Ian B

10 out of 10 for perseverance--- going to be a great talking point when finished (i guess it is already) when people visit you  

I think the coils look super---don't knock them-- you did a good job on a great build.

10 out of 10 for perseverance--- going to be a great talking point when finished (i guess it is already) when people visit you  

10 out of 10 for perseverance--- going to be a great talking point when finished (i guess it is already) when people visit you  

Alistair, very interesting method for aging the copper plates.  I just might have to try it out on my current build.  The one thing I'm not sure about however is which morning pee I should use, the 1AM or the 3AM or the 5AM or the 7AM.😉

Hi
Another member suggested I post this here. Like you - presumably - bright copper on hull plates doesn't sit well to my eyes. But there is a way to age copper very quickly - in three days - if you have the nerve to do so. I offer this technique at your own risk. When I used it on my model of HMS Fly I had no idea if it might destroy all of my work to date. I tested it on some spare copper plates before embarking on the main experiment but it still felt risky.
 
Very bright copper plating when the install is complete. By itself it might take a year or two to tarnish. Why wait?



My wife who is an architect used to work on high end resorts in Bali. Many had copper roofs but the developers hated the shine. Solution? Paint them with horse urine (whose job that was I have no idea). The copper tarnishes very quickly. I don't own a horse and even if I did I wouldn't want to collect its pee but...I make urine too so decided it was worth a try. Not a pleasant smelling chemical although it's a smell that I'm kind of used to until I flush.

To ensure it didn't soak into the upper boxwood woodwork, or anything else., at first I did a very intense job of masking (I don't have a picture of that) but I found out that I didn't need it and it actually wicked my pee up into the woodwork which caused a panic. So I took off the masking. Then I brushed my urine onto the copper plates with fingers crossed. The reaction is very fast, in some areas it was almost instant. Some verdigris happened and then some spots of bright copper remained. You can wipe back the verdigris and the bright copper bits turned out to be CA glue residue which is easy to scrape off. Early applications. It tends to bead (first photo) and I just carefully spread it ot with a brush.

Verdigris kicking in on first application. You can also see the little bright spots where glue is covering the copper.

Second application. the copper is turning brown but more bright spots appear. Get rid of the glue.
 
Applications continued - two per day which suited my bladder. Between coats I wiped it off with water before applying my urine. Still some bright spots to work on...

I was unsure if my urine would keep eating at the copper so I wiped all of it off with water and then sealed the copper with Testors Dullcote. End result after three days. Variable with some verdigris but I like the look. Eight years later it still looks the same.
 
Port:

Starboard:

 
Good luck if you want to try. It worked for me but no guarantees.
 
Cheers,
Alistair

@hof00 thanks Harry, this is my first dedicated workshop in 12 years and the first build on it,. So much nicer having space and all my tools to hand ..
 
Definitely not looking forward to the railings 🫡😂

@hof00 thanks Harry, this is my first dedicated workshop in 12 years and the first build on it,. So much nicer having space and all my tools to hand ..
 
Definitely not looking forward to the railings 🫡😂

@hof00 thanks Harry, this is my first dedicated workshop in 12 years and the first build on it,. So much nicer having space and all my tools to hand ..
 
Definitely not looking forward to the railings 🫡😂

A bit more sanding then should be ready for second planking 

Looking really good!!
(Nice workshop space also. 🙂)
(HOF is still struggling with the Main Deck Railing but I think that my solution is working, I'll post soon also.)
 
Cheers and Regards,
 
Harry.

A bit more sanding then should be ready for second planking 

A bit more sanding then should be ready for second planking 

A bit more sanding then should be ready for second planking 

A bit more sanding then should be ready for second planking 

Whilst waiting for the glue to dry , I have been working on the Bow casting.
1. mooring hole drilled
2.first filing of the sonar sensors
3. drilled the hole for the bugspiere.
 
 

slightly confused during dry fit of top decks--- advice anyone?
The hull is perfectly flat and so are the deck main and stern sections  --yet  the bow kicks up quite a bit it seems far to much for just a bit of sanding-- is it supposed to? I cant work out if it is wrong or right (i suspect wrong lol ). I just need to check the whole deck is supposed to be flat before I take lots of corrective action?
 

I have some nice copper solid wire and a plan for the fixings... Not long now 🤫

I have some nice copper solid wire and a plan for the fixings... Not long now 🤫

I have some nice copper solid wire and a plan for the fixings... Not long now 🤫

Thanks everyone, every day is a learning day..I'm definitely going to have it also I will be adding a disguising cable...

I know when she was launched she never had them but had it installed soon after, apparently they made sure any pictures of her out of water never showed the bow or doctored it to disguise its installation. The book on the wreck discovery mentions it's. It is described as schallanage active sonar in AOS. Tirpitz had it fitted post 1940 and in a listing differences wth Bismarck it was not mentioned. So I think the assumption is both Bismarck and Tirpitz had the upgrade..I guess we'll never get a definitive answer 😕

Whilst waiting for the glue to dry , I have been working on the Bow casting.
1. mooring hole drilled
2.first filing of the sonar sensors
3. drilled the hole for the bugspiere.
 
 

Super thanks both.i can sort the rear shear and leave the front 😁

Thanks everyone, every day is a learning day..I'm definitely going to have it also I will be adding a disguising cable...