Scalescenes Cargo Freighter

[CNR Glen]

I have considered some lighting but for reason you mentioned (paper and fire hazards) I decided not to.

 

[Cjcrescent]

Have you considered golden LEDs?

 

[Jim 68cuda]

For the windows, my guess that by "clear film" they are referring to clear transparency film for printers or clear acetate sheets. If there were signs or windshield wipers or other window details that needed to be printed out, you could print them on clear transparency film rather than paper.

 

[CNR Glen]

I got a message back from Scalescenes this afternoon (pretty quick considering the time difference).
You are right about the transparency film but he also said I could use any thin plastic so I ended up using some of the clear plastic from a Microscale decal envelope, much like the plastic film on a window envelope. The trick it to use something thin enough so it will sandwich between the thick car layer and the paper over-layer without showing extra thickness or lines in the paper.

 

[CNR Glen]

Sorry it's taken so long for an update. Spring's here, gardening has started and that's put a crimp in my modelling time. I have managed to to get the bridge overlays and the roof on

The overlays are a bit tricky since there is a thin plastic film between the thicker interior walls and the overlays and I ended up using Eileen's Tacky glue to put it all tegether

The front overlay will go on in the next couple steps. I have noticed now that the interior won't be that well seen due to the smallish windows but that's not bothering me that much.
THe next step will be the side marker lights. I've assemble the parts, just waiting for the glue to dry on them.

 

[CNR Glen]

I've almost finished with the cabin and bridge section before it gets attached to the hull. I added the bridge and cabin fronts. You can also see to wind deflector on the top of the bridge roof.

I did make a small mistake and there was a gap between the bridge front and the side walls. I had printed an extra sheet of the walls to a cut a small part of a wall out and wrapped it around the edges to hide it.

Here you can see the completed starboard marker light and the backside of the wind deflector on top of the bridge.
I started on the structure for the funnel as well.

 

[Rico]

Really taking shape Glen!
You reminded me of when I was younger and had started work on the ships here (yes on the prairies!) The way I remembered the colors was the words Red, Left, and Port have less letters and the words Green, Right, and Starboard have more letters.
Came in handy at times until I got used to "life at sea".

 

[CNR Glen]

The way I remembered the colors was the words Red, Left, and Port have less letters and the words Green, Right, and Starboard have more letters.

I learned the same way but I was paddling a canoe, at least until I got into aviation

 

[CNR Glen]

I finished the Bidge/cabin assembly this afternoon.

The bridge front and marker lights are on. the cabin front is on as well.

And the funnel has been assembled

Now the Funnel needs a bit of touch-up around the edges with a black marker and then the assembly can be mounted on the hull assembly. After that, the hull sections go on.

 

[cengel]

What did you do to scale the image to HO. I tried to do what the instructions said and used the printer settings to scale to 87% for the warehouse freebie and it appears that the pages didn't all scale the same way as the pieces don't all fit together.

For example the doors on the front wall overlay don't line up with the thick wall sheet.

I did do the printing in multiple instances because of other things I messed up. But I set the scaling the same everytime.

 

[Midnught Special]

very cool!!

 

[CNR Glen]

What did you do to scale the image to HO. I tried to do what the instructions said and used the printer settings to scale to 87% for the warehouse freebie and it appears that the pages didn't all scale the same way as the pieces don't all fit together.

For example the doors on the front wall overlay don't line up with the thick wall sheet.

I did do the printing in multiple instances because of other things I messed up. But I set the scaling the same everytime.

Ok, I first set Page size and handling to 'Poster'. That then gives you the ability to change the tile size to 87%. Then I just printed off what pages I needed.
Other than that I don't know what else to do.

 

[silverbackman]

Hey Chris
Just my 2 cents on your printing issue.
Make sure that your printer is not set to "fill page".
Usually, when you change the scale, it turns that off, but I did have a printer a few years back (can't remember the brand, maybe a Brother) that didn't do that. Consequently, no matter what scale I printed to, it would 'scale' the image to make it fill the page.
Each printer manufacture uses different names for these settings, but it should be something like 'original' or 'normal', and you typically find it in the printer settings.
Hope that solves your issue

Glen...looking awesome! I would suggest you call in sick to your job for the next little while so that you can work on this non-stop
I so can't wait for the finished product. I imagine you too are having trouble not rushing through it just to see how it looks in the end.
Keep the photos coming, we love seeing your progress!!!

Jeff.

 

[CNR Glen]

Jeff I wopuld love to rush and finish the model off but alot of it is gluing parts and waiting for them to dry.
That being said I managed to get the 4 main hull sections glued on, as well as the bridge to the stern deck.

The bridge location is marked with lines on the stern deck but it's best if you check that the upper deck on the bridge is flush with the stern deck sides, since the hull attaches to both.
To attach the hull sides I first glued the narrower sections because they sit flat, then when that was dray I glued the curved sections, either holding them with rubberbands or my hands while the glue set up.
The front sections of the hull were done the same way.

In case you are wondering about the gaps and joints between the hull sections, there are filler pieces that will cover them in the future.
Next is the interior bulwarks.

 

[BNSF_Denali_Sub]

Glen,

This ship is coming out very cool! Im excited to see the finished project I wasnt aware of Scalescenes until I clicked on this thread and followed your link to their website. They have some pretty neat looking structures that i am thinking about buying, I especially like the modern industrial building and the fact that you can make it as long and big as you want without having to buy multiple kits, and im interested in trying out their road and parking lot kits too. But how do these things come together and look? Judging by your ship which looks to be probably the most complicated of their kits, id say they come out looking pretty darn good. Just looking for your opinion before I buy some of their kits. Have you tried their road kit?

Thanks for the info,

 

[CNR Glen]

No I haven't. I have bought their interior details kit that includes the furntiture and appliances and the interior elements that has the wall paper and floor coverings. I figure that if you did get the roadways kits it would be better to get a print shop or go to staples to print them out. I figure they'd run your black ink cartridge out pretty fast.

I agree that the ship is probably one of the most complicated models that they have since the others or mostly right angles while the ship's hull is curved. I have build more of their freebies including a brick warehouse that measures about 3" square.

 

[CNR Glen]

Got a bit more done today. I managed to cut out all the bulwarks for the inner sides of the hull and start to attach them. Unlike most of the ship parts these require some trimming and adjusting to make them fit right.

They do add stiffness (is that a word?) to the hull sides since the hull sides are on light card and these are mounted on medium. Even still I found clamping them with a tongue depressor as a straight edge to work well to keep the 'hull-wave' down.

I'm about halfway through attaching these bulwarks now. I should have that done in the next couple days.
As a bit of inspiration I watched James Cameron's: Titanic the Final Word today on the Nat Geographic channel.

 

[silverbackman]

I hope that titanic program didn't give you any ideas about sinking this ship!

Again, looking great Glen. I had to laugh when you mentioned the gluing and waiting. It made me remember my days as a kid (now I feel old too) building model planes and being so anxious to finish it that I would end up with a plane covered in "Testors glue" finger prints melted into just about every part on the plane.
Painting just plain didn't happen, and the decals, unless they were peel and stick...nope...my imagination would work just fine!

Keep the pics comin'!

Jeff

 

[CNR Glen]

Don't worry Jeff, after all this work, sinking her is the last thing on my mind!

I finished all the bulwarks this week.

There was quite alot of trimming to make them fit, especially where the two join in the middle. You will notice there is a marked place where a life ring will go but I had to trim a fair portion of that away. The life ring will still cover though.
On the stern the are bulwarks added to both the cabin and bridge decks.

There is also a life ring attached to the bridge deck bulwark. Again there was alot of clamping with clothespegs and that tongue depressor to make sure everything is flat.

 

[CNR Glen]

I finished the hull sections. There are two curved sections that you cover the stern with. These are a bit tricky to work with because of the compound curves.
I added these parts in two steps. First I glued the part that would butt up against the existing hull.

I held the panel in place with my fingers while the glue set, then I wrapped the remainder around the stern and glued it there.

The end of the panel should reach the center of the stern.

The other side is the same.

If done right the two panels should fit together on the center stern. I had to do a bit of trimming for them to fit but it was pretty close.