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Louie da fly

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  1. Louie da fly
    Strictly, I'm a crow-eater - I was born in South Australia when my parents were over there for work, but I got out of by the time I was two and grew up in Attadale, so I regard myself as a West Australian. Steven
  2. Louie da fly
    Of course they're honky nuts! Takes me back to when I was a boy scout and we went to a Jamboree in Victoria. All us sandgropers had woggles [A woggle is a device to fasten the neckerchief, or scarf, worn as part of the Scout or Girl Guides uniform, originated by a Scout in the 1920s] made of nice big honky nuts, which nobody else had because they don't grow big enough anywhere else. They hardly qualify as wood, though I don't know what else you'd call them. But I'm sure you've seen them after the weather has got to them; they are incredibly fibrous. They also make fantastic coals for a barbecue - just keep on glowing - I've never tried mallee roots, but I think they must be similar. Steven
  3. Louie da fly
    That's a pretty place. Nice to live on the coast. No hurry about starting your build. It's not a race. Just enjoy yourself. Steven
  4. Louie da fly
    Thanks, Druxey. Of course I can see all the faults in the paintwork, but I doubt I'll be able to do it any better, so I'm leaving it at that. Steven
  5. Louie da fly
    Hi, Pat, and welcome to MSW. I agree with Bruce and Mark that you should start a build log when you begin your model. It's a very good way to get help and advice - and encouragement from the other members here. The instructions are at https://modelshipworld.com/topic/24705-before-you-post-your-build-log-please-read-this-starting-and-naming-your-build-log/ Welcome aboard! Steven
  6. Louie da fly
    I discovered some gaps between the planking, so I put filler in them. Later on I sanded it down again so it all looks nice and smooth now. Decided the paintwork on the top wale of the aftercastle was too rough so I sanded it down again. Discovered that though the red and white zig-zags on the starboard side were correct, those on the port side were facing the wrong way. So I fixed them. And now I've done all the painting I'm prepared to do. I've left some of the original paintwork unchanged, but most of it needed freshening up. Steven
  7. Louie da fly
    I finally got to see the movie "The Dig". Very good indeed, despite the unnecessary additions to the story. Just a shame Basil Brown never lived to see that he finally got the credit for the discovery. They could have showed more of the treasure, though. Apparently someone was engaged to make exact copies of the artefacts for the movie, and when they had them out on display I recognised most of them from having seen them "in the flesh". Unfortunately the helmet was in so many fragments when found that it couldn't possibly be shown in the movie. Apparently Basil Brown excavated four of the mounds at Sutton Hoo, ending with the "big one" - something I hadn't been aware of. Steven
  8. Louie da fly
    Hi Jas, and welcome to MSW. Where in WA do you live? As an old sandgroper I may know it - though I was raised in Perth I got around a fair bit. I'd also recommend you start a build log - and don't worry that your model might not be "good enough" (something i think worries a lot of people starting out). This forum caters to everyone from total newbies to the demigods of modelling who write textbooks on the subject, and everyone in between. And no matter what level of skill you're at people will be very helpful and friendly. The instructions for starting a build log for a kit are at https://modelshipworld.com/topic/24705-before-you-post-your-build-log-please-read-this-starting-and-naming-your-build-log/ Welcome aboard! Steven
  9. Louie da fly
    Hi, Smellycat (I've decided NOT to ask the origin of the name!) and welcome to MSW. We have two kinds of build log here - one for kits, the other for scratch builds. Your restoration isn't quite either one, but is nearer to a scratch build, so that's probably where you should put your log. The instructions are here. https://modelshipworld.com/topic/8-before-you-post-your-build-log-please-read-this-starting-and-naming-your-scratch-build-log/ Mark's advice is good. I'm doing a restoration myself (see below). It's actually very enjoyable (despite the occasional melt-down moment). If you have any questions or want to find something out during your restoration, ask on your log. The people here are very helpful and friendly. Good to have you on board. Steven
  10. Louie da fly
    Welcome to MSW, Krupi. To start a build log, go to and follow the instructions there. It's a great way to get help and advice - and encouragement - during your build. Good to have you here. Steven
  11. Louie da fly
    Hi Alan, and welcome to MSW. To start a build log, go to https://modelshipworld.com/topic/24705-before-you-post-your-build-log-please-read-this-starting-and-naming-your-build-log/ Good to have you aboard. Steven
  12. Louie da fly
    Hi Steve. That's a very nice looking model. To start a build log; if it's a kit, the instructions are here: https://modelshipworld.com/topic/24705-before-you-post-your-build-log-please-read-this-starting-and-naming-your-build-log/ If you're building from scratch, use these instructions: https://modelshipworld.com/topic/8-before-you-post-your-build-log-please-read-this-starting-and-naming-your-scratch-build-log/ Good luck with it. You've already made a very good start. Once you've got your build log up and running, ask all the questions you want. Everybody's very helpful. Steven
  13. Louie da fly
    I made my plug from pine - (following the technique Druxey used on his hospital barge) out of narrow pieces (lifts) laminated together horizontally, mirrored each side of the keel, because I wasn't sure I could get the two sides of the hull symmetrical. I screwed together the lifts for one side and smoothed this side off, using the sections I'd cut out of cardboard to check that I'd got the shape right as I went. Once I was happy with this side, I pulled it apart again and used its lifts as templates to modify the lifts of the other side. That way I had the best chance of getting the shape of the hull symmetrical. The full process is here: https://modelshipworld.com/topic/10344-10th-11th-century-byzantine-dromon-by-louie-da-fly-150-finished/page/2/ I also have doubts about masonite or any sort or fabricated board. I think you'd be better with actual wood. In my case, despite the inward-curving "tail" of the hull, I was able to lift the plug out of the hull in one piece (though I was very worried about it when it came to separating them). And the shape of your hull, with no tumble-home, should mean you can just lift the hull off the plug. However, making it able to be taken apart would give you more wriggle room. https://modelshipworld.com/topic/10344-10th-11th-century-byzantine-dromon-by-louie-da-fly-150-finished/page/9/ And - terribly important in my experience - WRAP YOUR PLUG IN CLING-WRAP! It keeps the hull and plug from sticking together, which you certainly don't want. Steven
  14. Louie da fly
    A touch of brilliance. I'm sure you're right about the rough finish. I remember coming across a loom in a Turkish museum used in traditional weaving - it was as rough as bags, but obviously worked. What kind of wood did you use? That gumnut looks like it comes off a marri. (We had a big one in our backyard when I was growing up, and I've always loved them). Steven
  15. Louie da fly
    And it seemed so simple. What could possibly go wrong? Steven
  16. Louie da fly
    Funny. To me these are clothes pins. The Vikings and Anglo-Saxons used them to hold their clothes together. But whatever you call them, I find clothes pegs very useful, and you can get miniature ones from stationery or art suppliers, which are great in tight spaces. You can get some idea of scale from the glue bottle on the right. And plastic-headed push pins. Wonderful things. Though it's occurred to me that I may have overdone it a little on occasion . . . PS: What do you use the dental picks for? Steven
  17. Louie da fly
    Beautiful work, Dick. I particularly like the rusty effect that the blackening produced. Byzantine anchors are now a favourite subject of mine. For my own model I copied the Serce Limani anchors, but I love the look of the Yasi Ada one as well. Steven
  18. Louie da fly
    The earliest carracks were open at the break of the aftercastle, so the helmsman could see forward. However, as the aftercastle got bigger the fore end was closed in and steering must have been a bit of a problem. The same issue has occurred to me, and the only thing I can think of it that perhaps steering orders were relayed to the helmsmen by those on the upper deck. Obviously the whipstaff was an improvement, but even that wasn't a perfect solution, and the development of the ship's wheel would have made things a lot easier. Steven
  19. Louie da fly
    By the way, an amazing video of the making of the Master and Commander movie with footage I've never seen before - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTJBXmFnxOU Steven
  20. Louie da fly
    I can't give definitive evidence, but all the sources I've seen put the beginning of the whipstaff in the 16th century or later. Steven
  21. Louie da fly
    As far as I'm aware the whipstaff didn't come in until the late 16th century, so definitely too late for a cog. Steven
  22. Louie da fly
    Oh, that's just one of the giant hands I keep for when I photograph model ships. I got them from Kenny Everett . . .
  23. Louie da fly
    RdK - I just had a look at your Neptune log. That's a LOT of carvings! Whether you use sculpey or carved wood, don't expect your first effort to be satisfactory. But keep it - to remind yourself how far you've come. Given the large number of carvings, I'd think sculpey would be preferable because it's easier to work. Carving wood is very labour-intensive (don't ask me how I know - just look at my dromon build log). The precision of finish with sculpey isn't as good, at least initially, but in my view the big advantage is that you can "rough out" the shape of the item much more quickly than with carving, and with experience you'll get better and better at it. And when it's dried, you can come back to it and tidy up the detail with a scalpel and sanding. You will produce monsters to start with, but unless you're very good with carving tools you'd do the same with wood anyhow. So my recommendation would be to try sculpey and see whether you're happy with it - and don't let a few setbacks put you off. Steven
  24. Louie da fly
    Nice part of the world - just up from Margaret River (wine and foodie heaven), a stone's throw from Yallingup for the surfing . . . a short drive to the mighty jarrah and karri forests. Very nice. Mind you, Ballarat's pretty good, too . Steven
  25. Louie da fly
    Good to see taking the ship off the mould has worked well for you, Schrader. And thanks for the information about leaving some of the deck open so people can view inside the hull - the planked bulkheads will look good Steven

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