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

[VitusBering]

Well, I have been lurking here and meddling in others' build logs for quite some time.
Most of you know I abandoned my previous Cutty Sark build and I'm very anxious to start anew.

I have the kits (one as a working kit, the other is spare) and almost all of the necessary extras.

However, I'm still awaiting one more delivery consisting of a wood deck, windows, rope and a few other accessories.
They're coming from Radimir at HiSModel in the Czech Republic and, though he's a bit late, I am confident they will arrive soon.

 

Until they do, I have finished the control box for the lighting.
The lighting will consist of navigation (running) lights and interior illumination of the three deck houses.

 

Power is a 12-volt 2-amp wall wart that plugs into a socket in the back.

Output voltage is currently set at 6 volts for each regulator.

 

I haven't installed the box-to-ship connectors yet, I need to determine the pinouts and that's a tedious process.

The wood is very soft so I have some tearout from the drill but not enough to make me do it over.
I may make another one in hardwood at some future time.

 

 

I debated with the boss over labels for the switches and she won out (she always does).

They're not really necessary and detract from the aesthetic.

 

[Knocklouder]

Good luck on your journey, hope it works out for you .   

[Ferrus Manus]

YES!!! I can't wait!! Let's go! 

[VitusBering]

Thanks folks, I truly am champing at the bit here... but it does give me a chance to futz around more.

After testing in a mockup rig, I've reduced the output voltage on all regulators to 3.3 volts, and increased the resistance on the red LED to balance brightness with the green. I'm fairly happy with the result. I had to set the ISO on my camera to 100 and the speed to 1/180, otherwise the LEDs look like phosphorus flares.

 

 

[edit]

A couple of extra notes. I was remiss in not thanking DanielD for cluing me in on the complexities of USB-C connections and linking to a wonderful concise solution. So thank you Daniel!

 

Also you all know that one my biggest gripes about my previous build (if I ignore all of the fatal mistakes I made in construction) was those horrendous Revell paint colors. I've received a big variety of Vallejo paints including every shade of brown they make. Now that I've gone as far as I can with the lighting for a time, I'm going to test and compare all of these new paints.

 

Another edit - I got the pinouts sorted and now the connector is permanently installed in the control box.

 

I haven't started on the hull yet, I'm still awaiting delivery of the wooden deck, nav lamps, windows, hearts and other blocks, more brass stanchions and belaying pins, and more rope. That will all arrive in one swell foop from HiSModel. When, though, is a matter for conjecture. Radimir did say it could take a couple of weeks - a couple of weeks ago ;-} I will leave him alone for another week, I'll ping him if I haven't heard anything by then.

Edited May 16, 2023 by VitusBering
Updated connector status

[hof00]

8 hours ago, Knocklouder said:

Good luck on your journey, hope it works out for you .   

Ditto!!🙂

[VitusBering]

Hull halves are joined. No pics yet, I want to paint the outer hull first.

The interior rail and faux stanchions are painted.

 

I added a 1.5mm strip under the aft deck rail so I could plug the openings intended for the kit's ludicrous deadeye mounts.

 

Once the openings were plugged and painted I drilled holes for mounting deadeyes - 2 holes 1mm apart for each deadeye so a line can be run up through one hole, around the deadeye waist, then back down the other hole and the ends tied off underneath and the knot secured with a touch of CA.

 

Then I threaded and installed 4 2.5mm and 5 3.5mm wood deadeyes on both port and starboard rails for the aft standing rigging and ratline shrouds.

 

I installed and threaded them now because access to the underside of the rail will be impossible after the deck is installed, and since they are quite small and close to the rail, pre-threading them makes a lot of sense. It is something I learned the hard way from the last build.

 

When the glue is well set I will mask and primer the hull.

Edited May 21, 2023 by VitusBering

[VitusBering]

Hull has been puttied and primed and the upper section in black is painted.

I'm really liking these Vallejo paints. The black has taken to the airbrush far better than the Revell paint did and I expect the same from the other colors.

 

The copper section is next (probably tomorrow, maybe the next day) then the bump rails and I can remove the masking that is protecting the interior and start on the deck.

 

I've been in contact with Radimir at HiSModel (actually his son Jakub).

Radimir has been rather seriously ill and in hospital.

The business is active but most orders are delayed.

 

My particular order has been shipped and will likely arrive early next week.

That consists of an oak wooden deck, more Amati rope, nav lamps, two sizes of portal windows, a variety of wooden blocks, deadeyes, and hearts, and a variety of brass fittings (belaying pins and stanchions).

 

It is a big order that I've been waiting on for more than a month. I have greatly enjoyed doing business with Radimir and wish him the very best in his recovery.

 

I'll post an update pic of the hull when the bump rails are done.

Edited May 24, 2023 by VitusBering

[VitusBering]

Hull exterior is painted. Next up, the lighting through-hull connector. I think Ill wait on painting the upper main rail until the deck is installed and maybe after the other rail sections ready to be installed.

 

The deck and other goodies are in transit and are expected to arrive next week.

[edit]  Just after posting this I got a notice from FedEx that my package is out for delivery today.

Yesterday's shipping notice said it was in Germany. Wow. Now I'm really jazzed.

 

 

Edited May 26, 2023 by VitusBering

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

  'Looking good ... Have you thought about the detail seen on the original just below the gunwale (inboard), where there is wood installed with oval spaces between where white shows through?

[VitusBering]

1 hour ago, Snug Harbor Johnny said:

  'Looking good ... Have you thought about the detail seen on the original just below the gunwale (inboard), where there is wood installed with oval spaces between where white shows through?

 

I've puzzled over that - I've thought about getting some printable decal paper or vinyl or something and seeing how that may look. I've made decals before but on a larger scale.

 

[edit] Some explanation - it is beyond my skill level to create small frames with an oval-ish void, regardless of material. I would never be able to make them uniform without mechanical help or a 3d printer.

Edited May 26, 2023 by VitusBering

[shipman]

I can't remember the exact dimension, but the kit deck is around 4mm too high in the hull as is.

The deck houses stand proud of the bulwarks, when their roofs should be level with them.

By implication. it would seem the internal detail of the bulwarks isn't quite correct. See how the freeing ports molded outside, the bottom edge should be level with the deck, but they aren't.

Getting the 'oval' panels proportionally correct would (to my eye) only emphasize the above disparity.

[VitusBering]

6 hours ago, shipman said:

I can't remember the exact dimension, but the kit deck is around 4mm too high in the hull as is.

The deck houses stand proud of the bulwarks, when their roofs should be level with them.

By implication. it would seem the internal detail of the bulwarks isn't quite correct. See how the freeing ports molded outside, the bottom edge should be level with the deck, but they aren't.

Getting the 'oval' panels proportionally correct would (to my eye) only emphasize the above disparity.

 I agree shipman. With an eye toward possibly including the panel detail I dry-fit the pin rails and came to the same conclusion. There isn't any good way to work the panels in - to get them to fit would mean significantly changing their aspect ratio or clipping them so they're only partially visible. Neither solution is acceptable, in my opinion.

[shipman]

5 hours ago, VitusBering said:

 I agree shipman. With an eye toward possibly including the panel detail I dry-fit the pin rails and came to the same conclusion. There isn't any good way to work the panels in - to get them to fit would mean significantly changing their aspect ratio or clipping them so they're only partially visible. Neither solution is acceptable, in my opinion.

The only way to get this aspect right is to lower the deck; something that needs to be tackled before anything else.

To be honest, unless one is a C/S nerd, the lozenge panels are a true feature which would be nice to include, but the casual observer would be none the wiser if they are absent.

 

However, there have been some impressive builds of this kit without them.

If ever I could find the time to build my own, these details I really would try to portray.

 

I've read about and researched the ship, including visits and conclude that as she is now, C/S is a brave interpretation.

There are features that defy logic, much of which have been endlessly debated on this forum.

Ultimately there is much we can never truly know.

 

Each modeller can only do their best to represent a ship using available resources to their own satisfaction, without driving ones self into the realms of Autism.

[VitusBering]

I agree on all counts. I'm not up for changing the deck height, not on this brand of model. Perhaps on a wood model someday.

 

Brave interpretation is an apt description. This model and most others, and even the "restored" full scale ship bear barely more than a passing resemblance to the magnificent vessel she once was. I've avoided saying superficial resemblance, I do believe the models have a certain grandeur.

 

As for representing that vignette of history I'm afraid I've taken more liberties than even the kit maker. For example I've added a plethora of brass porthole windows to the deck houses, considerably more than is canon but I happen to like the look especially when the interior of the houses are lit.

[VitusBering]

Lighting is almost done. I haven't worked out yet how to mount the nav lights so they're just poking up through the hatch for the moment. The kit's nav light mounts won't work, I am going to need to build something. I'll work it out.

 

The deck houses are all dry fit right now, pending final deck install. The wood decks are installed, and when the nav light thing is worked out I'll be able to glue it down.

 

I absolutely love these porthole windows. They're well detailed. Yeah, I sort of went overboard with them, but I do like it.

 

I covered each side of the skylight (inside) with a strip of clear acetate and gave them a light coat of clear nail polish which frosted the windows nicely. I'm waiting on 4mm porthole windows to install in the rear deck house - the 6mm are just a bit big.

Edited May 29, 2023 by VitusBering
typos

[VitusBering]

I worked out the nav light mounting. I still need to build a housing for them. I'll model it after the full scale enclosure.

 

 

 

The control box is working out well. The usb-c through-hull connector is very discreet. It is on the "back" side of the model - this ship will be displayed with the port side facing out.

 

[VitusBering]

I've made some progress...

 

The fo'c'sle furniture is mostly installed. The running light housings are installed (I'm not sure I'm completely happy with those yet, but they're easily replaced).

 

 

 

The pin rails and main deck deadeyes are installed. The pins are blackened brass, as will be all pins in this build.

 

 

The porthole windows for the aft deck house arrived so those are installed now. I'm very impressed with the manufacturing tolerances of both the 6mm and 4mm windows. The plastic "glass" in them fits perfectly - no small feat at this tiny scale. The roof is only resting on the house at the moment, I'm working out how to fix some light leakage from around the roof when the LED lights are lit. The walls of the house are not fully glued in yet either for a similar reason. That's why it looks a bit goofy at the companionway entrance - another easy fix. I may use thin vinyl tape inside.

 

 

I'm not sure what I'll do next - there are lots of options. Maybe the anchors and bowsprit, maybe more of the deck furniture, I'm not sure yet.

[Ferrus Manus]

Positively magnificent. Someone ought to remind me to take a peek once in a while. 

[ScottRC]

Your build is looking very clean and sharp.  

[VitusBering]

Small update - last set of pics above were premature. Fo'c'sle and poop deck are mostly done. Anchors and bowsprit stays and martingales installed.

 

 

Edited June 13, 2023 by VitusBering
Remove duplicate pic

[rwiederrich]

Very impressive....nice and clean.  Your experiences are producing great results.

Nicely done.

 

Rob

[gak1965]

Fast as well. You are making great progress 

[VitusBering]

I have a dilemma. One of the last deck elements remaining to be installed is the boat davits.

 

The 1974 instructions show the davits wired in an X pattern, much like the restored full scale vessel.

 

The 2017 instructions show the davits wired in to themselves rather than each other.

 

I am far more fond of the X pattern than the other but here's the real quandary.

If I wire the davits in either configuration, the stems are so flimsy that the davits bend - either toward each other in the case of the X pattern, or down and to one side or the other in the case of the 2017 pattern.

 

It doesn't matter how lightly I thread these things, the result is the same.

I can wire them and take not even the slightest strain and the stems deform.

 

If I wire them with enough slack that they don't bend, the rope looks sloppy as an unmade bed.

I've tried just about everything I know, short of reinforcing the stems somehow - I have no idea of how to go about that anyway. If I had a 3D printer I'd make some out of stiffer material, but I don't have one of those yet.

 

There is one other option, and it is one I am seriously considering.

 

The kit's box and the instruction booklet cover art (the same pic) shows the davits installed facing each other rather than arcing over the boats.

 

 

I think I sort of like this. It is impossible to tell from this pic but the tops of the davits may be tied together, facilitating an even and tidy installation.

 

Do you folks have any thoughts, criticisms, or suggestions?

 

Any and all comments are welcome, and I want to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your help, support, and kind words.

 

Edited June 16, 2023 by VitusBering
Revise layout

[gak1965]

The 2017 instructions don't make a lot of sense to me. It looks like they are trying to set up the boats to be lifted out of their cradles, but the rig for that looks all wrong to my eyes.

 

Something I have done to flimsy wood parts is add some wire or brass in unobtrusive locations (like underneath spreaders). Can you take a bit of brass or steel wire, CA glue it to the hidden side of the davit and paint the whole thing? I'm not sure exactly how big these are, but maybe that would work enough to keep things steady.

 

Could you set the spacing between the blocks with the line in place and then paint it with dilute glue while hanging down? It would presumably stiffen the tackle and you could attach it on the other davit without worrying that it will go slack. Never tried it, it's just an idea.

 

George

[VitusBering]

30 minutes ago, gak1965 said:

The 2017 instructions don't make a lot of sense to me. It looks like they are trying to set up the boats to be lifted out of their cradles, but the rig for that looks all wrong to my eyes.

 

Something I have done to flimsy wood parts is add some wire or brass in unobtrusive locations (like underneath spreaders). Can you take a bit of brass or steel wire, CA glue it to the hidden side of the davit and paint the whole thing? I'm not sure exactly how big these are, but maybe that would work enough to keep things steady.

 

Could you set the spacing between the blocks with the line in place and then paint it with dilute glue while hanging down? It would presumably stiffen the tackle and you could attach it on the other davit without worrying that it will go slack. Never tried it, it's just an idea.

 

George

 Thank you George. I've considered stiffening the stems with some sort of wire but I'm not sure how unobtrusive (or obtrusive) that approach would be and if history serves I'm not good with metal (no excuse, I know, this should be simple but it is me we're talking about here. I should have added something for scale - the stems are about 1.5 mm diameter and are soft plastic.

 

I did experiment off-ship with stiffening the ropes. The results were less than desirable.

[Ian_Grant]

You could make new davits from brass rod, chucked in a drill to taper.....then solder on copper eyes at ends. Not too hard.

[VitusBering]

Thank you Ian but, as I alluded to above, my experiences with metal are -- not good to say the least. I know that simply bending (and perhaps tapering) a brass rod should be simple - and it is for most folks. Some materials and I have a long sad history and metals are one of those.

 

That being said I will try to shape a reinforcing rod to match the curve of the kit's davits and attach it somehow (CA probably). I have spare davits in the spare kit and I think also in the scrap bucket maybe. At any rate, low risk.

[Ferrus Manus]

The 2017 instructions are absolutely horrendous. Use the old instructions.

[gak1965]

One other thought is to get a set of Britannia davits from Bluejacket or Model Expo. It looks like BlueJacket has several sizes, and they make 1:96 ships that use them (e.g. Red Jacket), and they will sell definitely you a couple pair even if they aren't in the catalog. I don't see them in the model expo catalog, but my Flying Fish has 4, so they must make them, and I imagine that if you call or email they will sell you some. 

 

Britannia fittings are also somewhat soft so you will need to use some care, but they will do better than soft plastic. I'm not in love with the model expo ones generally, as I find they have a lot of flash and sometimes casting defects such that I've replaced a subset of them on my Fish with either Bluejacket or scratch replacements, but I'm not planning on doing that with the davits at the moment.

 

George

[Bruma]

If I may add something, don't glue them now if you plan to fully rig the main mast. They will get on the way and you will hate them.

Ask me how I know...