USS Arizona - Digital Navy

[talls6]

Hello Everyone,
The title of this post is "the Good (photos 1-2), the Bad (photo 3), and the Ugly (photo 4)". Continued to work on the hull plating. The ends are giving me fits while the center side plates are going on pretty well. I am going slow as I don't get more than 10-15 minutes per night to work. The joy of 4 kids in activities. I am leaning more and more towards using a filler for the horrible gaps, sanding, and painting in hopes to smooth things out. I was just going to post the good photos, but I am an equal opportunity poster. I figure if I make a mistake, why not show the bad side of my build along with the good. I am learning as I go. The directions are sometimes confusing to me but I am figuring them out. Thanks for checking in. Try to not to laugh to hard at the pictures. Suggestions are always welcome. Hopefully when this is all done I can look back and laugh at the photos as well.
Darren

[Richschindler]

Looking great so far. One of these days I’d like to attempt a ship model. Watching these builds will certainly help me along. Thanks.

[PAPER FAN]

Is this not a CD model. I would tear off the bad pieces and print new ones.
If this is your 1st paper ship model then your mistake was to go big early rather than working up to develop your skills. This medium is far more difficult than any other type. Don't give up, as practice will reward you over time.

[Michael Mash]

Hello Darren:
Here is another idea for you to ponder.
See the attached photos.

The last couple of projects I have applied a second layer of hull plates over top of the first.
The second layer are long strips of paper parallel with the length of the hull. So the gaps between the pieces run perpendicular to the gaps in the first layer.
The technique is a lot like laying tiles on a floor.

The first photo shows the hull plates with plenty of gaps.

The second photo shows the hull after applying the “parallel” paper strips.

That gave me a good surface to begin painting and sanding.

Some modelers might go ahead and keep the paper hull they see in the second photo. If I can perfect the technique, I may skip the painting process with some project in the future.

Hope this helps. In any event, paper can always be corrected.
Mike

[Don Boose]

Darren -

Thanks for letting us see the less-than-perfect craftsmanship. Overall, that hull doesn't look bad to me, and you can try again with the hull skinning that went awry. We will all learn from your experience.

Endeavor to persevere!

Don

[talls6]

Thanks everyone,

Paper Fan: I am not sure what you mean by "CD Model", but I have no qualms about tearing things off and trying again or skinning over the first layer. Yes I should have started on an easier project, but that has never been my style. My experience has been with Aircraft. With my pace, had I started on an easier one, I would have gotten to this one in about 10 years. Thanks for the advice and encouragement.

Mike: Thank you for your advice here and the PM. I look at your work regularly to gain inspiration and tips. I will probably end up putting another layer of plate over this to smooth things out. I will see how it looks after that.

Don: Thank you for the encouragement. If I only posted my good builds you would never hear from me. Perhaps someone will see my build and it will help them avoid my issues. This project is to awesome to not keep forging ahead.

Darren

[PAPER FAN]

Sorry, dating myself my digital navy Arizona came in a disk. I never built it, built trumpeter Arizona along with my paper Oklahoma simultaneously, posted here. I've built several paper planes as well, they have their own unique challenges but the ships are more complicated. Your pace will automatically pick up as your skills improve. Issue is people get frustrated and give up all together on such large projects and that would be a shame.
My opinion is this medium is the ultimate form once mastered. I wished I started 20 yrs before I did as I will simply die of old age before I reach the level of many posters here. I did however reach the level of self-satisfaction a few yrs back.

[talls6]

Thanks Paper Fan for the explanation. I thought perhaps you were talking about some sort of critical display piece.
I found this medium about 5 years ago when searching for an alternative to the $250 USS Gambier Bay on Hobbylink. My google search led me to a strange website with cardstock models, and that led me to Fiddlers Green and that led me to this forum. I got hooked and haven't looked back. The first few years I mainly stayed with Scissors and Planes 1/100 scale aircraft, but I kept looking back at ships. So when I was offered the DN version of the Arizona I jumped.

This am I finished up theft side of the side plating. I am getting better but there are still a couple seams that will require attention. I have no plans to stop this project. Hopefully I will continue to get better as I work through it and hopefully the photos will prove that.

Darren

[VinceM]

Originally Posted by talls6

I used 2mm Balsa wood for the main hull former as I couldn't find a piece of cardboard long enough and I didn't want a joint in the middle to act as a weak spot. I think the lower frame I went a little to think on the cross pieces as I had to do a lot of cutting to make the joints fit correctly.

I've built several ships in the 2-3 foot length, and I usually use the cardboard backing from tablet paper, as we go through a lot of tablets at my work. When I have to butt two pieces of cardboard together, I make sure the joint is between two formers, and use a small piece of cardboard on each side of the joint to "sandwich" the joint. Also make sure it's clamped together till it is thoroughly dry to make sure it stays straight. I also mount all the decks onto thin cardboard. With all the decks and hull plating I don't ever have any problems with hull buckling. Good luck with your ship, looks good so far.

[talls6]

Thank you Vince,
I did look at using cardboard backing from desk calendars from my office, but was still not confident of stability of it. I guess I will see how the Balsa fares as I build around it.
Darren