MORDAUNT 1681 by NMBROOK - Euromodel - 1:60 - Beyond Bashed

[Landlubber Mike]

Wow, the treenails look great Nigel.  Glad you decided to take that approach.  I might have to think about doing something similar on my builds.

 

The ebony black strake looks fantastic.  I'm sure it took a lot work to fit, but it looks really sharp against the boxwood.

[NMBROOK]

Thank you Mike,the ebony black strake was fairly easy and bent without any soaking etc.The ebony Wales will no doubt be another story

kind Regards

 

Nigel

Edited August 4, 2015 by NMBROOK

[NMBROOK]

Thank you Brian Yes I think I am up to date for now,number 94 I think .Definitely so much more than was just in his DVD.There is also Alex Banarov's build on the Ukranian forum of Pantelemon Victoria that is also a photographic step by step of his techniques.Some techniques only really applicable to his preferred scale of 1/36.Planishing nails flush on the scales I work to would make me cringe

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[NMBROOK]

One thing I forgot to mention in my original post.I found that cutting the treenails at 45 degrees on the ends makes it MILES easier to get in the holes as it is not to easy to see what you are doing with a blob of pva in the way

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[Landlubber Mike]

Thank you Mike,the ebony black strake was fairly easy and bent without any soaking etc.The ebony Wales will no doubt be another story

kind Regards

 

Nigel

 

I just fit the wales on my Pegasus in 2mm pear using top and butt planking.  It took quite a bit of time, especially as I was cutting and fitting the planks by hand.  I was thinking throughout the process "thankfully I'm not using ebony!"  

 

For most of the planks, I soaked them, pinned them to the hull, let them dry, and they were ready to go.  The planks near the bow were a bit trickier and needed more bending, so I soaked and pre-fit them using the jig in the post below, before soaking them again and pinning them to the hull.  I split a couple of the bow planks, until I realized that it really helped to soak the planks, then bend them by hand forward and backward to loosen the fibers in the wood before putting them in the jig.  

 

http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/7267-hms-pegasus-by-landlubber-mike-amativictory-models-scale-164/?p=329358

 

 

Just thought I'd share, though I'm sure you have a better technique in mind

[NMBROOK]

Thank you Mike,unfortunately the biggest issue I have found with Ebony,is that the oil that adds to it's blackness drastically reduces it's ability to absorb water.Couple this with it's short grain and it can be a pain.I managed to bend the 2,5mm thick Ebony wales on Caroline using 72 hours of soaking coupled with inner and outer formers and a blowlamp!.The wales on Mordaunts bow though suffer from the fact that they are inclined by up to 45 degrees in cross section but appear horizontal when viewed form the front The top and bottom edges should also be in line with the horizon.The only way I think I can accomplish this is to shape the front sections from a billet rather than trying to bend stripwood. 

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

Edited August 4, 2015 by NMBROOK

[Landlubber Mike]

Wow, that sounds fun.  Cutting from a billet probably would be better than trying to bend the plank laterally.  Good luck!

[mtaylor]

Nigel,

 

Only one way I know to do that with ebony.. spile the wales and laminate from thin stock.  There are some who say soaking in acetone will remove the oli and make things bend a bit... but I've not tried it.  If a little soak and head won't do it, I'm firmly in the laminate camp.

[NMBROOK]

I did consider that route Mark,the problem I foresee is that the spiled strip will be a severe arc.This can cause the strip to break easily across its depth when I try to bend it,I have had it happen before because you are cutting across the grain too much to get the correct shape.I hope that makes sense,not the easiest thing to put into words

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[mtaylor]

It makes a lot of sense, Nigel.  It sounds like you've put a fair amount of thought into this so it should work.  As much as I love the color and texture of ebony, it sure is a pain to work with though. 

[NMBROOK]

A little bit of a update More progress on treenailing.I then took a little break to concentrate on a job that needs doing before I can complete the framing of the stern.The lower set of windows need completing as access will be greatly restricted when the upper stern section is in place as this overhangs these windows.

After the outer framework was installed,mica was used to glaze these from behind.The framing is in 0.8mm square boxwood.The mullions have been added in one piece.The transoms are being fitted in sections.Everything is being glued in place with PVA.The plan is to fill the panes with matt polyurethane as before.This should also fix everything in place and allow me to lightly sand the face of the framework flush with the aid of a custom made sanding stick.

Now having a break as my eyes and head is spinning cutting 2mm long pices of strip and gluing them in position

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel 

[UpstateNY]

Hi Nigel,

 

Truly impressive work. The window components look completely vertical and horizontal across the curved transom.

 

Are you measuring this off, using a jig perhaps or working more by eye, especially when you glue in the horizontals?

 

Finally, the treenails look really great. I especially like the contrast against the ebony.

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel.

[NMBROOK]

Thank you Nigel The windows actually form part of a fan whose centre is somewhere miles above the model.The dimensions were taken from the plan,at least an average was obtained as there were minute discrepancies comparing each window on the drawing.This gave me the shape.The internal framework is purely by eye.It is easiest to fit the central bars and then visually split the remaining sections in half when fitting the other pieces.Had there been an even number of bars,it would have been interesting

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[rafine]

Those windows are fantastic Nigel. I can imagine your needing a rest after doing them.

 

Bob

[Omega1234]

Hi Nigel

 

I concur with everyone's comments about the windows.  Really, really nice work!

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[NMBROOK]

Thank you very much indeed Bob and Patrick Back to work tonight,so hopefully I shall finish them next weekend

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[mtaylor]

I quite agree... impressive windows, Nigel.

[Kevin]

the whole stern looks fantastic

[Jeff-E]

Hi Nigel

 

Excellent work the windows look fantastic

[NMBROOK]

Thank you very much Mark,Kevin and Jeff

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[Beef Wellington]

Lovely Nigel, very impressive.  I see you shaped a piece of decorative strip beneath the windows, how did you do this?  If it was with a scraper, how did you make it?  Would love to try making my own at some point.

[NMBROOK]

Thank you very much Jason No I shaped it by setting a fence up on the MF70 miller and fed the strip through gently.I went this route as I had to reduce the boxwood stock down in size as well.The corners were radiused by hand with a sanding stick followed by final finishing with steel wool

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[NMBROOK]

One mini project I have been working on in conjunction with everything else,is what will be the floor of the balcony.I mentioned earlier that this was a grated deck,but I wanted something a little more visually appealing.

I have prebent a piece of 1.5mm Ebony on a jig and this was secured at the ends with some scrap boxwood and cyano.I have then tiled the upper surface with 4mm square boxwood and ebony.I haven't photographed the manufacturing techniques for this as it is covered in many other logs.A propose to apply a few light coats of Poly prior to removal and shaping.

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[Beef Wellington]

Thank you very much Jason No I shaped it by setting a fence up on the MF70 miller and fed the strip through gently.I went this route as I had to reduce the boxwood stock down in size as well.The corners were radiused by hand with a sanding stick followed by final finishing with steel wool

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

 

Dang...still searching for a simple non-power tool solution.     Your balcony chequer looks fantastic.

[Omega1234]

Hi Nigel

Wow!!! The chequerboard floor of the balcony is seriously good! Talk about precision.

Nice stuff.

Cheers

Patrick

Edited August 14, 2015 by Omega1234

[NMBROOK]

Thank you very much indeed Jason and Patrick

I have made scrapers in the past for mouldings Jason and had great success so all is not lost

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[Jeff-E]

Hi Nigel,

 

The balcony decking looks great and will be a big improvement on the grating floor

[Mirabell61]

Hi Nigel,

 

I like that chequered floor Piece its very well done...

 

Nils

[NMBROOK]

Thank you Jeff and Nils

I am about to add coat five of poly to the deck,it looked super smooth when I sanded it,but after the first coat,it was apparent there was a lot of grain in the Ebony.I don't mind this on hull sections,but not on a deck.I didn't have this issue with the Ebony used on Royal Caroline,just goes to show there is variation in this very dense timber.

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[NMBROOK]

I have completed varnishing the balcony deck and is rubbed down and burnished with steel wool.This will allow adhesion with of a final spray application of matt poly once the model is complete.

I have framed another two windows(hard going on the eyes) and applied one coat of matt poly to the panes.Another coat will be required before I can sand the face of the glazing bars smooth.

The stern chaser ports and opening for the tiller arm have been cut out.I have prepared a piece of ebony to 0.8mm thick to form the linings for these openings.

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

Edited August 17, 2015 by NMBROOK