edmay

I do apologize Mobbsie.....I don't want to confuse anyone.   it's just that the direction that the other hull was taking,  I find it better to just let it go,  to turn out the way it's going to.   I think I picked the wrong hull to portray the subject.  I'm not losing a Tree Boat.......I'm gaining a fishing boat    I think once the hull is assembled,  it will make more sense  
 
 
so I looked in the camera finally........dismayed to find only these three pictures though.......I thought I had taken more.  I've done some work to the stern / transom,  bringing it more to the shape it needs to be.   when I get it closer to what's required I can even every thing out and get back to planking the bottom.
 

 
the top line of the transom is leveled out.   later I can cap this out.........I'll most likely plank over it as well.   for the bottom, I made fillers using one of the proceeding bulkheads,  fitting and cementing it in place.  the same was done to the other side as well.
 

 

 
still a bit more to do here...........sanding and shaping

Fire up the Opti-visor, desk magnifier and a couple of spot lights. I just did some Z scale (1/220) houses. And they were mostly precut laser kits. I can't imagine working that small for more than about 10 minutes at a time. This will be interesting.
 
I'll pull up a seat and bring some fresh carrots along to enhance my seeing ability. Anyone for a carrot?

Hello all,
 
A few months ago I got the urge to try something I have been thinking about of doing for a long time.  I have always been very intrigued with dioramas.  It adds to the realism of our models but making a diorama with large models is not an option for me, space wise.  
So, what size should my diorama be and how to protect the diorama from dust and possible mishaps while on display.  What subject should I choose?  
In my frequent visits to the Dutch website "Maritiem Digitaal" I found a few paintings of ships in a shipyard.  Being also an artist I love to accumulate copies of art, just to look at.  So, the idea is basically making a diorama of a small shipyard like they used to have in the cities around the former Zuider Zee, now Ijsel Meer.  In one of my many books about the Netherlands I came across a photo of just one of those real small shipyards.  Ah, Pieter thought, that would look great.
 
Well, as time went by and I felt a strong urge to start with this project the subject was changed from a Dutch fishing boat to an American build topsail schooner.  Oh, the Dutch fishing boat is still in the back of my mind but I'll reserve that for later and hope to actually make a diorama in a bottle.
 
After I saw JesseLee's ship in a Christmas ornament globe I thought that would really be a challenge making something that small as a diorama.  But alas, that idea was promptly rejected because of the difficulties involved, i.e. improbabilities.
 
Then I read about small dioramas under a wine glass.  So, did a Google search and they looked very nice with real probabilities.  Problem was that Gwen would not part with one pf her crystal glassware, her wedding gift.  A good thing though because in retrospect the stem would be too distracting.
A further search for ideas got me to those "snow globes."  Eureka! Pieter shouted.  That would work and also look nice.
 
These snow globes are rather small and can be held in the palm of your hand, just what I had in mind.  Okay, what do I use for a globe?  Christmas tree ornaments are too delicate for this purpose.  So my dear wive Gwen why not use a lamp?  I rejected that idea already at the beginning because I did not see any way doing all this through that small opening after you remove the filament.  But then the light went on - - - I'll just cut the lamp to fit on my diorama.
 
I now had the subject, the diorama globe and the material to use (wood).  Next was to determine how big that schooner should be to fit nicely inside a 75 Watt lamp that's cut down to have a 5 inch opening.  The schooner is supposed to be 90 to 95 feet long or 27,432 mm or 28, 956 mm.  My diorama can only have a model of about 14 to 15 mm length on deck.  Well, that works out to a scale of 1:2000.
 
This is the reason for me wanting to try it first to see if I can actually make a 90 foot two masted ship at 14 or 15 mm.  The masts and spars should close to scale rather than clunky.  The rest would follow easier, me thought   
 
Okay then, here are a few pics of everything that preceded the actual build process. 
 

Old ship's warf of Dirk Pauw at Durgerfam
 

Original idea for shipyard diorama
 

Bird's eye view of original idea
 

Cordial glass that came closest to the size I wanted, 5 inches
 

 

 

A 75 watt lamp that will eventually be cut to the 5 inch diameter point.
 
Cheers,
 
 
 

Hello Dave, good news on the ear ,stunning, brilliant on the carvings.

I use quality no-name thin brushes of natural hair, and paint Acrylic in several, but thin layers, even large hull surfaces. Acrylic "eat" them fast, no matter how good you take care of brushes, and if you have to do precise work, change them from time to time

Hello Dave, good news on the ear ,stunning, brilliant on the carvings.

Hello Dave, good news on the ear ,stunning, brilliant on the carvings.

Hello Dave, good news on the ear ,stunning, brilliant on the carvings.

Hello Dave, good news on the ear ,stunning, brilliant on the carvings.

Truly marvelous work Dave.
 
Cheers,

That is a truly impressive piece of work Dave. It will be magnificent when completed, whether or not you rig it.
 
Bob

Woohoo!  Well done, Dave.  Your Admiral must be happy because now you have no excuse for not listening.....    

Thanks Bill, Patrick, Mark, and those who dropped in for a visit.
Quick personal up date .... 
On Tuesday of this week, I underwent a long awaited surgical procedure to repair the large hole in my left eardrum.
The good news is, it was a complete success and my hearing has finally been restored in that ear.
Feels great for the first time in over a year. 

Hi Dave
 
Outstanding!!! It's a pity that your Admiral has ruled out the extra room, because it'd be lovely to see the ship fully rigged. Oh well.....best not to argue with the Boss.
 
All the best
 
Patrick

And Here I've been buying up Mamoli kits on ebay because I was assuming they would be gone forever, although the kits I bought I got for a small fraction of the original retail. I have yet to build any since I have like 19 other projects going on that I need to finish first. My first impressions from opening the box was that everything was very nice quality. 
 
Glad to hear the model line will continue. 

Next I'd be happy to hear someone buying Midwest's rights and restart production of their line. I got into the hobby with their kits and continue to build them with my own revisions for detail and accuracy. 

Thanks Rick

Man! That looks sweet Mark. Real nice job on the painting

Hello Daniel, great news , I have several of the models, will follow your progress,best wishes from Canada,Edwin

Hello Daniel, great news , I have several of the models, will follow your progress,best wishes from Canada,Edwin

Hello Mark , Your workmanship is exquisite ,thks for the paint info . Edwin

I've used both the manual wheels and the digital readouts.. I'd go for the digitals anytime instead of the manuals.  The ability to re-zero at any point without accidentally moving the wheel is a big plus.

Robboxxs
You are right, the compound that was used and called brass in Lavery's Arming and Fitting was, as he states, more akin to bronze with 85 to 90 percent copper with portions of tin, zinc and other metals.  Bronze is typically made with 12 percent tin and some other metals including zinc.  Brass is an alloy which is primarily copper and zinc rather than tin as the main secondary metal.
Allan

Depends on the ship and type of gun.  Guns may have been made of iron or brass (actually bronze) and a ship might have both kinds aboard.  However it was common practice to paint guns black to make maintenance easier.  Bronze guns are a bear to keep shiny in a marine environment and unprotected iron will rust quickly.  I am sure there were captains that insisted on keeping all that bronze nice and shiny but most would take a practical approach and keep them painted.

By the way, you could consider using thin sheets of acetate or microscope slides to simulate the glass? It might look better than liquid glass.

Hello Daniel, great news , I have several of the models, will follow your progress,best wishes from Canada,Edwin