IJN Yamato by Wblakeny - DeAgostini - 1/250

[WBlakeny]

Time to get the ship of the the building board.

 

 

In want to be able to fix the ship securely to the building board again later on. Or on the final stand as well.
First i draw the middle line on the bottom plate and indicate two spots to drill the wholes.
Making sure that i'll drill them between the bulkheads.

 

 

I'm using two "inslagmoeren" called in dutch. Don't know the english term for it? Impact bolts ? 

 

I'm securing those between wooden blocks.

 

Yamato-91
 

I glue the finished blocks between the frames, and securing the spaces between them with scraps of wood.

 

 

The yamato lying around in the shipyard.

 

[Canute]

Here in the US, we call them T nuts. A good, sturdy mount you've made, Chris. Nice job, so far.

[WBlakeny]

Ah, that are those T nuts. Thank you Ken. 

[WBlakeny]

Next are the boat and aircraft hangars/decks.  First the platform outside the boat hangar is put in place.

 

 

The parts for forming the aircraft hangar and the boat deck are seriously warped as well.

 

 

For the boat deck i want to put in a support at the right height, in order to get that deck straight.  So i glued a piece of scrap wood.

 

 

By glueing an clamping them on all the points, i'll straighten the deck.

 

The sides of the boat hangar glued in place.

 

The floor of the boat hangar is put in place, with a little plank as a spacer to keep the floor on its place.

[WBlakeny]

Cleaning up the superstructures.

 

The pieces of the superstructures were glued rather messy. So i used isopropanol to unglue the components.
Afterwards i use a sharp chisel to remove the glue remnants of the components.

 

The former builder has used a color which is not correct and which is too dark to my liking. 

 

With Acetone i removed the paint.

 

 

And for the smaller parts in a smaller container.

[cog]

You've got some pre-cleaning to do Chris. I wish you luck and perseverance

[CDW]

My most recent installment of the Yamato, I received month 7 of the Soleil Royal instead of the month 7 of the Yamato. 

When I called DeAgostini, they told me "sorry about that...just keep the Soleil Royal installment we accidentally sent out and we will send you the correct month 7 installment for the Yamato." 

And that's about all I've done with mine so far.

 

Yours on the other hand is coming along beautifully! 

[WBlakeny]

@ Carl,  yes, i had much precleaning to do, but it's done now. Now i can start the building without looking backwards again.

 

@ Daddyrabbit, thank you, i like your schnellboot.  I'd like to build one, in the future as well.  They are remarkable crafts.

 

 

[WBlakeny]

Start of planking!

First we need to sand the bulkheads so that the planks can rest completely upon the bulkhead.

 

Then placing the first plank on each side. Using wooden spacers, i keep the pressure upon the plank while drying.

 

After the first plank, i need to bevel each adjacent plank. I do this using a file or a sharp knife.

To reduce the pressure upon the planks, i soak them in a bottle of water. Afterwards i place them upon the ship and let them dry overnight.

First 5 planks in place.

[WBlakeny]

Continued planking the first belt of the ship.

 

 

First belt of planking completed.

 

[cog]

Nice jig to clamp the planks Chris. She'll be looking like a ship pretty soon

[WBlakeny]

Continued planking

 

 

To provide more support for the planks on the stern, i glued a plank on the inside of the ships bottom plate.

 

 

Using my electric plank bender, i preformed the curvature of the plank at the bottom.

 

 

Continuation of the planking at the stern.

 

 

I've started also to fill up the gaps created during the planking.

 

[WBlakeny]

I've started on the armor belt.

 

 

There's need for special care for the armor belt at the boat hangar.

 

[popeye the sailor]

WOW!!!  awesome build........kin I watch?    very nice recovery work going on..........planking is looking super!

[WBlakeny]

Welcome aboard Popeye!! 

[CDW]

Just a month ago, I was looking through a search on Amazon for Woody Joe models (and they offer a wide selection) and found a 1:250 Yamato kit for $289! 

Because I have been receiving the monthly installments from DeAgostini and am currently at month 8, didn't quickly move to buy it though I should have. My remaining 4 installments will cost me more than the entire kit from Amazon. 

When I looked for it again after a week or so, it was gone. Not surprised really, someone got a fantastic deal on the complete kit.

[reklein]

Your progress is coming along very nicely. However I do have to make a comment on the KIT quality. Why should one have to make so many adjustments on an already very expensive kit? This is not just DeAgostini but almost right across the board. In my 60 years of modeling I've always had to replace or add wood and parts to complete a wooden kit. Always it seems that something is warped or missing or not enough material has been included. Also in the Yamato's case material and instructions should have been supplied to achieve a realistice hull shape and texture. Anyways I hope  this isn't taken as a rant on your workmanship, just criticizing wooden ship kits in general.

[popeye the sailor]

both comments are valid......but it boils down to the simple fact that most kits are generic.   they are cost effective to sell.   whatever date,  refit,  theater,  or era,  the subject is to be,  is up to the modeler to decide.   pretty much every kit I've gotten,  I've spent extra for wood or fittings.  it comes with the territory.

[WBlakeny]

Yep, i'm with you guys on the quality of the kits. There's always need for some kit-bashing or replacing wood. Or like in this case, strengthening the hull.

 

In this case, i will also change the wood of the deck planking. I'd like to use some cedar wood for it. I'll not paint it black but leave it natural.

I already ordered some extra PE for more detailing, as i've noticed DeAgostini uses wood (too thick to scale) for the platforms on the superstructure.

Unfortunately there's not much choice in detailing sets for the scale 1/250.

 

Another thing, i will do, is simulating the platings of the hull. I was thinking of using copper tape. I intend to do a tryout a piece of scrap wood.

 

For the painting, i'd like to imitate Greg's SUPERBE Yamato. But i've never used an airbrush before, so i'll have to test it on something. 

I'll be getting an  H&S Evolution, a birthday present from my wife. 

[CDW]

You are going to LOVE that H&S airbrush. 

[Jörgen]

Agree with CDW. Try the airbrush with the new MRP Paints http://mrpaint.sk/ (only drawback is the smell) and the result will be perfect. 

[CDW]

6 minutes ago, Passer said:

Agree with CDW. Try the airbrush with the new MRP Paints http://mrpaint.sk/ (only drawback is the smell) and the result will be perfect. 

Those MRP are enamel paints? Do they recommend their own brand of reducer, or will generic products work.  

[WBlakeny]

Thank you for the tip on the paints Jörgen. I'll look into it.

[Jörgen]

They are lacquer based quite close to alclad ,that is the problem with the fumes. However, the airbrushing with them is a pleasure. They cure very hard and cover very well. They are pre thinned in the bottles so it is only to spray. It works very well to use the Mr hobby levelling thinner on them. You can do the smallest dots or line with perfect blending result and they never clogged like water based paints. Also the cleanup is very easy. But a vent or respirator is needed.  Here are two reviews on them, one from Flory models in Uk and one from Dogs models in US. Sorry WBlakeny for posting all these things here but I want you to have a really good start with the airbrush and it can't be easier than this.

 

 

 

[WBlakeny]

17 minutes ago, Passer said:

... Sorry WBlakeny for posting all these things here but I want you to have a really good start with the airbrush and it can't be easier than this. ....

 

 

No problem, that's the reason why i have a build log, to get some advice and information about stuff i can use...

So thank you!

[WBlakeny]

Continued planking on the bow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[WBlakeny]

Continued planking. 

 

I've started on the last belt of planking, just above the armour belt.  

There are some gaps appearing between the pretapered planking provided by DeAgostini and the plank that needs to be placed just above.

 

 

To provide a support underneath the gap, so i can fill it up later, i glued some scrap pieces of wood behind the plank. Making sure they don't rest again the bulkheads.

 

 

Then glue the plank on its place.

 

[WBlakeny]

Last thing to do is the beginning of the armour belt at the front of the ship.

Therefore a plank needs to be tapered.

 

 

Putting it all in place.

 

[WBlakeny]

YES, she's all planked! She turned into a ship.

I also glued the boat deck structure (the metal pieces).

 

 

 

[popeye the sailor]

nice looking hull......nice contour at the bow