Bob Fraser

Netting test for the bow section. Looks a tad underscale and could do with a little dirtying wash, so I've left it as a removable piece in case I change my mind later.
 
 

 
 

 

It looks like step 15 in the booklet shows the proper placement. Pic from @toms10

 
These should be shown on the A4 sheets that show all the cutouts from plywood?
Sometimes these parts look like throw aways after a larger piece has been removed, as I've found.
Sorry I can't be of more help on this one 🙁.
Bob

It looks like step 15 in the booklet shows the proper placement. Pic from @toms10

 
These should be shown on the A4 sheets that show all the cutouts from plywood?
Sometimes these parts look like throw aways after a larger piece has been removed, as I've found.
Sorry I can't be of more help on this one 🙁.
Bob

Hi Treesqueak
Have a look at Toms10s build. It shows where and what these pieces are for. Maybe ask him about them?
It also looks as if he has an English copy of the instructions too!

Hi again
 
So I made a mockup of the structure of the captains cabin at the stern.
 
I used 2 mm thick foamboard and cut out the window openings and glued the foamboard onto 4 mm balsa wood. At first I tried to cut the window openings out of the balsa wood but that was no succes. Cutting the balsa in the direction of the grain is easy but as soon as you go vertically or diagonally the edges of the plank look like rats have been knibbeling on them.
Then I took 1 mm foamboard and transparant plastic sheeting (about 0,5 mm thick), and cut out the shape of the windows. I tested with the (coloured) transparant sheet over the white foamboard but the white came through too much so I decided to paint the 1 mm thick window cutouts blue and then glued them on the 4 mm balsa wood in the slots made in the 2 mm foamboard. This way the windows lay a bit lower than the surrounding structure and so I would have room to create windowframes.
In order to give the structure a wood look, I planked the whole thing, I used half width planks for the window frames.  There is a picture below of this structure but it doesn’t really show how sloppy the windows (transparant sheeting) looked after spilling too much glue from the planking. So, since I am just experimenting, I decided to paint the windows grey. And then I painted the structure black as shown below.
The final result looks pretty rough but it’s just a prototype. The mockup is way too high and a bit too wide. I also think it looks like a piece of a “medieval-torture-barn”. I do like the macabre vibe tho. I assume that life at sea in those days was more often miserable than jolly and so I am going for an overall darker vibe. But not as medieval as the mockup.
After trying to make the windowframes myself I now realise that I am not going to be able to achieve the look I want that way. May plan is to make them look more like church-windows. I will try once more by scratching the plastic sheet and coloring the grooves with thinned paint (as suggested by Backer), but I also ordered some laser cut windowframes from a hobby-shop just in case.  
On top of the structure I will add a roof, like the one shown on the picture above of the stern of the black pearl. That’s way the mockup is too high, there is no more place to add the roof.
 
It’s nowhere near what I want it to look like but I’ll get there.
Thnx for reading!

Hi Bob
Thanks for your tips, I will definitely keep them in mind.
The thing with going “freestyle” is that suddenly everthing is possible. I will have to test a lot with different materials tho... It’ll take me a bit longer but I don’t care. I’m enjoying the process. 
I was thinking about using coloured (greyish) transparant sheeting to use for the windows. I’ll see whether I can create the illusion of depth that way. And if it doesn’t I can always ad a colour wash. Tomorrow I’m going to hobbyshop and I plan to buy enough stuff for testing.
I’m going to read your build log of the Mississippi cause I’m sure I can learn a thing or two from you 😉

Whilst waiting for the wood to arrive for the new stairs I did this one. Revell Titanic at 1/1200. (Revell 1/570 waiting in the wings)
Our 11 year old son is autistic and has had a fascination with the Titanic for over 5 years.  Turns out his mum had a cousin (2nd turkish bath attendant) who went down with her.


Not done a plastic kit in over 40 years, so thought I'd start small. Drilled all the upper portholes out and tried to seperate the pipes on the stacks.  Need to learn the esoteric art of sprue stretching for the radio wires and rigging.
 
Anyway, the wood arrived, new stairs cut out and put together.

Brass wire railings added in keeping with the rest of the stairs.
Cheers for now, stay safe and well,
Bob

Cheers guys!
Some more progress.  Help from Cooper the cat again

Eventually got them done
The black paint is Revell Aqua Colour. It's gone a bit thick but it represents the thick bitumastic paint used on iron. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! 😁
 
Added the second handrail to the stairs, fitted the second deck doors and shutters.

Made some chains for the "Crew Only" areas and fitted them with a notice.

Did a bit of research on the use of the capstan in the bow. Turns out it's steam powered and used to tighten up the main mooring rope so the bow is tight to the dock.
Where the instructions show a hawse hole there are rollers or a fairlead, another at the end of the bow plank, and bitts to the side (behind the 3 guys to the left) for other ropes.
This is the steamer "Lookout".

Here's the capstan AL provided, and the one I'm replacing it with. Brass band is from the scrap off the bridge deck scallops.

Works almost at a halt now as it's been decided not to fit the spiral staircase, but to make a straight wide one. I've got to order in the sheet wood for this.
More when I can, Look after yourselves,
Bob

Thanks for the likes!
Slow progress, but some!
Added the brass scallops to the steering deck, and the fencing around the deck below.
Since access to the steam pipe are would be crew only I fenced that off too, and added steps.
To the steps I've added brass handrail made from 0.8mm beading wire. Not sure yet if the cabin stairs will remain one rail or to add the second.

Cheers,
Bob

Some progress over the last few days.
Captains cabin almost finished. Fitted the stove, roof and rail. Added edging boards to the roof.


Added the ventilation gap to the upper deck. Remembered to drill and countersink the holes for the pins this time! 😼

That's all for now,
Stay safe, stay well,
Bob

Decided to leave the spiral staircase for now, and do some of the long repetetive process of planking the large areas.
Fair bit of progress, but not much to show for it.
Fitted the second deck house and planked it. Remembered I'd got some photo-etched saws.

Used the long thin one to saw the tops off the planking. Fitted the livestock arches.

The pic shows it befor sanding.
Planked the 3rd and 4th Decks, and made the 3rd deck house. Also made the wheelhouse.
As she stands now

And then the captain came to visit - "Big door handles!" he says.

I'll have to look at changing them for something smaller.
He then goes aft and wants to know where the paddlewheel is!

Think I'll have to get a move on - he seems a bit impatient.
That's all for now,
Cheers,
Bob

So, thought it time to make the rudders before getting too far ahead of the build.
Picture in the book shows this - looks like mahogany, same shade as the dowel

What you actually get is this - plywood

One of my helpers thought this of them

Found some scrap of the same depth and made these

Thanks kpnuts!
Today I've fitted the arched doors. While they look reasonable at a viewing distance, the photos close up really show all the imperfections.
Anyway, hinges work, and fitted a latch to each to stop them opening when under way.
Doors closed.

Doors open

Hopefully once fitted to the deck these will look ok.
Cheers
Bob

Thanks Chris, thanks for looking in. Cooper is a "he" and was still chasing bits around ater they were packed away.
Bit more progress - after a couple of hours soaking managed to get the curved ends fitted to the top two cabins.
Lots of pins to hold the curves, not yet glued in place. Going to give them another 24 hrs to dry and keep the curve.

Even after several hours soak the plywood still cracked! Still, this will eventually be covered by the planking, so nothing that can't be sorted.
Cheers for now,
Bob

Had this started 9 years ago, as usual life got in the way but managed to put a bit together here and there. Not worth starting a build log just to have it seem abandoned.
Just started again the other day with a bit more time available.
Building this for my Admiral who would love to travel on one, but because of her own issues barely leaves the house.
Likeley to be a slow build so please bear with me.
 
Progress so far.
 
Hull built and planked

Livestock area. I added tie rings to both side. You don't want animals fighting over the hay or running wild on deck!

Hooks for the livestock area.  Rounded tops so no animal injuries!
 

Barn doors and hinge. Looks better from a normal viewing distance 🙂 

And where would I be without my helper!

 
Cheers for now,
Bob
 
 

Looking pretty good at this point.   I do suggest that you read well ahead in the instructions.   The reason is that after they tell you to glue the main deck down, they then tell you assemble and install the guns which is impossible.  We've had way too many abandoned builds happen when they realize that they can't install the guns.

I see what you mean, you'll need to cut out the window parts and put the plastic ones in their place, keeping the rest of the metal stern. Go careful and slowly!
Like Backer, scored lines and black paint on plastic sheet is how I did the Mississippi windows in simple square windows.
Or you'll need to make the inner window frames and use something like Microscale Micro Krystal Klear (other products available!) to fill in the gaps.
Don't forget you'll need to put a colour wash behind them to show them off. I recall some doing black or dark blue behind the panes.
Enjoy the "freestyling".
Bob

Hello everyone. This will by my first attempt at a build thread. Also, this is my first attempt at a ship model in over forty years.
I thought I would start with a easy build, so I picked up Revell 1:535 USS Missouri. There is not a lot of detail on this model and I can't find that there is a photoetch set for this model. I started by working to get the hull and the deck to fit correctly. The froward area of the hull was bowed in, so I added extra tabs to the underside of the deck to make it fit. After gluing it up and lots of sanding, the hull/deck fit is starting to look better. The anchor chains were molded in, so I removed them to the chain plates and will replace them with metal chain.
Please let me know if I have started this thread correctly and please feel free to add any comments to my build. Oh yeah. I don't know a lot of ship terminology, so if I use the incorrect terms please let me know.
 
Bill
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

I see what you mean, you'll need to cut out the window parts and put the plastic ones in their place, keeping the rest of the metal stern. Go careful and slowly!
Like Backer, scored lines and black paint on plastic sheet is how I did the Mississippi windows in simple square windows.
Or you'll need to make the inner window frames and use something like Microscale Micro Krystal Klear (other products available!) to fill in the gaps.
Don't forget you'll need to put a colour wash behind them to show them off. I recall some doing black or dark blue behind the panes.
Enjoy the "freestyling".
Bob

Continued today with mainly touch up and fine tuning my painting. Also added the wheel house. I found Artic37’s Cutty Sark build. He included the building instructions from an older production that are much more detailed and informative. In the instructions with my kit it said to paint the 8 bucket shaped objects back by the aft deckhouse brown and place them under the quarterdeck rail. Gave no name to these pieces. In the Instructions Artic37 provided they are called fire buckets and instructions say to paint red. That made more sense to me so I changed them. Also weathered the top of the two deck houses. Developing into a beautiful ship. 

I have now assembled the main frame and installed the Gunn deck. I tried to make it look a little more realistic with some false joins and some clear coat mixed with a tiny bit of paint. 
 

Hi everyone
 
I have been contemplating about whether or not to stick to the instructions and materials provided with the kit, or to start “freestyling”. I am not at all happy with the look, quality and measurements of the messing decorations provided with het kit. At first I was planning to use them anyway, but I might as well just take my time, get creative and build them myself.
The first “ornament” I will be focussing on is the structure/windows of the captains cabin at the stern. The last few days I have been looking at photographs of 18th century sail ships to get some inspiration. But the ones I found are way  too intricate for my skill-level. I am searching for a design with simple and clean lines. The example I like the most, so far, is the one on the Black Pearl (see pic below). This one has a “simple” structure and few frills and seems managable to build. It won’t be an exact copy, but I will use it as a starting point. I plan to use a mix of styrene and wood.
I do have a question about the window frames; I don’t want to use the ones from the kit because they do not have the right shape and size,  so I’ll try and make them myself as well. But I’m a bit lost at how to do this and what materials to use. Therefore I am asking whether anyone has experience with this and if it would be possible to share how they made windowframes?
 
Thanks a lot!     
 
 

How I did mine
 
Clear plastic sheet. 
Make grooves with a thick needle ()vertical, horizontal or diagonal.

 
The grooves can be filled with thinned black paint. And / or filled with plastic sprue.

 
result

 
If it fails the first time you try this (with me too)
practice, practice, practice
Good idea, always more fun.

Hi, They really are!
Oh, and welcome from across the Pond
Bob

Hi, They really are!
Oh, and welcome from across the Pond
Bob