Amerigo Vespucci by Bill97 - OcCre - 1/100

[Bill97]

Ok my friends it has been a bit since my last update. Some big advancements since then. One problem I encountered, just like Daniel, when installing the “square” portholes is getting them to sit flush with the side of the ship. On the actual ship these portholes are flush but the kit supplied metal pieces are to be just glued to the side. I wanted them to light up along with the other portholes as well so have the holes drilled out.  I ended up carving out the depth of the square port holes and set the pieces into the side of the hull. I then began the process of painting the four distinctive colors on the hull. A lot of masking and painting, masking and painting. I initially planned to airbrush the colors but eventually settled for using a brush.  I added the brass port hole inserts. The actual ship has these painted the same as the stripe but I left them brass. I still have the OcCre green to add to the bottom of the hull and a bit of touch up to sharpen a few places on my lines. I also want to fine tune some of the painted square port holes to make them a bit more distinctive. 

Edited October 16 by Bill97

[Bill97]

Added the trim along the top of the deck and touched up some paint here and there. 

[Bill97]

Spent the time since my last update working at the stern. I added the captains balcony, the supports under the balcony, doors, the navigation lights, the decorative balcony rail including the Amerigo Vespucci name, and the lower stern decorations. 

[Bill97]

Spent most of my shipyard time since my last update working on the starboard side of the main deck. I opened up two entrance ways similar to the actual ship. Added the blue curtains over the storage lockers and the storage cabinet at the end. This is an upgrade of sorts from what OcCre has if you follow the instructions. The photos show the same area on the actual ship and what I did. 

[Bill97]

Been a bit since my last update so I would catch up with what I have been doing. Have spent my available time in the shipyard making small items that will be added to the ship. OcCre supplied metal stairs for the four main stair cases that were to be painted like wood. I did like the appearance much so I decided to cover them with veneer, stain, and varnish. Still need to make the handrails. Also started making the elevated watch platforms, two for each side.  Used copper wire and solder to form the rails and canopy cages. Will still need to file down the joints. And finished up the bridge adding rails, stairs, storage cabinets and radar units. 

[Hubac's Historian]

Coming along nicely Bill.  Your paint lines are crisp, and that’s a huge improvement to the kit staircases.

[Bill97]

First of 4 grand staircases and a photo of the same stairs on the actual Amerigo Vespucci. I have the stain a little darker than the actual. 

[Bill97]

A little slow but steady progress since last update. I now have all 4 staircases installed. I have the 4 raised watch platforms with ladders I made to replace the ones provided in the kit. I also have made the 6 storage chests, 2 with bench seats. Reinforcement bands placed around them as on the actual ship. 

[Bill97]

Added the pin rails around the ship. The pairs at the bottom of each mast and the straight rails that circle the outside of the deck. The supports for the pairs of rails at the mast came with metal supports supplied with the kit that were to be painted to resemble wood. Similar to the four staircases I decided to cover them with wood veneer. 

[Bill97]

Well it is looking like my shipyard workers are demanding time off until Christmas. Only want to work limited part time with so much other stuff going on and needing to be done. So I guess my available time working on my Amerigo Vespucci will be somewhat limited the next couple of weeks😢

[Ian_Grant]

Merry Christmas Bill to you and your family and especially the grandkids!

 

All the best,

 

Ian

[Bill97]

Thanks my friend. Merry Christmas to your family as well. 

[Bill97]

So I had my first major “oh s- -t” today. I had the deck structure in the below photo completed and ready to mount on the deck. I was pleased with how it looked. Thus structure has two sections (rooms if you will).  I have LED lights in school room. I connected the wiring and glued it down in place on the deck. I turned on the circuit that powers these LEDs and was pleased to see through the windows that the lights weee glowing. However within a few minutes I noticed one of the 5 LEDs in the structure was flickering.  Decision time. I knew it was most likely a loose connection. Do I just live with it? An option I knew I could not live with. Or do I try to get inside the structure to solve the problem?  I picked the option of fixing the connection but soon determined there was no way to find the issue and then fix it through the little windows. I decided to cut out one of the doors to give myself more room. Still no way to get in enough. Eventually I decided to cut the structure open to expose the LEDs and wiring. I found the problem, soldered it again and tested it. All was good. Now I had to glue the structure back together and apply wood filler. Once it sets up I will redo the sanding and painting. Hopefully get back close to how nice it looked before. In the process of cutting it open I unfortunately collapsed the dome structure that sets on top. I will have to remake it. Fortunately the wood glue had not fully set where I glued the structure to the deck. Had I waited till tomorrow to test the lights I would have had a serious problem. Probably not solvable. 
 

[DanielD]

Bill, sadly I’ve done something similar with my HMS Terror. At that time I placed the wiring right under the deck, which when I drilled a hole for some piece of deck equipment, I severed a wire. I had to do micro surgery by taking out a deck plank and add a hole through the false deck, find the broken wire and solder it back together and repair the deck. It was a pain to say the least. Now I don’t put the wires directly under the deck to prevent future accidents. I guess we just learn from our past and move on.

[Bill97]

Daniel I wondered if when I drilled the holes for the safety cages that go up to the openings if I hit a wire. They worked perfectly before.