Dziadeczek

Outstanding model and the attention to detail! Congratulations!!!
Can you share the secret, how did you achieve the dark grooves in your rigging? Staining the lines and immediately rubbing it off, perhaps?
Thomas

Hi All,
 
This time... finally some rigging 🍻
 
Side tackle and garnet tackle.
For the time being garnet tackle pendant and guy will be removed as it will go over the shrouds.
Obviously running rigging is not yet fixed permanently. It will be necessary with shrouds and stays to do some tension adjustments.
 
Garnet tackle and side tackle were used for loading purposes and also for some heavy job on board... lifting of heavy ropes, cannons, etc...
When not in used side tackle were not rigged and garnet tackle pendant and guy were secured.
 
Next step... shrouds.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Cheers,
Matt

Check it out.
 

Mike,
The fewer strands are in your rope, the thinner the rope is. For instance, two stranded rope is slightly thinner then three stranded one, which in turn is slightly thinner than four stranded rope. Of course, some of the bigger (thicker ) ropes on real ships were four stranded ropes like, like anchor ropes, some stays, etc.
 
If you can replace inner core in your model rope from another strand (thread) to a copper wire (some ropewalks let you do it), you can later on manuallly form your rope to look more "authentic" looking, let's say a sagging, loose piece rather than laying stiff and straight on a model, as miniature ropes tend to do.
 
Also, whether right hand twist or left hand twist, depends on what type of rope you intend it to represent. Some types of ropes were right handed and other left handed on real ships. If you care to do it more authentically looking, pay attention! If not, ignore it and make all of them the same. It is your model!  Have fun!  

Check it out.
 

The Victory book by McGovan has a nice pic on the planking expansion.
 

The Victory book by McGovan has a nice pic on the planking expansion.
 

Check it out.
 

Check it out.
 

After all these years I found out, that if I properly spill and heat bend my planks off the model, I don't need any planking clamps afterwards. The planks should lay on the bulkheads almost perfectly, you only need to gently press them in place. For this I use ordinary sewing pins, sometimes those with colored heads. I gently tap them into a bulkhead with a small jewelry hammer, maybe two or three times - just enough to hold them in there, placing the tip of a pin directly under the edge of the plank, NOT THROUGH IT! That way, I don't end up with a hole in the plank, but rather a small hole In the bulkhead (which will be covered by planking anyway, so it won't be visible).
This is my old model of the MS Rattlesnake, showing this process.

After all these years I found out, that if I properly spill and heat bend my planks off the model, I don't need any planking clamps afterwards. The planks should lay on the bulkheads almost perfectly, you only need to gently press them in place. For this I use ordinary sewing pins, sometimes those with colored heads. I gently tap them into a bulkhead with a small jewelry hammer, maybe two or three times - just enough to hold them in there, placing the tip of a pin directly under the edge of the plank, NOT THROUGH IT! That way, I don't end up with a hole in the plank, but rather a small hole In the bulkhead (which will be covered by planking anyway, so it won't be visible).
This is my old model of the MS Rattlesnake, showing this process.

After all these years I found out, that if I properly spill and heat bend my planks off the model, I don't need any planking clamps afterwards. The planks should lay on the bulkheads almost perfectly, you only need to gently press them in place. For this I use ordinary sewing pins, sometimes those with colored heads. I gently tap them into a bulkhead with a small jewelry hammer, maybe two or three times - just enough to hold them in there, placing the tip of a pin directly under the edge of the plank, NOT THROUGH IT! That way, I don't end up with a hole in the plank, but rather a small hole In the bulkhead (which will be covered by planking anyway, so it won't be visible).
This is my old model of the MS Rattlesnake, showing this process.

After all these years I found out, that if I properly spill and heat bend my planks off the model, I don't need any planking clamps afterwards. The planks should lay on the bulkheads almost perfectly, you only need to gently press them in place. For this I use ordinary sewing pins, sometimes those with colored heads. I gently tap them into a bulkhead with a small jewelry hammer, maybe two or three times - just enough to hold them in there, placing the tip of a pin directly under the edge of the plank, NOT THROUGH IT! That way, I don't end up with a hole in the plank, but rather a small hole In the bulkhead (which will be covered by planking anyway, so it won't be visible).
This is my old model of the MS Rattlesnake, showing this process.

After all these years I found out, that if I properly spill and heat bend my planks off the model, I don't need any planking clamps afterwards. The planks should lay on the bulkheads almost perfectly, you only need to gently press them in place. For this I use ordinary sewing pins, sometimes those with colored heads. I gently tap them into a bulkhead with a small jewelry hammer, maybe two or three times - just enough to hold them in there, placing the tip of a pin directly under the edge of the plank, NOT THROUGH IT! That way, I don't end up with a hole in the plank, but rather a small hole In the bulkhead (which will be covered by planking anyway, so it won't be visible).
This is my old model of the MS Rattlesnake, showing this process.

For more info on the topic, check out this link:
Photo Etching - do it yourself - Metal Work, Soldering and Metal Fittings - Model Ship World™
 
I did not use the Micro Mark kit, since my pieces had to be way bigger - hence I had to build my own UV exposure lamp, get a bigger laminator and a bigger developing tank. I based the entire procedure on the very informative tutorial by Gene Berger (link included in the above mentioned thread), so I used different chemicals and exposure parameters than those proposed in the video. There are many ways to "skin the cat", one has to choose what is better for him and what is available in his area.
This is definitely doable at home, but it is a learning curve - one has to determine all variables based on one's trials and errors.
Do not expect to do it once and end up with gorgeous results! Patience!!!
Have fun...

Hello,
Small update.
Slow, but steady progress!
 
There are 11 swivel guns to be installed. Six on the starboard side and five on the port side.
The mounts (posts) for the swivel guns are made.

 
One of the swivel gun posts installed.

 
5 of the posts shown here. On the port side, where the cooking station will be, a swivel gun is omitted, thus 5 on the port side.

 
In between all the railing posts and gun posts, there are 1mm x 2mm filler trim pieces installed.
 

 

 
Work has begun on the davits for the launch boat.
I will be modifying the davits to look a little bit more like those shown on the wonderful "La Fleur de Lis" plan by Gerard Delacroix.
Photos to follow soon.
 
Thanks for checking in!
Frank
 

 

Hi All,
 
Ropes situation is progressing.
I think at that point I have maybe 90% ropes done. 
For sure I will run out of some running rigging ropes... but missing ones I will do as required.
 
Next step is to add some tar and impregnation 😉
 
Below some photos.
 
Anchors cables
 

 
Main and fore mast stays
 

 
...and few with smaller "caliber" 😆
 

 

 
...and my chocolate box 🙃😂
 

 
Cheers,
Matt

He is doing it correctly.
La Créole 1827 by archjofo - Scale 1/48 - French corvette - Page 59 - - Build logs for subjects built 1801 - 1850 - Model Ship World™

There is also the Pfingst rotary tool...

There is also the Pfingst rotary tool...

Perhaps, Wefalck, you are more experienced in photoetching than me. I was a complete greenhorn in it, starting from point ZERO!
For me, strangely enough, preparing my artwork, and later on copying it onto laser transparencies, wasn't a problem. Just time consuming. The transparencies (my "negatives") turned out quite fine, enough details, sharp borders and nice b/w contrast. I saved them onto a thumb drive and took it to a nearby Kinko, asked them to photocopy them on laser transparencies, using their highest resolution and max. contrast. They turned out quite nice, certainly adequate for my purpose.
Then, I tried to prepare my brass plates, sanding them into madness, sand paper, starting from about 1000 to 3200 grads. Then I didn't know if I shoud rinse the brass with some isopropyl alcohol or another degreaser. Mr. Berger later on told me that he doesnt' use any degreaser, just sandpaper and makes sure that the water runs off from his brass in "sheets" and doesn't "gather up". So, I stopped degreasing it, after having some problems with it. Than, there was a problem with applying a film (photoresist) on my plates, first removing the outer, curled up protective plastic sheet with sticky tape. It turned out that the photoresist, being very thin, was reacting differently, if I cut a piece from the bigger roll with an exacto knife, versus if I cut it with a pair of scissors. If I used an exacto knife, sometimes I had real difficulties separating this protective layer from the emulsion; that layer wasn't separating nicely, was tearing up the emulsion, and so on... Frustration!  But when I used scissors, the separation along the edges was somewhat easier - I don't know why?
Then, I had a problem with applying the piece of photoresist (exposed emulsion side down onto the brass). If I used a clear tap water to rinse the brass after sanding it untill it looked raw and shiny like a baby's behind, I would find that, after laminating the "sandwich", the tap water would be leaving blotchy, milky spots between the metal and the layer of photoresist, even though before the lamination everything looked perfect. These spots would later on make etching difficult and uneven. So, I started using distilled water for rinsing brass after sanding. That helped.
Than, there was a problem with adequate exposure time in my home made UV light box. I had to determine the best time; not too short, because the emulsion would be too soft and the developer would wash away EVERYTHING, or not too long - than the emulsion would harden so much that the developer would not remove completely areas to be etched away later on. My optimal time turned out to be about 90 seconds (45 seconds on each side, while exposing both sides simultaneously). Generally, if you use a specific UV light source (with appropriate UV light lenghts), the exposure time is much shorter, that with using a regular incadescent lightbulb. And the etching process is more even.
Finally, I had to determine proper concentrations of my chemicals. Mr. Berger gave me some tips, but it turned out that I was using a wrong developer. It was supposed to be Sodium Hydroxide. And mine was! I got it inexpensively from somewhere on line. And I was using 20% concentration - 1 part of this lye to 4 parts of water - like in Mr. Berger's tutorial. But my developer wasn't developing anything! I was getting more and more frustrated and started already to think about etching my plate in some kind of professional etching service.
Then I changed my developer into the one from Micro Mark. A major difference! I started getting some results!!!
From that point on, it was just a matter of finetunning the entire process.
So, as you can see, there are multiple variables to determine before you'll start getting acceptable results.
Then, in order to further improve the quality of your etched parts, perhaps one has to perfect further his artwork. I agree with you on this point.
 
Also, one has to remember, that there are many other chemicals and processes used in photoetching, which require yet different variables to perfect it. I just was using Sodium Hydroxide for developer and Ammonium Persulfate for etching, trying not to complicate everything too much.   :-)
 
Best regards,
Thomas

For more info on the topic, check out this link:
Photo Etching - do it yourself - Metal Work, Soldering and Metal Fittings - Model Ship World™
 
I did not use the Micro Mark kit, since my pieces had to be way bigger - hence I had to build my own UV exposure lamp, get a bigger laminator and a bigger developing tank. I based the entire procedure on the very informative tutorial by Gene Berger (link included in the above mentioned thread), so I used different chemicals and exposure parameters than those proposed in the video. There are many ways to "skin the cat", one has to choose what is better for him and what is available in his area.
This is definitely doable at home, but it is a learning curve - one has to determine all variables based on one's trials and errors.
Do not expect to do it once and end up with gorgeous results! Patience!!!
Have fun...

For more info on the topic, check out this link:
Photo Etching - do it yourself - Metal Work, Soldering and Metal Fittings - Model Ship World™
 
I did not use the Micro Mark kit, since my pieces had to be way bigger - hence I had to build my own UV exposure lamp, get a bigger laminator and a bigger developing tank. I based the entire procedure on the very informative tutorial by Gene Berger (link included in the above mentioned thread), so I used different chemicals and exposure parameters than those proposed in the video. There are many ways to "skin the cat", one has to choose what is better for him and what is available in his area.
This is definitely doable at home, but it is a learning curve - one has to determine all variables based on one's trials and errors.
Do not expect to do it once and end up with gorgeous results! Patience!!!
Have fun...

For more info on the topic, check out this link:
Photo Etching - do it yourself - Metal Work, Soldering and Metal Fittings - Model Ship World™
 
I did not use the Micro Mark kit, since my pieces had to be way bigger - hence I had to build my own UV exposure lamp, get a bigger laminator and a bigger developing tank. I based the entire procedure on the very informative tutorial by Gene Berger (link included in the above mentioned thread), so I used different chemicals and exposure parameters than those proposed in the video. There are many ways to "skin the cat", one has to choose what is better for him and what is available in his area.
This is definitely doable at home, but it is a learning curve - one has to determine all variables based on one's trials and errors.
Do not expect to do it once and end up with gorgeous results! Patience!!!
Have fun...