Niagara by lb0190 - Model Shipways - 1/64

[lb0190]

Thank you Sjors, I will take your advice and I wish my build looked as good as yours!

[patrickmil]

Larry, for what it's worth, you can't see the seepage unless you get your camera really close, but we're all OCD or we wouldn't be doing this crazy hobby. The Tamiya tape is the only way to go in my opinion. I've had too many other issues with other brands. Hell, if they made it wide enough I'd use it to paint the trim in my living room. 

[lb0190]

Hi Patrick, 

I'm sold on sticking with Tamiya (sorry I could not stop myself)       . So far it's working very well for painting the gunport endboards and for cleaning up the waterline.

BEER and POPCORN, I'll be there...

[lb0190]

Since there's conversation going on regarding Tamiya tape, I thought a photo showing how well it worked may be worthwhile (waterline stills needs repaired in this area). As you can see, I painted the end boards for one gun port and one sweep port with decent results. I also added brass drain lines below five gunports. I do not believe this was in the plans and probably not historically correct, but the Captain said put them in.

 

A big finger is always good for size reference...

Edited December 23, 2014 by lb0190

[patrickmil]

The painting lines look great. The drains are perfect too.

[Sjors]

You're the man Larry     

 

Nice !!!!!!!!!

 

Sjors

[popeye the sailor]

super job Larry!

[augie]

Ditto all that!

[lb0190]

Thanks Sjors, Popeye & Augie!

[GuntherMT]

Bit late to this party (I'm way behind on my forums browsing during the holidays), but I ran across a great tip that worked great for me to prevent paint bleeding.

 

First - as already mentioned, I used Tamiya masking tape.

 

Second - After your first color is laid down, and dried - after you mask it off, use a small brush and run a line of the same paint that you just masked off (i.e. if you are covering the white waterline stripe, use that same white paint) along the edge of the masking tape and let it dry.  The effect of this is that any paint that actually does bleed under the tape is the same color as the paint you masked off, and in effect it 'seals' the mask with the same color.  Makes for incredibly crisp lines along the mask.

 

Cheers, and happy holidays!

[lb0190]

Hi Brian,

Welcome aboard and thanks for looking in. Thank you for the advice, others have mentioned the same process or something very similar which I'll use the next time. I believe the tape selection was my biggest issue. I've cleaned up the majority of the bad areas but not in the way I planned. Before taping off the bad areas and repainting I thought I should remove some paint so it does not look too thick at the repaired locations. I sharpened my no.11 blade and gently scrapped at the offending color thinking I would end up exposing the wood, but that was not the case. The dark paint peeled off of my water line very clean, leaving the light green color in tact with a decent edge. I have one side complete and a lot done on the other side with very few areas needing touch up paint. What an unexpected surprise.

 

Once that issue is resolved and the port end boards are painted red (75% complete) I'll apply a clear finish to help protect the paint. I'm debating between using Model Expo's water based clear satin finish and wipe on poly. Since I'm using water based paints I'm a bit nervous about using wop. Sample boards of both products look good but I'm leaning toward the Model a Expo since it's also water based. Any thoughts or suggestions on this would be appreciated.

 

I've started shaping the bow sprite which is a nice change of pace when I get bored with the painting. Making this part was a little intimidating due the the complex shapes but once started, it was an interesting and fun pice to work on.

Edited December 27, 2014 by lb0190

[augie]

I've used WOP over water base and haven't seen any problems.  That said, I prefer the clear acrylic.  Bet that helps a lot 

[lb0190]

Thanks Augie., believe it or not your input does help. I'll go around in circles over the decision until I'm more dizzy than normal. My gut suspicion is wop is more durable.

[augie]

Oh, no question that WOP gives a 'harder', more durable finish.  Actually, I use flat acrylic over WOP in many instances....best of both worlds.

[GuntherMT]

Wipe on Poly works fine over acrylic.  In fact many modelers on a 'plastic' forum I've perused, will intentionally change paint types for the clear as it has less chance of affecting the underlying paints.  Since the WoP doesn't have a water base, it won't have as much chance of softening the acrylic and causing the colors to smear across paint lines.

 

I used WoP over my bulwark paint to protect it (I used Model Shipways acrylic paint for the yellow ochre, black, and red), and as you can see here, it came out fine:

 

 

 

[lb0190]

Thank you gentlemen. WOP is what I will use. Brian, your paint job looks amazing, clean and crisp lines. One of these days I hope to get results like yours  

[GuntherMT]

Thank you gentlemen. WOP is what I will use. Brian, your paint job looks amazing, clean and crisp lines. One of these days I hope to get results like yours  

 

It's easy Larry - just practice selective photography and only show the best part! 

[lb0190]

I completed the majority of work on the bow sprite other than paint. My plan is complete this piece then mount it on the ship so I can add the top rail. I'll hold off on mounting the jib boom and dolphin striker until later. Right now I think they would simply get in the way and get snapped off multiple times.

 

Hull painting is complete with two coats of Wipe On Poly (WOP), but photos have yet to be taken. Once the top rail is on, as well as the rudder, I think it will be time to mount the ship on the display board.

 

Speaking of the display board, after I applied WOP, I noticed the board did not sit flat. One corner is up less then 1/16" but it's enough to cause the board to wobble. I've had it sitting for the past few weeks with 60 pounds of lead alloy bullets sitting on it (with protective thick plastic plank), hoping this would make it sit flat again. If it does not work are their any suggestions other than varying the thickness of the felt bumpers or stripping the finish and soaking in water?

 

Edit: You may notice I added two extra tread steps than what the plans call for. The last one did not end up where it should so adding two more seemed to resolve that issue.

Edited January 2, 2015 by lb0190

[augie]

Bowsprit looks good.  Sorry about the display board.  Did you stain/finish it on both sides?

[lb0190]

Bowsprit looks good.  Sorry about the display board.  Did you stain/finish it on both sides?

Thanks Augie. Yes unfortunely both (all) sides are sealed. Funny thing is I did not notice the wobble until after sealing, but who really knows when it happened.

[augie]

Darn it.  Since you did both sides we can't blame the finish (I've seen full size doors warp if only one side is done).  I'm stuck.  Since it's only 1/16" I guess playing with the 'feet' will solve it...... if you have a 'wall side'.

[patrickmil]

The bowsprit is looking good Larry! Did you get the 1/64" wood for treads or go with styrene? I agree with Augie on felt pad correction. 

[lb0190]

Darn it. Since you did both sides we can't blame the finish (I've seen full size doors warp if only one side is done). I'm stuck. Since it's only 1/16" I guess playing with the 'feet' will solve it...... if you have a 'wall side'.

Augie, thanks for giving it some thought. If the weight does not resolve the issue, I agree adjusting the feet is the best option left. If this is very noticeable I'll sand off the top and bottom, soak it in hot water and clamp it down to dry.

 

Yes I have a wall side, the port and starboard.

Edited January 3, 2015 by lb0190

[lb0190]

Hi Patrick,

 

I forgot to mention I took your advice and found some styrene strips. I needed 0.015" sq, but what I found was 0.015" x 0.020" Is the difference noticeable :) . Thanks for helping with the mount issue. I don't think the dry weight will help much and I hope the slight warp will not be noticable.

Edited January 3, 2015 by lb0190

[augie]

You should feel good about that Larry.  Mine usually have 4 wall sides.

[popeye the sailor]

good you found a solution.....paint,  like glues will cause warpage from time to time.  nice bow spirit

[lb0190]

Thanks Popeye. Hopefully I can find time to paint the bow sprite today. It all depends on the granddaughters, they can keep me busy....

[lb0190]

You should feel good about that Larry.  Mine usually have 4 wall sides.

My goal is to get one of my four sides to look as good as any one of yours!

[Laxet]

I'm having the very same problem with my base. Mine didn't happen until after I attached the boat, & I attributed it to that. I used the cheap pine base that came with the boat when I should have used a piece of walnut I am saving for just such an occasion. I haven't bothered to measure the discrepancy, but I figured I'd just shim it after I apply the felt bottom & hope for the best..

[lb0190]

Hi Dale,

 

Thanks for looking in. My base is walnut, but I'm not sure when it warped on me. I know it was flat before I applied the finish. Maybe I took too long between the upper and lower finish??? I'll take the weights off tomorrow to see if they helped.

 

Meanwhile I managed to get several coats of paint on my bow sprite which is when I realized I left off four very small line chalks. I CA glued them on top of the paint, hopefully it holds OK. I'll take some photos after the last coat is applied. Turns out there are five materials on this piece, wood, styrene, tape, brass and white metal castings.