ScottRC

I agree about priming under just about any paint. I build a lot in 1/700 and use acrylics. I will do a light base coat primer, usually Krylon flat white or Tamiya gray primer, then will either brush or airbrush light coats of thinned base color.  It's important to keep the coats light and thinned because it's so easy to get the paint thickness to appear out of scale and cover up details.  Priming does a number of positive things; it brings out any blemishes that can be corrected, it gives a good biting surface for the paint to adhere to, and it allows you to adjust your base color hue from light to dark.

I agree about priming under just about any paint. I build a lot in 1/700 and use acrylics. I will do a light base coat primer, usually Krylon flat white or Tamiya gray primer, then will either brush or airbrush light coats of thinned base color.  It's important to keep the coats light and thinned because it's so easy to get the paint thickness to appear out of scale and cover up details.  Priming does a number of positive things; it brings out any blemishes that can be corrected, it gives a good biting surface for the paint to adhere to, and it allows you to adjust your base color hue from light to dark.

After two months of pause due to lack of time, I could continue building her.
The anchor chains, some part of the bowsprit and the foredeck was fitted, and I also installed some things deck: cabin houses, bell, hatches, etc... Hopefully by the end of January she will be completey except masts, rigs and sails

The project is not halted 🙂
State of progress today: The hull completed. I painted the deck and tried to imitate the wood, with two slightly different (only the brown:white ratio is differ slightly) paints of brown (Revell 187, earth color) then it got a black wash, and a coat of graphite (from a pencil) , which was later scrubed down, but remained in the edges (so basically a wash). When both the hull and the deck paint has dried, they were glued together and I placed the stand under the ship (which are boatyard-wood imitations)

This is how she looks tonight.
The main colors of hull are painted, but some corrections around the masking is needed. "Only" the paintings of the side-belts (I don't know how they called properly, I hope you know what I mean) and the inner side remain to be finished, but then the hull is complete, and I can start working on the deck.

I agree about priming under just about any paint. I build a lot in 1/700 and use acrylics. I will do a light base coat primer, usually Krylon flat white or Tamiya gray primer, then will either brush or airbrush light coats of thinned base color.  It's important to keep the coats light and thinned because it's so easy to get the paint thickness to appear out of scale and cover up details.  Priming does a number of positive things; it brings out any blemishes that can be corrected, it gives a good biting surface for the paint to adhere to, and it allows you to adjust your base color hue from light to dark.

Cuttysark wrecked 34 inch
Photos of Cuttysark captains quaters

This long desired model ship was dropped on me by the universe, just a little to hard.
This is my first time here and happy to find some help.
I have been interested in clipper ships early on but never intended to build one because of expected life sucking demands
it would require.
I acquired a nice book collection which includes; The Cutty Sark by Alan Villiers 1963, Clipper ship Men by Laing 1944, Ocean Racers By Cicely Fox-Smith.
The Tea clippers by David R MacGregor, Greyhounds of the Sea by Carl C Cutler 1930 and others.
Also I visited Cutty Sark in about 1993 when on vacation in England.
This Clipper Ship showed up while prowling around in antique malls recently In Fort Worth. It just popped up asking for $20.00 
and that is why I an here.
 
The ships bowsprit is broken about 1 1/2" from tip inward. The royal spar on the center mast broke about 1 1/2"from top.
The rudder is lost. the dead eyes that attach shrouds on front mast port side are broke off. and some on other masts. The rear mast is loose and deck cracked. The mast rings or parres that attach to the yard pins are missing, five places. see photo of those attached to rail.
 
My approach to salvaging: Detach ropes to yards that are loose from masts and identify attach locations.  
Attach new mast rings to attach yards to mast five places.
Attach dead eye with ropes to the mounting rail with soft wire thru the lower dead eye rope hole. after removing the dead eye pins that are broke off in the rail.
this will save re rigging the dead eyes.
Get a rudder and attach firings or make one but need dimensions and correct wood type.
I intend remove attached rigging an record their location and reattach after cleaning the ship.
I intent to splice back the Royal Mast with a thin walled copper tube and the bowsprit with
glue. and paint over to blend to wood color. Or glue two small straps the joint. then wrap with thread and smear with glue.
 
How far should I go with the rigging. What about removing most rigging but saving the mast rigging with the rope ladders on the three mast and call it
voyage completed.
I need glue for reattaching ropes if necessary soft wire and material to clean decks and etc
What is your idea of a minimal restoration that will be an OK  for display
Don't think the paint:"White" should be there. Any suggestions
the figure head is painted gold, should be white,
What do you think about the overall quality.
Who produced the Kit?
 
 
 

Thanks for the patience on this build, the advice, and the likes.
 
It's been slow going what with personal issues, re-cutting some pieces, etc.   Here's where I am on the this first ship's boat.  The build jig has been built and the keel and the two risers on each side are installed.  The risers still need a bit of tweaking as to some bits and pieces where the planking will run and then glue them into position.  I'm pretty pleased with how it's going just need more time and focus.   After the tweaks, the next step is to cut out the ribs and install them.  I see from the photos, I need to do some more clean up of the char on the keel and the risers.
 

My kids are luckily old enough to not mess with my projects lol so thankfully its still intact.
 
So here is the mock up I made using balsa and not knowing a thing about wood ships when I started. 
 
And then the finished gingerbread entry. 
 
 

Al's advice is to " go gently and let the machine work." It takes the wood down in a hurry. Now I just need to finish sand to the templates and then do the bulkheads.

I've now made up, mounted and rigged the fore top mast.This included the shrouds, two stays and a backstay.The topmast stay runs through a bee block at the bowsprit and then to a tackle hooked to the bow.The jib stay runs through  a traveler at the jibboom and then to a tackle hooked to the bowsprit cap.
 
Next will be the fore topgallant and royal mast.
 
Bob

I then decided to make the main yards....so I fashioned them and then decided to make the main yard...with its foot ropes and stirrups.
This one has all the pad eyes installed...even the sheet chain guide and truss.
 
Rob

Soldered brass profile semicircle.

Yikes! snow?  My sweetheart has been asking me from day one..can we replace the front windows?   She found the replacement windows and I put them in...along with a front porch...veranda...French doors...etc.
 
Now I will spend this evening working on the mainmast of the GR...Yeah.
 
Rob

Well..here is a drawing of the original part and drawn on it are the portions cut away(In yellow) and the resulting shape of the part needed.
 
I had to cut using a hard cutting disc because the metal is hardened spring steel.
 
Clamp the part cut off the excess and then grind out the center....then clean up the edges with a fine grinding stone bur in my hand piece.
 
I didn't take any images of the actual process.
 
I then fashioned the drums from wood stock and some left over stanchions froma Revell 1/96 Cutty Sark....trimmed to fit and fashioned to mimic the control rod .
 
The gear reduction gear is fashioned from HO train accessory break kits for boxcars(the break wheels)
 
Then painted black to hide a multitude of sins.
 
Rob

Finally got around to making the six crab winches.  These little 1/4" buggers were difficult...especially having to make 6 identical.
You can see the image in the background that was the model.
 
Rob

Mounted

Thanks everyone for all the likes and comments.  I finished up the figurehead.  Carved from dowel.
 
Example of real figurehead and my attempt.
 
Rob

Next I finished up the main mast fife rail with the pump installed.

Gotta be careful with the cave pics Rob. Puget Sound Ship Modelers might want to have a meeting there . . .
 
Harvey

I was having a side conversation with some friends and they are serious....they think I should some how get a patent for the rolling machine I invented to make the tape pressed copper plates.  Are you kidding?  I just whipped this thing together to make what I needed!
 
I'm sure Micro Mark or somebody has already invented and manufactured something similar(I would think)
 
Anyway..I was flattered by their suggestion...but I said acid etched plates sold by Blue Jacket and others are far more realistic. (As well as time consuming to cut off the sprue..trim off tabs...do this 1600 times and then glue them down).
 
Any hoot...what do my exceptionally talented model shipwrights associates who navigate these fine pages think of the over-all look of the copper plates...and could sucha venture be undertaken to make a workable/sellable system for ship modeler consumption?
 
Rob(accidental entrepreneur)

I flipped the hull over and set up for the next session of coppering.......I applied the adhesive(not evident in these images).
 
Rob

And another.  I find that the entire process was easy....fast and effective.  I've heard people tell me it took them weeks to plate their models.  WEEKS!
 
Yikes.  It probably took me 3 hours to plate this one side...and that includes the time cutting and pressing the tape plates....not just affixing them to the hull.
 
That took two one hour sessions.
 
Thanks for peekin in.
 
Rob

Another view