Boot Topping Using 1mm MDF

Step 1. Draw an outline of the required shape - in this case a spare 3mm hull template.

Step 2. Cut a rectangle around the shape and where possible line this up along one side of the hull.

Step 3. Trim the layer to the rough outline of the template. 

Step 4. File the layer to match the template being sure to make sure that it fits the template. It is not a good idea using am already painted hull section as a template as you only end up having to to paint over it again!

I have just completed the preparation stage of the Royal Navy ironclads ‘boot topping’ - the white line along the side of hull between the main hull colour and the red anti-fouling paint - using a single sheet of 1mm thick MDF. This means that the twelve Royal Navy ironclads can finally have their lower hulls assembled which in turn translates into ‘I can get all the hulls fully completed over the course of the next week.’ Tomorrow I shall complete the assembly of the lower part of the hulls with the main deck next. For the most part these have white edging so I shall tackle the paint job first and then add them to the rest of the hulls before painting the decks.

That is the end result. The above has nit been assembled as such but I wanted to show the finished effect. The above model is one of four similar vessels that require a top deck edged white. A mention in despatches if anyone can work out what ship this is meant to be!

In truth the boot topping was straightforward enough to implement but it would have been a lot simpler if I could have gotten the hull layers laser cut. The material is easy enough to work with but it did involve rather a lot of cutting and filing. At one point I was thinking that maybe using masking tape was not such a bad idea after all! Seriously though, I am very pleased with the results - I will post pictures when the hulls are fully completed, just before I start on the deck fittings, masts and spars.

Originally I had ten hulls to prepare and it was only when I had started them that I realised I had forgotten the two armoured rams - H.M.S. Belleisle and H.M.S. Orion. Originally I was going to leave them fully black sided but decided that a uniform scheme with the rest of the Royal Navy would look better from an aesthetic point of view.

Whilst the paint was drying I took the opportunity to spend sometime on the models of H.M.S. Devastation and H.M.S. Monarch. The first thing that I realised is that my planned turret size of 1/2” is actually correct and not the new 15mm versions I ordered. The smaller size did look too small but of course, the layout of both ships means that they really need to be that size as there is a degree of deck fixtures and fittings to be taken into account. Plus the fact I based the measurements of the aforementioned fixtures and fittings on the smaller size of turret! 

All in all then, a fair amount of progress has been made and, for a variety of reasons too tedious to recount, a welcome distraction from the trials of this week!

Blog Woes

For some reason my blog reading list has barely updated for some three days now. I understand this has affected a number of bloggers and it is really frustrating. If anyone has any solutions to this please let me know - I am getting further and further out of date!