The Ship Model Forum

Hey Tom,

I use different combinations of the following paints for the figures. I wish I could give you exact mix percentages, but the true is that I blend them in different combinations in an attempt to not have them all look the same. I will also use white and black to lighten or darken to match my tastes.

Reaper Mint 09056 Templar Blue
Reaper Mint 09021 Snow Shadow
Model Air 71.090 Dunkel Blau
Model Air 71.111 UK Mediterran Blue

I am curious as to where you found the download PT crew.....might be able to transfer them to a destroyer!

Here are some project updates. I've been modeling in CAD the foundation of the stack and decided I was ready for a fit check 3d printing.


I think I am on the right track, need to make some adjustments and start getting serious about adding detail features to the model. But this will work.

I have worked up a reasonable looking sonar dome



And lastly, printed two of the very distinct vents located on the 02-level forward. I am particularly pleased with how these have turned out.



cheers for now,

_________________
Bruce
OSC USN-Ret


Currently on the building ways:
1/144 USS Stevens DD-479
1/144 USS Cook Inlet AVP-36
1/144 USS Walke DD-416
1/144 USS Preble DDG-46

Bruce:

I think these figures would work very well on a destroyer and print with great detail in the 1:120/1:144 scales. Except for the officers they are all wearing helmets and Kapok's.

http://www.artejaolstudios.com/miniatures-database/ Each download file is about 25 MB or so and includes both figures with and without bases.

Thanks for the paint info. I am also a student of the bend to fit paint to match school of colormetrics. The reason I asked was a local limitation on available paints. For any mixed modeler specific paints I have to order. Mixing the Golden Artists Acrylics can produce good results with simple mixes like ship colors.

Cheers: Tom

Bruce,

I think your 3D parts are turning out nicely - well done!!

Hank

_________________
HMS III
Mocksville, NC
BB62 vet 68-69

Builder's yard:
USS STODDARD (DD-566) 66-68 1:144, Various Lg Scale FC Directors
Finished:
USS NEW JERSEY (BB-62) 67-69 1:200
USN Sloop/Ship PEACOCK (1813) 1:48
ROYAL CAROLINE (1748) 1:47
AVS (1768) 1:48

Indeed the bottom of the uptakes have a very convincing formed sheet metal look. The semi streamlined rounding of the O1 and O2 levels forward also came out well, and not easy form.

Cheers: Tom

Thanks guys!

Small update this evening. Tried another 3d print for placement checking purpose, this time the gun director pedestal. Overall, I'm encouraged, it fit in the appropriate area and looks about right when compared to pictures. As the picture demonstrates though, I'm going to have to adjust some of the features to a little less scale so they will print. The printer I have is good, just not that good. Now if I could convince the boss I need a new 8k printer we'd be in business!!



cheers all,

_________________
Bruce
OSC USN-Ret


Currently on the building ways:
1/144 USS Stevens DD-479
1/144 USS Cook Inlet AVP-36
1/144 USS Walke DD-416
1/144 USS Preble DDG-46

Bruce:

That printed pretty well! When I did the barbettes for Alaska's MK 37's (1:192) I did a top support just like yours. As to the upgraded printers, perhaps you can skip a generation, 24K one's will soon be available for two Wheaties box tops? I suspect some detail items such as pipe rails will be limited by resin strength and not printing resolution so much. It is amazing how some fine details such as grab irons will print, but it can be hit and miss.

Thanks for the update! Tom

Bruce,

Yes, thanks for the latest photos - I will also keep in mind how you've constructed circular hollow parts - good photo to post - also shows your very nice details!

Hank

_________________
HMS III
Mocksville, NC
BB62 vet 68-69

Builder's yard:
USS STODDARD (DD-566) 66-68 1:144, Various Lg Scale FC Directors
Finished:
USS NEW JERSEY (BB-62) 67-69 1:200
USN Sloop/Ship PEACOCK (1813) 1:48
ROYAL CAROLINE (1748) 1:47
AVS (1768) 1:48

Bruce:

On Alaska and Missouri (1:192) I printed the hand rails circling the MK 37 barbettes as separate items, with very good success. This avoided the sometimes merging of such items at small scales. Yours look as if they came out very nice as is. Working at each scale has it's nuances. As Hank pointed out, for those involved in printing, sharing small behind the scenes design methods is quite useful.

Best regards: Tom

Gents,

Hank that structure serves a dual purpose; first, as you've noted is to provide structural strength to the tube. There's a duplicate at the bottom. The second purpose, you might have noted that there's a small hole in the center of the cross, .060"dia to be precise. On the bottom of the director that I'm modeling in CAD there's a pin that will go into that hole, thereby locating the director exactly where it is supposed to go.

Tom, you're absolutely correct about each scale having its own challenges. In the case of the grab rails, in this scale they measure out at only .007"dia, a bit small for even my printer. I'm considering taking them off and just having a depression to position a #87 drill bit and then use wire. That way they will have some structural strength. Still deciding. I will also say that I have enjoyed immensely reading the interchange of information you and Pascal have shared in your varied projects, truly brilliant stuff.

cheers,

_________________
Bruce
OSC USN-Ret


Currently on the building ways:
1/144 USS Stevens DD-479
1/144 USS Cook Inlet AVP-36
1/144 USS Walke DD-416
1/144 USS Preble DDG-46

Bruce:

I think about the smallest design diameter I have gotten away with is .18 mm. Not possible to evaluate the as built diameter, but with the Rapid Black Resin I think there is some shrinkage. On my LSM (1:133) I printed the individual drop style grab irons which came out well. As I was installing on a wooden made stern piece I made a drill template when I printed the grab irons, though pilot holes printed right into the bulkhead would work even better. If I go any smaller than that it's a maybe if they print. I did some (1:192) 5" twin mounts for Alaska and Missouri and had very small grab irons print, but survival is questionable, very fragile.

Something I have done with turrets, directors and mounts is use small magnets to hold them on, which allows easy removal and positioning in rotation. For reasons discussed by Pascal, I have found that I have to allow for some shrinkage of the hole diameter, if not some reaming may be necessary to get the desired fit.

For Stoddard Hank is using my MK 37 which I originally made for Alaska and Missouri, variously with and without cupola. He upped it to 1:144 and made a few minor mods for the specific unit on Stoddard. Printed nicely. Your director on the Fletcher looked very good!

Best Regards: Tom

Greetings all,

Small update on the Walke project. I have designed the stack, and director and printed out some fit models to see how they go on. I need to make some adjustments to the stack but generally I think it catches the spirit of the build.





Also, as you may have noticed I have the vent covers for the 02 level designed and printed. Need to go back and add a couple of very small details and they're ready for painting. And, I took a shot at a bridge wing bulkhead as seen barely on the aft quarter picture. That one really needs some fine tuning before its ready for prime time!

Well, that's it. Small update. I said in the beginning that I was slow!

_________________
Bruce
OSC USN-Ret


Currently on the building ways:
1/144 USS Stevens DD-479
1/144 USS Cook Inlet AVP-36
1/144 USS Walke DD-416
1/144 USS Preble DDG-46

Bruce:

Glad to see an update, progress looks very good. The rounding of the deck edges on the superstructure is especially nice. Keep up the good work!

Cheers: Tom

Brooooce!

Looking forward to some more progress on this beautiful ship!

Cheers: Tom

Hey Tom,

Thanks for having an interest in the project. Just got back home from an out of country business trip. Once the dust settles from that adventure,
I hope to get back to work on it. Getting really close to painting the hull. I am anxious to see how the weathering goes as I have never done it on a large hull.

Bruce

_________________
Bruce
OSC USN-Ret


Currently on the building ways:
1/144 USS Stevens DD-479
1/144 USS Cook Inlet AVP-36
1/144 USS Walke DD-416
1/144 USS Preble DDG-46

Bruce:

I am sure that the hull will look great when painted, always a transformation. I've always done my hulls in wood, just like you are doing, an enjoyable process fairing things to perfection, like taking the minor dents out of that classic auto. I am attempting a new way of doing things, printing the hull for a flush decker which gets broken into four sections and printed two at a time, giving a total print time for the whole project of some 40 hours. I'll need to get some more resin to finish the second half! I did print trial hull at 1:550, about a 7" hull and was pleased.

Looking forward to following your progress here, slow, fast or whatever.

Regards: Tom

Latest small update, did I mention that I'm a really slow builder!

The hull has officially been christened. Letters cut from .005" (0.13mm) thick plastic. Under magnification I see that I need to trim some of the letters a bit. Also, visible is one of the two 3d printed screw guards. Those took a little time since they are really modeled in three dimensions, but I final got a pair that I'm happy with.



Next up, I got both of the main deck outboard bulwarks installed. Found out from studying high resolution pictures, that not only were the forward deck edges rolled over, but these bulwarks also had a rolled over top. These features took a little time to get them properly modeled. Another feature I discovered was that there was a "door" in the bulwark for the accommodation ladder. Aft of the "door" was a kingpost that apparently held the lower end of the ladder. When they started reducing topside weight, in addition to removing one of the whaleboats they also landed an accommodation ladder and reworked the bulwarks to remove the door and the kingpost. Walke had her's on the starboard side. I need to add some features to the kingpost. Still haven't decided if I want to depict the boom off of the kingpost for the accommodation ladder.



Just have to add a few butt straps and the associated rivets and the bulwarks are done. Finally, I modeled in CAD some of the watertight doors. The one you see in the picture goes into a deck gear locker. There's a matching door on the port side that accessed the laundry. I'm quite happy with how the doors turned out. Adding small features to the bulkheads in this area and then they're ready for paint.



I have also got all of the waterways installed on the forecastle along with the two pairs of 10" bitts. Well, that's about it for now.

_________________
Bruce
OSC USN-Ret


Currently on the building ways:
1/144 USS Stevens DD-479
1/144 USS Cook Inlet AVP-36
1/144 USS Walke DD-416
1/144 USS Preble DDG-46

Bruce:

Nice progress, though a little in shadow, the WT door looks good. I've cut some lettering like that with my stencil cutter (similar to Cricut)). I see you embossed the rivets on the butt straps joining the splinter side protection. looks good. The bulwarks turn out rather involved project.

Thanks for the update! Tom

Bruce:

I hope that you will post some updates on this fine project.

I hope all is well! Best regards: Tom

Hey Tom,

Been a very busy summer thus far! Between business travels, holidays with the family, and a nasty bout with covid, build time as been limited. But, I have managed to get some work done on the ship.



As you can see, I got the anti-fouling bottom color on and the 5-O color on the hull preparatory to doing the Measure 12mod scheme. For that, I am drawing full scale the pattern and the plan is then to use the roll of frisket I got to cut a full size mask. Being a bit of a detail nut, I have redrawn the pattern about a dozen times to get it just right with the one broadside picture of the ship.



I noted while studying pictures of Sims DD's that there was a tendency to use diamond tread plate on the upper decks. Checking I found that Archer Fine Transfers has an HO scale diamond plate decal that looks pretty close to scale. On the picture aft you can see the applications on the 01 decks. I'm going to paint the decks with the 20B color and then go back and drybrush lightly with some steel to bring out the details. I think it'll look pretty good.



And, finally, to try and keep up with ya'll on the 3d printing front, the picture above shows my first pass at the anchor windless assembly and the hatch leading down to the CPO berthing. I need to go in and add latch dogs to the hatch and some other fine details but they're very close. You can see in the top picture the stack assembly; that is in the process of being redone. I have discovered, from picture study and talking with Rick E. Davis that the two Boston Navy Yard Sims had a noticeably different shaped lower section to the stack. I think I'll be ready to print a new version in the not too distant future.

Speaking of 3d printing, has any of you found where a set of drawings can be had for the destroyer screws? Sources of properly sized metal screws for the model are seemingly quickly vanishing so I thought I'd give printing a go. For some reason I have got it into my head the project of doing a model to the same 1/144 scale of every class of pre-war destroyer. Already of plans ready to go of a Bagley class.....trying very hard to focus on the Sims and Fletcher class I have going finish them first. We'll see how that turns out.

Thanks for the interest in the project.

_________________
Bruce
OSC USN-Ret


Currently on the building ways:
1/144 USS Stevens DD-479
1/144 USS Cook Inlet AVP-36
1/144 USS Walke DD-416
1/144 USS Preble DDG-46

Bruce:

Thanks for the update! I was going to ask about the diamond tread pattern, I added that by hand for the decking on my 120 Quad Bofors, which made it a very large file. I see you decapitated the 53 mount, they had to be pretty weight critical to slice off that little bit off the top of the mount.

Hank Strub did a very nice set of hatches for Stoddard with all the goodies on them.

Glad you are busy and doing well!

Cheers: Tom