HMS Alert by DST

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I finally started with the Trident kit, so this will be the start of my build log.
I started building the berth 4 days ago.

Let me start this with a little "rant":
As we all probably do, I really hate the laser char on the MDF. It smells bad and with the constantly black fingers you smear the boards and pieces with the black soot. I tried to keep the berth as clean as I could and am planning to completely seal it under a light coat of primer. I just don't want any charred edges left exposed Sick
I will follow Maartens way and seal the notches and parts that come in contact with the cherry wood with shellac.

The plan and the pages with the current work steps are ready:
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Cleaning the parts with a brass brush and sanding paper:
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Nearly completed berth The top part is ready but not attached yet.
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Another small thing is that the markings of the pieces is mixed up on some boards. But building a kit doesn't mean we can switch off our brains, so no big problem...
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After having said that I realised I marked the piece CL35 instead of CL53 ROTF
 
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Thank You all.

After a short vacation in Austria I continued with the berth and started the stern assembly.
I spray painted the berth black. I know it's just a temporary jig but it's part of the build and I want to work as clean as I can.
Let's see if the parts still fit after this o_O

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Started cleaning and sanding the first pieces. I'm a little disappointed about the choice on how the parts are cut with the CNC. Does someone know why Trident chose to not cut through the board and leave about 0,5mm around the parts? Why not cutting through an using holding tabs, like on the template CL52? That would be so much easier, especially around complicated pieces like the keel with all those notches.

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Checking the fit of the pieces:

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Seems to be good so far:

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First big question mark. These two parts do not line up in the template. I think I read in other people's build logs that the notch on top of part 19 can be cut flush, but I'm not sure. Can someone please confirm that? It does seem to be the exact amount thats needed to shift the part up to match the cutouts on part 21.

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And another decision that has to be made is about glueing. Using black glue or simply PVA? Or even using black tissue paper.
This is just to distinguish the individual pieces instead of just relying on the grain of the wood for visual separation.
 
And another decision that has to be made is about glueing. Using black glue or simply PVA? Or even using black tissue paper.
This is just to distinguish the individual pieces instead of just relying on the grain of the wood for visual separation.
Great start, Dan. I think it is just a matter of your personal preference and taste. For my taste, I use a pencil mark (H), it gives enough 'black' marks to distinguish between the timbers.
 
First big question mark. These two parts do not line up in the template. I think I read in other people's build logs that the notch on top of part 19 can be cut flush, but I'm not sure. Can someone please confirm that? It does seem to be the exact amount thats needed to shift the part up to match the cutouts on part 21.
Please use the 1mm template (M12 part) to line up deadwood and Sternpost parts. I have to agree with the above statement, the sternpost has to be lovered to match the notches.
 
Thank You all.
I did use the template but I cannot lower the sternpost. It sits already snug in template.
But I went through several build logs and found a pic from Maartens log which could help, if I may post it here for clarification?
The red arrow is the area where I think would have to be removed. Here on Maartens Stern it is flat:
20220222_102513.jpg

On the CNC cut part 19 the top is milled halfway down, but I do not understand what the purpose of that could be?! I'm confused...
The red arrow shows the same location on my part 19. Eiter part 19 is wrongly milled or the template has to be cut out to make way for this extra wood on top?! Or I'm missing something completely :confused:
20220222_102446.jpg
 
Very nice start. The more of us is building this modell, the more information can be exchanged on this forum. You will have lots of fun with the build.
 
Thank you all again.

@kidsgalore Thank you, I found the post from @Trident Model in @Jimsky 's log.
I'm sure there are other modellers facing the same question in the future so for the sake of completeness I'll repost it here:

"The location of the arrow is very fragile and easy to break when installing. All local structures have been strengthened and can be polished off after being fixed with glue."

2.png
 
Part 19 now sits well in the jig, but dryfitting the remaining parts shows the inacuracy of the CNC milled parts. I am very disappointed.
The stern part 9 (the keel) is raised at the junction to part 11 but it is cut short by about 2mm...
I can't move the keel forward as it will be displaced where the dovetailed reinforcement should sit, and it already sits tight in the template.
I can't move the rising wood (with the notches for the frames) as this part sits tight in the template.
I can't grind the pieces 20 and 21 thinner as I will change the geometry for the rest of the stern build.

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Motivation sank from 10 to 1... I can live with several references being mixed up, some references being nonexistant in the building diagrams, pretty much useless "instructions" and parts having surplus material to reinforce fragile regions although this fact isn't mentioned in the "instructions" either.

But I don't understand how CNC cut parts can be this far off. How did the other builders do this? I mean the kits are all cut by the same machine with the same CAM Program?!
I went trough Shotas, Peters, Uwes, Maartens and Jimskys build and (at least from the pics) could not see such a gap. In 1/48 this gap would be almost 9cm in real life.

So the only 2 solutions I can think of is either cutting a new part from scratch or filling the gap with a piece of cherry wood.

But if inaccuracies start already at the first, simple parts of the keel, how will the rest of the kit be? I'm quite frustrated already and think the kit will be sitting on the shelf a few days until I decided what to do. Maybe there will be one for sale soon...
 
Come on don't let your spirit down. It is a kit and sometimes you face an issue in this hobby you needs to solve. We work with wood and wood is a living material. Maybe this part was more wet during machining and dried afterwards resulting in shrinking.
That is all part of the hobby and makes you a better builder in the end.

Part 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 11 will be reduced in thickness to create the rabbet. Before this is done you can easily fill the gap by adding a small piece of cherry. After the grinding you won t notice this added cherry anymore.
 
Sorry for the trouble, Dan. Even the CNC parts required some sanding. I cannot recall how much you will need to remove, but yes, some sanding is required.
Position part 11 to the notch of the keel (part 9), then you can sand other parts a bit until they will fit in the jig as the whole. Don't give up, maybe just read our own build logs instead of the manual.
 
There's still everything ahead.
For example, parts 53-1 have three pieces cut out, and parts 55-1, one piece is cut out, and two pieces should be cut out.
Part 63-3 is cut out incorrectly and you will have to make a new one manually from the remains of the board with details.
The wood of the kit is so layered and over-dried that some parts of the frames simply crumble in your hands without any pressure. I glue them back together with cyanacrylate. Many of the sharp ends of the frame parts are already broken when cutting out the frames.
I started the assembly with a cylindrical insert and suspect that there are still a lot of mistakes ahead. Considering that this is already the third edition of the model, it becomes very regrettable and insulting from the mistakes made by the developer
 
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