The Ship Model Forum

Hey guys,

If you have made the connection with my forum handle and the pictures/threads I've done, I got a thing for BB-60. I love Naval history, particularly Pacific WWII and Alabama was my introduction to this as a kid since it was close by to my hometown. I've spent many a summer there and find this ship fascinating as well as incredible pride for those who went before me and others and the United States.

Anyways, I am attempting a scratchbuilt model of her after building a 1/700 and 1/350 of the lady. I am using oak ply and basswood ply for the backbone and bulkheads. Once dry, she will be sheeted with balsa. Still not sure what to put on over that (bondo, fiberglass?)

PS - never mind the dog toys or the wife vegging out

Kyle

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Hi Kyle excellent choise of subject . As for covering the sheeted hull why not take a look at Bill Warldorf's Indiana. best of luck with the build and thanks for showing .
Dave Wooley

Thanks Dave! Bill does have some astonishing models, as well I got to see his USS Kalinin Bay at the Pensacola NAS museum recently, looks fantastic in person. I have studied Mr. Waldorf's build log on BB-58 extensively... BEAUTIFUL! I don't quite have the room (yet) for 96th scale though, so I thought I'd be a bit more appeasing to the wife

Kyle

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Okay, so her skeleton is about done. Still figuring out what to do about stem/bow and stern, thinking it would be easier to use balsa block and sand it into shape.

Kyle

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Hi kyle Yes it's good to keep the good lady on your side . As for the bow I use block balsa or obichi, added once the hull has been sheeted. Also for a good reference have you had a look at ARHs North Carolina build some good ideas that could prove useful to you.

Dave Wooley

Thanks for the NoCal research idea Dave! The thread ( http://www.modelwarships.com/reviews/sh ... 55-rh.html ) is very informative and follows a beautiful build of the ship.

Sheeting is started right now with 1/16" balsa, should have some pics tonight of her.

Kyle

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Little slower going than I had hoped, but got one side sheeted! Started on the starboard side now, then will do the keel.

Kyle

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Hi Kyle nice building and very good way to build the hull

Alright, she's coming along! The bow has been tricky, had to redo several bulkheads due to the shape not working out right. I *think* I got it though, looking like a SoDak. Past either last bulkhead on the very bow and stern will be balsa block sanded to shape. Both sides full sheeted, working on the bilge now.

Question - what should I cover the wood with? I've been trying to research it, I've heard of wood putty, lightweight wall spackle, bondo, etc. I need to not only fill the sheeting gaps but also smooth the whole thing out to remove the wood grain when painting. However, I don't want something that could crack down the road from wood expansion/contraction or other problems.

Thanks!
Kyle

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hello kyle,i aways coat my hull first with resin inside and out this glues every thing together then i use bondo glass to toughen up the hull ,takes lots of sanding but it makes a tough hull,last i use bono putty to fair it out.if you go into completed builds at the start of nagato and admiral sheer of the you will see the process.some of my hulls are 8 years old and no problem.

Kyle,
I think Bondo would certainly seal the exterior, sand easily and be more resistent to dings and scratches. Your concern with wood expanding and contracting is a valid one and I would think that a water based substance on the exterior would not be a help in that regard. If using Bondo or other product, after coating the exterior and letting it dry, I would coat the entire interior with good old shellac to seal it up, frames included. Shellac was the original Sanding Sealer.

Or do as Russ Clark suggests. Juat stay away from things like spackle or wall board compound, which are "ding-able".

hello Keyle There is an excellent reference on this very subject in the builds of ARH and Bill Waldorf . As a question much depends on what is required of the model .If static then the treatment used to seal and prepare the exterior and interior can be different to that used for a working model. I much prefer to cover the hull inside and out with a fine fibre tissue then apply filler to the outside, rub down with wet a dry until the surface is blemish free. The prepared surface is then ready for plating or prepared just for painting.
Hope this helps
Dave Wooley

Thanks for the advice guys! I checked out your build log on the Nagato Russ (stunning by the way ) and that technique looks good. When you say you coat it with resin, is that just like 2 part epoxy you use? I was thinking about doing the same thing - I will mix a big batch of 30 minute stuff up and paint the inside of her where all the bulkheads meet sheeting. The CA holds, but I don't trust it years down the road VS the epoxy.

I guess I should have noted earlier as well, no, my ship will not be functioning just static.

Kyle

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that right kyle it is fiberglass resin.you add hardener to the resin.i paint it all over inside and out ,then there is no fear of glue failing.

Looking good. It can be scary jumping in like Your doing, but thats the way to do these projects or they don't get going. I have 15 pages of logs on one of these sites and I dont believe that I am even half way through the Project. I am building The Z class Light cruiser that the Germans planed, but never built, in 1/72 scale. The Alabama was an interesting ship, along with her sisters. They evolved from plans that were Washinton treaty plans and thus were not planed as large as the Iowa's but carried the 16 inch main batteries. they were originally going to be fitted with 15 inch guns. The Colorado's carried eight, 16 inch guns so the US realy had a bad taste in its mouth to have to revert to a smaller calabre in the Washington, and South Dakota class. When Japan pulled out of the Confrences, all bets were off and The US got to put the 16's back in play. Briton intended to do the same with the King GeorgeV class but would have had to wait a year and didn't realy have that as an option with Germany heating things up at the time. Dont be afraid to make some mistakes but take Your time on the project and patience will always shine though.

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Thanks Russ and thanks Haratio! This has been a pretty intense undertaking - everything is (from a flying slang) "seat of the pants" and all hand done. The plans were even kind of thrown together by none other as well I have gotten the stern pretty much shaped up (will shim the top with balsa strip) and the bow is in progress right now.

Once I get the bow finished, it's time for epoxy on the inside, bondo on the outside, and lots of sanding.

Kyle

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Alright got the inside epoxied up and have coated the outside in Bondo glazing putty. Sands down nice, will smooth her up tommorow - maybe even get some primer on her!

Kyle

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