Cutty Sark by Sailcat - FINISHED - Revell - 1/96 - PLASTIC - Rescue kit bash morphed to Dame Tisane

[Sailcat]

John, Popeye, Frank & Druxey - Thank you for looking in and for your kind words 

 

Here we look at the detailing of the 'canvas' hatch covers.  I wanted to add the 'lashings' and went ahead with an attempt using black nylon thread.

 

After being informed that the lashings would have been rope and that the black looked like steel cable I chose to re-do them with something more appropriate.  Here's a larger image to show the method I chose, which was to de-strand a 'rope' coloured string to get the proper scale effect.

 

A comparison of thread sizes.

 

The thing about PVA is that you can correct or re-do without too much grief.

 

And the final touch is to colour the threads to make them appear 'dirty and worn.'

[Sailcat]

Mast work in progress.  Two of the lower masts had jackstays but the kit moulded ones were far too thick for my liking so I re-worked them with brass wire to make them look more to scale.

 

Repairs begin on the Yards - these are the Mizzen yards if memory serves.

 

The Rudder 'hinges' being fabricated.  The original kit version didn't have these so I decided to exercise my new found skills in brass soldering.

 

Gudgeons.

 

Pintles.

 

Initial fit test - this was originally followed by a dialog on the gap 'tween rudder and hull and resulted in a re-working of the set up.

Edited March 1, 2013 by Sailcat

[Sailcat]

As mentioned previously the gap between the rudder and hull sparked some conversation.  So the re-working simply involved 'sinking' the gudgeons into the hull and the pintles into the rudder for a closer fit.

 

Adding the little 'tab' under the rudder.

 

This was one of my more 'insane' choices in terms of kit bashing - the Yards as they came with the kit didn't have actual jackstays, only little plastic 'tabs' which were out of scale.  So, I said to myself, why not make some jackstays out of thin brass wire?

 

Comparison of a 'regular' ringbolt with the tiny ones I made for the jackstays - the caliper is set to 1 mm.

 

On the left is the modified jewellers pliers I used to make the tiny ringbolts, on the right is the unmodified one.

 

The start of the process ... need lots of these for the jackstays.

[Sailcat]

I forget who but someone on MSW was known for Really Tiny detail work and they'd post photos with a Tic Tac for scale reference.  So following the lead of 'Mr. Tic Tac' I started including one myself.

 

Production was good and for this I forgot to use the Tic Tac - instead there's a Canadian dime with the Bluenose (I thought it was appropriately nautical).

 

After I blackened a batch I remembered the Tic Tac.

 

The batch and a few accessories for the bow.

 

Blackening the little bits.

 

Fabricating a part whose name I forget but it is a 'guide' for the bowsprit rigging.

 

The three sizes of ringbolts - large for the standing rigging on the deck, medium is the 'general use' and the small is for the jackstays on the yards.

 

The part whose name I have forgotten in place.

 

Slight modifications to the rudder.

[Sailcat]

Teeny, tiny bits being blackened.

 

Back to the Cradle.  Here is where I started the painting process.  I'll try to remember the details but basically I laid down a diluted black undercoat using acrylic and then I threw all the rules out the window and started experimenting with oil, acrylic, gouache and enamel.

 

The 'green' here is oil base rubbed on and then rubbed off and left to cure for a day or two.

 

Went back in with 'Burnt Sienna' gouache and rubbed on lightly - notice how the previous oil base rub creates a blotchy effect.

 

Unifying the colour with a thin coat of either dark grey or black acrylic.

 

Weathering highlights added here as an experiment - better to call them 'mid-lights' as I was going to go over them some more.

 

If I remember correctly I actually rubbed in some black China Ink, very carefully.

 

'Silvering' of the surface - dry brush with acrylic gouache.

 

Partial removal of the silvering using very fine sandpaper.

 

And here is another view of the rudder with the hinge details painted.

[Sailcat]

Thanks to some studious perusal of Masting And Rigging Of Clipper Ships And Ocean Carriers by Harold Underhill (from here on if I reference a book it's likely that one) I was able to start working on the modifying the Yards. 

 

Some more work on the Cradle - after additional effect coats, mostly drybrush, I lightly sanded so that some wood just showed.

 

The work on the Mizzen Yards continues.

 

The kit set up for the Stuns'l Booms was simply to glue them to the yardarms.  After seeing the way others on MSW worked up their more realistic versions I chose to follow suit and fabricated boom irons.  The simplest way I found was to take brass wire of a suitable gauge and flatten a portion of it then form the loop.  I chose to 'shape' the brass before looping it, a file for the initial work but I found that 400 grit black sandpaper was very good for the finishing work.  Then close the loop with silver solder. 

 

Blackening in process.  If I haven't mentioned this before, I'm using JAX brand blackening, diluted about 1 part to 10 of water, and it's a 'brown-black' formulation, not pure 'black.'

[Sailcat]

I remember this period of the build as being somewhat disarrayed - rather then focus on singular aspects I was jumping all over the place.  For example, I was examining the flotation rings and thought that the 'rope' around it looked clunky ...

 

It turned out I was missing a 'deadeye' (if that's what these are called, I've also seen them called 'bulls eyes') and so out comes the Evergreen styrene once again.

 

The winches needed work ... in my opinion ...

 

One of the spars that was stored on top of a deckhouse was missing.

 

Measuring off the location of the eyebolts for the jackstays.

[Sailcat]

The anchors were gone so after consultation with fellow members I felt confident enough to begin fabrication of the replacements.

[Sailcat]

The process of shaping the replacement spar.

 

Flotation rings with traditional red stripes.

 

Winches painted.

 

The spars with base coat applied and test fit.

 

The jackstays.  Brass wire and 2 part slow cure epoxy.

 

Anchors before painting.

Edited March 2, 2013 by Sailcat

[Sailcat]

Back when I first fabricated the Windlass Pump I hadn't a clue what purpose it served.  And although I didn't mind the look of the first attempt as I grew more familiar with the basics of a ship I started feeling a familiar urge.  Thus another re-do of a previously completed part.

 

The handles made from brass wire.

 

The little touches to make it look more 'real'.

Edited March 2, 2013 by Sailcat

[Sailcat]

Along with style changes came the inevitable replacement of plastic components with ones made from brass wire.

 

I kept the original bell, I still liked it.

 

Base coats of colour applied.

[Sailcat]

Lots of coats of 'thin' wash.

 

Test fit of the bell, the little wire is the gauge used for the jackstays.

 

Test fit of the handles.

 

A few more minor tweaks during assembly.

[Sailcat]

The anchors wouldn't have looked pristine so I used the technique of globbing excess amounts of Humbrol Metal Cote enamel, Gunmetal.  This is the stuff that dries to a dusty matte then you polish it revealing a metal-like sheen.  I allowed a cure time of several days.

 

The Yard work continues - painting the Mizzen yards.

 

Attaching the boom irons.  Some good views of the jackstays as well.

[Marcus.K.]

A beauty - that´s what you are creating!

[Sailcat]

Marcus - thenk you for your kind words 

 

With the boom irons attached it comes time to paint the yards.

 

Mast portions before and after base coat.

 

The little deadeyes attached to the crosstrees were shattered so I fabricated some out of plastic.

 

The mizzen mast and yards.

Edited March 2, 2013 by Sailcat

[Sailcat]

Onto the lower mast caps - detailing and modifying to be more 'realistic.'

 

The little deadeyes for the crosstrees - instead of trying to be truly authentic I cheated on these.

 

Here's a look at the cheat method - similar to how I cheated on the larger deadeyes.

 

The little posts in place.

 

After some discussion and study I chose to 'weather' the copper as if it has been in water and not in air, thus the oxidation is black and not green patina.

Edited March 2, 2013 by Sailcat

[figuerres]

WOW.....

I recall doing some plastic kit ships when I was a teen.... what you are doing I WAY beyond the "plastic model" level ...

at this rate I would love to see what you would do with one of the top end wood kits.... OMG!!!

[Sailcat]

*edit* Figuerres - thank you for your kind words 

 

A view of the ballasting.  Though I've been told it isn't necessary, I felt more comfortable with the additional weight.  I used scrap hunks of thick steel rod, made 'grab rings' using 2 part epoxy putty and then secured them using 2 part slow cure epoxy.  It might be a bit much I admit ...

 

After the first 'overall' washes to 'stain' the copper I went back and started detail washes on portions of the plates themselves to give it that 'multiple repair/different alloy' look.

 

Finally I get around to affixing the deck to the hull.

Edited March 2, 2013 by Sailcat

[Sailcat]

With the deck affixed the next steps are attaching the pinrails and deck structures.

Around here the Dame started truly taking shape ... and I was confronted by how much more work there was still to do.

[Sailcat]

Finally all the 'little bits' I'd been working on for so long are being put in their proper place.  

 

Test fit of the masts - a kind of 'spiritual boost' for me.

[Sailcat]

Yet despite the progress there is much left to do ...

 

The bowsprit in process.

 

Using thread for the railings - easier than brass wire as the 'posts' are plastic.  

 

The deadeyes modifed with the cheat I utilized.

 

The various lines that came with the kit.

 

The fore rails with thread lines attached (and these are still waiting to be affixed to the hull).

[Sailcat]

A view of the 'workshop table' and the disarray.

 

The dolphin striker/martingale in place.

 

Cathead whiskers affixed.

 

The two different gauges of chain that came with the kit.

 

And now begins the first steps of rigging - attaching the fore 'bulls eyes' for the stays.

 

Removal of a fife rail in order to access the ringbolts for the stays.

 

Attaching the 'bulls eyes' for the bowpsrit stays.

 

Cleaned up and detailed spider bands.

[Sailcat]

Affixing the deadeyes - for this I used 2 part slow cure epoxy to insure a very strong bond.

 

Here's where I started learning how to set up the blocks - something else I had no previous experience with.

 

Prepping the boat davits.

[Sailcat]

At this point I realized I could not put off the preparations for rigging any longer.  Here's a view of the before and after dyeing process.

 

The drying rack set up - I also cats cradled the living room for really long lengths.

 

For the dyeing I used acrylic gouache and watercolour pigments - they took well on nylon.  You can see how dark I made the dyeing fluid for this.

 

The nylon cord for the standing rigging came wound on cards so I re-wound them to get out the kinks.

 

From a lavender cord to something more like hemp rope.

 

Storage area and workshop table view ... trying to keep it as organized as possible under the circumstances.

[Kevin]

i have followed this from the start, 1st time around - BRILLIANT

[Sailcat]

Kevin - Thank you for your kind words 

 

Attaching the 'lashings' for the boats.

 

Beginning the process of the footropes for the Yards.  There's a short video tutorial on how to do this which I referenced - someone on MSW probably knows what I speak of.  The blue stuff is insulation foam sheet.

[Sailcat]

Continuing on with the footropes.

 

After having done all that I realized that I'd mad the stirrups a bit too long, so I went back and started shortening them just a bit.

 

A view of the 3 gauges of black nylon I was working with.

[Sailcat]

Earlier when I first fabricated the replacement masts I noted an error with the Main mast set.  This is around the time I discovered that error which was basically that I'd completely forgotten the Skysail mast.  So out comes the Evergreen plastic rods once more.

 

Working the details for the deadeyes for the crosstrees.  This is a total cheat in that I just glued the lines to the part and didn't create the 'proper' loop.

 

The masts with the correct set for the Main mast.

 

Attaching the crosstree deadeyes.

 

Starting the standing rigging on the masts.

[Sailcat]

The shrouds - I tried to do these as authentically as possible - you could say I felt 'guilty' over cheating on the crosstree shrouds.

 

Attaching the blocks for later rigging.

 

The adventure known as Ratlines begins.

[Sailcat]

The method I used for the ratlines was the one detailed by Dan Vad in his Supply Build Log (indexed).

 

One of the things I did to help me in the process was source out very thin needles.  On the left is a 'standard' thin needle and on the right is a 'specialty' thin needle.

 

Views of the progress ... kind of like stop motion ...

 

Stays and lower shrouds being attached.

Edited March 2, 2013 by Sailcat