Looking for suggestions

[bigcreekdad]

Into second planking on the HMS Brig Supply. Never been a big fan of walnut, so I've cutting my own planks from a light cherry piece. Before I go further, I need to decide whether I will continue with cherry, or go below the wales with something darker for some contrast. Likely will not be painting the lower hull. Any thoughts?

[Wawona59]

In my opinion, ship models that use the natural wood color in lieu of paint can be beautiful in their own right.  Given that you have planked the topsides already, I would plank the lower hull with a contrasting wood and use an oil finish such as tung oil or boiled linseed.

 

Best wishes on your project.

[Cristiano]

you can eventually paint the wood with mordant.

I know that you don't want to paint your model, but using mordant is not like painting a model.

 

There are various colors available on market. I used extensively mordaunt in the past for coloring the base of my models, accessories and some hull.

I converted lime wood in cherry wood or walnut wood.

The level of color darkness and saturation of the final result depends by the layers of mordant that you lay on wood.

You can make some experiment on spare stripes. the mordant exalts the wood grain, but it must be made attention to the traces of glue on wood. The traces of glue let the mordant be absorbed with a resulting different colour.

[allanyed]

I have seen magnificent models with the lower planking made with holly that gives the impression of white stuff instead of paint.  If going for a copper bottom look, consider Swiss pear.   Supply was likely white bottomed when launched in 1759 but probably copper bottomed sometime later possibly when converted in 1786, so the choice is yours if you want to go that route.

 

Allan

[rtropp]

Cristiano, is there any of that that is commercially prepared to be "painted" in white, especially mail order.

Might want to give it a try to cover up a varnished hull that I messed up.

Thanks

Edited January 21 by rtropp
alter request

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

   Rather than 'paint' - and most consider paint to be thick enough to 'cover' (ergo hide) the wood below - why not experiment on some stock with a 'tint'.  That could be white paint thinned enough so that it becomes a 'wash' - with the carrier soaking into the wood (it will out-gas as it dries) - leaving behind  'transparent' pigments on the surface.  This is more like staining, and there might even be white stains.  Experimenting on samples of the stock you are going to use is key (you don't need much), and you can use both sides of the same test piece to experiment on ... just label each side with a number or letter and keep a key as to how you treated that sample.

[Cristiano]

1 hour ago, rtropp said:

Cristiano, is there any of that that is commercially prepared to be "painted" in white, especially mail order.

Might want to give it a try to cover up a varnished hull that I messed up.

Thanks

Regarding the mordant, probably is also knew also as "wood stain", available as ready to use or in powder to be blended with water, and so on.

the various type of wood colors can be easily found in all the hobby stores.

Regarding the white, I usually use the "acrilic paint for decoupage". it appears an odd choice, but it is a type of color that is very efficient in terms of result.

The acrilic paint for decoupage contains very big pigments (the opposite of the acrilic paint for plastic modelling), so the covering efficiency is very very high. you cover the wood without the risk to soaking it with the water present in the color.

 

 

Below is an example of a mine model present in my gallery:

All the colored parts are made with acrilic paint for decoupage (whyte, ocra yellow, yellow and black). 

The masts and bowsprit are "colored" with wood stain (walnut light color) or mordant, the original wood was lime wood.

The pedestal, again was lime wood, "colored" with cherry wood stain

Unfortunately I am from Italy, so I cannot suggest specifically a label of acrilic paint available in your market, but more or less the equivalent in your country of mine should be the following (Amazon USA link):

https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Barrel-Acrylic-PROMOABI-Assorted/dp/B00ATJSD8I/ref=sr_1_10_sspa?crid=2ISXK4FQ4P330&keywords=allegro+paint&qid=1705880135&sprefix=allegro+paint%2Caps%2C163&sr=8-10-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9idGY&psc=1

 

Regarding wood stain, the best that I have used are solvent based, so cannot be shipped by Amazon, due to the solvent presence. But browsing with the web you can find many wood stain manufacturers in your Country.

 

Edited January 21 by Cristiano

[allanyed]

The photo of the model of the Halifax brings up a question.  Was the white stuff applied on the rudder pintles and braces (gudgeons) as well?  Looking at photos of models at RMG the ones I found all have the white stuff on the hardware as well as the rudder and hull.

One example.....   https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/rmgc-object-66437   shown below.

Allan

 

 

[cotrecerf]

Hello Cristiano,

I refer to Allyaned's question, whether the hardware on hulls such as rudder pintles horseshoe brackets etc. were painted with white stuff as the hull was.

Imho, these metal parts were always installed before the hull was payed with some stuff and nobody took the trouble of e.g. covering the metal parts or working meticulously not to touch the original colour of the parts or applying a layer of black on them later. These ships were fighting ships and nobody would waste time and effort in achieving "showlike" condition on parts below the water line..

 

Salutazioni

 

Joachim

[rtropp]

Thank you all. Some great information that will help me move forward.  I appreciate the great ship pictures.  I would take the time to mask the hardware just for looks.

Richard

[Cristiano]

2 hours ago, cotrecerf said:

Hello Cristiano,

I refer to Allyaned's question, whether the hardware on hulls such as rudder pintles horseshoe brackets etc. were painted with white stuff as the hull was.

Imho, these metal parts were always installed before the hull was payed with some stuff and nobody took the trouble of e.g. covering the metal parts or working meticulously not to touch the original colour of the parts or applying a layer of black on them later. These ships were fighting ships and nobody would waste time and effort in achieving "showlike" condition on parts below the water line..

 

Salutazioni

 

Joachim

Of course Joachim, but sometimes there are "small artistic deviations" that I prefer to take to maintain the nice look of the model. Some observers may interpret certain choices (metal parts completely white) as a lack of artistic ability on painting. The black metal parts of the rudder are more nice to the eye...

[Jaager]

19 hours ago, rtropp said:

Cristiano, is there any of that that is commercially prepared to be "painted" in white, especially mail order.

Might want to give it a try to cover up a varnished hull that I messed up.

As a theoretical solution:

Coat the "very fine" sanded varnish with shellac.  A worn out Tee works for application.  Then buy a small tube of white artist's oil paint. (Blick)  You can use a color wheel to determine which other colors to get to get a believable "white stuff" layer shade.  Dilute the pigment with mineral spirits and "boiled" Linseed oil down to as semi transparent as fits your goal.  You are in GA not CA, so the organic solvents and Linseed should be in your neighborhood hardware. 

 

Oil paint for a model size surface is not like using them to coat the walls and ceiling of a closed room.

 

On 1/17/2024 at 5:42 AM, allanyed said:

I have seen magnificent models with the lower planking made with holly that gives the impression of white stuff instead of paint.

I find the properties of Holly to be seductive.  However, the current price per board foot that I find on line is absurdly high.  To make matters worse, they are probably burning the off-white and yellow stock that we would really  want.

[cotrecerf]

Christiano,

I didn't mean to infringe on your artistic freedom in any way...of course follow your ideas! You're the master of your own ship..

Greetings

Joachim

[Javelin]

5 hours ago, cotrecerf said:

Hello Cristiano,

I refer to Allyaned's question, whether the hardware on hulls such as rudder pintles horseshoe brackets etc. were painted with white stuff as the hull was.

Imho, these metal parts were always installed before the hull was payed with some stuff and nobody took the trouble of e.g. covering the metal parts or working meticulously not to touch the original colour of the parts or applying a layer of black on them later. These ships were fighting ships and nobody would waste time and effort in achieving "showlike" condition on parts below the water line..

 

Salutazioni

 

Joachim

That might have been the case, however I doubt that paint would last long on these metal parts (certainly the ones under water). They didn't have the primers and anti-foulings of today... To make matters worse, it was paint made for wood, certainly not specific to metal. 

Adhering to metal at sea is not for faint-hearted paints