Ok boys less of the history now onwards with the build!
Yesterday i finished the windlass, and taken photo's today just to reduce handling time waiting for the lacquer to dry.
Took me quite some time to get the parts to go together needless to say the parts took a lot of work to get right, the other issue i had is that some parts were missing so i was reduced to 'make it up', the finished outcome of the windlass is not a perfect scale replica but it looks the part better now then it originally did, i have also weathered it some what, as this is a part of the ship that is constantly working being part of the anchors ( since its a hydraulic anchor windlass) having a perfect paint finish is total unrealistic, this is a working model after all! well i hope you like the outcome as much as i do.
Now before anyone asks why I'm doing some things ass about face in regards to deck fittings, i have little choice, before i can do the decking I have to make up all the deck fittings so I can fit the new planked deck around these item's.
Now next up on my list of things for the deck is the front 'Hatch' this hatch sits between the windlass and the cargo/sail winch. I have decided as this section of the boat is very open its unlikely that a lot of damage can occur so have decided to make this hatch the on/off switch compartment for the lights and main power. This will reduce the need to remove the superstructure for such a simple operation as turning the model on!
Ok so the hatch cover first.. well what a fricking pigs ear this turned out to be.. the hatch is wayyyyy oversize for the deck hole that needed cutting, so simple fit was to pack out the hatch to have a tight fit over the combing. I also had to clean up the hatch fittings as they were in a very poor state, i have also fitted two brass handles on the hatches.
Next up is the combing it fits over, this combing is actually a box in which the switches sit, so a bit of box construction first. ( oh and two mini on/off switched dry fitted to check finger movement , plenty of room so got lucky with that one)
And the hatch fitting on the combing as a dry fit before mounting it in the boat.
Now to fit it to the deck, the Stanly blade is holding the box in place while I take the photo, clamps would have obscured the work.
Once glue had dried I gave it a few coats of satin black paint just to tidy it up , this also makes life easier later when i put in the white labels for what each switch will do, white against black really stands out.
And finally what the hatch will look like once in place full time, Hatch is not painted yet i will do that at the same time I paint the hull. you can also see where the Anchor windlass sits and that i will have to create a new inlay around it as the original black deck lines do not match up, either sure or angled its a pretty hashed up print, Hence my reason to plank it properly.