The Ship Model Forum

Hi Guys, Here's a close up of under the stern, first 2 full rows of plating applied.


The 5th row of plates applied and sanded down.


Along shot of the hull.


Starting to apply the 6th row. This row as you can see is on the round of the hull, the beauty of the litho plate is it holds it shape and is easily bent.


All plates applied down to the stern.


Bow shot, 1 row to go.


This is the shape of the end of the keel. This is to be fit before the last row of plates are glued in position.


Keel glued in place and plates glued over the bottom of it.


Just a small section to go on this side of the hull.


The hull plating is finished on this side of the hull, but at the bow there are a few more to fit when the other side is complete, they are protection plates for the bow.


enjoy. ARH

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Simple but effective.

Hi Guys, Here's a close up of the bow on the Port side, still a little more sanding down to do before painting.


I have now started on the Starboard side with the first row of plates.


The first row of plates carrying on around the stern.


Second row of plates fitted to the bow.


The hull is turned over and the 4th long row of plates nearly fitted.


Only one more row and a bit to go to finish off the hull plating, you may notice the first plate fitted around the bow.


Enjoy. ARH.

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Simple but effective.

Hi Guys, Because of the show over the weekend there were no updates and no work carried out, but to day I managed to get some work done.

The last part of the keel was plated.


Also the last section down to the stern was plated in.


I still have 2 plates to put on the bow.


Also I have 1 plate to cut and fit to the stern.


Bow shot Starboard side.


Bow shot Port side


You can just see the curved wood section at the side of the hull were the deck level drops.


enjoy. ARH

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Simple but effective.

Hi Guys, Thanks for the comments.

These are the 3 plates that are fitted to the bow.


Viewed from the Port side.


The last plate fitted to the stern, also the rudder has been plated.


Overall view of the hull, still work to do, like bilge keels and props and shafts.


Rudder arm fitted.


enjoy. ARH

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Simple but effective.

Hi Guys, I have started on the prop shafts, other than buy a ready made set at large prices I have decided to show how you can do it for a 1/4 of the price.
First I bought 2 x 14 inch shafts and 2 x 5 inch shafts. The outer casing of the long shaft I cut down to expose the shaft its self.
Then I cut the short shaft and took out the ferrules at one end and fitted it in to the two cut section of each outer shaft, when this was done the inner shaft was replaced.


The first job is to mark out were the shaft is going and cut the hole,


Then I dry test the fit to see if everything is OK.


From a piece of round plastic I cut an angle section to cover the hole.


I mix filler paste and apply it round the hole and the shaft. Then I fill the plastic cover and place on to the hull and leave to set.


From a small brass section I made the A frame, bending it round one of the short shafts. Not a very good photo, but the only one I have.


A frame dry fit in position.


A close up of the A frame, it has to be soldiered in position. Then the small sections at the foot of the frame have to be drilled and a small nut and bolt fitted though the hull to hold it in position.


enjoy. ARH

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Simple but effective.

Hi Guys, I soldiered the A frame to the small shaft section and replaced it onto the shaft its self.







Then I drilled a hole into each A frame foot and into the hull , I used two very small nuts and bolts to anchore it down.




Viewed from a different angle.





enjoy, ARH

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Simple but effective.

ARH, Yourself and others have stated that at times you don't know if posting these builds generates interest. I for one will tell you as someone who is contemplating building their first scratch build and in my case, 1/96th scale RC model ( a pipe dream many years in the making), these builds are a godsend. I have read thru the builds for Iron Duke, Victorious, and several other builds listed on the board. This build, I have been following closely since day one as it uses a method of constuction that would be perfect for a post war US ship. I really enjoy the builds and look at them as often as possible and have re-read several of the builds start to finish. I very much appreciate your cheaper is better approach as I do not want to make a huge investment at this time. Also, I like the do it yourself approach more than the spend money here method.
Currently my biggest delay is simply that I have no favorite surface ship having spent all my sea service except for a short TAD to the Vulcan on submarines. At this time, I am strongly considering building USS Decatur (DDG-31) as plans are available for her and I like the conversions of the 1960's. Would also like to build a nuke cruiser however except for Long Beach there are no plans I know of available.
Thanks for the effort in your build and look forward to your next post.

Well NUC SUB,The only reason I post my builds is because of the likes of you, many years ago when I started modelling there was no one that would explian how they did it, I learned the hard way.
Also I find you can throw money at a model but it ends up not your model, and it can be expensive, im not rich, but to some I would say im not poor, I still do a days work at nearly 68 so I look after my money.
This I try to show every one in my builds, there is a cheaper way, it does not always help the manufacterers, but I look at it this way, if you can not afford to build a model and you go my cheap way you still haft to buy parts from some were, so some trader gets your bussiness some how, if you dont build because you can not afford it, they get nothing.

Your post inspires me to do what I set out to do, help modellers to do it for them selves, some times better than ME.

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Simple but effective.

Howie, A 14 inch shaft costs £7.25

Small shaft £3.50

flat brass 50p

total £11.25


Were can you buy one of thoughs for that price, not from George.

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Simple but effective.

Hi Guys, I started on the bilge keels to day.

The first job was to get the length and the shape right, this I did out of some nice lengths of limewood kindly donated by Dave Wooley,





The limewood was then covered with lithoplate and an angle was bent upwards on the top, downwards on the bottom, this gives a larger area to fasten it on to the hull.





Then with my contact adhesive I glued it to the hull side, then I ran some masking tape over the seem top and bottom and left to dry over night.




Viewed from the stern, as this is a sailing model I have increased the size of the bilge keel very slightly, this will help with its stability.




Viewed from the bow.






enjoy, ARH

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Simple but effective.

Hi Guys, Just a short update to-night.

I took off the masking tape and cleaned up the glued areas,
I did increase the width of the bilge keel by 1/4 inch.





I still have some sanding to do on the edge of the keel.





Looking at the bilge keel I think it will help with the stability of the model on the water, DD,s being so narrow they are a pig for sailing if there,s any wind about, and I hate a sloppy model.






enjoy. ARH

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Simple but effective.

Hi Guys, I have started on the other bilge keel, cutting the timber and the litho to shape, then putting on the contact adhesive and leaving it to dry to a tacky feel.






When everything was bent to shape I put the contact adhesive on the hull and the bilge keel, leaving it again to get tacky.






After a while I put it in place and put the masking tape on to hold it in place.




Turning the model over and placing it on the quickly knocked together stand I noticed something was wrong The line you see along the bilge keel should have been on the back, I had glued it on the wrong way round, silly me.



Taken off and put on the right way round.




The hull upside down, both bilge keels fitted.





enjoy, ARH

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Simple but effective.

Ron,
Sorry, I have only just seen your reply re the shafts etc. I see your point regards the cost but as I will need four I think i'll go for George Sitek's products rather than make a hash of things.

I like your bilge keels. Very crafty, you old devil you. You seem to come up with some good ideas which to my everlasting amazement and complete bafflement work. If I tried to put bilge keels on your way they'd
fall off!

Keep it up Ron Lad.

HAB

Hi Guys, Its port holes to day.

I marked out for the 12 ports and drilled a small pilot hole.







Then I cut some plastic tube up into small lengths.




Then I drilled with a larger drill bit, just under size, with a round file I enlarge the hole to the correct size, and insert the plastic tube, leaving them proud of the hull.





All in place, and glued in with super glue.




Sanded down to the face of the hull plates.





I then take some thin brass wire and wrap it round a drill bit.





Then I cut it to form the eyelets above the ports.




The eyelets are glued on with PVA glue, both sides are complete.








enjoy. ARH

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Simple but effective.

Hi Guys, I am building the fenders on the stern,

I start with a u section brass channel. I bend it to shape and then file both ends to a flat ,next I bend the end at 45 degrees, 2 are needed, port and starboard.





On the hull I mark there positions, then drill a slot at each mark.





I then glue in the channel, above it I drill 3 holes, from a 1/8 inch square brass section I cut and bend 3 bracing rods and glue them in postion.






Next I cut some 1/4 inch square timber and glued it in to the u section.





I then sanded the timber with a slight round in the middle and fitted another bracing rod.





This shot gives you a better idea of the fenders position.






Not a very good photo, but it shows the 2 fenders in position







enjoy. ARH

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Simple but effective.

Hi Guys, I have started the superstructure,

First under the Forecastle deck I have finished the structure with my usual litho plate, also you may see the two decks, 1 fixed and 1 thin one, this is my removable deck, also the one I will be adding the litho plates to , this will have the deck plating attached.






The first part of the superstructure consists of a round piece of card board with a slot cut in to it, the sides are 1/16 ply , the rear is solid timber with a half round section cut at each side, all glued together with PVA.






Viewed from the rear.




The deck was then cut out and placed in to position.




Every thing was glued down, also the floor for the twin 40,s were glued into place, all taped down and weighted, then left to dry.






Enjoy, ARH

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Simple but effective.

Hi Guys, More superstructure.

Having marked out the deck to show were this structure is going to fit, I cut the first section of the side elevation and place it in position.





The next section was cut all in one piece and scored down the corners and folded to shape,





The rear section was cut and the assembly glued together, in the corners were added strengthening pieces, it is not glued to the deck because this is a lift off section to gain access in to the hull.






Overall view of all the work, you may notice the pins, they are holding the sub deck in position for the time being.






enjoy, ARH

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Simple but effective.

Hi Guys, One deck up.

Here,s a bow shot of the work to date.






Stern view.





We now go up a deck, this is the lower part of the bridge superstructure, having marked out the position, I have cut 3 sections and glued them in place.





The next 3 sections of the front of the superstructure are glued in place, I am still using 1/16 ply , this is the skeleton frame work, it is going to be covered with litho plate.




The bridge deck and wings are cut out and glued in place, weighted and left to dry.





Viewed from the rear.







enjoy, ARH

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Simple but effective.

Hi Guys, Im back with another nightly up date on the build,

I continue going up, more ply cut and glued in place.





All sides glued in place and the roof put on, also the litho plate fitted for the next deck level.






Viewed from the front.




An overall veiw of all the work.





4 Sections cut and glued together, this is the base of the second smoke stack.






1/16 Ply cut and glued in place, the block of timber is part of the base for the 4 Orlicon,s platform.





Now we begin to cover the ply with our litho plate, all 3 sections cut and glued in place with contact adhesive.


Litho plate for some of the newer members of the board is very thin alliminium that is used in the printing industry, it is soft and very easily bent to shape, also not springy, its shinny so you can easily sand it with a very very fine sand paper, this helps the paint to adhere to the surface.







3 Side panels glued in place, the structure is now beggining to look like a ships bridge.





The last panel glued in place, also the opposit side and rear finished.







enjoy, ARH

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Simple but effective.

Hi Guys, more litho plate.

I cut and fit the first deck section, after building the stand for the twin 40,s bandstand I glued it in place.









The second part of the deck plates is cut to shape and the glue getting tacky to accept the new section.





All deck plates glued and fitted.






All edges cleaned up with a file, the deck is mark out with its plates, the first side section is cut to shape, the top edge has been folded over because this rises above the deck by about 1/4 of an inch and gives it extra strength.






Rear section cut , folded and curved, and ready to fit.




Whole superstructure turned round to see the other side, also you can see the upstand better, note the front round section is in place.





Superstructure viewed from the rear, I think some of the guys if they can get anything like litho plate will be having a go to see if it works for them, as much as it works for me, I find the finish is better for accepting the paint work.








enjoy, ARH

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Simple but effective.