1966 Aurora Wanderer Whaler

[Big Jake]

Thanks, shes one of the many ships I plan on seeing just the next few years.

 

[Big Jake]

Because the Wanderer Whaler Kit was originally molded/pressed way back in 1966, most of the plastic is dried out (degassed - the volatiles have evaporated out of the plastic) making it brittle and easy to break parts off. The belaying pins on various racks really can't be trusted not to break off once I start the rigging. So, I removed the thin mis-molded pins, I drilled out the same spot and will place brass pins in their place.

 

[Big Jake]

Got a few more hours in today, I worked on the main hatch and got it as close as possible to the real ship board, certainly better than what it came with. I'm trying to see if I can put metal rods in the holes. I first painted it with Testors Euro Grey, but it did not look dark enough, I let dry and them airbrushed Possy S Oily Black, that's the shade I think looks best. I'll let dry for a day or so and give a second coat of the Polly S.

 

[Big Jake]

Working on the cathead assembly, man back in the day, kids had it rough. The cathead does not come with any guide pin hole so they wanted kid to hold the parts together while the glue dried, (they never had acc glue) back in the day, can you imagine kids sitting still long enough to let plastic model cement set up....

I drilled out a few holes and used acc to fix the parts together I'll be careful when I setup the bowsprit rigging. I'll repaint and weather before setting in place.

 

[Big Jake]

Hey Gang, what is the correct name of the bar assemble on the back side of the cathead? I think it is something to do with securing the anchor?

 

[Big Jake]

The Tryworks.



From the past week or so I did a deep dive into the tryworks on a few whalers. All whalers had them to render and melt the oil from the fat. Some times the tryworks was built enroute to the whaling grounds. There are a few photos surviving from the Wanders that show the tryworks. The model has the tryworks a bit plain, above the 2 kettles was a removable cover/roof section which 2 vent stacks were used to vent the heat and smoke up and away from the workers. The vent traveled through the upper roof as well.



What I wanted to replicate was these vent stacks to give the try works a bit more detail. I cut away the first covers vent bumps and sanded smooth, then cut an appropriately sized square tubing from my plastic stock and carefully cut away and resized the holes so that the square tubing would fit with a little play. I still need to cut and removed the upper roof sections where the stacks go through.

Because you can see into the tryworks, I had to create a “stop-base” for the stacks so you would not see them from the doors on the front and this gave me a base to also glue on as well. I wish could have created and shown the kettles, but it was just too much in such a small area.

 

[Big Jake]

Finally got the base painting completed for the Aurora Wanderer Whaler, with this model I'll need to step the deck in, THEN glue the halves together because of the deep contour of the bulwarks. no way to fit in place after the hull is together. So I'll need to be a bit careful once assembled, she is going to be heavily weathered so a little wash hides a lot

.

 

[Big Jake]

Got the bulwarks grimed in and the lower hull glued and drying. Once I place the deck in, I'll glue the bow and stern closed, but I need to leave it loose to fit the deck and the contour of the hull will not let you fit the deck if you glue the hull filly together.

 

[Big Jake]

I must have 5 pounds of clamping pressure on the bow stem in order to get it set right. I've used testors tube cement followed by liquid cement to enforce the glue into the voids. For the deck I use a small gauge needle to carefully put glue along the seam where the deck meets the hull. This will dry for 48 hours before I remove the clamps and rubber bands. The stern met together nicely, I won't have must work to hide the seam.

 

[Big Jake]

Hull glue is dry, now I'll be sanding, filing and filling the copper plates to reshape and taper on the bow and stern. You can't see the keel, but I'll still sand and fill with putty, it's the neatness in me.

 

[Big Jake]

I've been working on the whaleboats, all the live long day...... parts prep and painting, life of a modeler.

The main color of the boats will be white, the upper seats and frames, I'm still researching what color did the Wanderer may have used. Not a whole lot written on these. Each boat is numbered with the matching seats frames, why I don't know because they are all the same shape. Two of the boats will be stowed upside down amidship on the racks, the rest will be outboard on the rails ready to launch. The oars will be white.

The sail for each boat is Testors flat sand which will be washed with a slight darker shade to shadow and detail. The rope line for each will be painted armor sand.

 

[Big Jake]

Removing the injection punch marks on the whaleboat sail and benches, the micro sander really comes in handy, I'm using 180 grit paper, I've only used it once before, works well. After the sails were retouched up, someone reminded me of what it looked like with the clip.....

 

[Big Jake]

Finished up the seats and gave the sails a primary wash down, working on the Harpoons, seams removed, and wood stock painted. The sails will get another light grey wash and a dry brush with white to "Bleach them". I put on some Mood Music as well.

 

[Big Jake]

On all copper cad sailing ships, the copper corrodes naturally due to the saltwater environment, the effect that is use on plastic model is one I've used for over 30 years.
Base coat Floquil Copper, then brushing down from the water line I paint over the copper with a #2 watercolor brush using Floquil Antique White, then while the white is still wet, I brush over the same areas with Floquil Lt. Green, then brush over that with distilled turpentine, this blends the colors and once dry it will lose the sheen. I'll seal with Acrylic Future floor wax to seal it.