US Brig Niagara by cdrusn89 - FINISHED - Model Shipways - 1/64 scale

[cdrusn89]

I decided that since I have built the ceiling planking separate from the framing that it would be prudent to add the eyebolts and breech tackle rings for the gun tackle and the cleats (mooring and "regular") to the ceiling planking before installation. So I made up 32 (plus a few) sets of eyebolts with 1/8"split rings and blackened them along with a similar number of plain eyebolts that will be installed on the ceiling planking sections. It is my intention to build a jig (probably two - one for each side) to ensure the eyebolts and breech tackle rings are positioned correctly on each ceiling planking section. Here are the eyebolts and breech tackle rings drying after blackening.

 

[cdrusn89]

I got a new Paasche Talon airbrush yesterday ( I did not care for my existing Paasche VL siphon feed airbrush and I took my instruction with a Talon soooo) and this is my first attempt at using it ( after practicing on some paper and blank wood). I masked off the wales (they will be hand painted black) and the top of the frames (a 1/32" X 3/32" trim piece (painted black) will be glued here) and the far side. I will likely go over this again as I was not all that pleased with the paint (too thin I think) and need to get better coverage of the plank-sheer in the way of the gun ports (although this will get additional coverage when the waterways, plank-sheer and ceiling trim pieces are painted red later).

Edited July 26, 2018 by cdrusn89

[cdrusn89]

I finished up painting the bulwark trim pieces and the plank-sheer, waterways and interior plank trim pieces - all went well with the new airbrush - at least so far. Here is another shot of the masking to paint both inside and outside in one session.

[cdrusn89]

To maximize the "pre-outfitting" (a term used in US Navy shipbuilding in the 1980/90s) I decided to install the various cleats shown on the plans on the ceiling planking before the planking sections are installed on the hull. I got he six mooring cleats from the kit and used some 5mm cleats that I had gotten from Syren Ship Modeling for a previous build but did not use them all. Smoothing out and painting tohe mooring cleats was no issue but getting the laser char off the 5mm cleats was a real pain, plus there are 11 of them on each side. I think I spent more time filing off char and then putting on a coat of clear flat on the 22 cleats than I did masking and painting the hull. Here are the cleats in the storage box waiting for me to finish painting the ceiling plank sections.

Edited July 27, 2018 by cdrusn89

[Ric Smith]

You are moving right along with the ship. Nice job. I am still in NY and have tried my hand at scratch building a small row boat that came out quite handsome I think. Might do a build log. Not sure.

[cdrusn89]

With the bulwark trim pieces painted it is time to "fish or cut bait" with the bulwark planking. So I trimmed the bulwark sections to fit now that the upper filler is installed and glued the sections in place. Picture shows the stbd side with nine of the eleven planking sections installed. Some how, after check fitting the sections what seems like a hundred times, one of them ended up 1/8" short and the forward most section just did not fit the way it should so I am back to rebuilding these two. I am going to fit the port side sections before starting them as I now fear one or more of them are not correct. That is really maddening - that I would not notice an 1/8" error. Oh well, getting older and not wiser I guess.

Edited July 28, 2018 by cdrusn89

[Ric Smith]

Looks good from here!

 

[cdrusn89]

Thanks, Ric,

 

 

[cdrusn89]

The port side came out better than the stbd - no glaring mis-measurements and only minor "adjustments" were required to get the bulwark planking sections to fit. On to redoing the two stbd side sections and then installing them and "on to the ceiling" so to speak.

[cdrusn89]

I sometimes get the feeling that everything is going along too well. Such a feeling came over me yesterday and now I know why. I discovered while trying to figure out what cleats and eye-bolts I could pre-outfit on the ceiling planking before installation that I had somehow mis-measured and eight of the eighteen sweep ports are not where they should be - see picture below. I am going to try my hand at building the entire section between gun ports (for the affected sweep ports) as a single unit. This will make painting somewhat more complicated but will (hopefully) validate that I should have done all the rectangular gun port sections this way. I had hoped to try this on a subsequent build but need to fix this error and it looks like a good place to start.

Edited July 30, 2018 by cdrusn89
correct spelling mistake

[cdrusn89]

Here is what the model looks like with one "new" sweep port section and one of the incorrect ones removed. I have not tried painting yet (obviously) as I want to get all the new sections completed before I tackle that. Also a picture of the completed section before being fitted onto model for dry fit test. The red in the picture is from the Bondo filler I had to use to fill in the gaps inside the sweep port. Perhaps I will figure out a way to reduce or eliminate the gaps as I proceed.

Edited August 1, 2018 by cdrusn89

[6ohiocav]

Gary,

 

Good catch. You will be glad you made this correction at this time. Symmetry is important. Perhaps as important is the fact that the position of those sweeps will affect future decisions for placement of many other items.

 

Looking real good.

 

[cdrusn89]

Darrell - thanks, and I did briefly consider leaving them "as is" but then I have no idea what the impact might be when fixing them (without essentially "starting over" is no longer an option. Plus, it would not ever look right, at least to me and after all I am the Captain (at least for this small part of the world) so it better look right "or else"!

Edited August 1, 2018 by cdrusn89

[6ohiocav]

Gary,

 

I would add that your decision to build these as separate compartments is ingenious. It looks like it would be easier to shape and a better platform to add the gun port and sweep linings (which took forever). Also much easier to paint. good tip.

 

 

[cdrusn89]

So the eight new bulwark/ceiling modules are complete. I decided that the bulwark side would taper and the ceiling side would be straight. I used 1/8 X 1/8 stripes at the bottom and 3/32 X 3/32 for the remainder of the internal structure. I used 5 pieces of the 3/32 x 3/32 and then sometimes added a 1/32 or 1/16 piece on top depending on the actual height at the location being replaced. Here is what a "starting point" looked like.

[cdrusn89]

On the bulwark side I added four 1/32 X 1/16 strips butted on the bottom strip. These strips were tapered to "zero" at the top to provide a smooth transition from the 1/8 thickness at the bottom (thickness less the planking) to the 3/32 at the top.

[cdrusn89]

After tapering the supports I added the trim pieces around the sweep port. I started with 1/16 x 1/32 but shifted to 3/32 x 1/32 to make sure I had "extra" material to sand down at the edges of the sweep ports. I found it easier to add a longer piece and then trim when the glue dried. Maneuvering small pieces with tweezers is not as easy at it once was. The key I found was only getting the glue where you want the wood to stick - Dah.

[cdrusn89]

With the sweep port trimmed up I added the 1/32 planking using a 1/8 wide piece at the bottom and 3/32 on the sides of the sweep port and at least the first row above. I used a combination  of 1/8 and 3/32 pieces to match the height of the internal structure (which hopefully matches the height at the location in question. Here is a module with the bulwark planking completed. I cut all the planking long and then used a disc sander to trim back to the measured length. This is the one that convinced me to use thicker material for the sweep port trim pieces.

Edited August 1, 2018 by cdrusn89

[cdrusn89]

The ceiling planking is added in a similar manner using 3/64 thick planks and adding the sweep trim pieces as on the bulwark side.

[cdrusn89]

So here are the eight new sections, after sanding with 400# waiting for paint and other outfitting items (cleats, eyebolts, etc.). I am struggling with how to paint these since there are now several colors on each side of each module (red and yellow on bulwark side and red and dark green on the ceiling side). I had used my new airbrush to paint the red and yellow seen in previous pictures but they were done separately with only minimal masking. Trying to paint the red and either other color may be beyond my airbrush/masking skill level.

[Srodbro]

Gary

I used a similar methodology when building my solid hull Niagara, but created a jig for each section.  Since my solid hull didn’t have any timbers extending above the deck, I had to create my own structure. I then used the same jig to form the ceiling.  

The details can be seen in my build log. 

 

 

[cdrusn89]

So I have completed the eight new sections of bulwark/ceiling and got them painted and am ready to work the pre-outfitting on the inside. While waiting for the paint to dry I created the mooring chocks that fit in the bottom of the stern gun ports and gave them a coat of clear flat.

[cdrusn89]

After what seemed like days (was really only hours) I got all eight modules masked so that I can spray the red trim on the inside and outside. It probably would have been faster if I did it by hand but I have this big investment in an airbrush and HAVE to use it now to justify the cost to HQ. So here are the eight pieces in the paint booth. I put a #4 X 3/4" wood screw in the bottom of each modules so I would have a way to hold it while I painted. I am expecting it will take several coats to cover the dark green. I am now thinking I should have done the painting in the order of the colors, i.e. first the yellow, then the red and the green last. Oh well, live and learn - hopefully.

[cdrusn89]

Well, my first mask and spray job didn't turn out as well as I had hoped, but not too bad overall. For whatever reason I had more trouble with paint runs and such on the bulwark (yellow) side than on the ceiling side. Clearly some touch-up required on one side or the other on every module. Some of the runs and missed areas are clearly the application of the masking. Others are probably due to imperfections in the surface that the masking could not overcome. Others probably are just bad luck and inexperience although I am not sure what I would do differently other than play closer attention to where the masking goes, especially the second, third etc. pieces. It took six pieces on each side and there were several cases where an initial section that was supposed to get paint did  not because it was covered up by a subsequent piece of masking.

Next step is to"fix" the issues with the paint and install the gun eye-bolts/rings and the cleats and chocks of the interior sections and then rip out the offending sections and replace them with these. 

Edited August 5, 2018 by cdrusn89

[cdrusn89]

The offending sections on the port side have been removed and the new bulwark/ceiling planking sections are dry fit. Have to touch up the sheer-plank and waterway paint and then will install these and the other ceiling planking sections. Working on pre-outfitting the stbd side sections while waiting for paint to dry.

[cdrusn89]

Spent most of the day pre-outfitting the starboard bulwark modules and installing some on the port side. Below are the stab side modules showing the ceiling planking side (only four have a bulwark planking side) and the port side modules that have not already been installed. Next is to complete the rip out on the starboard side and then get the modules installed. Also have been working the stern and transom areasand there is a quick shot of each.

[cdrusn89]

Finally all the modules are done and installed on the hull. Some minor touch-up where clamps or other tools left marks but that will only take a few minutes and a dab or two of paint. Now it is on to the hull or deck planking, probably hull as I have not decided what wood to use for the deck planking. I have enough of both boxwood and Alaskan cedar in the 1/16 X 3/32 size. I am leaning toward the cedar since it is a bit lighter than the boxwood and I think would provide more contrast to the dark green and red interior. Anyone have any thoughts, cautions as I have not worked with cedar before?

[cdrusn89]

As I was preparing to start the hull planking I decided this would be a good time to do the counter planking and Fashion piece so I would have a firm location for the aft end of the hull planking. The instructions and plans only indicate using 1/32" thick planks so I used more of the 3/32 X 1/32 planks from the bulwarks and a piece of 1/16 X 3/32 at the forward end beveled to match the 1/32 counter planks. For the fashion piece(s) I used 1/8 x 1/8 along the quarter stanchions and counter and 1/16 x 3/32 to blend into the similar sized piece at the forward end of the counter. I will clean this up when finished with the hull planking and final paint the transom and counter when doing the flat black painting on the hull.

Edited August 12, 2018 by cdrusn89
typo

[cdrusn89]

I completed planking belts A and B but not without some drama. I accepted the plan's version of the belt locations as they looked pretty good when I laid them on the hull but I made a major error when actually laying them out for band A. I neglected to use the hull planking layout drawing instead relying on the profile drawing (won't make that mistake again!). The result was that the portion of Band A around bulkheads O, P and Q was much narrow than it should have been. I caught the error when laying out Band B and had to make the band B planks in the area wider than the would otherwise have been and added on stealer on each side. Anyway, I believe I have everything correct now for Bands C and D - where the "real work" begins. So far I have used planks of 1/16", 3/32" and 1/8" widths (some basswood, some boxwood - which accounts for the varying wood colors) depending on the maximum width of  each particular plank. I did follow the instructions for laying out the plank seams although my experience is that for a painted hull these are pretty much invisible. Here is a close-up of the stern area where I "corrected" the error in the Band A layout and two overall shots of the hull as it stands now. Blue tape is protecting the completed bulwarks from damage - hopefully.

Am going to Colorado for a wedding so there will be no progress for 5 days or so.

Edited August 16, 2018 by cdrusn89

[cdrusn89]

Completed planking on port side and have bands A, B and C done on Stbd. Have not had to use anything but water to soak a few planks so far. Taking the weekend off to watch some Red Socks baseball in person in St. Petersburg. Will finish the stbd side when we get back and then the real full - filling and sanding.