Lala makes The Turtle

[Keds_Girl_Lala]

I print this new model from Micromodels USA yesterday... I make a minor change already to the way the frame is made.... It started as mistake but I think it is improvement.

These are the parts for the frame as I make them. MM USA says to double the card for the Vertical and Horizontal Hull Former. They have you then make one left side and one right side, and then glue together. The mistake I had make was to spray glue the whole card of parts to another card so the left and right side shape was also double thick. So, if you make a left and right side now, it will be four layer of card thick. So I use one piece only, and glue the Vertical and Horizontal Former in place. It is simple to turn this over and glue the other side former in place, as you can check the edges with the prior side. I like this way best becuse every time you have to make two "identical" but mirror things like a left and right and then glue them together in the middle, they never actually are the same. This way it is very even around the edge. And is less work to cut one large part out.

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp256/Carla_Lashelle/Turtle1.jpg


This is the parts fixed together. For the first time I try new (for me) Uhu Twist & Glue. I like that a lot. Its a thinner glue.

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp256/Carla_Lashelle/Turtle2.jpg

After I make this assembly, I think there is a problem. I cut and removed the tail from the body of the Turtle. The reason is this: if you have the tail in place, it is hard to fit the wood wrapping around the frame and the wrapping would need to be notched and cut away from the tail area. Then also you have the problem of keeing the curve of the wrap on the outside of the tail. Now I can glue the wrap all around the edge of the frame, and then when the tail is finish, I can glue it back in place covering the seam there.

I find also a mistake on the instruction drawing. Where it show you to make two sides and fix together, add the wrapping, etc. It show a former on the top of the frame where the top oval piece fits. There is no such part. I make the top piece where the hatch fits, double thick to make fixing the wrap around easier. You can not really make it the way they show.

I find also the Horizontal Hull Former have irregularity on the left side but that is easy to notice when you cut them out. It is just a ripple.

[Don Boose]

You are really getting a lot of modeling done, Lala.

I appreciate your description of the way you are building this model and, after the long and interesting discussion in the other thread, it is nice to see this famous and unusual submarine coming to life.

Don

[Keds_Girl_Lala]

Thank you. I fixed the two top wrappings. They fit "okay". I think I will make a second kit and experiment with things. Now I can see perhaps making two sides and adding the wood wrapping to each side THEN joining the two might be best. It is hard to get the wrap even on the sides and one must go on top of the other.

If the turtle was carved from large halves of wood, the model has a repeating vertical wood pattern with a line between the pattern that looks like wood boards or panels. I think it is becuase it was drawn on computer.

The model is more complicated than it seem. The design is good and solid but it will take work to figure out the best way to handle wrapping the paper sides around the frame. I wish Turtle had vertical iron bands to hide the up and down seams not just the ones that go around the equator of the model. The model has excellent little details and a nice display base.

[Ashrunner]

I had no idea MM designed a Turtle.

I'm definitely going to look into this.

Keep the photos coming Lala.

[Keds_Girl_Lala]

There is another thread here about the Turtle, and it turn out there is a large Turtle that Micromodels USA has made into free MM model. That was VERY generous.

[ct ertz]

I have been watching your build.I also have this model downloaded, and want to make it. I will let you work out all of my mistake that I would have made first, then I will give it a try. Have fun!

[Keds_Girl_Lala]

LOL I make mistake so I will start over. But I have idea anyway now... I have no time today too realize it but I think it will make for the best representation.

[Keds_Girl_Lala]

I need to start this model over. It is more difficult than I envision initially. Maybe it is me, but I find a lot of things I might do different for simplicity. I had started to add the wood covering wrap, but I find it is too hard to make the edges meet from top to bottom. Now I think making the model in two complete sides might be easier. You could then cut each side even along the flat core part then glue together in halves. You definitely need something on top like this to add the wrapping...

I have not worked on this since Saturday though.

http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp256/Carla_Lashelle/Turtle.jpg

[Maltedfalcon]

After I make this assembly, I think there is a problem. I cut and removed the tail from the body of the Turtle. The reason is this: if you have the tail in place, it is hard to fit the wood wrapping around the frame and the wrapping would need to be notched and cut away from the tail area. Then also you have the problem of keeing the curve of the wrap on the outside of the tail. Now I can glue the wrap all around the edge of the frame, and then when the tail is finish, I can glue it back in place covering the seam there.

I find also a mistake on the instruction drawing. Where it show you to make two sides and fix together, add the wrapping, etc. It show a former on the top of the frame where the top oval piece fits. There is no such part. I make the top piece where the hatch fits, double thick to make fixing the wrap around easier. You can not really make it the way they show..

Hi I left the rudder on and yes notched the wrap, this is so the over wrap of the rudder also goes over the outside of the hull wrap, so that it looks attached to the outside of the hull.

The piece that goes on top is not a former it is the deck piece (I just needed to show where that piece goes ) so no piece is missing...

Thanks for your great review. I will probably use your input and update the model a bit...

[Maltedfalcon]

Dont cut the rudder off

put the deck on like you have shown...

yes you might notch the upper part of the hull just a bit above the rudder
start with the upper hull wrap and butt glue it right along the edge and along the line that shows by the rudder.
I usually let that one line dry a bit...

Then glue along the upper deck and lower former wrap it all the way around to the bow... let it dry and trim the excess.

Then do the same with the lower half...
The bottom hull should overlap the upper hull a bit. but that is ok as it is coverered with the band of rivets...

Matt Sparks..

[Keds_Girl_Lala]

I can see that also. But why not remove the rudder? It just get in the way. The problem I have (I think) have not been from removing it. Then you can also make the rudder thinner than if you have two piece of card in the middle and then the two outer thickness of color card.

Some of my problem is from using 110 heavy card, which is all I have when I had printed those parts out.

[Maltedfalcon]

That is the card thickness I use.
well the description of the rudder was basically
"A Thick Plank" so using the cardstock with the overwrap gave me the thickness I liked, you can change it however you like..

Then again when I originally designed it, the rudder acted as a hinge and the model opened to show an interior. so that was the way I got used to building it...

One of the neat things about paper models is there is no "right" way