Force9

Hull Corrections – Portholes and Doors
 
The relative accuracy of the hull details on the Trumpeter kit are…perplexing.  The starboard side seems to be nearly spot on as far as I can tell from various sources. Maybe one wayward porthole to fill and one small porthole to add. Portholes are in the right place and are the right size for the given deck level.  The doors all appear to be correctly positioned.
 
The port side on the other hand… Hmmm.  
 
I’ve relied on the work of a gentleman named Graham Boyd who posted a terrific set of detailed references on the Trumpeter TITANIC 1/200th model ONLY building tips and tricks Facebook site hosted by Gene Davis.  
 
I’ve done a cursory comparison of Mr. Boyd’s notes to some of the Titanic profile views available online and almost everything appears to align.  There might be a small discrepancy on the port side superstructure where a door needs to be removed and replaced with a window, but otherwise all good.
 
Here is a sample of Graham’s reference material:

What to keep, what to remove, and proper drill sizes are all called out.  Very useful.
 
There are a lot of errors on the port side - portholes out of place and some mystery doors. You’ll see that I have marked up the kit hull with a black Sharpie pen to indicate portholes that need to be filled and doors that should be removed.

 
The marked portholes are now filled and new portholes will be drilled nearby to more accurately reflect their actual position. 
 
I protected the rivet detail with tape before I sanded the filled portholes smooth.
 

 

The port side has a couple of unneeded doors…  
 
The starboard side of the Titanic had a baggage door on the D deck level that opened into the 3rd class covered promenade area underneath the forward well deck.  The kit is accurate on that side. However, there shouldn’t be a corresponding door on the port side, but Trumpeter put it there anyway.  No big deal - easily removed.

 
But it isn’t as though the Trumpeter designers just copied and pasted the starboard side details over to the port side resulting in all the errors...  There are clear differences to the two sides that were intentionally made.
 
Here is an example:
 
The Titanic had four narrow doors that opened out from the “Ash Places” – two on each side at the E deck level.  When Titanic was out on the open ocean the spent ash was disposed of using hydraulic ash ejectors.  The ash was shoveled into deck grates near the coal bunkers where it was mixed with seawater and the slurry ejected under pressure 20 or 30 feet away from the ship. While in port, however, this practice was obviously frowned upon…and regulated.  Probably not so much out of environmental concerns, but who’d want 30-foot arcs of sludge raining down on nearby ships or pleasure craft?  Instead, while in port the ash was shoveled into canvas bags and hoisted up to one of the Ash Places to be eventually lowered into a lighter pulled alongside that presumably led to proper disposal ashore.
 
These Ash Places and their outer doors were not symmetrical between port and starboard.  Trumpeter got that right.  The doors are in the right spots on either side, but inexplicably they’ve added a third narrow door on the port side that leads to a phantom Ash Place.
 

 
I marked it for removal and put some tape on the hull to minimize the chance of hull damage if my blade slips.
 

 
The remaining doors on the port side hull look to be correctly placed.
 
Obviously most (all?) casual observers seeing my completed model are not gonna know whether the portholes are all correctly located, or any extraneous doors are included, but it gives me satisfaction knowing that a little more effort put things right.  
 
Some additional hull details need to be attended to, but I can’t put off drilling out the portholes forever…
 
Cheers,
Evan
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I decided to start a build log for this project after tinkering around a bit with the kit across the past year or so.  I’ve hesitated because I know that there are many passionate folks out there who scrutinize every aspect of the great ship and can be very strong minded about the myriad details in play.  I will make plain my intention to do justice to Titanic but will likely fall short on complete historic exactitude… Especially considering that the ground is constantly moving as scholars and enthusiasts refine our understanding of the ship’s details.
 
I need to confess up front that I am not a Titanic guy.  The great tragedy and human folly of her demise has always pushed me away from the subject… Just too sad.  Additionally, I need to confess that I have never seen the entire James Cameron movie.  I went with my wife to see it in the theater back in the day, but we left halfway through – literally right after the ship struck the iceberg.  I leaned over to my wife and whispered “spoiler alert – this doesn’t end well, and I couldn’t care less if all the spoiled and selfish main characters go down with the ship.  Let’s get outta here and beat the crowd to the good restaurant nearby”. I’ve never seen the rest of the movie.
 
That is not to say, however, that this project won’t be a labor of Love.  I am building this for my daughter.  She has been fascinated by the Titanic tragedy from a very young age.  At age six she could tell you all about Captain Smith going down with the ship and nurse Jessop and her surviving multiple sinkings, etc. She made me get up in the wee hours on the exact date/time of the 100th anniversary of her sinking to ring a bell in commemoration. We’ve even toured Margaret Brown’s home in Denver (nobody called her “Molly” in her lifetime).  She is more interested in the human stories than the ship itself but will very much appreciate this representation when it is finally completed.
 
It was always a head scratcher for me that Trumpeter started their new line of 1/200 scale ships with the USS Arizona back in 2012.  It seemed to me that Titanic would’ve made more sense.  It was the 100th anniversary of her sinking and is clearly a very popular subject as we can see with the explosion of 3rd party add-ons and doo dads that have proliferated in the marketplace to enhance the model. There is a significant cottage industry that has since formed just around this kit.  I suppose better late than never for the folks at Trumpeter.
 
The workshop out in the garage has been reorganized and made shipshape:
 

 
Hopefully you get some sense for the size of the model.  It is big.
 
I have thrown all the relevant documentation into a binder so that I can have quick access to key references.  Sliding the pages into clear sleeves also allows me to overlay notes with a grease pencil or Sharpie pen.
 


 
 
I will forego the box opening and contents review – folks can find all that in many other logs and online resources. I will however include this quick view of the Trumpeter packaging… All very neat and carefully laid out (as is the case with all their kits that I’ve got in my stash).
 

 
Most modelers will splurge and invest in either the KA Models upgrade set or the one made by Pontos.  Both have their pros and cons, but I have opted for the KA set.  I like the extensive 3D print and resin components and the etched brass is very comprehensive.  Again – I won’t lay out all the contents here… That is easily found in other logs or the KA website.
 
I do have various other add ons including several brass sheets from Woody’s Model Works.  Very nice stuff and highly recommended.  (Neil Woods is in a bit of a hiatus right now as he figures out how to deal with UK VAT requirements).
 
I’m not sure I’ll go down the LED route.  Certainly, Titanic is the perfect model for LED treatment, but it generally isn’t my thing – not sure the extra time/effort will be worthwhile.  Still pondering…
 
A note about online resources.  Ken Marschall has long been a great visualizer of the Titanic, but anyone who is taking this kit seriously will find their way to three key players:
 
Robert Read – Mr. Read has a great catalog of white papers and research material that he has created and maintained on his website Titanic CAD Plans.  He illuminates many fascinating details, resolves conflicts and controversies, and explains many of the inner workings of Titanic’s systems and gear. Terrific resource.
 
Vasilije Ristovic’ – Most Titanic aficionados will know Vasilije’s work.  His digital renderings of Titanic bring the great ship back to life and are breathtaking. His thoughtfully researched images shed light on many unique details and provide a terrific color guide for those of us trying to navigate our paint choices. He also has a very impressive 1/200 Titanic model of his own in progress.
 
Cyril Codus – Mr. Codus is a gifted digital artist who has created some outstanding full-length profiles of Titanic and her sisters. He also has very detailed overhead deck views that highlight the positioning of deck equipment and rigging.  Incredibly useful stuff. You can find samples on his website RMS Titanic Art Work.
 
For those who can stomach Facebook, there are several terrific resources utilized by the Titanic community:
 
RMS Titanic Model Research and Tech hosted by Zeno Silva and friends.  You’ll find Bob Read, Cyril, and Vasilije all contributing here.
 
Trumpeter TITANIC 1/200th model ONLY building tips and tricks hosted by Gene Davis.  This is an essential meeting place for the Titanic modeler community with extensive Guides and downloadable files to facilitate enhancement of the kit.  Gene shows remarkable patience and perseverance amongst the wide spectrum of modelers that post on his pages. (Although I’m sure that Gene’s head will explode if one more novice jumps in to ask about three bladed props versus four…)
 
RMS Titanic – 3D Illustrations by Vasilije Ristovic.  This is where Vasilije posts most of his incredible Titanic renderings (and offers images for sale).
 
Visiting the Midwest Model Shop Youtube channel is also recommended.  Ben and his charming wife Nora walk through every stage of their 1/200 Titanic build and give a terrific overview of their process along the way.  It is refreshing to see an experienced modeler identify his own mistakes and show how he goes about correcting for them along the way. Includes terrific episodes about 3rd party upgrades – in particular the brass sheets from Neil Woods.
 
Regarding more traditional resources I do have a small library of books with lots of photos and tech specs:
 

 
I have not invested in the two-volume set TITANIC – The Ship Magnificent.  I think I have other sources for most of what I would glean from those pages and the investment just seems a bit much for now.  I’ll use those funds to purchase additional upgrades instead.
 
Give me a few days and I’ll start to catch everyone up on my progress to date.
 
Cheers
Evan
 

Under Counter Plating
 
As mentioned before… The Trumpeter Titanic does not have the plating under the stern counter.  

 
There is a terrific PE brass solution provided by Mini-Brass that will produce an excellent result (as evidenced by many build logs out in the ether), but I didn’t go that route.  It seemed to me that using PE would make those plates stand out as elements not belonging to the rest of the hull.  Essentially, I worried that the brass plating with the overlapping seams might be TOO accurate.
 
I chose instead to scratch build the plating using styrene strips and sheets so that I could blend everything with the existing kit.
 
This scratch building was actually the very first thing I did on the kit after I first bought it a few years ago… I wanted to see what I could make of this area before I invested any time elsewhere.
 
There are plenty of online resources and photos to help guide my efforts. 

This view of the Olympic prior to launch gives a good sense of what is needed.  As Roger pointed out earlier – The kit is very far from reality.  The Olympic class ships do, however, look very different in their under-counter plating than what Roger showed on his model.  Specifically, these ships have “centerline plates” (Robert Read’s term) that provide strength across the theoretical midline and anchor the additional outboard strakes.  These are solid plates with no midline seams.
 
Centerline Plates
 
I marked off the innermost plate with tape and transferred the pattern to a strip of styrene.

 

This was cut and glued into position.

The same piece was replicated for both port and starboard.  I then filled the midline seam with Tamiya putty so that it will disappear when primed.

Similar procedure as I worked outward for the next plates.  I would slightly overlap the styrene and cut them square.

I was careful to use the existing kit molded plates to blend into the new styrene pieces as I expanded the plating. After crafting on one side, I’d trace the plate using Tamiya tape to replicate the same piece on the other side.
  
Spaces to fill were also traced with tape and transferred to styrene strips to form the next plates.

Joints were sanded even to blend with the kit…

Finally, I added .010 x .030 strips to represent the butt laps between strakes.  I thought this would match closer to the kit versions. Overlapping the styrene strakes (as in actual practice) seemed to me to be out of scale no matter how hard I tried to make them look like the Trumpeter versions.
 
You’ll notice two things:
 
1.     The depth of the plates/strakes varies to reflect what is shown in the historic photo.
2.     I screwed up.
 
Yup.  I got so caught up in the flow of building out the strakes and balancing them against each other and blending in with the kit plating that I neglected to include one of the strakes!  To make the correct plating pattern, I’ll likely need to undo everything I’ve done.  The spacing would need to be reset starting with the critical first centerline plate near the hole for the stern post.

(Note that I’ve also added the .010x.030 strips to the upper counter to represent that plating.)
 
At this point I’m in a holding pattern… The result isn’t terrible, and the error won’t be apparent to any but the most ardent Titanic fans.  I may try to get away with it unless it gnaws at me enough to eventually force my hand.
 
Cheers,
Evan

Under Counter Plating
 
As mentioned before… The Trumpeter Titanic does not have the plating under the stern counter.  

 
There is a terrific PE brass solution provided by Mini-Brass that will produce an excellent result (as evidenced by many build logs out in the ether), but I didn’t go that route.  It seemed to me that using PE would make those plates stand out as elements not belonging to the rest of the hull.  Essentially, I worried that the brass plating with the overlapping seams might be TOO accurate.
 
I chose instead to scratch build the plating using styrene strips and sheets so that I could blend everything with the existing kit.
 
This scratch building was actually the very first thing I did on the kit after I first bought it a few years ago… I wanted to see what I could make of this area before I invested any time elsewhere.
 
There are plenty of online resources and photos to help guide my efforts. 

This view of the Olympic prior to launch gives a good sense of what is needed.  As Roger pointed out earlier – The kit is very far from reality.  The Olympic class ships do, however, look very different in their under-counter plating than what Roger showed on his model.  Specifically, these ships have “centerline plates” (Robert Read’s term) that provide strength across the theoretical midline and anchor the additional outboard strakes.  These are solid plates with no midline seams.
 
Centerline Plates
 
I marked off the innermost plate with tape and transferred the pattern to a strip of styrene.

 

This was cut and glued into position.

The same piece was replicated for both port and starboard.  I then filled the midline seam with Tamiya putty so that it will disappear when primed.

Similar procedure as I worked outward for the next plates.  I would slightly overlap the styrene and cut them square.

I was careful to use the existing kit molded plates to blend into the new styrene pieces as I expanded the plating. After crafting on one side, I’d trace the plate using Tamiya tape to replicate the same piece on the other side.
  
Spaces to fill were also traced with tape and transferred to styrene strips to form the next plates.

Joints were sanded even to blend with the kit…

Finally, I added .010 x .030 strips to represent the butt laps between strakes.  I thought this would match closer to the kit versions. Overlapping the styrene strakes (as in actual practice) seemed to me to be out of scale no matter how hard I tried to make them look like the Trumpeter versions.
 
You’ll notice two things:
 
1.     The depth of the plates/strakes varies to reflect what is shown in the historic photo.
2.     I screwed up.
 
Yup.  I got so caught up in the flow of building out the strakes and balancing them against each other and blending in with the kit plating that I neglected to include one of the strakes!  To make the correct plating pattern, I’ll likely need to undo everything I’ve done.  The spacing would need to be reset starting with the critical first centerline plate near the hole for the stern post.

(Note that I’ve also added the .010x.030 strips to the upper counter to represent that plating.)
 
At this point I’m in a holding pattern… The result isn’t terrible, and the error won’t be apparent to any but the most ardent Titanic fans.  I may try to get away with it unless it gnaws at me enough to eventually force my hand.
 
Cheers,
Evan

Under Counter Plating
 
As mentioned before… The Trumpeter Titanic does not have the plating under the stern counter.  

 
There is a terrific PE brass solution provided by Mini-Brass that will produce an excellent result (as evidenced by many build logs out in the ether), but I didn’t go that route.  It seemed to me that using PE would make those plates stand out as elements not belonging to the rest of the hull.  Essentially, I worried that the brass plating with the overlapping seams might be TOO accurate.
 
I chose instead to scratch build the plating using styrene strips and sheets so that I could blend everything with the existing kit.
 
This scratch building was actually the very first thing I did on the kit after I first bought it a few years ago… I wanted to see what I could make of this area before I invested any time elsewhere.
 
There are plenty of online resources and photos to help guide my efforts. 

This view of the Olympic prior to launch gives a good sense of what is needed.  As Roger pointed out earlier – The kit is very far from reality.  The Olympic class ships do, however, look very different in their under-counter plating than what Roger showed on his model.  Specifically, these ships have “centerline plates” (Robert Read’s term) that provide strength across the theoretical midline and anchor the additional outboard strakes.  These are solid plates with no midline seams.
 
Centerline Plates
 
I marked off the innermost plate with tape and transferred the pattern to a strip of styrene.

 

This was cut and glued into position.

The same piece was replicated for both port and starboard.  I then filled the midline seam with Tamiya putty so that it will disappear when primed.

Similar procedure as I worked outward for the next plates.  I would slightly overlap the styrene and cut them square.

I was careful to use the existing kit molded plates to blend into the new styrene pieces as I expanded the plating. After crafting on one side, I’d trace the plate using Tamiya tape to replicate the same piece on the other side.
  
Spaces to fill were also traced with tape and transferred to styrene strips to form the next plates.

Joints were sanded even to blend with the kit…

Finally, I added .010 x .030 strips to represent the butt laps between strakes.  I thought this would match closer to the kit versions. Overlapping the styrene strakes (as in actual practice) seemed to me to be out of scale no matter how hard I tried to make them look like the Trumpeter versions.
 
You’ll notice two things:
 
1.     The depth of the plates/strakes varies to reflect what is shown in the historic photo.
2.     I screwed up.
 
Yup.  I got so caught up in the flow of building out the strakes and balancing them against each other and blending in with the kit plating that I neglected to include one of the strakes!  To make the correct plating pattern, I’ll likely need to undo everything I’ve done.  The spacing would need to be reset starting with the critical first centerline plate near the hole for the stern post.

(Note that I’ve also added the .010x.030 strips to the upper counter to represent that plating.)
 
At this point I’m in a holding pattern… The result isn’t terrible, and the error won’t be apparent to any but the most ardent Titanic fans.  I may try to get away with it unless it gnaws at me enough to eventually force my hand.
 
Cheers,
Evan

Under Counter Plating
 
As mentioned before… The Trumpeter Titanic does not have the plating under the stern counter.  

 
There is a terrific PE brass solution provided by Mini-Brass that will produce an excellent result (as evidenced by many build logs out in the ether), but I didn’t go that route.  It seemed to me that using PE would make those plates stand out as elements not belonging to the rest of the hull.  Essentially, I worried that the brass plating with the overlapping seams might be TOO accurate.
 
I chose instead to scratch build the plating using styrene strips and sheets so that I could blend everything with the existing kit.
 
This scratch building was actually the very first thing I did on the kit after I first bought it a few years ago… I wanted to see what I could make of this area before I invested any time elsewhere.
 
There are plenty of online resources and photos to help guide my efforts. 

This view of the Olympic prior to launch gives a good sense of what is needed.  As Roger pointed out earlier – The kit is very far from reality.  The Olympic class ships do, however, look very different in their under-counter plating than what Roger showed on his model.  Specifically, these ships have “centerline plates” (Robert Read’s term) that provide strength across the theoretical midline and anchor the additional outboard strakes.  These are solid plates with no midline seams.
 
Centerline Plates
 
I marked off the innermost plate with tape and transferred the pattern to a strip of styrene.

 

This was cut and glued into position.

The same piece was replicated for both port and starboard.  I then filled the midline seam with Tamiya putty so that it will disappear when primed.

Similar procedure as I worked outward for the next plates.  I would slightly overlap the styrene and cut them square.

I was careful to use the existing kit molded plates to blend into the new styrene pieces as I expanded the plating. After crafting on one side, I’d trace the plate using Tamiya tape to replicate the same piece on the other side.
  
Spaces to fill were also traced with tape and transferred to styrene strips to form the next plates.

Joints were sanded even to blend with the kit…

Finally, I added .010 x .030 strips to represent the butt laps between strakes.  I thought this would match closer to the kit versions. Overlapping the styrene strakes (as in actual practice) seemed to me to be out of scale no matter how hard I tried to make them look like the Trumpeter versions.
 
You’ll notice two things:
 
1.     The depth of the plates/strakes varies to reflect what is shown in the historic photo.
2.     I screwed up.
 
Yup.  I got so caught up in the flow of building out the strakes and balancing them against each other and blending in with the kit plating that I neglected to include one of the strakes!  To make the correct plating pattern, I’ll likely need to undo everything I’ve done.  The spacing would need to be reset starting with the critical first centerline plate near the hole for the stern post.

(Note that I’ve also added the .010x.030 strips to the upper counter to represent that plating.)
 
At this point I’m in a holding pattern… The result isn’t terrible, and the error won’t be apparent to any but the most ardent Titanic fans.  I may try to get away with it unless it gnaws at me enough to eventually force my hand.
 
Cheers,
Evan

Under Counter Plating
 
As mentioned before… The Trumpeter Titanic does not have the plating under the stern counter.  

 
There is a terrific PE brass solution provided by Mini-Brass that will produce an excellent result (as evidenced by many build logs out in the ether), but I didn’t go that route.  It seemed to me that using PE would make those plates stand out as elements not belonging to the rest of the hull.  Essentially, I worried that the brass plating with the overlapping seams might be TOO accurate.
 
I chose instead to scratch build the plating using styrene strips and sheets so that I could blend everything with the existing kit.
 
This scratch building was actually the very first thing I did on the kit after I first bought it a few years ago… I wanted to see what I could make of this area before I invested any time elsewhere.
 
There are plenty of online resources and photos to help guide my efforts. 

This view of the Olympic prior to launch gives a good sense of what is needed.  As Roger pointed out earlier – The kit is very far from reality.  The Olympic class ships do, however, look very different in their under-counter plating than what Roger showed on his model.  Specifically, these ships have “centerline plates” (Robert Read’s term) that provide strength across the theoretical midline and anchor the additional outboard strakes.  These are solid plates with no midline seams.
 
Centerline Plates
 
I marked off the innermost plate with tape and transferred the pattern to a strip of styrene.

 

This was cut and glued into position.

The same piece was replicated for both port and starboard.  I then filled the midline seam with Tamiya putty so that it will disappear when primed.

Similar procedure as I worked outward for the next plates.  I would slightly overlap the styrene and cut them square.

I was careful to use the existing kit molded plates to blend into the new styrene pieces as I expanded the plating. After crafting on one side, I’d trace the plate using Tamiya tape to replicate the same piece on the other side.
  
Spaces to fill were also traced with tape and transferred to styrene strips to form the next plates.

Joints were sanded even to blend with the kit…

Finally, I added .010 x .030 strips to represent the butt laps between strakes.  I thought this would match closer to the kit versions. Overlapping the styrene strakes (as in actual practice) seemed to me to be out of scale no matter how hard I tried to make them look like the Trumpeter versions.
 
You’ll notice two things:
 
1.     The depth of the plates/strakes varies to reflect what is shown in the historic photo.
2.     I screwed up.
 
Yup.  I got so caught up in the flow of building out the strakes and balancing them against each other and blending in with the kit plating that I neglected to include one of the strakes!  To make the correct plating pattern, I’ll likely need to undo everything I’ve done.  The spacing would need to be reset starting with the critical first centerline plate near the hole for the stern post.

(Note that I’ve also added the .010x.030 strips to the upper counter to represent that plating.)
 
At this point I’m in a holding pattern… The result isn’t terrible, and the error won’t be apparent to any but the most ardent Titanic fans.  I may try to get away with it unless it gnaws at me enough to eventually force my hand.
 
Cheers,
Evan

Very nice on the small details. Just be aware, the zinc anodes on the rudder are different than originally thought. Here is a drawing.
(Drawing courtesy of Robert Read)

I had the same thoughts re the hawse pipe. I don't consider the option of buying printed parts, but as it is depicted on the kit just hurts my eye,. 
I plan to build it up with putty, and show it covered. Here is a rough mock-up using only blue-tac, but this is the way I'm going for.
I'm doing bottom plating for a while now, and move to other parts when finished with this.

Hello @Rob-Squid
 
Thank you for the kind note...  I appreciate the Titanic resources.  I did not know that the old Titanic Research &Modeling Association site had been archived.  That is a terrific repository.  I did view the Rivet Counter site a few times in the past and found plenty of treasure to mine there... 
 
Thanks also for your callout of this build log for inspiring you to deepen your engagement with this site along with the NRG.  I'm thrilled to know that folks have found value in my efforts and have kept an eye out for new updates.
 
I do have this new distraction, but I may try a few things on this project while I'm also working on the Titanic... We'll see.
 
Cheers
Evan

Hello @Rob-Squid
 
Thank you for the kind note...  I appreciate the Titanic resources.  I did not know that the old Titanic Research &Modeling Association site had been archived.  That is a terrific repository.  I did view the Rivet Counter site a few times in the past and found plenty of treasure to mine there... 
 
Thanks also for your callout of this build log for inspiring you to deepen your engagement with this site along with the NRG.  I'm thrilled to know that folks have found value in my efforts and have kept an eye out for new updates.
 
I do have this new distraction, but I may try a few things on this project while I'm also working on the Titanic... We'll see.
 
Cheers
Evan

Ahoy Marcus!
 
Thanks for reaching out (and revisiting my log)... Yes - My contention is that the data and the after battle debrief suggests that the Constitution fired double-shotted rounds during the brief action with Guerriere.  Cmdr. Martin did not seem to consider this to explain the ammunition usage.
 
All is well on my end... I will be starting up again on this project once I have finished my commitment to build the Trumpeter 1/200 Titanic for my daughter.  I think you have stumbled on that other build log already and I hope you follow along.  I don't seem to have many followers on that project, but it is about to get more interesting with some customizations.
 
I hope all is well with you and your family.  
 
Cheers!
Evan

Hello @DavidG...
 
I agree with your view on build log formatting... I don't think Facebook and other similar forums lend themselves to laying out a log.  The MSW type of environment is best since everything is laid out in one place and others can easily follow the progression and improve on my approach (and mistakes).  It allows everyone to see a cohesive narrative and get context on the WHAT, WHY, HOW questions that inform my build.
 
I also agree with your comment about the propeller shaft near the stern frame.  It is much too stubby compared to the actual ship version... However this is one of those areas where I think I'll shy away from trying to make any improvement... It seems to me that the core problem is that the hull is too thick in this area.  Rather than widen the shaft so that it can extend more into the hull, I'd need to first thin out the edge of the hull.  That is too big of a job for me to take on - with a big risk of damaging the model in an unrecoverable manner.  I'll be interested to see your result if you do make an attempt to improve the shaft...
 
Folks will notice as I go along that most of the "improvements" that I attempt will have a reasonable fall back in case I screw up.  The carving of the curved plating at the stern, for example, was minimal risk.  If I had screwed that up, I'd have come back and shaped a thin sheet of styrene to glue over the top so that I could move on.
 
I'm still pondering the risk/reward for reshaping the bow hawse hole as another example.  It might not be worth it if I have a misshaped blob on the bow if I mess it up.  And I'm not sure it is worth the effort to cut everything away and insert a 3D print replacement with all the shaping and putty that would still be needed.
 
All decisions that make ship modeling so much fun.
 
Thanks for popping in to follow along.
 
Cheers
Evan

Hello @DavidG...
 
I agree with your view on build log formatting... I don't think Facebook and other similar forums lend themselves to laying out a log.  The MSW type of environment is best since everything is laid out in one place and others can easily follow the progression and improve on my approach (and mistakes).  It allows everyone to see a cohesive narrative and get context on the WHAT, WHY, HOW questions that inform my build.
 
I also agree with your comment about the propeller shaft near the stern frame.  It is much too stubby compared to the actual ship version... However this is one of those areas where I think I'll shy away from trying to make any improvement... It seems to me that the core problem is that the hull is too thick in this area.  Rather than widen the shaft so that it can extend more into the hull, I'd need to first thin out the edge of the hull.  That is too big of a job for me to take on - with a big risk of damaging the model in an unrecoverable manner.  I'll be interested to see your result if you do make an attempt to improve the shaft...
 
Folks will notice as I go along that most of the "improvements" that I attempt will have a reasonable fall back in case I screw up.  The carving of the curved plating at the stern, for example, was minimal risk.  If I had screwed that up, I'd have come back and shaped a thin sheet of styrene to glue over the top so that I could move on.
 
I'm still pondering the risk/reward for reshaping the bow hawse hole as another example.  It might not be worth it if I have a misshaped blob on the bow if I mess it up.  And I'm not sure it is worth the effort to cut everything away and insert a 3D print replacement with all the shaping and putty that would still be needed.
 
All decisions that make ship modeling so much fun.
 
Thanks for popping in to follow along.
 
Cheers
Evan

Hello Evan,
thanks for setting up this log. As I started to work on this kit myself, I came across a lot of resources all over the internet - but it was still missing the 'traditional build log' format which I like to follow the most.
You a put a lot of research to your model, which I'm sure will result a magnificent model.
Looking to your reference picture of the stern post, the kit is pretty rough where the shaft exits the hull. Maybe some epoxy putty could help to build up the shaft, and make the tranisiton less direct - something I may try when the time comes.
best,
David

The Stern Post
 
The Trumpeter kit is lacking some detail around the stern post.  There are plenty of historic photos to guide my modifications…

Adding the curved plating detail requires gathering a few key tools:

 
 
Step 1

The curves were plotted with pencil outlines and etched with a standard hobby knife blade. 
 
Step 2
The hobby knife was also used to notch an edge into the curve to guide the next steps. 

 
Most of the shaping was done with a detail chisel (I have a set from Micro-Mark that comes in handy).  I would peel away small layers of the plastic up to the notched edge of the curve.
 
 
Step 3

Once the initial shape was roughed out, a small file was used to set the final edge and level the surface.  Medium grit flexible files were used to smooth the surface as I went along.
 
Step 4
Now I needed to reflect the same curves on the Starboard side.

I laid down some tape and traced the edge.  The tape was then transferred to a piece of card paper and cut out.  
 
Step 5

This was then positioned on the starboard side and traced with a pencil line to guide the same procedure as before…

I would occasionally refresh my carved edge with a pencil line to help track my progress:
 
Step 6

Finally, I came back with progressively finer flex files to smooth everything down and eliminate any remaining rough surfaces.
 
Step 7
I used thin Evergreen Styrene strips (.010) from my stash and added the rivets by pricking one side with the tip of a pushpin and flipping it over before gluing.  The rivets are laid out in a diagonal pattern using some pencil lines as a guide.  I fashioned some strips a bit longer than needed and cut to size before transferring them to the hull.

The rivet reinforcement and the zinc strips were all done using this method.


After the first round of primer, I’ll come back and fill/smooth to finalize the surface before painting.  That’ll be a bit further along in my build.
 
Cheers,
Evan

The Stern Post
 
The Trumpeter kit is lacking some detail around the stern post.  There are plenty of historic photos to guide my modifications…

Adding the curved plating detail requires gathering a few key tools:

 
 
Step 1

The curves were plotted with pencil outlines and etched with a standard hobby knife blade. 
 
Step 2
The hobby knife was also used to notch an edge into the curve to guide the next steps. 

 
Most of the shaping was done with a detail chisel (I have a set from Micro-Mark that comes in handy).  I would peel away small layers of the plastic up to the notched edge of the curve.
 
 
Step 3

Once the initial shape was roughed out, a small file was used to set the final edge and level the surface.  Medium grit flexible files were used to smooth the surface as I went along.
 
Step 4
Now I needed to reflect the same curves on the Starboard side.

I laid down some tape and traced the edge.  The tape was then transferred to a piece of card paper and cut out.  
 
Step 5

This was then positioned on the starboard side and traced with a pencil line to guide the same procedure as before…

I would occasionally refresh my carved edge with a pencil line to help track my progress:
 
Step 6

Finally, I came back with progressively finer flex files to smooth everything down and eliminate any remaining rough surfaces.
 
Step 7
I used thin Evergreen Styrene strips (.010) from my stash and added the rivets by pricking one side with the tip of a pushpin and flipping it over before gluing.  The rivets are laid out in a diagonal pattern using some pencil lines as a guide.  I fashioned some strips a bit longer than needed and cut to size before transferring them to the hull.

The rivet reinforcement and the zinc strips were all done using this method.


After the first round of primer, I’ll come back and fill/smooth to finalize the surface before painting.  That’ll be a bit further along in my build.
 
Cheers,
Evan

The Stern Post
 
The Trumpeter kit is lacking some detail around the stern post.  There are plenty of historic photos to guide my modifications…

Adding the curved plating detail requires gathering a few key tools:

 
 
Step 1

The curves were plotted with pencil outlines and etched with a standard hobby knife blade. 
 
Step 2
The hobby knife was also used to notch an edge into the curve to guide the next steps. 

 
Most of the shaping was done with a detail chisel (I have a set from Micro-Mark that comes in handy).  I would peel away small layers of the plastic up to the notched edge of the curve.
 
 
Step 3

Once the initial shape was roughed out, a small file was used to set the final edge and level the surface.  Medium grit flexible files were used to smooth the surface as I went along.
 
Step 4
Now I needed to reflect the same curves on the Starboard side.

I laid down some tape and traced the edge.  The tape was then transferred to a piece of card paper and cut out.  
 
Step 5

This was then positioned on the starboard side and traced with a pencil line to guide the same procedure as before…

I would occasionally refresh my carved edge with a pencil line to help track my progress:
 
Step 6

Finally, I came back with progressively finer flex files to smooth everything down and eliminate any remaining rough surfaces.
 
Step 7
I used thin Evergreen Styrene strips (.010) from my stash and added the rivets by pricking one side with the tip of a pushpin and flipping it over before gluing.  The rivets are laid out in a diagonal pattern using some pencil lines as a guide.  I fashioned some strips a bit longer than needed and cut to size before transferring them to the hull.

The rivet reinforcement and the zinc strips were all done using this method.


After the first round of primer, I’ll come back and fill/smooth to finalize the surface before painting.  That’ll be a bit further along in my build.
 
Cheers,
Evan

The Stern Post
 
The Trumpeter kit is lacking some detail around the stern post.  There are plenty of historic photos to guide my modifications…

Adding the curved plating detail requires gathering a few key tools:

 
 
Step 1

The curves were plotted with pencil outlines and etched with a standard hobby knife blade. 
 
Step 2
The hobby knife was also used to notch an edge into the curve to guide the next steps. 

 
Most of the shaping was done with a detail chisel (I have a set from Micro-Mark that comes in handy).  I would peel away small layers of the plastic up to the notched edge of the curve.
 
 
Step 3

Once the initial shape was roughed out, a small file was used to set the final edge and level the surface.  Medium grit flexible files were used to smooth the surface as I went along.
 
Step 4
Now I needed to reflect the same curves on the Starboard side.

I laid down some tape and traced the edge.  The tape was then transferred to a piece of card paper and cut out.  
 
Step 5

This was then positioned on the starboard side and traced with a pencil line to guide the same procedure as before…

I would occasionally refresh my carved edge with a pencil line to help track my progress:
 
Step 6

Finally, I came back with progressively finer flex files to smooth everything down and eliminate any remaining rough surfaces.
 
Step 7
I used thin Evergreen Styrene strips (.010) from my stash and added the rivets by pricking one side with the tip of a pushpin and flipping it over before gluing.  The rivets are laid out in a diagonal pattern using some pencil lines as a guide.  I fashioned some strips a bit longer than needed and cut to size before transferring them to the hull.

The rivet reinforcement and the zinc strips were all done using this method.


After the first round of primer, I’ll come back and fill/smooth to finalize the surface before painting.  That’ll be a bit further along in my build.
 
Cheers,
Evan

The Stern Post
 
The Trumpeter kit is lacking some detail around the stern post.  There are plenty of historic photos to guide my modifications…

Adding the curved plating detail requires gathering a few key tools:

 
 
Step 1

The curves were plotted with pencil outlines and etched with a standard hobby knife blade. 
 
Step 2
The hobby knife was also used to notch an edge into the curve to guide the next steps. 

 
Most of the shaping was done with a detail chisel (I have a set from Micro-Mark that comes in handy).  I would peel away small layers of the plastic up to the notched edge of the curve.
 
 
Step 3

Once the initial shape was roughed out, a small file was used to set the final edge and level the surface.  Medium grit flexible files were used to smooth the surface as I went along.
 
Step 4
Now I needed to reflect the same curves on the Starboard side.

I laid down some tape and traced the edge.  The tape was then transferred to a piece of card paper and cut out.  
 
Step 5

This was then positioned on the starboard side and traced with a pencil line to guide the same procedure as before…

I would occasionally refresh my carved edge with a pencil line to help track my progress:
 
Step 6

Finally, I came back with progressively finer flex files to smooth everything down and eliminate any remaining rough surfaces.
 
Step 7
I used thin Evergreen Styrene strips (.010) from my stash and added the rivets by pricking one side with the tip of a pushpin and flipping it over before gluing.  The rivets are laid out in a diagonal pattern using some pencil lines as a guide.  I fashioned some strips a bit longer than needed and cut to size before transferring them to the hull.

The rivet reinforcement and the zinc strips were all done using this method.


After the first round of primer, I’ll come back and fill/smooth to finalize the surface before painting.  That’ll be a bit further along in my build.
 
Cheers,
Evan

The Stern Post
 
The Trumpeter kit is lacking some detail around the stern post.  There are plenty of historic photos to guide my modifications…

Adding the curved plating detail requires gathering a few key tools:

 
 
Step 1

The curves were plotted with pencil outlines and etched with a standard hobby knife blade. 
 
Step 2
The hobby knife was also used to notch an edge into the curve to guide the next steps. 

 
Most of the shaping was done with a detail chisel (I have a set from Micro-Mark that comes in handy).  I would peel away small layers of the plastic up to the notched edge of the curve.
 
 
Step 3

Once the initial shape was roughed out, a small file was used to set the final edge and level the surface.  Medium grit flexible files were used to smooth the surface as I went along.
 
Step 4
Now I needed to reflect the same curves on the Starboard side.

I laid down some tape and traced the edge.  The tape was then transferred to a piece of card paper and cut out.  
 
Step 5

This was then positioned on the starboard side and traced with a pencil line to guide the same procedure as before…

I would occasionally refresh my carved edge with a pencil line to help track my progress:
 
Step 6

Finally, I came back with progressively finer flex files to smooth everything down and eliminate any remaining rough surfaces.
 
Step 7
I used thin Evergreen Styrene strips (.010) from my stash and added the rivets by pricking one side with the tip of a pushpin and flipping it over before gluing.  The rivets are laid out in a diagonal pattern using some pencil lines as a guide.  I fashioned some strips a bit longer than needed and cut to size before transferring them to the hull.

The rivet reinforcement and the zinc strips were all done using this method.


After the first round of primer, I’ll come back and fill/smooth to finalize the surface before painting.  That’ll be a bit further along in my build.
 
Cheers,
Evan

The Stern Post
 
The Trumpeter kit is lacking some detail around the stern post.  There are plenty of historic photos to guide my modifications…

Adding the curved plating detail requires gathering a few key tools:

 
 
Step 1

The curves were plotted with pencil outlines and etched with a standard hobby knife blade. 
 
Step 2
The hobby knife was also used to notch an edge into the curve to guide the next steps. 

 
Most of the shaping was done with a detail chisel (I have a set from Micro-Mark that comes in handy).  I would peel away small layers of the plastic up to the notched edge of the curve.
 
 
Step 3

Once the initial shape was roughed out, a small file was used to set the final edge and level the surface.  Medium grit flexible files were used to smooth the surface as I went along.
 
Step 4
Now I needed to reflect the same curves on the Starboard side.

I laid down some tape and traced the edge.  The tape was then transferred to a piece of card paper and cut out.  
 
Step 5

This was then positioned on the starboard side and traced with a pencil line to guide the same procedure as before…

I would occasionally refresh my carved edge with a pencil line to help track my progress:
 
Step 6

Finally, I came back with progressively finer flex files to smooth everything down and eliminate any remaining rough surfaces.
 
Step 7
I used thin Evergreen Styrene strips (.010) from my stash and added the rivets by pricking one side with the tip of a pushpin and flipping it over before gluing.  The rivets are laid out in a diagonal pattern using some pencil lines as a guide.  I fashioned some strips a bit longer than needed and cut to size before transferring them to the hull.

The rivet reinforcement and the zinc strips were all done using this method.


After the first round of primer, I’ll come back and fill/smooth to finalize the surface before painting.  That’ll be a bit further along in my build.
 
Cheers,
Evan

The Stern Post
 
The Trumpeter kit is lacking some detail around the stern post.  There are plenty of historic photos to guide my modifications…

Adding the curved plating detail requires gathering a few key tools:

 
 
Step 1

The curves were plotted with pencil outlines and etched with a standard hobby knife blade. 
 
Step 2
The hobby knife was also used to notch an edge into the curve to guide the next steps. 

 
Most of the shaping was done with a detail chisel (I have a set from Micro-Mark that comes in handy).  I would peel away small layers of the plastic up to the notched edge of the curve.
 
 
Step 3

Once the initial shape was roughed out, a small file was used to set the final edge and level the surface.  Medium grit flexible files were used to smooth the surface as I went along.
 
Step 4
Now I needed to reflect the same curves on the Starboard side.

I laid down some tape and traced the edge.  The tape was then transferred to a piece of card paper and cut out.  
 
Step 5

This was then positioned on the starboard side and traced with a pencil line to guide the same procedure as before…

I would occasionally refresh my carved edge with a pencil line to help track my progress:
 
Step 6

Finally, I came back with progressively finer flex files to smooth everything down and eliminate any remaining rough surfaces.
 
Step 7
I used thin Evergreen Styrene strips (.010) from my stash and added the rivets by pricking one side with the tip of a pushpin and flipping it over before gluing.  The rivets are laid out in a diagonal pattern using some pencil lines as a guide.  I fashioned some strips a bit longer than needed and cut to size before transferring them to the hull.

The rivet reinforcement and the zinc strips were all done using this method.


After the first round of primer, I’ll come back and fill/smooth to finalize the surface before painting.  That’ll be a bit further along in my build.
 
Cheers,
Evan

Hello Hubac...  Thanks for looking in on my effort here with the Titanic... Aye, it'll be interesting to make choices as I go along.  Some folks I'm sure will scratch their heads wondering why I go deep on some details, but avoid others altogether.  
 
Ahoy Chief... It does sound like quite the undertaking to construct a Titanic using 3D prints... I guess that is the future eh?  High tech modeling!
 
I appreciate the interest folks are showing... Especially considering that the Titanic is not exactly under-represented in ship modeling forums.  It can seem a tired subject, but there are always new insights to be made and new approaches to try.  I hope everyone stays with this voyage - some customizations are around the corner.
 
Cheers
Evan
 

Hello Hubac...  Thanks for looking in on my effort here with the Titanic... Aye, it'll be interesting to make choices as I go along.  Some folks I'm sure will scratch their heads wondering why I go deep on some details, but avoid others altogether.  
 
Ahoy Chief... It does sound like quite the undertaking to construct a Titanic using 3D prints... I guess that is the future eh?  High tech modeling!
 
I appreciate the interest folks are showing... Especially considering that the Titanic is not exactly under-represented in ship modeling forums.  It can seem a tired subject, but there are always new insights to be made and new approaches to try.  I hope everyone stays with this voyage - some customizations are around the corner.
 
Cheers
Evan