Glenroy waterline

[Robin LeeParticipant @robinlee31938]

Hello,

Thought I would post my waterline model of the Glen line cargo liner Glenroy of 1938. I have been admiring Bob Wilson”s models for some time and have been inspired to have a go. So Bob there is at least one other on the forum interested in miniature static models.

 

My Glenroy is at a scale of 600:1 (50feet to the inch) and has been a challenge. Somethings I have tried to model have been OK, some not, but we live and learn from experience. About 75% complete. I have been working from an ancient plan, one of a series produced by Modelcraft Ltd of London now long gone. The plan was printed just before WWII and is a bit faded but good enough for use as a basis.

Robin Lee

[Robin LeeParticipant @robinlee31938]

[Ian GardnerParticipant @iangardner62867]

Hi Robin,

 

Just thought I’d butt in and say how much I admire your waterline model- my old dad would have loved it too . He built many models to this scale.

 

Ian Gardner.

[Robin LeeParticipant @robinlee31938]

Thanks Ian,

I built a lot at the smaller scale of 1200:1 when I was a lad but stopped when I started work. Did not make many at 600:1 as they take much longer to do as the larger models do give much more scope for time consuming details. This may be a one off as I am more into RC working boats than miniatures but I thought this winter I would try something else but it has taken me much longer than I had planned.

Robin

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Robin,

That look great – can’t fault it.   Wondering how you do your boats?   I have never been able to get solid ones to look right, especially at that scale!

Bob

[Robin LeeParticipant @robinlee31938]

Hi Bob

The boats are from a strip of styrene with the rectangular cross section starting off with width and height equalling the maximum width and height of the boat. The profile of the strip was then filed/sanded to be the same as the boat cross section. The strip was then cut off in four lengths equally the boat lengths. Then rather tediously each boat end was shaped to suit. Very small rudders from 0.25mm styrene sheet made and bonded. Hand painted green covers. Not easy to do the scalloped edges but after dry the scallops can be improved using point of a scalpel which works well as I am not painting the boats hulls relying on the white of the styrene. Did not attempt your open boats as it looks a bit too hard.

Robin

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Hi Robin,

 

Thanks for info.   I think it is the separate covers that make yours look good.    My hollow boats are easy enough.   I vacuum-form the shells from plasticard in a small home-made vacuum box.    The keels are wire glued on and then they are spray painted with white matt primer (From Halfords)   The insides are printed onto self-adhesive paper, stuck to white plasticard, cut out and stuck in position.    The spaces between the thwarts (seats) is actually solid as it is printed  on paper, but it looks great on miniatures.    The grab lines are also printed on self-adhesive film and stuck on.   

 

Must have a try at the solid ones again.

 

Bob 

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

H Robin,

I have just been looking at the close-ups of GLENROY.     Your ventilators look more-or-less identical to mine.   I make mine on a Unimat lathe.    I turn the cowls from brass rod and hollow them out with a dental burr.   I then solder the cowl to a thin metal rod.

 

But I don’t think I could use this method at 50’=1″       My very small ventilators look just as good, but don’t have hollow cowls.    This is still accurate, because many smaller vents were covered in a mesh (to stop people throwing  things down them) and the cowl looked solid from a distance.     The tall big ones were generally open.   How do you make those?

Bob

Edited By Bob Wilson on 27/01/2010 07:51:29

[Robin LeeParticipant @robinlee31938]

Hi Bob,

The method you use for your boats is fascinating. Looking at them I would never have guessed you use self adhesive paper. I like your ventilators. My problem is do not have a lathe so I cannot turn the cowls. In desperation I have employed a method which gives a reasonable result but is very time consuming and repeatability is debatable. My ventilators (all of them, large and small) are formed in the same way. Two styrene rods chosen such that the larger diameter rod approximates to the diameter of the cowel. The smaller diameter rod approximates to the diameter of the vertical ventilator tube. Drill a hole diameter of the small rod in the larger rod at right angles to its axis (bit tricky getting this hole drilled exactly central and at right angles. The object being to form a crucifix with the two rods. The crusifix is welded together using Polyweld or similar. When good and dry the larger (horizontal) rod is cut. The rod is shortened using a knife so that one end forms the cowel front face, the other end forms the back end of the cowel in a squared off manner.  Its then down to careful sanding of the larger diameter rod to form a cowel smoothly blended into the vertical smaller rod. Having got a ventilator of the desired shape the hollow input is done using a hand held drill/drills so the hollowing is only partial but gives a reasonable effect. This all sounds highly improbable I know but with a bit of practice I have found it practical and reasonably repeatable if a bit tedious. Your method is obviously quicker and more consistent result is likely.

Robin

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Hi Robin,

 

Thanks for reply.    I have never had a great deal of patience, but your method is very effective.

 

I also note your stanchions seems to be inserted in holes drilled in the edge of the decks.   This is also very effective, but probably requires great skill to get it right.    I etch my side stanchions from 2 ‘thou brass shim.   It is a bit tedious masking the brass (takes about half an hour), but the completed piece can just be dumped in the etching fluid and left to make itself.   Takes about an hour.

 

I can make rails very quickly and easily from fine tinned copper wire.   The hardest part is fitting them on to the model!

 

I have been making miniatures for about 38 years now and this is the first time I have been able to discuss the technicalities of them with anyone!

 

Bob

Edited By Bob Wilson on 27/01/2010 19:19:42

Edited By Bob Wilson on 27/01/2010 19:20:29

[Robin LeeParticipant @robinlee31938]

Hi Bob

I’m afraid my railings are not very good. They are so delicate that they are far from straight and level by the time they are inserted. They are made from 0.1mm tinned copper wire with the stanchions from 0.2mm tinner copper wire. The rails and stanchions were soldered on a flat surface off the model and then offered up to the deck and and the holes drilled. I am not completely happy with the result but at 600:1 unless the observer has very good eyesight they will probably not notice the imperfections! I think I will put the finished model in a case so that nobody can get a magnifying glass too close!

I like you method of making stanchions using etching – that is a skill I have yet to tackle but from the commercial brass etched items I have had in kits I know it is very good for detailed parts.

 You are right about the lack of modellers at these scales. I don’t know why except that the hobby is not commercial enough for a supplier to promote it perhaps. I have a book Miniature Merchant Ships by John Bowen dealing with 1/1200 scale which is still available so presumably there must be people out there who have an interest? I have dozens of plans at  1/1200 and 1/600 which were available many years ago and must have been aimed at  a viable market at that time. Problem is youngsters nowdays are just not interested in making things. My Model Boating Club – Brentwood Model Yacht and Power Boat Club is a good example. The scale section, i.e people who build model boats is populated mainly by people aged about 50 and above, no young members.

Nice talking with you Bob.

Robin

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

I doubt if there would ever be any commercial interest in catering for miniatures as this is essentially a scratch building area of  of minority interest. However, there are fittings such as railings etc. produced to enhance commercial plastic kits such as the various incarnations of the Titanic. Some of these might be useful for other miniatures.

 

The other issue is that 1:1200/1250 scale is a popular collector’s market and most people interested in it (including myself) will tend to buy the models they are particularly interested in.

 

When I was in Switzerland a few years back I visited the Lucerne Transport Museum which has an excellent collection of waterline ship models of around 1:600 scale size to a good standard and remember thinking that I could probably build models to a similar degree of detail myself. At the moment my interests are mainly with working models but that may change in the future.

 

Colin

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

There is a tremendous number of people interested in miniature ships  to the extent that they want them, but not many modellers actually like building them!   This is a two-edged sword for me because the demand is so high that I feel very much under pressure from enquiries.      Probabaly for that reason, I have, at the moment, come to a full stop!    I have recently had enquiries for 1 full-rigged ship,  4 four-masted barques, 1 three-masted barque, 1 topsail schooner, 2 cargo liners and three passenger liners!

 

Bob

[Robin LeeParticipant @robinlee31938]

Colin,

As you have an interest in 1200/1250:1 models you may find the pictures below worth a look. These are the best four of my models from long ago – they are all at least 40 years old and reflect contemporary merchantmen of that time.

 

 

 

 

Koudekerk  – N.V. Vereenigde Nederlandsche Scheepv. Maats 7779 tons gross built 1964

 

Donegal – Avenue Shipping Co 6326 tons gross built 1957

 

 

Crusader – Crusader Shipping Co 3338 tons gross built 1957

 

Clan Robertson – Clan Line 7878 tons gross built 1954

Edited By Robin Lee on 30/01/2010 13:33:07

[Robin LeeParticipant @robinlee31938]

Its been over a year since I last posted on this thread – had a bit of an accident with Glenroy so it was put into a box for the summer. Dug it out of its box in November and have carried out a partial rebuild. The main changes I have made are that all of the decks and visible bulkheads are now clad in 0.5mm styrene. The reason for this that in the original build I was attaching 0.5mm styrene bulwarks to the edge of a wooden deck with superglue which tended to be OK initially but at a later date, usually after airbrushing the bond failed and paint cracked The bulkheads are now bonded with Polyweld styrene glue and the bond is much more durable. Anyway, finally completed the model and some photos are attached. I am not sure I will build another static at this scale as I must confess I am still not happy with my railings and rigging at 600:1 scale.

 

I would like to thank Bob Wilson for providing both inspiration with his excellent models and his useful tips along the way.

 

Robin

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Hi Robin,

Congratulations on an excellent build and at such a small scale as well. I remember CLAN ROBERTSON well, because I once worked for Clan Line. 50’=1″ is a bit too small for me, I prefer 32’=1″. I like all of the ones you have just shown and hope you carry on bulding them.

Bob

[Robin LeeParticipant @robinlee31938]

Thanks for your comments Bob. Those 1200:1 models were made many years ago when I was a lad. Not really tempted to build any more at that scale. On the other hand your scale is interesting. What do you do about the layout plans?

Robin

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Hi Robin,

I have literally thousands of them in old technical journals such as The Motor Ship, Shipbuilder, Shipbuilding & Shipping Record, The Shipping World etc. They are ideal because they are usually on one page or fold-outs. I have an almost complete set from the 20s to about 1965.

Bob

 

[Author]

Posts