I love your attention to detail! Magic Mike
I've finished the 2nd layer of planking. It looks ok, let's just say I'm glad I'm painting the hull. I'm sure I'll get better with experience, but my hull doesn't look as smooth as I'd like. I filled in some of the gaps between some of the planks with some very diluted wood putty. Again, I'm ok with this look as I'm going to paint it.
As you can see from the last pic, I needed to clean out the bow where the false keel will be mounted. I went as far with the planks as I could intending to cut out a groove for the false keel later. I didn't want to cut the planks to the length they needed to be and risk them being short, leaving a big gap. I used my Dremel to cut the groove and it fits pretty snuggly.
Next step is to sand the hull and the groove for the false keel before I attach it. Then prep it for painting.
As you can see from the last pic, I needed to clean out the bow where the false keel will be mounted. I went as far with the planks as I could intending to cut out a groove for the false keel later. I didn't want to cut the planks to the length they needed to be and risk them being short, leaving a big gap. I used my Dremel to cut the groove and it fits pretty snuggly.
Next step is to sand the hull and the groove for the false keel before I attach it. Then prep it for painting.
Not quite ready to paint the hull, although I bought the paint today. Looking a few steps ahead, I decided to attach the planks (not sure what they're called) and paint them when I paint the hull. They're supposed to be white, so I'll paint them white after I paint the hull black. I wanted to glue them wood to wood. I also had to use CA. I've trying to do everything without CA, but some things you just can't do with PVA and clamps.
At the stern, I was supposed to bend these planks around the stern in one piece. But this is as much as I could bend them without breaking them, after several attempts. I tried hot water and an iron, but just couldn't get them bent any more.
And no, you can never have too many clamps and rubber bands.
While waiting for the glue to dry, I started darkening some of the deck parts. I used brass blackening on the brass parts and gun blue on the other pieces that I think are lead.
I tested it first on the propeller because I'm going to buy an after market 2-blade instead. Worked pretty good.
But for some reason the brass black didn't take on the ladder pieces even after washing them in denatured alcohol. I guess I'll have to paint them. I was hoping to use the gun metal blackening and brass blackening on as much as I could.
At the stern, I was supposed to bend these planks around the stern in one piece. But this is as much as I could bend them without breaking them, after several attempts. I tried hot water and an iron, but just couldn't get them bent any more.
And no, you can never have too many clamps and rubber bands.
While waiting for the glue to dry, I started darkening some of the deck parts. I used brass blackening on the brass parts and gun blue on the other pieces that I think are lead.
I tested it first on the propeller because I'm going to buy an after market 2-blade instead. Worked pretty good.
But for some reason the brass black didn't take on the ladder pieces even after washing them in denatured alcohol. I guess I'll have to paint them. I was hoping to use the gun metal blackening and brass blackening on as much as I could.
Looking good from here .
Some of the brass parts that I cut from the sheet needed to be lightly sanded to remove the coating that was preventing the brass-black from taking. That included the stanchions which I eventually discarded in favour of more substantial ones I bought elsewhere.
Perhaps use a corner of the brass sheet to try it out and see how much (or little) sanding it needs.
Hope this helps.
Thanks, Barcomad. And where did you get your stanchions from?
I don't remember the name of the company from where I actually sourced them but it was in Holland, originally from Billing Boats.
My Endurance log gives more details in this post https://shipsofscale.com/sosforums/threads/endurance-2nd-build.10080/post-261835 and a couple that follow on.
You probably have more affordable options in the USA but here in Spain it was impossible to find anything under 1€ p each plus delivery, resulting in a bill approaching 90€! IMO the better result was well worth the effort and cost.
Best of luck
Love this hack! Since the brass black didn't take, I'm just going to paint them. Probably spray paint them black when I paint the hull. I assume the ladders on the actual ship were wooden, so not sure if black is a good idea. I can always take a trip to the hardware store and get some brown spray paint and paint them brown if the black doesn't look good.
Everything else that I blackened or blued came out nice. Sanded it in a jar full of sand, just swished the parts around for a bit.
And started painting the stanchions and small stacks white. I'm not crazy about how the pueter parts come out when painted white. For my Endurance, I'm going for a look of what the ship might have looked like in it's last days before the ice broke it up. So I thought of mixing a little black with the last coat of white to give them a dingier look. Any thoughts?
Then I started looking ahead in the instructions. The last page shows OcCre seemingly painting the hull and deck furniture with Betun du Judea. I've never used this. What is it? Is it like Tung Oil? What would it do to my painted surfaces? Would it dull the white to make it look more realistic? And is it the same thing as bitumen of Judea?
Everything else that I blackened or blued came out nice. Sanded it in a jar full of sand, just swished the parts around for a bit.
And started painting the stanchions and small stacks white. I'm not crazy about how the pueter parts come out when painted white. For my Endurance, I'm going for a look of what the ship might have looked like in it's last days before the ice broke it up. So I thought of mixing a little black with the last coat of white to give them a dingier look. Any thoughts?
Then I started looking ahead in the instructions. The last page shows OcCre seemingly painting the hull and deck furniture with Betun du Judea. I've never used this. What is it? Is it like Tung Oil? What would it do to my painted surfaces? Would it dull the white to make it look more realistic? And is it the same thing as bitumen of Judea?
"Betún" is Spanish for "Bitumen"
It will "age" the white paint and woodwork and should give the look you are looking for.
I looked for it in model shops here in Spain without luck, found it in an artists' shop in Valencia eventually. Then a week ago I saw that my local hardware store has about 20 bottles in stock!
All taped up and ready to go. Nervous and excited about spray painting the hull. One of the main reasons I bought this kit was because of the black hull. So I'm looking forward to getting it painted.
With 2 coats of primer. Painting it outside because its a beautiful day and it's easier than setting up a paint tent in my garage.
5 coats of black. I'll let it sit overnight and see if it needs more coats of black before I clear coat it. A little glossier than I thought, but we'll see how it comes put.
With 2 coats of primer. Painting it outside because its a beautiful day and it's easier than setting up a paint tent in my garage.
5 coats of black. I'll let it sit overnight and see if it needs more coats of black before I clear coat it. A little glossier than I thought, but we'll see how it comes put.
6 coats of black. I think that'll do it. I'm going to let it cure for a week. Next step is the Minwax clear satin laquer clear coat, but I'm not sure what that'll do to the sheen. It's a little glossier than I thought it'd be, and I don't want the clear coat to make it even more glossy. Any insight as to whether this will be an issue?
Also painted the rudder, the ladders, and the Endurance letters for the stern.
Also painted the rudder, the ladders, and the Endurance letters for the stern.
Try a matte clear coat to knock the shine down if needed.
Do a test piece as you may get a chemical reaction if using different sprays.
Do a test piece as you may get a chemical reaction if using different sprays.
Lacquer? Polyurethane?
Testers clear has a fantastic reputation in the model world. Dries very quickly and seals. I used it when painting resin statue kits. Faultless.
I may be wrong, but shouldn't the clear coat be the same variety as the paint? Lacquer on lacquer or acrylic on acrylic.
Probably right. I always used it with acrylic paints.
Have to take a break on my Endurance. I'd like to get my Yorktown Battlefield diorama done by August. So here's my last picture for a while. I finished painting the hull (have been working on deck furniture a lot too on the side). I sprayed it with a couple of layers of lacquer which gave the hull a dusty, dull look. I wiped it down with a damp rag but I may have to run some fine grit sandpaper over it. But overall I love the black hull.
