The Ship Model Forum

Here's a few more pictures of my project. I used some wet & dry 1500 grit for the nonskid. Oh and never mind my messy bench top. More pictures soon

Nice job on the winches! On several projects I used my stencil cutter machine (Cricut like, but a different brand) to produce appropriate numbers and lettering. It was able to get draft marks down to 1:144 scale. These could be used as press applies or as stencils to get paint on numbers such as Phil describes.

Keep us posted, nice model!

Well It's about time I posted a update on my project. I have been working on it but very slowly. The first picture is of the boat davit and only took me 5 tries to get things correct. Still have a few things to add to it. Some other pictures of the project.More pictures coming soon.

If you can't find the correct size letters and numbers here is a trick I learned many years ago.

I needed silver letters of a particular font and size, but no one made them. However, I did find some black rub-on letters that were the right font and size size. But those things are thick and just don't look right.

So I painted the surfaces silver and placed the rub-on letters after the paint dried. Then I sprayed on the normal surface color (black in this case), including over the rub-on letters. After the paint dried I used masking tape to lift off the rub-ons and I had silver letters of the desired font and size. Furthermore, because it was all paint, there was no shiny outline like decals or raised surface of the rub-ons. Unlike decals, the paint doesn't turn yellow with age. The letters won't peel off with time like rub-ons. And a clear overcoat isn't needed.

They are the best letters I have ever used on a model!

Phil

Well after finding a drawing of the Ellis anchor I was able to make up a pair. After which I was able to build the bill boards that held them and even than it took me about 5 tries to get them right..
I am currently looking for Hi-Viz hull numbers and letters for this build. I know Hawk's graphics has the hull numbers and are working on hull letters. Does anyone else make hull letters in 1/96 scale? Printing them myself is most likely above my pay grade.

Here's a picture of the Takelma to show what a ATF looks like and what I am building. She was 205 ft long beam of 39ft draft of 17ft complement of 6 officers and 70 enlisted.
Here are a few more photo's of my build. Also some of the smaller parts

Nino, As far as I know she is still part of the Argentine navy. I have purchased a number of 1/96 printed parts but I have had to make changes to the few I have used.

I think you will like working with plastic over Fiberglass.

I would advise to keep on a lookout for 1/96 scale parts. Everything seems to be in short supply these days. From Kits to paint, AM parts to Testors Glue, times are tough all over.

I will be following along. Thanks for Posting this.

At first I thought her an unusual project for a Warship forum BUT she had guns! My kind of Tug.

Is she still part of the Argentine Navy?

Nino

Been visiting this site for awhile now and now have enough material on my build I can start posting something. This is the first time I have used styrene as a building medium.
I served on the Takelma from 72-75 home ported in Pearl Harbor. I started this project with a prebuilt fiberglass hull and basic deck house. Knowing what I now know I would have built my own. Since I had already bought them I am using them.
First steps were cutting off the molded bulwarks as they were to thick for scale and adding bilge keels and building the rudder.
Made some mounts with a temporary build board. Used some .060 styrene for the main deck.