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HMS Mars by j21896 - Caldercraft - 1:64 - modified kit


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I love the Swiss pear. Why did you source it from?

 

I want to put it on my Syren, but wouldn't know where to even begin finding this wood, let alone cut to the thickness required as I have no fancy power tools (and all my fingers)

 

Wife has drawn the line on power tools!

Current Build - US Brig Syren - Model Shipways - 1:64 - 1st wood build

 

Armed Virginia Sloop with complimentary 8x paint MS paint set - Model Shipways - Ordered 31st October 2013

Victory Cross Section - Corel - Ordered 15th October

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I love the Swiss pear. Why did you source it from?

I want to put it on my Syren, but wouldn't know where to even begin finding this wood, let alone cut to the thickness required as I have no fancy power tools (and all my fingers)

Wife has drawn the line on power tools!

Pygothian,

 

You can order timber (including Swiss Pear) from Hobbymill in the US (link on the MSW home page). Send an email to Jeff Hayes and he will sort you out - milled to your exact requirements. He provides quality timber, beautifully milled, and at a very reasonable cost. No connection, just one of many very satisfied customers.

 

Now, about those power tools..........

 

Robert,

 

Sorry to hijack your log. Your gun carriages look superb - well done!

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Take my hat off to you Robert, those looks amazing.  Using paint it does provide an easier way out (I say rather sheepishly), you really are going the extra mile scratching many items in solid wood and the results speak for themselves.  Can't wait to see one completed with barrels.

Cheers,
 
Jason


"Which it will be ready when it is ready!"
 
In the shipyard:

HMS Jason (c.1794: Artois Class 38 gun frigate)

Queen Anne Royal Barge (c.1700)

Finished:

HMS Snake (c.1797: Cruizer Class, ship rigged sloop)

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Looks great Robert.  Not sure if you had this issue with your kit, but the carriages and trucks on my Badger were of very poor quality walnut that splintered just by looking at it - Caldercraft kits are great, but the walnut is a big disappointment.   It's probably a bit tedious to scratch the components, but the results look to be well worth it!

Mike

 

Current Wooden builds:  Amati/Victory Pegasus  MS Charles W. Morgan  Euromodel La Renommèe  

 

Plastic builds:    SB2U-1 Vindicator 1/48  Five Star Yaeyama 1/700  Pit Road Asashio and Akashi 1/700 diorama  Walrus 1/48 and Albatross 1/700  Special Hobby Buffalo 1/32  Eduard Sikorsky JRS-1 1/72  IJN Notoro 1/700  Akitsu Maru 1/700

 

Completed builds :  Caldercraft Brig Badger   Amati Hannah - Ship in Bottle  Pit Road Hatsuzakura 1/700   Hasegawa Shimakaze 1:350

F4B-4 and P-6E 1/72  Accurate Miniatures F3F-1/F3F-2 1/48  Tamiya F4F-4 Wildcat built as FM-1 1/48  Special Hobby Buffalo 1/48

Citroen 2CV 1/24 - Airfix and Tamiya  Entex Morgan 3-wheeler 1/16

 

Terminated build:  HMS Lyme (based on Corel Unicorn)  

 

On the shelf:  Euromodel Friedrich Wilhelm zu Pferde; Caldercraft Victory; too many plastic ship, plane and car kits

 

Future potential scratch builds:  HMS Lyme (from NMM plans); Le Gros Ventre (from Ancre monographs), Dutch ship from Ab Hoving book, HMS Sussex from McCardle book, Philadelphia gunboat (Smithsonian plans)

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Thanks Jason -- I can't wait to see something completed on this never ending build! :)  I remember your old post about why first builds "break down", and then I watch with envy your impressive progress on Snake, with her immaculate paint job -- she's gorgeous!  I may have bitten off a bit more than I can chew.

 

And yes Mike, the walnut provided with the kit was very splintered.  I was also disappointed to find the kit carriages -- as well as many other parts -- were actually walnut plywood.  That pretty much forced my hand to scratch building, since I wanted to build her with a natural wood finish.  I can't complain though, as I'm having a lot of fun "scratching".

 

Cheers,

Robert

Current Build: HMS Mars

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And yes Mike, the walnut provided with the kit was very splintered.  I was also disappointed to find the kit carriages -- as well as many other parts -- were actually walnut plywood.  That pretty much forced my hand to scratch building, since I wanted to build her with a natural wood finish.  I can't complain though, as I'm having a lot of fun "scratching".

And your efforts have paid off in spades Robert - you can be very proud of the results you are achieving. Absolutely top notch.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just a brief update, barely worth posting, as progress has been extremely slow with all the various carriage components...

 

Transoms and carriage beds are ready:

 

 

post-130-0-69023100-1384356015_thumb.jpg

 

 

Drilling the axles for their pins, and rounding them to accept the trucks:

 

 

post-130-0-29451300-1384356020_thumb.jpg

 

 

Robert

 

 

 

 

 

Current Build: HMS Mars

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Robert, I read through your build log.  Very impressive!  Love your scratch built cannon carriages, your using the same methods I plan to when i get to mine. I  Will be following along!

Wes Cook

 

Current Build: USF Constitution (Model Shipways)

USF Essex (Scratch build)

MS Syren (build log lost, need to rebuild)

 

Future Builds: MS Confederacy

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Gun Carriages (scratch-built) - continued

 

Assembly of the carriages is underway.  Placement of the brackets on the axles is aided by a typical jig on a copy of the plans.

 

post-130-0-58018600-1385143333_thumb.jpg

 

 

post-130-0-19638400-1385143337_thumb.jpg

 

 

Though not really visible, I used copper wire blackened with liver of sulphur instead of brass (taking a cue from Ed Tosti), for the rods that support the carriage beds.  I also plan to use copper and LOS for the carriage bolts, eyebolts, and rings.

 

 

post-130-0-86569500-1385143341_thumb.jpg

 

 

Trucks are being added.  Axle pins are Swiss pear drawn through the smallest hole on the Byrnes draw plate.

 

 

post-130-0-24697400-1385143346_thumb.jpg

 

 

post-130-0-40968500-1385143352_thumb.jpg

 

 

post-130-0-20883000-1385143356_thumb.jpg

 

 

post-130-0-41688300-1385143361_thumb.jpg

 

 

These are proving to be very time consuming items to make – fortunately there are only eighteen!  The process continues …

 

Robert

Edited by j21896

Current Build: HMS Mars

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Sorry Robert.  This is time more than well spent.  Spectacular.

Augie

 

Current Build: US Frigate Confederacy - MS 1:64

 

Previous Builds :

 

US Brig Syren (MS) - 2013 (see Completed Ship Gallery)

Greek Tug Ulises (OcCre) - 2009 (see Completed Ship Gallery)

Victory Cross Section (Corel) - 1988

Essex (MS) 1/8"- 1976

Cutty Sark (Revell 1:96) - 1956

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The axle pin detail says it all Robert, those look great!  BTW, I'm glad you gave me to tip to glue items together to shape multiple items at the same time and then separate, I can see that coming in very handy for a few items!  Looking forward to seeing the barrels installed.

Cheers,
 
Jason


"Which it will be ready when it is ready!"
 
In the shipyard:

HMS Jason (c.1794: Artois Class 38 gun frigate)

Queen Anne Royal Barge (c.1700)

Finished:

HMS Snake (c.1797: Cruizer Class, ship rigged sloop)

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Fantastic Robert! Those gun carriages look just superb. I've experimented with copper and LOS as well and found as you did, that it's much easier to work with than brass and selenium solutions. We all have EdT to thank for that I think.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Robert, your build is impressive, I can't believe the success you are having with your first build. Your carriages are outstanding, as good as I have seen on any build. Lots of great info on your techniques as well. I will continue to look in on your build and use your ideas as a reference for improving my ability's. 

 

Lou

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Cannons (replacement parts)

 

All of the wooden parts for the carriages have been completed; they’ve been assembled, and given a coat of tung oil which needs some time to dry.  I’m starting now to address the related ironwork – the most significant being the guns themselves.

 

As previously mentioned, I didn’t care for the look of the kit-provided guns, as they seem out of scale – much too bulky and heavy – so I turned to Chuck’s Syren Ship Model Company for replacements.

 

Side-by-side comparison with Kit-Provided on left and Syren Ship Model Co's on right.

 

 

post-130-0-79363500-1386778580_thumb.jpg

 

post-130-0-01009300-1406329751_thumb.jpg

 

 

Needless to say, I’m very pleased with these replacements!

 

On to the blackening process…

 

Robert

Edited by j21896

Current Build: HMS Mars

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Those cannons are so superior to the kit's it's incredible.  I will be using Chuck's cannons for the Niagra when I get finished with my Morgan.  There's no comparison for quality.  Your ship is looking fantastic......thanks for the pictures

Edited by texxn5

John

Current Current Builds:

US Brig Niagara on my website

FINISHED BUILD LOGS:

New Bedford Whaleboat - page on my Morgan Website:  http://www.charleswmorganmodel.com/whaleboat-build-log-by-john-fleming.html

C.W. Morgan - Model Shipways 1:64 http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/1785-cw-morgan-by-texxn5-johnf-ms-164-kit/

USS Constitution - Revell 1:96 http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/1796-uss-constitution-by-texxn5-johnf-revell-196-kit/

 

website US Brig Niagara Model http://www.niagaramodel.com

website Charles W Morgan Model http://www.charleswmorganmodel.com

website PROXXON DISCOUNT TOOL STORE http://proxxontoolsdiscount.com

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You can't possibly go wrong with Chuck's guns.  It's almost a shame to blacken them!!!  Great choice.

Augie

 

Current Build: US Frigate Confederacy - MS 1:64

 

Previous Builds :

 

US Brig Syren (MS) - 2013 (see Completed Ship Gallery)

Greek Tug Ulises (OcCre) - 2009 (see Completed Ship Gallery)

Victory Cross Section (Corel) - 1988

Essex (MS) 1/8"- 1976

Cutty Sark (Revell 1:96) - 1956

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Great choice Robert. Aren't we lucky that Chuck decided to start the Syren company? I sincerely hope he goes from strength to strength with it, for what he has done for the modelling community he deserves every success with it.

 

These will look fabulous on your superb build.

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Cannons – Blackening

 

Using the process outlined in many places on MSW, I chemically blackened the guns.

 

Maybe some minor variations from what others use for mixture ratios or the duration of each step in the process, but pretty much the same drill:

  1. Silver solder trunnions in place
  2. Acetone bath for grease removal (15 – 20 Minutes)
  3. Muriatic acid bath for surface etching (15 – 20 Minutes)
  4. Thorough rinsing with cold water
  5. Blackening bath, 5 parts Birchwood Casey Brass Black, 1 part distilled water (approx. 2 – 4 minutes)
  6. Thorough rinsing in cold water
  7. Following a few minutes of air drying, buff with a soft cloth

The end result, depending on the lighting, looks like a pretty attractive deep, gun metal gray.

 

While I think they look kind of nice as is, the shine is a bit overwhelming for 1:64 scale.  Therefore, the final step will be to seal them with a coat of clear, matte lacquer.

 

The result of the matte finish treatment can be seen on the gun at the far right.  With the reduced light reflection, it now looks more black.

 

Onward to making some carriage bolts, eyebolts, and ringbolts...

 

Robert

post-130-0-95941700-1404338277_thumb.jpg

post-130-0-82685500-1404338286_thumb.jpg

post-130-0-33693700-1404338293_thumb.jpg

Edited by j21896

Current Build: HMS Mars

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Beautiful job.  And fear not ----  I have the finishing sequence duly recorded on a paper towel wrapped around my guns for if and when I ever get that far.

Augie

 

Current Build: US Frigate Confederacy - MS 1:64

 

Previous Builds :

 

US Brig Syren (MS) - 2013 (see Completed Ship Gallery)

Greek Tug Ulises (OcCre) - 2009 (see Completed Ship Gallery)

Victory Cross Section (Corel) - 1988

Essex (MS) 1/8"- 1976

Cutty Sark (Revell 1:96) - 1956

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That's a great finish, Thanks for the formula.  I'll be using that when I get to that stage on my next build ....the Niagra.  Chuck's guns finish up so well that they look real.....especially with the carriages you built.....very nice and thanks for the photo's and info....

John

Current Current Builds:

US Brig Niagara on my website

FINISHED BUILD LOGS:

New Bedford Whaleboat - page on my Morgan Website:  http://www.charleswmorganmodel.com/whaleboat-build-log-by-john-fleming.html

C.W. Morgan - Model Shipways 1:64 http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/1785-cw-morgan-by-texxn5-johnf-ms-164-kit/

USS Constitution - Revell 1:96 http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/1796-uss-constitution-by-texxn5-johnf-revell-196-kit/

 

website US Brig Niagara Model http://www.niagaramodel.com

website Charles W Morgan Model http://www.charleswmorganmodel.com

website PROXXON DISCOUNT TOOL STORE http://proxxontoolsdiscount.com

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