realworkingsailor

Weathering begins. Undercarriage thick mud and grass added to the lowest points. Once it dries I’ll add dust effects 

Tricolour done 

The Boiler
 
With all the castings now having their initial preparation complete, it was time to turn attention back to completion of the Boiler for the Steam Box. The boiler itself is a resin casting, but it has a white metal casting Stack Cap and Valve, along with a brass wire Stack Wire. The boiler was painted with AK 11212 (Gun Metal) and then dry brushed with AK 11210 (Natural Steel) before the blackened and buffed metal parts were epoxied in place.
 

 
The boiler is mounted on a wooden sled – another resin casting. This was first painted with AK11008 (Grimy Grey) and then dry brushed with AK11110 (Leather Brown). A couple of the tiny hand tools had their handles painted - AK11095 (Dirty Red) for the large wrench, and AK11110(Leather Brown) for the wooden handle of the hammer. In the photo below, you can see part of the toothpick that the sled is mounted on for painting.
 

 
Two barrels are given the same treatment as the sled (again mounted on toothpicks here).
 

 
A Steam Hose is then made from a three-inch length of 1.2mm diameter solder. It is painted with AK11147 (Olive Green) and one end is then wrapped in masking tape to simulate the lagging. It was then dirtied up with light dusting of (dry) black and grey chalk powders.
 
 
 
The boiler was then epoxied in place on the sled and four “supports” were made from paper, painted with AK11210 (Natural Steel) and then dusted with some (dry) rust coloured chalk powder. The barrels were then epoxied in place and once dry the feed-water pipe was made from some 0.5mm diameter brass wire, blackened and buffed, and epoxied in place between the barrel and the valve on the boiler. The two hand tools were then epoxied in place, and finally the steam hose was epoxied in place on the side of the boiler.
 

 
Here it is with the steam hose temporarily attached to the steam box.
 

 
Finally, here it is temporarily in place on the diorama. I had to play with some post-processing adjustments on the photo as the original was very dark. More details will be added to this scene later.
 

 
Now it’s back to painting all of those casting detail. This could take a while….

The Castings
 
There are a great many castings included in this kit, in a mixture of white metal and resin. They all need preparation, so I decided that now was as good a time as any to do the initial preparation. Along the way I decided to count them… Including the few castings that are already in place, there are a total of 174 white metal castings and 147 resin castings.
 
Here is a shot of the remaining white metal castings prior to being “processed”. Some of these parts are extremely small, especially the hand tools!
 

 
My “process” for the preparation of these parts is to first wash them all in slightly soapy water, then rinse. Next up is an Acetone bath, after which they are not handled by bare hands again. A quick rinse in distilled water, then a 20-minute soak in Vinegar. Another rinse off in distilled water then left to dry before application of Jax’s Pewter Black, applied by scrubbing the part with an old paint brush. Once the part is totally blackened it is dipped in distilled water again and then left to dry. Finally, all parts are gently buffed by hand using a felt wheel from a Dremel that has been cut in half (a tip I picked up from the kit designer). That took a couple of afternoons work to achieve.
 
The resin castings get a scrub in some soapy water and then rinsed. They are then prepared for a base coat by attaching them to various scrap wood “handles” using double-sided tape. Here is an overview of all the resin parts ready for spraying.
 

 
While most of the resin castings are individual parts, there are a couple of composite castings that pack in an incredible amount of detail – especially when one remembers the size of these. For reference, the castings in the foreground of the above picture are mounted on popsicle sticks. Here is a close-up of the casting of the work bench top (centre casting on the left popsicle stick). Note the open drawer full of “stuff” as well as the clutter on the bench top.
 

 
And here is the open cupboard right next to it.
 

 
Some of the barrels and bins are also filled with incredibly details parts, like this barrel full of spare/discarded parts.
 

 
Although some of the tutorials suggest that castings representing metal should be sprayed black and those representing wood should be sprayed a “wood” colour initially, the kit designer in his own tutorial suggest spraying all parts black initially, regardless. I took that advice and sprayed all of these parts with Stynlyrez Black Primer using my airbrush. Another afternoon’s work….

I meant to add this pic in my initial post, the three that didn't make the cut, although the first, the one furthest away was always just a test to see how the initial designs looked - the one in the middle was used for all bulwark template patterns, and the nearest almost was the one, but decided to change the sliding keel parts so the modeller could add them once the hull is complete, rather than fit them before the deck is added.

Not sure about the inner bulwark ladders, may delete those....
 
I have opted for a mirrored base for this one.
 
And I just realised I left off the hatch for the toilet at the stern..

And this is where I am with the model now, waiting for my PE...

The Trial Class Cutter (1788) was a vessel with three sliding keels' Agreeable to a plan suggested by Captain Schank, She was just over 65 feet along the main deck and 121 tons. She was initially armed with 8 x 3 pounder cannon, but in 1793, 4 x 12 pounder carronades were added, bringing he armament up to 12 guns.
She was launched in 1790, and hulked in 1810. She became a depot ship at Waterford; by the 1840's to Callao in Peru as a coal depot, being finally sold in 1848, after well over half a century in service. (Sailing Navy List - David Lyon)
 
I wanted to develop a smaller cutter. I even thought about doing a much improved Sherbourne. However, I have little stomach for treading old ground when there are still so many wonderful subjects that have not been tackled. One such subject was the Trial Cutter (quite a bit larger than Sherbourne), and I thought it would be more of a challenge and more unusual, due to the three drop keels. For the designs, I have utilised both the original plans and the contemporary model. I wanted to develop not a simple beginners kit, but a nicely detailed smaller kit, with etched planking and treenail detail on the inner and outer hull, just to see how that kind of detail would work out.
 
So, I started designs way back at the end of February. I had three stabs at the hull design before I settled on the forth. The original designs were to have the drop keels fitted very early in the build, and they dropped down to a pre determined level. That was pretty cool, but it would have meant adding the rope to the tops of the keels and keeping them free of glue and paint and whatever else throughout the hull build. I ditched that idea and came up with a simpler solution, where the keels are added only after most of the hull is complete.
 
So here is where I am up to. I cannot do much more until I have my photo etched samples arrive, but I did manage to cannibalise some parts from scrap sheets, like eyebolts, winch handles, belaying pins etc.
 
Here are some pics!

A few days away for my shipyard assistant to enjoy.

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Refreshed, and back at the bench. 
 
Post Twenty-five
 
Stern and Quarter Galleries
I now return to Section 165.
 
Here Chris has ticked all my boxes, realistically constructed Quarter galleries, and correctly levelled stern bench, incorporating the rudder housing with a nice compass design on the top.
Right up my Strasse and saving me a shed load of work.
 
Even so, getting the stern gallery, Upper and lower counters, and Quarter galleries all correctly aligned is one of the most important and tricky areas of a build.
 
 In gathering together the parts for the next steps, the following is noted for clarification.
Qtr Galleries.
Section 174 indicates use of parts #71/72, it should read 71/73. These represent the top of the Qtr gallery (#73) and one of two layers of part #71 which form the seat of ease.
Parts#72 are the bottom segments of the Qtr Gallery that slots into the hull.
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Test fitting the Qtr Galleries.

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Test fitting the Poop deck.
The test deck beams and deck pattern slipped seamlessly into place.

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There will ultimately be a lot less of Poop deck planking on my version.
 
The next stage is that tricky business of getting the stern gallery, and upper and lower counters aligned.

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I used a couple of 2mm pear strips to represent the capping rails which the top of the stern gallery should meet when fitted.

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I found I did need to shape the lower edge of the Upper counter to fully meet the upper edge of the Lower counter. I used the lower counter as a template to match the curves.

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The lower counter was soaked and formed around a tin before fitting.

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I was in no hurry to finish this section, these parts were pinned and re-pinned several times before I was satisfied that the stern area looked good from every angle.

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The planking line was then trimmed to suit.
On with the show.
 
B.E.
29/04/2023
 
 
 
 
 

Hi
Been mucking around in the background making a VM 26' launch. My target boat for Fly is the 28' pinnace but the launch is a practice kit and just might do - we'll see. I challenged myself to do it without stealers or infill planks so that I could leave it natural if I chose so. That has worked out so far. These are really amazing little kits but very fiddly.
 

Two planks to go on the port side, three on starboard.
 

Lots of sanding to come...
 

My plank bending device - a four hands magnetic table by Weller
 
 
So what could go wrong with this kit? These photos are from the instructions
 

The very narrow junction on this part is bound to break - and break it I did while beveling it. Determined not to do it again...I did it again. An easy fix with white glue.
 

I decided not to insert the stern board before doing the beveling as I could see myself whacking it with a stray stroke and taking out the sternpost with it. I can't prove that that happened because of my caution but a later insertion, after the hardcore bevel seems wise.
 
Other thoughts on this tiny kit to date?
- The turn in of the planks to the bow is much more severe than you suspect at first
- Tapering planks at 2.0mm x 0.6mm with a knife cut is too dangerous for me - the knife would swerve off and take out the plank or some part of my finger. I tapered them by sanding only.
- Edge bending is probably necessary but given the tiny size of the planks you can contort them, against their will, while gluing them down. Once bent and tapered, I just glued them down with gentle hand clamping
- The pear wood is very strong even at very thin widths. It took a while to get this and, for tapering with sandpaper, you can be quite aggressive. I broke one plank by another accident but none by sanding.
- My method of running the planks full length without stealers and infills seemed to take a toll on the kit provided planks - 26 in total. My hull has 24 planks with two more needed for the wales and two more for the final upper works.               Somehow I completely lost a plank so I'm at least three short. Very kindly, VM is, no questions asked, going to send me a new billet of planks.
 
I'll post the finished outcome when I get there!
 
Cheers, with apologies for the crappy photos...
A
 
 

Last one for the camo. 

And the last vehicle done, thought I’d get this painted with the lorry 

good evening everyone
thank you for comments and likes
 
my mum is home again having had a mild hear attack, but going down with Covid hindered her stay in  hospickle, she has been fitted with a stent and now getting stronger by the day at home,
with the boi being ill, my mum, wife and myself, it has been a long 1/4 of the the new year
day 57 of 59
the lower hull planking is complete, its a large hull to play with, esp when you want to make it presentable and not add any paint ot tiles, there is no symmetry between the sides, but yes, im happy with her
 
lots of sanding ahead, any suggestions for a nice varnish to bring out the best in the boxwood

 
 
 

Ejector seats done and installed in the cockpit tub.  Thanks to Craig for blazing the trail in posts #47-#68, there appears to be subtle difference between the kit part and the 3D printed aftermarket part, but given how much they will be visible once enclosed in the fuselage, only we will know!
 
I decided to loop the long blue straps at the base of the seat and turn them into "leg garters" / "ankle restraints" as discussed in the tread when Craig was adding his.  Finished off with a coat of flat varnish to hide my C-A. glue seepages in places from under the straps!   Time to glue together the front section and get on with the rest of the fuselage, which looking at it won't take long.
 
Thanks for the likes and popping by. 😁

Plus dust 

Mid and dust next 

But if you did, you wouldn’t have the extra parts for your “spare parts” stash!
 
I have hoards of lost-wax and PE brass, plastic, resin, and laser cut wood fittings and whatnot from my model railway efforts (not to mention a “scrapyard” full of locomotives and rolling stock). All from either projects that didn’t quite work out or from ideas for future projects that haven’t yet materialized. I could probably restore and super detail one or two of those donor locomotives without spending another penny (provided I find the right inspirational subject matter).
 
You’ll find a good home for those seats!
 
Andy

But if you did, you wouldn’t have the extra parts for your “spare parts” stash!
 
I have hoards of lost-wax and PE brass, plastic, resin, and laser cut wood fittings and whatnot from my model railway efforts (not to mention a “scrapyard” full of locomotives and rolling stock). All from either projects that didn’t quite work out or from ideas for future projects that haven’t yet materialized. I could probably restore and super detail one or two of those donor locomotives without spending another penny (provided I find the right inspirational subject matter).
 
You’ll find a good home for those seats!
 
Andy

I think there are a few good advantages to relocating to Kingston. Primarily the location. The town is right on Hwy 401 (the main road between Toronto and Montreal), so it’s much easier to access for a lot more people.
The Keewatin will be part of an actual museum (which, I think, has a couple of other vessels in its collection), rather than a random artifact at a small port few outside the area have ever heard of (although to be fair, Port McNicoll is closely tied to the ship’s history). There are also a large number of other museums and places of interest in the immediate area, so people not necessarily drawn to maritime history might be interested in visiting (“Hey, there’s this other museum just down the road, let’s check it out”). And, for what it’s worth, there is easier access to dry dock facilities in either Hamilton or Port Weller, when necessary. Although the ship should be good for a while, given that I’m led to understand she will be dry docked in Port Weller prior to being put on display, (attention people in the Niagara/Welland/St Catharines area(s), there will be photo opportunities!).
 
Andy

I think there are a few good advantages to relocating to Kingston. Primarily the location. The town is right on Hwy 401 (the main road between Toronto and Montreal), so it’s much easier to access for a lot more people.
The Keewatin will be part of an actual museum (which, I think, has a couple of other vessels in its collection), rather than a random artifact at a small port few outside the area have ever heard of (although to be fair, Port McNicoll is closely tied to the ship’s history). There are also a large number of other museums and places of interest in the immediate area, so people not necessarily drawn to maritime history might be interested in visiting (“Hey, there’s this other museum just down the road, let’s check it out”). And, for what it’s worth, there is easier access to dry dock facilities in either Hamilton or Port Weller, when necessary. Although the ship should be good for a while, given that I’m led to understand she will be dry docked in Port Weller prior to being put on display, (attention people in the Niagara/Welland/St Catharines area(s), there will be photo opportunities!).
 
Andy

But if you did, you wouldn’t have the extra parts for your “spare parts” stash!
 
I have hoards of lost-wax and PE brass, plastic, resin, and laser cut wood fittings and whatnot from my model railway efforts (not to mention a “scrapyard” full of locomotives and rolling stock). All from either projects that didn’t quite work out or from ideas for future projects that haven’t yet materialized. I could probably restore and super detail one or two of those donor locomotives without spending another penny (provided I find the right inspirational subject matter).
 
You’ll find a good home for those seats!
 
Andy

But if you did, you wouldn’t have the extra parts for your “spare parts” stash!
 
I have hoards of lost-wax and PE brass, plastic, resin, and laser cut wood fittings and whatnot from my model railway efforts (not to mention a “scrapyard” full of locomotives and rolling stock). All from either projects that didn’t quite work out or from ideas for future projects that haven’t yet materialized. I could probably restore and super detail one or two of those donor locomotives without spending another penny (provided I find the right inspirational subject matter).
 
You’ll find a good home for those seats!
 
Andy