Ahoy All, I'm happy to announce that a new Black Pearl is in the shipyard. Well, actually, her keel was laid a few months ago.
First, my heartfelt condolences to King Charles and the Royal Family on this day, the 8th of September. The passing of the worlds longest reigning Monarch is a sad day regardless of what country you pledge allegiance to. The Queen is dead, Long Live the King !
This is my first ship build and I never considered doing a build log until I got some good feedback and encouragement from some of the members here when I posted a few pics in "Introduce Yourself"
I have been studying plans, reading build logs, watching videos (god bless YouTube University and all it's contributors) and filling notebooks for months ! !
I finally started her in June and am slowly moving forward and enjoying applying the methods and techniques that I have observed and practiced.
I am hopeful that those who take interest in this log will provide feedback and mentor me as I have seen done with other builds. Your inputs will be welcome, needed and appreciated ! !
Enough jabber, Let me welcome you to my shipyard and share the Pearls progress thus far...
My Admiral of many years has allowed me to carve out a place in our backroom. This is my shipyard.
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The keel went together with much care to ensure that things were straight and aligned...
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I played around a lot with deck finishes... and went with a process learned online from a shipwright at Model Ships. A combination of isopropyl alcohol and Indian ink and scraped graphite.
I like the gray tone and contrast with the walnut ribs as well as the ability to create traffic patterns and darkened areas with the graphite. It seems to get lost in the pictures but looks great in person !
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I dry fit the cell walls, beams and posts. Some sanding and adjusting needed to get the beams to fit proper but it all worked out.
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Took a day or four out of sequence and decided to try my hand at some painting of the deck props and weathering of the cell bars... Even made one of those tiny lantern frames !
Please know that until this date, the only things I had ever weathered had been hard times and and few North Atlantic storms on a destroyer. Thanks again to Model Ships and his excellent vids. This is his process and I'm quite pleased with the results.
I used Vallejo brown paints on the deck props with a black wash. Prior to placement they will be dusted with Desert Dust pigment.
Rust washes with light and dark rust pigments on the cell bars.
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Love these little buckets but didn't like the way they looked when I tried tying rope handles. Stripped some old USB cable, twisted them together and painted them black. I'm pleased with the appearance.
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Stained the beams, posts and cell walls. Strategically hitting them with sand paper to show age and wear. This is still a work in progress. Nothing has been glued.
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Went to work fitting the metal cell grates into the walls. As many have mentioned, there's a fair amount of sanding to do here. Got them all fitted. The cell walls still need to be weathered with diluted grey paint and pigments. I want this lower to deck to look dark and dank with the feeling of wet wood and stained walls. Also fabricated some rings for the handles on the cell doors but haven't fitted them yet. They'll get brass blacked and the rust treatment.
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So Mates, That's where we be as of this log entry. I'd like to hear your inputs, opinions, warnings ! ! I'd prefer to have warnings of potential problems than discovery !
I've gathered that ship building does not subscribe to Bob Ross' "Happy Little Accidents" theory...
and I've much to do to finish that which I've shared and get everything glued in place. All of the deck props, lighting and the front and rear bulk heads with the doors. Which reminds me.
Here's a question... or poll as it may be. The bulkheads with doors are plain and flat plywood. I'm going to plank these for a board effect and originally intended to plank them vertically as I've seen on other models. Then I saw that the Captains cabin bulkhead is etch planked horizontally. I'm leaning toward vertical but would like some opinions.
That's all I have for now. Thank you all again for having me.
Be happy and be well.
David
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