cog

Won't be easy, but attach one end to a fixed point or if you have the possibility to fix both ends you can do that. Than wind the thread around the "stay". Bloady nuiscance, and it takes a lot of time, but that's what I would do.

Won't be easy, but attach one end to a fixed point or if you have the possibility to fix both ends you can do that. Than wind the thread around the "stay". Bloady nuiscance, and it takes a lot of time, but that's what I would do.

No, that was not the point I did not understand.
I meant to say that when I look at that painting, I am struggling to see the back-end of the ship, so I don't understand how you conclude from that painting that there is not stepping in the superstructure.
Even more: the superstructure just behind the paddle wheel does step back...
 
Is there anything in the aerials made during the excavation that does give a clue in where the superstructure stood on the deck?
 
Jan

Sorry to hear about your health Dan, hope it isn't serious ... heat related? Heard downunder is hit with a bit of a wave ...
 
Sydney opera house ... well, that's a different cookie

Real smooth and looking sharp, Johann!!!

Won't be easy, but attach one end to a fixed point or if you have the possibility to fix both ends you can do that. Than wind the thread around the "stay". Bloady nuiscance, and it takes a lot of time, but that's what I would do.

Won't be easy, but attach one end to a fixed point or if you have the possibility to fix both ends you can do that. Than wind the thread around the "stay". Bloady nuiscance, and it takes a lot of time, but that's what I would do.

Michael,
A saddlers awl ... I would have gone for the diamond shaped awl blade it gives your stiching a better look, and is easier to pull double threads. That is, however, a personal preference. It is also advisable not to pierce all the holes in both pieces but in one as one sheet of leather  may strech more than the other which could give you ugly wobbles. However, having written that, if you have it from the same hide, you will probably not encouter the latter.
 
I like the colour combination

Well, first I need to finish this diversionary project I started while awaiting a re-supply. Have to finish the camo paint, weather it, and some extra detailing, then on to ????????   Maybe another destroyer, or destroyer escort, maybe even the sister Liberty Ship O'Brien ????  Not sure yet ?
 
Pictures of the "diversionary project" (USMC LVTP 7A1 in winter camo)
 

I decided today to have a go at making the topmast  and fitting it to the crosstrees,  first off I cut the two section topmast and glued some dowel inside it to make it more rigid (as I had done to the lower) then it was glued together then the seems were sanded clean  when set it was painted a couple of coats.  I also dry fitted the mast tops   and dry fitted to the decks.
 
Here are two pics showing the foremast.
 
OC.

Just getting caught up Denni'. Well done on those stairs! There is a stair company out in Vegas who could put you to work...
Sam

so now it's repair and redemption....gotta make it work.   after trimming the excess decal around the wheel wells,  a little more decal was removed around the outer edge for not sticking.   knowing that I had to touch up the driver's side,  I had tried to mix up some Blue to fix it with.   the problem here,  is that the blue changes hue....for this side,  from front to back,  making it very hard to come up with an exact match up.   it does in one part,  but gets noticeable near the end.   I still need to play with the passenger side a little more....but it meets muster.........it's better than it was   
I also painted around the edge of the wheel well to give it that 'wrapped' look.  the red was another problem......I have no gloss red.....just flat.  I went with it,  thinking that if it was too flat,  I could go over it with clear lacquer and solve the problem that way.   well mixed,  flat colors sometimes give off a small amount of sheen........that seems to be the case here.....so I left it alone.  I painted around the edge here as well,  which completes the decal.

I see I gotta fix that front corner again..........may need to cut the bad part out and retouch.   the driver side came out much better.


the rear window presented it's own problems........my plan was to go over it with clear lacquer.   the can says that it works on plastic......but as I found out........not this type of plastic.  it quickly became rough and 'buckled' with every brush stroke........it was eating the plastic    after it had time to dry {now that the damage was done}, a plan B was performed.........going over it with a coat of window maker....of all things.  I figured that it would self level itself and bring the sheen back to the window.

using a brush created quite a few bubbles.......took like forever to get them out.   too bad I have the body assembled......could have cut the window out and made a 'blind' for it.  most of the roughness is gone........it still looks striated but with 'softer craters'......what else could I call it.  ah,  what the heck,  I gave it the thumbs up and put the decal on it.  here's Fred  

the driver side logo decals were laid in place.........

I was going to put the Accel decals on the side window columns.  when I went to reach for them,  they were gone...........what the hey!  I just cut them out and had them next to Fred........where could they have gone off to ?!?!?!   I found one on the floor.......the other I feared,  fell into the garbage can!
    I tried to locate it....emptied the contents of the can into the kitchen can piece by piece........but no luck....the decal was gone!   so I only have one,  and I'll need to figure out another location.   logical.........the rear bumper.

when I made these decals,  I used a white decal paper......it's all I have.  this actually works better for the decal......the white background makes a perfect base for the color.  on clear decal paper,  they come off rather transparent and tend to disappear,  when placed on darker colors.  you have to cut the decal out along it's edges though....and sometimes though,  it can be a problem.  I may make another down the road......if I do,  I'll put it on the front bumper or spoiler.....who knows.......the other one may turn up when I least expect it to   
   the passenger side decals went on next.........

noticing some spots and stray finger prints,  I gave it a spit shine.   the gray interior was touched up,  and then I cemented the windshield in place with the window cement.

other than a few touch ups that I might see.......or meddle with........the body is done.   the chassis needs to have the rest of the parts added to it and finish hooking up all the hoses.  so, that will be the next update  

Beautiful Kortes, both of them to be honest.

Those woodendecks make such a difference on these models ...

As RGL wrote ... you haven't got enough!!! You'll be buying more ... and more ... and more ... because you want her to look better, nicer details ... crispy ... might as well have bought Yamato with both Pontos and Flyhawk detailup sets ... lovely build by the way I'm on Musashi (old tool) for at least two years now. The old tool has a wee bit more PE, but whats a ton more or less in brass

Beautiful Kortes, both of them to be honest.

Hi Marcus.  Many thanks.  Yep, I gotta agt7with you - those sensuous curves, are certainly a standout feature of this design.  
Hi Dave.  Great to hear from you again!  The launch and festivities aren’t too far away; that is, as long as there aren’t any major boo boos along the way....
 
 

Very well described process and the results are excellent Steven; he looks just 'right' for the job.  
 
cheers
 
Pat

you're always better!

And here he is in full panoply complete with axe over the shoulder and along with his companion in arms, whom I've given the other escutcheon from the above ikon.
 
 
 
Steven 

Roughing out the back of the figure - again, cutting away around the bits closest to the surface.

Giving it a bit of shape:

and refining it still further.
  
Now drilling holes to separate the legs. Have to be very careful with this - if the hole intrudes into the wood you want to keep (such as a leg), there's no way of recovering it.
  
Roughing out the shape of the legs and cutting away behind the shield.
 
More to come,
 
Steven

I finally decided I wouldn't be able to live with the coarsely detailed "Russian tractor armour" the Varangian guard was wearing, so I carved a new one with finer mail, this time with a two-handed battle-axe - as described by Princess Anna Komnena in "The Alexiad" her biography of her father Emperor Alexios I, 
 
"The Varangians too, who carried axes on their shoulders, regarded their loyalty to the Emperors and their protection of the imperial persons as a pledge and ancestral tradition, handed down from father to son, which they keep inviolate, and will certainly not listen to even the slightest word about treachery."
 
I timed how long it took to make from go to whoa - about 8 hours to carve the figure, and another 8 to do the mail. Never again!
 
I also photographed the full sequence. First a drawing of the figure in spirit pen, which I photocopied (in case of Murphy's Law) and stuck the copy onto a piece of pear wood. Then cut around the outline with a coping saw. I left a decent amount of wood below the figure so I had something to hold onto while I was working on it.

Next, cutting around the head - firstly this is one of the parts that are closest to the surface of the piece of wood and second I like to do the face early because if I get that wrong I might as well throw the figure away and start again. Cutting around the head first, trying to retain as much of the picture as possible for as long as possible. I use a scalpel with a No. 11 blade for all this work. It's very important to use a very sharp one.

Cutting the main features of the head

Now moving down to the arms and shoulders, cutting progressively further and further back. The right arm sticks out forward, as he'll be holding an axe in it.

Now moving onto the shield, which is also fairly far forward. Again I cut around the outline first

and then cut away a bit to form the hand that's holding the shield.

Here is the figure with the front elevation roughed out.

Next draw an outline to guide the coping saw in cutting off the waste at the back of the figure.

After cutting. Still leaving a good grip to hold the figure while it's being worked on.

 
More to come,
 
Steven
 
 
 

Evening all  - more work with the channels today,  I decided to construct and fit both channels for the main and fore mast on the one side, I also gave then a coat of paint  the glued them in place,  tomorrow  I will weather them.
 
A few more pics -
 
OC.

They are wood dave  - they are from my other wood builds.
 
OC.

Beautiful Kortes, both of them to be honest.