ChrisLBren

I started the planking of the bridge

 

 

 

 

 

I'm enjoying watching your progress Mike - if this is any help - most museum models from the classic period do not depict hull caulking. I find that a good oil finish will be enough to highlight the lines between the boards - at least on the hull.  For deck planking - a simple number 2 pencil does the trick.
Chris

igloo making, no, but the same shape
 car wax used on the mold so the mold does not stick to the bread stove
inside the  wooden shell, modified shelf so that it can be self supported by the wall of the oven

Lower mast construction continues. The fore mast and it's top are now complete and installed. The work included adding the blocks for the spritsail and spritsail topsail yard braces. These are hung below the top and held in place by pegs on the deck of the top. These will be the only blocks that I will attach to the tops, since I do not intend to rig buntlines, leech lines, reef tackles etc.and won't show the blocks for them.
 
After gluing the top to the mast, I added the bolsters, the jeer sling cleats and the lead blocks for the main topmast stay and preventer stay. Lastly, I permanently mounted the mast.
 
Work now continues on the main mast and top.
 
Bob

Hey Andy,
 
Here are some photos of my WVH as she stands today - I built her between 2002-2005 using mostly kit parts - single planked with the walnut wood provided.  I followed Corel directions as to where and how to start your planking run.  It turns out well - - as you can see the wales are placed on top of the planking after she's fully planked -which is not correct. You see a lot of kit models constructed this way - because its easier. Wales go on first to determine your planking run - then you plank from there.  If you want to paint your hull off white though - you can cover up the inaccurate run if you choose to follow the instructions.
 
I also attached some photos of the main deck - I milled my own holly for deck planking and tried to do a cut away to show the lower gun deck - which at the time seemed like a good idea - but now looks wrong to me - there would have been a few more beams here.  I also scratched my own gun carriages - because the ones in my kit were metal - i understand they have replaced these in newer kits.
 
The good news is I did a lot of research - Corel's plans are strong. I did some research secondary sources and the other sheets of plans I ordered to research the WPV. Some things are simplified - but overall Corel did a nice job.  
 
Look forward to seeing your progress,
Chris

Getting the midship frame right is taking some time, but its fun work

I'm enjoying watching your progress Mike - if this is any help - most museum models from the classic period do not depict hull caulking. I find that a good oil finish will be enough to highlight the lines between the boards - at least on the hull.  For deck planking - a simple number 2 pencil does the trick.
Chris

Hi Nigel, carvings were made from boxwood.
 
For the look, apple is better than pearwood in the way it has more grain. Interesting wood to work.
I did some carving in pear, it was well acceptable. I think that apple is heavier than pear, pear being exceptionnally light for his density.
I guess apple would  produce very nice carving details and comparatively to the color of boxwood it would be in many cases more acceptable.
The first year I used apple, many cuts were made about 1 cm thick and the wood was left to dry all winter long in a room inside.
The smell was not very pleasing.

Te fist time I used applewood was about 20 years ago for this frigate especially for the planking

No pics of your finish/model wq3296?  
 
Great post Gaetan - thanks for the scientific info - I know the Fichant's model - its gorgeous and looks 200 years old.  
 
As to the mix Steve - there are different ways to apply it Gaeten mixes his with Tung Oil.  I'm sure he can help you with the ratios.
 
I learned from  Dimitry Shevelev  mix Bitumen patina 50/50 with mineral spirits and apply to finished and fully cured pure Tung Oil (at least two coats) - it sort of acts like a wash in oil painting - and wipe off the excess.  
 
Here's an example of his work (i think he learned this technique from Fichant.
 
http://www.shipmodels.com.ua/eng/models/elite/74_gun_ship/
 
Hope this helps,
Chris

I'm enjoying watching your progress Mike - if this is any help - most museum models from the classic period do not depict hull caulking. I find that a good oil finish will be enough to highlight the lines between the boards - at least on the hull.  For deck planking - a simple number 2 pencil does the trick.
Chris

Hello Friends,

today I show some news of my little naval shipyards.
In the quarter galleries were still glued the window. The tiny windows were made ​​of acrylic glass. I have fixed this with Micro Kristal Klear.
As a consequence I had to install wooden strips on the quarter galleries yet. These are just decoration.
      Soon it continues here again.

No pics of your finish/model wq3296?  
 
Great post Gaetan - thanks for the scientific info - I know the Fichant's model - its gorgeous and looks 200 years old.  
 
As to the mix Steve - there are different ways to apply it Gaeten mixes his with Tung Oil.  I'm sure he can help you with the ratios.
 
I learned from  Dimitry Shevelev  mix Bitumen patina 50/50 with mineral spirits and apply to finished and fully cured pure Tung Oil (at least two coats) - it sort of acts like a wash in oil painting - and wipe off the excess.  
 
Here's an example of his work (i think he learned this technique from Fichant.
 
http://www.shipmodels.com.ua/eng/models/elite/74_gun_ship/
 
Hope this helps,
Chris

No pics of your finish/model wq3296?  
 
Great post Gaetan - thanks for the scientific info - I know the Fichant's model - its gorgeous and looks 200 years old.  
 
As to the mix Steve - there are different ways to apply it Gaeten mixes his with Tung Oil.  I'm sure he can help you with the ratios.
 
I learned from  Dimitry Shevelev  mix Bitumen patina 50/50 with mineral spirits and apply to finished and fully cured pure Tung Oil (at least two coats) - it sort of acts like a wash in oil painting - and wipe off the excess.  
 
Here's an example of his work (i think he learned this technique from Fichant.
 
http://www.shipmodels.com.ua/eng/models/elite/74_gun_ship/
 
Hope this helps,
Chris

No pics of your finish/model wq3296?  
 
Great post Gaetan - thanks for the scientific info - I know the Fichant's model - its gorgeous and looks 200 years old.  
 
As to the mix Steve - there are different ways to apply it Gaeten mixes his with Tung Oil.  I'm sure he can help you with the ratios.
 
I learned from  Dimitry Shevelev  mix Bitumen patina 50/50 with mineral spirits and apply to finished and fully cured pure Tung Oil (at least two coats) - it sort of acts like a wash in oil painting - and wipe off the excess.  
 
Here's an example of his work (i think he learned this technique from Fichant.
 
http://www.shipmodels.com.ua/eng/models/elite/74_gun_ship/
 
Hope this helps,
Chris

Ha! - yes I will use Bitumen - but not on this build - I just want to finally finish Confederacy after almost 5 years in !

Why don't you post a photo of your finish here using your products - so we can have a look at the results rather than just simply being dismissive of others? We'd love to see some photos.
Chris

Thanks for the advice Gaetan - I used an Exacto #11 for all of these carvings on the quarter galleries - you are a master - ill give your blades a try on the next build which will have much less carving than this one.  

W..
 
I did experiments with bitumen and i will try to explain what I observed. The main reason to use it is for properties  to make the wood look like older, to give more aging to the wood. This cannot be compare to paint because it does not cover completely. It would be more on the side of dyes. One of the advantage of this powder, is depending of the amount  you add, you will get different results. Asphalt can be mixed with many components depending of the look we want to produce.
 
Beeswax  Slows drying time, soften the color  and more transparent.  Mixing it with the
               bitumen    allows beewax molecules to bind  and make the asphalt more neutral
paraffin: help beewax or could be white wax candle
asphalt:   Was used by the egyptiens for embalming   Oil suluble
 
pine resin:  Gives plastic properties  and can form a varnish if mixed with alcool
natural soap:  probably for the oils in the soap
turpentine:  Fluidity  and solubility of the mix
siccative:   shorter drying time, max 10% of total mix.
 
 
My preference is to mix it with tung oil, that I prefer to other oils. When dry, this oil does not produce a shiny finish which is particuliary visible when you use a flash on the camera. At first, I used only tung oil which gives a look of 50 years in aging the wood. Later I did experiment by adding asphalt.
 
In small quantities, it will act as a dye but  clearer, not as dark as a dye can go. In the mixing, when you exceed his property of absorption by dilution, asphalt  powder will precipitate in the bottom  of the container and if you use this mix, it will produce on the wood a general finish plus different spots which can look like dirt caused by time.
 
I remember the first time I saw the utilisation of bitumen. It was on a 74 gun ship made by A French named Fichant. By using bitumen, he made his model look like 150 years older than it really was.

Hi Group,
 
I've been playing around with my typical finish -3 Coats Pure Tung Oil (first one cut 50 percent by mineral spirits) and I've added Bitumen to the top coat and here are the results - thanks to Dimitry on the Russian forums for giving me this tip to age wood.  No simulated caulking added here - just wood sanded to 600 and then finish applied
 
This is the finish I will apply to my next build - La Jacinthe in 1/36th.  Ive added some photos to compare this new technique to my usual on Confederacy.  
 
Your thoughts as always are appreciated,
Chris
 
 

Wednesday, October 15th, 2014  
Today I started to apply the first planks. .  
 
These are strips of lime wood, very beautiful, size 6 x 2 mm, purchased at a model hobby shop in Milan hinterland. 
The first strip, in the photos the lower one, is in one piece and has been installed according to the line references of the deck, references which were previously marked on the bulkheads with a small incision on the outside and passed through with a pencil. With this one piece plank I secured a very accurate alignment and natural sheer. 
Then I started to apply shorter planks concentrated in the area from amidships to the stern to rise, in order to properly cover the deck walls. 
Next activity to reach the same situation from amidships to the bow. I hope tomorrow. . friendliness, Jack.Aubrey
01 Brick%20by%20JackAubrey/CAM00352_zps7734b1f0.jpg

02 Brick%20by%20JackAubrey/CAM00353_zpsa31b4e8c.jpg

03 Brick%20by%20JackAubrey/CAM00354_zps5195574f.jpg

 

Frame 10 in place and some rough fairing.
 
Ben

Why don't you post a photo of your finish here using your products - so we can have a look at the results rather than just simply being dismissive of others? We'd love to see some photos.
Chris

Hey Group,
 
Still plugging away on the fenders and I'm about finished with them - photos soon.  
 
I'm considering finishing the WVH - she has sentimental value to me.  The first step would be to sand off the wipe on poly - paint the hull tallow below the waterline, and apply my tung oil/ bitumen mix to age the planking that will be not painted. 
 
I've changed my mind so many times about my next project - so who knows (smile). 
 
Chris

Chris, thanks very much for sharing your info on this post.  I agree 100% that what distinguishes the really amazing models out there from the very good is the finish and decorations (at least that's my relatively novice opinion).  I'm testing out some of these techniques on my Pegasus and Lyme using stains and oils for woods, and plan to test out undercoats/washes/dry-brushing highlights and lowlights onto the decorative pieces - eventually, I'll try carving.  I saw that folks in Europe were using bitumen, and I've always been curious as to what it is, how it is applied, etc.
 
Hope you're getting some sleep these days.  My twins are a year and a half now, and I feel like we've finally turned the corner.