The Ship Model Forum

[quote="SG1"]Momcil, first of all congrats for the progress on the funnel, excellent result.



Actually, the use of CA solvents has revolutioned my technique for gluing very small pieces. I discovered it by chance as it probably was your case, when I first dealt with a "gluing gone wrong" a few months ago.
I found the "scolla tutto" to be too dense to be applied efficiently on the smaller bits though. A good alternative that worked perfectly for me was using a product called Glue Buster produced by Deluxe Materials. Being liquid it can be applied in minimal quantities with the tip of a pointed brush (i use a "5/0") to the joint, where capillarity-spreading allows an optimal distribution. Glue Buster melts the glue but doesn't harm plastic, allowing to reposition the piece without causing its complete detachement if used in minimal quantities. The now correctly-positioned pieces can be re-glued with CA without much trouble a few moments after. Give it a go, it could improve your tecnique as it did for me.

Keep up the excellent work,

SG[/quote]

Dear SG,
thank you for your advice I will search for this product. Indeed, the "scolla tutto" is very dense and I am forced to apply a big amount leading to the complete detachment of the PE part. Fortunately, the plastic is not melted, but I have to remove completely the PE, clean everything and start from the beginning.
Currently I have only prepared some very fine railings for the funnel (see picture). Most probably due to the latest temperature raise I have decreased my modelling activity…. Almost like all summers

Momcil, first of all congrats for the progress on the funnel, excellent result.

[quote="momcil"] A good ally in the whole process is a specific product from Loctite to melt the glue and to remove it if the final positioning of the PE part is not good. Here in Italy such product is called “scolla tutto”.[/quote]

Actually, the use of CA solvents has revolutioned my technique for gluing very small pieces. I discovered it by chance as it probably was your case, when I first dealt with a "gluing gone wrong" a few months ago.
I found the "scolla tutto" to be too dense to be applied efficiently on the smaller bits though. A good alternative that worked perfectly for me was using a product called Glue Buster produced by Deluxe Materials. Being liquid it can be applied in minimal quantities with the tip of a pointed brush (i use a "5/0") to the joint, where capillarity-spreading allows an optimal distribution. Glue Buster melts the glue but doesn't harm plastic, allowing to reposition the piece without causing its complete detachment if used in minimal quantities. The now correctly-positioned pieces can be re-glued with CA without much trouble a few moments after. Give it a go, it could improve your tecnique as it did for me.

Keep up the excellent work,

SG

I completed the PE parts on the funnel top. Some very delicate meshes there that has to be bended in the proper way. Fortunately, Pontos parts give the exact position of where to bend the part and the brass itself is quite good. I had to reposition several times the tiny filaments of the part and no one of them broke

I have glued the aft tower to the main body of the central superstructure and started also with a small PE assembly that goes inside the funnel

A small parenthesis in the activity was the creation of a wooden stand for my previous model, a wooden scratch-built Galleon. The idea was also to accommodate inside the glass case the hull of the Yamato during the construction, just to protect it from the dust. Unfortunately the width on the side of the Galleon turned to be too small and the Yamato is currently on the wardrobe protected only with a piece of paper!

I would like to share my experience when applying the PE parts because it is virtually impossible to attach them in the correct position directly with one shot. First, I cut some very small strips of adhesive tape and I position the PE part on the kit. After I make all necessary checks with my calliper and a small ruler if any vertical or horizontal alignment is required. When I am OK with the position (after a lot of checks!) I put a drop of superglue on a paper and withdraw a really small quantity with a fine piece of paper with a triangular shape. The tip of such paper is not sharp but is tapered since it is necessary to go inside between the PE part and the plastic and to deposit a small amount of glue only on the PE part. Of course, it is necessary to put the glue only on one side of the paper strip. A good ally in the whole process is a specific product from Loctite to melt the glue and to remove it if the final positioning of the PE part is not good. Here in Italy such product is called “scolla tutto”.

First PE elements applied on the main superstructure part. Everything comes from Pontos set

Some last shots of the whole superstrucure before the application of the PE elements

I completed the main tower now ready as far as the plastic parts, a lot of PE to be added here. Some effort was necessary to lower the thickness of all platform guards since original thickness was quite high. However overall texture of the mould-in details is quite convincing

I had also the patience to make a dry fit of almost everything done by now, just to have a sensation of what can be the last outcome...
I am glad to be back in Italy, no more travelling with this delicate project!!!

I started working also on the main tower. Nice fit of the two main halves and quite convincing fine detail in the upper part of the command bridge. Of course, a lot of PE is provided for such part of the ship but first I want to have the whole central superstructure complete. Several small items have already been added, some still to be, now the most demanding work will be to lower the thickness of some walls:
- Red circle, the upper niches embedded in the command bridge
- Green circle, a very small platform still to be added along with other small fittings in that area
- Red arrow, a quite big and demanding platform which has a quite intricate route of the external walls and will be quite difficult to reduce in thickness

Instead, the overall fit of the tower on the main part of the central structure is quite nice as the funnel and the aft tower

[quote="Dan K"]Very crisp work, and great progress.[/quote]
thanks a lot! :wave_1:

Very crisp work, and great progress.

I worked a lot on the funnel, first had to clean all mould in detail that will be replaced with PE elements. After I made a test fit (no issues at all) and only after that with a micro spherical mill I was able somehow to open all the piping around the main funnel. In the test fit picture also the tripod of the main antenna is visible. The upper part will be completely replaced with PE parts and scribed brass elements

[quote="Mr. Church"]
That's very clever. Love it.

Keep up the good work.[/quote]
Thank you very much!

I have added several small details to the central superstructure with the aim to complete the whole part except the PE to be added later. I performed also a preliminary test fit of the funnel where there are really a lot of mould in details to be removed before the application of the foreseen PE elements

[quote="momcil"]Working on the ammo-boxes. The PE part has a nice texture and is easy to bend and glue. However, I figured out that it will be difficult to fix it on the deck due to the reduced thickness of the vertical walls. So, I glued inside a small piece of styrene just to have a central anchoring point and to avoid leaks of glue outside the perimeter of the box[/quote]

That's very clever. Love it.

Keep up the good work.

Started working on the superstructure base, a very nice all in one piece with fine detail. Some mould in ladders had to be removed to be replaced after with PE elements. The fit of the structure is very precise in the shape of the wooden deck and it is not necessary to add some kind of a missing thickness between the vertical walls of the structure and the deck folio. Very good from Pontos!

I started working also on the aft tower, cleaned some mould in elements and completely removed the quite rough structure of the plastic AA guns. The two platforms are visible in the picture and will be completely rebuild with the available aftermarket

Here the small cable reels. Same technique used before: the very tiny copper wire turned to be even more useful. I will try to make abetter picture next days to see clearly such elements. Also, the smaller one has the winding not perfectly cantered respect the PE wheels, will try a repositioning
Time has come to work on the central superstructure…

[quote="Jon"]Like what you did with those boxes. They are a lot of work. I'm building a 1/350 Kongo and have same problem, but hadn't thought as far as you had about mounting them. So that's a helpful tip.[/quote]
Jon, I am glad this was helpful for you! An issue I faced on the same subject was to cut equal all these small parts starting from a styrene rod of a proper diameter (1.3mm more or less).
I had to build a template visible here in the picture with a small housing where I inserted the rod. After, keeping the blade of the cutter as vertical as possible I tried to cut all the pieces equal. Indeed, cutting was not perfect but I left some excess. When the piece was glued in place, I gently blasted the base of each box so making it flush and suitable for the further positioning.

Like what you did with those boxes. They are a lot of work. I'm building a 1/350 Kongo and have same problem, but hadn't thought as far as you had about mounting them. So that's a helpful tip.