Hi, as the title says I am about to start building the Virginia 1819 by Artesania Latina.
This will be my first model ship that I have built, I've gone through instructions and before I start I have a few general question:
1. What glue should I use?
The instructions have a General Tips section where they mention three different glues: white glue (carpenters glue), contact glue (shoemakers glue), and quick-drying glue.
Except in one, or maybe two, places they do not specify what glue to use.
2. When should I varnish the parts?
The instructions do mention that I should varnish the hull before attaching anything to it, does that include the railings, stem and keel?
What about the other parts? For the smaller assemblies should I varnish each individual piece before glueing them together or should I varnish the entire part after it has been out together and before it is attached to the hull?
3. Painting or remaking small metal parts
Some of the parts they provided are metal (silvery in colour, maybe pewter) but in the instructions they look more like wood or maybe copper, it is hard to tell.
Two of the parts are almost just rectangular posts and are not structural in any way so I am thinking about getting some spare apple-wood, which is what the other parts are made of, and remaking it myself.
Should I do this or is it better or easier to just paint them, and if so what is the best thing to paint the with to get the best look?
4. Spanker gaff metal parts
(Hopefully I'v used the right terminology here)
The three parts (labelled gaff cheeks in the instructions) that connect the booms/gaffs to the masts are also made from metal and again in the pictures they look like they are made out of wood.
These are more complex in shape and since they also need to support the booms and sails I think it would be safer to not remake them.
The same as the previous question, if I do paint them what is the best way to do it?
5. Assembling the deck
Once the frames are aligned with the false keel and pinned to the deck it says to glue them together with a 30% mixture of glue and water, what is the purpose of the diluted glue here? why not just use the glue as is?
6. What other tools and materials are required?
I have read through the instructions and compiled a list of the obvious tools and materials that I will need, is there anything that I may need that isn't obvious but will be helpful or essential to building the model?
