robdurant
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Everything posted by robdurant
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I've spent a while trying to work out how I could paint modelspan to represent sail cloth, but I seem not to have the knack, so having worked my way through a fair bit of acrylic paint and not come out with anything I was happy with my attention turned back to the sails contained in the kit. The sails have to be cut out and then double hemmed, with a 0.75mm rope (3strands, 1 threads per strand, #20 DMC Cordonnet) worked into the second fold. I've chosen not to include any glue (because it easily creates ugly watermarks) and to simply sew the hem. Sadly my sewing skills are not as good as I might hope, but I was pleased enough with how it turned out. There's plenty more to be done yet, but it's not a bad start. The next step should be to stitch a bolt rope round the periphery.
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Happy Christmas everyone. I have a little progress to report. I've almost finished the ship's boats, and I've added the stands to the deck house roofs. I've also been working on rope-making. I've worked out the combinations I want to use for some of the standing rigging now, using the rope-rocket. Namely: Lower mast stays: 4 strands at 2 threads per strand of No. 50 DMC Cordonnet crochet thread (makes 1.1mm rope) This is then coloured using Rit Cocoa Brown dye (I tried using Colron wood dye, but it seemed to have very little effect on the rope) - approximately 1 tsp of dye for 500ml water, with a few drops of washing-up liquid. This is heated gently on the hob, and then the rope dipped in it. I tried simply dipping the rope in, but it tangles horribly. I've also tried drawing it through, but this is horribly messy. Finally, I tried making hanging the rope loosely coiled from brass wire - this allows me to dip it and draw it all out in one go. I've also been working out the best way to do the sails, but I'll post that as a separate entry.
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Wow... this is impressive. My eyes wouldn't cope with 1:700 these days.. I remember trying not to breathe attaching a rear rotor blade to a lynx helicopter for a British type 42 destroyer in 1:700, but nothing approaching the results you are getting here. Very nice
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As promised, albeit slightly off-topic - here are a couple of photos of the Bireme I've just completed... I'm really pleased with the results. Not perfect, but pleasing, nonetheless, and not too bad for a first attempt at a rowed vessel. Happy building to you all Rob
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Well, life gets busy, and suddenly months have passed. I've finally finished the Greek Bireme, which I've named Ἀθηνα (Athena). It has the Owl sail, and will soon be setting sail for its new home. I haven't taken the final pictures yet, but I'll post a couple here when I do. Having finished the Bireme, I'm now able to pick up work on Stefano, which I'll admit I was somewhat daunted by. Today I've managed to get my head back into the things I was trying to accomplish. The cleats (part 70) are 2mm walnut, and I was concerned they would simply disintegrate or pull off the rail when they had rigging attached to them, so I've replaced them with some metal cleats I had left over from my Ethalion build. These have a 1mm rod on the bottom that provides for a stronger connection. I've also picked up the work on the lifeboats and adding the lifeboat stands to the forward deckhouse roof. Only a little progress, but it's good to be moving forward again. Happy building, to you all, and I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas! Rob
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Love those props... looking really smart, now.
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David's looks remarkably similar to the one onboard HMS Victory in Portsmouth. Perhaps this was the source? Very nice work, David. Rob
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Looks like a great start. Hope you don't mind if I follow along.
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uploading pictures
robdurant replied to David56's topic in How to use the MSW forum - **NO MODELING CONTENT**
If you use a quality around 85-90 you shouldn't have any issues at that resolution of 1200x1600 pixels, and the image should be good quality and not showing any noticeable compression artefacts. -
Thank you Bob. A simple build, but a very enjoyable one.
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Right, an update is long overdue. Not a huge amount to show on Stefano, as I'm working to finish off the Greek Bireme I'm building for my wife... I've finished putting the eyelets onto the masts. There's still some detailing to be done, but they're getting there. In Greek-Bireme-land, things are moving ahead, too... I'm making oars now... one by one, by one, by one.... More soon, hopefully. Happy building to you all. Rob
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Hi Valeriy, I echo all of the high praise being given for this superb model. I wondered whether you used some form of stamp to create those cross-shaped pieces for the flywheels? Or are they cut out by hand... regardless, the accuracy and consistency of your work is quite astounding. All the very best wishes for you. Rob
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Looks like you're well set for an enjoyable build. Hope you don't mind my following along.
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When you add pictures to your post, so they show in the attachments box just below the text, but then you don't insert them into the text, they are automatically added at the end of the post instead... you can remove then if you want by editing the post, hovering over that attachment in the box under the post text and clicking the black x on the top right corner of the attachment you wish to remove. You've done a beautiful job with this model. The varnish has brought out the wood really nicely. Looking forward to seeing all 4 masts stepped... she'll be even more impressive.
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- Spanish galleon
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Here's a photo I took in Victory which gives some idea... for some reason I didn't take any wider angle pictures in there...
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Hear hear
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Excellent description and a very clever method. Thank you David. Rob
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Apologies, as I may be the only one who is terribly slow on the uptake. Would you mind describing how you use this dipping trough? Specifically whether you wrap the rope round the bobbin and lower it in as a batch, or whether you use the bobbin to hold down the rope as it is pulled through from one side to the other? I face exactly the same task of colouring standing rigging, so I'm very grateful to you for describing your experiments. I'm also thrilled to hear that you've made the breakthrough with the colron wood dye. Those wouldings look great Thanks in advance Rob
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Hi all, Thanks for all the likes. A very brief post today. I haven't stalled completely, but holidays have caused the shipyard to slow to a crawl. I've now planked three of the ship's boats with the thin walnut, and covered two of those with paper "planking" to create a clinker effect. In addition, I've made a start on a Dusek Bireme, as a much more portable holiday project that I can take away with me (she's 39 centimetres from bow to stern). There are excellent build logs on that kit already on the forum, so I'm planning on just enjoying that one as a build, rather than posting a log, unless anyone particularly wants me to put up some pictures. Here is one of progress so far, however. I've got a link to the pictures I'm taking of the build in my signature (or click here "ἈΘΗΝΑ (Athena) (6th Century B.C.) Greek Bireme").
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A new post, because this progress is completely unrelated to the posts above. I've been working on making sails with modelspann... I've made a frame to allow the tissue to be prepared from wood with card corners to strengthen in... And I've been working on the ship's boats again, finishing off the planking of 71.1 the largest boat, hollowing it out, and adding clinkering using paper on the outside. The next step with these will be to detail them (the part on the left above will form the floor of the boat, but before that goes in I need to add ribs. I'm pleased with how it's going so far. Right - sorry for so many updates... I'll try and keep up a bit better in future.
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Finally, I made up the rail that forms the attachment point for the gaff sail on the mizzen mast. This is made from brass photo etch eyes and brass rod, and marked the positions onto balsa which was used to hold the parts while they were soldered. By transferring the positions onto masking tape, they could then be moved onto the mizzen mast to ensure the holes were drilled in the right positions. The rail was sprayed black before fitting. I have turned the yards for the main mast, and here is a photo of the main yard taped in position... Having turned this yard, and left it in place as shown, I went out for lunch, came back and it had completely disappeared. Eventually, I realised it had rolled down the back of my boat building table behind a row of cabinets... 45 minutes later, I'd finally retrieved it... to my great relief.
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Thanks for the likes. Having worked on the dolphin striker, I added the sheaves, eyelets and bands around the bowsprit and the main topmast, and painted the white sections. The sheaves that mount to the sides of the bowsprit are made from photoetch, and I found this a challenge again. Holes are etched in to allow the structure to be mounted to the bowsprit, but the gap between the holes was so thin that I found it impossible to bend the photo-etch without it bending where the holes were. Instead, I made my own band to go round the sheave. Here is the photoetch part... And here's how it looked after I'd tried to bend it (those who are more au-fait with photo-etch may well see what I'd done wrong here?) And the part I eventually made from copper... And here is the finished bowsprit (with the dolphin striker fitted but only half completed) And the topmast to topgtmast transition now detailed...
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Definitely time for an update... I've got somewhat behind in the updates so it might be a couple of posts. First off was the bowsprit detailing, and in particular the dolphin-striker. This was shaped from 2mm brass wire, tapered at either end, and then bent into a hook shape at the top. Once shaped, fittings needed to be soldered on. Four hooks, two on either side of the striker, act as guides for the various rigging lines that pass by the striker. Then chains attach towards the bottom end of the striker. There is a beautiful, fine piece of photo etch that is supposed to sit on the front of the striker as an attachment point. I tried to use this, but I was clearly too clumsy as it crumbled in my hands before I had the chance to try and fit it to the striker. I struggle to imagine it would have held up to having the chains attached, and almost certainly wouldn't have stood up to my rigging process. Instead, I fashioned a simple strap using copper offcuts from the hull tiling fret) that formed two anchor points, one in front and one behind the striker. It looks appropriate delicate, but is actually quite sturdy, so I feel much more confident this will do the job. More progress has been made, but I'll post another update after dinner Happy building Rob
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I don't. That would be a question for @MarisStella.hr . I have noticed that in various places on the plans there are detailed sections shown in 1:21, which obviously works better at 1:63 than 1:64, but yes, it doesn't work quite as well for imperial as 1:64 / 1' = 3/16". Thankfully I'm of the generation that was taught both metric and imperial at school in the UK, so neither phase me too much. Thanks Rob, That makes perfect sense. I am enjoying watching your Glory of the Seas come together no end.
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Quite a shift from Wyoming, but equally fascinating. Thanks for sharing your development steps And amazing to think that (if I'm right) Oregon was launched 10-20 years before Wyoming....
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