HMS Royal William by KeithW - Euromodel - 1/72

[Keith_W]

I have been giving a great deal of thought as to how to proceed with this build. I have now completed the first planking up to the main deck level. To my immense relief, the planks are still straight, which means that each deck installed so far is exactly parallel with respect to the others.

 

Other builders of the RW on MSW have decided to continue the first planking upwards, but I am nervous about doing this. Any planking above the main deck is unsupported by frames, and thus potentially vulnerable if the ship is turned upside down.

 

I have therefore decided to start my second planking at the waterline and work downwards and upwards. These photos show that the waterline has been drawn with a thick black marker.

 

If you look closely, you will note that I am using pear strips which I bought from Jeff at Hobbymill for the planks above the waterline, and the Euromodel supplied strips below the waterline. The reason is to save cost by saving the expensive pear strips for planking which will actually be visible. The planks below the waterline will be hidden by white paint.

 

 

 

(EDIT) I forgot to mention - the 2013 edition of "SHIPWRIGHT" magazine has a feature by Mr. Yankovitch who scratchbuilt the 1:36 scale Royal William. It is well worth reading, he talks about his technique and how he overcame various problems. I bought my copy on Kindle. Amazon link is here:

 

http://www.amazon.com/Shipwright-2013-International-Maritime-Modelmaking-ebook/dp/B00GZ8EPPM/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1416144214&sr=1-1&keywords=shipwright+2013

Edited November 16, 2014 by KeithW

[pirozzi]

Hi Keith,

It is recommended to add another layer of first planking to the bulwarks. Doing so really strengthens the structure and it will support the inverted hull with no problem.

Vince

[BANYAN]

Hi Keith, I somehow missed the start of your new build - a great subject and a very good log!  She is coming along very nicely mate - might see her at a meeting soon?

 

cheers

 

Pat

[Keith_W]

Thanks for the remarks and the likes, everyone.

 

Vince, I will be adding a double layer of first planking above the main deck level - AFTER I cut the gunports out. I wasn't too sure how rigid the structure would be after doing that - rather than risk it, I thought I would complete the first planking below the waterline first. There is after all, no disadvantage in doing that. I'm not even worried that I will scuff up the planks and make them ugly, because any scuff marks, or even deep gouges, will be repaired and hidden by white paint.

 

Thanks Pat, but I think that you have seen the basic skeleton at a meet a few months back. I have completed a bit more of the first planking now. All I can say is that the pear is a real pleasure to use, a really nice upgrade over the kit supplied wood.

 

I have also been thinking of how to make the stanchions for the staircase and the rear railings. Commercial stanchions are much too thick and seem out of scale, so I have been trying to turn my own. Toothpicks make awful looking stanchions, the wood flakes off too easily and my hit rate is very low. Bamboo picks are even worse - I think they are only good for making treenails. And it's not easy finding Boxwood dowels ... how I wish I ordered some when I bought my planks off Jeff! I have tried making them out of Sculpey and I don't like the results - too inconsistent. I have tried threading beads and painting over them with liquid Sculpey but they look silly. Now I am thinking of 3D printing them (hence my other thread). We'll see.

[DenPink]

Same as Brian Keith.

 

Denis.

[Keith_W]

Good idea, Brian. I'll try that.

[Greg the peg leg sailor]

Gooday Keith

I've been reading your log and its very insperational to me. Well it maybe like a humble student teaching the teacher, but I have an idea for your windows. I'm building my first ever model: HMS ENDEAVOUR by Artesania Latina. This kit came with metal windows as well, but I also decided to put led in my ship like you. What I did and it worked out very good if I have to say it myself. For the window's panels I used the packaging from fingerbuns from Woolworths. I scibe on the inside with a sharp scaple and the painted enamel paint (any colour you want) over the scores and wiped away the excess. This method worked for me, the finished job looked like small windows pains.

Also just after starting the modern, I was diagnosed with Parkinson. I have to work out how to do things differently. What I do now, is draw or photocopy what I want to make on architectural tracing paper and I glue the small pieces of wood on the tracings. This way I can make very tiny horizontal and vertical joins etc.. I only use balsa glue. After 24 hours of drying I can remove the thing I was making and I can then clean it up. I use my belt sander upside down a lot to clean away the clue and then I use a file or nail sanding stick (from my wife lol). The final piece is quite sturdy and is clean ready for painting or staining.

I know it's maybe not a method for you, but it works for me.

Cheers from Sydney

Greg

[Keith_W]

Thanks for your reply, Greg! I am not sure what a finger bun is. I presume you mean the polycarbonate packaging that comes with some food. I did think of painting over some plastic but I will conduct some experiments when I come down to having to actually fabricate the windows. Any chance you could show a picture of your result? 

 

Sorry to hear of your Parkinsons. I presume you are on all the usual good stuff .. Sinemet, Cabergoline, etc. I don't have Parkinson's. But I think I am doing a pretty good job of making my model look as if it was built by someone with pretty severe Parkinson's. 

[Greg the peg leg sailor]

Gooday Keith.

Your workmanship is extremely good.

What is the packaging you asked? Well it's a hard clear plastic, probably a polycarbonate what you mentioned.

My Parkinson is not too server atm, but I do get times when my hands shakes and shakes.. I'm on madipare, its helps a bit but not to the extent of being 'normal'.

I will post some pics here when the frames and windows pains are all together.

Cheers

Greg

[Greg the peg leg sailor]

Here is a side window of the HMS Bark Endeavour without the carving. Hope it's clear enough because it is only 9mm X 9mm in size.

Cheers

Greg

Edited January 15, 2015 by Greg the peg leg sailor

[Greg the peg leg sailor]

Thanks for your reply, Greg! I am not sure what a finger bun is. I presume you mean the polycarbonate packaging that comes with some food. I did think of painting over some plastic but I will conduct some experiments when I come down to having to actually fabricate the windows. Any chance you could show a picture of your result? 

 

Sorry to hear of your Parkinsons. I presume you are on all the usual good stuff .. Sinemet, Cabergoline, etc. I don't have Parkinson's. But I think I am doing a pretty good job of making my model look as if it was built by someone with pretty severe Parkinson's.

 

Here is a photo of the packaging I took today.

[Keith_W]

I think I might have come up with a solution for the balustrades. As you know, the kit does not supply any. It is difficult to source balustrades which are the right scale, most aftermarket balustrades seem to be rather large and out of scale. 

 

Solution? Visit my local bead shop. 

 

 

These beads are 1mm in diameter! You can see them compared to the tip of my mechanical pencil, which uses 0.5mm lead. Thread a few of these on wire, fix with superglue, and they look OK when painted. Yes, I know it looks disturbingly like poo, or maybe meatballs on a stick, but that was the only shade of brown I had in my cabinet! 

They have beads in all shapes and sizes. I think I will go back and see if they have any square ones. 

This will surely beat trying to turn out dozens of these little bastards on my lathe. 

Edited January 19, 2015 by KeithW

[Jimz66]

 NICE I like that idea Keith. That works very well. 

[BANYAN]

Great idea Keith - now that is thinking outside the square (oops sorry you want square don't you )

 

cheers

 

Pat

[Greg the peg leg sailor]

G'day Keith.

I'm not trying to tell you how to things again mate..... I got an idea for your balustrades.

If you go to a party supply shop, you can get some very fancy toothpicks. If you dip the toothpicks in 50/50 solution of PVA glue and water and wait until it dries. Then it can be sanded using a fine grade sandpaper with out spintering.

Cheers

Greg.

 

Ps when we'll see more posting of your progress?

Greg

[Keith_W]

Hi Greg, I do have some fancy toothpicks which I picked up from a thrift store. It did not occur to me to stiffen them with 50/50 PVA prior to turning - thanks for that idea. My efforts at turning toothpicks thus far have been extremely disappointing. The wood does not hold a sharp edge, has too many fuzzies, and splinters too easily. I think I must have turned 10 of them before I got on which was remotely acceptable. Given that I will need about a hundred of these, I do not fancy trying to turn 1000 toothpicks to get what I need. I'll see if your idea works, otherwise i'll go with my beads. 

 

Since you asked for an update, here it is. But first, let me show off a little addition to the household: 

 

 

I love it when the postman brings me something other than bills! Particularly exciting when it is big, heavy, and comes from the USA! What's inside? 

 

 

Why, it's a BYRNES TABLE SAW!!! So shiny, i'm in love! 

 

The purchasing process went by without a hitch, except for the website going down when I tried to place the order. I rang them the next day and spoke to Donna. She was really apologetic. Order placed, money sent, saw is mine! 

 

 

The second layer planking has almost reached the keel. Why so slow? 

 

 

This is because I have cheaped out and i'm using the kit supplied second planking material for all planking below the waterline, which will be painted white. This meant splicing the kit strips with the pear strips I bought from Hobbymill. I should be able to reach the keel sometime this week. After that, lots and lots of sanding. Then I will line off the gunports and start the second planking upwards. 

[DenPink]

Hi Keith

 

Good to see you have got the Byrnes Table Saw, you will not regret it.

Next you will have to get the Disc Sander.

 

Denis.

[Keith_W]

Thanks Denis, but I already have the disc sander. The thickness sander is in the mail. About the only Byrnes piece I do not have is the rope walk. 

[Greg the peg leg sailor]

Hi Greg, I do have some fancy toothpicks which I picked up from a thrift store. It did not occur to me to stiffen them with 50/50 PVA prior to turning - thanks for that idea. My efforts at turning toothpicks thus far have been extremely disappointing. The wood does not hold a sharp edge, has too many fuzzies, and splinters too easily. I think I must have turned 10 of them before I got on which was remotely acceptable. Given that I will need about a hundred of these, I do not fancy trying to turn 1000 toothpicks to get what I need. I'll see if your idea works, otherwise i'll go with my beads.

 

Since you asked for an update, here it is. But first, let me show off a little addition to the household:

 

DSC_0208.JPG

 

I love it when the postman brings me something other than The second layer planking has almost reached the keel. Why so slow?

 

DSC_0211.JPG

 

This is because I have cheaped out and i'm using the kit supplied second planking material for all planking below the waterline, which will be painted white. This meant splicing the kit strips with the pear strips I bought from Hobbymill. I should be able to reach the keel sometime this week. After that, lots and lots of sanding. Then I will line off the gunports and start the second planking upwards.

 

 

 

 

G'day Keith.

This might be another dumb question, but how can I learn if I don't ask.

Well, you mentioned that you are using the 2nd planking timber from the kit?

Is the quality from the kit not first grade? Where do you get your strips and other supplies from?

Cheers

Greg

Edited January 20, 2015 by Greg the peg leg sailor

[edmay]

Hello Keith,Just re-read your ,busy, informative,(just ordered a book from info on your site) lively in respect of your followers jumping in ,passing and exchanging ideas,methods of building and the tools being used, between you and friends this is a very interesting log,kudo's to all,hope you have a spare chair. Edwin

[Keith_W]

Hi Greg, the planking supplied by the kit is OK ... by kit standards. But it does not come close to some of the finer grade wood that other builders on MSW use. Look at this picture: 

 

 

On top left is the wood supplied in the kit. It's nice enough. 

 

On the bottom right is milled pear wood, from Hobbymill: http://www.hobbymillusa.com/

 

Note that it is much more fine grained, tends to hold cuts cleanly, and gives you a really sharp, clean finish. Of course the wood is not yet sanded in this picture, but you will see it better once it is sanded. 

 

Sadly you can't order from Hobbymill any more. They have closed. 

 

Ed, thanks for dropping in. What book did you order? I don't think I listed any books! 

[edmay]

Keith, The book is " the period ship handbook" by Keith Julier,it was mentioned by one of your followers,it has a large section on the RW.Edwin

[Keith_W]

I know, Brian. That's why it's below the waterline  

Ed, got it! 

[Keith_W]

No work today. Hit the workshop after dinner. Before I knew it ... it's 4AM!!! In any case, made some nice progress. 

 

 

All planking below the waterline is done, and the hull sanded down. It is smoooooooth. 

 

 

I made a decision to stop all work above the main deck level and complete planking below the waterline first. This was because I knew I had to invert the ship and did not want the delicate structures above the MDL to be vulnerable. As you can see, this planking is unsupported. The planking above MDL survived ... until I inverted it to sand the bottom. Because this generates so much dust, I do it outside. CRACK, the inevitable happened. 

 

I was never happy with the planks above the MDL anyway. I will rip out both sides and start again. 

 

 

I also made a start with the gunport lining. I am not sure of the shade of red I have chosen (Vallejo Flat Red). To me it looks a bit like lipstick. I have a more dull red in my cabinet (Admiralty Models Red Ochre) which IMO is too dull. I might persist with it for now. 

[Keith_W]

Brian, I don't have any Boxwood. I have Pear!

 

I am trying to decide if I will proceed with treenails or not. It all hinges on whether I can successfully pull scale treenails through my Byrnes drawplate. At the moment I can only get it down to 0.7mm ... try anything smaller than this and the rate of breakage is very high. I think it might be my choice of wood species - at the moment I am trying to draw Mahogany through it. It is really brittle, I lose half the length just through breakages. 

 

I wonder if I can impregnate it with PVA. That might make it stronger. Anyone have any tips? 

 

I was at Float-a-Boat yesterday and bought some Walnut strips as well. I am pleased to say that I am able to rip 1mm square dowels with my Byrnes Saw. Amazing. I think I may be able to get it thinner, if I can get my fingerboard to sit flush on the table. 

 

I will do some experiments with Walnut vs. Mahogany treenails and make a decision. 

[NMBROOK]

Great progress Keith,she is coming on well I fully understand you not want to use pear where you are going to be painting,it is flipping expensive!!   .I realise you are wanting to create treenails that are a closer match to the pear,but to be honest I think you will stuggle getting both walnut or mahogany down to a small diameter.Their grain structure does lend itself for this.May I suggest using pear and producing them with a hypodermic needle in the drill.Marsalv covers this in his scratch log.The pear will still contrast slightly with the hull as it is endgrain and will be darker when you apply finish.

 

The link to Marsalv's Pandora http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/7073-pandora-152-by-marsalv/page-3

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

Edited January 23, 2015 by NMBROOK

[Keith_W]

Thanks for the suggestion, Nigel. I saw Dr. Mike use that technique. As a MD myself, I have a near limitless supply of hypodermic needles In fact, I appropriated some from work to try. I have a selection of 18G (the largest), 2G, 22G, and 25G. I think i'll start at 22G (blue needles) and work from there. I am not sure if I have enough pear to waste on making treenails. I would rather use a cheaper wood species if possible. 

[NMBROOK]

You could try with walnut or mahogany,you need to drill into the endgrain,so if you have just bought pear strips then these wouldn't really be economical to use.Ideally you need a square 'chunk' but you will yield lots of treenails for little material.Perhaps a 'pen blank' could provide you with enough timber if you have unsatisfactory results with the timber you have.

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[Tuffarts]

I have been using the 1mm ramin dowel for tree nails, also from modelers shipyard. it is a creamy white so I can stain it to required colour.

 

Needs to soak for a long time to make sure stain penetrates to center of dowel, and then needs to be passed through drawplate again, but you have as many coloured treenails as you have stains.

[Keith_W]

I have a couple of weeks off work! This is my reward for working like a dog over Christmas so that others could have time off. So what do I do on my days off? Why, I spend 12 hours a day working on my ship model! This is hard, going back to work will seem like a holiday. Anyway, here is some progress. 

 

 

I was not happy with the planks above the main deck level. As mentioned earlier, these are unsupported. On my first attempt, I copied VinceP's method of slowly gluing the planks with CA. It turned out OK, but after sanding the planks they became thin. After inverting the ship a few times to work on the second planking, the inevitable happened and they became warped. 

 

I was determined not to make the same mistake twice. I fabricated some temporary bulkheads and started again. Now that I have something to clamp the planks to, I was able to use my preferred cement - PVA. 

 

 

 

 

After the glue had dried, I proceeded to cut out the gunports. I wanted to do this as quickly as possible so that I can install a double thickness of first planking material to stop it from warping again. 

 

To locate the gunport, I threw together a kit cannon, along with some planks I will be using for the deck to gauge the correct height. A pin was pushed through the planking, and the height checked against the gun barrel. Once I was happy with the location, I mounted my square template on the pin (see earlier posts) and drew out a square. A steel ruler and a scalpel ensures neat cuts. The hole cut out, the cannon is mounted again to check if the position is satisfactory. As you can see, it is perfectly OK! 

 

 

Once the gunports were cut out, I started to install the layer of first planking. As you can see, I am installing it perpendicular to the first run of planks. Hopefully this will give it extra strength. I clamped down each run of planks to ensure the fit is tight. You can also see that I have extended the planks at the fo'c'sle to support the extra planks that will be installed there. 

 

Oh yes, you can also see in the last picture - I have now extended second planking to above the level of the lower deck gunports. I decided to paint over the gunports with red ochre, and it is a much more pleasant shade of red than the rather lipstick-like Vallejo flat red.