The Ship Model Forum

The Ship Modelers Source
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 2:18 am

All times are UTC - 6 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 41 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3  Next
Author Message
PostPosted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 3:13 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Thu Dec 25, 2008 5:36 pm
Posts: 127
My Modification of the new Merit 1-350 USS Yorktown Hull

I have started my Merit CV-5 Yorktown. I have watched very closely the discussion about the raised hull detail. I just started the process of “toning down” the raised detail on mine. I have found that I like the original detail but it is just WAY too pronounced.

Let me show you what I have done and then as for your thoughts on this. I used 600 grit wet and dry sandpaper with a foam block, and then polished with progressively finer grit sanding clothes to 12000 grit.

At least I'm trying and I think I like it better....but I may need to cut it down some more.

Thoughts or comments.

Regards
Steve

Image

Image


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Mon Feb 16, 2015 3:19 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Wed Oct 03, 2007 9:35 am
Posts: 218
Steve,

Can you hit it with primer to normalize the finish? We might be able to see your work a bit better.


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 12:12 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Sep 15, 2007 11:40 pm
Posts: 575
Location: California
Steve,

Since you asked ... and like you said, you're trying :thumbs_up_1: ... It appears that you have actually made it look worse. Not only is the detail still too prominent, now the raised detail is slightly rounded over. It looks like you went after it with just a piece of unblocked sandpaper, sanding sponge, or scuff pad. Actually what you've done is demonstrated why I've said that this is no easy task like some have suggested. Very frustrating why a kit manufacturer would go out of their way to do this. My 2p ... for what it's worth.

Paul

_________________
Image

http://paulbudzik.com/current-projects/Neptune/Lockheed_Neptune_Model_Budzik.html
http://paulbudzik.com/tools-techniques/outside_the_box.html


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 12:50 am 
Offline

Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 11:02 am
Posts: 10448
Location: EG48
:scratch:

I'm not sure that I'd call it worse Paul. The details are rounded, true, but if the goal is to knock back the "power" of the detail a bit that is one way to do it. I agree that some primer would help make a true determination.

it's not what I chose to do, but I completely understand why one would not want to completely sand everything down and start over. In the context of that, I think it looks better than just leaving it alone. It's all subjective, though, and my opinions might change on the time of day and how the light is catching parts! :thumbs_up_1:

_________________
Tracy White -Researcher@Large

"Let the evidence guide the research. Do not have a preconceived agenda which will only distort the result."
-Barbara Tuchman


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 5:43 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Thu Dec 25, 2008 5:36 pm
Posts: 127
I thank you for the comments guys.

I'll hit it with a shot of primer this morning and repost that.

"Rounded"? Yes, you are right there.....it really shows with the polishing effort. I will say that it does look "better" without the magnification. I always try to take higher resolution photos WITH flash just so it brings out ALL the "uglies".

I will say that I like it ALOT more than the original state.

Regards
Steve


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 6:54 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Thu Dec 25, 2008 5:36 pm
Posts: 127
As promised....here is the my CV-5 hull "tone down" with a thin coat of Tamiya Fine primer.

You might notice one vertical piece of detail in that large bow "sink hole" that did not get toned down as much as the others. I am trying to work up a plan for that sink hole, or to just leave it be.

Comments are welcome as you won't hurt my feelings. I personally like the toned down detail much better than the original. Do I "love it"? No, but I think I can work with it. In my eye, it looks more like a ship and less like a toy now.

Regards
Steve

Image


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue Feb 17, 2015 12:06 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Sep 15, 2007 11:40 pm
Posts: 575
Location: California
Steve, Thanks for following up. Your work is a valuable example.

Tracy, I agree about the subjectivity, every element of trying to create in miniature is subjective. I guess the bigger question would be ... why work at preserving an overstated phantom pattern? I see how you could make a case if the plating pattern was correct and complete down to the keel.

Another point to note for modelers that shows up nicely in Steve's latest photo, is that if you are going to remove the plating, you have the opportunity to remove that round blunt area of the bow. Give her back her knife edge. With some elbow grease, you could really make that hull shine.

Paul

_________________
Image

http://paulbudzik.com/current-projects/Neptune/Lockheed_Neptune_Model_Budzik.html
http://paulbudzik.com/tools-techniques/outside_the_box.html


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Sun Mar 08, 2015 2:10 pm 
Offline

Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2005 7:13 am
Posts: 247
Location: Lexington, MA
Steve,

I don't think going beyond about 1000- grit is really effort worth spent unless you're aiming for an unnaturally smooth finish; I use 400-600 for removal and 1000 to make that final tweak and take out the scratches.

When I am trying to tone down a step, I run tape (usually masking tape of some type) along the edge on the lower surface side and cover it with black marker. This way I can sand <relatively> rigorously until the black starts to scuff off at which point I take it more carefully. This allows me to set a step depth of however many thicknesses of tape I want and also makes it easier to get a more consistent step.

Yeah, it's a lot of tape sometimes....


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue May 26, 2015 9:09 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 5:55 pm
Posts: 320
Location: Hoover, Alabama
I was finally able to get back on the CV5 project this weekend and managed to get the first stage of the hull sanding done. I started with 80/100 grit and ended with 400 grit for this stage. Looking back on the process thus far, it really didn't take that long to get the plates sanded off. The most time consuming element to me was trying to watch out for the shaft openings, hawsepipe, and hangar deck catapult extension supports.

At this point I have hit the hull with a coat of primer to determine what areas will need the most attention on the final stage of sanding. Overall, I'm very pleased on how the hull is looking, but in my mind, I still have some work to do.

TOMLABEL


Attachments:
My Merit CV52.jpg
My Merit CV52.jpg [ 84.51 KiB | Viewed 2984 times ]

_________________
Image
Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue May 26, 2015 9:12 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 5:55 pm
Posts: 320
Location: Hoover, Alabama
.1


Attachments:
My Merit CV51.jpg
My Merit CV51.jpg [ 98.72 KiB | Viewed 2983 times ]

_________________
Image
Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue May 26, 2015 9:59 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 5:55 pm
Posts: 320
Location: Hoover, Alabama
.2


Attachments:
My Merit CV53.jpg
My Merit CV53.jpg [ 66.45 KiB | Viewed 2978 times ]

_________________
Image
Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Tue May 26, 2015 11:47 pm 
Offline

Joined: Sun Aug 15, 2010 6:19 pm
Posts: 700
Looks fantastic! Well done!

_________________
"Also we will never see a 1/350 late war Enterprise from Dragon due to a paralyzing fear of success...." - Heavy Melder

Lots of unfinished model ships + attention issues = A busy slipway where nothing gets done!


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Wed May 27, 2015 7:27 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 10:46 am
Posts: 2409
Location: Hoboken, NJ
Looking good!

What type of sanding medium did you go with? Sanding blocks, sticks, or paper? I picked up some sanding foam blocks from the hardware store and will use those for the initial passes.

_________________
We like our history sanitized and theme-parked and self-congratulatory, not bloody and angry and unflattering. - Jonathan Yardley


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Wed May 27, 2015 8:28 am 
Offline
Model Monkey
Model Monkey

Joined: Sat Aug 20, 2005 9:27 pm
Posts: 3952
Location: USA
Great discussion and photos!

It's good to be able to see different techniques. Much to consider here. And it is clear from the photos that the Merit hull has good "bones" from which much can be done.

_________________
Have fun, Monkey around.™

-Steve L.

Complete catalog: - https://www.model-monkey.com/
Follow Model Monkey® on Facebook: - https://www.facebook.com/modelmonkeybookandhobby


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Wed May 27, 2015 9:45 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 5:55 pm
Posts: 320
Location: Hoover, Alabama
Thanks guys!

Devin, I used all that you mentioned. Started out with the foam sanding blocks, then used paper and sanding sticks on areas around details that I didn't want to accidentally destroy.

_________________
Image


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Wed May 27, 2015 9:41 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 5:55 pm
Posts: 320
Location: Hoover, Alabama
JTninja wrote:
Looks fantastic! Well done!


Thanks - and I am watching your build with great anticipation!!!!! :worship_1: :worship_1: :worship_1:

_________________
Image


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Wed Sep 30, 2015 8:57 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 5:55 pm
Posts: 320
Location: Hoover, Alabama
Here is the most current pic of my Merit CV5 hull. Right now, I can only work in spurts with weeks or a month in between - very aggravating. At this point I've added the amoured belts using Paul Budzik's filler primer method for the first time. I was very pleased by with the outcome. Still doing some finer sanding here and there while researching the layout and size of CV5's deguassing cables.

TOMLABEL


Attachments:
My Merit CV5 sept late 1v2.jpg
My Merit CV5 sept late 1v2.jpg [ 116.52 KiB | Viewed 2607 times ]

_________________
Image
Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Wed Sep 30, 2015 9:05 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jan 22, 2008 5:55 pm
Posts: 320
Location: Hoover, Alabama
More to come soon hopefully.


Attachments:
My Merit CV5 sept late 2.jpg
My Merit CV5 sept late 2.jpg [ 143.03 KiB | Viewed 2607 times ]

_________________
Image
Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Wed Sep 30, 2015 9:17 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2005 1:40 pm
Posts: 8159
Location: New Jersey
That looks awesome, Tom! Great work. Look forward to seeing more photos.

_________________
Martin

"Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday." John Wayne

Ship Model Gallery


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
PostPosted: Wed Sep 30, 2015 9:34 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jan 10, 2005 10:46 am
Posts: 2409
Location: Hoboken, NJ
Nice work on smoothing the hull.

_________________
We like our history sanitized and theme-parked and self-congratulatory, not bloody and angry and unflattering. - Jonathan Yardley


Report this post
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 41 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2, 3  Next

All times are UTC - 6 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You can post new topics in this forum
You can reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Group