Steamer Ben Ain - Page 8

**Bunkerbarge** · 14-11-2006

Finally a couple of bits of detail in the bridge to help to bring it to life and add some realism.

I did a bit of dry brushing around the deck in the areas that would not get cleaned and walked on i.e. around the fixtures and fittings, doors and steps etc.

I also got some Irish Sea charts off the Internet and shrunk them to a scale size before fitting them around the chart table. These were painted with a matt varnish to 'fix' them and protect them from moisture.

Finally my favourite little addition was a couple of cups of tea. How could a ship run without tea? These were made from a peice of copper tube with two 0.6 mm holes hand drilled into them and a bit of telephone wire cyano'd into them. I filled them with some watered down PVA and painted them gloss enamel with a dark brown inside. A dry brush of matt earth took the edge off the high gloss and I glued them to the shelf in front of the bridge window.

I like little personalised touches like these that make the observer aware of the fact that you understand what is involved with running a ships bridge like this.

So that is just about it inside the bridge. I now have to paint the insides of the bulwarks, as access is a bit easier at the moment, before adding the ply deck on top. Then more planking!!!

tigertc · 15-11-2006

Stunning detail Bunkers!

**Bunkerbarge** · 17-11-2006

The next thing to think about with the bridge construction was how I was going to deal with the ladders as supplied with the kit. They were supplied as cast white metal items which therefore had a few inherent problems.

As can be seen in the first picture they were not very crisp castings, the edges were not parallel or square and a lot of time was going to be required to file out the centres of the steps to make them look even presentable. Other concerns were that, being white metal, the bond to the bulkhead was not going to be the best, even with Araldite, and they were actually going to weigh a significant amount when all seven of them were fitted.

So, never having taken the easy path with any part of this model so far, I decided to make up my own and started to experiment with bits of wood, possible construction methods and a few sketches.

I started with my supply of 5mmx1mm strip lime which I had been using for planking the decks and decided that it was a suitable match for the components of the steps. I cut the side runners using my cutting board to get the ends at the correct angles and made up enough for all seven sets of steps.

Next I made up a spacer piece from a scrap of wood to ensure the sides remained parallel and the correct distance apart and held a pair against it with a spot of blue tack. This enabled the top ends to be glued to the bridge assembly bulkheads and ensure they remained in the correct attitude while the glue set and also allowed me to place the steps exactly where I wanted them with respect to the other deck fittings.

I then removed the spacer and fitted another spacer, made from the original white metal steps, between the sides which was used to set the vertical step spacing.

Then it was a slow process of adding a step, letting the glue set, and moving the spacer up a step until they were all fitted. One large set of steps took an hour and a half to make this way which was probably not a lot more than it would have taken to dress up the original items but the result was a lot more crisp and neat. It also ensured that the bond to the bulkhead was extremely strong which, as the steps have to remain in place when the bridge assembly is removed, is very important. After all four sets of steps were fitted to the bridge assembly I removed the unit and confirmed that everything still came off and went back on again successfully.

I am very pleased with the way the steps have turned out and after a lot of messing around with jigs I think the build them in situ method has worked very well.

**Bunkerbarge** · 04-12-2006

Well as it is now time to get ready to return to work I thought I would post a last couple of pictures of the latest progress of the Ben Ain. When I look back over what I have done this last 7 weeks it seems like such a lot of work but it stil looks like the model has progressed such a small amount overall. Maybe my estimate of another couple of years is still ambitious!!

The detail inside the bridge was finally completed and the painting around the bulwarks and sidings was finished. After a lot of experimenting I have stuck with two coats of a brown/orange mix which is more brown, but then finish off with a final coat of a similar mix but more orange. This way the brown below shows through slightly and allows differing tones to be achieved easily depending on how many coats of the orange are applied. I wanted to get this painting done before I put the flying bridge deck on as this restricts access to the areas of the bulwarks.

The steps were finished, glued in place and painted along with the rest of the assembly so it was time to add the flying bridge deck. Once again the kit provided a pre=printed ply sheet to fit here but I wanted to fit proper planking in line with the other decks I have fitted. Also because I have correctly given the bulwarks some ‘Tumble Home’ the supplied deck is not the correct size so it had to go.

First I cut out a piece of thin ply to the correct shape, cut a small notch in it for the navigation light cables and worked it slowly and carefully on the curved edge of my modelling bench to give it a suitable curve. This was then glued in place with some weights across the wheelhouse and side supports with liberal amounts of PVA. When that was set I trimmed it and sanded it to shape so it fitted perfectly then added the white metal front supports.

Next I made a frame to go around the edge which will give depth to the final deck and provide a facia for the deck. This was made from grooved strip wood which proved extremely difficult to bend and consequently I ended up doing it three times! Unfortunately when the front piece was glued in place it relaxed slightly so it does not now conform exactly to the same curve of the bridge deck. I will have to try to correct this when I fit the flying bridge sidings but I suspect I am going to have to live with it. Visually it will not be noticeable when I fit the front siding as the top edge will be the correct curvature so it will only be the deck itself which is slightly out.

After the frame had set it was time to do a bit more planking. I have modified my planking procedure now. Instead of using tabs of plasticard to space the planks I used strips of plastic moulding in the shape of angle iron which was 0.5mm thick. This spaced the planks more effectively and was easier to work with so a piece of that across the ends and two to use along the edges proved to be very useful. By the time I get myself sorted out with this decking lark the model will be finished!!

So that’s it for now. When I get home next time I would like to get the detail and the sidings all fitted to the flying bridge and can consider this large removeable section as completed. We shall see!!

Mankster · 04-12-2006

Truely amazing Richard, you must have the patience of a saint. And I thought my grills were bad! This is looks like it will belong in a museum when its finished.

**Bunkerbarge** · 04-12-2006

Thanks for the kind comments Mankster. I guess if it's worth doing, it's worth doing well and all that!!

That level of detail though is unbeleivably time consuming so I have to keep my enthusiasm up and make sure the job gets progressed as it would be easy to become fed up and let my interest wander.

I would really like to get the bridge unit finished next time home and then I might really feel like I'm getting somewhere. That is probably going to be the most time consuming bit as well so the rest should progress a bit faster.

Jayjay · 11-12-2006

Just a quick comment to say how diffrent Ben Ain looks now, It's just getting better and better,

Jay

**Bunkerbarge** · 11-12-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jayjay

Just a quick comment to say how diffrent Ben Ain looks now, It's just getting better and better,

Jay

Thanks Jay. Although there have been a few challenges, mostly of my own making, I am getting quite a buzz out of watching it come together. I need to maintain that level of enthusiasm for a couple more years though!! I did particularly enjoy putting the wheel house together and seeing it to a completion. I am deliberately not weathering the model as I go along as I want to do it all in one go to maintain the consistency of the finishes.

The wheelhouse had to be done though as it was all going to be covered over. One thing I didn't photo was a lamp I put on the chart table. Now at least the detail can be seen in the dark with the lamp on!!

flytilbroke · 11-12-2006

Not been into boat models for a looong time and not scale. I am surprised at the enjoyment I am having watching this one go together.

**Bunkerbarge** · 12-12-2006

Glad you like it Bob.

You make me feel guilty that it will not be progressing for another three months!