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#11
07-26-2008, 01:41 PM
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Well, I'm glad Rick and Jason were able to get us back up and running...Thank you very much!!
I've been able to do a bit in the down time which I hope to post in the next day or so. The bulk of the time has been in building the many containers and then installing them on the ship. Rather straight forward, except I removed the tabs from the original kit in construction as I don't like the extra bulk the tabs inpart to the construction. I also tried to eliminate the white edges after each container was built. After the first few builds the construction took on an assembly line sequence. Anyway, here's what the model looks like with the containers added:  As you will note, she now has a full load of containers...took a few days and the assembly was a bit tedious, but I thought she deserved a full container load. Here's another view:  Yeah, I know, the foremast is tilted, but that will be fixed before the next post. So, she's off to the shipyard....and here's a view of her sailing off for repairs and the rest of her construction at "Jim's Shipyard":  Truth be known, I had a good stretch of free time (rather rare these days) and was able to build the railings I had wanted to add using the glue stiffened thread method I picked up from Digital Navy and others on the list. I will post a sequence of photos showing how the railings were made in case anyone else is interested in trying this method. I am rather happy with how this method works. This time I used CVA glue rather than white glue to set the railings up. I had a little trouble until I became familiar with apply just the right amount of glue, but I'll cover that more in the next installment. Thanks for stopping by and taking a look! Cheers! Jim 
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#13
07-26-2008, 04:36 PM
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Thanks, Don!
Here's a little explanation of how I made the railings...it's the method I've been using for a while now, except this time I used CA glue to stiffen the thread, rather than PVA. First, you have to make up a jig across which the threads will be laid. I used 2-ply cardboard cut to about the size for a nice row of stanchions. It ended up being abour 5 inches across and two and a half inches high. The center area is cut out to allow you to work on the threads and add the glue, paint, etc. I added a row of card on the top and bottom; this will raise the stanchion threads a bit (then run from top to bottom) and cause the rails threads (which run across) to have a nice point of contact. The stanchion threads are put on first, and I used slits cut along the edge to help fashion the threads across the opening. Next, you lay the railing threads across the card, and they cross over and touch the slightly raised stanchion threads. The idea is to have the railings run across the stanchions, and to have a good joint where the two crossing threads meet. I used a slightly thicker thread for the stanchions than for the railings because on a real ship that's how it is. I'm not sure you can tell the difference in the photos, but I used two different sized fly tying silk thread to build up my rails. Also, you need to determine how close the stanchions lay on the actual ship, or estimate, for the thread spacing; do the same for the railing threads. Here, I used spacing about 3mm for the stanchions and about one mm for the railings, in groups of three. For me, it's all a matter of estimating by eye, and sometimes that leads to a few sets that look a bit different but the end effect is about right. Maybe I shouldn't do so much by eye because with my eyesight that leads to trouble at times! Here's a photo of the jig I made with the threads laid across:  To keep the threads taut, you might want to either tape the edges (once you have tightened up the threads) or use some glue...I used glue. If you plan on using the jig a few times, tape might be better. Note in the photo the threads are put into slits on the top and bottom, and when you pull the ends the threads are tightened just before gluing. I normally "paint" the threads with acrylic paint thinned out a bit and when the paint dries it normally provides a good enough bond for the threads. You might find this doesn't always work, but if you used that extra piece of card to raise the stanchion threads a bit, the bond should be good. This time, however, I used CA glue which I applied using a small piece of card stock. The idea is to put a drop of CA glue on the edge of the applicator card and run it along the threads. The glue should soak into the threads, including the joints, and everything should glue together well. I found out, however, this CA flows really quick and if you look at the photos you'll see the first row I glued has the railing threads, which were very close together to begin with, pulled together and stuck...not what you want to have happen! CA dries so quickly that by the time I tried to pull the threads apart it was too late. Solution: use a very small amount of glue, don't try to rush it, and you can always apply another very small drop in a second application. In effect, I found using a little glue across the thread row, waiting a few seconds and then applying another very small drop again, across the whole row, worked best. Next, I let the glue set a bit and then applied my thinned out acrylic paint. I use acrylic because it has no toxic odors and is easy to work with using only water. I used a small brush and took my time, applying a few coats, each coating the threads in succession until I had what I felt to be just the right covering. Now, let it all dry for a few hours, just to be sure. Here is the jig with the painted threads:  Here's the jig just before removing the railings from the jig:  Next, cut off the railings carefully with a small paid of scissors and CAREFULLY handle the netting you end up with. You then trim the railings down using a hobby knife, being carefull not to cut into the top rail when trimming and using a very sharp blade (read: new!) for best results. Here is one railing partly trimmed:  I find the acrylic paint allows the railings to be manipulated easily, so you can bend (carefully!) even in mid-rail, as I did on the railings on the after bridge deck, and to glue to the model trim the bottom stanchions evenly using a steel rule and glue to the hull using PVA (white) glue, watered down a bit. I then let the glue dry thoroughly, and re-apply a bit of waterd down glue, this time touching up along the base of each stanchion and where the railings end along a bulwark or other fixture on the ends. Here's a photo of one of the railings installed on the after bridge deck:  And here's another view:  Sometimes during handling, especially with these very small threads, the paint is rubbed off, but a very delicate touch up with paint should provide a good cure. Well, that's how I made the railings for this model. If anyone has any questions, lease don't hesitate to ask. Next, I'll show how I made the anchor cable/chain for the windlass and some other little odds and ends...just about done! Thanks again for stopping by and having a look! Cheers! Jim
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#15
07-26-2008, 06:38 PM
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Wotcher, bazzer!!
 How are you, mate! Yep, very happy we are back on line! Well, I'm on a short roll tonight, so let me show how I made the anchor chain, in 1/600 scale. Since I am not very adept at soldering small links at this scale, I used a different method, one that is in keeping with my style of using methods that give the appearance in actual scale, without the actual construction used in life sized practise. I could have used string, but that tends to look too smooth and doesn't give the impression of any chain links. So, I had to figure out a way to make the string "linky". Here, I used a modified weave to create the appearance of links at this scale. What I mean is, I take four pieces of silk fly tying thread (you can use larger thread for larger scales, I suppose) and I join them all at one end with a knot. I then pick two strands which I will call the North and South strands. Next, the other two strands are designated the West and East strands. I lay the knotted end in a clip at the top of the work space, and lay the other strands North, South, West and East. Here's a photo to help illustrate what I am talking about:  I used clips on the ends of each of the four strands to help in handling them in the weaving process. First, I cross the North (N) and South (S) strands, in essence changing places with each other on the work place. Next, I do the same with the West (W) and East (E) strands. IN laying the W&E strands, I try to pull them tight across the bight of the N&S strands (the "bight" is the crossed intersection of the two strands). Then, I repeat the interchange between the N & S strands, again making sure the crossed threads now are tightly drawn against the W&E bight. It's essentially braiding the threads, but using four strands instead of three, and trying to keep the crossed threads as tight against one another as I can. It also helps to weight down the end with the knot at the top, but I managed to make my chain without a weight, but I had to use my two hands and most fingers deflty to pull the four threads tight after each set of laying the threads - I would check after each set of W&E and N&S braiding. The important thing is to avoid kinks by keeping the "knots" or "bights" tight after each lay. I also used a bit of watered down PVA glue (white glue) as I went along to keep the bights from unlaying or kinking up. After you are have laid a sufficient length, make the last two lays square knots, tightly pulled, and apply a drop of glue on the end. You can then add to the rigidity of the braided chain by painting it with watered down acrylic paint; I used a dark grey water color pencil and used a wet brush to make water color paint, which I then painted the chain with. Here is the trimmed finished "chain":  It's a bit uneven with the links, but overall it gives the appearance I was looking for. Notice how rigid it ended up after applying the paint. Well, then it's a matter of applying it to the windlass. I glued it over the windlass barrel, letting one end run down the after end to what would be the deck, the other I let stick out for later installation in the hawse pipes, or chain holes. Here's a picture of the chain on the windlass:  I wish I could take a clearer picture, but that's the best I could do getting a close up. I then made sure the end that goes down to the deck was fairly trim with the bottom of the windlass before gluing in place. In installing the windlass unit to the foredeck, I first made sure the extended chains that were sticking out forward were in the hawse pipe holes on the deck (the length was just right to give me some length to work with in doing this), and then carefully glue the windlass in it's place on deck. After the windlass was firmly glued in place, I then worked with the chain going into the hawse pipes to make sure it ran in a convincing fashion from the windlass drum and then applied a bit of glue at the hawse holes to glue that end of the chain into the pipes. And that's it! Here's a few photos of how it ended up:  Here's another view, in which you can see the rails installed on the after end of the fore deck as well:  I'm not too happy with the way the end rails came out, a bit shorter, bent in spots, but my hands aren't deft enough to redo them in place...and I only noticed it later...I probably handled the rails too roughly and the upper rail became loose...oh well! I could say this ship hit a bit of heavy weather on the passage, and the crew didn't have the rails repaired yet...yeah, that's it! Next on the agenda is a bit of odds and ends to finish her up, including the mooring bitts (not sure how well that is going to come out), some hand rails and gangways leading off of the fore deck and, of course, the lift boats. See you next time, I hope. Thanks for stopping by!! Cheers! Jim
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#16
07-26-2008, 07:58 PM
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Nice! I like that explanation. Reading the British sea battles during 1700's
few ships were perfect all the time. In fact, Nelson's own ship at the Nile had a fished formast before the action started! I think your rail method could be used for all sorts of things (ratlines,ect...not that I'm thinking of doing a ship.....)
__________________
regards Glen Last edited by birder; 07-26-2008 at 07:59 PM. Reason: speelling
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#18
07-26-2008, 09:12 PM
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Thank you very much, Glen and Don...I'm glad you enjoyed my long winded explanation! Glen, truth be known, using glue stiffened thread has been useful in making many such details. If you can find my USS Constitution build thread somewhere in one of the paper modeling forums, you'll see a used a version of this method for the gun tackle assemblies. When I get back to her in the near future, I am going to use some of this technique on making up the deadeye lashings and other rigging parts.
Well, just a few final items to go... I had to add the gangways to the forecastle deck, and I basically used some of the left over railing to fashion the handrails. After a bit of cussing and fussing, here are the two gangways:  Here they are shown as installed on the forecastle:  And another view of the same, giving a different perspective of the foredeck area:  Well, just got to add the mooring bitts and some lashings to the forward stack of containers, perhaps make up the anchor, and she should be finished! Till next time, thanks for stopping by, I appreciate the feedback and hope some of this is helpful if not enjoyable. Cheers! Jim
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#20
07-27-2008, 09:14 AM
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Done!!
Thanks, Don!
Well, after finishing up a few tidbits, she is done! I added the container stack rigging on the forward end of the main hatch stacks; just a matter of adding some glue stiffened line, gluing at the base of the hatch coaming and the other end at the corner casting area of the upper tier containers. I'm really not sure if a ship of this type would actually use lashings since most stowage schemes today use twist-locks between the containers and when stowed only two high those would normally be sufficient, but I wanted to add a bit of interest to the block stowed containers. I also finished up the lifeboats and davits. Once again, the railing excess came in handy to portray the lifeboat falls. I also added the mooring bitts. Here, I used glue soaked thread, sliced in short nibs which I glued to a piece of card as the base. Frankly, I'm not too happy with the way they came out, the bitts are not uniform in height or thickness, but given the scale they will have to suffice. Finally, I built up two anchors from scraps of card, which I then painted black before installing them at the hause-pipes...the printed anchors just didn't seem right, they needed a bit of 3D effect. Anyway, this is how she turned out in the end:  Here are a few further views:  You can probably make out the container lashings and the anchors I added in the last photo.   As a final picture, I tried, rather poorly, to give the impression of the actual ship sailing off to deliver her cargo at the next port of call. It's probably not all that convincing, but I had fun attempting it.  Well, that's all, folks! Hope you found the thread interesting, perhaps enjoyable at times and maybe you even found some helpful information. If I succeeded at any one of the three, then I'm a happy man. I do appreciate your stopping by and having a look. Cheers! Jim
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