Greenwich Hospital barge of 1832 by druxey - FINISHED - 1:48 scale

[Bill Hime]

So much for finishing up furniture designs tonight! I just used up the last couple hours reviewing this build.

 

Druxey,

 

This is mind boggling to see such clean detail at such a diminutive scale. You are a master artisan. You've changed my perspective on my approach to every detail. So much to be learned here.

 

Best Regards,

 

Bill 

[EdT]

Druxey,

 

In my experience metallic paint is always difficult (i.e. disappointing).  To simulate brass and gold or silver braid or buttons on military miniatures I worked through a lot of different materials.  In the end the best result came using metal powder purchased from an art dealer mixed with a binder just before use.  Oil based binders, however, darken with age as I am sure you know.  There are now some acrylic products sold for miniatures painting that do not yellow that work fairly well.  I believe Liquitex sells a gold acrylic.  Miniatures paint from a company called Vallejo is about the same.

 

Good Luck.

 

Ed

[druxey]

Thanks for the tips and support, everyone. It is much appreciated. I will be experimenting with different 'gilt' finishes over the next few days.

 

The first photograph shows the ends finished in gold paint. This was unacceptable, as previously mentioned.

 

The second picture shows the inner side of one end piece and the other stripped of finish. There is a channel running across the lights between the layers which will enable me to slide the frames for the lights and glazing in after I finish the outer sides.

 

The third photograph shows the ends of the coach temporarily in place. After the seating is in place the ends will be permanently installed and the sides constructed to a sliding fit.

 

Next be to constructed will be the seating inside the coach.

[mobbsie]

Hi Druxey,

 

What your achieving here is very impressive mate, I know its late but mind if I tag along.

 

Be Good

 

mobbsie

[mitbok]

Just in case - Rub n' buff has several shades of gold. 

If you are afraid that gold will prevent seeing fine details, bitumen

patina liquid can be used to bring it up.

Here is an example of it used (not on gold though)

[BANYAN]

Another fine update Druxey; a very interesting log and great build.  As a matter of curiosity, you mention using acetone to remove the gold finish - how do you get it off, especially out of the crevices, without damaging the detail or the wood itself?

 

cheers

 

Pat

Edited April 1, 2016 by BANYAN

[druxey]

Pat: I used a paintbrush to remove the finish after flooding and softening the paint.

[druxey]

Some progress while I wait for various 'gilding' materials to arrive. The coach benches are made and installed. For the moment the forward and aft coach bulkheads are temporarily slotted into position and still removable.

 

The plan of the coach indicates a locker lid aft. The benches were cushioned for the benefit of the Lord Commissioners' backsides, so these are next. I'll model them based on the ones seen in Prince Frederick's barge

[paulsutcliffe]

looking fantastic Druxey, lovely work

[dgbot]

Lovely piece of work.

David B

[druxey]

And here are the seat cushions. They were carved from some pear stock 3" thick. The piping along the edges was some fine line left over from another model. It was applied using acrylic matt medium. Had I used white glue, it would have dissolved when I painted the cushions with acrylic paint. I may deepen their color.

 

Experiments with 'gold' are beginning to yield promising results. More soon.

[mtaylor]

Ah... carved cushions.   Cool.  I had visions of some very small stitchery and down stuffing.   

Edited April 1, 2016 by mtaylor

[Phill Elston]

What... Not stuffing them for the authentic amount of bounce?? Call yourself a model maker??? :-p

Edited April 2, 2016 by Phill Elston

[AON]

common guys

they had it harder back then... literally     

[druxey]

Horsehair filled...or straw. 

 

Finally have solved the gilding issue. After some experimentation I am using Golden artist color brand acrylic tube paint. It is called Iridescent Gold (fine). The particles are much finer than in other brands I've tried. Photographing this is difficult, but the photos give some idea of the result. Keen eyes will notice I've repainted the blue strake a dark green-black, referred to as merde d'oie. (If you don't know French, look this up!)

Edited April 2, 2016 by druxey

[Maury S]

Looks fabulous.  Translates well too.

Maury

[cog]

The gold looks like a metallic lacquer to me, but that will certainly be the photograph. The other colour ... I would expect some white-ish streaks in it ... with reference to the name

Edited April 2, 2016 by cog

[captainbob]

Ah... carved cushions.   Cool.  I had visions of some very small stitchery and down stuffing.   

 

 

What... Not stuffing them for the authentic amount of bounce?? Call yourself a model maker??? :-p

 

I suspect druxey had trouble finding 1:48 scale geese.

 

Bob

Edited April 2, 2016 by Cap'n'Bob

[RichardG]

I suspect druxey had trouble finding 1:48 scale geese.

 

Bob

 

Humming Bird feathers?

 

Richard.

[jbshan]

Was watching John Wayne The Shootist the other night.  He had a red cushion with gold tassels he 'stole from a cathouse'.  ???  Nothing about geese, although perhaps a reference to 'Winchester Geese' is in order.

When druxey finishes up with those cushions, you'll swear you can feel the fur on the velvet cover.

[Gerhardvienna]

Hi druxey

 

Great built, and getting even better!

 

Regards

Gerhard

[druxey]

Thanks again for all of you who are dropping in on this log.

 

Further progress sees the completion of the gunwale and its extension aft as a moulding. The aft section of gunwale is 1½" thick, rather than ¾". You can see the step up forward of the cabin area. The moulding section was wet-formed on the plug (lowest photo), then painted and applied to the model. It has a C-curve in one plane and an S-curve in the other.

 

It was necessary to complete the gunwale before proceeding with the coach sides. I'm now cutting and fitting card pattern pieces for the coach sides.

[paulsutcliffe]

Great idea using the plug to form the shape, I would have been trying to do it on the actual hull, one to remember

Lovely work druxey!!!!!!!!

[Louie da fly]

Beautiful work, as always. Just a quick question from far earlier in the build. What's the purpose of the gesso on the plug? I can understand the beeswax, to stop adherance, but what is the gesso for?

[dafi]

What a nice gem :-)

 

Love it, Daniel

[druxey]

Louie: Gesso gives a nice, smooth white surface that takes pencil or ink well when marking out planking runs and butts.

[alangr4]

 

Exquisite work Druxey. As always.

 

In your research any sense what the original vessel would have been made of?

 

Impressed too by your innovation with the base! Have you used that method before?

 

Alan

[Louie da fly]

Thanks, Druxey. I thought it was probably something like that.

 

Steven

[Canute]

Gorgeous work. Really nice colors along the gunwales.  

And I can see why the French called the cushion color what they did. Spot on match for what I saw every day on my horse farm.

[Jack12477]

Very nice  !