Montaigne

I have to repeat myself: absolutely stunning build!

Tests are looking good! The slimy green would be algae which happens to all boats at sea. Primarily below the waterline, but if conditions are continuously damp and sunny it can grow anywhere.

Cheers, I realized that the images above are actually the only ones I have of the portholes that are fairly detailed. But I’ll be buying a couple of books when it’s time for the build.

Sounds like a good way to go about it. Here are some of the pictures I've found where details of the portholes are visible. Taking the cabin walls into account, it does indeed look very thick: That's very true.

Are you planning to keep the portholes as they are? I’m planning to build the OcCre Endurance myself some day, and the portholes were among the first thing I noticed and plan to change; the brass rings look far from the original portholes. However it’s not easy to see exactly how they’re supposed to look, as judging by Frank Hurley’s photos they mostly look like just plain holes where the actual window frame is recessed. I’ve only found detailed images of the portholes from inside the cabins (which I can post, should you need them).

It’s a treat following this build, it’s coming along very nicely!

Looking forward to following this, as Rose was an impressive build. 14 Gb RAM/7.5 Gb VRAM, that’s some major render requirements. I’m happy I’ve never reached those, as it would rule out my laptop, the Ol’ Faithful. Wish you fair seas with your new build.

Fascinating, beautiful build!

The lost pictures have now returned, they're working fine both on my phone and on the PC. The build is looking very nice! Thanks for the info on the caulking; I will try a black pen on my upcoming build.

I don’t have Chrome on my iPhone, but using Safari the button to follow a topic is at the bottom of the page: Edit: the arrow looks like it’s pointing where to click, but its not, it’s just part of the webpage appearance on iPhone/Safari.

For some reason I can't see the images in your last three posts, is it just me? Tried a different browser but no go. They just appear as links, and when I click on them, there's an icon of a broken image. Edit: Bruce beat me to it by the 6 minutes it took me to write my post. Getting old... I was wondering: what method are you using to darken the spaces between the deck planks? It doesn't look like the usual method of using a lead pencil, which I'm not too fond of because of the silvery grey appearance. This looks much better.

Get well soon, Håkan, and do stay away from those cards. I sincerely hope that at least you were surrounded by cute nurses dancing the hula hoop.

Greetings from Skåne, Henke. It’s by no means easy to find inspiration and energy when battling depression, so it’s good to see you’re still building. Looking very nice indeed!

Very impressive build, absolutely beautiful, not to mention inspiring. Well done!

The worst thing to lose when starting out with something - anything - is interest, and the most common way to lose it is by taking on very large projects from the start. It’s not necessarily that we don’t have it in us to go through with them, but rather that they are more likely to present so many challenging obstacles, one after the other and then the next, that we might just not enjoy it after a while. Model ship building in particular presents frequent obstacles, many of which are a matter of experience; not just how to solve them by example, but also how to come up with creative solutions for when there are no examples. Having said that: many consider challenging problem solving itself as part of the fun. I don’t think there’s a general rule applying in these matters, only cautionary tales. I’m not replying from the perspective of having built many models, in fact I’m starting out myself with model ship building. However, I’ve done a lot of professional artistic work throughout life acquiring various skills, as well as grown up with a father who was a gifted model ship builder. I had plans to start with OcCre’s The Endurance, but reconsidered and will instead start with the much simpler Model Shipways Bounty Launch (“simpler” especially considering that I’m planning a major kit bashing of OcCre’s Endurance). The Bounty Launch will be kit bashed too, but not as extensively. After the Endurance I’m planning to build a complete scratch model of the C G Pettersson designed motor yacht Wiking X, which as a model as such will be less complicated than for example the Endurance, however creating everything from scratch using 3D CAD will be a huge undertaking (although at least I have previous experience with 3D CAD). This summer I’m planning to visit the Sjöhistoriska maritime museum in Stockholm to take all the necessary orthographic shots of the Wiking X that they have on display, and I’ve already got their permission to climb onboard for some shots. Using existing footage I’ve already started creating parts in 3D of its various equipment. It will be a long term project; years and years. Point being: From model to model I’m planning to level up pretty steep. But that’s usually what works for me. There are other things related to model ship building that can also help further develop skill sets. I’ve started to create a 3D sculpture of the original Cutty Sark figurehead. The Cutty Sark was recently equipped with a new figurehead: the third version based on the original figurehead design by Hercules Linton. I found this story intriguing, how the latest incredibly gifted sculptor Andy Peters made his own interpretation of Linton’s fairly basic sketch, and thought: I want to do something like that too. So I’m creating my own version in 3D, which I intend to use as a maquette for something like a foot long wooden sculpture made by hand. However a beginner should decide to approach starting out: keep it fun, would be my first advice.

Another factor to consider is lightfastness: the pigments resistance to fading from exposure to light, in particular UV light. Without proper lightfastness, a model placed in a window can lose a lot of its color intensity in a matter of a few years. I’m a painter, so for me lightfastness is crucial when choosing brands of paint to work with. Irrespective of manufacturer, lightfastness also varies between pigments; black is the most stable and red usually fade the most because it absorbs the most UV light.

That sounds reasonable. It seems the Bounty launch in all it's representations; literature, art, movies, model kits and replicas have been painted in so many different colour variations that one would think many of them are just picking any one they like aesthetically. (Which in many cases is okay, of course, it just muddies the waters for research). Brilliant work with the overlay. Some of it seems like an easy fix, such as the tiller. The difference in height of the hull requires some work, but might be worth it considering its historical significance. Quoting The Journal of Bounty's Launch: "It has been calculated that when overloaded with 19 men, gear and provisions, she floated with a bare 6 inches of freeboard."

Thanks, Allan, I agree, the Model Shipways kit looks nice, and there does appear to be differences. I've been scratching my head trying to figure out what the launch actually looked like, and realize it's going to be some guesswork. Funny you should mention RMG, because for the past days I've been in touch with them regarding research and drawings for the original figurehead on the Cutty Sark. Reason being I'm working on a 3D version of the figurehead for the purpose of sculpting it by hand, in about a foot long size. The staff at RMG have been most helpful. Anyway, I had no idea that RMG also have the Bounty in their archives, good tip. Also, I didn't make the connection that the National Maritime Museum is actually RMG. Hm... I believe a trip overseas to London should be planned some time in the future, as several of my planned builds have representation there; such as the James Caird at Dulwich College. Your build log of the Bounty launch was one of the first I bookmarked for reference. Lots of fascinating research there, not to mention the build itself.

Thanks, Tim. Looking at Chuck's longboat build the cedar looks very nice indeed, not to mention the build itself, what a masterpiece. That's exactly how I remember basswood: I would sand it forever trying to get rid of the fluffy/stringy surface. Never tried scraping though, good tip!

May I ask why you choose cedar? Reason I ask is because I'm considering substituting some of the wood in the Model Shipways Bounty launch kit, mainly because I'd like to achieve a better to scale impression of the wood grain. I could be wrong, but I get the impression that the wood for planking in the kit (I think it's basswood) have rather defined fibres. I'm going to order samples of beech and pear for testing when I order the model, would you advice ordering some cedar too?

Thanks Craig, appreciate it. I actually already have most of the tools I will need, just need to add a few; some clamps, a cutting mat, a piercing saw to replace my shoddy one, and then I should be good to go. I'll probably build a basic work stand and/or building slip myself. I've worked with all kinds of crafting in life, so thankfully my startup costs wont be too high. That said, being on a minimum pension, even just the model kits are a stretch. But I'll be able to afford it within the following months. But that's ok, because I enjoy the planning and research stages of projects. Having recently discovered the MSW forum has been a great joy, and I will definitely have a build log for my first build.

I'm continuously impressed with you going almost straight into scratch building and the results. I have a scratch build planned myself, but only after completing two of my first ever model kits: the Bounty Launch and The Endurance (still in the "planning everything and saving up to buy kits and tools" stage). I'm also happy to see you persevere when the construction don't quite add up. I think it's turning out quite well indeed. A model ship builder friend of mine often jokes about his model possibly ending up as firewood when he encounters difficulties, and I keep telling him it would only keep him warm for twenty minutes. In your case, considering the size of the launch, it would only be a matter of a few minutes, so keep up the spirit. Every time we make a mistake, albeit at a price, we learn something new.

Good to hear others have expressed interest; the idea of a little team doing this sounds like fun! I'll PM you my email for the files. Cheers

I don't have much spare time, but if it's in no hurry, I'd be happy to help you out with the 3D designs. Is sounds like a fun and commendable project. I used to work as an artist/designer at a factory running CNC's, so it's fairly easy for me to create most things in 3D. However, I don't have any experience with recent year's development of 3D printers, but I gather the principles are the same (and advantageous, since one don't have to consider areas the tool cannot reach). How many cannon designs are we talking about?

Gerda was a beautiful ship. It's a shame they didn't preserve her, considering the fairly moderate costs it would have amounted to. I think it would be a fascinating model to build since she's well documented for research, and then there's the replica in Finland.