STATENDAM 1:250 by scaldismodelclub.nl

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Ok – had a few days break whilst I considered options about the bow.

Ponytail
Yes, I actually don’t mean to be too hard on these models, lets face it, the model was fine till I started building it!! And 100% credit to Scaldis, they produce a lot of nice kits like this that other publishers don’t. Also to their credit, I get a nice size model with I think only 50 numbered parts. Even if you include the multiples of the davits and lifeboats it is way less than 100 separate parts.

Scon10
Firstly thanks a lot for your comments and most importantly, your reference to your build of Nieuw Amsterdam. As we can see, the models are actually very very similar in the hull construction. I do not have a copy of my kit and am not confident about dampening the paper in case it spoils the finish when it dries, but also in case it warps unevenly.

I feel I have done a reasonable (first effort) job at shaping the bow, especially as regards frame #5 and the difference at the bow bulwark should not be very noticeable if I insert a piece onto the tab making the paper itself continuous and then white acrylic paint over the black line on the port side piece.

So – I thought about how to continue, decided to live with the little gap and glue tab-by-tab the rest of the bow and cut some of the lifeboat davits in between doing each tab. I heard these lifeboats and davits are tedious so get a few of those out of the way!

I fixed the waterline to its tabs taking care to keep the keel plate flush with the waterline. Decided the sequence for gluing the rest of the tabs for the bow sheet: Bow tabs, frame #5 tabs, waterline tabs aft of frame #5, frame #4 tabs, then deck tabs. My thinking is to go slowly, line up the sheet exactly as it should be then attach each tab. I did each frame all in a one-er, that went well.

Pic 1 shows the sheet after shaping with the light deliberately angled to show the imperfections in my shaping at their worst!
Pic 2 you can hardly see them in a different light.
Pic 3 the formed sheet resting unaided against the hull
Pic 4 shows how frail the rest of the structure is. No wonder Scon10 decided to fit extra strengthening. If I was doing this kit again I wouldn’t attach ‘deel 2’ (keel midsection) and just be able to work on the bow alone.
Pic 5 I cut some more parts whilst I chastised myself about the bow!
Pic 6 bow sheet attached at waterline
Pic 7 cutting out the davits and main mast
Pic 8, 9, 10 successfully gluing tab-by-tab up the bow. Used a bit of tissue to stop the clamp tips marking the bow.
Pic 11, 12 I experimented pulling the bow sheet to close the gap and see this raises the sheet at the aft at the waterline end as you can see. Realised this would cause a buckle somewhere if I persisted. It also throws out the flow of the gray and the yellow line.
Pic 13 shows the gap – as you can see the upper edge of the upper tab needs an insert to disguise the 45 degree tab angle.
Pic 14 I am concerned a bit about torsion creeping into the bow sheet cause I am gluing the bow edge first – see the gap at the waterline.
Pic 15 stopped pulling the bow sheet to close the gap, ie, glue it where its supposed to be and this reduces the aft end of the sheet ‘lifting’ quite a lot. Any torsion built into the hull would be a lot less.
Pic 16, 17 fitted the insert to disguise the 45 degree tab angle and trimmed it
Pic18, 19 Uhoh! Start to notice a buckle in the focsle deck…
Pic 20 Gluing the focsle rails seems to help remove the buckle.

Will hopefully finish the bow today and move on to the stern.

Some questions for Scon10
Can you explain about the jig you made for the lifeboat davits on Nieuw Amsterdam? I am interested in tips you have for aligning them.
I see you seem to have blocks in the rigging on Nieuw Amsterdam – what did you use and why are they there?
I’m impressed by the caprail on top of the handrails. How did you make it? How did you get the right curvature for areas like the stern?

Regards to all,
Alan

[scon10]

Alan, I'll try and look for pictures on davit templates.
The mahogany top of the railing is made of brown thread. I found a special heavy duty thread, that is not fluffy, but very straight. I think it is used to sew denim fabric, it's not particularly thick but very sturdy. I taped one end at a high point end, and hung it with a clothespin on the other free hangin side, and varnished it, so that it dries in a straight way. Then I cut the needed length and carefully glued it on top of photo etched railing.

[scon10]

Here is a picture of the template I use to shape davits fort lifeboats. I use U-shaped copper bar that you can buy at the model hobby shop. The template consists of a wooden base and I glued small wooden pieces on it, in the shape and size of the davit I need. I insert the U-shaped bar with its open U end pointing outwards in the slit called A and bend it with some screwdriver or such in the wide slit at C so that it sits against the part of the template with the ink markings. With a jigsaw I saw the davit to its required size, where you see a little triangular slit in the template. Note that the angle between the A side and the C side is slightly more than 90 degrees. That is to compensate for the elasticity of copper, as it will spring back due to its elasicity.

The blocs in the rigging of the Nieuw Amsterdam is made by inserting the rigging thread through a needle and glue the loose end to the main thread, using a drop of normal wood glue or white glue. When dry, I paint the little glob brown et voilá, a block. The needle is pushed at the correct place through the deck, making sure it stays within the model. And then I rig the thread through a hole in the mast, or funnel or wherever you need it to go. I hope it's clear what I mean, if in doubt, don't hesitate to ask.