Cutty Sark by VitusBering - Revell - 1:96 - PLASTIC - Abandoned

[VitusBering]

11 minutes ago, Snug Harbor Johnny said:

  'Guess you'll use metal deck eyes instead of the plastic ones from the kit.  It may be worth considering mounting the deck eyes where they go on the deck, and bending the ends over underneath the deck (and fixing with a dab of epoxy for good measure) before gluing the deck in place.  There are also some eyes that protrude from the hull, and pre-mounting them (with ends bent over and foxed) can also be done before permanently mounting the deck.

 

That's great advice, thank you very much. I was wondering how much stress a straight shanked eye might hold. I have good adhesives but folding the ends is a good idea.

 

14 minutes ago, Snug Harbor Johnny said:

   I still favor the book by Noel C. L. Hackney 'Cutty Sark', #3 in the Classic Ships and how to model them series.  As said elsewhere, it is a highly compressed (in logic or organization) primer meant to enhance a 70's Airfix 1:130 scale plastic model of the CS - so one has to leaf back and forth a bit to glean what info is desired.  The book has pin diagrams and darn near every rope imaginable is covered - from the order of rigging, the origin and belaying points.  There is great info on all the block sets that control the chain sheets2 - also blocks needed for halyard rigging.

 

Oh, I'll really need the info on the block sets, especially for chain sheets and halyards. In the case of chains, there is precious little detail available on exactly how they're rigged. I've mentally stitched together images I've found but the more info, the better! Thank you again.

[Bob Fraser]

Campbells drawings have the info on chain and wire runs and he gives dimensions, but you'll need a magnifying glass to read some of them!

[VitusBering]

I get that, but more info is always good. I have on order all the sources folks here have mentioned. I'll have plenty of time to study - rigging is a long way in the future for this build. Lots of stuff to do first.

[kirill4]

Good day,

Some digital CS drwngs in high rez. may it  will be more handy to read text on the drawings

https://cloud.mail.ru/public/BPpQ/wHjjVFTtz

 

Edited January 29, 2023 by kirill4

[VitusBering]

Thank you kirill4, those will be very useful!

[VitusBering]

20 hours ago, Snug Harbor Johnny said:

  'Guess you'll use metal deck eyes instead of the plastic ones from the kit.

 

I'm afraid that won't work out. After more investigation and testing I've found that the two sizes of non-kit eyes I have are wrong for this model. The smaller ones are way too small to use as deck eyes and the larger are a bit too large - close, but they don't look right when dry fit. Also, they will not lend themselves to anchoring by bending over the shanks, they either break or cause me to get nervous about damaging the deck.

 

I could shop around for replacements but the plastic eyes in the kit will suffice. The glue I'm using is one that melts and fuses the plastic at the joint so the resulting installation is as strong as if it were molded in so I have confidence it will be strong enough, Because the veneer adds some thickness to the deck I may need to lengthen the shafts on the eyes to get them to set proud of the wood, but that, again, is a simple task with the welding type glue. I haven't determined that it will be necessary yet, it is just a possibility at this point.

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

    Simple eyes are easy to make in any size or thickness required.  Brass wire is available in a variety of sizes in hobby stores (there are varieties pre-darkened for use in beadwork/jewelry) and some hardware stores (only bright wire will be in those locations).  A relatively short length of whatever gauge wire you need is bent around whatever size drill shank is needed to form the desired eye.  Then the ends are twisted with needle nosed pliers to make a shank.  This is put through the deck or hull (while accessible), and the ends are separated and bent in opposite directions before applying a dab of cement or epoxy for good measure.  I'd be reluctant to have the eyes 'stand proud' of the top surface in any case, to prevent bending.

 

  In applications where there is no access to the underside, a hole nearly the diameter of the twisted shank is made, a bit of suitable glue is placed in the hole and the eye (with trimmed shank) is pushed into the prepared location.  The cement will mechanically grip the twisted shank as well as bond to the surrounding material, so the installation should be quite resistant to pulling out.

 

  From what I've seen in the available MSW build logs for this kit, there are challenges with some of the thin mast pieces and spars - since they often want to bend when rigging is added.  The CS log by Bruma shows how to strengthen the bowsprit internally, and many have fashioned wooden replacements for thinner spars.  You've already replaced the molded plastic belaying pins with metal, as others have done - no danger of breakage there.

[VitusBering]

I went with the plastic eyes for several reasons - aesthetics, my skill level, availability, maybe more. After installing and letting the glue set up I threaded a few and pulled a moderate strain on each with no disastrous result.

 

I will probably reinforce some of the mast parts and will very likely replace at least some of the spars - they don't look like they will lend themselves to reinforcement (or other customization I have planned, either).

 

I do plan to make her a taut ship so I do hope this plan works well.

 

 

 

[VitusBering]

Steadily working my way aft. I fear this post may become a bit wordy, I'm feeling rather rantish.

 

 

First though, and this is not a rant, simply a puzzle. Why, if this boat is to be stored upside down and, if I interpret the instructions correctly, glued in place (I ignored that and just set it there - same with the spars for now), why do they want me to detail it?

 

 

Ok.. so I have a difficult relationship with traditional paint brushes - I don't hate them but I suspect they hate me. I have never had great results with brushes - brush marks, overruns, all the usual rookie problems that even my daughter's coaching can't fix.

 

This is my first foray into using acrylic paints. Heretofore I've used enamel and while I really like the results, the thinning, mixing, and cleanup are painful, whether brushes or airbrush. I was attracted to acrylic for the convenience and I am sort of regretting the decision. Enamel was - not forgiving but maybe more tolerant of my techniques than acrylics.

 

The acrylics set up and skin over in the mixing cups almost instantly. Stirring has to be done carefully in that case, to prevent clumps from making their way into the mix proper. I've tried retarders, they come with their own set of challenges in the applied paint. I have no experience with any brand other than Revell. I chose that because of the kit recommendations, and I'm also sort of regretting that decision.

 

I've heard other brands may be better but it is too late in the game to switch now because of the colors.

 

About those colors - their colors are... I'm going to be diplomatic and say terrible. Also the carrier to pigment ratio is wildly different from color to color, as is the consistency. It may have something to do with the age of the particular boxes, I don't know. I didn't experience any of this sort of random inconsistency in several brands of enamels.

 

If I do this or another kit in the future I'm going to avoid Revell paints and probably switch back to enamel. But that's for the future.

 

I never intended for this to be a museum quality model. I mostly want the joy of building it - with the goal of having an aesthetically pleasing if not precision scale model. In the R/C world we call that standoff scale. It will pass for scale if you don't look too closely.

 

Alright, rant over. Any shortcomings in the look of this model are mine to own, and I will cop to being a lazy sort. If I do this or another kit again I will not touch a paint brush and I'll airbrush every painted part no matter how small.

[Ian_Grant]

Looking very nice!  Those wood decks are beautiful, certainly a vast improvement on Revell's negatively-engraved deck.

[hof00]

Yup,

Very nice indeed!!

 

Cheers....HOF.

Edited February 3, 2023 by hof00

[shipman]

Coming along nicely.

The rigging will be an adventure.

Main thing.....enjoy yourself.

[Bob Fraser]

12 hours ago, VitusBering said:

First though, and this is not a rant, simply a puzzle. Why, if this boat is to be stored upside down and, if I interpret the instructions correctly, glued in place (I ignored that and just set it there - same with the spars for now), why do they want me to detail it?

Hi Daryll

maybe they were going to go with the original - 4 boats stored the right way up - but changed their minds.

It's looking good!

Edited February 3, 2023 by Bob Fraser

[VitusBering]

Thank you all for your kind words.

 

1 hour ago, Bob Fraser said:

Hi Daryll

maybe they were going to go with the original - 4 boats stored the right way up - but changed their minds.

 

It's looking good!

 

Thanks Bob. I still haven't received the drawings and books I've ordered - they're on their way according to the tracking info but it may be a while (a week or two) before they arrive.

 

I'm going to leave the jolly boat unglued - on the skids but just resting there.

 

A similar oddity is the hold covers. There is detail beneath them so what is the point of even having the covers included? They do say not to glue them and I won't, of course. I may leave them resting offset from the openings.

[VitusBering]

I'm loving these brass stanchions. They'll look even better when threaded - that will happen soon.

 

[hof00]

Hi Chap,

That Hull is looking really good!!

(I am a Brass Stanchion fan as well. 🙂)

 

Have you considered using Very Thin and stiff Brass wire? (KS products?)

(Just an idea. 🙂)

 

Cheers and Regards,

 

Harry.

[shipman]

1 hour ago, hof00 said:

Hi Chap,

That Hull is looking really good!!

(I am a Brass Stanchion fan as well. 🙂)

 

Have you considered using Very Thin and stiff Brass wire? (KS products?)

(Just an idea. 🙂)

 

Cheers and Regards,

 

Harry.

I posted pics of brass stanchions and wire on one of the previous CS build logs.

The wire looks much more authentic than any 'thread'.

 

Admiring this crisp build, thank you.

[hof00]

19 minutes ago, shipman said:

I posted pics of brass stanchions and wire on one of the previous CS build logs.

The wire looks much more authentic than any 'thread'.

 

Admiring this crisp build, thank you.

Yup,

That's what I used on my Mantua/Sergal version. (Cutty Sark - HOF00)

I liked the look of the Brass next to the wood.

The Rail ends can also be formed very nicely where they terminate on the wood..

In saying so, thread will still suffice quite adequately.

 

Cheers and Regards,

 

Harry.

 

 

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

[VitusBering]

4 hours ago, hof00 said:

Yup,

That's what I used on my Mantua/Sergal version. (Cutty Sark - HOF00)

I liked the look of the Brass next to the wood.

The Rail ends can also be formed very nicely where they terminate on the wood..

In saying so, thread will still suffice quite adequately.

 

Cheers and Regards,

 

Harry.

 

 

 

I like that look, too. I will look into KS Products. In addition to threading the stanchions, I believe I'll also need very thin and stiff brass wire to create jackstays.

 

Thanks for the tips, and for your kind words.

[VitusBering]

4 hours ago, shipman said:

I posted pics of brass stanchions and wire on one of the previous CS build logs.

The wire looks much more authentic than any 'thread'.

 

Admiring this crisp build, thank you.

 

Thank you!

[VitusBering]

46 minutes ago, Snug Harbor Johnny said:

 

She truly is a beauty.

[VitusBering]

I think the thread will work out OK.

I'm still shopping for very thin and stiff brass wire though but I'm not having much luck.

Harry, do you possibly have a link to where I might find that?

 

Next up - rigging the boat davits. The 2017 kit instructions have them rigged each to its own, but I'm going to do it the way the full scale ship and the 1974 instructions show,  in an X pattern.

[Bob Fraser]

Hi Daryll.

The thread looks good.  If you wanted to replace with wire then any good jewelry / haberdashery should have it in.

Another builder, Bill97, queried about the run of the anchor chains because of the bend around the hatch.

See my reply with photos from another member of the way it goes,  Anchor Chain Run, so it doesn't rip the hatch apart and is helped into the chain ports when being raised / lowered.

[shipman]

Daryll, you made a tidy job using the thread.

The ship has metal rails which curve with the hull contours, so wire would look more authentic.

Brass would be best, but at a pinch you could strip the insulation off some domestic copper wire, though not being so rigid would be easily be deformed if knocked.

[VitusBering]

Thank you Bob. Haberdashery? This is a back woods mountain community of a barely over a thousand folks. We're lucky to have a grocer and mercantile 🙂 We do have a jeweler in a nearby town - the place we call the Big Town but it, too, is small by most standards. I'm going in there today sometime so I'll stop in the shop and ask him.

 

Thank you for the tip about the anchor chain run, I will consider it. Re-routing the chain is a moderately risky endeavor because it snakes through the deck under the fo'c'sle but I may give it a go - I need to think on it a while.

 

I'm also not too happy with using rope in the anchor storage - I'll replace that with small chain soon, maybe today.

[VitusBering]

Thank you shipman, that's a good tip and kind words. Stripped wire does seem like a viable option though I think I'll explore others first. I am sorry to say that authenticity is not at the very top of my priorities - I've taken some liberties already and I'm sure there will be more - but that's not to say I don't consider it important, I do.

[Ian_Grant]

Albion Alloys and K&S have brass rod down to 0.020" if that's small enough for you.

 

Looking very nice!

[VitusBering]

Thank you Ian. I thought I looked at K&S but clearly not enough. Thanks for the tips and your kind words, I'll keep looking.

Edited February 8, 2023 by VitusBering

[VitusBering]

1 hour ago, VitusBering said:

I am sorry to say that authenticity is not at the very top of my priorities [...]

 

I think some explanation is in order. I started this build as a nostalgic exercise. I built this kit (hastily) more than 35 years ago and my wife happened to find that exact version last year and gifted me (bless her soul). I didn't intend at the outset to make a museum quality model and, indeed, did not think it was possible that this kit could be built in any realistic fashion.

 

Then I came here, and saw these astounding build logs and realized the potential in this model. The talent on display here - not just this model but across the board - is phenomenal.

 

So this has been, so far, a very fun thing to do. It is good for my well being - retirement has been uncomfortable for me. I putter with home improvement but that is not very fulfilling. Building this model, however, is great for my mental health. I say that before starting the rigging, of course :-}

 

As I get further into this, I've come to realize that this build may just be a trial run. Sure, it is a wonderful thing to do and the result will be an aesthetically pleasing model worthy of display on a shelf. But I've learned so much - mostly from folks here and some from my own bumbling - that I now know that with some concerted effort I could produce something worthy of a display case. This is not a throw-away build. I've invested a lot of effort and will continue to do so and I hope to end up with a much-better-than-average example of this marvelous vessel.

 

I am, though, taking notes about what I may do differently if I do it again. Whether I will actually do it again is unknown, but it is rattling around in my head.

 

Until then, I'll find a lot of joy and fulfillment in the building and especially the learning, Thank you all for all you are and do.