More of the middle gun deck was laid down today. The masking tape pull method was used to cut deck sections to the correct shape, then the edges are trimmed to fit around the electrical wiring and glued to the support structure with CA glue, then reinforced with PVA glue at the edges. Thin brass pins were used where necessary to hold the false deck sections to the structure until the glue dried. careful planning and fitting of the deck parts, and careful cutting of openings will pay off with later in the form of a smooth deck when the planking is added.
The starboard strip of false deck was glued down first.
Here's how I cut irregular shapes of deck plywood. Lay masking tape over the area of interest and traces the edges of the deck section you want to make with a pencil.
Pull the tape from the model and lay it onto the plywood.
Cut the pattern with the band saw.
This the piece. It fits surprising close to the final shape.
Remove the tape, and test fit the piece with the stained side down. Trim edges and cut hatch and ladderway holes or mast hole as necessary.
Apply CA glue to the structure, and press the part into place, using a pin pusher with fine Amati brass pins to hold areas that want to pop up. When the glue is dried, pull the pins. PVA was used to fill the gaps between the deck sections to anchor the wiring and reinforce the deck.
Assembling a ladder from a 12mm Amati ladder kit. The ladder was cut to length, sanded and stained with dark walnut Danish Oil.
View of the bottom of a center deck section. Small 1.5mm sticks of stained basswood are used to reinforce and add detail to the opening, and also serve to strengthen the place where the ladder is glued.
Applied CA glue to the deck structure. Single 24 gage wires could be laid over with plywood without needed to be submerged into the wood because they were so small. Most wiring was routed along beam between edges deck sections.
PVA glue was use to fill most of the gaps to add strength. None the remaining gaps in the false deck are wide enough to affect the tanganyika strips of planking that will be layered over the top of the false deck.
The starboard strip of false deck was glued down first.
Here's how I cut irregular shapes of deck plywood. Lay masking tape over the area of interest and traces the edges of the deck section you want to make with a pencil.
Pull the tape from the model and lay it onto the plywood.
Cut the pattern with the band saw.
This the piece. It fits surprising close to the final shape.
Remove the tape, and test fit the piece with the stained side down. Trim edges and cut hatch and ladderway holes or mast hole as necessary.
Apply CA glue to the structure, and press the part into place, using a pin pusher with fine Amati brass pins to hold areas that want to pop up. When the glue is dried, pull the pins. PVA was used to fill the gaps between the deck sections to anchor the wiring and reinforce the deck.
Assembling a ladder from a 12mm Amati ladder kit. The ladder was cut to length, sanded and stained with dark walnut Danish Oil.
View of the bottom of a center deck section. Small 1.5mm sticks of stained basswood are used to reinforce and add detail to the opening, and also serve to strengthen the place where the ladder is glued.
Applied CA glue to the deck structure. Single 24 gage wires could be laid over with plywood without needed to be submerged into the wood because they were so small. Most wiring was routed along beam between edges deck sections.
PVA glue was use to fill most of the gaps to add strength. None the remaining gaps in the false deck are wide enough to affect the tanganyika strips of planking that will be layered over the top of the false deck.
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