CSS Alabama by J11 - Revell - 1/96 scale - PLASTIC - kit bash 90% historical accuracy

[J11]

On 5/15/2020 at 10:13 AM, Hubac's Historian said:

Hi Jonathan - can you remind me of the sail paper, please?  Is it Modelspan?

 

As for authentic sail color, perhaps take a look at the photo-log of Hermione on her maiden voyage across the Atlantic, after completion of her construction.  That will likely give you a fair idea of realistic weathering.  

Oops, yes these are modelspan.

[J11]

Test build #1, worked awhile putting this one together to see if it will work for all the others. I discovered it will work ok, just have to fine tune some drying procedures and watch the coloring as I add some extra pieces. This isn't a finished sail for install as it was application procedural technic. The wire will not be incorporated as I was going to do, these mold into shapes nicely and eliminates a extra step towards the final product.

 

Some images:

Adding some definition pieces along with strengthening the sail.

 

 

 

Adding the rope for the sails:

 

 

 

Tie offs in miniature:

 

 

Seems the coloring works well with the model but I will be adding white highlights to the sails for some more definition.

 

[Bill Morrison]

Your Alabama is stunning!

 

Bill

[J11]

Many thanks Bill! Glad you like her. She not finished yet and will be awhile as sail building is a little slow to get all 28 done right and looking good.

[Bill Morrison]

1 hour ago, Jonathan11 said:

Many thanks Bill! Glad you like her. She not finished yet and will be awhile as sail building is a little slow to get all 28 done right and looking good.

Jonathan,

 

Believe me, I know.  I bought the HiSModel set for the Alabama to help ease the problem on mine.  I know, it is the easy way out!

 

[J11]

Just a quick update, I have gotten it down to three hours per sail for finished product and have been building away, I'll post images of all of them when finished. I'll tape them on the ship also to give a better idea as to what they will look like on the ship when finished. Delicate rascals, but I'll be a expert sail builder when I'm done!

 

[Gahm]

Sails are looking awesome - a great addition to a beautiful model!

 

Thomas

[J11]

Thank you @Gahm. Yep I'll be a happy camper when I have them all done. Then I can finally start rigging away and get this one under glass.

 

[J11]

I'll be posting some more images soon, been tied up with family Covid mess along with property chores and renovations. Sail work is still ongoing as had to mothball her again. Thanks for the patience. Should have images by next week. 

 

[popeye the sailor]

checking in on your progress....great tutorial on sail making    I've never used that type of stuff before........most I've made have been cloth.  sorry to hear of the covid issues.....hope all are doing well.   she a beautiful ship!

[Old Collingwood]

Yep, echoing   what Denis  said  - hope all is Ok with you and your family?

 

OC.

Spoiler

 

 

[J11]

Thanks for all the compliments along with good wishes. Finally things are calming down along with the Covid mess which hit home but we were fortunate it didn't hit our home. Other family members did have a bout and all recovered, but we had to scramble to care for them along with quarantine problems for three other homes. Freaking mess, and getting everything cleaned was extremely time consuming. But it's done deal now.

 

Here's some images for those still interested, sail prep with the masts along with reef points is what I'll be working on for this week. Should have all the masts finished by next Sunday then start slowly sewing the sails on, one by one for mast attachment. She's back on the table ya'll and again thanks for the patience!

 

Sail prep images:

 

 

 

Sail primary setup to see how they look. Eh, not to shabby:

 

 

 

 

Hopefully I'll have more soon on progress. Good to be back on the table!

 

 

[Old Collingwood]

Glad all Is Ok  with you all,      that is looking so sweet   with the sails.

 

OC.

[Hubac's Historian]

Definitely still interested!  I am happy that you and your family have found your way through COVID.  This past year has been a DOOZY!

 

The sails are really looking fantastic - I love all the detailing. The sail silhouette, up and down the mast, looks just right to me 👍

Edited November 1, 2020 by Hubac's Historian

[J11]

@Old Collingwood, @Hubac's Historian, glad the sail positions along with the silhouette's look right. I'll try to add some furl to them also when I start the gentle rigging on them. Glad you guys like the way they look. As being my first attempt on these I'm very self criticizing so yawls opinion's helps! The boom sails will be last of course as all the others have to be in place along with the masts so I can measure them correctly and then make those from scratch also.

 

Going over the sail masts tonight making sure I still have all the parts and pieces to mount them correctly and looks like My stashing worked well. Going over all my prints; I'll mount the sail masts first then rig them then start to put the sail on each one with care. These sails are touchy and fragile, I suspect I will tear a couple during installation and will have to make some more.

 

Anyone have ideas for making those reef points quick? I'll need about 300 from my basic count and would like to make them on a assembly line if possible, just don't know how yet as I will search out the blogs later tonight to see others procedures.

 

Thanks for the interest and all the likes!!

[mtaylor]

It's great to see you've returned safely back to the bench.  

[J11]

Well this is a learning process on these sails, building and then mounting does take a tremendous amount of time for the first few. Been about 3 days putting this one together along with mounting work. Not to bad, I'll work on mounting to the mast tonight and see if I can post some more images later. 

 

I did use four sizes of rigging to give more detailing on them, I'm pleased with how they are turning out. Shaping will work great when I put the other rigging lines on them for curvature as being wind blown. I'll work out the wind direction for them when I start mounting them to the masts. Then duplicate the angles for the others. Might just run these straight wind as the boom sails might look better that way when added. Decisions, decisions.

 

One down and many more to go:

 

 

 

 

Hopefully have the mounting images soon also. Well gentlemen; thoughts on how the first one looks?

 

 

[Hubac's Historian]

It looks as great as I had hoped it would!

[J11]

Thanks @Hubac's Historian, bunch of work for these and well worth the time for detailing her out. Excited to get this one done along with putting the boom sails on. Will be a couple more months probably but I'll see how they go. 

 

Also wishing all good health, wife is in quarantine for Covid-19, found out today when she went to the doc. So I'm stuck at home and have to work on my model.. shame. She'll be fine as I feel she doesn't have it but was exposed and they go nuts when this does happen.

 

Plenty of model time now.

 

[Keith Black]

Great work on the sail, Jonathan. My thoughts are with your wife, hopefully she puts this behind her quickly. 

[J11]

Hey @Keith Black, many thanks! Crazy stuff and I'm real tired of dealing with it but we all have to work threw it.

 

Worked real gently and managed to mount the sail. Looks like I got the size on the money and will be working on the others tomorrow.

Here's a few images to show the mount, thanks for the input on them gentlemen.

 

 

 

 

 

Post some more images soon, thanks for the likes!

 

 

Edited November 6, 2020 by Jonathan11

[Old Collingwood]

That is looking so Damn impressive  - really worth the effort with the sails.

 

Keep smiling my friend   all the best.

 

OC.

[J11]

@Old Collingwood, much appreciation. Working on sail #2 tonight for awhile and hopefully can speed up the process.

[Hubac's Historian]

I am thoroughly convinced that this silkspan method is the way to go.  As long as you go to the effort of proper scale and silhouette - which you certainly did! - then, they read so much more naturally, at this scale, than cloth.

 

These sails are really going to accentuate all of the other upgrades and modifications you made, Jonathan.

[J11]

@Hubac's Historian

 I was worried at first that they would overwhelm the model and make her look junkie with all these sails. But as I was working on them along with checking my references those fears dissipated. 

 

Using the material, I do have to admit it's stronger than I figured, also and am impressed by the strength when adding the rigging and extra parts to the sails. Just takes the time to put together properly from the start and using the right glues for bonding too.

 

Plus it just goes to show that listening to others suggestions really pays off. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

 

 

 

 

 

[Hubac's Historian]

Would you mind describing what different glues you used to construct the sails - particularly the bolt ropes (think that’s what they’re called) around the sails?

[J11]

52 minutes ago, Hubac's Historian said:

Would you mind describing what different glues you used to construct the sails - particularly the bolt ropes (think that’s what they’re called) around the sails?

Sure, I have used a combination of Gorilla Household glue with a 1/4 mix of Elmers extra strong formula. Then around the corners when adding the blocks and tying them off for my loops I used just a small amount of Maxi cure BSI. With the BSI it was just a micro drop as not to use to much because it will discolor the sails, plus I need the flexibility on the corners. The drying time was six to twelve hours depending on how much was used as I wanted them tight and dry before starting the final touch's.

 

@Hubac's Historian, works well and so far they are holding up just fine with no tearing.

Edited November 6, 2020 by Jonathan11

[Hubac's Historian]

Thanks for the info, Jonathan!

[mtaylor]

Sails are looking very good, Jonathan.  The proof is when it's mounted.   I hope your wife can come out of quarantine without any issues.

[J11]

@mtaylor, glad you like them also. I have completed the second sail for the main mast and will have images of it tomorrow. Got her mounted and just waiting for it to dry before I work with the mounting hardware a little for fine tuning.

 

My wife's doing fine and showing no symptoms nor I so I feel were clear, as I have said before it's a real pain. The county and state though have large increases which is troubling. Thanks for the well wishes, really appreciated.

 

Thanks for all the input and likes everyone!