BANYAN

Beautiful job Danny, very nicely presented and plenty of details.  Are you going to add a 'topping lift' to the accommodation ladder?
 
cheers
 
Pat

Thanks for following along, for the likes, and commentary...
 
Still fussing with cannon... I drilled the holes for the rings and hooks that fit to the bulkhead.  The first photo shows the machining jig and drilling tool.  All the barrels are in the carriages and the appropriate hardware added to them.  I also added the trunnion caps made from black paper soaked in CA. (Barely visible in the last photo).  The 2nd pic shows 6 in position to check alignment, etc.   So far... so good.   Now for the fun part... hooks, blocks, and rope for the training gear.  Once that's completed, I'll start adding the breeching and installing the hardware to the bulkhead and connecting everything up.   My only comment is "This stuff is tiny.  Next time, a bigger scale. Admiral permitting of course."  
 

 

 

 

 
 

Thanks very much guys .
 
No, I've had enough of this model .
 
Well, this is it - Bismarck is FINISHED . Here are all the final pics - enjoy :






















 
Thanks to all those who followed this build, and especially those who commented. Now onto HMS Hood .
 
  Danny

Small but good progress John; life takes priority.  I hope your immediate health issues get sorted and my best wishes for your forthcoming 'leave of absence' from the museum.
 
cheers
 
Pat

Beautiful job Danny, very nicely presented and plenty of details.  Are you going to add a 'topping lift' to the accommodation ladder?
 
cheers
 
Pat

Looking good Mike.  You will get there despite the challenges life throws yourway - it took me 14+ years to do my Endeavour
 
cheers
 
Pat

Small but good progress John; life takes priority.  I hope your immediate health issues get sorted and my best wishes for your forthcoming 'leave of absence' from the museum.
 
cheers
 
Pat

Beautiful job Danny, very nicely presented and plenty of details.  Are you going to add a 'topping lift' to the accommodation ladder?
 
cheers
 
Pat

Thank you @BANYAN, @Farbror Fartyg, @Tigersteve, @*Hans*, @druxey, @mtaylor, @oneslim for your 'likes' and comments.
___________________________________________
Started doing something about the empty space on the left side of the diorama. It needs some sort of side-line attraction. I have a few ideas, and one of them is to have a bit of drama on the bridge. The police farce force has a broken down highway patrol car approaching the headlights. Another policeman, from behind the car, will be halting other approaching cars,
 
The blue flashing light will be only ON the same time the orange traffic lights flash _ for fifteen odd seconds (at start of bridge operatations).
 

 
Somewhere on the south bank there will be a angler, appearing to have caught a fish.
 

 

The display case progresses. Sloooowly (live gets in a way, in a good way). Only get 1-2hrs of hobby per week, assuming no trips.
Everything is milled up, and miters are cut using miter jig on a table saw and fine tuned with a disk sander + miniature block plane.
First series of strips buckled up significantly, because of a moisture in the glue. But I quickly realised that I do not really need to spread a glue over the entire plank - few spots is enough for it to be in place.
So I apply the glue in lines:

And brush some water on tope of the plank before putting a weight on it - that helps to neutralise moisture on both sides of the plank, or even force it to bow in another direction. 
After that, plexiglass plates + Books help to clamp it down:

 
That process worked well, all planks are now flat and there is no buckling.
 
Next strake was made of willow, 4cm wide. It was carefully straightened with a plane and straightedge before passing it through table saw:

 
The idea was good, until I screwed up. I was trying to carefully align the grain pattern, so the sapwood strip will be on the outside... 
Except one plank where I made a mistake:

 
With very little material to spare, I will reuse this plank for the central part of the floor.
So the left plank was made out of two cutoff pieces. Not ideal, but not super bad:

 
Nothing is sanded or finished, so pardon for some glue lines. 
 

Let me the be the first to welcome you to the dark side Tecko
 
Nice work on the boat.
 
cheers
 
Pat

Very clever Tecko; a little humour to keep the viewers attention is a great idea.  This will be a very interesting diorama.
 
cheers
 
Pat

Let me the be the first to welcome you to the dark side Tecko
 
Nice work on the boat.
 
cheers
 
Pat

Nice airbrush control and technique Greg, looking good.
 
cheers
 
Pat

Looking good Dave; you must be flogging those dockies (or enticing them with an extra rum ration or two)
 
cheers
 
Pat

Thanks mate; yeah plenty of adjustments and trials needed.  He is on version 4 as we speak, but thinks that should crack it
 
cheers
 
Pat

i Dave, thanks for looking in.  The printer is one of 2 a mate of mine purchased; he is a wiz at 3D and G code and rather than learn even more skills before I have mastered the few I have,I have taken up his kind offer to produce these for me  
 
cheers
 
Pat

Hi folks, a few more progress pics showing the redone paintwork (hull) - still some touching up needed but it is getting there. 
 
Note the 'vermillion' ports (colour as per contract).  i have portrayed her with bucklers in place on one side, and open on the other.  The bucklers will be secured with a batten across the towing timbers once I have placed them (very soon) using a threaded rod and wing nut system.
 
The next jobs are to add all the detail to the bulwarks which will include, ring bolts for gun tackles and breeching ropes, cleats for securing lines, iron garlands for ready use shoot, lead linesman's platform etc.
 
As usual, all comments, suggestion for improvement etc are most welcomed.
 
cheers
 
Pat

Nice airbrush control and technique Greg, looking good.
 
cheers
 
Pat

Nice airbrush control and technique Greg, looking good.
 
cheers
 
Pat

Thanks mate; yeah plenty of adjustments and trials needed.  He is on version 4 as we speak, but thinks that should crack it
 
cheers
 
Pat

Sorry Bill.  I tend to forget to post photo’s explaining most of my techniques on this particular built since there are so many excellent comprehensive build logs for this ship.... Tom and Ken among many others.
However, I will explain the clean trimming for your benefit.
The technique I used for the white trimming of the rails is simply using Titebond wood glue to apply very thin strips of a heavy watercolor paper along the edges.
Actually, I used CA gel to secure the beginning end and then, after 30 minutes set time, was able to glue up the length of each strip a couple of inches at a time.
I would have several strips going at a time, so it actually went pretty quickly.
I used an old fashion office paper cutter to make precise width slices.
I am experimenting with thin watered down CA to give them a seal coating.  I will be very careful to come up with a coating that will not yellow the paper stock.

Shipyard Update:
Main Yard Blocks:
The shipyard has been working on the Main Yard, busy selecting the blocks, adding the rope work to each, then secure to the yard.
Picture below of the Yard to date.
Nearly ready to add to the Main Mast jeers and hoist away.
Parrel and running ropes to add.
 

Above: Main Yard; 12 single blocks, 2 double Jeers, 4 twin(2 blocks each) and 2 Pendant/thimbles.
I actually have made all these blocks at the same time for the Fore Yard.
Each loop tightened once in position on the yard.

Yard Starboard end:
Lift Block (4mm) & topsail sheet block (5mm) stropped together on top.
Yardarm tackle pendant hanging from the end.
Brace Pendant Block (5mm) on the far side. 1/3 length of the yard.
Start of the Horse with stirrups wrapped 3 times around the diam.
Outer tricing block (3mm)
Leech/Buntline blocks (4mm) 1/4 way/point on the yard

Yard Middle:
Pair of Double Jeers(7mm) on top.
Yard Block (4mm).
Topsail sheet block (5mm) with Quarter block(3mm) stropped below the Jeers.

Yard Port end; same as Stb. end
 
And some detail shots of the blocks being made:

Lift Block & topsail sheet block stropped together. 2 each for Main & Fore.

Yardarm tackle pendant, 1/4 length of the yard.

Quarter block with topsail sheet block stropped under.
 
 
Onto the Fore Yard next.
 

About 4 thin coats later, it has dulled down the ribs a bit. I’ll probably give it one last overspray with a lighter red then give it a varnish coat before I go back to bending PE. It looks stark but it will be less noticeable when the other colours are added. 

i Dave, thanks for looking in.  The printer is one of 2 a mate of mine purchased; he is a wiz at 3D and G code and rather than learn even more skills before I have mastered the few I have,I have taken up his kind offer to produce these for me  
 
cheers
 
Pat