Frigate Essex by Rafine - FINISHED - Model Shipways - Kitbashed

[Guest Tim I.]

Tim, with some limited exceptions ( the laser cut gratings, window frames, transom, rudder and stem), all visible wood has been, and will be, replaced with boxwood, holly and some pear. The lower hull (covered in copper) was planked with kit basswood. The framing was done with kit plywood parts and basswood.

 

Bob

Wow, quite a pricy endeavor. Thanks.

 

- Tim

[rafine]

Thanks B.E. You're much too kind. I'm just trying to climb the bar that you set with each new piece of work.

 

Pricey perhaps, Tim, but in my opinion well worth it.

 

Bob

[Guest Tim I.]

Bob,

 

Your workmanship is impeccable.

One of the things that I have been most disappointed with kit basswood, is how it slivers or has small fibers that raise on the edges, despite careful shaping and sanding. 

 

Per your suggestion I will be calling Model Expo today on the Essex kit availability and the status of my order.

 

Thank you,

 

Tim

[rafine]

Thanks so much Tim. I'm sorry for the late reply. Good luck with ME on the Essex.

 

Bob

[Guest Tim I.]

No worries. Model Expo has confirmed fulfillment in 20-30 days.

 

- Tim

[rafine]

Another small, but tedious, step forward. The next batch of guns have been made up, mounted and rigged. I also added some more deck ringbolts. As with the prior gun batches, these were done with the kit barrels, modified Lumberyard carriage kits and blocks and rigging line from Chuck. I have one last batch of 8 guns left to do, but these will wait for a while.

 

Next up will be work on the pumps and the bitts for the main mast, as well as the remaining framing for the quarterdeck. I'm also working on the sizing of the various rigging lines, so that I can add the lines that need to be belayed before their attachment points become inaccessible because of the deck framing.

 

Bob

[GaryKap]

WOW!!!  Bob, I continue to be amazed by the quality of your work.  What size blocks did you use for your carriage tackle?  They look GREAT. 

 

<<Gary>>

[Blue Ensign]

Tedium has it's rewards Bob, the gun rigging looks spot on.

 

B.E

[rafine]

Thanks so much Gary, B.E. and the "likes".

 

Gary, the blocks are 1/8" (3mm). They appear smaller than kit blocks of the same nominal size, probably because of their shaping and their smaller width. They are beautifully made and a pleasure to work with.

 

Tedium may have it's rewards B.E., but I want no part of any model that has more guns than this one, particularly at a small scale.

 

Bob

[Guest Tim I.]

Bob,

 

They look stellar, and very precise! 

How long do you soak your white metal cannon barrels in solution to blacken them?

 

Thanks,

 

Tim

[rafine]

Thanks very much Tim. The gun barrels are painted, not blackened. The Birchwood Casey that I use to blacken doesn't work on the white metal.

 

Bob

[patrickmil]

Bob, the second round of cannons looks great. Always a pleasure to see your work.

[Sjors]

See my previous post......same comment !!!!!!!

 

[rafine]

Thanks so much, Patrick and Sjors. Always appreciated.

 

Bob

[Martin W]

Nicely place guns always accentuate the neatness of a build.  Yours look terrific, Bob.  I also have to admire your photographic skills.

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

[rafine]

Thanks very much Martin, although I can hardly lay claim to any photographic skills.

 

Bob

[Force9]

A very crisp build sir!

 

I'm enjoying following along on this voyage.  The gun tackle is terrific and your port lids are wonderful

 

Evan

[rafine]

Thanks for looking in Evan, and for your generous comments.

 

Bob

[Pheasant]

Bob, I'm learning a lot by watching your work on ESSEX.  Especially some small details like grates and bitts, etc.  Trying to incorporate on my present build the LIVELY.

 

Haven't heard from ME about new parts for my old ESSEX kit.. But I stopped at your suggestion after the doing the frames.

 

Have your  "bookmarked" pages here to help me whenever I go back to the ESSEX.  Waiting to hear from ME on any new parts they may be sending us old kit owners.

 

Thanks for the great pictures!

 

Terry 

[Guest Tim I.]

Terry,

 

It might be a good idea to call Model Shipways. I am sure that they would at least be amenable to helping you in some respect. I know they are good on replacing other parts in kits.

As for new Essex kits, I received an e-mail on my order today that the back order has been reduced from 45 days to within 30 days.

I wish you luck in getting replacement parts.

 

Tim

[Pheasant]

Has anyone else asked for replacement parts to date?  Not sure what parts were being redone by ME. I remember that Sam had been working on that before January, but what were the results?

 

Terry

[mtaylor]

Terry,

 

Check here and if need be, re-ask there or contact ME directly.  http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/3766-essex-process-and-corrections-to-the-new-model-expo-kit/

[rafine]

Thanks Terry for the kind words. I second the suggestions that you contact ME directly about replacement parts. I've heard nothing new on that front.

 

Bob

[Gahm]

Your cannons look very good! Do you blacken them or are they painted? And what blacken reagent (or paint) are you using?

 

Thomas

[rafine]

Thanks Thomas. The cannon barrels are painted with what little I have left of my Pollyscale engine black (no longer available).

 

I've now completed another section of the quarterdeck framing. Before doing that, however, I had to do a chart of rigging sizes so that I could attach the main lower yard sheets to the bulwark cleats that would be inaccessible under the deck framing. The rope sizes were determined by using the tables and formulas set forth in Lees. Rather than using a spreadsheet, I chose to mark the sizes directly on copies of the sequential rigging drawings from the Essex AOTS. I then made a table to convert these sizes to correspond to the rigging line sizes available from Chuck. 

 

I then used the appropriate line size to do the sheets and ran them through the bulwark sheaves and attached them to the cleats. When this was done, I glued down the aft portion of the deck framing, which previously  had been left sitting loose. After that, I built two further deck sections off the model, installed them, added hanging knees to them and then filled in the open portions with lodging knees, ledges and carlings. The whole assembly was given an application of Wipe-on Poly.

 

The final portion of the quarterdeck framing will be done in conjunction with work on the pumps and mainmast bitts, which will be the next items of work.

 

Bob

[Guest Tim I.]

Bob,

 

Question related to the rigging for your guns. Do you rig the block and tackle loose, attach it to the eye bolt on the bulkhead, then pull it taut? Or do you employ another method? The uniformity between the rigging of the guns is impressive. 

 

- Tim

Edited May 1, 2014 by Tim I.

[augie]

Um......absolutely speechless over here.  Great forethought, excellent execution. 

[NMBROOK]

She is looking fabulous Bob   truly great work!When you go for detailing the interior,it really is a 'layering' job of installing all the parts and more often than not part 'A' is best fitted now but part 'B' needs fitting first,and that can't go on until the deck is in place,if you know what I mean  

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[rafine]

Thanks so much Tim, Augie and Nigel. 

 

Tim, you've got it right . The tackle is made up , then attached and adjusted.

 

Augie, you've never been speechless.

 

Nigel, I know just what you mean. Unfortunately, I sometimes forget which needs to go first.

 

Bob

[Pheasant]

I got a strange answer from the Parts Dept at ME when I asked what they were doing, if anything, about corrections to the ESSEX kit.  It was as if they knew nothing about the problems.  Has anyone asked them about replacement parts besides me?  Has anyone else tried to complete the model besides Bob?

 

I'm really sort of confused about the whole matter. Whether to continue on or wait longer.

 

Sam, if u read this, what do you think?

 

Cheers,

 

Terry