catopower

Hi Andy,
 
Looks like you don't have many options there.
 
I agree with your original thoughts. Don't look at the bulkheads, just lay your center plans between the center of stem and center of transom. You're deck will be wider to one side, but only slightly. It won't be noticeable unless you're looking really closely. Only problem I can see is that you're masts will be slightly off center too. Shrouds on one side will be slightly longer than on the other. But, looks like you're only talking about 1/8", so you should be fine.
 
The photo of your model from the side looks great, by the way.
 
Clare

Hi Phil,
 
Nice progress on your SWC. I always liked the Billing Boat series of kits that has you build the hull in halves. I built their Bluenose II kit that way and it all went together quite nicely.
 
 
I recently received the update Woody Joe kit (Japanese manufacturer) of the Sir Winston Churchill which is the exact same scale as the Billing Boats kit.
 
Your blog and the posts by various people here are very helpful. There are some details that seem a little simplified in the Woody Joe kit, so I've been scouring the Internet and calling on various resources.
 
I didn't see anyone mention this here yet, but there are some neat short videos about the ship on Youtube. This one seems to be a spliced together compilation of them:
 
If you can put up with the use of the Wagner music in a couple spots, most of it is actually well narrated.
 
I've had a hard time finding good reference photos, so this video turned out to be a godsend for me.
 
 
Clare

Hallo  ! Finished the interior of the cabin with wooden benches, the glass in the windows with acetate, curtains with tracing paper and red pencil for finish. I tried people sitting inside (from China...).
 






 
At this point I gave up, for now, the construction of the upper deck and started the construction of the lower deck.
Shelves that overhang the sides: in the kit are pre-cut to laser plywood  1 mm., Also of rectangular holes which are used to fix them in place on the teeth that protrude from the sides. I do not like all that  because the joints are seen  .
So, I reconstructed them with a walnut strip curved with a hot iron 
 




 

I go head in my bad english  ,but I'm happy because I can see you understand.
So, now I built the planks of the lower deck with walnut strips (not in the kit). First I painted the inside bulwarks, after finding a pict on the web.
 

 
I covered all lower decks with walnut strips.
 





 
All for today 
 
 
 

It 's time to paint the hull. After protecting the topsides and all over the top, including the bridge with tapes and newspapers, I gave a first-hand live on the work of red satin enamel rust, diluted with white spirit. Everything with brush.

Then I finished the painting topsides white matt. At this point I noticed that the color of the hull had excessive disparity in appearance: the red satin was too shiny and opaque white was too opaque. So, to even out the whole painting, I decided to give transparent satin glaze on the whole with the airbrush. The painting of the hull is finished. Removed all the masking, finally the hull is in its final livery! While I waited for paint dries though, I indulged with the construction of the cabins on the upper deck. After applying all the strips around windows and doors I have given two coats of spray paint matt white.        

The super fine saw arrived this morning. well packed and wrapped in cloth with Otani Oniji II, by the woodcut artist Toshusai Sharaku on it. Same as in RichardG's earlier post. Can't wait to use it...

Hey guys 
 
thank you all for the responses. I think ilI search for colors like i think it would be ok and realistic. Im building it only for myself so if I like it it should be good

I use the BlueJacket products - both pewter and brass. They work well. They are still out on their website. You just have to drill down several menu levels.
 
Just make sure your material is clean. BJ also sells a cleaning product which I use and there are numerous homemade concoctions.

Thanks folks. I used the blackening agent that Bluejacket sells. It worked out great.
 
S.O.S.

I am attempting for the first time to put copper plates on the hull of my Syren (actually I have started this process over 3 times already). I have looked through all the logs I can find through searching, which have copper plated hulls, and I have looked at many photos of the completed process, but I am at a loss on how to actually put the plates on the hull in the proper way.
I have the copper tape, I have the plates made, but following the curve of the hull seems to be a major issue. Either I get my rows going too straight, or I can't seem to keep the proper curve going.
Does anyone have any in-process photos of how they get the curve, and keep the plates on it correctly?
 
Any help or suggestions would be most welcome.

wow thank you all !!!
 
I have not read the posts until today 
But I thought on this solution 
  Melted the tin in the mold of the wood part , on the basis of tin , Then I cut the tin around casting After that sharpened the part , and then I drilled the holes ( measured from the damaged wood piece between the holes by a pin ... ) Here are the results :::            

Thank you Phil and David, for the nice comments. Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I had reason to work on some other things.
 
One of those is a big project that is close to completion and then I have someone who wants the Alert and would like it in the next few months. So, I'll press ahead. Hopefully, the end of the build will go as well as the start of it. But, I have no experience rigging a paper model. The masts and yards are all wood, so that's no problem. However, I sense the need to be particularly careful about the shrouds, deadeyes and chainplates.
 
I'm actually wondering if I can work out a way to set the upper deadeyes, then rig the ratlines off the model. In theory, if I could set up a stand that holds the mast and a set of lower deadeyes in the exact position, everything should work out. No?
 
Now, one thing that happened recently is that I can't get any more of the pear wood blocks I bought from Syren Ship Model Company. I probably have enough for this rig. But, I've been thinking about switching to paper blocks anyway. It IS a paper model, after all.
 
I've only rigged a few blocks, so those should be easy enough to replace. Hope it all looks good!
 
Clare

Thank you Phil and David, for the nice comments. Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I had reason to work on some other things.
 
One of those is a big project that is close to completion and then I have someone who wants the Alert and would like it in the next few months. So, I'll press ahead. Hopefully, the end of the build will go as well as the start of it. But, I have no experience rigging a paper model. The masts and yards are all wood, so that's no problem. However, I sense the need to be particularly careful about the shrouds, deadeyes and chainplates.
 
I'm actually wondering if I can work out a way to set the upper deadeyes, then rig the ratlines off the model. In theory, if I could set up a stand that holds the mast and a set of lower deadeyes in the exact position, everything should work out. No?
 
Now, one thing that happened recently is that I can't get any more of the pear wood blocks I bought from Syren Ship Model Company. I probably have enough for this rig. But, I've been thinking about switching to paper blocks anyway. It IS a paper model, after all.
 
I've only rigged a few blocks, so those should be easy enough to replace. Hope it all looks good!
 
Clare

Have been too busy with projects that are "due" to do much here. But, working with swivel guns on one model, I came to discover that these 1/4" scale swivel guns from Syren Ship Model Company were the perfect size for the cannon barrels for this 1/8" scale model of the Alert. Anyway, the look visually correct and they look nice – a lot nicer than my rolled up paper barrels were looking. Also, saves me from having to turn or cast my own. So, why not?
 
The brass barrel actually looks really nice, but I'll probably blacken them. 
 

 

 
I know this is not much progress to report. But, it is a solution to one issue on this model. I'm considering just leaving off the swivel guns since they'd need to look like this, but about half the size, and my understanding regarding swivel guns is that they were often stowed until needed. 
 
We'll see. First thing's first.
 
Clare
 
Edit: Forgot to mention that I went ahead and ordered the gun barrels from Chuck a couple days ago. Should be here tomorrow or Monday.

Hi Michael,
 
For metal casting, I like the 10 to 1 RTV silicone rubber that Micromark sells. It can take up to 600˚ F or about 450˚ sustained.I tried using stuff from TAP Plastics, which works, but it's thicker and harder to work with I think.
 
I started casting Britannia Pewter, but the melt temperatures are high and so I started using a Tin/Bismuth alloy. I recommend staying away from lead.
 
Rotometals.com has a whole range of low melt alloys and their prices are much better than buying them from Micromark. 
 
Personally, I enjoyed learning the new skill.
 
Clare

Hi Chris,
 
Funny you should mention David Okamura's models. Two modeler's I know both bought card models at the SMA's Queen Mary event way back after seeing his models on display. I've never seen his models myself, but I understand they are really nicely done.
 
Well, on the Alert, things slow down a bit as I work more on cutting small parts. The cheeks of the gun carriages take a lot of cuts to make. There are only 12 guns on this model – not so bad. I also cut the timberheads. These are really small, but I think I shaped them okay.
 
 
All these parts are listed as 1mm thick. I've found that I don't really like using 0.5mm or 1mm cardboard as it's kind of soft, so I like to use 3M spray adhesive to laminate sheets of printer paper. This seems to cut cleaner than cardboard. The paper I use is pretty thick, so two sheets of printer paper, plus the kit part sheet comes out to 0.5mm.

 
 
 
The kit parts for the gun carriage cheeks are lined up on the kit sheets very nicely, allowing me to glue up several parts at one time.

 
 
 
The parts show cut, yet to be cleaned up.

 
 
 
The cleaned up, painted parts. 

 
 
Clare

Thank you Phil and David, for the nice comments. Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I had reason to work on some other things.
 
One of those is a big project that is close to completion and then I have someone who wants the Alert and would like it in the next few months. So, I'll press ahead. Hopefully, the end of the build will go as well as the start of it. But, I have no experience rigging a paper model. The masts and yards are all wood, so that's no problem. However, I sense the need to be particularly careful about the shrouds, deadeyes and chainplates.
 
I'm actually wondering if I can work out a way to set the upper deadeyes, then rig the ratlines off the model. In theory, if I could set up a stand that holds the mast and a set of lower deadeyes in the exact position, everything should work out. No?
 
Now, one thing that happened recently is that I can't get any more of the pear wood blocks I bought from Syren Ship Model Company. I probably have enough for this rig. But, I've been thinking about switching to paper blocks anyway. It IS a paper model, after all.
 
I've only rigged a few blocks, so those should be easy enough to replace. Hope it all looks good!
 
Clare

Hi Clare
 
Your vessel is quite beautiful and if I hadn't read your build log I would not have believed a paper (card) ship would have looked so solid. A wonderful job.
Phill.

I agree with Clare - stay away from lead-bearing pewter. I pour pewter in Micro-Mark's 1:1 RTV moulds with no problem.

Hi Michael,
 
For metal casting, I like the 10 to 1 RTV silicone rubber that Micromark sells. It can take up to 600˚ F or about 450˚ sustained.I tried using stuff from TAP Plastics, which works, but it's thicker and harder to work with I think.
 
I started casting Britannia Pewter, but the melt temperatures are high and so I started using a Tin/Bismuth alloy. I recommend staying away from lead.
 
Rotometals.com has a whole range of low melt alloys and their prices are much better than buying them from Micromark. 
 
Personally, I enjoyed learning the new skill.
 
Clare

The taffrail is now complete. Was a bit of a challenge getting it all together, but it seemed to turn out okay. I still have some small details to add, mostly the beds for the mounting of the swivel guns. Besides that, nearly all the hull detail on this model is done. 
 

 

 
Next step will be to add the cannons into place. 1/96 is probably too small for me to rig tackle blocks, but I'll think about it. This ship has 12 guns to rig. It's not like it's a 38 gun frigate, and there is a lot of open space on the deck, so I'll have to give it some thought.
 
Also, rigging is coming up pretty quick and I have to start working on the shrouds and adding blocks to the mainmast. More on that next time.
 
Clare

Didn't do much on the Alert while finishing up the Yakatabune model. But, now that that's out of the way, time to put some work in on the Alert again.
 
This year, I decided not to risk any damage to the model by bringing it to the NRG conference, but a number of people asked about it. So, I kind of regret not taking it. For one thing, it serves as a great advertisement for Shipyard paper model kits in general. However, this model is far enough along that I now need something in the earlier stages of construction again. I do have an HMS Mercury kit in 1/96 scale that will probably do the trick. I also have the GPM detail kit for it. Plus, I believe that there's a set of sails and a masting kit at Ages of Sail that's been part of a box of stuff that's just been hidden on a shelf for the last year and a half. So, that may be the next background paper model project.
 
In the meantime, I cut a thin strip of photo paper that I printed a black line on. I then painted the edge of the thin strip and cut it in short length to serve as trunnion caps on the Alert's cannon carriages.
 

 
I've also been working on the spars and added the yard to the topsail and the gaff to the mainsail. I also added swiss pear blocks to the spreader yard, but I've been feeling like I want to make as much of the model from paper as possible. So, I'm going back and adding paper blocks in place of the swiss pear ones. They don't look as good, but the more of the model that is paper, the better, since it IS a paper model.
 

 

 
I've also started adding the stanchions of the taffrail that surrounds the quarterdeck. This is one of those things where I "thought" myself to a standstill. Having thought less about it, I've now started to make a little progress again.
 

 

 
I'll swap the blocks and see if I can't finish the taffrail soon. With that and adding the cannons done, it will officially be time to rig.
 
Clare

Hi Michael,
 
For metal casting, I like the 10 to 1 RTV silicone rubber that Micromark sells. It can take up to 600˚ F or about 450˚ sustained.I tried using stuff from TAP Plastics, which works, but it's thicker and harder to work with I think.
 
I started casting Britannia Pewter, but the melt temperatures are high and so I started using a Tin/Bismuth alloy. I recommend staying away from lead.
 
Rotometals.com has a whole range of low melt alloys and their prices are much better than buying them from Micromark. 
 
Personally, I enjoyed learning the new skill.
 
Clare

Hi Michael,
 
For metal casting, I like the 10 to 1 RTV silicone rubber that Micromark sells. It can take up to 600˚ F or about 450˚ sustained.I tried using stuff from TAP Plastics, which works, but it's thicker and harder to work with I think.
 
I started casting Britannia Pewter, but the melt temperatures are high and so I started using a Tin/Bismuth alloy. I recommend staying away from lead.
 
Rotometals.com has a whole range of low melt alloys and their prices are much better than buying them from Micromark. 
 
Personally, I enjoyed learning the new skill.
 
Clare

Hi Michael,
 
For metal casting, I like the 10 to 1 RTV silicone rubber that Micromark sells. It can take up to 600˚ F or about 450˚ sustained.I tried using stuff from TAP Plastics, which works, but it's thicker and harder to work with I think.
 
I started casting Britannia Pewter, but the melt temperatures are high and so I started using a Tin/Bismuth alloy. I recommend staying away from lead.
 
Rotometals.com has a whole range of low melt alloys and their prices are much better than buying them from Micromark. 
 
Personally, I enjoyed learning the new skill.
 
Clare