HMS Portland 1770 by scrubbyj427 - 1:48 - 4th rate 50-gun ship

[woodartist]

thanks, it is coming along nicely!

[scrubbyj427]

31 minutes ago, woodartist said:

thanks, it is coming along nicely!

Thank you! A lot of work!

[scrubbyj427]

Today I got the channel wale on, the planks are just under 1/8” thick so there’s plenty to work with when you’re finished. These are very tricky at the front and take quite a lot of bends and tapers, they end up looking like an “S”, if that Isn’t enough they also need to be tapered down to .050” at the stem. You could sand them when they are in place but making all those bends in a 1/8” thick planks is a nightmare!

a lot of eyeball testing took place as well as some adjusting once they were in place but I think I got them with a decent run.

The upper plank is missing, there’s a reason for it and it involves removing the beak head bulkhead support beam one last time to remove the jig pieces to fair up in the inside of the Hawes pieces. By the time the last planking belt is on it will be safe to remove the inner jigs, nothing will move at that point. So I will just fair that inner forward area and permanently install the beam afterwards. More to come. 
I tapered the planks to fit the guides and made sure there was a nice curve to them, from there I would mark where they need to be cut for the gunports, this keeps a nice continuity in the taper once the plank is cut up and allows the next plank below to fit nice. 
Once I got all the planks down I block sanded them out with 150/220 and applied WOP to protect them. Tomorrow the poly will be dry and I can clean up

and repaint the gunports on the upper deck.

Tomorrow I’m going to turn the model around and repeat on the stbd side. 

[Beckmann]

This is a lovely project, well done Scrubby. Your aproach to the building is masterly. Of course CAD helps, but one has to solve all the problems in ones own mind before drawing things.

When do you plan to release the project?

Matthias

Edited Tuesday at 06:34 AM by Beckmann

[Ronald-V]

Are you going to plank the hull below the wales also? Or leaving the framework exposed? 

 

Such a wonderful project!

[scrubbyj427]

8 hours ago, Beckmann said:

This is a lovely project, well done Scrubby. Your aproach to the building is masterly. Of course CAD helps, but one has to solve all the problems in ones own mind before drawing things.

When do you plan to release the project?

Matthias

Thank you Matthias! There’s been no shortage of problems to solve!

 

Im going to release it soon, I’d like to see the other two prototypes be well into chapter 2 or 3, I’m  working on a website, so hopefully in a few Months I can start offering limited chapter one kits.

[scrubbyj427]

8 hours ago, Ronald-V said:

Are you going to plank the hull below the wales also? Or leaving the framework exposed? 

 

Such a wonderful project!

Hi Ronald, 

 

Thank you, it’s finally starting to look like Portland! I will only plank one or two planks below the wales, leaving the frames exposed as shown on the painting of the contemporary model.
 

The model requires at least one plank below the wales, the gundeck at the stern is actually below the wales to it would visible through the frames.

[scrubbyj427]

Today’s  progress on Portland. I got the first belt completed on the stbd side and the friezes on and sealed with WOP.  Think the planks may have turned out better on this side, especially the bow. Overall I’m happy with it. On to the channel wales tomorrow!

 

[yvesvidal]

Beautiful work. I know it is very tempting to place the freezes at this stage, but they can be damaged so easily.

Your construction approach is quite interesting and obviously provides an easier path to building these period ships.

I love the 1/48th scale, too 🙂

 

Yves

[hmcarlin]

Have been following quietly, but have to jump in and say this looks like an awesome project!  Looking forward to getting started on it!

[scrubbyj427]

3 hours ago, yvesvidal said:

Beautiful work. I know it is very tempting to place the freezes at this stage, but they can be damaged so easily.

Your construction approach is quite interesting and obviously provides an easier path to building these period ships.

I love the 1/48th scale, too 🙂

 

Yves

Thank you Yves.

 

I couldn’t bear to look at those massive empty etched basswood panels any longer! They had to go on.

Once attached I actually drown the friezes in WOP a couple times. It adds Some depth to the printing as well as protects them. Now when I go to touch up the gunports with red I can be semi messy and the paint will just wipe off. I did this with Winnie too and was happy with the results.

[scrubbyj427]

3 hours ago, hmcarlin said:

Have been following quietly, but have to jump in and say this looks like an awesome project!  Looking forward to getting started on it!

Thank you hmcarlin! Glad to have you following along. Hopefully in the next couple months I can start getting some of these out the door. Chapter one is a heavy and massive beast of a box! Stay tuned!

[Trussben]

47 minutes ago, scrubbyj427 said:

Thank you Yves.

 

I couldn’t bear to look at those massive empty etched basswood panels any longer! They had to go on.

Once attached I actually drown the friezes in WOP a couple times. It adds Some depth to the printing as well as protects them. Now when I go to touch up the gunports with red I can be semi messy and the paint will just wipe off. I did this with Winnie too and was happy with the results.

I have had good luck with the printed Friezes by doing this as well, but I first spray them after they come off the printer with a matt fixative, when they have been glued on the model I then give them a couple of coats of Testors Dullcoat.

[scrubbyj427]

1 hour ago, Trussben said:

I have had good luck with the printed Friezes by doing this as well, but I first spray them after they come off the printer with a matt fixative, when they have been glued on the model I then give them a couple of coats of Testors Dullcoat.

Is the fixative like a light adhesive? Or does it stabilize the printed part?

[Trussben]

It’s an ink stabilizer and UV protector that helps stop fading. spray on until wet and then allow to dry, I use the Krylon brand stuff.

 

The dullcoat is a varnish lacquer that will do the final seal and give a tougher finish.

 

 

Edited Wednesday at 08:26 PM by Trussben

[scrubbyj427]

Ahhhh. Looks like I need to make a switch then. Not that the model will be in any kind of sunlight but those things can still fade.

[scrubbyj427]

Stbd side channel wales done today, except for the forward upper plank. After I get a few more planks attached to the front I will pull the forward jigs and fair out the forward portion of the inner hull and then permanently install the beam and finish the last two planks. 
 

[Theodosius]

Beautiful work! I'm every time surprised how smal theses ships had been in comparison to the Lieutenat 🙂 

[Hubac's Historian]

It’s been a while since I last checked-in, here, but you are certainly making a Capital job of it all.  Really well, done!