Okay… I’m happily plugging along. I’m on Step #9 and finishing it up. Onwards to Step #10 Correct?…. WRONG!!!
This kit company Mamoli shorted me the Instructions from #10 through #15!!!… Well, the Instructions are there, in part I suppose. But only in GERMAN!!!
So, now I’m stuck doing Google Translate to Translate all of Step #10 from German to English. There’s some words that didn’t translate over either!
Very annoying.
I’m starting to make the necessary 24 Gun Ports.
I had to write back to Model Expo complaining about not having any of these Gun Ports provided with the kit. It does specifically state that I was supposed to have 24 Gun Ports made out of Metal.
They contacted Mamoli and they replied that they’ve since replaced the Metal Gun Ports with some Laser Cut wood ones which I have to put together. Very annoying, since I had to wait for their reply.
So, right now I’m currently making these Gun Ports.
After trying out Superglue, I decided to go with the Aleene’s The Ultimate Glue. It allows you make adjustments while the glue sets, unlike Superglue.
I made about 4 with the Aleene’s The Ultimate Glue. I then read the instructions and it says to let it dry for around 2 minutes before sticking it together. It was then that I realize that this glue must be Contact Cement?
So, if I’m going to use Contact Cement anyway???… Why don’t I use the Dap Contact Cement? It does require a 15 minute drying time, but it’s way less messy that the Aleene’s. I just use a small brush to apply it.
What you do is to apply it to both sides of where you want glued. Let it sit for 15 minutes and no longer than 2 hours it says on the Instructions. Then you press the 2 pieces together and it sticks hard. It’s nice for these small parts like these pieces for the Gun Ports.
The problem I have with both Aleene’s Rapid Dry and Aleene’s The Ultimate is that the Glue keeps coming out of the Nozzle and makes a mess. Then once it hits the air… Within about 20 seconds, it develops a film. Also another thing annoying is the little Glue strings you get on these 2 glues as well.
Wouldn’t you know it? That this ship requires 26 Gun Ports and they only gave me enough for 20?!?!… I guess I’ll have to scratch make 6 Gun Ports. Very annoying.
I guess this is my main project for the time being… These Gun Ports. Because there’s not much I can do until I get them installed.
Mamoli shorted me 6 Gun Ports so I had to scratch make them from a piece of 1.5mm x 5mm Basswood Plank.
I’ve got to say… The instructions that this kit maker gave me is probably the worst that I’ve ever seen.
The English is atrocious. It’s obviously English that’s been translated over from Italian… Which is where the Company I’d located.
Here’s an example of Instruction #7. I’m not going to bother to type it all out but rather scan it in.
As i continue with the HMS Surprise… I keep running into some rather disappointing discrepancies.
I ended up taking a lot of word off of the bulkhead frames down by the keel because what was happening was bulk loads went too far into where the keel is supposed to be. So I use my Dremel and took about 3 mm of wood off in some places!
I think it’s looking pretty good now though for the planking which I’m looking forward to doing.
Right now I’m installing the supports for the main deck, which will come down on it.
This is a point where I found some discrepancy right here.
They actually tell you to put a support right over where the mast is supposed to come down!
Also I had to put the main deck on before the planking because the only way the transition would fit properly is if the main deck was on in the first place.
But I was looking what the picture and I know it is that there’s a curvature on the transom which is typical but the false deck doesn’t have a curvature so I had to end up putting one in.
I was thinking that the next series of crows are going to be about planking the ship… which is going to be a demonstration of this exercise.
5) Fit and glue the transom 31 against the stern edges of the gundeck and of the main deck, holding it in place with some rubber bands. Sheathe the inside and outside surface (above the main deck with the strips 32 (fig. 7). Glue the blocks 33 beneath the gun-deck, against the transom and the keel; between the blocks and the frame 17 there must be a slit about 2 mm. Wide (fig.8). Preparation of the structure for the application of the first planking: adjust the fore frames and the relative supports 28 and 29 removing the fore edge of the frames, without touching the original profile corresponding to the back edge. Repeat the same operation with the stern frames (in this case the back edge must be removed), taking care that the lower part of the last frames must be strongly chamfered, considered that in this position the planking has a very narrow bending (fig. 9 and 10). Lay a strip on the frames, in different positions, so as to check that the lines of the planking are regular. The side surfaces of the block 33 must be adjust too, giving them a bending which is natural prosecution of the profile of the frame 17.
4) Glue on the deck the false frames 25 and 26, glue the beams 27 on the frames 1-2-3-4-5-11-16-17; These are made out of strip 2×4 and are slightly bent highwards in the middle. The assembly is made as follows: cut the strip in the desired length, wet it so as to bend it more easily, then glue the strip on the frame fixing it with pins. Glue a piece of rod 4×21, 5mm of height under the middle of the middle of the beam and leaning on the deck. And let the glue dry perfectly (fig. 5). Glue the elements 28 and 29 respectively on the keel sides and on the frame 1, they will act as supports for the planking. Take care not to let the glue trickle in the groove on. The keel where the ram will be set (fig. 6). Glue the deck 30 using the same method employed for the assembly of the lower deck. Before the final gluing, make sure that the deck has a regular bending lengthwise; if necessary, correct replacing one or more rods supporting the beams with others, slightly longer or shorter.
3) Glue the 3 gratings surrounded with live strip 23 and the stands 24 for the lifeboat. Glue under the stands 2 pieces of strip 2×4 mm.
It’s interesting how the instructions don’t tell you to refer to a certain number, which you would assume to be Figure 3. However, this Diagram doesn’t contain Figure 3 and has Figure 4 instead for the Gratings and Lifeboat Stands. It was confusing.
2) Set firmly the deck 19 on the structure and glue it, fix it with little nails driven only for half of their length (so as to take then) out afterwards) in correspondence of the keel and of the frames, near the joints. Reinforce the parts glued, where the deck fits into the frames, flying some pieces of the strip, if that is the case. Trace a line along the centre of the deck, then, starting from the marking and going on towards the sides, glue the planking 20 so as to sheathe completely the deck. Smooth the surface with sand-paper. The planking consists in pieces of strip 80 mm. Long, glued staggered: their side must be blackened with a pencil, to mark the separation between the boards (fig. 2).
Denominazione = Name
Ordinata = Tidy???
Misure = Measures
Codice = Code
Chiglia = Keel
Ponte Inferiore = Lower Deck
Tavolato = Floor Boards
Paiolato anteriore = Bottom Boards Front
Paiolato centrale = Bottom Boards Central
