SS POLITICIAN

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

I have now started a model of the SS POLITICION (Harrison Line) at a scale of 32’=1″.    It is to be completely hand-built with no shop bought parts in it.    The hull has been cut and shaped from a piece of obeche wood.   The raised forecastle has been fitted and I have just completed soldering on the sections of brass bulwarks.   The accommodation has also been roughly cut out and the wooden decks cut and scored to represent planks.   The hull has an overall length of about 14.7 inches.

Bob

 

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

It will be good to see one of your builds from start to finish Bob – carry on!

 

Colin

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Bob,

Is this model being built from the photograph, or do you work to a plan?

Very impressed with your models.

Tony. 

Edited By Tony Hadley on 09/05/2009 19:55:53

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Tony,

Thanks.    It is being built from a plan found in MODEL SHIPWRIGHT Nr. 75 (March 1991).    It is generally beyond my capabilities to build a ship such as this without a plan.

POLITICIAN is not very complicated and it shouldn’t take very long.  It is to be a waterline model shown under way in a seascape that will be painted by my wife.

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

I have now plated the hull and painted the shelter deck red oxide.   The red paint spilling down the sides is of no significance.   I masked off the solid bulwark sections from the red paint as they will be painted white, and a red undercoat would not be a good idea.      I have also assembled the display case and made the inner base, edged with bevelled sapele.     After I have made the sea and made the model a perfect fit  in it, I will paint the hull.   Not a good idea to paint the hull before fitting into the sea as the plasticine sea messes it up.

 

Not a great deal of interest in this one, so the next progress picture will be when it has been viewed either 50 times, or when the model is complete – whichever comes soonest!

 

Bob

 

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

A few people looking with great interest is better than a greater number just taking a cursory look Bob so don’t rely on statistics. I’m sure that several of us are taking a close interest in your build. Certainly I am.

 

Colin

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Me to Bob

 

I just dont know how you do such perfect work at such a tiny scale.

 

You cant stop posting photos now.

 

Paul

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

No need to worry at the moment.   In a few minutes, viewing has shot up from 38 to 46, so you are almost there!

 

I don’t need continual praise or comment or anything like that, but I do need to see that someone has at least been looking!

 

On the other forum I started this off on, it has been viewed 362 times in the same period!

 

I feel somehow that  it doesn’t really “fit in” the Model Boats general spectrum of interest, but I will continue it to the end anyway.

Bob

[neil hpParticipant @neilhp]

On the other forum I started this off on, it has been viewed 362 times in the same period

 

YES, BOB, but that forum has considerably more members than this site at 5180 members, and the other site you post on has  over 36 thousand, so it’s not really fair to compare viewing figures between sites, is it.

I always thought it was quality that mattered above quantity anyway.

 

And I always say, if just one person veiws and is inspired by my models, I feel I have fulfilled  my goal in life.

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

My great pleasure is the ships themselves and I want to build as many as I can of the types that I like, but I see interest in nautical matters sinking by the month in the UK (and I mean everything nautical, not just model ships.    

The number of members of a site does not really count, because you don’t have to be a member to have a look.!     For a few weeks now, I have been swinging between cutting right back or  making as many as I used to.   At the moment, I am on an upward swing, but don’t know how long it will last.  

I think computers have generally put paid to most things practical on a world-wide scale.

Bob

 

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Today, I made the base and edged it with bevelled sapele.   Inside that, is a separate wooden tray that is a perfect fit in the bevelling.   This can be removed by poking a screwdriver into holes drilled in the base at each end.    The sea will be fitted into the removeable tray.    By making it this way, the sea can be painted without fear of messing up the sapele bevel.     I have also completed two levels of accommoadation and their associated decks.    The funnel has been cut from a brass tube.    The POLITICIAN is simpler than most cargo ship models because she had a flat hull (i.e. no sheer).   The forecastle head was tilted up slightly to give an impression of sheer.    As I said before, I will not paint the hyull until the sea is fitted and shaped.

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Bob

 

You make this type of modelling look easy!……………………But it`s not for me unfortuneatly, due to my failing eyesight!

 

You mentioned earlier that you soldered the bulwarks on……………..Can`t make out what you soldered them to?………………..I said I had bad eyesight!

 

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Hello Bob,

My comment about soldering on the bulwarks was a bit of amusement for me.   I wondered how many people would actually ask me how on earth I managed to solder brass shim to wood.      (A true test of real interest).       Well, the results of the exercise were that the only ones who wanted to know how I did this were a ship model builder in Germany and yourself!

 

ANSWER:

Beneath each section of brass bulwark, that you will have observed overlaps about 0.25 inches down the sides of the hull, I inserted two brass countersunk woodscrews.    I tinned each one heavily and also tinned the back of each piece of bulwark and “sweated” them on with a dry iron applied to the outside of the brass!

 

So, your eyesight is not at fault in this instance.    I certainly do not have perfect eyesight, but what I condsier is of far greater importance is a steady hand.    When I put my reading glasses on, everything becomes clear again, but what can you do about a shaky hand?

 

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Bob

 

That is a clever idea!………………Better than superglue!

 

I`m glad I asked now!

 

Next question is…..What are those maroon vertical stripes on the hull?

 

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Hello Bob,

In addition to the solder, I put some superglue under the plates as well and this was sucked in by capiliary action.   So, solder and superglue together makes a pretty permanent join!

 

The paint stripes down the side answered above on the 12th, 1904 picture.    I masked off the oustide of the bulwark plates when spraying the deck with red oxide because they will soon be painted white and red is not a good undercoat for white.    A bit of red on the hull (between the masking tape) does not matter as the hull will be painted black and black covers everything.

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Bob

 

Where are you getting these viewing figures from?

 

Can`t find an album by yourself………………So I`m now puzzled…….This is something new to me!

 

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Bob

Before you open the SS POLITICIAN thread, look to the right.  It gives Replies to Posts and Viewing Figures.   At the moment, Viewing Figures for this POLITICIAN thread is 105.

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Bob

 

I did know about that view count…………………I thought you were referring to an actual photo count, as in the Geograph photo website……………thanks anyway

 

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

This morning, I fitted and shaped the sea.    This stage is my last involvement with the sea.   I will shortly remove the model, remove the inner sea tray and hand it over to my wife who will paint it sometime between now and when the model is complete.

 

The appearance of the model is at present as bad as it gets.    The sea is featureless, the hull is blotched with unwanted paint marks.   The accomodation is only roughly assembled and the whole thing is completely devoid of detail.    In a couple of hours, it will have improved beyond all measure and from now on, will improve in leaps and bounds as it is fitted out.

 

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Bob

 

I`ve noticed your ship does not have any sheer…………..Any idea why this is?

 

As a matter of interest, Great Eastern was the same.

 

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Hi Bob,

As I said above, 13th 17:50:12, the POLITICIAN has no sheer.   The hull is flat apart from a slight upward tilt to the forceastle head.    They probably built it this way for economy.   Certainly makes it easier to build the model.

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Looking better.

Bob

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Bob

 

It`s coming on nicely now………………….Can`t understand the strange short lengths of bulwark?

 

Bob

[Bob WilsonParticipant @bobwilson59101]

Short lengths of bulwarks were not uncommon in a number of companies.   The rails were opposite the cargo hatches, so it is possible that they considered rails were cheaper to replace than solid bulwarks if swinging cargo damaged them.    Clan Line followed the same design in a lot of their ships.

Bob

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