British Waterways Partisans -

[Dewbakuk]

They do indeed, that's the place I first saw them a few years ago. I was determined back then to find a use for them

[Dewbakuk]

Okay, made a new base from basswood and bought some new plasticard lengths to allow making the sides easier.



When the three bits of wood have finished gluing I shall start to put the sides on. I've switched to this method as it will allow me to do an open topped version or an enclosed one, not sure which it will be yet....

[Dewbakuk]

Okay, my daughter went ot her grandparents for the weekend and my wife had stuff to do (a hen night, and staying in bed seemed to be the most part..) so I was free to do some work on my build.

First up is a shot of the sides being built up in two layers, one inside the other. This made it easier to get the bends, although in future I'd do it in three layers to make it more practical. Bulldog clip and clamps are used rather a lot to hold the layers together while gluing.



Second layer is applied to get the right height.

[Dewbakuk]

Next shot shows the second (well, two layers of two) layer fully applied. I discovered I couldn't get it to stay together at the point well enough to finish glueing so I wrapped cellotape around it which worked fine. (also shown in this picture is the damage done to the table by the cheap glue.



Sides glued and parrotmen of venus (Kroot) added to show size.




Outer skin being applied to make it all nice and smooth.

[Dewbakuk]

Skin applied and trimmed down to the level of the sides, needs a bit of sanding and the prow needs to be built up a little.



A big photo this time to show the sides. The skin is quite a thin layer and it looks like the glue has melted it in on a few areas. Advice request time - Should I add another thinner skin or use a filler to smooth it? A thinner skin may just do the same thing again but I don't want to make it any wider really. A filler would work but I'm wondering if it would be pulled out of the holes, which are quite small, when sanding it smooth. Anyone had this problem?

[gamer Mac]

One solution for filling small holes is to make them bigger and roughing them up with a bit of sand paper. It gives the filler a larger surface area to adhere too.
What kind of filler are you going to use?
Is the surface plastic?
What kind of glue did you use that melted the plastic?

The other option is to fit a riveted plate over the indent to make it look like a repair.
Or
If it is shallow, just leave it and then paint it up like some damage to the hull.

[Silent Invader]

If you go straight ahead and add another layer it might just show the depressions, again.  Were they caused by pressure from the clamps?  Try wrapping around and binding with masking tape rather than sellotape, as it shouldn't react to the glue you're using on the plasticard.  I think I would take GM's advice to enlarge a little and then fill.  If that doesn't enable a really tidy finish then you could always reskin.

Lovley job by the way - nice proportions! 

[Dewbakuk]

Is the surface plastic?

Yep, other than the wooden base, it's all plastic.

It's the Revel plastic glue, essentialy polycement. I'm wanting it to be properly smooth at the moment because I'm considering casting the base piece once sorted. Then I can do multiple versions.

[Dewbakuk]

Were they caused by pressure from the clamps?

No, they're elsewhere. I think it's where there were joins in the strips of plasticard used to build the side. I expect the polycement pulled the sheet in when it made it's bonds. For anyone who doesn't know, poly cement makes bonds by essentially melting the surface of the two plastic parts and fusing them together.

Lovley job by the way - nice proportions!

Thanks