today's work

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

I see a bottle/can of Evercoat Metal Glaze that you used for filling in the build up of the deck. I have been using Evercoat Euro-Soft for my filling. Love the stuff but it hardens so quickly. It sands very nice. Could it be I'm using too much catalyst to kick it off? You don't seem to need very much for it to kick off.

What would the difference be between the Metal Glaze and Euro-Soft?

And I always need to source/buy an additional larger tube of the catalyst (if I'm using the correct term).

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Yeah, back off on the cream-hardener!

Also.

If you cut this polyester resin filler with a bit of lacquer thinner, that will slow the cure a bit. Or you can thicken it a bit with an inert filler (talc, micro-ballons, wood powder, etc.) which will slow down the exothermic heating which is the mechanism of state change to most two-part systems.

Not enough difference in the hardened properties of the two to get a lather over.

David

[Ken_NJ]

It seems you only need a very tiny drop of the hardener to start it off. So will try next time I use it. And your other suggestions. Was always afraid of not using enough hardener and be left with some kind of uncured mess.

I think when I used it on the Skipjack you said to coat it with something to seal it? Or something to that effect.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

It seems you only need a very tiny drop of the hardener to start it off. So will try next time I use it. And your other suggestions. Was always afraid of not using enough hardener and be left with some kind of uncured mess.

I think when I used it on the Skipjack you said to coat it with something to seal it? Or something to that effect.

Yes. Once you have the Bondo filed/sanded to a smooth finish, coat its surface with thin formula CA. This produces a tough skin that blocks water absorption and toughens the substrate. Lightly sand the CA 'skin' before further work with putty and primer.






David

[Subculture]

Did you originally do the Albacore for a potential Moebius kit?

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

Did you originally do the Albacore for a potential Moebius kit?

No.

It was going to be a D&E product, but we got caught up in SubDriver design and production work -- so that project remained dormant till recently.

As I was very much part of the initial SubTech ALBACORE kit -- the plans, resin and cast metal parts were produced here. On my own we created a new 1/60 sail master and associated tooling, as well as masters and tools for the phase-3 and phase-2 versions of the ALBACORE.

All I need to complete to produce kits is to finish the hull master, produce its tools and I'm done. The kit will feature a well engraved GRP hull; resin control surfaces; and cast metal propeller, deck fittings and linkage components (yokes, horns, and the like).

It will eventually be a Loyalhanna kit.

David

[Albacore 569]

No.

It was going to be a D&E product, but we got caught up in SubDriver design and production work -- so that project remained dormant till recently.

As I was very much part of the initial SubTech ALBACORE kit -- the plans, resin and cast metal parts were produced here. On my own we created a new 1/60 sail master and associated tooling, as well as masters and tools for the phase-3 and phase-2 versions of the ALBACORE.

All I need to complete to produce kits is to finish the hull master, produce its tools and I'm done. The kit will feature a well engraved GRP hull; resin control surfaces; and cast metal propeller, deck fittings and linkage components (yokes, horns, and the like).

It will eventually be a Loyalhanna kit.

David

When will the Loyalhanna Kit be ready David. I'd like to have a Albacore Phase IV.

I worked on Asay's Albacore kit contributing a bit too, but we are all aware of the original kits scale issues and some might say it's pressure hull deficiencies' too. The hull master for Skips original was turned to dimensions not aware he was vacu-forming the hull. So we didn't allow making the master a little smaller for the thickness of the plastic then. Embarrassing. Glad your making all new stern planes and scale props. It would be nice to completely rebuild my model and make it as it should be. Mine looks good to the lay person but ...

Steve

[wlambing]

I recall that gorgeous model, Steve! Featured in Scale Ship Modeler?

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

When will the Loyalhanna Kit be ready David. I'd like to have a Albacore Phase IV.

I worked on Asay's Albacore kit contributing a bit too, but we are all aware of the original kits scale issues and some might say it's pressure hull deficiencies' too. The hull master for Skips original was turned to dimensions not aware he was vacu-forming the hull. So we didn't allow making the master a little smaller for the thickness of the plastic then. Embarrassing. Glad your making all new stern planes and scale props. It would be nice to completely rebuild my model and make it as it should be. Mine looks good to the lay person but ...

Steve

And I must say here that Steve's good works during those early days in this game included crafting the beautiful wooden masters of our eventual 1/96 SKIPJACK kit.

Steves' foundational work continuing to this day in the form of the over 100 kits we sold of that kit over the decades -- some of those models still plowing local and far distant waters! Steve Reichmuth is a first-class Craftsman, and very a generous model-builder.







David

[Albacore 569]

I recall that gorgeous model, Steve! Featured in Scale Ship Modeler?

The same, shes here at home warm and safe. She is a 1/96 static model. It was what all started my Model sub affliction...lol Plus Dave M. and Marshall Clark.

[Albacore 569]

And I must say here that Steve's good works during those early days in this game included crafting the beautiful wooden masters of our eventual 1/96 SKIPJACK kit.

Steves' foundational work continuing to this day in the form of the over 100 kits we sold of that kit over the decades -- some of those models still plowing local and far distant waters! Steve Reichmuth is a first-class Craftsman, and very a generous model-builder.







David

Thanks Dave. It's just like the skipper (Dave) said. lol. Dave wanted model in 1/96 scale. I shared back I thought that's way too small, isn't it? Dave said trust me. And Volla!

[Davjacva]

Nothing to show for our day-long run to North Carolina to City Lake for a club's fun run. Neither Dave or I thought to take photos. Found out the lake was only about 2' deep and dove into the mud a few times. The initial dive of the Nautilus didn't come back up...went to blow...shut the radio off...after a few minutes in came up with a ton of mud. This wasn't even 2'. This happened later in another area and this time it was stuck fast. Finally, a couple minutes after blowing the gas dislodged the sub and it popped up like a cork. Did it again with the 1/72 Skipjack. Resolved to try some other stuff like waiting till Dave went to the bathroom and 'range-checked' his sub :) Got the sucker clear across the lake (just over 1/4 mile) and got it back. Really relaxed fun-run, great weather, only problem was the lake was way down. If it was 2' deeper it would've been great for running submerged. Only worked if you ran a periscope depth, and you probably still were periodically bouncing off the bottom. Try to dive deeper and you're eatin' a mud sandwich. The skegs on the bottom of the Nautilus caught the bottom a lot. Luckily I know the paint and body guy.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

A few thought-starters dealing with the technique of metal spin-casting.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

[He Who Shall Not Be Named]

REPRESENTING IRON RUST ON SUBMARINE MODELS

I served aboard both diesel and nuclear powered American submarines as a Torpedoman. As such, me and my fellow weaponeers were as close to being a boats 'Boatswain's Mate' as could be found among ships company. Hence, we TM's were in charge of 'deck' – hull preservation above waterline was a significant fraction of the things we did in port. I know corrosion! I know what spot and running rust look like! Me and my fellow troglodytes were grinding, chipping, hammering, painting fools!

Peace-time boats (regardless of nationality or climate) have the luxury of time and facilities – you won't find much rust atop one of today's boats. But, in times of quick turn-around, when job-one was getting the boat ready for another sortie, preservation took a back seat to weapons handling and the many other tasks required to make the boat ready for patrol.

Such was the case with the German Type-23's – little coastal submarines that had to be worked up, commissioned and sent ... without delay... to the Front – explaining the sorry state of their appearance in the few photos we have of operational units employed at wars end. Many of these units evidenced rust on their above waterline portions.

The task for the model kit assembler is to represent the rust, deck scuffing, grime streaking, verdigris, oil runs, and marine growth in a convincing manner.

Today's submarines – even the poorly maintain former Soviet submarine – don't evidence much rust at all. So this discussion, dealing with rust, is pretty much confined to world war era submarine crews who had more pressing concerns than making the boat look sharp for the Commodore or his staff.

What you'll see in the form of 'weathering' on today's submarines will be light colored (variations on gray) streaking down the sides of the hull and running down from all vertical structures. Just follow the gravity line to know the orientation of such streaking, as demonstrated below.



Though in miserable shape (by Western standards), there is little rust to be seen on this KILO. None below waterline, and only a smidgen around the upper torpedo tube shutter doors, and between safety-tracks and deck.

Keep this in mind: NO EVIDENCE OF OXIDIZED IRON BEARING METALS BELOW THE WATERLINE!!!



After assembling my Bronco 1/35th scale Type-23 kit I elected to paint and weather the thing as though it was still in work-up, before going out on war-patrols – the yellow bands on the sail denoting this sub as a unit still in the training phase. However, this new unit, only weeks or months out of the building ways, has already started to show a disregard for care of the paint-work. Rust is the rule of the day here. Rust your model submarine with a bit of forethought and study of boats of the time, place, and circumstances that inform the back-story of your display.



What on a Type-23 would evidence rust?

Rust that originates at weld-beads, between lapped joined plating, and rust originating at any surface featuring a sharp edge (limber holes, breakwaters, ladder rungs, fasteners, deck foundations, etc.).



Research. Research... Research!

The quality of any physical display – and I'm talking miniatures representing real or imagined prototypes – is a consequence of its physical adherence to the original. Is its color, sheen, and representation of weathering a faithful copy of the original i.e., does the model look like the prototype in shape and finish?



The burden on the model-builder/kit-assembler is to KNOW THE PROTOTYPE! Here you see just a small sampling of the documentation I've gathered and arrayed near a work-station.

Don't wing it... KNOW it! Become aware of the 'look' of your subject.



The Great photo-real Artist worked by studying a subject while it/they were positioned in close proximity to the canvas/slab of marble/hunk of clay. Same goes for your work as you paint and weather your toy submarine.



Less is more, the golden rule of weathering, particularly when applying rust. Can you find the 'rust' in this picture? This display suggests rust – it does not hit you over the head with the presence of rust.



The prominent weathering you see on the above waterline structures is streaking. Not rusting!!!!






A poor rusting job. Wrong subject for the process. And a process poorly applied.



Rust originates where paint and preservative (red-lead) has been worn away. This H-bollard demonstrates the proper use of 'rusting'. The oxidation is happening where bare iron bearing metal is exposed to the elements through rough use.



No weathering or markings are applied until the entire display is given a thick clear-coat. This affords the opportunity of 'erasing' mistakes with polish or sand-paper should you err during weathering and/or markings work. The clear coat is a barrier between paint and weathering agents.



First, highlight all creasing and deep relief areas of the models surface with a well thinned artist-oil black wash. Cut the paint with turpentine – it's chemically benign and will not react with the paint or clear-coat.

Here's how I do it:










Before doing any fancy weathering work, first practice the use of your mediums and means of application on a test-article.



Once you become confident in your ability, commence hostilities on the display...







I went over-kill on the rust application – reasoning that by getting rust into each and every crevasse was more important than being careful with the application. Easier to get all the desired rust in place and abrade off the excess than to get crazy with precise application.



Excess rust would be scrubbed away with a scouring powder slurry, steel wool, 3M abrasive pad, and course polishing compound. Another abrading tool is a fiberglass 'eraser brush' – that item with the red handle to the right. This is where that clear-coat comes in – its the barrier that keeps you from digging into the paint job.









WA-la! Rust ONLY where I want it.



Alternative mediums used to represent rust include linseed oil based 'artist paint', water soluble acrylic paint, ground chalks, smear crayons, color pencils and pens, and lipstick.