Piet

Thank you Carl for the input and yes, that's one of my tests I'll be doing. I bought some lighter blue acrylic artist paint and white at HobbyLobby.  Have had no time to devote on the trials, maybe tomorrow.
 
Good to see you here Sam and also my thanks for your input and generous offer.  I visited the website you provided the URL to, impressive stuff.  Kinda late in the game at this point though for the sea.  Now I wish I had known the existence of the BJB store but I have it bookmarked.  In addition to the acrylic paints I also bought a special white "stuff" for sea foam accents. Perhaps the same as acrylic white but hey, at this point I'll try anything that may give me the desired results.  Thanks for the complement in the sea Sam and yes, as already mentioned before in this log, it's also my first time using polyester.  So far I'm quite happy with the way it came out, just a tad too dark but then again with the tropical sun out in the early afternoon hours seawater does tend to be rather dark when looking down on it.  I'll keep you in mind for my next diorama, that 1:3000 scale Young America, maybe 2 table spoons for the sea
BTW, I peeked at your Enterprise build, impressive work Sam and blessings with your wedding.
 
I did manage to make a new antenna assembly and installed it to "Java" this afternoon.  Tomorrow I'll do some paint touch-ups on the hull where some of the poly sea stuff found its way to.  After that I'll start with the testing of the waves.
 
Cheers,
 

Thank you Carl for the input and yes, that's one of my tests I'll be doing. I bought some lighter blue acrylic artist paint and white at HobbyLobby.  Have had no time to devote on the trials, maybe tomorrow.
 
Good to see you here Sam and also my thanks for your input and generous offer.  I visited the website you provided the URL to, impressive stuff.  Kinda late in the game at this point though for the sea.  Now I wish I had known the existence of the BJB store but I have it bookmarked.  In addition to the acrylic paints I also bought a special white "stuff" for sea foam accents. Perhaps the same as acrylic white but hey, at this point I'll try anything that may give me the desired results.  Thanks for the complement in the sea Sam and yes, as already mentioned before in this log, it's also my first time using polyester.  So far I'm quite happy with the way it came out, just a tad too dark but then again with the tropical sun out in the early afternoon hours seawater does tend to be rather dark when looking down on it.  I'll keep you in mind for my next diorama, that 1:3000 scale Young America, maybe 2 table spoons for the sea
BTW, I peeked at your Enterprise build, impressive work Sam and blessings with your wedding.
 
I did manage to make a new antenna assembly and installed it to "Java" this afternoon.  Tomorrow I'll do some paint touch-ups on the hull where some of the poly sea stuff found its way to.  After that I'll start with the testing of the waves.
 
Cheers,
 

Thanks Frank!!
 
Cheers. 
 
Patrick
 
 
 

Hi Patrick.  Yes, rough balsa blocks, but I can see where you're going with the shape.  This will be another awesome build from your shipyard.

Hi folks
 
A quick update.  I’ve done a quick mock-up of the superstructure just so that I could get a feel for how it all fits together.  
 
I know it’s just a bunch of rough balsa blocks at the moment, but, ‘out of rough things, good things grow’, I guess!
 
Thanks to all of you for your Likes and comments.
 
Much appreciated.  
 
Cheers. 
 
Patrick
 
 

Thank you everyone for your very kind words, its very much appreciated. 
I would have liked the "sea" a little lighter blue but it is what it is.  It's primarily due to the cobalt blue under-painting.  I purposely didn't mix a lot of blue coloring in the first layer of the "sea" to keep it more transparent. The second and final layer was just slightly darker and is hiding the lower hull quite well.
 
Yes, Jan, your admonition is well taken, because at a 16 mile per hour wind there is not much of a chop, plus the fact that at this scale wave height is hardly measurable.  Let's say that we have 2 feet waves that calculates out to 1.7 mm and with 3 feet waves it shows at a but over 3 mm.  So, if I can muster it, I'll try to give the "sea" just a little more life with some random placed waves. 
 
I think that the froth action around the model will draw the attention more then waves. How to achieve that is also a concern.  The stuff I bought for that purpose is clear end the blue "sea" will certainly shine through it, which I don't want.  Frothy water is opaque and whitish looking.  I'll have to experiment with how to achieve that.  Perhaps tinting the "sea" in those areas white with an acrylic white wash that may give me the desired effect. 
 
Well, this morning I took the time to cement "Java" into the "sea."  I then mixed some more blue tinted polyester and poured it into the gaps around the ship to fill it up.  In doing this I inadvertently hit the port side antenna wires that broke off from the aft mast.  So, I'll have to make a new one.  I also put some of the blue poly on the lower part of the hull but that can be painted over. Fortunately there is a lot of frothy sea action there anyhow.  
Right now all this new poly is curing and I'll have to wait adding the wave making poly.  First though I have buy some acrylic paints for just in case and fix the antenna.
I'll wait with taking pictures after I have modeled the bow wave and some of the frothy stuff, oh yeah, testing first.  No sense in making more pics, nothing has changed that's different, so I better safe some pixels 
 
Cheers,
 

That's why thatch at scale is sold here ...
Pages are in Dutch, but some will get the drift with a translator
Thatching on a model mill
Shop selling the thatch
You could actually order it, have it delivered at your mums and take it back with you, or send it by postal services ...

Thanks Mark, I'll keep that glue in mind. 
 
Piet, coconut husk is too curvy 
 
My wife thought of something else, we have a bamboo fence used for one year and stored in a box. It has weathered to gray. It is a thin fence. Couple of layers of that and that could do the trick. 
She mentioned that we go to Michael's and Hobby Lobby and see what else there is. Raffia is something to look in as wekl. 
 
I haven't ripped out the fake thatch layer yet. I couldn't get myself to do that until I am sure there is no other way. Adding layers of the thin bamboo on top of the paste makes the whole thing look much fuller as well. 
 
I never knew this part would take so much trail and error to come up with something. Uncharted waters.😁
Marcus 

Now THERE are skills I am well versed in!

What Piet said, Lou.  Scratching is fun... but you need the additional sub-skills of cursing, tossing stuff against the wall, burning the evidence, etc....  

Use white-ish paint for the froth, and let the blue shine through

Thank you everyone for your very kind words, its very much appreciated. 
I would have liked the "sea" a little lighter blue but it is what it is.  It's primarily due to the cobalt blue under-painting.  I purposely didn't mix a lot of blue coloring in the first layer of the "sea" to keep it more transparent. The second and final layer was just slightly darker and is hiding the lower hull quite well.
 
Yes, Jan, your admonition is well taken, because at a 16 mile per hour wind there is not much of a chop, plus the fact that at this scale wave height is hardly measurable.  Let's say that we have 2 feet waves that calculates out to 1.7 mm and with 3 feet waves it shows at a but over 3 mm.  So, if I can muster it, I'll try to give the "sea" just a little more life with some random placed waves. 
 
I think that the froth action around the model will draw the attention more then waves. How to achieve that is also a concern.  The stuff I bought for that purpose is clear end the blue "sea" will certainly shine through it, which I don't want.  Frothy water is opaque and whitish looking.  I'll have to experiment with how to achieve that.  Perhaps tinting the "sea" in those areas white with an acrylic white wash that may give me the desired effect. 
 
Well, this morning I took the time to cement "Java" into the "sea."  I then mixed some more blue tinted polyester and poured it into the gaps around the ship to fill it up.  In doing this I inadvertently hit the port side antenna wires that broke off from the aft mast.  So, I'll have to make a new one.  I also put some of the blue poly on the lower part of the hull but that can be painted over. Fortunately there is a lot of frothy sea action there anyhow.  
Right now all this new poly is curing and I'll have to wait adding the wave making poly.  First though I have buy some acrylic paints for just in case and fix the antenna.
I'll wait with taking pictures after I have modeled the bow wave and some of the frothy stuff, oh yeah, testing first.  No sense in making more pics, nothing has changed that's different, so I better safe some pixels 
 
Cheers,
 

Oh, I understand Lou. We did the same with a few others on the forum - I remember Sjors we did it to, more pictures Sjors.
I finally managed to copy the pics I send via e-mail to myself to my desktop. My cellphone also managed to upload the pics to DropBox, which took a lot of time. In any case, I have all the pics now and just need to transfer them to my "Java" folder.
 
Here is the test piece I made that made me decide to go ahead and pour the sea.  The surface became automatically rough without any help on my part.  The only problem I found is that it climbs up on the verticals.  This should not be a problem with the actual pour because I'll have the model wrapped in cling film.


A closeup of the stern during the second pour. The surface was still as smooth as glass when wet, the cling wrap is reflected in it. This caused me some concern with the process of making waves but it worked out okay as you'll see when it's cured.
 

Bow view during the second pour, here you can really see how shiny and smooth the whet surface is. Oh yeah, I had to constantly pull the cling wrap up and out of the poly.
 

Here we see the cured sea and the development of surface roughness. I did scrape the indications for the bow wave into it.
 

I took the diorama outside in the shade to let the defused light shine through the poly, I'm rather pleased with the effect even though the sea appears a little dark.But I hope to dress it up with the added waves in lighter colors and some white.
 

This shows the sea after the cure with the "Java" pulled out. It almost look like the side scan of the sea floor after the salvagers lifted her out.
 

Here I placed "Java" back into the hole. The tapes on the sides are markers where I have to remove some of the sea alongside the hull.  Photos of "java" at full speed show a long dip around the midsection of the hull and somewhat higher at the stern with somewhat of a rooster tail from the propellers.. A bonus is that the poly raised slightly above the sides.

Another shot of "Java" steaming South at 29 knots with her starboard cannons in action against the JIN.
 
Hope youns like it, it sure looks promising to me, keep fingers crossed.
 
Cheers,

Thank you everyone for your very kind words, its very much appreciated. 
I would have liked the "sea" a little lighter blue but it is what it is.  It's primarily due to the cobalt blue under-painting.  I purposely didn't mix a lot of blue coloring in the first layer of the "sea" to keep it more transparent. The second and final layer was just slightly darker and is hiding the lower hull quite well.
 
Yes, Jan, your admonition is well taken, because at a 16 mile per hour wind there is not much of a chop, plus the fact that at this scale wave height is hardly measurable.  Let's say that we have 2 feet waves that calculates out to 1.7 mm and with 3 feet waves it shows at a but over 3 mm.  So, if I can muster it, I'll try to give the "sea" just a little more life with some random placed waves. 
 
I think that the froth action around the model will draw the attention more then waves. How to achieve that is also a concern.  The stuff I bought for that purpose is clear end the blue "sea" will certainly shine through it, which I don't want.  Frothy water is opaque and whitish looking.  I'll have to experiment with how to achieve that.  Perhaps tinting the "sea" in those areas white with an acrylic white wash that may give me the desired effect. 
 
Well, this morning I took the time to cement "Java" into the "sea."  I then mixed some more blue tinted polyester and poured it into the gaps around the ship to fill it up.  In doing this I inadvertently hit the port side antenna wires that broke off from the aft mast.  So, I'll have to make a new one.  I also put some of the blue poly on the lower part of the hull but that can be painted over. Fortunately there is a lot of frothy sea action there anyhow.  
Right now all this new poly is curing and I'll have to wait adding the wave making poly.  First though I have buy some acrylic paints for just in case and fix the antenna.
I'll wait with taking pictures after I have modeled the bow wave and some of the frothy stuff, oh yeah, testing first.  No sense in making more pics, nothing has changed that's different, so I better safe some pixels 
 
Cheers,
 

Lovely work as usual Dave. Enjoy the model show and share a few pics.
 
Cheers,

Beautifully done Mark - I have my apron on and cooking utensils in hand, I'm ready to cook baby
 
Cheers,

Thank you everyone for your very kind words, its very much appreciated. 
I would have liked the "sea" a little lighter blue but it is what it is.  It's primarily due to the cobalt blue under-painting.  I purposely didn't mix a lot of blue coloring in the first layer of the "sea" to keep it more transparent. The second and final layer was just slightly darker and is hiding the lower hull quite well.
 
Yes, Jan, your admonition is well taken, because at a 16 mile per hour wind there is not much of a chop, plus the fact that at this scale wave height is hardly measurable.  Let's say that we have 2 feet waves that calculates out to 1.7 mm and with 3 feet waves it shows at a but over 3 mm.  So, if I can muster it, I'll try to give the "sea" just a little more life with some random placed waves. 
 
I think that the froth action around the model will draw the attention more then waves. How to achieve that is also a concern.  The stuff I bought for that purpose is clear end the blue "sea" will certainly shine through it, which I don't want.  Frothy water is opaque and whitish looking.  I'll have to experiment with how to achieve that.  Perhaps tinting the "sea" in those areas white with an acrylic white wash that may give me the desired effect. 
 
Well, this morning I took the time to cement "Java" into the "sea."  I then mixed some more blue tinted polyester and poured it into the gaps around the ship to fill it up.  In doing this I inadvertently hit the port side antenna wires that broke off from the aft mast.  So, I'll have to make a new one.  I also put some of the blue poly on the lower part of the hull but that can be painted over. Fortunately there is a lot of frothy sea action there anyhow.  
Right now all this new poly is curing and I'll have to wait adding the wave making poly.  First though I have buy some acrylic paints for just in case and fix the antenna.
I'll wait with taking pictures after I have modeled the bow wave and some of the frothy stuff, oh yeah, testing first.  No sense in making more pics, nothing has changed that's different, so I better safe some pixels 
 
Cheers,
 

Oh, I understand Lou. We did the same with a few others on the forum - I remember Sjors we did it to, more pictures Sjors.
I finally managed to copy the pics I send via e-mail to myself to my desktop. My cellphone also managed to upload the pics to DropBox, which took a lot of time. In any case, I have all the pics now and just need to transfer them to my "Java" folder.
 
Here is the test piece I made that made me decide to go ahead and pour the sea.  The surface became automatically rough without any help on my part.  The only problem I found is that it climbs up on the verticals.  This should not be a problem with the actual pour because I'll have the model wrapped in cling film.


A closeup of the stern during the second pour. The surface was still as smooth as glass when wet, the cling wrap is reflected in it. This caused me some concern with the process of making waves but it worked out okay as you'll see when it's cured.
 

Bow view during the second pour, here you can really see how shiny and smooth the whet surface is. Oh yeah, I had to constantly pull the cling wrap up and out of the poly.
 

Here we see the cured sea and the development of surface roughness. I did scrape the indications for the bow wave into it.
 

I took the diorama outside in the shade to let the defused light shine through the poly, I'm rather pleased with the effect even though the sea appears a little dark.But I hope to dress it up with the added waves in lighter colors and some white.
 

This shows the sea after the cure with the "Java" pulled out. It almost look like the side scan of the sea floor after the salvagers lifted her out.
 

Here I placed "Java" back into the hole. The tapes on the sides are markers where I have to remove some of the sea alongside the hull.  Photos of "java" at full speed show a long dip around the midsection of the hull and somewhat higher at the stern with somewhat of a rooster tail from the propellers.. A bonus is that the poly raised slightly above the sides.

Another shot of "Java" steaming South at 29 knots with her starboard cannons in action against the JIN.
 
Hope youns like it, it sure looks promising to me, keep fingers crossed.
 
Cheers,

Thank you everyone for your very kind words, its very much appreciated. 
I would have liked the "sea" a little lighter blue but it is what it is.  It's primarily due to the cobalt blue under-painting.  I purposely didn't mix a lot of blue coloring in the first layer of the "sea" to keep it more transparent. The second and final layer was just slightly darker and is hiding the lower hull quite well.
 
Yes, Jan, your admonition is well taken, because at a 16 mile per hour wind there is not much of a chop, plus the fact that at this scale wave height is hardly measurable.  Let's say that we have 2 feet waves that calculates out to 1.7 mm and with 3 feet waves it shows at a but over 3 mm.  So, if I can muster it, I'll try to give the "sea" just a little more life with some random placed waves. 
 
I think that the froth action around the model will draw the attention more then waves. How to achieve that is also a concern.  The stuff I bought for that purpose is clear end the blue "sea" will certainly shine through it, which I don't want.  Frothy water is opaque and whitish looking.  I'll have to experiment with how to achieve that.  Perhaps tinting the "sea" in those areas white with an acrylic white wash that may give me the desired effect. 
 
Well, this morning I took the time to cement "Java" into the "sea."  I then mixed some more blue tinted polyester and poured it into the gaps around the ship to fill it up.  In doing this I inadvertently hit the port side antenna wires that broke off from the aft mast.  So, I'll have to make a new one.  I also put some of the blue poly on the lower part of the hull but that can be painted over. Fortunately there is a lot of frothy sea action there anyhow.  
Right now all this new poly is curing and I'll have to wait adding the wave making poly.  First though I have buy some acrylic paints for just in case and fix the antenna.
I'll wait with taking pictures after I have modeled the bow wave and some of the frothy stuff, oh yeah, testing first.  No sense in making more pics, nothing has changed that's different, so I better safe some pixels 
 
Cheers,
 

Beautifully done Mark - I have my apron on and cooking utensils in hand, I'm ready to cook baby
 
Cheers,

Lovely work as usual Dave. Enjoy the model show and share a few pics.
 
Cheers,

I'm glad you got something going for on that thatch problem.  I have been pondering on the same thing. I do plan to build a wip watermolen for my fishpond.  I have tons of very long dead pine needles I could use.  Just thinking right now mind you.
First i thought that coconut husk might work but it's not straight enough.  I guess that's why dodn't go for it either.
 
Cheers,

Looks like you got the situation in hand Lou. Don't you love this tweaking here and there?
 
Cheers,

I'm glad you got something going for on that thatch problem.  I have been pondering on the same thing. I do plan to build a wip watermolen for my fishpond.  I have tons of very long dead pine needles I could use.  Just thinking right now mind you.
First i thought that coconut husk might work but it's not straight enough.  I guess that's why dodn't go for it either.
 
Cheers,

Nice going Marcus and thanks for the sawdust/Titebond III mixture.  I am contemplating a wipwatermolen for next to my fish pond.
 
Cheers,