Sirene by Cloudy - Corel - 1:75

[Cloudy]

I hadn't updated my build log in a while and came back to find everything gone. Rather than repitch the story, I'll try to repost all of the pictures and give an update of my current status. Cheers everyone.

[Cloudy]

Did some more sanding/dremel work last night and this is where she sits. Still need to take down a bit more balsa between the bulkheads before moving on. I'm quite pleased with how the false keel came out - it is straight enough for my first real build.

Edited May 3, 2013 by Cloudy

[slagoon]

Looking pretty neat so far Cloudy. So is that two levels of deck there? I'm not familiar with the ship or its setup!

[augie]

Welcome back!  I remember her.  You did a nice job getting that warp out of there.

 

I'll pull up a chair if you don't mind.

[Cloudy]

Slagoon; yes, there are two decks. It might be a while to get them put together, though. There is a cap rail 'thing' (I'll post pictures eventually) that doesn't lay flat because some of the bulkheads were not cut well or perhaps not assembled well by me. I.e., this is going to be slow going for a bit.

 

Augie, thanks for the welcome. Sure, grab a chair and cup of coffee and settle in - it's going to be a while.

 

Off to hopefully finish the sanding of these filler blocks!

[Cloudy]

Finished sanding the filler blocks. Pretty satisfied with my progress.

Edited May 4, 2013 by Cloudy

[Cloudy]

Started planking the lower deck. After drawing a center line down the deck, I cut a few strips of wood to length and experimented with darkening the edges. I can't get pencil to show up, so I used black sharpie for the middle row and then switched to brown sharpie. I'm not sold that this looks "good," but I think it will come out good enough. I may consider another option for planking the upper deck when the time comes.

Edited May 5, 2013 by Cloudy

[augie]

Be a good idea to establish your finishing process for the deck before you get too far into it.  You will want to be consistant.  Use some scrap wood to determine what you will be using for simulated caulking as well as the stain/finish sequence you will be using.  Once you have a total process you'll want to stick with it.

 

Looking good so far.

[Cloudy]

Be a good idea to establish your finishing process for the deck before you get too far into it.  You will want to be consistant.  Use some scrap wood to determine what you will be using for simulated caulking as well as the stain/finish sequence you will be using.  Once you have a total process you'll want to stick with it.

 

Looking good so far.

Hi Augie, my newness is showing: what is meant by 'stain/finish' sequence? Do people normally stain and seal the decking?

[augie]

Ah-  it's totally a matter of preference and depends on what kind of wood you are using and what you like to look at.  At the very least you will want to apply a protective finish. 

 

Your actual deck planking looks pretty light so I'm guessing it's basswood which is pretty soft and doesn't take stain evenly.  You don't HAVE to stain it but again it depends on the color you want.  I like a flat bowling alley kind of finish.  So for basswood I'd pick a brand of stain products and stick with it.  With basswood (if that's what it is) you might choose a pre-stain product (like Minwax) which will allow any color you apply to be even.  The stain itself might be something like Golden Oak.  You might even want to mix that stain with some natural or clear stain to give a lighter color.  After staining you want a 'finish', preferably flat of something like a polyurethane.   You need to 'play' with it to see what you like and again, once you have it, stick with it.  Check around MSW and look at decks to see what, and how, people do it and what products they use.  Try everything on scrap!!!!

[Cloudy]

Augie, thanks for taking the time to write that out. I will follow your suggestions with one exception: if I play too much with scrap wood, I'll never make forward progress on the build! I think I'll just go to a hardware store and pick up some products (minmax, oak stain, and clear finish) and just "git er done."

[augie]

You'll probably want Golden of Light oak.  Don't forget some 'natural' to cut the color to what you like.  A lot of us use about 30% color/70% natural.

[Cloudy]

I'll be taking a trip to the hardware store today for some minwax products. Hope to finish the lower deck today and do the first staining! Thanks again, Augie, for the specific instructions. I think I will go with the oak color, some clear to cut it with (depending on my tastes, I guess) and a minwax poly clear satin to finish it with after the staining is done.

[augie]

That sequence should work fine.  Don't forget the Pre-stain, especially for the basswood.

[Cloudy]

Lol. Okay, Augie, let me confirm: I need prestain, stain (oak), clear stain (to likely mix with the oak stain), and a poly final stain. So 4 cans of 'stuff' in total? All minwax products?

[augie]

That will do it.  On the final one, the poly, there are a few.  Most use a 'wipe on' poly.  So check them out.....just look for low or no gloss.  Depends on what you like.