1:1000 scale MS KREFELD by WHV

[Jim Krauzlis]

Hi, All!

What better way to start off the new year but with a new model?:grin:
I figured I would try something new with something new, so I reduced this kit to a Micromodel scale...it is a Wilhelmshaven model from the Lehrmittelinstitut series originally in 1:500 scale (this one of the KREFELD is a motor ship freighter, kit number 502), which I scanned and then printed out at 50% to give me a 1:1000 scale ship model. At this scale, as I am learning, the paper thickness has to be considered as it affects to some degree the way the parts fit together, but more on that later.

One thing I like about this series is the way the models is the way the formers are made so as to guide the decks into place using slots, and in the larger scale there are slots cut into the deck to help in placement of the bulkheads which have tabs, but I felt it's easier to assemble to remove all tabs, so the slots in the decks were not used in construction...the formers, however, still helped if placing the decks.

Here's the hull constructed in which you can see the way the formers rise and help in placing the main deck.

Here's another view:

One thing I would do different next time is to detach the hull sides from the base part; as originally designed the sides fold up at the center area, and are glued with tabs at the bow and stern. I felt the paper thickness at this scale imparted a bit of a gap at the fold which I thought, although small, is noticeable and doesn't allow a smooth run of the joint between the sides and base.

Cheers!
Jim
(continued)

 

[Jim Krauzlis]

Here you can see the start of adding the deck levels to the midship house...again, the decks fit onto the center former using a slot, and I found no problem with the paper thickness in making this joint properly.

The decks went on fairly quickly, and this is where I am after two days of working on her, in the evening hours:

The forward part of the house wraps around the midship house and fit fairly way, although I did notice a slight difference in the way it lined up along the sides because of the paper thickness...I used 65# paper, so it's not really all that thick, but the smaller scale makes it a possible factor in some parts of the construction, like with the forward house wrap around.

Here's another view:

(continued)

 

[fimdan]

Alternative Scale

Why not scale it to 1:2006 ? It would be only twice as small .
Sounds like you are going to have a lot of fun with all those tiny parts. Nice ship. Keep it coming.

Happy New Year

FimDan

 

[Jim Krauzlis]

Another area where the paper thickness factors into the scale is the inside parts of the bulwarks...the original design has the interior bulwark attached to the main deck, and they fold up and glue to the inside of the hull sides. There was a slight fitting problem because of this, and the final bulwark is thicker than it should be. In the next build I would simply remove those interior portions, opting to paint the inside bulwarks instead, and have the deck installed without the interior bulwark tabs.

Well, just two more views for today...

Not sure if I will get a lot of time today to continue, besides I'm still redoing the 36 foot pinnance on my Constitution and I want to get that done too! So many models to work on, but limited time...decisions, decisions! :roll:

Thanks for stopping by to have a look!

Happy New Year to one and all!!

Cheers!

Jim

 

[Jim Krauzlis]

Hi, FimDan!

Now THAT would be a small ship! Hmmmm....nah, not now, but I will have to think about that...as it is this scale is taxing my eyes a bit.

Yeah, the small parts that lie ahead will be a bit of a challenge. Not sure yet, but I figure on trying to make the anchor winch, cargo winches and probably the bollards, but even at the original scale of 1:500 the kit just portrays them as printed, so maybe I should take the hint?

Thanks for the kind words!

Cheers!

Jim

 

[Kevin G]

Man you are really cranking this one out Jim! She looks great and its so small. Maybe I should switch to small scale models then I wouldn't be stuck messing with 5000 small parts like on my Missouri! Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing the pics!

 

[dwgannon]

Jim,
Your a sick puppy. It makes my hand hurt just thinking about doing some thing that small. But it looks fantastic. What a way to start the new year. I am still working on the re-paint of the B-1B.

 

[barry]

Freighter

Hi Jim

Yet another tiny mastershipwrights course coming, looks far larger scale than it is. Even with the magnifying glasses I doubt I could see her properly. Are you going to rig her as running at sea or preparing to unload. Now that I am looking forward too.

regards

 

[eibwarrior]

Great work!

Jim,

That's some good stuff. I want to enlarge models to make them easier to work on while you do the opposite. That speaks to your great skills.

Keep up the good work, I might get brave enough to try something similar in the near future.

 

[CharlieB]

Jim:

Your work simply amazes me. Looking forward to seeing more.

CharlieB

 

[Gil]

Jim,


Don't sneeze!

-Gil

 

[Jim Krauzlis]

With the recent cold spell, I picked the wrong time of year here on Long Island to build this one....:roll:

Ah, Ah, Ah...Chooo!

I didn't get to work on her last night, but the night before I started putting together some fiddly bits like the after mooring winch (it's printed on the deck, but I figured it would look better in 3D), cargo masts and booms. Hope to get back to her tonight, as well as finish up the new 36' pinnance on my Constitution (didn't like the way the first one looked, based on the kit template, so I figured I would take the plunge and build her up from scratch).

Thank you all for your very kind comments, but this isn't all that. I am finding this kit is relatively easy even given it's size, as long as I keep in mind the paper thickness and make some adjustments for that. I recommend trying at least one micromodel just to see that it isn't all that hard all things considered. One big thing is to eliminate any tabs on the parts and just butt join them, because those tabs add a significant thickness to the joint at this scale. If I had thought about it more before hand I might have also sanded the ends of joints a bit to make it a tighter joint, particularly where there is a 90 degree connection (i.e., 45 degree angle to the edges); that way very little of the edges would be visible...might have to keep that in mind on the next micromodel. I will also try to pre-color the edges next time as well, as my shakey hands show up in the poor coloring job on the interior bulwarks...when you get into those small spaces the slightest shake will end up putting paint where you don't want it.

bazzer, I think I will rig the booms for sea, so I can avoid some of the vangs, etc., which the working boom arrangement requires. I will try and build a few cargo winches as the printed ones don't meet muster and, after all, it IS a cargo vessel.:grin:

Hopefully I'll have more to show soon.

Cheers!

Jim

 

[Jim Krauzlis]

Hi, Gang!

Just a few more photo updates. Not much time for modeling lately, but this weekend looks to be a great one for indoor stuff, what with the rain storms and threat of a snow storm on the horizon.

I added the two aft hatches, some cargo masts and vents. I also played around with an anchor winch with chain in the forecastle. Not sure if it looks as realistic as I had hoped, but it was fun to fool around with anyway.

So, here's what she looks like so far:

This is a quartering view just to give another perspective on how she's coming along:

Looking from the other side, she's getting there slowly but somewhat surely:

Here's a look at the forward area, and the forecastle. As you can see, still a bit of a ways to go, not the least of which is figuring out how I might do the cargo booms and lines, but it's really a lot of fun working on her.

We'll see if there is more to show this weekend, but thanks for stopping by in the meantime.

Cheers!

Jim

 

[barry]

1/1200 freighter

Hi Jim

Looks fantastic, like anchor winch set. Glad you are getting to the rigging then I can try and copy you and finish my freighter as well.

Regarding the painting of the inside of the bulwarks and for that matter all other double sided jobs as you are reprinting anyway work out a simple square block mask in paintshop or something (you will get the hang of how to invert it pretty quickly) and colour the back of the sheet. Saves a lot of swear words old mate.

regards


barry

 

[Jim Krauzlis]

Wotcher, bazzer!

Talk about something that makes you go "Duh!", you are so right, I should have thought of that.

I scanned this model and so it would have been a simple matter of figuring out how to block out the reverse side coloring so all uncolored sides would be eliminated and reduced to just the edges of the card. I've been printing out other models, getting acquainted in the process of how the paper feeds into the printer to orient the reverse side with the first printed side, so it wouldn't be a tough thing at all. Excellent suggestion, mate, as usual. I'll have to keep that in mind for the next project.

I hope my rigging gives you some ideas for the freighter, though truth be known you have been giving me all the tips and ideas lately, not the other way around.

The anchor windlass, like the bollards and cargo winches, are just printed on the deck, so I felt they needed some 3D to look right. I'll probably try something for the bollards and cargo winches, but haven't decided whether I should try some railings at this small scale yet. Time will tell.

Hope to get more done on this one in the next few days.

Thanks again for the great idea, mate!

Cheers!

Jim

 

[Jim Krauzlis]

Well, I got to do a bit more today, so here it goes....

This is what she looks like at this time...I put in the rest of the cargo masts and most of the vents, as well as the forward cargo hatches and mast house.

Here's another view from the bow:

And from the stern:

Now for the question of the day...can you tell what these are?

Well that's it for now...just moving along here. I should have another update soon, as well as the answer to the question.

Thanks for stopping by and taking a look.

Cheers!

Jim

 

[barry]

question

It's a winch chain to stop you playing with cat on the floor when you drop them !!!!

 

[Bowdenja]

Jim....Dude.......... I still don't see how you work at that scale!

Lovely though it is, I bogger up 1/33!

john

 

[Jim Krauzlis]

Hello, everyone!

Barry, you are correct, as usual, mate! That strip contains the cargo winches. I find it easier to build such things in a sequence, giving me a better chance to have them all turn out looking about the same.

Here's a view with them installed on the mast houses and on the deck.

Having them on the strip makes it a lot easier to build, I have found...and fewer end up on the floor!

This view shows a bit of the forecastle, where you may see I added the forecastle access hatch.

This view shows her from the starboard quarter.

continued....

 

[Jim Krauzlis]

continued...

And this is an almost bows on view...starting to look more like a freighter, I hope.:roll:

This view of the stern area hopefully shows the emergency steering station on the poop deck.

John, it's really just a matter of reducing the build into subassemblies...and trying not to exhale too much. Having a set of clip on magnifiers helps a lot, but at this scale the build owes a lot to merely suggesting the impression of the actual part, rather than being a totally accurate build...even just a smidgen of extra glue can either detract from the appearance or add to the illusion. I used a glob of glue on the ends of the anchor windlass to try and suggest the appearance of a winch head, but I'm not all that sure if the effort was successful.:cry:

Next, I'll start with the installation of the cargo booms...which should be in the next update.

Thanks so much for stopping by and taking a look!

Cheers!

Jim