Topic: HMS Argonaut - Leander Class Frigate 1/96th (Read 59269 times)

ballastanksian · « **Reply #100 on:** January 22, 2017, 11:05:16 pm »

I've always love the turrets used in the sixties and seventies despite being a bit boxy. I think it is the joy of seeing more than one gun on a warship!

Your turret is coming along great and can't wait to see her fettled and armed.

Glyn · « **Reply #101 on:** January 23, 2017, 09:05:10 am »

Great watching your model of Argonaut taking shape and very inspirational. As a matter of interest, where on the internet did you manage to find the drawings of the Limbo mortar? I've come across quite a lot of photographs of them, but drawings seem to be scarce. Keep up the good work! Regards, Glyn

crabbersnipe · « **Reply #102 on:** January 28, 2017, 09:13:44 pm »

Temperatures finally allowed a long-overdue return to the garage and managed to do some work on the hull again
Needed to cut our the second anchor recess, sanded the bilge keels and needed to do some more sanding of the hull.

More interestingly however, I did some experimenting with the dented plating and think I have found a way that - to my eyes at least - seems to reflect this quite accurately. Have used the stern as a guinea pig, and basically used a 0.003 thick sheet of brass plating, in which the plates were scribed using an old cutter. This assembly was then glued on top of the hull. I am curious to see what the reflection will be once the primer goes on, but the welding lines are clearly visible yet not too conspicuous. I also suspect that should they still be too noticeable it will be relatively easy to 'flatten' them by pushing them further inward.

Also, have substituted my second sonar dome, based on a drawing found for a type 177 sonar in the lowered position. I wasn't too happy with the previous rendering.

Finally, I have also cut out the variable depth sonar bay.

All in all a good evening's work I say

E

tghsmith · « **Reply #103 on:** January 29, 2017, 02:26:39 pm »

brass sheet looks very good, have you tried lithoplate? might work as well but easier to form around curves, bigger sheets often at a near giveaway price.. check with older print places,,,I have some but shipping would be a killer....

ballastanksian · « **Reply #104 on:** January 29, 2017, 07:59:51 pm »

You are ticking the boxes with that idea. and the material, brass or aluminium has the benefit of not being absorbant and so prone to going muchy. The surface is good and just needs a good clean and prime for a good finish.

crabbersnipe · « **Reply #105 on:** January 29, 2017, 08:45:13 pm »

Came across a fabulous Leander film on Youtube, so for all the fans among us have a look at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jH6GsaMCMk

Love that shot of that sharp crab-like turn to starboard !

E

crabbersnipe · « **Reply #106 on:** January 30, 2017, 02:41:41 pm »

Thanks for the suggestion to use lithoplate - good idea, I have some old stock lying around but not sure about the thickness, fear it might be a little too much.
Also, I am mulling to replicate the plating above the waterline only, partly to avoid the hassle of the curved areas but also because information on the plating pattern below would be too patchy and can only be guesswork, which I don't like too much.
Intention is to insert the shafts and props now, give everything a coat of primer and see how the chequered plating looks.

Cheers
E

Netleyned · « **Reply #107 on:** January 30, 2017, 03:20:38 pm »

Having walked under Juno in
a DED (Docking and essential Defects)
period, I would say the weathered hull
showing the frames didn't show much
below the waterline.
The Transom never got the hammer from the weather that the sides did.

Ned

crabbersnipe · « **Reply #108 on:** January 30, 2017, 04:00:44 pm »

, I like that Ned, brilliant and totally justifying me cutting a few corners here !
Btw, you happy with my new sonar dome or did I get that totally wrong still ? I never got to see Juno's bottom

....

E

crabbersnipe · « **Reply #109 on:** February 06, 2017, 12:49:28 pm »

Did some more work over the WE, drilling out the rudders and propshafts, together with the A-bracket slots.

Think I have now also fully cracked the best way to replicate the starved dog plating on the ship's side, following my little experiment with the transom already covered with a scribed brass sheet.
Was quite happy with the result (albeit a little too pronounced) but quickly hit another hurdle when looking for more brass sheet to cover the ship's sides.
One: brass is bleeding expensive and two: it seems to be only available as coiled thin foil and to be ordered on line from Chinese manufacturers.
Being a little cautious following a previous on-line purchase but also baulking at the cost I needed to find a different solution.
Enter litho printing plate, of which I still had some stock lying and as kindly suggested by someone on this forum (see earlier posts).

Unfortunately this was marginally thicker than the brass sheet used for the stern plating, and the scribed lines were not visible on the reverse side.
In the end the solution was quite simple: the thickness notwithstanding, in the end the best result was ultimately obtained as follows:

- mark out the various plates and locations of the rectangular shapes, using a pencil
- scribing and indenting along the pencilled lines, using a semi-blunt scalpel (each groove being cut 4 times)
- finally, using a pizza slicer (it hasn't been spotted going awry from the kitchen utensils so need to complete the job before the dockyard policewoman gets a fit !) to 'push' the groove sufficiently deep so as to be visible on the reverse side
- also, I found it useful to use a pane of glass to keep the litho plate totally flat when making the initial indentations, but used a wooden board when rolling the pizza slicer.

Managed to put two parts in place and glued them to the starboard hull, using two-component epoxy glue. It is now possible to read some excerpts from a long-forgotten book print on my hull before the primer goes on.....

In the end I am quite satisfied how things look, the effect is pretty subdues yet visible against direct light. I only hope that when the paint gets sprayed on I do not lose the effect !

Finally, I will only be covering the hull above the water line in this fashion, partly to do away with the curves of the hull but also because this is arguable a less noticeable feature underwater.

Also (being quite noticeable when studying Leander photographs), given that there is a visible line half-way the hull denoting the slope of the deck below the surface deck, this also needed imitating; the middle horizontal groove was indented deeper than all the others, so as to give a faint raise denoting where this half-deck runs.

See photographs for results.

E

ballastanksian · « **Reply #110 on:** February 06, 2017, 08:35:57 pm »

Yup, that will work a treat E! I can't wait to see it painted up.

Glyn · « **Reply #111 on:** February 08, 2017, 12:25:54 pm »

Looking good, E. Seems like you've finally solved the 'starved dog plating effect' on model ships. Good old litho plate to the rescue! What kind of adhesive are you using to attach it to the hull? Looking forward to seeing the paint job now. Regards, Glyn

crabbersnipe · « **Reply #112 on:** February 12, 2017, 08:13:05 pm »

Time for a bit of an update, covered both sides of the hull with the dented plates, but made one little mistake which caused me having to remove the very last stretch.
I am using two-component epoxy glue, but in my haste I forgot to spread out the mixture, which caused a major accumulation in the middle of the last plate, and left me with what can best be described as a speed bump !
Was dreading the prospect of having to remove the entire section, but managed to do so without damaging the glass cloth or the wooden hull underneath. Pfew, tense little moment it certainly was.

Am also attaching a photograph which I hope will give an impression of the light reflection on the covered hull, hope it is visible.

E

ballastanksian · « **Reply #113 on:** February 12, 2017, 08:16:28 pm »

When it has paint on it, that will look great

What make is the glue?

dreadnought72 · « **Reply #114 on:** February 12, 2017, 08:19:44 pm »

I think you have achieved it. Very much looking forward to seeing it painted up.

Andy

crabbersnipe · « **Reply #115 on:** February 12, 2017, 08:23:47 pm »

My next issue was a problem when adding the first layer of primer on top of the litho plate, which caused the remaining ink to interact with the primer - not ideal.....I was not expecting this, for I had attempted to clean and remove the remains of the printed text using white spirit and thinners, not to mention light sanding. Thought the primer was therefore going to have no problem whatsover but had a few nasty drips which needed further sanding....

With the sides covered and primered, and some more sanding, I judged the time was ripe for the long-awaited upturning of the hull, and removal (painstaking job that was !) of the support struts. She looks like some container vessel, and was facing an hour-long job removing the nut and bolt structure which - with hindsight - was a little too far-fetched !

A a final step I also cut out the balsa behind the anchor recesses, which will enable me to 'build' the anchor recess from within the hull.

Am looking forward to adding the deck, which will be a major step forward.
But before that indulgence, next job will be the prop shafts, rudders and anchor recesses as a matter of priority. Next the rounded deck edge and limbo well + VDS transom cut-out....
Plodding along in other words, but enjoying it to the brim !

E

crabbersnipe · « **Reply #116 on:** February 12, 2017, 08:24:59 pm »

Last set of photographs for today

crabbersnipe · « **Reply #117 on:** February 12, 2017, 08:38:42 pm »

Thanks for that question on the glue - see a photograph, I have been using various makes (believe this one is Bison-kit but same exists in different brands), it always comes in two adjacent tubes which ensure an equal dosage when pushing the components out. Just give a stir and ready to apply.

I must confess that as things progressed I started to wonder whether slow-curing superglue might not have been an equally good alternative, especially near the bow where the concave V-shape is quite pronounced and time was of the essence - the two component glue takes at least 15' to dry and holding things in place for that period is quite time consuming (could not apply clamps in places).

I will also be using this for the prop shafts, have found this to be the most effective glue for all metal/ wood combinations. Once fully dried, it gives a rock-hard bond, easy to work and sand.

Cheers
E

ballastanksian · « **Reply #118 on:** February 13, 2017, 10:53:32 pm »

I have never found superglue to be reliable enough time wise to do that sort of work with and would prefer the slowness of epoxy despite the issues you had with lack of clamping points. I have more often than not found any superglue really good at sticking to my finger, to the tool used to apply a part dipped in glue or anything but the blooming part to part!

Seeing Danielle's (Missy D) temparary cradle gave me the idea to create a one sided clamp with a number of screws that have round rubber ends that can be attached to the build board near to the area you are tryig to stick large panels or the like to, or even just a single screw to hold a small bit in place. It could bust be screwed into place on the board temporarily and made from bits of wood, nuts and studdung, Oh and the rubber ends.

I will try it when I start my cruiser.

crabbersnipe · « **Reply #119 on:** February 20, 2017, 04:09:08 pm »

Progress is slow but managed to do some more work on the inside of the hull, started to build up the anchor recesses (difficult job that, too many warped angles in there !) and also removed some of the deck beams to allow work on the rudder posts and propeller shafts.

Unfortunately I had two or three frames blocking the alignment of the prop shafts, which are almost horizontal, so enter the trusted old Dremel to help with sanding away and making room. Bit of a tight squeeze but got the job done.

Also glued two blocks of wood to keep the rudders in place, added the beams to support the deck of the Limbo well, and glued a strip of square wood to the inside of the gunwhales to help with the rounded deck edge once the deck has been glued in place.

Also made two blocks of wood to sit within the V-shaped shaft supports where they penetrate the hull and help keeping them in place and perfectly aligned (made a gig to keep things at the correct distance, at either end of the shafts).

I am hoping to be able to fix the propeller shafts + supports in place tonight, am still mulling how best to do this: previously went down the Epoxy route, but am contemplating exploring a different technique using remnants of the fibre cloth and resin previously used for the hull.

Next will be two blocks of wood alongside the keelson where the display pedestal will be screwed in place, still need to look into the best possible way to do this.

Lastly, have also cut out the 4 deck panels, am using 1 mm airplane birch for this which I will cover with Evergreen plasticard. Will only glue this in place once I have completed all the inner works in the ship's hull, and then round off the deck edges.

Cheers
E

crabbersnipe · « **Reply #120 on:** February 26, 2017, 06:05:24 pm »

Had some spare time this weekend and progress to show for it

, laid the forecastle deck, rounded the deck edges and drilled out the hawsepipe (bit of a dog that was, especially given the rounded bull's eye at the bow).
Subsequently moved to fix the sloped deck containing the breakwaters in place and also rounded the deck edges.

Below the waterline there was some more sanding and also got round to gluing the rudder posts in place, and did the same with the propeller shafts and A-brackets (using a jig for perfect alignment). The remains of the epoxy were carefully removed and everything tidied and sanded. Everything was then given another coat of primer, and there are still some spots that were highlighted as needing more TLC still.

Then moved to prepare the main deck and cut out the recess allowing access to the hull where the superstructure will be removed.
Did the same thing with the VDS well and Limbo mortar pit, all ready to be glued in place as soon as I will have completed my propulsion and steering outfit.

The inner side of the hull was covered in another resin coat, thus giving extra strength and ensuring water tightness.

Also added additional deck stiffeners in place, between the bulkhead frames, to support the decks. In other places the deck beams were removed to give access to the machinery spaces.

Lastly, did some work on the chequered deck plating on the forecastle, using Evergreen strips glued in place and will be completing later this week. Width and length are fully conform, but the strips are a wee bit too thick, so the whole pattern will need a proper sanding to flatten things when all is in place.

Enjoy the pictures, could not resist dry-fitting the gun and limbo mortar for a bit of fun and a proper warship she is now becoming !

E

crabbersnipe · « **Reply #121 on:** February 26, 2017, 06:07:51 pm »

Some more pictures

Capt Podge · « **Reply #122 on:** February 26, 2017, 11:57:56 pm »

Quote from: crabbersnipe on February 26, 2017, 06:05:24 pm

could not resist dry-fitting the gun and limbo mortar for a bit of fun and a proper warship she is now becoming !

She certainly is coming together nicely - that 4.5" gun turret looks to be turning into a very good piece of modelling.

Regards,

Ray.

ballastanksian · « **Reply #123 on:** February 27, 2017, 12:02:51 am »

It is fun and enthusing to put the turrets/weapons on the model as you can imagine it finished.

Darn good progress

crabbersnipe · « **Reply #124 on:** February 28, 2017, 02:31:16 pm »

Thanks very much, at first the gun turret looked quite enormous on that slender hull and it will be interesting to see the hull 'shrink' proportionally as the other fittings and superstructure start being added....It certainly spurs one on

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The other remarkable feature of the hull is its weight, feather-light compared to a completely-GRP hull and not quite expecting that - am still deciding whether to fully equip the model with running gear or leave it as 'fitted for but not yet with'....need to make that decision before fixing the larger deck panels in place...

E

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Author Topic: HMS Argonaut - Leander Class Frigate 1/96th (Read 59269 times)