Frigate Essex by Rafine - FINISHED - Model Shipways - Kitbashed

[Blue Ensign]

Impressive work Bob, and those catheads look wonderful

 

B.E.

[MEDDO]

I really like your catheads.

[Remcohe]

Looking really wonderful Bob.

 

Remco

[rafine]

Many thanks B.E., Michael and Remco and also the "likes". Greatly appreciated.

 

Bob

[mtaylor]

So clean and crisp... as always.  Wonderful indeed, Bob.

[KenW]

Great workmanship.  Can't wait for the head to be done.

[rafine]

Thanks so much Mark and Ken. Ken, I'm afraid that you're going to have a wait for the head. I'm "head phobic" and keep putting it off.

 

Bob

[Mirabell61]

Beautiful Fitting out Bob,

 

The catheads also look great

 

Nils

[rafine]

Thanks so much Nils.

 

Bob

[rafine]

Work on the forecastle is now complete. I have made and added the roughtree rail. This was a straightforward task, but still fussy, mostly because of my desire to strengthen it by pinning all of the pieces.

 

The first job was to make the stanchions from boxwood strip, paint them black and then pin and glue them to the cap rail. I then made the rails themselves. Initially, I had thought that I would cut them from boxwood sheet, but decided to try bending them to shape from boxwood strip. Somewhat surprisingly, I found that I could edge bend 1/16" x 5/32" strip using boiling water and my old electric plank bender. I added the pin rail portion with additional pieces of bent strip. After rounding the edges, I prepainted the rails, drilled the holes for the belaying pins, added pins for the attachment to the knight heads and then glued the rails to the stanchions and the knight heads. Once the glue had set, I drilled through the rails and into the stanchions and used brass wire pushed into the holes with a drop of CA to pin them. After cutting off the wire and filing it smooth, I then did the final painting and added the belaying pins.

 

The result is a fragile looking structure that should be strong enough to withstand rigging stress. I'm pleased. My avoidance of the headwork will continue for a while as I do the channels and the remainder of the port lids.

 

Bob

[Guest Tim I.]

I see am also not the only one who deflects and avoids portions of a build. 

 

The rails look fantastic. That is a significant curve for edge bending, well done!

 

- Tim

[Gahm]

Bob, this looks like the ultimate Essex build to me  . . . you really are pushing the bar very high 

 

Thomas

[gjdale]

That's a mighty impressive piece of edge bending Bob! Did you use a former of some sort for this as well, or just water and the electric bender?

[BareHook]

Impressive bend on those rails! You inspire me to try a similar bend on the caprails for my Hannah build instead of cutting them from a sheet.

 

Ken

[rafine]

Thanks guys for all the generous comments and the "likes". Greatly appreciated as always.

 

No former Grant. I made adjustments by hand as they dried to get a fit to the stanchions. As I said, I was kind of surprised to see that this could be done by bending. I really hadn't expected it to work. I don't know if it would with anything wider.

 

Bob

[augie]

Well bent, mate!

[Kevin]

that's terrific work, and how you managed to bend them rails is amazing

[mtaylor]

Impressive in bending, fitting, and final install.   Looks great.  I too am surprised that the edge bending worked but it gives me some things to ponder.

[rafine]

Thanks so much Augie, Kevin, Mark and the "likes". I never expected so much interest in something as mundane as bending stripwood, but the reality is that I was as surprised as all of you by how well it worked.

 

Bob

[rafine]

A relatively simple, but tedious, job underway. I am making and installing the remaining gunport lids (earlier, I had done a few just to see how they would look and fit). As can be seen from the photos, I added the PE brass hinges and eyebolts only  to the lids that won't be covered by the channels. For whatever reason, the tight tolerances under the channels wouldn't allow for them (they will be completely covered and invisible in any event).

 

The lids are made from boxwood strip matching the hull planking with an inner piece painted red. The PE hinges are from the kit. The lids are pinned as well as glued for strength.

 

Next will be the channels.

 

Bob

[NMBROOK]

Congratulations on the bending Bob    ,I admit I thought you wouldn't get that,I shall view you as the Uri Geller of wood bending from now on     Your model is looking fabulous,it serves as a testimony as to what can be achieved from a kit .

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[rafine]

Thanks so much Nigel and the "likes". I really appreciate your comments Nigel because no one does more with a kit than you.

 

Bob

[WackoWolf]

Bob,

 

    Beautiful work, nice detail. Sure you are proud of it. Thanks for sharing.

[AntonyUK]

Hi Bob.

You have made some excellent progress since my last post.

As all the others have said everything that I could say.

I will just keep browsing you log wondering when if I will ever be able to achieve such perfection and quality.

 

Regards Antony.

[rafine]

Thanks so much Joe, Antony and the "likes".

 

Bob

[Gahm]

Bob, I am always in awe when I see a complete view of your Essex (like your 4th image) concerning the craftsmanship and the level of details in your model!

 

Thomas

[rafine]

Thanks Thomas. I always feel the same way looking at your work.

 

Bob

[HIPEXEC]

Your work is terrific. How did you make the stanchions for your stairwell? The photo is blurry.

[rafine]

Thanks Rich. There are better pictures of the ladderway and it's railing at p.55 of the log. The stanchions are brass parts that I had on hand (I believe that they originally came from Model Expo).

 

Bob

[Landlubber Mike]

Really amazing work Bob.  Kudos to you for sticking with this kit through the various issues.  I noticed that ME's latest catalog didn't include the Essex - hopefully they have worked out all the kinks.