Back in the ship building groove indeed - and a cracker to start off with! Note the hull shape. This has rather more sweeping lines leading to her stern than my usual and rather blunt standard type.
A tentative restart but a welcome one for sure! I had a few hours in the man cave this afternoon - initially to sort some boxes out but that took me a lot less time than envisaged so I parked myself by the modelling table and got busy.
The first thing I noticed was that one of the hulls I had been working on would not be quite right for the model I had in mind so I set that to one side - I have an alternate idea for it so all was not lost - and so instead set to scratching an itch that has been itching for sometime now. I am referring of course to the Confederate ironclad the C.S.S. Tennessee of Mobile Bay fame.
To be honest I was not looking forward to this as she has a rather unusual casemate with angled corners and with the pilot house built in rather than parked on the roof so to speak. I had all manner of problems making octagonal casemates previously as my usual building technique works best with right angles! I ended up using filler for the angled corners but don’t tell anybody….
The two previous octagonal casemate ironclads - C.S.S. Virginia II in the middle and for the life of me I cannot remember off the top of my head the name of the other!
Anyway, the picture you see at the top of this post is where I am at thus far. Once I have added the front and rear of the casemate I shall use a smaller piece of balsa wood to fill in the pilot house with filler applied in the angles. Although it can dent easily the balsa wood insert will be protected by the two raised casemate sides as well as lashings of sealer, paint and varnish so should be ok.
Depending on how it works out I may well build another copy of this ship except with a Union flag - I did the same for the Atlanta and both versions still need to have their spar torpedo apparatus added.
I have to say that it felt really good being back in the gluing, filing, painting and varnishing business!
Good to see you getting back into the groove David:)! I too am in the mood to crack on with stuff, which normally happens at this time of year. How long it will last I'm not sure, but I'm enjoying it whilst I can.
ReplyDeleteLooking good David…
ReplyDeleteWhatever dark magic and methods you use … The results are always delightful.
All the best. Aly
Hi Steve J,
ReplyDeleteI was determined to be disciplined and tackle the models that are already under construction…. That resolve lasted all of five minutes but at least what I am doing is part and parcel of the overall scheme!
Things have no changed significantly since last year but somehow I seem to have risen above it to a degree so long may it continue!
All the best,
DC
Hi Aly,
ReplyDeleteThank you kindly sir! I promise that no small animals were sacrificed, nor were any mind-altering substances taken and my soul has certainly not been sold!
It felt so good to be back at the building again - I have really missed it!
All the best,
DC