bruce d

Allan, I have seen the results of Alcad products on plastic and they can be verrrrrry convincing. Not used them myself, but a friend swears by them. https://www.alclad2-online.co.uk/product-category/finishes/

Shipbuilding Practice and Ship Design Methods From the Renaissance to the 18th Century MAX-PLANCK-INSTITUT FÜR WISSENSCHAFTSGESCHICHTE Max Planck Institute for the History of Science Multi language, covers a lot of subjects: design, construction, launching, models (!), national styles etc. P245.pdf

Hello Daniele and welcome to MSW. I look forward to seeing your chosen subject and a build log.

Pretty sure it was Mariners Mirror 64 (1978), pp 349 - 60. HTH, Bruce

I will try to describe a method I used a long time ago. The idea is simple, it is just a case of whether you like the effect. I couldn’t produce raised lettering but it was easy to produce lightly embossed print and images. So I turned 'embossed' into 'raised' like this: (1) print what you want; (2) place it face down on a firm but slightly compressible surface such as a cutting matt; (3) trace the image/text from behind with a ball point pen or a stylus, pressing as hard as the paper will allow; (4) turn it over and admire your work. I got the best results by producing the text as a negative (white text on black field) and then printing this onto gold coloured paper. When embossed from behind the slightly raised effect of the text was quite convincing. The black background was then cut to shape and a coat of pale varnish sprayed on and the work of art was then CAREFULLY put in place with tweezers. It took a few attempts to learn how to handle the printed piece without the photocopied solid black area developing small cracks but this was using a toner printer, inkjet is probably more forgiving. Also, since my project was only needed for a particular occasion and it didn’t matter if the materials had a short life, I used gift wrapping paper. I suggest something more light-fast for a ‘keeper’ model. I see no reason why it would not work on paper with a woodgrain print as the background. Hope this helps. Bruce

In post #6 above I made the subdeck pieces out of some really nice modelling plywood. This turns out to have been a mistake. The subdeck pieces must bend to conform to the curve across the tops of the bulkheads and the plywood I used was just too stiff. Experiments with the offcuts proved that it would not work without excessive force and, rather than start trial and error bending with heat, it was just easier to remake them. A piece of inferior plywood was chosen as best for the job (didn’t think that would be part of the story) and the same process as before was used. I was able to simply use one of the existing subdeck pieces as a template for tracing the profile. Prising the two pieces apart. I love that 3M spray adhesive. Just sitting in place to get a feel for the next steps. This plywood will bend easily, should have used it to begin. I am still getting used to the look of the hull/bulkhead assembly with the spacers. It looks like something out of Barnwood Builders. However, I will have plenty of places to get a fixing for the subdeck pieces . Bruce

Hello CTYankee, It is a good brush and there is a good reason there are so many modellers using them. A word of caution during your 'getting to know' phase: it is very easy to damage the tip (the small part at the front that the needle goes through) by innocently putting a bit of pressure on the needle when re-assembling or adjusting. Ask me how I know ....

Perfect.

It has taken a while for me to get the bulkheads fitted. During the assembly of the bulkheads a twist appeared in the hull former. It was about 6mm out of true and several bulkheads were already in place. I had ensured the initial assembly was square and true in all directions: However, the twist was there and it was too big to ignore. I looked at the scraps of the plywood I used to make the former and, sure enough, the remainder had also developed a bow. Since I chose the blasted piece because it was perfectly flat when I checked and now both the workpiece and the off-cut were warped it cannot be a co-incidence. I was satisfied that the material was the problem and not something I had done. The bulkheads already fitted were in the middle as I had started with these wide stations and had planned on then doing two bulkheads at a time, one at each end. If I could correct the problem without removing these pieces then I would carry on, otherwise I would chalk it up to experience and start again. It was time to get creative: I resorted to force. The idea was this: if the bulkheads were parallel and also at right angles to the hull former, then the hull former must be straight. First step was to go back to the beginning. I measured the gap at the junction of the former and the bulkhead: the gap should be the same all the way across but it wasn’t (it was when I installed them, the twist happened afterwards. @/$*&!!). Spacers with good square faces were made for each gap matching the measurement taken at the junction. I used a variety of materials: cherry offcuts, plywood, birch etc. Each gap was different so it was a slow process. I paid a lot of attention to getting the spacers the exact width of the gaps, sometimes making the spacer by laminating pieces together for a good fit, sometimes running pieces through a thicknesser for tuning. Typically the same spacer that was a loose fit on the port side was tight on the starboard so I used whatever force was necessary to get matching spacers ‘home’. Once the fit was as near to perfect as I could manage I glued and clamped. It was heartening to see an improvement (small but in the right direction) after the first couple were done. Most of the twist appeared to be in the rear half so that end got the heavy handed treatment. The result is not pretty but it is straight and I was glad to pull it off. It definitely does not look like I envisaged but … so what? Mediator has a cabin at her stern: the last of the bulkheads form the structure of this space and I will come back to these after a while. I have some unresolved thoughts about how I will detail the cabin entrance and want to ‘dummy-up’ a couple of trial pieces before gluing anything. Maybe after fairing, maybe after planking, we will see what seems right when I make some more progress. An unexpected advantage of posting a build log is that I was shamed into clearing away the clutter from the workbench before taking pictures. Bruce

This document is in the public domain. Royal_Navy_Wooden_Shipwrecks_Database(1).pdf

Per Rise, welcome to MSW from the UK. Good looking models, hope to see more. Regards, Bruce

Hello Jackie and a warm welcome to MSW. Looking forward to seeing a build log of ... whatever it turns out to be! Bruce

How niave of me. Next time I will make some type of building jig to align things.

John, I am so sorry to hear of your loss.

Very nice, thanks.

Hello Aaron, and a belated welcome. I agree with Allan, you never know when another interest (maybe promoted to 'hobby') will enter your sphere. Scrimshaw must be very rewarding. I have had the pleasure of seeing in person some of the work of Grinling Gibbons and it stirred an interest. Sadly, it turns out I have absolutely no apptitude for carving but am especially happy to see someone who does have the talent. Hope to see more of your work. Bruce

Hello Genny, and welcome to MSW from Sussex. Thanks for pointing us towards a book which may otherwise have slipped past un-noticed.

Best wishes, Mario, and hope to see you back soon.

And the workshop news ain't bad either.

Welcome to MSW. Always room for someone who knows a thing or two about ships!

I wish I was as clumsy as you. ;D For no good reason I did not keep up with your log. Now, I have set aside some time this evening to read it from the start and have no doubt it will be time well spent. Well done Tony. Bruce

Druxey, can't help with that item other than to say it looks like it may have been the footprint of something else that is now missing. Next up, and hopefully more helpful, is this one: https://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/66542.html SLR0581 Description Scale: 1:32. A contemporary full hull model of a merchant brig (circa 1795), built plank on solid wooden core in the Georgian style. Model is decked, equipped and fitted with three sliding keels as designed by Captain John Schanck. The model has a number of working parts including windlass, winches, doors, pump, and rudder, all of which aided the publicity of the sliding keels principal when Schank was trying to sell his idea to both the merchant and Royal navies. The idea worked on the principal that when the keels were lowered, it improved the vessels stability and sailing qualities. It also enabled the building of ships with a shallow draught allowing them to undertake passages in shallow waters or for survey work. At this scale, the model depicts a vessel measuring 72 feet along the deck by 19 feet in the beam and a tonnage of 100 burden. The modelmaking is of the highest quality and is though to be by the hand of Allen Hunt, a top quality craftsman whose patrons included the Duke of Northumberland and high ranking naval officers. Date made circa 1795 The small structure enclosing the tiller head addresses the general question and I am pretty sure the structures either side are pens/coops for chickens and whatever critters were carried. Considering the nature of these pens it is perfectly reasonable that they would not appear on plans.

Kurt, the Aztek is a lovely airbrush and will make someone happy. I've got one. It is different from many other brushes but is intuitive, easy to clean and a quick way to get good results.

Found this. This is a model in the NMM collections, item # SLR0416. https://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/66377.html The description says... "Scale: 1:48. Georgian full hull model, with elements of Navy board style, of a sixth rate 12 gun sloop (circa 1720). The open frames have been painted onto a carved pine carcass hull below the waterline. The model is predominantly in the Georgian style in that the decks are partially planked and includes a variety of fittings, such as a brass bell mounted on the raised folksal deck, a brick faced fire hearth below decks with a brass chimney, bilge pumps, capston and ships wheel mounted against the quarter deck bulk head. The hull is fitted ten oar ports between the gun ports and also includes detailed painted decoration on the scroll figurehead, bulwark screens and stern counter The model depicts accommodation and storage below deck as well as carved and painted decoration at the bow and stern. The model is mounted on a pine base on top of an ornate keel block and four turned feet below." It is dated "circa 1720" HTH Bruce

Me too. Thank you Bob for raising the subject.