Sjors

Yep, nothing new here........
 
Still a masterpiece.........    
Nice ships wheel....I want one !
 
Sjors

Yep, nothing new here........
 
Still a masterpiece.........    
Nice ships wheel....I want one !
 
Sjors

Yep, nothing new here........
 
Still a masterpiece.........    
Nice ships wheel....I want one !
 
Sjors

Yep, nothing new here........
 
Still a masterpiece.........    
Nice ships wheel....I want one !
 
Sjors

It's been a while since I posted any progress and I planned on having more work complete before doing so but now seemed like a good time. I have to clean up the shipyard to set my reloading equip back up to help out a friend so I'll take a short break from the Niagara build.
 
Since my last post with pictures I've completed the following:
 
All twenty guns assembled and mounted to the deck​  Rigging blocks and tackle attached to the guns but rope coils need added to nineteen and jack-screws are needed for seventeen.​ The tiller rigging has been added. My tiller angle is too low, but I may just leave it as is. I also plan on adding rope coils for the tiller, positioned aft of the most aft guns. I installed the starboard and port pin rails plus belaying pins and if you look close you can see the tension rods under each pin rail. The stove smokestack has been assembled and still needs some clean up from painting. I did not like smokestack provided with the kit, so I made this up up using brass, wood, tape and styrene, plus CA glue to simulate fastener heads on the plate surface.
As she now sits.
 

Need to add rope coils and maybe raise height of tiller handle
 

You have to look close to see the rail pin tension rods. I used 0.017" dia wire. I wanted to use smaller to scale it better but could not find any locally.
 

Sitting loose over a mast hole due to dowel sticking out of the button
 

 
Bashed (with primer) next to OEM provided smokestack 
 

Sitting loose over the mount hole

My painting is pretty bad.  should have used the air-brush.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Happy Memorial Day to all.  And a moment to remember all those who gave the ultimate sacrifice and  cannot be with us to share it.
 
Time for a small update.  Have continued working on the quarter deck with the addition of numerous pinrails, cleats, belaying pins (blackened), eyebolts/rings for the cannon rigging and the ship's wheel:
 
 

 

 

 
It's really good to get the steering cables, which pass down through the quarterdeck and gun deck, off of the deck where they have been in the way for months!  The speaking tube also disappears below into the bowels of the ship.  In more modern times I could just picture John Wayne bellowing 'Engine room -----more steam!!'  The two wheels were really horrible castings but I did what I could to clean them up including fabricating 3 or 4 handles which were missing.  At this scale I wasn't about to attempt scratching 2 wheels (make that any scale).
 
There are still some stanchions and railings to be installed but I'll hold off on these until the 'heavy lifting' in the waist and bow are complete.  Likewise the guns for the QD.
 
So next up will be the twin binnacles.  Here's a preview of the parts layout for one of them:
 

 
Hope all is well with everyone!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Wow,
 
I remove my pictures with the cannon  rigging 
Amazing clean job Larry !!!
 
Sjors

Bob,
 
Before I exploded of admiring I will wait till the whole model is done.......
But that rigging looks so great.
It's my own guide when I reach that stage.....( somewhere in the future )
 
Sjors

The rigging is now done! I added the crossjack, topsail yard and the gaff and boom to the mizzen mast. The yards and their rigging are virtually identical to the fore and main and need no further description. The boom and gaff were made up with their jaws cut and shaped from strip and bead parrels added. The boom was rigged with topping lifts, sheets and guys. the gaff was rigged with peak and throat halliards and vangs.
 
The access clearances got really tight between the main and mizzen, particularly in doing the braces, which basically run between the two masts .This work resulted in a number of "accidents" and some very colorful language. 
 
I have a few comments on the rigging process. I used Chuck's blocks and rigging line throughout. I tried to keep as close to scale sizes as possible. As a result, the majority of the blocks were quite small and the majority of the line of small diameters. The blocks are really good looking and well made. I did find that drilling the sheave  holes with a very slightly larger drill size made them easier to work with. The rigging line is also very good looking and generally easy to work with. As I've mentioned before, my only problem with it is a tendency to stretch or sag once in place. This presented some issues when running rigging lines had to be attached to the standing rigging.
 
With completion of the rigging, the only remaining items of work are the anchors, the stern lantern and possibly a boat to be hung from the stern davits.The kit castings for the anchors and lantern are not usable. I will scratch build the anchors and I'm continuing to look for a suitable lantern. I probably won't do the boat.
 
Bob

Thanks Mark, To Quote Augie, "I just keep learning new things here" 
Sam

Welcome to the world of model builders Jesse     
Fun and pain..........
For the rest .....looks great !!!!
 
Sjors

Welcome to the world of model builders Jesse     
Fun and pain..........
For the rest .....looks great !!!!
 
Sjors

Welcome to the world of model builders Jesse     
Fun and pain..........
For the rest .....looks great !!!!
 
Sjors

Welcome to the world of model builders Jesse     
Fun and pain..........
For the rest .....looks great !!!!
 
Sjors

Added the gun port sides. Got my thumb cut because before I sanded I used a blade to remove more wood quicker & of course I can never do this without catching the blade at least once with a finger or thumb. Added pieces for the sweep port tops. Measured sweep ports & added the sides. This finishes the gun port & sweep port framing & completes chapter 3 of the instruction manual.
 

The watered down PVA worked very well- thanks for the tip Mark!
 
I got the overhead template to check to see if all the lintels are equal lengths on both sides. There were three on the starboard side that were a hair longer. I cut through them with a fine saw then re-glued & clamped them. The very first one fore was a little bit longer. These adjustments along with evening out the bulwarks as I was doing before fixed it all. Now the templates line up the same on both sides. It all looks better overhead too.
 

the paint was removed from the bridge deck using thinner......can't say if I'd stand behind the use of it.  I think it may have ruined some of the deck detail.   I'll know more when I repaint it.   I guess I should count myself lucky that this isn't one of the upper decks.....some it might not be readily seen.   Still curious about the bulwarks and how they relate to the deck levels,  I tried to put them in place on the hull.   only one side stayed put though.
 

 
As mentioned,  the A deck and the boat decks got the treatment using brake fluid.
 

 
then I took a look at how the other processes are coming along
 

 

 
I used the tray with the plaque,  to draw the fluid from when the decks were painted......I have more if the need arises.  I painted on some more after a short time,  and ran our errands.  when we came back,  they got their first scrubbing with a nylon brush.
 

 
I was able to pick up most of the paint I wanted...really stinks that HobbyTown isn't close anymore.
 

 
I had a problem with the names of the paints,  wearing off the labels.  this happens due to the handling they go through,  made it hard to read what they are.....let alone getting some more.   I put scotch tape over the names and numbers to prevent this from happening.   the decks underwent another scrubbing.
 

 
they were them brought outside and given a bath of strong soapy water.  the results varied....
 

 
some of the other smaller deck parts were entered into the process.
 

 
I figured I'd get a little more assembly done on the boat deck.
 

 
I forgot about the rest of the deck parts........I had painted just about all of them
 

 
more assembly of the boat deck......and checking out the new colors
 

 
last thing I did was assemble the main parts of the funnels
 

 
once I can get past the stripping process,  I can get my main table free,  and can do other things.   what a drag!

the stand parts have been in the brake fluid now,  for four days.   I woke up this morning at the crack of dawn.  after turning on the coffee maker,  I set to work.   one of the worse feeling I dislike,  is the feel of brake fluid .........antifreeze is second on my list.  I have rubber gloves.......and got one of the plastic grocery bags.  it's the best way to shield your surroundings from brake fluid ,  while your cleaning the parts.  I use a wire brush....I even have a stiff nylon brush,  if the chrome is old enough.
 
it depends on the age of the kit........I've done this to older car kits and the chrome comes off much more quickly and easily,  than if it was a newer kit.  chrome is not a forever process......it will peel off over time.   as it ages,  it begins to lose it's bond on the plastic........I've had cars on my shelf......some as long as ten years {if they survive that long before I get sick of them}, where the chrome had started to bubble up and crack.  it also depends on the process use by the manufacturer.  as mentioned,  ships usually do not have chrome parts.   I'll do the rest later.   after the parts were scrubbed with the brush,  they were put in a soapy solution...I make it kinda strong,  to cut the brake fluid quickly,  and to be sure they are cleaned thoroughly.
 

 
Academy uses a good process......they were kinda tough to clean.   I keep everything in the confines of the plastic bag brush strokes are away from me....any spattering will fly toward the bottom of the bag {and not at me}.   the brushes are cleaned after the parts are done.   cleaned and rinsed,  they were set on a thick bed of paper towel to dry them off.
 

 
I will go over them later with some fine sand paper....not that they are rough,  but there is still a little bit of chrome still on them.   it should come off easy at this point......and even if you paint over it,  I don't believe it will matter.  the other parts were removed from the chrome sprue.  that boat thing......I probably won't even use,  but the next items to go in the container,  are the anchors,  the props,  and believe it or not......the ship's wheel {that small part near the stand parts}.
 

 
the name plaque will need a larger tray to lay in.   it might need to stay in there longer,  but that's OK,  I don't need it right away.   the other parts were trimmed of sprue,  sanded smooth and tossed in.  again,  never put this container directly on the table........not good if this stuff contaminates the work area.   I have it on a damp paper towel.....it won't soak through,  it repels water 
 

 
I'm still not completely convinced that I can do lighting ,  but I will proceed like I can.   I need to drill the holes in the stand,  since I will be using the stand that came with the kit.   this will be my first pedestal stand.
 

 
I do want to drill the holes as close to center as I can.......I will use the base of the pedestals to do this.
 

 
once the holes were scored,  the pieces were removed and the holes were drilled the rest of the way
 

 
the pedestal parts were assembled,  since they will be the same color.
 

 
these parts will have the joint lines sanded smooth and then I can drill the holes in them as well........bottom up through the top.......
 
 
 
 

well.....now that I've caught myself up somewhat.........Andrea's in the gallery,  along with the Lobsie Twins {which was way overdue}........closing logs are done on Word Press {haven't done the Titanic yet.....don't want to wait too long and have them pile up on me}....I can now settle down a little {still have the lawns to mow though} 
 
 
so far,  the only paint I've used is deck tan.......I did all the decks with it {I'm still jealous Evan  }  at the moment,  I'm going to assemble the structures between the decks,  and paint them flat white,  after cleaning up all the joints.
 

 
once assembled I'll try to keep them separate......but with them at this point,  it won't be too hard to see where they go.  I took the stand parts and have them sitting an a container full of brake fluid.  this is the old school method of removing chrome.
 

 
now we wait.........  in the meantime,  I'll share this with you.   I'm a bit of a hound as well......I'm forever curious as to when a kit is produced.  I noticed that on the instruction manual,  it has a copyright date of 2012.   but,  that doesn't tell me when the molds were made......so I looked through the parts.  in the case of the Revell Cutty Sark 1:96,  the date stamp can be found on one of the deck sections.......on the top,  of all places {if I remember right}.  with this kit,  I found it on the flip side of the sprue sheet tabs......1998.  the sprues are stamped from Korea.....the hull is stamped from the Philippines....... another bit of trivia.    so........these parts were put in the brake fluid.  they've been in there for over three days.   now they look like this.
 

 
it's looking like it's time to take them out.......it doesn't hurt the plastic at all.   during this time also,  I've been working on the deck structures.   I will assemble them and paint them after with an airbrush.
 

 

 
this is the bridge deck.  the parts fit in a very narrow impression in the deck.   there are tabs that need to be fitted....a few of them are very tight.....I've had to open them up a bit more to accept them.   these are the parts that Evan was referring to....the fore and aft railings.  I'm not impressed with them.......the railings are molded solid with no slotting at all to depict them.   I want to do something to make this bit of detail come out.
 

 
the next thing I did was to cement the screw tunnels to the hull.   the paint was sanded off and they were installed.  After the rest of the hull seam is cleaned up,  the bottom paint will be redone
 

 
new spelling for the word thread?
 

 
this is the A deck.  this structure goes almost the entire length of the deck.   the clothes pins you see on there are merely for support.  these decks are so flimsy.
 

 
I only painted the deck areas on these deck parts.........I'm curious to see what color the floors were inside the structures.
    you can't see much,  but the inside is still visible to a degree.

Start with decorations



 

Working to decks..
 

 
and some painting

So here you are !!!!!!
 
The door was open so I drop inn.
Nice to see an BIG plastic build.....
No bashing this time ???
And you don't mind that I put a popcorn machine in the corner.
I just LOVE popcorn !
 
Sjors

So here you are !!!!!!
 
The door was open so I drop inn.
Nice to see an BIG plastic build.....
No bashing this time ???
And you don't mind that I put a popcorn machine in the corner.
I just LOVE popcorn !
 
Sjors

Very nice Mobbsie !!!
Your skills improved by the day   
Some need two years for a scratch build and you are doing it in one weekend.......  
 
Sjors

Very nice Mobbsie !!!
Your skills improved by the day   
Some need two years for a scratch build and you are doing it in one weekend.......  
 
Sjors