San Juan Nepomuceno by kostas_gr - FINISHED - Artesania Latina - my first build

[kostas_gr]

This my very first try to make a wooden ship

 

 

my very first big mistake I have made is that I have slided the wooden strips for the false cannons through beams soaked, becouse I believed it was easier to bend them and pass them through. Next day the whole structure was twisted several degrees closkwise.

Since the damage was done, and that time I wasn familiar neither had the guts to start all over from scratch (since I have the draws I could easily made new beams), I have decided to fill bath with water and let all structure to get soaked well, and sieze it with clamps and let it dry, with the hope that will be turned back to its original position.

The success was up to 90-05%, I wasnt sure If I could make the second try to look better, so I kept it.

 

 

Iam not sure if the kit had some flaws, or it was result from the twisting, I had to made some adjustment for teh poop deck

Edited November 23, 2017 by kostas_gr
insert pictures

[sokrates]

Welcome back Kostas

[Arjan68]

Hi Kostas,

 

Sorry to hear about the twisted hull. Those kind of things happened to all of us during the first builds, so don't be ashamed. It can still turn out te be a beatufil model when finished.

 

One thing I notice on the last picture: It looks like you did not fair the bulkheads ? This should really be done to get a smooth hull after planking.

 

Arjan

[kostas_gr]

I have to mention that the reason I have chosen this kit it, was a very well writen build log I have read long before I join this forum, from katsumoto. Most (if not all) the steps, at least at the begining was according his log.

But after discovering modelshipworld forums, I have spend several months reading and keeping notes and planned next steps.

 

thank you socrates, nice to see you too m8

 

arjan I used to build plastic models, jetplanes mostly, I have good skills with airbrushers, doing a lot of modifications, so I was too confident and show no respect for wood,

 

I have trimmed the bulkheads whenever was needed right before I place the planks, it was like 4 years ago, I dont remember well, but I think I had issues to bend the planks, not well soaked and also put too much heat with the soldering iron. At the begining wasnt smooth, and  have sand the planks way too much that become paper thin, so thin that at some point after some pressure they collapsed (like bullet holes) and I had to redo them and I think I had to trim bulkheads more

 

I have chosen the more light colored planks, for the deck planking following the rule of three, becouse it looked better for the 1/90 scale of this ship. I have cut the wood strips about 10cm long (10cm x 90 =9 m), becouse 9 m long was more realistic rather follow kit instructions and use plank with bow-to-stern length

 

gundeck pkanking not so I good as I was expecting, but since it will be under the deck will not be shown much

 

Edited November 23, 2017 by kostas_gr

[kostas_gr]

 

 

 

When I was making plastic models, I have used a lot and different types of varnish coats, never liked much the "film" that was made, no matter how thin, or clear, glossy or satin, enamel or water based, it was always a coat, works fine over colored surfaces, but it was a "killer" for metallized colors and probably wood.

So I had to choose between teak oil and tung oil. Teak oil was too thin, looked better than varnish coat, but nothing like tung oil. Tung oil was a bit thick like honey, you apply first layer for 20 mins, you make sure you keep the surface "wet" enough applying more tung oil whenever needed. After the 20 mins you wipe out well (I have used a micro-fiber cloth) and you repeat another layer for 20 more minutes. In both steps you have to make sure that surfuce is not getting dried at any spot, is not that hard becouse tung oil is not getting dried fast (you can use finger to check if surfuce is dry or not), after second step you wipe again as much as you can, and you get a  surfuce like satin while the wood (walnut) is becomming darker and more alive. I leaving the surfuce a couple of days till it dries well.

 

 

Edited November 24, 2017 by kostas_gr

[kostas_gr]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 24, 2017 by kostas_gr

[kostas_gr]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 24, 2017 by kostas_gr

[kostas_gr]

 

 

Edited November 23, 2017 by kostas_gr

[kostas_gr]

Edited November 23, 2017 by kostas_gr

[kostas_gr]

 

 

 

 

 

finally last plank.....

 

half hull already oiled (with tung oil)

Edited November 1, 2017 by kostas_gr

[kostas_gr]

the method of planking I have choosen is from top to bottom with gradient decrease of  planks to match hull curves, is the very same that katsumoto (I hope to join this forum too) made for his mepomuceno kit (no stealer planks etc). Once again the lenght of the planks was 10cm.

 

I had to decide if I wanted to nail pins on the hull, but since I havent made treenails for the deck, I put aside the idea for the next kit

 

boat sliders, kit instructions suggesting to use brass sticks, I have choosen to make them from wood

Edited November 24, 2017 by kostas_gr

[kostas_gr]

 

 

trying to enchance bow doors....that time looked great to me, today after 3 years I know I could have done better.

I believe is not so hard to replace them at this point (I am making sail rigging atm), on the other hand somehow reminds me my tries to get better skills.....

 

 

 

some views for the bow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 23, 2017 by kostas_gr

[kostas_gr]

Edited December 15, 2017 by kostas_gr

[kostas_gr]

For the stern gallery I used from "double O laser" the laser-curved parts, since I dodnt want to use the metalic ones that artesania provides ( I am not sure if it is still possible to place an order, at double o laser)

 

to make windows more realistice I have glued inside clear plastic sheet

also I have painted with black theuper half of the stern (inside) to givr more depth

 

Edited November 23, 2017 by kostas_gr

[kostas_gr]

some views of stern

Edited November 23, 2017 by kostas_gr

[kostas_gr]

Edited December 15, 2017 by kostas_gr

[kostas_gr]

Edited December 15, 2017 by kostas_gr

[kostas_gr]

rudder

 

 

 

crates

 

 

 

 

Edited November 23, 2017 by kostas_gr

[kostas_gr]

Edited December 15, 2017 by kostas_gr

[kostas_gr]

the headrails that artesania provides are made of brass, i have either paint them or make wooden,  I tried the second becouse I wanted to be more realistic

first I have bend the brass rails and placed them on the kit, and after ward I used them as a mold to bend the wood sticks

 

 

Edited November 23, 2017 by kostas_gr

[kostas_gr]

Edited December 15, 2017 by kostas_gr

[gpetro]

Nice work my friend. Looking forward for the rest!!

[kostas_gr]

thank you petro

I have to post the rest of the picturew, and at the same time take some snapshots with the current progress

[kostas_gr]

Oxidizing cannons

I have used a redish liquid I got from a friend that works in making lewellery, they use it to make brass look older 

I thought it was sulfuric acid, (in fact I was prettty sure about that) but he told me it is not.

 

 

before I apply it to cannons I have used some spare I had, to check about how much time is needed to get the darkness I like

also you need to wipe out very very well,and make sure is complete dry, else the oxidizing will continue and will make some green snow like effects (I am still trying to get rid of this rast in some cannons without ruin the patina  I made)

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 1, 2017 by kostas_gr

[kostas_gr]

Deck

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 24, 2017 by kostas_gr

[kostas_gr]

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 24, 2017 by kostas_gr

[kostas_gr]

barge

 

 

Artesania provides a metallic barge, there was no thinking about painting it, so as a first step I tried to "plank" it, but it looked way too thick, so I decided to start buidling it from scartch. I looked into a lot of pictures from other posts of this forum.

 

Edited November 1, 2017 by kostas_gr

[Shipyard sid]

Hello

I just browsed your log and if this is your first build I bet it's not your last. Your build is very impressive, everything is crisp and clean.

You are doing a wonderful job. Keep up the good work. I will certainly follow your log. Regards DAVID

[kostas_gr]

David thank you for your kind words,  it is first my build,

but in every step I made lots and lots of tests, not to metnion how many hours I have spent (and still spending) reading other member's logs 

took me so far around 4 years (I am not so much dedicated,  some times I am taking 4-6 months breaks, or I am waiting till I find the right build log to follow and match with mine)

I am trying to finish it before summer (I am working on the fore mast sails atm), becouse my four years old daughter aint gonna let me stay inside house while outside is warm and sunny........

[kostas_gr]

 

 

 

 

Edited November 24, 2017 by kostas_gr