drobinson02199

Popeye:

The lifeboats are 38mm long.  If that fits, I would expect that Ages of Sail could order some from Amati for you.

Regards,

David

I've installed the stanchions on the upper decks -- a couple of pics here.

A sequence issue:  I had to install two small lifeboats now (see pics), because the funnel stays would be in the way if I did those first,  But then I have to do the stays next, because the davits for the rest of the lifeboats would make deck attachment really difficult.  Then I'll install the lifeboats.

Speaking of the lifeboats -- I think way back in this log someone commented that they thought the use of plastic boats was inappropriate for a kit of this quality -- but as I have painted them I've found that they look nicer than some metal boats I've painted, and hold very fine detail as you can see.

Regards,

David

Just beautiful and wonderful work.

Regards,

David

Bow detail finished.

It's New Year's Eve here, but Happy New Year to all and especially to our Australia/New Zealand friends who are already into 2019.

Regards,

David

Finished the stern poop deck.  

Regards,

David

Heinrich:

Thank you -- the pictures and plans are very interesting.  I see the rivets, but I fear that I'll never have the patience to get that much tiny detail into my model.  🤪

Regards,

David

I hope everyone is having a great holiday period.

I used some of the spare time to work on the funnels, and they are now all up.  She's beginning to look like a real steamship now.

The stays won't go up until some of the deck detail is finished, as they would be in the way.

Regards,

David

Tom:

All of the details are part of the kit.  It's an Amati kit, and I have found their kits to be very high quality.  

Regards,

David

More detail installed on the deck.

Regards,

David

Cabins now installed on the deck; cranes and detail installed near the stern.

Regards,

David

Some deck detail completed near the bow.

Regards,

David

Thanks, Popeye.  The red hull color I used looks pretty similar to the photos of the Amati model on the box and in the manual.

Re the other colors -- my yellow matches the pre-printed yellow stripe, and I am pretty good on the other colors (green, gray, black and white).

As might be apparent, I'm not a total stickler for complete historical accuracy.  🙈 🙉 🙊

Regards,

David

She's starting to look like an ocean liner now.

Regards,

David

More on the sides.  The photo-etched brass sides mount on thin plywood, and the instructions suggest painting that black or blue to give background and depth to the windows.  So I did -- used blue.

But as you can see in the first two pics below, the ply backing doesn't come up to most of the windows.  So you have a nice blue background for the small portholes at the bottom, and the larger windows would be uncovered and black -- except where one or two vertical frames show through, which makes it look unfinished.

So when I sprayed the plywood, I also sprayed some white paper.  I'll cut that into strips and attach to the back -- the first one is shown below, and the result for that first strip in the last pic compared to the uncovered windows.

This works because those vertical attachment points don't line up with the frames, so I can glue the paper to them without worrying that I'm weakening an attachment point for the bulkhead.  Those vertical points are part of attaching the brass to the wood.

Regards,

David

Before painting the bottom of the hull red, I need to install the sides.  As much care as I took to leave enough room when building the structure, when I went to dry-fit the photo-etched sides and their backing, they didn't fit -- just.

So I had to grind down the underside of the deck, and also grind off some of the PE siding, and now it fits -- tightly.  This has to be painted before installation.

Regards,

David

The hull is now painted black.  I found that when I went to sand the paint off the nameplate letters, the 2 coats of spray enamel were too thick, and I ended up taking some paint off the background and surrounding areas.  So I repainted the nameplates with acrylic (brush), and that sanded off nicely.

It's a flat black on the hull -- the flash just makes it look a bit glossy.

Regards,

David

I've installed all of the portholes, doors and scuppers on one side.  All of this brass detail will be painted over in black.  There are a LOT of portholes to install!  The Titanic nameplates aren't on yet.

Regards,

David

Re my earlier comment on an exhaust fan -- here's a picture of the $35 fan I got on Amazon, mounted in a 12x12 shipping box, which works fine.  I attached a handle to the sliding basement window so that I can pull it open and close it again.  Fan moves 220 CFM.

I just added the second coat of primer and this little fan works really well.  There are fumes at the start, but they get dramatically reduced after a few minutes.  

Regards,

David

Popeye:

I see you're in Manchester, which is even colder than here in Boston.  FYI, the little fan I ordered was $35 on Amazon.  I plan to just open one of the small basement window and put it in as needed.

Regards,

David

Here's the hull, taped for painting, and after the first primer coat.

It's winter here, and while I've painted my other models in the garage in milder weather, my basement workroom isn't well-ventilated, and the fumes are pretty strong.  So I ordered a small but high CFM flow exhaust fan that I can put into a window.  It comes Thursday, and no more painting until it's in.

Regards,

David

I've now decorated the large cabin structure with windows and vents.

Positioning the windows to keep them aligned was a bear, even with tape as a guide, because I used CA gel and it sets fast so I had to align and get them vertical quickly.  PVA glue would allow more adjustment time, but I was concerned that the windows might come off either as the model ages, or with any side contact.

I think the next step is hull painting.  

Regards,

David

Small deckhouses built and decorated.

Regards,

David

Zappto -- the line seizing above your deadeyes is exquisite.

Regards,

David

I figured out how I'm going to keep the windows aligned.  In the first picture, I have made vertical marks representing the center of the windows, by holding the structure up to the plan drawing.  I then measured horizontal marks under them at 2.5mm above the bottom.

I then taped just under the marks to give me a 2mm height above the bottom.  The tape gives me vertical alignment, and the vertical marks allow me to place the windows properly horizontally.  Picture 2 shows the work in progress, and picture 3 is the finished result.

I now feel better about tackling the long cabin windows and having them come out looking good.

Regards,

David

The last step in the instructions before painting the hull is to build the deckhouses, so I've done that (first picture).  In the instructions, these aren't decorated and mounted onto the main structure until after hull painting, but I've decide to do it now as long as I'm in "small parts mode."

The doors and windows at this level are individually mounted photo-etched brass, and if you look at the finished pictures, the windows show a bluish background similar to the printed ones on lower decks -- but they are solid PE brass (see second picture).

I remembered a technique I learned on the Revenge, where I had to paint a large stern emblem with raised "frames" like the windows here.  The technique was to paint the whole thing, and then when it dries sand it with fine paper, removing the paint from the frames but not the recessed panes.  Tried it here and it worked like a charm.  See third picture of my mounted test window.  I used a cobalt blue.

For the rest, I can gang paint them while still attached to the PE strip, and then I'll have to still individually sand them.

The hard thing is going to be getting all of these perfectly aligned and spaced, particularly on the long cabin.

Regards,

David