn't have exactly the right shade of orange!

 

Hope you're feeling better.  We all missed you in Manitowoc.

 

 

Dan

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dgbot]

Nice planes Dan. I hope your wife gets well soon.

David B

[dgbot]

Thennext parts were the cleats.  This was pretty straight forward.  Just fold over and glue together.  I applied a little CA to stiffen up the pieces a little bit and with a marker to touch they were placed on the model.

So far so good.

[dgbot]

Next up was the rest of the super structure.  The navigation deck was finished off.

The aft deck was then completed with the wheels, compass and ventilators.

This is about as good as I am going to get it.  Once more I am learning about shaping and folding.  Another item is a leather strop block I use on my xacto blade every now and then.  This helps to keep the tip super sharp so that there are no tears.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 30, 2014 by dgbot

[dgbot]

The masts were then cut out and formed.  I left a little extra paper on the ends to help with the glue up and used a thin rod to help shape them.  Next time I will use a couple of dowels when I can get them.

David B

 

 

Edited May 30, 2014 by dgbot

[dgbot]

Next came the ladders.

Once more a good straight edge along the folds makes it easy to get a nice tight crease.  After touching up they were glued into place.  One of the things I found out on these delicate pieces is that a drop of CA helps to keep the parts stiff and prevent accidental breakage.  I only use as needed though.

David B

 

[themadchemist]

Hey David

Nice advise on the leather stropping of blades. It definitely helps with wood but on paper or card stock I can see where a really sharp blade would help with the fuzzy's even more, which has to be more of an issue with paper building. I couldn't believe when I saw the anchors and chains you had to cut out, now that's an exercise in patience.

I'm glad to see you feeling well enough to feel like building. Your positive attitude is your best medicine.
Your support has helped me through struggles and to the best of my figuring, everyone experiences struggles in life. The support of others and our attitudes are 2 very important steps to recovery to better times.

Your in my thoughts my friend. Just get well!

[dgbot]

Thanks for the comment Keith.  I go back to Iowa City Monday for a full day of PET scans.  Then Friday to see the Doctor.  They are already trying to schedule a bed in the isolation ward for my first tranplant.  If available I will be there for a full month.  I needed the weeks after my cell extractions in order for my.  However it took me several days to recover from that small trip but it was worth it.

I operated the sail boat and really enjoyed myself.  It is nice to have friends who care. 

David B

 

[themadchemist]

YIKES. A month is a long hospital stay. It will be over before you know it though. Although one benefit of long stays is that the hospital staff gets to know you and sometimes that makes for some good events. I had one nurse that would sneak me Dixie cups of ice cream every evening.

 

I've had several stays over a week in the last 5 years and the worst part is the boredom. I don't do TV so that's not an option for me. My last stay I had 3 different roommates and luckily they were very interesting individuals and I made some good friends while recovering.

Have you considered audiobooks? Librovox has a nice selection of public domain books, if you don't mind older books.

I recently downloaded Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness from Librovox, which was published in 1899. It was the basis for Apocalypse Now although it was set in the Congo and a different war. One of John Milius best screenplays with Coppola's producing and directing.

 

I've never had a PET scan, but more then my share of MRI, CAT scans and upper and lower GI's and the worst was a flow cytometry, that took over an hour laying on a hard metal table and not being able to move the whole time. I've always been amazed at just what we can endure.

 

Looks like your having fun on the water though, just don't try that with your Teazer

 

Your right about the 'friends' that care, but then I have found that is the way to tell your real friends. Its a disappointing part of disability and illness when friend of decades disappear and fade into oblivion. I was probably guilty of such myself before my disability changed the way I saw empathy. Sometimes illness, even with its pain and struggles, helps to make us better people.

 

I wish you luck and best wishes during the days ahead. Just know if you need to talk I'm just a PM away.

Edited May 30, 2014 by themadchemist

[dgbot]

Then cut out the life boats and assembled them.  After a few attempts I was able to make a couple that were decent. 

The next time I do one of these I will make a small mold and make the hull out of tissue paper and white glue.  It will be a little more work but better looking.

David B

 

[dgbot]

Next came the bundles of cotton.  After a few attempts I kept coming up with garbage.  So I cut out a piece of cardboard strip to make a block but this did not work out

This did not work out so I took a piece of basswood and stripped it to the length I needed and mad up a jig to cut out blocks.

The bundles were then cut out and glued up around the blocks and this did the trick.

Once they were assembled they were then glued to the deck.  This was a good way to hide a few mistakes that I made.

Once this was done I put the life boats on. There could be an improvement in there placement but next time I plan on using some wire to make for a better look. 

The finished model.  Once more I have learned much.  It is not perfect but an improvement.  I have the plans and the next time I build this model I plan on making several improvements.  As stated I am learning and having fun at the same time.  Eventually I will gain the confidence to tackle the  Schachtschiff2. Klasse USS MAINE that a friend sent me.  This will be the true test.

David B

[themadchemist]

It must be tough at that scale to shape a 2d stock into a curved shape. I wonder if a high linen paper well wetted could be made to be shaped and stretched over a form, then let dry. I'm thinking a wet thicker, high fiber paper would stretch rather then tear. With something so small you wouldn't need much stretch.

The tissue and glue would also be a good choice, I just wonder which would be less messy.

 

On something that small, you might could stretch a piece of screen door mesh into the shape. Blend some paper and water and pour it over the mesh. I've seen flat home-made paper made like this and don't see why it wouldn't work with shaped screen. Of course the 1:250 scale is always going to be an issue. Its fun to think through and troubleshoot methods, no matter the project. I have found that my attitude of "Wood Only" when I started with modeling, has quickly changed as I see what can be some quite exquisite multi-media builds.

 

So David, in your opinion does paper have a larger learning curve than wood, it seems to me it would or does? I think one would have the attitude...ah, its just paper, but its cutting, folding and shaping is rather more difficult then the medium tends to make one think. I have a couple of card models and after thinking them over, they seem more intimidating. But then, I've learned to over-estimate the difficulty of creating even the simplest part from my last years building experiences.

 

Another big issue I see is clamping, paper is so much more delicate. In building the 90mm Ebby pinnace I found clamping an issue as things were so delicate that more times then not, my fingers were used.

I see you are using CA to stiffen the paper, but are you using PVA for main gluing purposes?

[themadchemist]

but wait, where is the 1:250th Rhett Butler?

Edited May 30, 2014 by themadchemist

[dgbot]

There are modelers in my club who have made several life boats out of tissue paper.  The first thing is to make a plug the shape that you need.  Once finished you give it several coats of either wax or poly for a coating. Wrap the plug in plastic or cling wrap. Make up a slurry of white glue and water and start layering with tissue paper and slurry.  After after it dries take some wet and dry sandpaper and smooth out the hull.  Once it is popped off the plug and the wrap removed you then detail the insides.  This takes practice but after a while you would be surprised at what you can get.  I like using PVA.   It is easier to use and less messy.  As for the paper after awhile you begin to get a feel for what will bend or fold and how to smooth out the wrinkles.  As for clamping I have been using tweezers and my fingers along with some weights.  I am not in any hurry.  One of the thing I am not sure I will get used to is that there is so little weight. 

David B

[the learner]

David great job..we have several paper modlers in our club and they make it look easy and are very accurate.

 

Was this a kit or did you print it up off the internet

[Omega1234]

Hi David

 

I really like what you've done on this ship. Not only is it an interesting subject, but it is also full of character and details. I especially like the bales of wool and the lifeboats.

 

What's even better for me, is the fact that I've finally been able to find one of your builds! I hope now that you're back to full health, I'll be able to follow your current build as well.

 

Cheers and all the best!

 

Patrick