The Ship Model Forum

Hank:

I am glad that you have undertaken this director, perhaps it turned out to be a little more complex than initially apparent but certainly less so the the very complex 3" 50 twin mount. The director combined with the three mounts will be a real detail focus on your ship. Ironic that the secondary battery will probably be more so than the main battery.

Regards: Tom

Fliger747 wrote:Hank:
I am glad that you have undertaken this director, perhaps it turned out to be a little more complex than initially apparent but certainly less so the the very complex 3" 50 twin mount. The director combined with the three mounts will be a real detail focus on your ship. Ironic that the secondary battery will probably be more so than the main battery.
Regards: Tom

Tom,

Quite right! In fact, I did make some changes this a.m. and the 2 directors are currently printing. We'll see if this version comes out acceptable. I tend to agree with you in that depending on how you are looking at a "modern" FLETCHER class DD, odds are that the focal point will be the highest items on the ship - i.e. the Mk. 56 director aft and nearby gun mounts.

Once the director is satisfactorily complete, I may get back to the hull work and begin the grid pattern for the oil canning, in spite of having several in progress parts that haven't been completed (design). Well, they aren't going anywhere!!!

Hank

Well, sad to say that the director body did not print well - SO....Plan B!!

Last night and today I redrew/redesigned the director cupola - made it a separate part and then did a test print of 3 - all came out damn near perfect, so that set the guide for removal of the cupola from the director body. So, I now have a complete unit of 4 parts - base, director body, director cupola, and RADAR dish. Here's a couple design shots of the separate body & cupola: Currently, two of the director bodies are UV curing and then tomorrow I hope to assemble two complete units. I was able to get a complete printing of all the handrails, rungs, pulls, grabs, etc. so I'm fairly well pleased with that.

Among the various aspects one learns while going thru this 3D design/print process, one comes to mind - that the software handles common and like thicknesses better than stuff that isn't consistent in design. This go-round, I made sure the cupola walls were identical in thickness as well as any framing, etc. I also noticed that it seemed to be a smaller file size than previous. I did, start from scratch on this - no using second hand stuff on this!

Hank

Hank:

Perhaps you are on to something with regards to wall thickness. I suspect that distortion can occur during drying and shrinkage with different thickness pieces. Each piece often requires some fiddling to get an optimal print of all details. However doing this "at home" allows greater detail and customization than would be possible in commercial parts where a high failure rate would be unacceptable.

Cheers! Tom

Tom,

That's quite possible - it would seem logical that you would make all the bulkheads, overheads, etc. the same thickness for continuity. I don't know that the software would "care", but it seems to me that keeping things uniform would result in a smaller print file than one that contains multiple thicknesses for the program to compute.

Yesterday & this morning I've worked on the torpedo davits - which STODDARD had a pair that were unique to her - after searching thru all the 4 gun configured ship photos that I have (thanks, R.E.D.!) I could only find a few other ships that had a similar davit setup. So, I've designed two versions - one in the down or stowed position, and one in the up or working position. The photos I have of it are sketchy at best, and the BoGP does not show these items except for the base plate locations. So for the most part, this piece of equipment is speculation on my part with size & shape being a WAG.

Davit in the stowed position: Davit in the working position: I have printed several of each of these today and while I wait for the yardbirds to appropriately clean, prime, and paint the units - I will do further work on the Mk. 56 director parts painting and assembly.

Hank

Willie wrote:Howdy Hank and all,
Your director is awesome, simply awesome. The level of detail you achieve in this wonderful 1/144 scale is absolutely the real thing, and along with the 3"/50 battery, the bar is now as high as can be.
And I am longing to see your bridge complete.
Nice going in NC,
Willie.

Willie,

Again - thanks so much. I am glad someone appreciates the work that went into all those parts. I've actually got 3 more Mk. 56 directors that I'm in the process of painting, assembling and I'll pick the best of the 4 to put on the model. The others will go in the parts locker.

Torpedo Davits - well, as I've mentioned before - it usually takes 3, 4, or more editions until you get the design right and a good printing session. I did get a decent 1st edition, but the problem was that I had added too many sections on the davit and it was oversized. Designed for perhaps a "nucear" torp. (as that crazy Carter used to pronounce it). So, back to the design table and I did a 2nd edition and printing that has come out just the way it should have - sized right and as far as I can tell, represents what's in my photos pretty well. Here is the design pix of both up/down positioned davits: Tomorrow, I'll be cleaning these up and painting them - also to go into the parts locker for later.

Hank:

The drawings don't convey how tiny those pats are! The great number of small parts, with great detail will make for an outstanding model!

Regards! Tom

Hi all folks:

Fliger747 wrote:The drawings don't convey how tiny those pats are! The great number of small parts, with great detail will make for an outstanding model!

As I am currently building the very same kit, that is exactly what I mean to say.

Brgds,

Willie.

Tom, Willie -

Thanks again for chiming in - yes, these parts are extremely small, but as you both have pointed out, are what make a model "come to life". As Tom has shown us with his APA model "more IS better" - and goes to show that the little details - extremely well done - can certainly make a model truly outstanding.

I've got to make some repairs to the bridge windscreen "windows", as several panes have simply disappeared - I found this true that if the thickness of the clear glue (which becomes the window pane) is too thin, it simply doesn't take much for holes or cracks to develop and then you'll have to redo the whole pane. But, it is a minor issue as long as the parts have not been fully assembled yet.

Hank

Hank:

For the bridge external windscreens would something like a strip or two of FEP work better and be stronger to back up the frame? One of the issues with printing instead of hand construction is to scrap and re print for a minor improvement, something we would never do with a hand built piece. So we end up with a succession of resin offspring in the hopes of getting the mot perfect one A rather darwinian approach!

Regards: Tom

Fliger747 wrote:Hank:
For the bridge external windscreens would something like a strip or two of FEP work better and be stronger to back up the frame? One of the issues with printing instead of hand construction is to scrap and re print for a minor improvement, something we would never do with a hand built piece. So we end up with a succession of resin offspring in the hopes of getting the mot perfect one A rather darwinian approach!
Regards: Tom

Tom,
Well, I had originally designed into the frame an inset in the back of the windscreen that would have accommodated a strip of FEP as you suggest. However, in the redo of the design, I simplified the frame and left that out.

As for making successive editions, with the printer it's easy to do that - and pick the best of the lot. I hate to set up the printer for one part alone, esp. if it's something small. So, as in the case of the RADAR dish for the Mk. 56 director, I printed 4 and got 2 that are fair, and 2 that came out very well. The lockers I just finished designing, I'll probably print a half dozen of each, even though I think I only need 2 each.

Hank

I hope to have a picture of the Mk. 56 in place (mock up, not glued) - I picked the best of the 4 items I had printed and painted. So, this is now complete.

Yesterday & today I designed & printed 3 accommodation ladders & platforms for the model - this will be in the stowed position, so at this juncture I have not drawn up the handrails, but may at a later date to also include as stowed items. Here are the design pictures and then the ladder/platform in the stowed position on the stbd. side of the amidships deckhouse: I've also installed the one life raft rack on the after side of the 3" gun tub but did so after taking the photo.
So, slowly things are all falling into place.

Hank

Hank:

The accommodation ladder came out quite detailed! Especially that you were able to have the treads open. I didn't attempt that on the APA, though not sure what surface they had. I expect solid with a non skid surface?

Good work! Tom

Howdy Hank and all,

Again excelent progress in the ladder, highly detailed and finely finished.
Have you got any picture that you can share ?

TIA, and nice going in NC,

Willie.

Willie wrote:Howdy Hank and all,
Again excelent progress in the ladder, highly detailed and finely finished.
Have you got any picture that you can share ?
TIA, and nice going in NC,
Willie.

Thanks, Willie - working on it!! Have been taking a break from shopwork today, but will go out and see if I can get some updated photos and post them.

Hank

OK, here are a few photos of the current state of STODDARD:

From aft moving forward -
After deckhouse w/Mt. 33 & Mk. 56 (new) Torpedo Deck with Mk. 32 Tubes Nav Bridge & Pilot House I have to cut out openings in the P.H. railing for the V.L. that also needs to be added.

Hank

Hank:

You got that weathered canvas color of the fire hose just right. Also like the effect of being able to peer into the pilothouse deck structure.

Tom

Thanks, Tom!!!

I'm rather pleased with the canvas hose color, also. Those "white" ones never lasted very long - except, the one's mount on the inside passageways, etc. out of the weather. I have yet to create the front/side bridge canopies - haven't decided how to do those yet; 3D design or simply cut out of extra thin styrene sheet.

Hank

Today was Vertical Ladder day - designed & printed a couple dozen of them - had a few printing problems, but have worked all that out. Running out of PE ladders caused the desire for a more accurate version, hence 3D design!

Design of 6' long Vertical Ladder: This design file can also quickly be copied and then lengthened as needed for other lengths of vertical ladders, etc.

4th printing of the ladders: The 2nd printing (different orientation) was also successful: One is broken, but the others quite useable. So, I've got more than enough to finish the model! This sheet has been painted and I'll do the other sheet tomorrow. So, another part to fill the parts bin!

Hank