CSS Ashley

**Knife** · #1 08-05-2010, 04:50 PM

Corey continues to pump out the ironclads. He sent me the CSS Ashley to build as a beta build. This ironclad is a wide-body, with two cannons mounted fore and aft. The model is up to CT's usual high standards, consisting of three pages of parts including a base. It's interesting to watch as Corey's models evolve in complexity. This model has stairs and a really nice diagram for the interior.

I started the build with doubling the base, deck, and formers. Once dry they are all glued together to form a sturdy and hopefully warp free structure. The center keel has a couple of tabs that stick up through the deck to help with alignment. I'm not a big tab fan, but I went ahead and built it as CT designed it. I would leave off the tab if you are going to punch out the grating that will later cover this area.

Once the deck was glued on and dry, I popped the structure off my glass building surface to attach the sides. The sides are a complex shape, and I'm happy to report that they fit perfectly. I did end up with a small (1mm) gap were the two parts join in the stern. But this can be easily fixed with a small sliver of paper.

**Knife** · #2 08-05-2010, 04:59 PM

After the deck is done, it's time to outfit the vessel. The cannons, ship's wheel, and winch are pretty much standard on all of CT's ironclads. This design includes stairs connecting the interior to the hurricane deck. The stairs went together pretty well, just take your time and glue a couple of steps at a time. CT recommends to use toothpicks for the steam pipe and cylinders on the winch and wheel. I used cut down and thinned Q-tips for these parts (that way the model is only made out of paper). I made the awning support out of four layers of cardstock to give it a square cross-section to represent 4X4 timbers.

Unfortunately most of this work will be covered up by the casemate, so it doesn't have to be included. But if you don't include it, you will know that you could have done better.

**Knife** · #3 08-05-2010, 05:29 PM

Next on the agenda is the mount the casemate. The smokestack is too tall to fit into the casemate without cutting a hole for it to stick out. I printed out two copies of the casemate so I could double up the casemate frame. I will also probably cut out frames for all the hatches to give them more depth.

**Paperwarrior** · #4 08-05-2010, 06:24 PM

This is really looking great!
I look forward to seeing more.

Jeff

**jmr248** · #5 08-05-2010, 06:27 PM

Looking good as always Knife. Enjoy watching you produce CT ironclads.

Quick question, when you say "I started the build with doubling the base, deck, and formers." how thick are you making these parts. I have printed on 100 lb card stock and 65 lb card stock. Are you doubling that or doubling cereal box thickness?

Thanks for your repsonse.

Joe

**Thomas Meek** · #6 08-05-2010, 06:29 PM

That looks really good, knife! You're assembling a nice little fleet of ironclads, all of them very well built and good looking.

Thomas

**Knife** · #7 08-05-2010, 08:27 PM

When I say I doubled the pieces, it means laminated two 110lb cardstock pieces together. The resulting piece is thinner than a cereal box cardboard thickness. Sorry for the confusion.

Here's the build as of tonight. I still have the boat davits, flagposts, and anchors to build. I'm going to add external stairs, some cleats, railings and rope guides to the model. They currently aren't on the parts sheet.

**Knife** · #8 08-06-2010, 07:04 PM

Finished up the beta build on the Ashley. Since this ship never left the dock, I thought I would model it sitting at the dock.

My recommendations to CT:
The stacked rock image on the end of the display base needs to be rotated 90 degrees to match the side pieces.
The water color looks a little too much like algae, maybe use more brown tint to give it a muddy water look.
The two hatches on the main deck end up looking 2D. If a small band (like the bands on the smoke stack) was added to the top half of the hatch it might give the grates a recessed look.
Interior smoke stack just a little too long, even after cutting out a hole for it on the hurricane deck.
If you extend the interior staircase part to make it longer, it can be modified to make stairs going up the exterior of the casemate.
I think the awning posts might be too tall. It's taller than the top of the hurricane deck.

I'm still impressed how well all the parts fit. I used the boat and anchor davits from the CSS Albermarle kit because I think they look more detailed. The anchor chain graphic was grabbed from the Paper Shipwright's CSS Virginia kit. The dock is from Kartonbau.de - Alles rund um's Kartonmodell... | Ihnen wird der Zutritt zu dieser Seite verwehrt. with CT's wooden deck pattern superinposed over it.

Thanks CT Ertz for letting me build up this model. It gets two thumbs up (from me and the cat).

Next in the build que is finishing up the CSS Albermarle.

**ct ertz** · #9 08-06-2010, 07:32 PM

Wow! I am going to add an optional pier and add casement steps as well. (I may start adding a pier or dock for use as a back drop on all of my waterline models.) I will shorten the inner stack and band the hatches. I might even decide to ass a length of printed chain too. The awning posts are 12 feet high. I might lower it a tad, considering they were more for sun shad the for repelling water. That looks awesome!
CT

**Greg S.** · #10 08-07-2010, 12:28 AM

Beautiful diorama. Looks great!