Nirvana

The transport ship Montevideo Maru from WW II has been found by Australian maritime archeologist. 

This is the biggest Australian loss of POW and civilians. All together she carried 850 soldiers and 210 civilians.
She was sunk by torpedoes from US submarine that had been following her.
Montevideo Maru was on her way from Papa New Guinea. She resting at 4000 meters depth.

Photo: Silentworld Foundation / AFP
This will her resting place.
 
 
 

A delayed birthday gift to the love of my life.
Her birthday was in February.
This is a non-glue kit from Ugear and it's the second I built.
I truly enjoy the snap together. 
The unit got a coat of Wipe-on-poly.
 

A delayed birthday gift to the love of my life.
Her birthday was in February.
This is a non-glue kit from Ugear and it's the second I built.
I truly enjoy the snap together. 
The unit got a coat of Wipe-on-poly.
 

A delayed birthday gift to the love of my life.
Her birthday was in February.
This is a non-glue kit from Ugear and it's the second I built.
I truly enjoy the snap together. 
The unit got a coat of Wipe-on-poly.
 

A delayed birthday gift to the love of my life.
Her birthday was in February.
This is a non-glue kit from Ugear and it's the second I built.
I truly enjoy the snap together. 
The unit got a coat of Wipe-on-poly.
 

A delayed birthday gift to the love of my life.
Her birthday was in February.
This is a non-glue kit from Ugear and it's the second I built.
I truly enjoy the snap together. 
The unit got a coat of Wipe-on-poly.
 

A delayed birthday gift to the love of my life.
Her birthday was in February.
This is a non-glue kit from Ugear and it's the second I built.
I truly enjoy the snap together. 
The unit got a coat of Wipe-on-poly.
 

A delayed birthday gift to the love of my life.
Her birthday was in February.
This is a non-glue kit from Ugear and it's the second I built.
I truly enjoy the snap together. 
The unit got a coat of Wipe-on-poly.
 

Well I am starting to feel much better although I am not making any rope or blocks yet.   Still very exhausted.  So my inventory will have to wait.  But I did spend a relaxing day yesterday working on Speedwell.  Mostly out of boredom.  I dont know how some folks can sit around all day doing nothing.
 
Anyway...this starts chapter 3.
 
The square tuck and counter planking.  
 
Everyone knows a square tuck can be very very tricky to make so it looks good.  Rather than fart around with individual elements I decided to take a shot at doing it the exact same way the model builder of the contemporary model did his square tuck.  Unfortunately for him...he didnt have a laser cutter.
 

It took a really long time to get the shape absolutely correct so I liked how it fit.  But once that was done, it took about 15 minutes to bevel the outside edge.  There is a laser etched line for that so it was easy.   
 
I also added the planking within that tricky framework as laser etched lines.  This included treenails.  But the treenails are for placement only.   They are same size as we will treenail the hull planking.  So you can drill them and use 15 pound black or dark brown fishing line for your treenails.   OR...just use the laser etched ones as the final because it still looks pretty darn good.
 
Then glue them on the model making sure they are lined up port and starboard.
 

 
Keep in mind how a square tuck was used and its purpose.   The plank ends would butt against this frame on the forward side.  So it needs to stand proud of the frame already on the model when positioned.   This should be by about 3/64" all the way down.
 

Then its time to plank the counter.  The counter planks are laser cut just like on the Winchelsea model.   They are pretty straight forward.   Sand the sides flush when dont with the hull so planking the sides of the hull will be nice and neat.
 

 
With that done I wanted to take a stab at seeing what the colors of the model will eventually look like.  The contemporary model is painted with solid areas.  The counter being almost a dark blue gray...almost black.   A dark blue stripe down the sides of the hull with a read stripe above that.   
 
I wanted to see what a frieze might look like keeping the same color scheme rather than just paint solid areas like the Contemporary model.
 
So in my sick boredom state...I colorized the template and made a first go at a stern frieze and hull frieze.   Just to see how they would look.   They are just taped on.  Now I realize this might look weird with not seeing the black wales present, but it actually does give you a good sense of what this color scheme might look like.   Once the moldings and wales and stern carvings are added it might look very good.   Imagine the insides of the ports red and the bulwarks as well....In fact I think I like this far better than just painting the hull with solid colors.  What are your thoughts...Any comments?

 

 
 
 
 
 

Phil, I have just read through your five-page posting. And I certainly learned a lot. And I am going to use the idea going from a square to create my mast.
The old dowels are not straight anyway.
Many thanks for the tips and ideas of yours as I will use them when going back to my 40 year old Constructo 1851 America (which is still not done)🤔.
 
 

Here are some photos of the Syren 5/16" (8mm) assembled blocks with internal straps. I decided it would be better to assemble the straps in the blocks before staining. I assembled some with extensions for attaching hooks or shackles and some without, all determined by the rigging plan for my model.
 

 
If you look closely you might see that I didn't follow Chucks instructions exactly. For all of the blocks I extended the metal straps across the entire height of the blocks. I am not sure how tightly the aliphatic resin glue will adhere to the metal straps, so I made the straps as long as possible, extending from top to bottom of the blocks. This meant that the holes for the "axles" of the sheaves are blocked by the straps.
 
Chuck includes about twice the length of strap material as needed for the blocks, so if you screw up you can try again. He also supplied a wire (pin) that can be installed through the axle hole in the block and then filed smooth with the surface of the block. But if you run the straps the full length of the block as I did the wire will not fit through the block.
 
Instead I mixed up a batch of JB Weld epoxy and put some of this in the axle holes. The JB Weld is dark grey like the wire, so the holes are filed with something that looks like the metal pin.
 

 
A you can see these are really nice blocks - even if I didn't get perfect alignment of the extension for the shackles. The hardest part of this was drilling the 0.020" holes in the 0.03125" straps. I had about a 75% success rate - it's a good thing Chuck supplies extra strap material!
 
Now they are ready for staining. If it ever quits raining here (we are well into April and it is still snowing and sleeting) I will get outside and stain the blocks.

It's a fallacy that one needs to turn a mast or spar! After all, full size masts and yards are shaped with hand tools, not on an enormous lathe. Also, in model work, thinner pieces will flex too much and possibly snap if turned, unless well supported.

I am resting....I am just playing in the shop.   Its when I have to make tons of parts that I get worn out.   I am just drafting some designs and solving some problems on the computer.
 
Its all good.   No inventory is being made today for sure.  Just a leisure slow day in the shop sipping tea.
 
Chuck

They do offer a darker brown in this material but I selected this medium color for the test.
 
I think I am going to have to replace all the deadeyes on my Winnie now.
 
The dyed deadeyes on the main channel look so muddy and non-descript by comparison.  Or maybe I should test the darker brown as well.  Anyway...
 
The details are so much more evident on these new deadeyes.  I will certainly go ahead and make a full compliment of these and blocks also for my Speedwell.   I will only start mass producing though if there is enough interest.  I hope so as I think these look so much better than the old ones.
 

Thanks for the well wishes…
would you guys be interested in dark brown deadeyes that dont require dying?
 
These are just like my current build them yourself deadeye kits.  
 
3mm thru 7mm
 

There are just two layers for each deadeye.  Just glue the two halves together for seven deadeyes at a time with thin set CA and remove them from the spru.  Then tumble them to suit .  
 
They are super crisp.
 
I like how Greg dyed my blocks on Speedwell and I am trying to develop a full line of blocks and deadeyes that dont require messy dying.  
 
I want to use them on my Speedwell when I rig her.  Here is Gregs model with deadeyes dyed with Fibings dark brown.
 

Chuck, you do deserve to catch with life and health. Your Admiral (Wife/Lady) is a wise one.
I do enjoying making my own rope using your tool. This way I can experiment and make more when needed at the moment.
Blocks is another story, that is what I will be back for later on.
 

Chuck, you do deserve to catch with life and health. Your Admiral (Wife/Lady) is a wise one.
I do enjoying making my own rope using your tool. This way I can experiment and make more when needed at the moment.
Blocks is another story, that is what I will be back for later on.
 

Chuck, you do deserve to catch with life and health. Your Admiral (Wife/Lady) is a wise one.
I do enjoying making my own rope using your tool. This way I can experiment and make more when needed at the moment.
Blocks is another story, that is what I will be back for later on.
 

Chuck, you do deserve to catch with life and health. Your Admiral (Wife/Lady) is a wise one.
I do enjoying making my own rope using your tool. This way I can experiment and make more when needed at the moment.
Blocks is another story, that is what I will be back for later on.
 

Chuck, you do deserve to catch with life and health. Your Admiral (Wife/Lady) is a wise one.
I do enjoying making my own rope using your tool. This way I can experiment and make more when needed at the moment.
Blocks is another story, that is what I will be back for later on.
 

New Gun port hinge mini kits will be available tomorrow.  They are laser cut from a special high density plastic.  These were made specifically for the Winchelsea but I am sure they will fit other models.   They are .040" wide and 21/32" long.  I have ordered some material that will also produce 1/16" wide hinges (slightly wider).  But that hasnt arrived yet.   Some prefer a wider strap.   Those can easily be shaped differently too being extra wide. I will show that after I get them.   But these are the narrower ones and perfect for the Winnie or even Cheerful.   There are 36 hinges per package.   They can be made shorter if needed as well.   
 

1.  What a hinge looks like straight off the sheet.
 
2. Round off the bottom with fine sandpaper.  Drill a small hole for the split ring if needed.  Use a #76 drill bit for a 28 gauge wire ring.
 
3.  What the gport hinge pin looks like straight off the sheet.
 
4.  Sand the actual pin slightly thinner and to a point.  This will be inserted and glued into the hull above the port.  Also  insert and glue a length of 28 gauge black wire into the laser cut hole and cut off the excess as shown.  Use CA glue as it is plastic.
 
5.  Join the hinge strap and hinge pin by slipping the wire pin into the hole of the strap.  This makes a working hinge.
 

Once glued onto the port lid, you can sand the straps even thinner.  Just gently sand the face of the port with fine sandpaper and taper the hinge straps even thinner if you like.
 
Apply weathering powder if you like that look.   Make some split rings (not shown) and add them on the hinges as is typical.  
 
The store will reopen tomorrow as I am mending from a really bad flu....cant do much so I am just hanging around the shop till I get over this.  I had to shut down the store because I am out of stock with other things and just cant make any more rope until I feel better.  But there are about a dozen packages of these in stock.
 

 
Chuck
 
 

Anchors getting base coat textured dark iron before rust applied and the wood layers are complete 


A crew assembles to watch impatiently as their ship constructs 
 

Now the decks. I had them dead flat black


 
It didn’t look right in comparison to some references

 
So I decided to do a light tan primer and then oil paints overtop in effort to make a wood appearance



Ochre and burnt umber oils specifically, lighter where walking and use occur, darker in corners.
 

 
And then a black oil paint added for accents 

 

 
I cannot for the life of me remember what inspired me to have this specific look

We are getting close to full catch up progress
This will be the curved rail and the end baluster …turned  from styrene with a styrene circle base and top
Heat bending styrene is much like herding cats . I would have preferred to use metal or wood, but here we are.
Inspiration from a design in 3D for smart people who use their printer

 
Bending styrene rail

 

 

 
And then pretty much the final form save some weathering

 

Welcome to the Pirates world "Me Hearty"     I  too  built  her  the  Revell   version  and added  a  crew of  naughty  pirates.
 
OC.