Jump to content

Admiral's Barge 1:48th scale on a slipway


Recommended Posts

Short update from today, off for a weeks holiday tomorrow

 

Part of the problem with the foundation of the boat shed is the Kapa board is too flexible, I should have backed it with 1mm ply first.  Combine that with a very uneven surface of the Sculptamould and everything was moving.  So, I cut a piece of ply and triangulated it so it wouldn't bend and mounted it on the surface building up around it with Polyfiller.  Clearly, all this would have been a lot easier if I'd thought of it first :sad:

 

DSCN1499

 

Once this is completely dry when we return, I can remove the framing to have a flat and solid foundation to stick the boat shed base to.  Also, I've applied some primer and built up the rocks and timber guides to the slipway which I've seen on pictures, they are deliberately rough.  Plus i spent a lot of time re-doing areas of the stonework where the joints were not deep enough.  I intend to cover the edges with 1/64th ply, stained and varnished btw

 

I also completed the boat shed structure, cladding and roof, here is is resting on the base, the alignment will all tidy up once it is fixed in place and it will be lowered by 2-3mm so the edges will not show, those brick piers are just resting there for effect

 

DSCN1500

 

Seems a shame to paint that pear wood cladding, still thinking about it.  The holes in the top surface of the quayside timber are for hold-down bolts,  just a bit of fun detail

 

DSCN1501

 

However, I can see where it will get to, should be interesting. 

 

Hopefully the brass sections I've ordered to build the slipway and carriage will arrive next week, looking forward to some soldering again, back in my comfort zone

 

  • Like 12
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Ripaman said:

Lovely work Steve :like:, why not try some Tung Oil instead of painting it will bring out the wood just right,  just a thought have used it before. 

 

Regards

Richard

Interesting suggestion, I'll try a sample and see how it comes out.  It is a shame to paint it...  The challenge it the superglue fills the grain and so it can leave the surface looking scarred, but worth a try

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I read a 'shop note' by Steve Wheeler in the Nautical Research Journal for September 2018 in which he described using solvent-based clear finishes over superglue marks on wood. He stated that, because both superglue and solvent-based finishes soak into the grain in a similar way, the final finish renders the superglue marks virtually invisible. You might want to look up the article - it's accessible online here:  https://www.thenrg.org/digital-edition.php

 

Hope this helps,

Maurice

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 02/09/2019 at 16:38, mdesaxe said:

I read a 'shop note' by Steve Wheeler in the Nautical Research Journal for September 2018 in which he described using solvent-based clear finishes over superglue marks on wood. He stated that, because both superglue and solvent-based finishes soak into the grain in a similar way, the final finish renders the superglue marks virtually invisible. You might want to look up the article - it's accessible online here:  https://www.thenrg.org/digital-edition.php

 

Hope this helps,

Maurice

Makes sense, I was thinking of stains, will give it a go

 

Cheers

 

Steve

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Update from this weekends endeavours.  A lot of work with not much change really.  I enclosed the base in .8mm ply and tidied up the filler on back to the ply.  I also sprayed more primer and glued the shed base in place, and covered the bricks with clear cote, grey primer on the roof, the result, it still looks much the same.  I have an idea to build a small platform with a plank gangway across to the rear deck, start to add detail to that empty space.  I've also drawn a small truck for moving timber around that I'll make later.  The water level will lap around where the prop is in this picture, some rocks remain exposed

DSCN1504

 I used Tung oil on the cladding as suggested, nice sheen finish though now I'm worried about weathering, I'm sure it will dry more.  In the foreground are two trucks for the slipway bed, one reject in the track and the beginning of the right way to do it.  Barge resting there to get an idea of the overall layout.  The metal tracks are also in place

 

I also made a workbench but it's no good, too heavy looking

 

After a few hours struggling, below is the first complete truck.  This will be connected to the rear truck with two channels enclosing a timber bed that will support the keel

 

DSCN1505

 

It's meant to look a bit bashed and rustic, he said excusing the rough finish 😉

 

The two uprights slot in between the H beams and hold the timber sides as per the picture

 

DSCN1506

 

They are not fixed yet so don't worry about the angles, that will get sorted.  So, all I have to do is make another one of these, it looks a bit heavy but it has to take the weight of the barge so I guess it would be a bit chunky....

  • Like 12
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, robgizlu said:

Goes from strength to strength :coolio:

Rob

Thanks Rob, but those timber uprights are too large (2mm x 5mm = 4 x 10inch, what was I thinking!), I'll need to re-do the brackets and install smaller timber.  Still the whole assembly is worked out in my head which is the main challenge

 

BTW, this was my drawing for the truck

 

boat frame

 

But the 4mm channel sections for the cross member we too flimsy so I had to use H sections instead, still worried it will end up looking heavy, the danger of making stuff up :sad:

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The brickwork looks convincing to me ,I'm a bricklayer,  maybe being a bit picky, a little long , still most impressive ,english bricks regardless of gauge are 220 to 225 mm long , ( in new money )its a nice detail steve, one of many I'm  sure , your oak timber frame boat house really looks a  genuine structure too,fine work

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, Hewy said:

The brickwork looks convincing to me ,I'm a bricklayer,  maybe being a bit picky, a little long , still most impressive ,english bricks regardless of gauge are 220 to 225 mm long , ( in new money )its a nice detail steve, one of many I'm  sure , your oak timber frame boat house really looks a  genuine structure too,fine work

They are European bricks I think, made for 0 gauge layouts, 2" thick to scale, still easier than making my own (which I did consider....), when its all done, they will just form part of the background, I guess the idea is that nothing stands out cos if it does, it will be wrong....

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Couple of pictures of the slipway truck now coming together.  I remade the upright supports, much better 2nd time around, sigh..  74 individual brass components....

I've also gone over each stone in the wall once more to give it better definition, still more work on that aspect

 

DSCN1508

The towing gear has to be added and the main timber supports for the keel will go on top of that wood strip down the centre which wont be visible in the end.  Soldering the carriages to the transverse beams was interesting as the tolerance is far less than 1mm, soft solder allows many attempts...

 

Below shows the launch resting in place to give an indication of how this will look

 

DSCN1507

 

Lots more detail to go in of course, but this gives a good idea of where I'm going with this, certainly reminiscent of (I think I'll say "inspired by") the painting 🤞

 

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Courageous said:

Looking the biz Steve.

 

Stuart

It's certainly making progress, interesting departure from what I normally do.  Years ago I build a 1:48th scale 40ft CMB from WW1 that I've also struggled to decide how to mount, while I have all these scenic materials, I may do a side launch slipway for that as well if this works out.  Somewhere I've a picture of the CMBs in side launched slips near Harwich....

DSCN0811

 

DSCN0809

 

 

DSCN0808

 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Ripaman said:

Brilliant looking metal work Steve they totally look the part, also everything else looks brilliant as well :thumbsup:

 

Regards

Richard

Thanks Richard, it's converging on the painting, not in a linear fashion, but still converging 🙂

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...