HMS Bellona by yvesvidal - FINISHED - CAF Model - 1:48

[hamilton]

Brilliant - that shine will come off in a few years and she'll look nice and weathered! This is a lesson in how to do it right! Great work Yves

hamilton

[DaveBaxt]

Sorry if this has already been asked before but can you give us a link to where you got the copper tape from and what is the scale of the tiles? I am not having much luck trying to source this in the UK. any links would be fantastic. How do you work how much tape do you need? Thank you and by the way fantastice looking job and thank you for sharing. Best regards Dave

[yvesvidal]

4 hours ago, DaveBaxt said:

Sorry if this has already been asked before but can you give us a link to where you got the copper tape from and what is the scale of the tiles? I am not having much luck trying to source this in the UK. any links would be fantastic. How do you work how much tape do you need? Thank you and by the way fantastice looking job and thank you for sharing. Best regards Dave

 

All the details have been given before. You just need to read them. 

The tape was procured from Delphi https://www.delphiglass.com/

They are specialized in Stained glass and you should be able to find this material in England, where this kind of art is quite common.

 

Yves

[AJohnson]

Fantastic coppering 👏 - definitely better than tiles/C-A.  Are you going to 'weather' the tiles at all, or are you going to let them naturally darken over the years?

[yvesvidal]

My goal is to get a nice even reddish color around the hull and seal it with Future Floor. It will most likely continue its process of disintegration over the years, but should be extremely slowed down by the coating.

 

Yves 

[AJohnson]

Lovely job Yves, one advantage to how you have done it is there are no blobs of C-A that can smear onto the copper preventing it from ageing or being treated to darken and/or add Verde green like effects using vinegar. (I have a Bounty using the kit tiles and I tried ageing it and have stubborn 'bright' tiles protected by my messy C-A application. - the last time I shall be doing that! - Thanks Yves for showing me way!  😁)

 

@DaveBaxt I have had a quick look at this is readily available in the UK, just look under electrical wholesalers (like CPC / Farnell etc.) there is even a 6.35mm wide tape almost ideal for 1/64 scale models.  👍

[hamilton]

Hello Yves

 

I checked out the link to the copper foil - when I first looked at the photo you posted with this product, I thought it was the same copper tape that comes with copper-bottomed ship models like the Shipways Constitution or Syren....is this a different product? Or is it more or less the same.....? It definitely has a slightly different look (in the photos) than I've familiar with from the tape I've used in the past - but i wasn't sure if this was because it is a different product or if this effect was a result of a treatment you gave to it.....thanks!

hamilton

[yvesvidal]

Hamilton,

 

I am not familiar with the tape provided in the Model Shipways kits (Constitution, Syren....). I assume it is the same one that they sell on their catalog but I have no detail where they are sourcing it.

 

The tape I used is from 3M and was recommended to me by many model ship enthusiasts. That tape also happens to have the right width for the tiles, which is a big plus when you have to cut slightly more than 2,400 one of them.

 

Yves

Edited March 16, 2022 by yvesvidal

[scrubbyj427]

I’m fairly certain that model shipways uses the 3m copper tape as well... or some version of it. I’m 100% sold on the tape now after seeing your results with Bellona and having used the pre made tiles in the past. Fantastic work!

[Katsumoto]

Beautiful result on the coppering proces. Very wel done Yves! 

[hamilton]

I know some modellers apply a finish to their copper tiling - not weathering, but a protective coat - have you done this Yves? And if so what product did you use? I've coppered a couple of hulls but never applied anything to them by way of protection/sealing.....any hints?

hamilton

[yvesvidal]

Hamilton.

 

It is all in the previous posts. You just have to read them... 🙂

 

Yves

[hamilton]

Haha! I read for a living, which means I'm lazy on my days off!!

hamilton

[yvesvidal]

Still following (more or less) the CAF Model instructions, it is now time to dress and stiffen the upper section of the hull. I am approaching one side of the hull at a time. Because of the large size and weight of the hull, it is not practical to jump back and forth between the two sides.

 

 

So, after Step #8 (Coppering), we are now focusing onto Step #9. The main wales (B) have already been taken care of before the planking of the hull, as indicated before. I am now planking the space between (B - Wales) and (C - Channels). This is done in the following way, after careful measurements: 

 

 

(A) is coppering, (B) are the wales and (C) the channels. The distance between the wales and the Channels is of about 28-29 mm. As some of you may recall, I installed a lime wood strip of 6 mm wide x 2 mm thick (not provided in the kit) on top of the main wales. That strip plus three strips of 8 mm x 0.4 mm Maple (provided in the kit) will end up at around 29 mm, once sanded and glued. So it will fit perfectly and is easy to install and cut with scissors. 

 

 

You can see the progressive transition from the bulky 3 mm thick wales to the top wale (2 mm) and then the hull planking at 0.4 mm.

 

A view of the bow: 

 

 

You can see that I started building the Channels, using the 2 mm x 8 mm planks provided in the kit (Package "C").

 

The question came for the stern. Should I extend all the planking to the very end of the ship or should I stop it at a certain distance? Will the planking (and specifically the channels), affect the construction of the Galleries (coming in Session #5 .... and thus far away).

 

After a quick discussion with Tom, it was decided to extend all planking all the way to the end, and then sand very thin the channels at the exact size of the side galleries, so that no extra thickness exists to jeopardizes the alignment of the windows.

 

 

I hope you are enjoying the discovery of that complex and large kit.

 

Yves

 

 

Edited March 18, 2022 by yvesvidal

[GrandpaPhil]

Amazing work!  

Very impressive build!

[rvchima]

Yves,

 

Your coppering job on the hull is stunning. It certainly sets off that part of the model.

 

I apologize for joining this thread a bit late, but another of my hobbies is stained glass so I have done a lot of work with copper foil. It will darken slowly with age, but probably never turn green. It may pick up fingerprints from the oils on your fingertips so be careful. You can use Lemon Pledge (or Future Floor) to protect the finish, but try it on a sample first.

 

My Syren came with copper foil. I don't remember if it was 3M, but the 3M tape is the best. The excellent instructions by Chuck Passaro described how to make a stamping jig with a rivet pattern on it. It was difficult to make but worked perfectly. Here's  a link to my post on the stamping process:

 

I weathered my hull with a solution of vinegar and salt. I wiped it on with a rag,  the copper turned green very quickly, rinsed with plain water on another rag, and wiped on Lemon Pledge. The patina has been stable for nine years. Try it on a sample and see what you think.

[yvesvidal]

Thanks for the compliments and recommendations.

 

I cleaned the copper with alcohol in an attempt to remove most finger prints and coated the tiles with Future Floor. The tiles have a nice reddish color that I like very much and will probably turn darker with time. I can see some finger prints showing and I may have to remove the Pledge chemical, clean the copper underneath and re-coat again in a couple of spots. But I will worry about this later on, as time may show other imperfections.

 

Yves

[allanyed]

rvchima,

 

Maybe it was just a misuse of a word, but copper sheathing did not have rivets which would protrude, but rather 1/4" nails with 1/2" heads that would make dents into the sheathing.  Yve's sheathing shows what look to be nails, not rivets and they are properly sized and spaced.   I believe there would have been some nails inside the periphery of the edges, but still in all, this is one of very few model sheathing jobs on the build logs that is very well done.

Allan

[rvchima]

On 3/26/2022 at 6:46 AM, allanyed said:

but still in all, this is one of very few model sheathing jobs on the build logs that is very well done.

Agreed!

[yvesvidal]

A few progress on that big hull, with the completion of the starboard side: 

 

 

I am still following the CAF instructions with the installation of the D and E wood parts.

 

The "D" strip is made of 4 x 3 mm, and the "E" strip of 3 x 2 mm. These are put in shape thanks to these small devices (Micro Shapers) from AMATI: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This looks like great progress, but I still have the entire PORT side to tackle....

 

 

This will take me some time and most likely there won't be any updates for a little while. In the meantime, here is a view of the overall beast.

 

I am not moving too fast and decided to not install the decals for the freezes (Session #5) as I am trying to see if the kit can be put together by following the instructions, at least when it makes sense to follow them.... By the way, I changed the blue and went with an Ultramarine Blue from Liquitex. It is a lot darker and richer than the Cerulean blue I was planning to use at the beginning.

 

 

Yves

Edited March 31, 2022 by yvesvidal

[rookie]

A comment on the copper.

Looks great! 

I had thought copper would not be green in the salt water; only when exposed to air 

[Theodosius]

A big step, now that the ply is not to see any more! And I like the colours!

[yvesvidal]

Thank you Theodosius, Rookie and all the others who left some encouragements. 

 

I am working on the other side and installing the channels at that moment. There is a lot to do as you know very well.

 

Yves

[allanyed]

The mold cutters look really good for the shapes and sizes they cover.   Are these carbon steel?   How do you sharpen them when they start to dull?

 

A lot of builders make their own using pieces of old hacksaw blades or stiff backed razors so there is unlimited range of shapes and sizes, but having the plates you show would save a lot of folks a lot of headaches that come from making their own.

 

Allan

[rvchima]

What a beautiful model! The copper and colors are perfect together.

[yvesvidal]

Still following Session #2, it is kind of difficult to figure out how the Stern and bow will be built. Therefore, I am leaving them unfinished for now: 

 

 

 

Yves

[yvesvidal]

I am now working on the upper planking of the Port side of the vessel: 

 

 

The channels have been installed and glued, following the curves of the wales.

 

 

 

Next, I have to rework all the gun ports which do not have a lid. They have to be flush with the plywood of the upper hull. When that is done, I will plank the upper hull and install the wood strips (D) and (E).

 

YVes

[yvesvidal]

A quick update: the planking above the channels and below the main rail has been completed: 

 

 

Now, I will brush a first coat of yellow and then continue with the upper planking and the rails. I usually place 5 coats of yellow and blue, with fine sanding in between. It takes time to make it look nice.

 

Yves

[yvesvidal]

Two light coats of yellow, before planking the upper side: 

 

 

Then more yellow and a  lot of blue.... At least 5 coats since the Ultramarine Blue is very transparent.

 

Yves

Edited April 14, 2022 by yvesvidal

[yvesvidal]

The upper hull on the port side, has been planked and is now ready for its first coat of ultramarine blue: 

 

 

This will allow me to better see the numerous small imperfections that are always present on a model of such size.

 

 

Yes, there will be two to three more coats of yellow, with some sanding in between.

 

 

And of course, the fine detailing with a red brush.... After that, I will install the rails and we will be able to transition to the main gun deck.

 

 

Overall, I am glad I did not finish the gun deck and broke free from the sequence of instructions. Not having the deck in place, allows you to grab the hull using the bulkheads.

 

Yves

Edited April 19, 2022 by yvesvidal