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Post by wbill76 on Nov 24, 2015 22:43:54 GMT -5
Beautiful work on the railings and rigging Bill!  The Texas looks fantastic all decked out.  Thanks Leon! Getting that much closer to the finish line...just need about 30 more AA guns on the rear to complete things. |
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Post by TRM on Nov 25, 2015 0:47:14 GMT -5
Woo Hoo....rigging!!!  plowing your way through this one! Only 30? LOL!! Enjoy!! |
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Post by wbill76 on Nov 25, 2015 0:53:13 GMT -5
Woo Hoo....rigging!!! plowing your way through this one! Only 30? LOL!! Enjoy!! Thanks Todd. Yep, no big deal by now. |
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Post by wouter on Nov 25, 2015 12:46:40 GMT -5
Nice to see you make a start on the rigging, great clear explanation too...really need to get me some accelerator huh ^^. Very cool steady work on the railing too...seems like a nightmare to get right to me lol
Cheers
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Post by wbill76 on Nov 25, 2015 13:55:32 GMT -5
Nice to see you make a start on the rigging, great clear explanation too...really need to get me some accelerator huh ^^. Very cool steady work on the railing too...seems like a nightmare to get right to me lol Cheers Thanks Wouts! Accelerator does wonders in this situation. Normally I don't use it when working with PE for example because of the mess it can create, but if you dip the ends of the EZ thread in it, it helps it grab quicker. I also use a small paintbrush to paint the second loose end after it's been clipped to the right length for the needed tension. The railings for the bow were a challenge, lots and lots of mm by mm shaping in those curved areas for example, but with a little patience it all works out. |
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Post by wbill76 on Nov 25, 2015 21:30:07 GMT -5
Doing my best to knock out the remaining details one at a time! Next up was adding some rigging to the rear tripod mainmast. The fact that the kit doesn't include a yardarm for this like it should complicates things a little but I did the best I could under the circumstances. The toughest part is rigging the extended mast antenna that sticks up above the bed frame radar antenna on the PE platform. It's not a very sturdy setup but adding the rigging helps keep it stable ironically...so if you can pull it off, it helps but getting there is a challenge in its own right. I also ran the long diagonal line that connects up the fighting top with the main mast to complete the rigging.  That meant it was time to finally secure the boat cranes. To do that I added glue to their bases and then enlisted some trusty paint bottles to help brace the ends until the glue set so they would stay vertical. The #3 turret was temporarily removed to help facilitate this.  Once the glue had set solid, some touchups with the deck blended them in together and I added the 2nd pair of whaleboats into their racks along with the final set of floater net baskets.  Getting close to the final stretch in terms of the AA guns that need to populate the rear deck tubs and the railings for the stern half of the main deck. Hope everyone has a Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow! |
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Post by Leon on Nov 25, 2015 21:54:01 GMT -5
Great work on the rigging again Bill! Can't beat the old paint bottles as props in a pinch. |
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Post by wbill76 on Nov 25, 2015 21:58:01 GMT -5
Thanks Leon! Paint bottles and toothpicks can do wonders when called upon! |
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Post by dierk on Nov 26, 2015 4:45:42 GMT -5
Bill: insert a phrase of your choice expressing awe, dribbling drool and admiration. |
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Post by wbill76 on Nov 26, 2015 11:24:19 GMT -5
Bill: insert a phrase of your choice expressing awe, dribbling drool and admiration. Thanks Dierk! |
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bbrowniii
Full Member
Member since: March 2012
If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the precipitate.
Posts: 1,238
Mar 25, 2012 22:08:04 GMT -5
Mar 25, 2012 22:08:04 GMT -5
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Post by bbrowniii on Nov 26, 2015 21:45:19 GMT -5
Bill
I had looked in on this when you first started it, then lost track of it. It was a great to spend the last hour or so reading the past 10 pages. What a great bit of work you've done with this. Lovin' it!
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Post by wbill76 on Nov 27, 2015 20:41:03 GMT -5
Glad you got all caught up Boyd, just in time for the final push! |
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Post by wbill76 on Nov 27, 2015 20:41:46 GMT -5
Texas is armed to the teeth as you might expect for the end of WW2 type configuration and there are no less than 29 AA gun configurations that need to be installed onto the rear half of the main deck. These are called out in Step 25 for their installation while Step 4 has their individual assembly with the exception of the special swivel mount 3-inch gun that is dealt with in Step 24. First up were the 3-inch guns that had their barrels replaced with the Master turned brass barrels. I clipped off the styrene barrels past the recoil cylinder with sprue cutters then trimmed back the remaining nub with a #11 blade tip. A #78 microdrill started the mount holes for the barrel pins and a #76 widened it once I had it centered as needed. Some CA and careful alignment and the barrel swap out was complete.  Then the 4 remaining quad-40mm guns were assembled. The bases were done first then the barrels added last to ensure a solid base to work from and get them all aligned at the right elevation.  Then the big batch of 20 guns was left, the individual 20mm guns that go into the tubs all along the outer edge. These were handpainted first and then the PE splinter shields added to complete there assembly.  I just need to do a little bit of airbrush work on the 3-inch and 40mm guns and then I can get all of these added. |
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Post by Leon on Nov 27, 2015 21:26:12 GMT -5
Nice work on all the fire power Bill! |
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Post by wouter on Nov 28, 2015 4:23:31 GMT -5
Oh yeah very nice there. Now the end really is near ey!
Cheers
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Post by dierk on Nov 28, 2015 4:31:58 GMT -5
I'll never complain about cleaning up tons of road-wheels and indy-links ever again! Finish line creeping ever closer, can't wait to see it all done. |
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Post by wbill76 on Nov 28, 2015 11:19:43 GMT -5
Thanks Leon and Wouts, the end is near! I'll never complain about cleaning up tons of road-wheels and indy-links ever again! Finish line creeping ever closer, can't wait to see it all done. No kidding Dierk! In total there are 44 of the 20 mm, 11 of the 3-inch, and 10 of the quad 40 mm Guns on the ship. 65 Guns in total. Definitely more time consuming than road wheels and tracks but not quite as repetitive. |
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Post by wbill76 on Nov 28, 2015 21:28:28 GMT -5
Coming down the home stretch now as there's not a whole lot left to do on Texas to get her finished up. First order of business in this session was getting the railings on the stern. This is more easily accomplished without all the guns installed as the instructions would have you do it simply because the lengths of railing provided on the C fret aren't long enough on their own to do it all. This means you have to splice some sections together towards the stern and having room to fiddle with that makes the whole process a lot smoother. I followed the same drill as with the bow railings, shaping them first and then hand painting prior to installing with CA. The #4 and #5 turrets were still movable at this stage as well to help with keeping them out of the way when necessary.  The AA guns that I worked on yesterday got their airbrush treatment with the 40mm guns getting a dose of Deck Blue and then hand painted for the rest of their details. I started with the forward tubs and installed the 40mm and 3-inch guns first so I could get them lined up the way I wanted with tweezers and gentle persuasion. Once they had set, the 20mm guns came next. I then added the small supply cranes and drain pipes that are called out in Step 23 to the hull sides and painted them to match the Measure 22 scheme on the hull as needed. Now that everything was in place and setting up, I no longer needed the #4 and #5 turrets to be loose so they were glued down into their final positions. As a last added detail, I ran the final stern rigging line using the EZ line and CA combo.   All that's left now is to get the propellers done and installed along with the drive shafts. |
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Post by TRM on Nov 28, 2015 22:13:41 GMT -5
Wow is she getting filled up! Superb work there Bill!! I commend you on the clean work...like there would be anything but though...LOL!! When do you start the 1200 man crew? |
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Post by Leon on Nov 28, 2015 22:17:38 GMT -5
Sounds like a very productive day Bill! That is one fine looking ship. |
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Post by wbill76 on Nov 28, 2015 22:31:13 GMT -5
Thanks Leon! Wow is she getting filled up! Superb work there Bill!! I commend you on the clean work...like there would be anything but though...LOL!! When do you start the 1200 man crew? Not a whole lot of wasted space on the decks by the time she got her final wartime refit in Oct 1944. But you're a little short on the crew complement Todd...she had 1,810 crew in 1945. Something about needing men to handle all those guns! And no, I have no intention of adding figures to this project.  |
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Post by TRM on Nov 28, 2015 22:54:30 GMT -5
LOL....I figured 500 or so inside to handle running the guts...LOL!! You can't blame me for trying!! Would be awesome, but just way, way too much! Plus, after all the AA on this thing, your eyes will need for you to tackle a 1/16 tank soon! |
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Post by wbill76 on Nov 28, 2015 23:16:13 GMT -5
LOL....I figured 500 or so inside to handle running the guts...LOL!! You can't blame me for trying!! Would be awesome, but just way, way too much! Plus, after all the AA on this thing, your eyes will need for you to tackle a 1/16 tank soon! The Optivisor has earned triple time on this project for sure. |
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Post by wouter on Nov 29, 2015 2:59:12 GMT -5
NO crew?  Now I'm dissapointed lol Cheers |
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Post by dierk on Nov 29, 2015 5:33:02 GMT -5
What? No crew? That's it, lost interest in an otherwise stunning build 
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Post by wbill76 on Nov 29, 2015 12:26:57 GMT -5
I know it's such a letdown... |
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Post by wbill76 on Nov 29, 2015 18:44:12 GMT -5
While not a huge leap forward, it's still an essential element to cross off the list towards getting Texas finished. Going all the way back to Step 3, I permanently attached the rudder and then added the brass drive shafts for the propellers with some CA added to their bases. The shafts themselves were hand painted with Model Master non-buffing Metalizer Steel. For the propellers, I made sure to keep them separated right vs. left as they are handed and airbrushed them with Model Master non-buffing Metalizer Brass. The propellers were added to the hubs and drive shafts with some CA to complete the installation.  With that done, I airbrushed a coat of Future over the entire lower hull so that it could sit and cure overnight before I add the final weathering touches there. At the same time, I completed one of the most challenging decal markings schemes I've encountered in recent memory.  If all goes to plan, tomorrow will see the final touches added! |
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Post by wouter on Nov 30, 2015 11:28:11 GMT -5
Oh Oh Oh, great stuff...can't wait for those final touches Cheers |
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Post by dierk on Nov 30, 2015 11:35:53 GMT -5
Decals applied like a pro! From where I'm standing (CET) it is tomorrow - where's my daily hit? |
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Post by wbill76 on Nov 30, 2015 11:36:20 GMT -5
Oh Oh Oh, great stuff...can't wait for those final touches Cheers Thanks Wouts! Should be a good day for it if all goes to plan. No Cyber Monday distractions for me. |
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plowing your way through this one! Only 30? LOL!! Enjoy!!
