Rattlesnake by MS

[Dematosdg]

Has anyone tried using black dye instead of paint to color the wood without filling the grain in and making the timber look like plastic? Black leather dye comes to mind, but I'm wondering if such a dye wood bleed out after being applied and mess things up. USS Rattlesnake was one of the models I considered making as a first model, and the black masts and other trim look really nice. Painting wood seems to cover up the fine beauty of it and change its character when applied to large portions of the hull. It's the reason I didn't paint the bottom of La Couronne with a simulation of "white stuff".

Try in a wood sample Minwax Ebony stain. It black and keeps the wood grain. I tried it a sample of my planking. But I will go with bkack paint for other reasons.


At the bottom CENTER is Minwax ebony. To the right is Tamiya spray flat black, no primer and just 1 pass.

Daniel

 

[TKAM]

Has anyone tried using black dye instead of paint to color the wood without filling the grain in and making the timber look like plastic? Black leather dye comes to mind, but I'm wondering if such a dye wood bleed out after being applied and mess things up. USS Rattlesnake was one of the models I considered making as a first model, and the black masts and other trim look really nice. Painting wood seems to cover up the fine beauty of it and change its character when applied to large portions of the hull. It's the reason I didn't paint the bottom of La Couronne with a simulation of "white stuff".

I bought some ebony stain for the express purpose of blackening the outside of the gun ports on Rattlesnake. I can't really explain but it just didn't work. Maybe I needed more patience and should have done more coats.

 

[STGCS]

Has anyone tried using black dye instead of paint to color the wood without filling the grain in and making the timber look like plastic? Black leather dye comes to mind, but I'm wondering if such a dye wood bleed out after being applied and mess things up. USS Rattlesnake was one of the models I considered making as a first model, and the black masts and other trim look really nice. Painting wood seems to cover up the fine beauty of it and change its character when applied to large portions of the hull. It's the reason I didn't paint the bottom of La Couronne with a simulation of "white stuff".

I airbrush everything I can. It doesn't fill in the grain as long as you keep the coats to a minimum.

 

[PoulD]

Has anyone tried using black dye instead of paint to color the wood without filling the grain in and making the timber look like plastic? Black leather dye comes to mind, but I'm wondering if such a dye wood bleed out after being applied and mess things up. USS Rattlesnake was one of the models I considered making as a first model, and the black masts and other trim look really nice. Painting wood seems to cover up the fine beauty of it and change its character when applied to large portions of the hull. It's the reason I didn't paint the bottom of La Couronne with a simulation of "white stuff".

I have no experience in this matter myself but I have read many recommend Chinese ink to simulate ebony

 

[Jimsky]

Gentleman, Maarten @Maarten successfully dye timber with black ecoline or indian ink and finish with oil afterwards. The wood looks like walnut. He uses the method on his Royal Caroline build. I have tagged him, he may reply himself with details.

 

[TKAM]

Finally found a place for the elm pumps.

 

[TKAM]

All three lower masts complete and installed. Starting on the top masts. I think I'll complete, but not install, all the upper masting first before I start the standing rigging.

 

[Heinrich]

That deck is really busy, but looking great!

 

[TKAM]

That deck is really busy, but looking great!

Yeah it's a very cramped deck for sure.

 

[TKAM]

All masting fabricated and in various states of stain and paint.

 

[Charles QC]

Nice progress look real good

 

[firedog5213]

All three lower masts complete and installed. Starting on the top masts. I think I'll complete, but not install, all the upper masting first before I start the standing rigging.

View attachment 175432View attachment 175433View attachment 175434View attachment 175435

Isn't the crosstrees upside down?

 

[Jimsky]

Isn't the crosstrees upside down?

Good catch Firedog

 

[DocBlake]

Isn't the crosstrees upside down?

Sure looks like it in the earlier photos. It's hard to tell, but it looks to me like once he got done blackening the masts at the doublings, he fixed the problem with the crosstrees..

 

[TKAM]

Isn't the crosstrees upside down?

Sharp eye Firedog. Believe it or not I fixed that goof with only minor difficulties. I cut a wedge and glued it on top where the old angle was, then trimmed the wedge down and sanded and painted. Good as new. I'm sure glad we caught this before I actually mounted those top gallant masts.

Anyway, all the deadeye strops and chain plates are finished and I'm in the process of mounting all the deadeyes.

 

[DocBlake]

Nice model. Great job!

 

[jbradford]

My first look at your build and it looks great.

 

[firedog5213]

My first look at your build and it looks great.

Sit back and grab your favorite snack its a great show

 

[TKAM]

Got the rest of the chain plates secured and painted. And so the rigging begins. First two shrouds port and starboard just to see how it's gonna go.

 

[TKAM]

Both fore and main mast lower shrouds installed. A full day's work for each to get them right (thankfully I have plenty of free time). Sheer poles and futtock poles as well, that took an additional day. Also some pics of the fore and mainmast stays. I made the mouse(s), or is that "mice" from wood just shaving and sanding down until I got the right shape.

I'm gonna tackle the fore and mainmast futtock shrouds first, then move on to the mizzen mast lower shrouds. I posted a new thread regarding tiny brass hooks that are perfect for the futtock shrouds. See that here. If anyone has an insight I would greatly appreciate it.

Also curious that Rattlesnake does not have preventer stays for any of her masts. I know of many ships of this era that had preventer stays, but not Rattlesnake.