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

[J11]

12 hours ago, Hubac's Historian said:

Thanks for the info, Jonathan!

I had forgotten to mention that I add a small amount of filtered water to the glue mixture also for ease in applying. 

[J11]

Here's a tooth pick trick in helping to tie those difficult corner loops, also these don't have drilled holes yet for reef points and boom mounting. As long as you slowly drill them it works great. I am also very pleased in the strength of the sails with just one paint coat, along with one light glue coat; over the whole sail during assembly. Was expecting them to tear and split during the added detail work, tough stuff.

 

 

The second one is up and mounted, will have to do some touch up painting on the mounting hardware and will wait till I get all of them mounted for final touch's before I rig them. I'll post some more images when I have the other two sails I'm working on mounted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sail construction is moving better as I have gotten procedures down pat for them. I will wait to rig all of them once I have all installed , plus have to order some more blocks. The two new sails will take sixty plus reef points (image one) so I'll be tying all morning and in hopes they will be mounted by tonight. More to come soon.

 

 

 

 

[EJ_L]

Truly incredible and worth the effort.

[J11]

@EJ_L, the slow process is paying off. I'm going to have to reorganize my work table as the boom sails will take up almost the whole table for installation. Looks like fourteen inch's in width when the boom sails are installed. As long as I don't over rig these using bigger rigging rope; all the tie ins should be in scale. Might have to experiment a little to get them perfect along with color.

 

For those whom might want to tackle this plastic kit in the future like I have: Using clothe sails would have weighted the booms down to much, with these paper sails being utilized there is hardly any weight. plus we get some really historical looking sails with color and size.

 

I agree well worth the effort. Should have some more images tomorrow.

 

Thanks for all the likes and visiting my progress.

 

 

[J11]

Been working away on her, here's a quick update. Sails are going on great and should have all the main masts finished by tonight and will post a couple images.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tooth pick trick, really helps in putting these together quickly, she's looking fairly good and will have to be extremely careful on rigging as my fore mast has already broken during install. Man these masts are fragile!     

 

 

[J11]

Fore mast and main mast competed, working on front sails today and will hopefully have a couple installed by tonight.

 

The boom sails will be worked on also for measurements since I have the main masts completed and can take my measurements accordingly. I can't believe I might have to order more silkspan as  it looks like I don't have enough for the booms sails but will have the amount figured out soon.

 

Looking like a fine sailing vessel and pleased with the outcome so far:

 

 

 

 

 

[shipman]

Jonathan, I'm following your splendid project.

I'm looking forward to it's completion, hopefully you will do something about the dogs dinner surroundings when you present your final photo's.

[J11]

Thanks @shipman, dogs dinner surroundings? You got me there? But I will image at a better location for final completion images. The glass case is going to be rather large for her as I make them myself. Figure it's a couple of months off till competed, thanks for following and your interest.

 

[J11]

Quick update, fronts sails are on, rigging will commence later on:

 

 

 

I'll post some more hopefully by tomorrow night.

[Gahm]

Those sails look fantastic!

 

Thomas

[J11]

@Gahm, thanks glad you like them. Not to shabby for a first timer. Many hours have gone into putting them together along with research to try to get them as historically correct as possible. The trick is going for the rigging placements as this will be a surgical operation to intertwine proper placement along with block mounting threw all the tiny block holes without damaging the model. Will probably slow down to a crawl to get these right when I start. Luckily I feel I have all the tools I need to get er done.

 

Might have some more images later on today.

 

Thanks for all the likes and interest everyone!

 

[J11]

Been having trouble with personal emails but have gotten around the problem for now. These images were suppose to be posted last night but failed coming threw my files on emails. 

 

So a couple more images of the front sails installed with better detail:

 

 

 

 

[J11]

Sadly, what I am trying to do with this older plastic kit is almost impossible. The fragile plastic pieces incorporated with wooden pieces held together fairly well with just a few mishaps. But when sewing the sails onto the yards and masts it has broken in three major places along the mast and the yards. 

 

If someone in the future want's to do this to the plastic kit as I have done, I don't recommend it at all. Work with a wooden CSS Alabama kit which will be much stronger to work with than older fragile plastic piece's.

 

I won't give up on this assembly, as I am now working very carefully to repair the broken parts and will have some images of the completed sail which has caused the breakage, but it will take many more hours of careful assembly to get this section done. Hence why I have not uploaded anymore images in the past few days. I have completed one major repair and waiting for other piece's and parts to dry before I attempt to repair the broken yard and mast attachment areas again.

 

So      

[J11]

I have a success in repairing and will have to be very careful with the boom sail installs to make sure I don't break anymore parts. A couple of small repairs need to be finished but the central fore mast boom gaff sail is finally installed. Here's some images after repairs and another sail installed.

 

 

 

 

 

I'll be working on the main mast gaff sail today also and might have some images by tomorrow. Plus doing some minor repairs, glad I have the Maxi cure glue as this is whats really helping in repairs, I'll have to do touch up paint after awhile to hide some repairs, and blend them in.  

 

[Hubac's Historian]

I know these setbacks must be incredibly frustrating  J11, but hang-in there, Dude!  You are doing an amazing job!

 

This is always the problem with these old plastic kits.  I dread the eventuality, myself, as the pressing of SR I am making is about as old as I am; 47.

 

Keep going, steady as she goes - you will get there, and we will all celebrate!

[J11]

Many thanks, yep with this one it's 1 step forward 5 steps back.    As we all know precise work with big hands does cause problems sometimes and that's my main problem along with weak old plastic. I was encouraged with the rigging at first as all went well and tight, now I'll definitely have to be real gentle with the future rigging. 

 

I'm also concerned about the boom sails as the yard mounts don't seen to be strong enough for me to mount them so I'm thinking of beefing up those mounts when they are added, just have to see how the rigging with the mounts will work in strengthening. I should have just made all the booms and masts out of wood and probably wouldn't have had this problem. Oh well that's what you get sometimes with a antique kit from the 70's.

 

 

[EJ_L]

My father has similar issues with his plastic Connie kit. The plastic has become so brittle that he has been forced to abandon much of the original in favor of custom made or extras that I had laying about. 

 

Well done for powering onward and recovering. She has become a fantastic build, and so close to finishing.

[J11]

Happy Thanksgiving MSW!!

 

[DanielD]

WOW! Your work is amazing. 

[popeye the sailor]

superbly done Johnathan........she's filling out nicely  

[J11]

@EJ_L, @DanielD, @popeye the sailor, thanks for all the compliments and likes gentlemen. So far she is holding together with; believe it or not, a tighter torque on the front mainstay. Was pleasantly surprised at the mainstay tightening which also straightened out the mainstay yard better when I worked to fix another breakage. But that's the max I can do on utilizing the rigging as a stronger support base and any more and she will explode in many piece's. 

I'll have some images tonight later on as my camera is a charging. I'll finish up on the sails I have made by tomorrow and then start all the other rigging with tweezers and rigging tools and watching my hands as I weave threw all the yards, masts and detail piece's in the way for tie downs. One decision on the rigging is the color for definition and enhancement of colors for her. Either white to really accent the rigging or tan to golden brown or possibility of using them all. Been pondering for awhile on it and am open to suggestions. Once the rigging is in place it will stay , no turning back or redo's as would be a dangerous operation for this fragile model. Then to work on the boom sails a making, heading into the final completion phase of this rascal and immediately put on the mount board then under glass. Then image's of final finished model and on the model shelve she goes ...woo hoo! I'll be drunk finishing night so no phone call's please. 

 

So I am almost there. One interesting item is the rigging placement as I am using three to four different sets of plans to finish the rigging off. Bluejackets plans, Revell's plans, and also older Alabama plan's from A.J Fisher; ( Michigan) along with builder, Captain, and plans book by Summersell; to rig this baby out right. Plus some historical wood cut images for reference and paint finish detailing. Pictures soon.

 

[J11]

Images of the sail work ongoing:

 

 

 

 

 

[Hubac's Historian]

Nice recovery J11!

[J11]

Good morning,

 

More progress images, will be rigging for the next week or two. I'll start the boom sail work probably next week for the drafting table and individual sail builds. I have to finish all inside rigging completely so I can work the boom sail rigging threw them for placement. This rigging process will be a little slow as not to damage any more parts or piece's, plus I will be using different color rigging for enhancement.

 

I'll post more images when I'm close to completing the rigging, so far she's looking like a civil war ship! I'll also be ordering special printed flags for her, possible five of them but I need a little bit more research to determine.

 

 

 

 

 

[Gahm]

That looks fantastic!

 

Thomas

[J11]

@Gahm, I am pleasantly surprised how she's coming along with the sails as I was concerned it would be to much for detailing over kill. Thanks for the admiration.

 

Many thanks for all the likes also gentlemen, really helps with all the problems I have had with her construction.

 

Here's some of the historical flags I am considering for her final detailing work.

 

 

Might load her up and have four total mounted, We'll see.

[J11]

Rigging is going slow but I have chosen the flags for her and sizes to be custom made:

 

 

 

By next week I hope to have some rigging images. With Christmas coming up might be a little slower as we all have things to do and take care of during the holiday season.

 

[luponero]

Congratulations, beautiful model !!!

 

black Wolf

[popeye the sailor]

looks a whole lot better than mine..........I can't even recall if I ever finished it   she looks awesome Jonathan!

[Bob Fraser]

I saw a model of this many years ago at a local swimming baths (New Brighton outdoor baths now long gone), but it was in a showcase behind a window.

There was a local group wanting to raise money to salvage her. She was built only a couple of miles from where I lived.

I've also recently found out her Executive Officer was a cousin (distant)!

Great build 🙂