Mixed update. First, the paint plan didn't work. Tamiya Nato black spray and Tamiya Nato paint don't match. The paint is way more matt and even after varnish. the areas I had touched up stood out. So, I gave up with that and went back to Vallejo paint, as I should have done from the start. Then Vallejo Hull red was way too dark brown (imho), loads of Fire Red later and I'm sort of OK with it. Also, using the mask to spray the draft marks was also a bit of a disaster, the pattern I had didn't match the way Victorian's painted their draft marks. So, all in all, a bit of a bad start to the painting stage really. I'll post on the draft marks later, still worrying that one
The hull after painting
Meanwhile the Sea Grey for the turtle deck looks OK, thinks that's a keeper. I've also been busy making deck canvas edging strips from 0.2 mm Aluminium, cut into 1.7mm wide strips and indented with a pin wheel to give the impression of fixings, using 3inch lengths which at 12 ft seemed a reasonable stock length for handling and also trying to get that pin wheel to behave on longer lengths with these narrow strips is just a route to insanity. I'll post a couple of pictures once I'm happy with the effect,. The actual canvas arrangement is not obvious so I'm interspersing other stuff while I consider this all
To cheer myself up, I made a cleat for the ensign, there will be more of these needed. At least that worked...
Then as a distraction, I went back to the forward gun platform planking and tried a version with a margin plank, seems much better, three stage iteration below. The laser reversing burns the wood slightly, hence version 3, I may try one more to see if I can make it better, its hard as the planks converge so the reversing is inevitable. This will be painted, so any final burning will not be obvious (I hope). Anyway, I'm much happier with this
So much so, that I remade the capstan platform planks, way better
While I was on that platform, I turned my attention to the handrailing. This is permanent round the platform and then run in wire rope to the bow jackstaff. The stanchions here are very low and non -standard @ 28 inches. I didn't have that size but cut down some 20mm stanchions and fitted rings to get the height right, soldering frame shown below. The existing legs on the platform are 1mm thin wall tube so they can take the stanchion pins
The curved rail (0.7 mm) was beaten flat at one end and drilled to take the wire rope later before shaping and soldering it in a template
Trial assembly, more fettling needed. Note the deck lights on the turtle back polished brass rings. Anyway, it's still all a little rough, but coming together. Lots more detail to go on this turtle deck.....
Cheers
Steve