Digital Navy's BB-3 Oregon, 1:250

[murban]

Hello fellow card modelers,

I am currently building Digital Navy's Oregon and I want to share some techniques with you that I will use during the build.

The methods are greatly influenced by the way Scorpio builds his models and I wanted to check out if "normal" people can put them to use as well.

The build starts with the waterline plate laid out, adjusted for straightness and fixed to the building board.

 

[murban]

The next step is adding the upper parts of the framework and the deck. This is shown in the next picture.

No big miracles here, everything fitted nicely.

 

[murban]

Now the underwater part of the framework is prepared and laid out.

Make sure you check all frames for symmetrie during a dry fit.
Next, the framework is glued below the waterline plate of the already completed framework.

 

[murban]

It is vital to sand the edges of the frames so that they follow the form of the hull.

In the image below you can see how it should look like.

 

[murban]

After everything has properly dried, paper strips are added to the frames to aid in glueing the hull planking. The red strips were provided in the kit, the white strips are my own additions.

Well, they really are Scorpios idea, but they proved to be vital!

 

[murban]

Now the hull planking has been added and already sanded to flatten any protruding seams.

I will paint the underwater hull, so I didn't bother coloring any white edges.

 

[murban]

Here is a closeup of the stern planking. It was a bit tricky to get it on, but I finally managed to get it straight.

Before painting, the rudder and the shaft tunnel will be added.

 

[murban]

The first layer of paint has been added. I used RAL 3000 (fire-red) acrylic paint. Make sure that it is not water-based paint or you will ruin your hull.

 

[murban]

While the paint dries ( I will paint the hull at least three times, sanding down any rough edges between each layer), I am preparing some of the parts that will be needed later.

Here the first deck piece.

 

[murban]

The bulkwards that hold the deck will be glued around the edges of the deck piece later. To have a little more surface to apply glue to, I am adding thin strips of cardboard to the underside of the deck.

The arrow points to the added strips. Comparing to the left side of the deck, you can see how the glue surface is enlarged.

That's it for now, I hope you find this thread interesting.

best regards,
Michael

 

[murban]

Finished adding all cardboard stripes. The deck was slightly curved, therefore I added some strengthening pieces to the underside of the deck and pressed the assembly flat until dry.

Then I added the first bulkhead. To avoid having to fold the piece, I cut it apart at all fold marks and glued on all the pieces separately. This has two advantages - first, it provides for sharp corners and second I avoid ink coming off at the folds as this is a color laser print.

This is how it looks from below

 

[murban]

And this is a view from from outside.

Note that I had to remove the cardboard stripes from the areas where the openings for the casemat guns are - that's what happens when you glue first and think then...

That's it for now folks, shipyard is closed for the night.

If you have any questions or comments, please let me know.

regards,
Michael

 

[jrts]

Hi Michael

Very good tips on how to get a real good finish to the hulls 8)

Looking forward to the rest of this

Regards

Rob

 

[barry]

Nice one Michael !!!!

I like the tip on cutting each wall seperately and avoiding the folds I will have to remember that one for the future.

regards

barry

 

[busyguy]

USS Oregon

Great stuff! I got the Oregon for Christmas but haven't done more than cut out the hull pieces yet. Your thread here is VERY helpful. Some questions if I could please? In the strips that went on the bulkheads, before the underwater hull plating is put on. Did you use thin paper (20lb) or cardstock? And in putting on the hull plating, did you start in the center and work toward the ends, or start at the bow/stern and work to the other end? Also, thanks VERY much for the tip on sanding the bulkeads to conform to the hull shape!

Pat Stapleton

 

[murban]

Hi Pat,

for the strips I have used cardstock - basically the same type that I used for all the other parts. But thin paper will do fine. I just forgot to change the paper in the printer.

Thanks for the question about hull plating - it is important and I forgot to mention.

You have to start at the ends and work towards the middle. I started at the bow and worked backwards to the center. Then I added the stern piece and worked forward to the center. When working at the stern you might want to dry-fit the two aftmost pieces together - I had a little problem there and knowing where the next piece will go might help.

In any case, the last piece of plating you add should be the one that has the most simple outline. Usually this is a center piece. In many kits the center piece is a little oversized to allow the correction of inaccuracies that occured in the plating. I don't know if this is the case in this kit, but I had to cut about 1mm from the last piece to make it fit. Your mileage may vary. Leaving a part with a simple shape for last makes it very easy to correct things. Cut out the last part with some additional material around it, just in case your gap is larger than the part.

If you would work from one end to the other, then you would have to make your corrections on either the bow or the stern - which would be much more complicated.

I hope this answers your questions. Feel free to ask more.

regards.
Michael

 

[busyguy]

Building Oregon

Thanks! Your very kind to share your knowledge. I probably will have some more questions, once I get around to actually doing some building. Unfortunately, the wife has first call on my construction time, and she has "plans" for the kitchen. Gentlemen, don't ever let your wife wander through kitchen section of a Home Depot looking for ideas. She'll get them.

 

[murban]

Here's the hull after three coats of paint, applied with a roller.

Should it get a little warmer in the next days, then I will sand it down another time and spray on the last coat. If not, it will stay as it is.

regards,
Michael

 

[barry]

Michael

Looks so good it gives Christoph a run for his money and a very interesting thread to read.

barry

 

[busyguy]

Building Oregon

That is a beautiful finish on the hull. only three coats? Very nice.