GemmaJF

How come when you add white to blue it becomes light blue, but if you add white to red it becomes pink.  Doesn't seem fair.

I have not been able to find a reference here relating to Westbourne Models of Bournemouth, England, but if this retailer has been discussed before then apologies. Before placing an order buyers should Google for reviews - - - very illuminating and beneficial for the bank account as well as one's peace of mind. My own experience has not cost me anything thanks to interception by Paypal but it seems many have found transactions painful. 

The boiler deck is now glued up, the only ware/weathering so far is at the top of the steps, I sanded the red oxide off to expose the wood. I've added the vertical support posts to starboard side and did a little weathering to the posts, more to do yet.
 
I moved the fencing that is shown hung on the boiler posts in the instructions to the cabin wall rear of the boiler. I did this purely for appearance, the detail of the boiler is now more exposed for viewing and the plain (little bit boring walls) are now adorned with the fence which adds a bit of interest. Spacers were added to rear surface of the fence to pull it away from the wall to make it show up better.

Ive been steadily working away on the cannons and other details. I finished the rudder which turned out nice. The hinges worked out better than on the launch. I did those by securing the pin first and then adding the other parts. Then i started work on the mizzen mast.

trying to balance time between a home improvement project and the boat, but managed to get some more of the detailing done and starting on the top deck cannons.  I chose to use a loop and hook to connect the blocks to the inside of the boat, looks nice and I was having a heck of a time twisting the little metal loops around the block.  Also, I came upon my first situation with missing parts.  The brass posts for the railing were missing 4, so i repositioned what I did have and evenly spaced them.  No problem.

Actually, if you look at a real ship, there are only subtle variations from plate to plate, if any. Exposure to seawater tends to level out any original variations in the state of oxidation (which due to the fairly uniform and industrialised production process, even in the 18th century, would have not been considerable). So I don't quite understand what the purpose of this rag-rug appearance is. One should also keep in mind that oxidation colours that result from contact with ambient air are different from the colour that develops under water and at the water-air interface. The presence of sulfates and organic substances in seawater are mainly responsible for this.
 
Rather than using an open flame for achieving oxidation colours, I would use a hot-air soldering-gun, where you can pre-set the temperature of the air-stream and thus have much better control over the process.

This is the process of making the heat treated plates for the Taney by Charles Gravallese.
 
 
 
                                                             SHOP 03
 
COPPER PLATING
 
The process begins with copper foil sheets 2 or 3 /1000" thick. To make realistic looking plates, the shiny uniformity of the copper must be destroyed. Holding the sheet with pliers, pass it through the flame of a gas torch and you will see that the copper begins to discolor. The longer you hold it there, the greater the discoloration. You will also see that it takes on a variety of other colors in random patterns. Work on only a small portion of the copper sheet at one time. After passing it through the flame, plunge it into a bath of cold water; this will add coloration. Don't worry about small droplets of water that may be on the surface of the plate when you put it back through the flame, they also add to the effect. Continue this process of heating and cooling until the entire sheet has been treated and it looks real ugly; that's when it’s done and ready for cutting. Before beginning the cutting operation, the copper sheets must be flattened and all wrinkles smoothed out. For smoothing, and strip prior to cutting I like to work on a clean flat surface like a green cutting pad. Smoothing is achieved by simply burnishing down the sheets with a piece of balsa wood.
 
Along one edge of the sheet, gently tick off a series of marks to indicate the width of each plate as determined from the plans, (copper plates were normally about 2’ x 4’so you will have work calculate the model size based on the scale of the model. If the model is 1/8” to the foot, plates should be 1/4” X 1/2”. Repeat this same series of tick marks along the opposite edge of the sheet. To cut strips to the width of the plates, lay a straight edge on top of the copper sheet, connecting tick marks at each end. While firmly holding down the straight edge with one hand, draw the razor along the straight edge producing a cleanly cut strip. Repeat this process until all the strips have been cut. Upon examination of the strips you will notice that the cutting may have left a slight burr on the bottom edge of each one. These burrs should be flattened out before going on to slice them into plates. Burnishing gently with the balsa wood does the job.
 
Next, the strips are cut into individual plates. Begin with a piece of 3/4" plywood 10" long by 3" wide as a work surface. This plywood should be flat and very straight along its top edge. Two or three inches in from the far right hand corner drop a sharp pencil line perpendicular to the top edge. Then draw a second perpendicular parallel to the first line and 1/2" to the left of it. (If you are left handed, these steps can easily be applied to work as well from the upper left hand corner of the plywood.) Place a small 4" adjustable square on the top edge of the plywood so that the leg of the square lies on top of the second perpendicular line leaving the first, right‑most line still visible. Take a strip of copper material and slip it under the square, making sure that:
     1. The square is snug against the top of the board.
     2. The copper strip is snug against base of the square at
            the top of the board.        
     3. The copper strip extends beyond the leg of the square and
            just touches the right‑most pencil line.
Then it’s just a matter of pressing down on the square enough to keep the copper strip still while slicing off a plate with a single edge razor. Because the plates were sliced off while lying on a relatively soft surface, there is another burr to eliminate. Actually two burrs, one at each end of each plate. I did this working on top of a piece of plate glass. Using my balsa wood burnisher, I flattened out each and every plate.
 
The bottom of the hull must be prepared and by this time you must also have decided on the arrangement of strakes and belts. The hull should be clean and sanded smooth with the water line already marked off. I did not use any sanding sealer in the are where the plates are to be placed. If you haven't already, devise a way to mount the hull upside down in your vice so that you will have two hands free to work on plating. This technique, by the way, can work just as well on planked hulls as it does on solid hulls.
 
Take a dozen or so plates and drop them in small bottle of acetone. Close the bottle and set them aside for a while. The acetone will help clean up any residue on the plates. My preference for contact cement is solvent based and not water based. I have never had good experiences with water based contact cement. The contact cement must be thinned in small batches using a small glass bottle. In a clean 1 or 2 ounce glass bottle, pour a little bit of the contact cement. Add thinner to this a little at a time stirring until the cement is creamy and no longer stringy when you remove the mixing stick. With a disposable #1 paint brush, lay a thin coat of cement over the entire sternpost and keel, but not up the stem post. The stem will be coated later. In one of my earlier experiments I tried using un-thinned contact cement but this resulted in a globby surface which showed up as bumps in the plates after they were pressed into place. From time to time as work progresses, you will want to discard the cement in the mixing bottle, clean the bottle with thinner, and mix up a fresh batch of cement. While waiting for the first coat of cement to dry, remove the plates from the bottle of acetone and pat them dry with paper toweling. At this time you should drop another bunch of plates into the bottle of acetone and close it up. Take a piece of two sided tape about 6" long and press it down onto a scrap of basswood about 8" long and 1" x 1" square. Press the tape down firmly, rubbing your fingers across it until most of the stickiness is gone and the surface feels only slightly tacky. Gently press each cleaned plate to the edge of the tape strip so that half the plate is on the tape and half is extending over the edge. Using the low cost brushes, apply a thinned coat of contact cement to each plate. If the cement is properly thinned, it should flow right on, no dragging and no globs. At this time apply a second coat of cement to the sternpost and keel.
 
After about 5- 10 minutes, the first coat of cement on the plates should be dry and the second coat can be applied. Allow this to dry another five minutes. Very gently remove a plate from the adhesive strip. The cement should not stick to your fingers, if it does, you have not allowed enough drying time. Beginning at the very end of the keel, carefully eyeball the plate over the bottom of the keel so that the keel passes as closely as possible through the center of the plate lengthwise. Before touching the plate to the keel, make sure that you are leaving about half of it to overhang the after part of the keel, over the sternpost. Slowly lower the plate being careful to keep it centered over the keel. I found that when first setting a plate in place it should be set down ever so gently so that the contact cement does not grab fast. This way, you will still be able to make positioning adjustments after the plate is on the surface. When satisfied with its alignment press down on top of the plate to secure it. Then carefully form a clean bend in the plate over the heel of the keel, up the sternpost. Using a single edge razor, cut along the bend in the plate, back to the keel ‑ sternpost junction. Now bend the resulting vertical flaps which overhang the sternpost, into position toward the bow. Apply a small dab of contact cement to the face of these flaps, and then press down on the horizontal flaps which overhang the keel. Note: I use a very fine jewelers tweezers to handle individual plates.
 
Apply a small dab of cement on the top of the forward end of the corner plate you just installed. Let this set up for a few minutes and then take another plate from the adhesive strip and follow the same alignment procedure in positioning it over the keel making sure that the after end of the new plate overlaps the forward end of the plate already attached by about 1/32". Press the plate into place on the upper surface of the keel and then firmly bend the side flaps downward so that they form a neat 90 degree angle around the edge of the keel. Continue this process up to the place on the keel where the stem post begins to turn up toward the water line. Return to the sternpost and lay the next strake which will slightly overlap the previous strake also by about 1/32”. Begin by applying a coat or two of thinned contact cement to the area of the previous strake which will be overlapped by the new strake. Allow this to dry for a few minutes. Don't forget to keep extending the cement coated area up the sides of the hull a little at a time as you go along from one strake to the next. I used masking tape to keep the cement area to just one strake width. I suggest coating only a small area of the hull at one time because at the end of each plating session you will want to remove the cement from those parts of the hull which have not yet been plated.
 
Center a plate over the backside of the sternpost and press it into place. carefully wrap it around the post toward the bow. Now you can proceed to lay on the second strake of plates from stern to bow, aligning them so that short vertical seems are offset and fall on the middle of the plate in the strake you are overlapping. In other words, the applied plates should begin to resemble a brick wall. Repeat this process for both the port and starboard sides before proceeding to the next strake.
 
Before laying on the third strake and for all following strakes, a little measuring is required to ensure that each strake is even as you proceed up the sides of the hull. Beginning at the stern, from the top edge of a plate, tick off a mark at 7/32" onto the bare wood of the hull. Make a series of these tick marks from stern to bow, the more, the better. Then connect them with a flexible batten and draw a light pencil line through the dots. Make sure the area between the last row of plates and this line is covered with contact cement and you can now apply the third and all subsequent strakes. In positioning a plate, align it so that the long horizontal edge is right on the pencil line you drew, and the short vertical edge overlaps its neighboring plate to the rear. Eyeball each strake when completed to make sure rows are progressing equally up each side of the hull. As each strake comes to its termination point in the bow area, bring the plates right up to the stem post, then cover the exposed forward ends with one plate by wrapping it around the stem post. Never go ahead any rows when working up the stem post; remember, all the vertical overlaps must be toward the stern.
 
When cleaning up unused or old cement from the surface of the bare hull or the plated surface, use a compatible thinner, not acetone. Allow a few days drying time before cleaning excess glue. Acetone will break down the cement along the edges of the plates, and thus the weakened plate edges will be more easily ripped up at corners and edges. When you make a mistake in placing a plate, don't try to salvage it. Throw it away, repair the damaged cement area with a cotton swab dipped in thinner, apply new cement, and put down another plate. In order to reduce the number of gluing brushes used, in between coats I rinsed and stored my brushes in a bottle of thinner.
 
                                        TOOLS AND MATERIALS
 
 
 
     2 or 3 /1000" copper sheet 6" x 12"    cotton swabs            
     inexpensive #1 brushes                 balsa burnishing sticks  
     1 and 2 oz. mixing bottles             two faced tape           
     mixing sticks                          paper towels & rags      
     acetone                                single edge razors       
     contact cement & thinner               small adj. square                                          
 
 
 

Don't buy any tools you don't need up front, just get what you need when you need it.  Then take the entire cost of the kit and the basic starting materials (under $100 will get you going for a few months easily) plus the cost of the kit, and divide it into the 12-36 months it will take you to build it, and the cost over time is extremely low.
 
Don't make up front costs alone make you miss this experience, as plastic builds tend to be much faster, so the cost of the kits over time will often add up to much more than the costs of wood.
 
Many guys here build masterpieces using only very basic hand tools.  It's not necessary to spend a fortune to get into this, or even to continue doing it!

Glad to oblige, 'Bigmac'. This arrangement allows the lid to open at right angles to the sides.

Sometimes it is good to take a break from a build to either work on another or do something else entirely. I have two builds going myself as well as other fun projects to help with preventing burn out. It also keeps the eyes fresh when looking at a ship. We can easily get tunnel vision if we don't step back occasionally. Take your time and we will be here when you get back to it!

I just found your build log. You have a good looking build. I to am building the same kit as you but am still working on the basic hull. It seems that you have already solved the problems that have came up in my build. I'll be interested in your decision on sails or no sails.
 
Bruce

Sorry no bounty posts at the min what supposed to be a side build the mare nostrum has caught most of my attention at the minute I've tried to force myself to work on bounty however am enjoying the little ship so much you gotta ask yourself it's a hobby do what you makes you

Thanks Guys!
 
The book that I am going to order is "The Ship's Longboat 16980- 1790. For a number of years I have been interested in building series models built to the same scale (1:32)'of warship's boats from different periods. I am well on my way to completing the third boat in the series, a Royal Navy Longboat based on a drawing published in May's warship boat book. Detailed information is hard to find so I was excited to find that Ancre has published this new book.
 
Roger

Don't tell me you are an ex "Plastic Tragic" too ;-) - Cheers Pete

Hi Gemma
They have a button on the page which shows the publications that are available in Anglais (English) - not all I'm afraid but very many and some of the most important..
Cheers Pete

Slowly getting there with the top wing! A gap between the two pieces where the plywood is supposed to have met. I´ll probably put a small strip of plywood there. I should have measured the two wings and checked with the length of the plywood strips before gluing the pieces together. 
 
Below the wing is the "jig" for bending the plywood. It was difficult to see where the bend should be. I tried to measure but you can see that the left wing front end plywood has more contact with the center beam than the right hand. If I were to rebuild I would photocopy the plywood strips and first use the paper part to check where it should bend. Then put the paper part on the plywood part and bend to make sure I get a correct shape/bend in the proper place so to speak.
 
When this wing is done I´ll start on the ailerons. That will be fun but a challenge as it involves lots of soldering. I have not done any soldering the last 35 ys...
 
All tips and advice is welcome
 

I have placed two orders directly to them. Takes very long to arrive but other than that not problems whatsoever. My second order was a (rather expensive ) book in Spanish which I had purchased years before in French  It was delivered in an unacceptable condition. I emailed them photos and a complaint. They never answered, but a few days later a brand new, plastic sealed book arrived. No questions asked, no returning of the damaged book asked. Very reliable company.

I am interested in purchasing a book published by Ancre Publications. The recently published book does not appear to be available from any of my usual US sources (Amazon, Alibris, etc.). I realize that Ancre is a reputable company but I have no experience with buying books from foreign sources and from them in particular.
 
Can anyone who has purchased books from them offer me any advice? Do they have a US dealer that either stocks their books or who can order from them?
 
Roger

Order directly from their website - very reputable and reliable company, and no problems with international postage.

One other note on making a case. The US Navy found that having air tight cases caused their models to deteriorate. This was from outgassing of the various products used in the ship construction as well as the case. It does not have to be much air, but some fresh air should be allowed through the case in amounts to allow the outgassed chemicals to leave.

Hi,
I made display cases for my models.
Our models built at the expense of many hours of work should last many years and enjoy the perfect eye look.
To protect them from dust, which is the main enemy of these delicate structures and especially the rigging, place them in showcases.
Such cabinets can do with your own hands.
Several ways to implement them.
The frame structure of aluminum profiles joined with aluminum blind rivets. The frame structure of  wooden profiles glued and fastened with nails and screws. The frame structure of PCV angles with use of double face self-adhesive tape for joint it with plexi plates. The basis for showcases can be made from MDF board, plywood or wood boards.
The cover can be made as the transparent plexi or the same material as the base.
Lamps for lighting model can be installed in showcase cover.
PVC angles

Wooden profiles



Metal fittings and legs


Aluminium, PVC and wood strips

Woodenstructure of display case




Aluminium structure of display case


PVC structure of display case

 
Tadeusz

Decided to build the hull because the winter is boring.Basic construction started.

Been following this thread for some time, great looking shops, great ideas. Dust collection as always been an issue for me, not so much the wood shop but the hobby shop I have set up in the spare bedroom. One trick I am using from my airplane building days, take a big fluffy beach towel and run it in the dryer without fabric softener then lay it on the bench and sand away. The static will attract the dust particles like magnet. Give it a try. It works!

I decided to detail the trailboards. Bluejacket puts a neat relief on them, and it would be a shame to simply paint them brown.

Here is the hull after about two more hours of sanding and primer coat. Stern galleries will require filler in the seams. I used spackle.