SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse 1897 by Mirabell61 - FINISHED - scale 1:144 - POF - first German four stacker of the Norddeutscher Lloyd line

[popeye the sailor]

very nice work Nils........been out of the loop for a spell,  so I had quite a bit to catch up on.  she's coming along really great though and I see you've already started with your fine metal work    the stern is looking better and better with every bit of detail you add to her.

[S.Coleman]

Fantastic job, Can't wait until the hull plating starts!

[Mirabell61]

Thanks for looking in Denis and Scott,

and all the "likes"...

 

Denis,

I have the wooden hull smooth and treated with filler where necessary, all is covered with one coat of nitro- Wood-bounder, to fix the grain.

The forecastle deck is very much rounded down to the sides typical for this ship (like some fishing Trawlers have), that is what I`m working on right now. These rounded side Areas of the forecastle deck will be plated as well...

 

 

Scott,

thanks for dropping in,....

The plating of the hull still needs to wait until I have the decks on, and the upper two rails mounted to the sides

Nils

 

Ammendment :

 

here a non scaled hand-scetch for illustration,,,,

 

 

 

 

Edited August 4, 2015 by Mirabell61

[dgbot]

Nils, what do plan to use for the plating copper,styrene or simulate with paint?

David B

[Mirabell61]

Hi David,

 

I use Aluminium metal foil for the plating,

please have a look at the examples in my "Pamir" build log beginning there on page 4 with post #65 of that log and onward....(link in my signiture)....

 

Nils

[Mirabell61]

Build log part 14

 

 

preparing for the decks, cutting out card templates, will be using 0,8 mm ply and plank this with 1 x 2mm scaled pine strips, pencil "caulking" at the plank edges

 

Nils

 

 

 

inbetween I do 2 more windows at a time...

 

 

 

the forecastle card template and  half the front waist template (one deck lower). The outer limiting timbers (forecastle sheer) will be shaped to fit the rounded transition from hull to deck

 

 

 

half poop deck template

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Omega1234]

Hi Nils

 

It looks like you're off and running, now that the hull planking is done (in readiness for the plating) and you're onto the deck templates.

 

The brass windows look great, as well. Out of interest, how long would it take to knock each window up? I dare say you've got a few to do, so time minimisation would be a good thing.

 

In terms of the overall appearance of the hull so far, the last photo above really gets my heartrate going. Not only is the hull sleek, but she's shapely as well.

 

Lastly, have/would you at some stage consider converting her into an RC model?

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

Edited August 6, 2015 by Omega1234

[Mirabell61]

Thanks Patrick,

 

in answer to your questions...

 

the average time for a window like this is 15 minutes, and there are (my Count)  84 of this type, so that makes 1260 minutes = 21 hours

 

Yes, I have thought of RC Controlling, because the  propshafts  are functional, but I would have had to add some complicated gear System to the ruddershaft, inside that tail-cone. So I rejected that thought at an early stage already, I also trust that the ship will be much to fragile for water contact. Also I do`nt know how the plating (adhesive gluefilm) would behave in water...

 

Nils

[captainbob]

What beautiful lines, I can see why you wanted to build her.

 

Bob

[Mirabell61]

What beautiful lines, I can see why you wanted to build her.

 

Bob

 

 

exactly Bob,

 

I think the lines of a ship are one of the first impressions that the eye recognizes, I just fell in love with these lines...

 

Nils

 

Nils

[captainbob]

And that's the way it should be for all of us.

 

Bob

[mtaylor]

She's going to be a beauty, Nils.  Lovely lines and your usual excellent details are already showing up.

[Mirabell61]

Mark,

 

Thanks very much for your appreciative words,...

 

Nils

[ioannis]

Pits propeller??

[ioannis]

Amazing.amazing.amazing

[ioannis]

Never seen that

Many thanks Martin, for the Proxon Hand-Band-sander I had this one in mind (maybe something for christmas ?)That triangular sander was once a special offer by one of our crafter markets Nils 100-xl1.jpg

[Mirabell61]

Pits propeller??

 

No,

general fixed pitch prop design on screw driven steamers around year 1897..

 

Nils

[ioannis]

Thanks Niels.

By the way i have  just red about the dramatic  end the ship had and how.... Rather than let the enemy capture  they ordered the ship to be scuttled using dynamite..

[Mirabell61]

Update for forecastle- and first waist deck,

 

It all looks a bit rough in the moment, The front waist-deck was made to the card template and can now be removed for planking. Need to check the hights with the little 1:144 figurine

 

The forecastle deck will need the anchor tubes with suit taylored outlets to the bow sides fitted in, before it is planked( only about 2/3 of it`s area (pics will follow later on )

 

Nils

 

 

 

 

my little room for the rough work

 

 

 

I fixed a preliminary,horizontal  (loosenable) steel-rail, to which the drawing can be clipped (magnets)

 

 

 

The funnel arrangement in two groups provides the first class dining resaurant and lounges to go over the full width of the ship, this has been well accepted by the passengers, This design had also been adopted for the follower liners of the Norddeutscher Lloyd, and gave an unmistakenable silhouette for identification from the distance

 

 

three deck high, and over the ship`s width, the 1 st class dining saloon

 

 

 

the little white figure is used for determining the correct deck-highjts

 

 

 

here the deck curvature can be nicely seen

 

 

 

when clicking on this pic (to enlarge) the hand drawn frame distances on the drawing can be seen. I chose 26 frames over the ship`s length

 

 

Edited August 8, 2015 by Mirabell61

[Omega1234]

Hi Nils

 

Thanks for the update. Nice progress! I like the idea of being able to hang the plans, so that it's easily studied.

 

Also, I never realised how big the ship must have been untiI I saw the scale sized figurine.

 

Cheers and all the best!

 

Patrick

Edited August 8, 2015 by Omega1234

[ioannis]

Your method and generally your work is accurate as surgeon.

keep walking Niels

[dgbot]

Your model is really taking shape I can hardly wait to see the super structure. Good idea to use a scale figure to determine deck height.

David B

[captainbob]

She's coming along nicely, and she's being build in a fine space.

 

Bob

[Mirabell61]

Many thanks to Patrick, Ioannis, David and Bob,

and the "likes"...

 

as the outer deck railings will be only 8mm high, I decided to favour rather foto etched stripes from copper sheet. instead of built railing with stanchions. Have to work out a suitable way to fasten These to the related hull /deck Areas. The ordered samples unfortunately did`nt arrive this week. The upper most of the 6-chord railing is the handrail which is of Wood on the actual ship, but in scale 1:144 I`ll have to put on a very small U-shaped brass liner stradling over the upper edge, and paint it in wood color. (at least thats my Intension, if there comes no better solution to mind)

 

Nils

[LFrankCPA]

Nils,

The plastic guys attach photo etch railings with regular PVA white glue....you might consider that...

Hope this helps,

Larry

[Mirabell61]

Thank you for your Input Larry,

 

maybe I`ll go for your suggested solution,......

but I`ll try the use of a mini L-angle brass Profile to the deck , so that the railing stripe can be carefully spot soldered to it, if it wo`nt look too messy afterwards. if the L-rail perhaps is soldered on to the railing stripe first, the other flange of the re-drilled profile could be pinned to deck for fastening (going to be a tricky excercise anyway...)

 

Nils

[Mirabell61]

Build log part 15

 

Status update:

 

today I cut into the hull sides at the waist areas, the front area lowest point, right down to the deck and the aft Area, leaving an 8mm high bulwark standing. Next will be the deck-planking job in these waist areas. The raw decks  were dry-fitted and are ready for planking

 

Unfortunately I found no figurines in scale 1:144 in fashion of 1900 clothing, pleas, does anybody know where to find some ? 

The only ones I found are out of the airlines scale figurines, and I`m not so fond of military figurines, but I´m happy to have some at all for dimension checks

 

Nils

 

 

 

a Dremel grinder is good for this work

 

 

 

the second raw deck is laying on the second stringer from top, the upper stringer has been cut away, so the remaining bulwark is flush with the inside of the side planking

 

 

 

the port side will have to be brought to the same status

 

 

 

the 8mm raw-bulwark is in hight slightly above figurines waist hight, handrail still to be fitted

 

 

 

 

 

the forecastle deck is still a card template

 

 

 

 

 

[Omega1234]

Hi Nils

 

Now that you've cut the hull sides, as per necessary, to create the bulwarks, it's all starting to make sense now.  I must've been a bit thick, but I couldn't quite understand why your hull plating had to be put on hold until the decks were laid out.  Now, of course, it all makes sense!  Definitely one of those 'lightbulb' moments for me.

 

Having said that, wow, she looks good.  The bulwarks and the figurines add a tantalising glimpse of what the completed ship's going to look like.

 

Nice!

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

Edited August 11, 2015 by Omega1234

[Mirabell61]

thanks Patrick,

 

the work now is quite a long haul job to get all the decks to fit.   I plank the decks before mounting them, so  they can be sanded smooth and sealed with a dull varnish. All walls, deck bulwarks and -housing go on top of the planked decks. When the decks are on for permanent, there will be several rails to the upper hull sides. The metal plating does not go over the rails but fits neatly in between these.

 

I had a upsetting experience last week, when I had tilted the window of my basement workroom to allow nitro fumes of the wood sealing primer and it`s nitro smell to escape over night  ......

In the meantime we had much rain and bad weather, so that the high ambient humidity fell through the tilted window into the basement room just looking to settle on and in my hull. Next morning some of the longitudinal white glue joints (planks glued together at the edges as well) suffered swelling from the moisture a bit, and the nice smooth hull felt as if it needed a sanding and fairing session again 

 

I decided to leave as is, watch it over the week, hoping the glue swell will go back by itself. and to use watertight white glue (propeller glue) next time. Its getting better now day by day

 

Cheers,

 

Nils

[Omega1234]

Hi Nils

 

Thanks. Hopefully, you're right about giving the glue joints time to settle back. I have my finger's crossed for you and hope that you will not need to re-sand too much of the hull.

 

All the best!

 

Cheers

 

Patrick