HMS Triton by Justin P. - FINISHED - Scale 1:48 - Cross Section

[Justin P.]

On 11/6/2021 at 1:56 PM, mtaylor said:

I have no doubts about your being able to build a display case

 

1 hour ago, ChadB said:

There's no reason you won't be able to make the display case also.

You both are kind.  Building something when you have plans is fairly straight forward I guess.   Building something - like a case - simple a structure as it may be, is still a mystery with no plans to go by!   The glass, determining how to set and mount the glass, etc.   Im not saying that I cant/wont try - but I am saying that I have no idea where to start.   

 

 

[VTHokiEE]

Just now, Justin P. said:

Im not saying that I cant/wont try - but I am saying that I have no idea where to start.

I took a look at that display case due to this thread and its beautiful. I feel similar to you so please if you do try please detail the process if you can (I'd love to do something similar when I finish my cross section).

[Justin P.]

Almost 3 full months since my last update!   Oh man...   this "return to normal" stuff has really caught up with me.   With the holidays, the new year, and a bunch of hiring, chess tournaments and the start of the basketball season (I am my daughters BBall coach) Ive had so little time to update.   I have, however, continued to steadily work on my Triton.   I think I'm starting to see the end game a little clearer and am starting to think about the case a little more earnestly, thanks to the encouragement in the above comments.  

 

Since my last update much of the detail work has started.   After planking the exterior and interior of the hull, along with the gun deck I chose to carry on with hull details.   I chose walnut as a contrasting material and haven't found the grain too distracting.   As Ive said prior, I take it as a point of pride to make something beautiful from relatively sustainable materials and have resisted a desire to use the more exotic (and likely more beautiful) hardwoods.  This being a first full scratch project for me, I also wanted to limit the damage to the pocketbook, knowing full well I was likely to burn through a lot of material on screw-ups!  

 

After wrapping-up the cannon carraiges:

 

 

The rail cap, fenders and trim were all made from this walnut, which was the same as used in the wales.  In the first photo you can see my paper mock-up used to template the fender shape.  A sharp eye might also note that I screwed-up in sequence and neglected to include the outboard trim as I was planking the exterior.  Thus I had to mount the trim over the planking.  A small error that I intend to make sure not to lose track of in future builds.   You'll also notice some weird sequencing as I decided to do one side in a slightly different order (caulking, details, etc).  One thing I learned again, having learned it earlier and then entirely forgotten, is that you must seal the wood prior to the caulking step otherwise the excess will not wipe away as cleanly.  

I then began work on caulking the gun deck planking, and started assembling the gun tackle per the plans.   Ive always enjoyed the process of preparing block and rigging so took some enjoyment in this step.   I decided it better to do only some of the gun prep and not mount them as it seemed much easier to complete the rest of details (gangways, ladders) prior to mounting and setting the guns and tackle.  I also opted to not treenail the interior gunwales despite having done so with lower decks as there is a concentration of detail in this area and I was worried it would end-up creating a cluttered look.  I'm still confident in this decision.   I also made a few ladders before settling on the below iteration.  I now know much more about this process and hopefully will have better luck with the gangway ladder later.

 

 

The last few weeks Ive been struggling through the brass work for the gangway supports.   I first made a set using the entirely wrong brass material and stumbled my way through an appropriate soldering technique.   My first attempts are in the first picture where it can be clearly seen that too much solder is being used, too much heat and just a generally poor construction method.   I then switched to strips I had to cut myself (as opposed to pre-milled brass stock) and dialed in my soldering until I got consistent and clean results. 

 

 

The gangway supports in place, I just cut and temporary set the skid-beams.   I'm starting to work on assembling the gun-tackle components now in preparation of final fitting.   Now that things in my life have settled a bit I'm hoping to be posting a bit more regularly and look forward to catching up on all the great builds Ive been missing!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 4, 2022 by Justin P.

[Edwardkenway]

It was well worth the wait! Excellent work, all the planking looks superb, even more so after the caulking and treenailing.

Looking forward to more updates as time allows.

[BobG]

Meticulously beautiful work as always, Justin!

[mtaylor]

Excellent work.   As a learning project, you seem to be doing that very well.  Lots to be learned and also discovered in this project.

[Justin P.]

45 minutes ago, mtaylor said:

Lots to be learned and also discovered in this project.

Indeed Mark.   Going forward, I think Triton might be the project I would suggest to anyone starting out in scratch work.   Much of it is "just right" as an introduction to many different aspects.

[BobG]

1 hour ago, Justin P. said:

Going forward, I think Triton might be the project I would suggest to anyone starting out in scratch work.   Much of it is "just right" as an introduction to many different aspects.

 

Good to know. My wife got me the Byrnes sander for Christmas and I recently bit the bullet and bought the table saw and the thickness sander as well so I'm really interested in an "easier" scratch build. It's a bit intimidating to me since I've  only completed a couple of kit models and I am working on a two others currently. Knowing me though, I'll probably jump in with two feet before I'm ready...

Edited March 3, 2022 by BobG

[VTHokiEE]

Looking really nice! I’m really enjoying your build.

 

1 hour ago, BobG said:

I'll probably jump in with two feet before I'm ready...

Come on in the water’s warm.

[mtaylor]

3 hours ago, Justin P. said:

Indeed Mark.   Going forward, I think Triton might be the project I would suggest to anyone starting out in scratch work.   Much of it is "just right" as an introduction to many different aspects.

 

1 hour ago, BobG said:

 

Good to know. My wife got me the Byrnes sander for Christmas and I recently bit the bullet and bought the table saw and the thickness sander as well so I'm really interested in an "easier" scratch build. It's a bit intimidating to me since I've  only completed a couple of kit models and I am working on a two others currently. Knowing me though, I'll probably jump in with two feet before I'm ready...

 

This is exactly what the Triton build was designed for... a learning experience for scratch building fully framed models.   Just remember though, that the cross-section model and the full hull version do have differences so don't mix the plans up.

[Justin P.]

15 hours ago, BobG said:

I'm really interested in an "easier" scratch build

Ha...   Im not sure how I would describe it.  I would say there are certainly a lot of aspects that are "easy."    But also quite a few that were at least confounding to me.   I would say the biggest single difference is the lack of traditional instructions.   I did a lot of things out in a sequence that I would not do again precisely because I wasnt thinking the steps all the way through, and had no real manual to follow.   Now that Im this far along Ive gotten better, but do still think I could do things differently.   Having all the build logs for the Triton on MSW definitely eases the transition from having instructions as those builds provide plenty of reference when you get stuck somewhere.   Im a little worried about this for the next build to be honest.  

[BobG]

3 hours ago, Justin P. said:

Im a little worried about this for the next build to be honest.  

 

What have you got in mind, Justin?

[Justin P.]

1 hour ago, BobG said:

What have you got in mind, Justin?

Geez, I dont know if I'm ready to commit myself out loud yet, ha!   Ive been looking at a few, ranging from subjects like the Echo cross-section, Hayling Hoy, Euryalus, NRG Galley Washington to a few smaller boat projects that have grabbed my attention here and there.  NG Herreshoff's personal day sailor Coquina is an open boat that Ive always loved and think would make a splendid model, as well as Ronald Young's Poulsbo Boat.  Either of these might make a nice contribution to the NRG Journal - something Ive wanted to try as well.  

 

Ive read virtually all the books, practicums and have been collecting/studying plans for all of these options.   For me its really about getting a sense for where I am, how complicated the project is and what is likely to hold my interest.   I intend to build the NRG Capstan project almost immediately after this as something fun and different to do while I gather materials and get ready for another months/years long project.   I think the Capstan project will be the first I try to do using the more exotic woods.  I dont have a lot of experience with Pear or Boxwood and am interested in doing something manageable to get a feel for the material before investing in q larger quantity.  If I dont like it, then I will know better what I want to commit to with the next longer build.   Im probably over thinking all these things, but that's only because I'm so obsessed with the hobby all I really do is think about it - ha!

 

Of course, I also have to try and build a case for Triton!  One thing at a time I guess.

 

Edited March 4, 2022 by Justin P.

[mtaylor]

Bob,

If you will, go to the bottom of page 3 (https://modelshipworld.com/forum/89-cross-section-build-logs-for-hms-triton/page/3/) and you'll see two topics that have "repost by moderator) on time.  Both are excellent for guidance on this project.   

 

Footnote, the original tutorial for this was long ago lost during the "Great Crash" many years ago, but those two logs are a pretty good guide.

 

Justin,

Sounds like a good plan.  You have the skills as shown here by your build.

[Justin P.]

This past weekend I got the guns assembled and set in place.   It was a fiddly job, but I'm happy with the result.   In the first photo you can sort of see my process.   I used a couple of nails placed exactly the distance apart that the hooks would hang on the model and then set all that with a tiny bit of glue.   This way the lines don't fight themselves and will hold on the right distance.   Then I coiled the extra upside-down onto some blue tape and used some tiny bits of glue to hold the coil.   After flipping back over the whole thing was set.   Then everything was attached. 

 

Edited March 7, 2022 by Justin P.

[Ainars Apalais]

Looks amazing!!!

[Justin P.]

Completed.  

 

Sadly, all of the photos I took of the last stages of this build were lost.   Im still not sure how this happened, but as went to update this build log I noticed they are all gone.    Im supremely disappointed but happy to report that Ive completed my Triton.     What a project.   Im excited to have completed it, and looking forward to moving forward with a new project.   Thanks to everyone for your kind words, support and assistance through this project.  

 

A relative has kindly volunteered to make a case for it, a challenge I think they welcome and are looking forward to, so I won't be taking that piece on.    I did however make a temporary mount seen in the below photo and accompanying gallery.

 

GALLERY

 

Onward!

 

 

[mtaylor]

Sweet !!!!  The cross-section looks great.

[BobG]

I just looked at your model in the Gallery. It's fantastic, Justin!

[WalrusGuy]

Congrats on a beautiful build. Museum quality!! 🙂 

[Seventynet]

Gorgeous build!

[Gabek]

Bravo, Justin! 

Great model - a masterpiece!  Such a shame that the photos of your final stretch vapourized on you, but the end result is stunning nonetheless.

What do you have planned next?

Clear skies!

- Gabe

 

[ChadB]

Only half a year late to the party, but the finished product looks amazing, Justin! Bravo!

[harvey1847]

Congrats Justin!  Amazing Job!