aliluke

Hell of journey there Bob. What a nightmare. I hope your re-clean holds the nice details you have. I don't know if you have tried Testors Dullcote lacquer as a matt finish - I have no idea how it works with copper. What I like about it is that even brush applied - it does come in spray as well - it settles to a very smooth finish. Guess I will trial it myself on copper but maybe it is an alternative?

Cheers

Alistair

Hi Ollie

I like you leading me on the way on this activity. Top work.  I just got the rest of my Amati copper tiles from Cornwall Models today - no excuses for me now. Not sure about this "gore line" - seen it some coppering but not in others. I only guess it is straight flow of tiles than run from the stem to the stern to set the upper curve that runs into the waterline? Below that the copper is set by stealers into that line? This aspect confuses me... I was just going to start at the keel and work up with stealers until I hit the curve right. Where did you get the advice about the gore line?

Cheers,

Alistair

I agree with all of the above. You are being too tough on yourself. That planking looks very sharp to me. Ollie and I briefly discussed this thing where you get things so tight that you virtually can't even tell that it is a wooden model...A delicate balance but you are treading the line very well in my opinion. A wee sand and you're away. Your hull lines look spot on too - that counts for a lot. Bloody good work!

Cheers

A

Hi Larry

Must of missed some of your earlier posts. Nice work on the planking! It must be a good feeling to get past that. The meanest are those that turn from the upswing to the counter and then down to the stern post. You look to have that well sorted out. Good to see you back at it. Florida, cold? Have I got my view of the planet wrong? Isn't yours the State that the northerners rush to in winter to escape the cold? Put on a thick jersey and get going .

Cheers

Alistair

I wouldn't worry about that colour difference Ken. I have the same issue on Fly - boxwood hull and walnut stem, stern posts. I actually quite like the contrast.

Cheers

Alistair

Hi Ollie

I'm going to be using the Amati plates - 0.1mm thick. They come in strips 7 plates long and by Ray's log (I think) you can lay them as strips - I think RMC does this too. The overlaps are only over the stealers as I understand - Ray's logs show this best. In any case I'm totally new to coppering so I'm at sea here too!!!

Cheers

Alistair

Great stuff Bob all round. I look forward to seeing your gallery build. Love the cabin details - wonderful joinery.

Cheers

Alistair

Hi Ollie

I'm just about to start this process - there are a few logs here with good advice - have a look at Ray's Diana and Pegasus and RMC's Vanguard - these go into a lot of detail. I agree with most of the above. One piece of advice I'm following is to place a styrene bead at the waterline to dress the plates to. Ray reckons fix this first rather than after cutting the tiles to the line.

For a cheap, cheerful and very effective waterline marker have a look at my log. I only went very slightly lower for drag at the stern on Fly but it depends on the ship. The AVS for instance is dramatically lower at the stern.

I'm not going to do overlaps excepting where I'm doing stealers. I think the overlaps would be out of scale. The FFM for Swan Class sloops argues that even at 1:48 scale the rivets would be nearly invisible. It is a bit like caulking and tree nailing I guess - you can emphasise a detail which in fact would not be realistically apparent at reduced scale but it gives the model a certain definition. Personal choice prevails.

Cheers

Alistair

This is truly extraordinary work.

Brian C - can we assume from your post that you are part of bringing this work to a wider audience? And can I find somewhere a log about your own Royal William build?

I stopped short of buying the DVD, just can't justify the cost, but Dr Mike sure puts the rest of us to test. Utterly amazing.

Anyway it is all about inspiration - onwards and upwards! Daunted as I am...

cheers

A

Looking great Ken - the sails really add a whole new dimension to the AVS. I'd vote against crew unless you can do a very realistic job on them.

Cheers

Alistair

Thank you Mike

I will do that next time I'm in Auckland - at this moment it will be, sadly, for a funeral. Ivan Mercep - a living legend and one of NZ's finest architects is at the door and I've done lots of work with him.

Years ago I did a project in architecture which needed a quick patina on copper. The secret ingredient was pure horse urine. Kid you not...the copper went completely green in a matter of days. Happy client and a relieved horse...I guess. Horse **** - who would have thought?!

Thanks

Alistair

Wow - great work on the model and your detailed log has pretty much answered all of my questions and concerns about coppering. Very glad I found it! I'll try and leave the experiences of mine on my log when I get into it.

Thanks

Alistair

Amazing work Mike!

Next time I'm in Devonport I'll be there to admire it. I like the hints of verdigris on the copper - planned or natural? In any case the whole model has a patina of a very well made and natural thing. Bravo! Brilliant!

Cheers

Alistair

Hi Brett

I agree with you - the rhomboid shape is too subtle. Get them in and fair them as all other parts for serving the planking. I think there is a photo in my log of these parts installed. I certainly can't remember being especially stressed about the shape - the parts are too small to worry about in this respect. More important is to get the planking flow - internally and externally working around them.

Cheers

Alistair

Hi Ollie

You are too kind - I'm still a beginner in my own opinion. I guess I feel like I'm in control of my model these days when before it was an out control thing with it's own mind!

Yep that "line between the planks" is a really interesting question/dilemma. Perhaps others have thoughts?

I have just finished the upper counter on Fly with a complete loss of the planking lines and the same applies to my very carefully calculated and tapered wale planking - all of the tapered lines are virtually invisible - they were too tight. Too lose it looks like crap and too tight it looks like...I don't know what?...Plastic (no implied criticism of plastic models in that thought!)? Veneer? It is hard one and in the future I may do tiny reverse bevels to emphasise the planking line. I did this on my AVS (1:48) and liked the outcome but at a smaller scale (1:64) I decided it would be too pronounced and went for full tightness. The other option is to caulk everything including the hull planks. In hindsight I would have done this on Fly. Anyway if you stay with natural finishes the wood grains will define the planks and your skills will read through.

That you can get things this tight on your first go means you are now in complete control! and can loosen those joints for effect on the next pass at  it or caulk the external planks to define the lines.

Needless to say, for doing a fine, well researched and brilliantly made model - you have no worries.

Cheers

Alistair

Great stuff Jay. The rigging never seems to end on USS Constitution - it makes me dizzy just thinking about that complexity and sails to boot.

Cheers

Alistair

Beautiful work Ollie - the planking is outstanding and getting that stern post fit so tight - better than I'm doing with mine at the mo' that's for sure.

Cheers

Alistair

Hi Rod

All your work so far looks really great.

Just to offer a different opinion on glues...I use medium CA for the second layer but apply it in small increments. So do about 20 to 30mm of plank length at a time usually starting from the bow and working aft. White glues are too slow for my taste and if carefully used the speed of CA plus the bond strength = no downsides in my opinion. Biggest advantage is no clamps or rubber bands etc are required. Whichever glue you use the best trick is to make each plank tapered, curved, bevelled and dry fit to the hull so that it sits there, almost, without glue. This is impossible to do totally but the closer you get to a dry fit without glue the better the end result. Based on your first layer you should have no problems with the next.

Look forward to your updates.

Cheers

Alistair

Hi Andy

You are doing an amazing job on this intriguing build. I've been looking in for a while but I miss your Pegasus . Guess this is now in the front row for the time being so I'll keep up with it instead. Great work!

Cheers

Alistair

Welcome back Hamilton

I remember when we had our second girl, 2 years apart, someone said 1+1=4. If you can work on the Blandford at all you are doing very well! I look forward to whatever your bleary eyes can send by way of updates.

Cheers

Alistair

Oops  that makes me a dummy!

Murphys77 - we like your ship please reload your log of it.

Cheers

Alistair

Hi Nigel

I just found his pictures on the Euromodel website in the customers build section. He used the member name "murphys77" on MSW V1. Indeed a fine model and a fine ship.

Cheers

Alistair

Hi Nigel

I'll be keeping up with this log. I like this ship and your enhancements sound like they'll be a treat to watch. I'm sure there was a log for Mordaunt on the old MSW site by a Swedish builder - a very nice build - but it doesn't seem to have been reloaded.

Cheers

Alistair

Hi Brett

Getting the main mast in is a difficult thing but the deck isn't the issue. Brace the mast slots below the deck as Ken suggested and carry on. There is no need to cut out anything else below the sub-deck. You can even plank over all of those holes without fear. That said, I see them as useful guides rather than structural needs.There is certainly no need to cut away the lower bulkheads.

For the sub-deck my only advise is to make sure it is properly cambered. Make sure you sand down the tops of the bulkheads to get that camber right and even. My laziness about this on my build really caused me pain later on.

Cheers

Alistair

Hi Vitus

Your quarter badges look good but I think compared to the rest of your build they will annoy you later on. As per earlier posts, I reckon you'd still be well served with the Pegasus PE set to lift the detail - window frames, pillars, window head/sill and decorations. However you do get a bit of hybrid ship and that might not suit you. I guess my thought is that the badge needs to be as sharp as everything else and (more an observation than a criticism) at the moment it isn't to my eye.

The cabin looks really great. Not quite a Doris job but who, aside from her, does a Doris job? My cabin is a black hole but it is too late now to retreat from that.

Cheers

Alistair