cog

Pat, they aren't covered domes, they are just platforms that will have binoculars behind them (I think that's what you mean), the radio DF finder is above it, and I've scratch built a vent that appears on the Morskie plans. The radar is in the back ground and the top bridge is done (if that's what it's called). 
 
Im now working on the very top range director that will go on the tripod mast, once that's done I'll fix up the mast itself and I think it'll be ready for a lick of paint. 

Wow. Those pieces fit together beautifully! Thanks for sharing how you went about making them. I hope to follow in your footsteps.

Glad you didn't take off your thumb Russ, although, accidents are never practical ... Any bit of progress is progress, the margin plank seems to fit like a glove

Great work on cheeks, perseverance pays ...

Nice planking job Daria. A bit of filler and then ... sanding it nice and smooth.
 
P.s. Your drawing is hanging in my study

Steady hands, steady fingers, Mr Bunny. Very impressive array of crisp AA guns!

Great work on cheeks, perseverance pays ...

With summer break around the corner I can understand there will be less time with the ship.
However, I like the progress and many of us has taken even longer time between updates and commitment to our builds. 
No hurry, we will be here just rolling our thumbs doing nothing and waiting for another update. lol ☺

Great work on cheeks, perseverance pays ...

Nice planking job Daria. A bit of filler and then ... sanding it nice and smooth.
 
P.s. Your drawing is hanging in my study

Nice planking job Daria. A bit of filler and then ... sanding it nice and smooth.
 
P.s. Your drawing is hanging in my study

Sorry for beeing late, last days were full with working for my family, lots of things to do. But there was some time for the Cairo too, so I could finish the engine stands, and started to plank the hull with 1mm plywood on the outside bottom. Not too much progress, but even better than nothing.................
Here comes the photos:
Both engine stands, some milling work will be needed still.

 
the forst piece of plywood sheet is set to the bottom, now the full bottom is closed without the rear section

 
Hopefully I will have more time the next days, so there can be more progress!
 
Thank for stumbling in, comments and likes too!
Regards
Gerhard
 

Nice to see you back at the workbench Daria. Good effort on the first planking - can't wait to see you complete the second planking.

Hi Chaps, we'll I am back after a little hiatus.   Ron, Mark, Pat, Bob and the likes - thanks for the kind words as always. 
 
Sjors - Its nice to have the option to use the kit part rather than nothing, its insurance 
 
I've landed a new job, which is some relief - even though I had time on my hands I couldn't enjoy building but did what I could when the mood took me.  I'm not sure how the scratch builders feel, but these cheeks and rails had me thinking I'd never get them done and asking myself if I'd bitten off more than I could chew.
 
First off, I had to decide how I wanted to terminate the rails.  This period seems to be a bit of a mix in styles, mixing more elaborate decoration with a hint of future frugality.  I decided to err on the side of ornamentation after studying some NMM models, which basically just meant a larger scroll on the hair bracket and lower cheek I tried to follow guidance in TFFM as much as I could, and I've shown the progress pics below.  This wasn't as hard as I thought and for a first effort I was pretty happy, but I'll leave final judgement to others.  I knew I'd be painting these, so I found myself occasionally putting a think coat of paint on to get a better sense for the contours which is difficult with the pale castello.  
 

Once the scrolls were done, I made a scraper for the contour and tried to add the profile.  I found this very tricky and found myself battling the curve, the changes in width and the slight grain, especially in the thinner sections.  First approach was to shape the cheek piece and the rail and then glue together (I did these off the model painting would be next to impossible once mounted).  This didn't work as well as hoped, the profiles didn't match and the edges had rounded, but some filler and rework did the job.  For the others, I glued the cheek piece and the bracket before profiling which seemed to work fine.  I used a touch of sepia wash to highlight the profile.  Near the scroll, there is barely a profile so paint is needed to give the effect.
 
Overall, I give myself a "C" on the profiling:  hopefully could do better next time but needed to move on or forever be stuck in hairbracket purgatory.  Next time () I think I'd try using pear rather than castello but didn't have any of the right dimension to hand to try.

Lastly, couldn't resist adding a little more detail than the kit offers and wanted to add both a Filling piece and Trailboard.  Looking at contemporary Artois models, the filling piece is quite substantial and adds a distinctive look.  First off, I tried making a 1mm thick version bent to the hull shape - too thin.  I next tried a 2mm think version, but again felt it was too thin.  Tried 3mm, but it was impossible to bend, so went with a 5mm castello sheet and shaped as needed.  This was quite a bit of work as none of the sides are at 90deg, and the hull curvature needs to be accounted for, luckily this doesn't need to be perfect as the interior faces will be hidden by the  cheeks.  The trailboard was relatively simple but again took a while to get the appropriate shape.  Once complete these should go together like a jigsaw puzzle.....

And the finished result.  These will not be glued until I have the port side pieces finalized, but they fit together just fine.  Overall, I found this tricky and time consuming, but educational.  Without detailed plans there was a lot to consider to get the alignment looking right to my eye, for example, the lower cheek scroll terminating at the foot of the figurehead, the hair bracket scroll aligning with the rounded top of the lacing piece.

Finally, recognition for all those failures forever consigned to the wastebasket of progress....

No updates for a while - Daria has a number of hobbies and interests, plus a birthday party season, so we had a long break
Some awkward clamping, second pair of hands was very useful when trying to install these clamps:

Lego break  One of many "other things"...

 
Using sander to shape the last plank:

Last one is installed!

 
End result. Looks super ugly, but this is a first layer that would be hidden under the second one, and I really did not want to overcomplicate it by introducing steam bending into the process. And without steaming planks crack in the bow. 

 

 

 
Now aiming to fair the hull and hide this horror with a nice second layer, made of veneer
 

Steady hands, steady fingers, Mr Bunny. Very impressive array of crisp AA guns!

She looks incredible! You have done an excellent job and that large scale just adds an even bigger wow factor! 

last shots until after the rigging, which won't be for quite awhile me thinks.....cheers..................

Sorry for the delay in replying, Nils - I've been having internet connection problems!
 
I was always usual to stow the steering oar with the blade pointing aft as it was then a quick move to pick it up and fit it over the stern as the boat was launched.  The rowing oars were therefore stowed with their blades forward so that they wouldn't be confused with the steering oar in the dark.  Even when lifeboats were fitted with a rudder and tiller, they still carried the steering oar.
 
John

Thank you John,
that explains nicely the pointing of the rudder blades (steering oar in the dark, etc...)
 
Nils

Well friends, today I'll have a little update - - - finally. As shown in a previous post that I have started work on the "sail" or the conning tower and have added a few items to it. It may not seem like a lot but understand that I have many other non model building projects to do. 
What's shown in this update actually took place over a few days.
 
Okay, so I cemented the 6 doors to the sides of the lower part of the con and the handholds to the same sides as well as to the "bath tub" aka the bridge. As the CA was curing I also prepped both of the 40 mm AA guns but decided to wait with cementing them on till the railings were put on. I figure it is easier to put the railings on first, that way I have some maneuvering room. 
 
And in trying to remove one of the guns from it's mold base using a jeweler's saw, my holding hand slipped and knocked the barrel off. Rats - - grumble, grumble. Quickly with a pair of tweezers and a tiny drop of CA I managed to cement it back on. Hmmm, error numero duo but after carefully cleaning the excess cement off it should look acceptable, especially when painted.
 
Here are a few pics.
 
This shows the sail / con with the pertinent parts to be attached. That funky green strip on the bottom of then pic is a sanding stick I picked up at Hobby Lobby. It has a fine and a course side to it and is flexible. It worked really great. The nail clipper and tweezers are the other tools I used.

 
Here, on the starboard side, most of the handholds and doors have been cemented on. The one for the periscope tube housing is still to go on yet. The extra CA cement will be removed by scraping with a #11 blade and finished with that sanding stick.

 
Here is the port side.

 
The con seen from the top.

 
 
This is that poor little 40 mm AA gun with its broken off barrel.

 
Both AA guns side by side. The one on the right is the repaired one, ready to be dressed.

 
Here is one of tine two AA guns on the tip of my finger indicating its small size. Not in PE but resin.

 
This is it for now. Next will be the hand railings on the forward and rear parts of the con and cementing the two AA guns in place.
 
Cheers,
 
 

I know there are those who will not appreciate every little details or accomplishment, but I hope some of you will. The first plank has been cut and fitted. I always begin with the sheer strake. That establishes the curve off of which everything else will run. This plank has been spiled, tapered, and soaked. No glue yet. I will let it dry in place and when I glue it, it will have its shape and will need only finger pressure for a few minutes for the glue to take hold. Note the hi tech clamps.
 
Russ

The margin planking is completed except for some minor trimming at the transom. Feels good to get something accomplished.
 
Russ

Finally a little progress. I am working on the margin planking. I have settled on a process to make them that seems to work pretty well. While I have created templates for each of these plank in CAD, once you begin building the model, it pays to fit the components to the model instead of the templates created for them. Just makes life easier.
 
Here is a photo of the portside margin plank with a scarph joint and the blank for the next one aft that I am working with right now.
 
Russ

excellent metal work Johann,
 
those silver soldered cross trees look look lovely...
 
Nils