yvesvidal

Superbe. Yves

Great progress. You are ready for planking. Yves

While working and measuring multiple times for the installation of the deck frames supports (3x5 mm), I have built the ladders used by the crew to reach the lower level: These parts are funny to build, with a small triangular file. The crew must have been very agile to use this kind of ladder, that literally requires your two hands and two feet to get to the upper deck. Yves

Your efforts remind me of what some modelers have done for the Trumpeter Titanic hull. It is massive but should pay off, in the end. Yves

As indicated by the picture below (Session #2), I have installed three sets of the 2x5 planks. I am stopping there. Now, the dreaded prospect of gluing the 3x5 mm planks is coming. There are really no clear indication on how to do that, besides a little tick mark on the frames, that comes somewhat in the middle of the deck beams. It is really not precise at all. In addition, securing the deck beams supports (3x5mm - Green) is not an easy task, because of the lack of access due to the constraining cradle. Instead, I decided to move on and install the deck beams central support as well as possible, making sure that it lines up with the deck beams and from there, determine where the 3x5mm supports have to be installed. It is going to be tedious but that is the only way I see it possible. Once this assembly is in place, I hope by positioning a few deck beams, to be able to trace the exact position of the 3x5 supports, on the frames. That central assembly (3F-1 to 3F-15) is super fragile and requires a lot of care. It is first assembled flat on a bench: Then, many dry-runs are made to position it in the best possible way. One of the vertical holders is ending right in the middle of the mast base, which is not good. I will adjust this later. The mast base is not glued yet and will be glued later, when some of the major deck beams have been installed. There is a lot of conflicting information between the Monograph, one of the CAF plans and the other CAF plan (!) Not easy to figure out exactly where the main mast should sit. Finally, the central support is installed and the CA is drying.... Wish me luck.... I really have no idea if that is going to work. Yves

Well, these kits are expensive but support is top. It reminds me a little bit of what CAF Model does on the wooden ships side. Yves

That is really nice. I love the little origami they included with the note. Yves

I just finished installing the third (and last) set of inside planks. Even though the kit calls for 5 sets, I am limiting myself at that point as these are extremely difficult to set correctly, since you have to hold the planks with your fingers while the glue does its job. There is absolutely no room to fix the planks, with perhaps the exception of drilling a small hole and placing a few microscopic wood screws. Again, all planks were tree nailed, with the tip of the nails protruding into the frames. The next part of the assembly is very complex, poorly documented by CAF and very tricky. It will drive the rest of the assembly and I hope to not screw up royally on this one. Yves

Very nice workshop. Yves

Yeap, these Japanese modelers are perfectionists. They are incredible. I am always amazed when I try to build a motorcycle kit, at what Kinichi Karube is capable of doing in the scale of 1/9th: http://kimshouse7015.com/index.html Yves

Titebond will not work for ABS to Wood bonding. Instead, use Testors Green tube or even a glue such as UHU Hart if you can find it. Also, make sure the ABS has been sanded and cleaned to remove any de-molding agents and offer some grips for the wood. Yves

I am glad that you decided to plank the hull. Calypso is an old minesweeper and as such the hull was made of wood. The bow is made of metal, so be careful to not plank it entirely. Yves

John, Thank you for the links. The 3D virtual walk is amazing and renders so well the atmosphere of the ship. I have this kit in my stash and will take advice from your build log. Yves

WOW...putting together an engine at that scale is pure torture.... an expensive one on top of that 🙂 That Lancia is a great car and a very rare model. Yves

These old Revell kits are probably among the most difficult to assemble correctly. I have done a few and must say that. You are doing a terrific job with your Arizona and it will pay off later on. After doing such an old Revell kit, any modern Trumpeter kit will be a breeze in comparison. Yes, the art on the boxes is just wonderful and I know a few people who just collect the boxes for their artworks, knowing that they will never touch the plastic parts inside. Yves

WOP is Wipe on Poly, a chemical distributed by Minwax: It may be difficult to find in Europe and cost about $20 a small bottle in the USA. It provides a nice finish to wood and creates a thin layer of polyurethane on the surface of the wood, while also adding a subtle change of color to the light woods. Personally, I love it and have used it on my previous models. Yves

Base of the front mast: Nothing is glued yet: Yves

I like the markings on the serpentine/fan belt. Yves

That is incredible. I love the fact that they depicted the inside of the machines and all the decks. What a fantastic model to build. Yves

Working on the bases of the masts. First the main mast. If someone could explain to me what are these small yellow dots on the mast shims, I would appreciate it. The shims have not been sanded and I will finalize the base, when building the main mast. The base is not glued yet: Yves

Greg, So far the parts are holding very well. Oiling and Waxing (combined in one product) are done mostly after gluing. However, some parts are oiled/waxed before gluing and to be on the safe side, I wait a day or two for the wood to suck all the chemicals before gluing. It seems to work fine and it is pretty strong. Thank you for the compliment. Yves

A legendary classic. I will be following. Yves

I am starting to blend Session #1 and Session #2. Like most CAF Model kits, this ship comes in two sessions. The first session is all about the cradle, the hull and frames, including the stern. Session #2 is everything else. I did not complete the stern as it would impede easy access into the hull, for installing, nailing and sanding the inner planking. I will return to the stern (end of Session #1) at a later date. For now, I am trying to do the following: As indicated before, it is very difficult as there is no room for clamps, since the hull is stuck in its cradle and cannot be removed, yet. The long timber pieces have to be formed by hand, soaking them in alcohol and them bending them by hand, until they have reached the approximate desired shape. Gluing is then done in sections, using CA glue, and maintained with your fingers while drying. Below, you can see how the open stern helps with the internal access. The tree nailing is done as much as possible like on a real ship. The holes are actually crossing all the way into the frames, and the toothpicks soaked with glue are actually connecting the parts. It adds a little bit of bonding into some areas which are not possible to glue easily. Yves

Moving on with tedious and extremely delicate tasks. I decided to tree nail the wood pieces. It helps bonding with the frames, as the holes go inside the frame. Not sure I will do that everywhere inside the hull, as it will be barely visible. There is no way to hold the planks internally and you have to maintain them with your fingers, while the glue dries. Not exactly practical. The tree nailing is very subtle, which I prefer a lot. Yves

This is a great kit and a very nice navigating model. I built mine 40 years ago and the model has been sailing on the Mediterranean sea (inside a harbor) and on many lakes of Europe and the USA. You will enjoy building it. Yves