Re: Phantom 1868
 

Bwahahahaha. Mine arrived a day early *nya nya* :banna: I already started cutting out my templates, other than that I got nothing. I just printed out the Guide by Chuck Passaro and i've been reading my Jackstay. I did inventory all the parts and everything seems in order. Tonight i'll start looking at shaping that hull down to its proper dimensions. Off to an interesting start.

Christian

Re: Phantom 1868
 

Hey all, finally received my kit, situated my work area, and all set to start; but.......after ordering my key tools:

*columbina vaccum vise
*clamps, chisels, squares, etc...

....................the primary tool i plan to use on my frist step of hull sanding and shaping ( an electric hobby drill is backordered on modelexpo)......

Jeez!! Will I ever get started???????
(just about researched and prepared to my fullest sanity)


Corey

Re: Phantom 1868
 

Well, I finished coppering tonight. As you can see the larboard side is much smoother. It was recommended to me that I “burnish” the plates with the backside of a fingernail to smooth them out. This worked very well, and the difference can be seen.

I was also told that a good idea is to rub (from bow to stern) the plates after they are all on with fine steel wool. This should smooth them out and remove oily fingerprints that might show up as the copper tarnishes. Have not bought any steel wool yet though…

I am still considering sealing the hull with some sort of aerosol poly. I keep snagging on the individual plates as I handle the hull.

Looking forward to seeing everyone else’s phantoms as they progress!

~Clayton

Re: Phantom 1868
 

My Phantom was waiting for me on the front stoop when I got home from work. After letting to dog out (first things first) I popped open the box and gave it a quick lookover. I too was surprised at the size -- I thought the hull was a lifeboat and they forgot to put in the "real" boat hull. Live and learn. Then I checked the parts list and tools. Everything's there. Read through the Jackstay last night. I have a 4 day weekend to get started. I'll post photos of my progress. I'll try to work slowly, deliberately and with accuracy, however I have a photo of my next challenges hanging over work area to keep me moving forward -- Benjamin Latham Grand Banks Fishing Schooner. Good luck and Godspeed to us all!

Ric

Re: Phantom 1868
 

Yes, use the Deft Lacquer Sanding Sealer under the copper plates. In fact, I use it on all wood parts, except those you might want to stain first. I use it whether the wood is subsequently painted or not. Deft is just a sanding sealer. It seals the wood and allows you to sand to a much finer profile before painting, thereby preventing subsequent coats of paint from raising the grain. It’s of no use to sand bare wood much finer than 120 to 150 grit, since the first coat of any paint or clear coating will automatically raise the grain to a 120 to 150 grit profile, (make it fuzzy). Of course, after applying a couple coats of Deft, just sand with 120 or 150 grit under the copper plates, since the plates will cover it anyway.

I like Deft Lacquer Sanding Sealer for two reasons. It dries in 30 minutes to an hour, and it has a very fine filler powder in it that imparts a sort of antiqued satin look to wood if the wood is not subsequently painted. Clear varnish and urethanes are just too shiny and slick. It is available at Home Depot.

While I’m thinking about paints, Floquil has a very interesting article on scale painting, which can be downloaded from their website. Its basic premise is that the smaller the scale, the flatter and grayer the color. This is because the mind does not fully perceive a 2 foot long model as a small version of the real thing. It perceives it as being the real thing, but far away, and the farther away something is the flatter and grayer the color is. A full size locomotive may be shiny black, but when modeled in HO scale, shiny black looks wrong. A flat or semi flat very dark charcoal looks right.

For black hulls and black parts on a model ship, I love Floquil’s lacquer based “Grimy Black”. It’s in their “Railroad Colors” series. I know, you’re thinking “I’m not putting anything called Grimy Black on my ship,” but I’ve tried every black made and this one just looks right. Try it. I have yet however, to find the perfect white.

Re: Phantom 1868
 

Funny how all of us (we?) phantom builders sounded shocked by its size. Am I the only one who found the instructions and parts list vague? It doesn't say when to paint (before or after coppering) and I had no idea that the templates were supposed to meet in the middle (centerline). I guess I'm just a greenhorn (this is my first attempt). I also didn't anticipate spending another $200 for tools and stuff. My wife didn't anticipate me converting the den into a workshop either!
The Jackstay was quite a read. Man, I feel like I'm building a real boat. In 3 days I've faired the hull, busted out the transom while carving the gunnels and have just finished shaping the deck. I found that using my dremmel with a round sandpaper head worked great to get the gunnels to size. Any suggestions on cutting in the waiste? Tonight I get to figure out which piece of wood to make the keel out of and how to attach it to the hull. Then I have to figure out how to curve the keel up to the bowsprit. If I remember the technique was shown in the Jackstay...
It is slow going but kind of fun.

Re: Phantom 1868
 

Hey Mike, welcome to the forum! Sounds like you are further along than I am. I was less than impressed with the instructions as well. Have you checked out the Phantom Practicum?

Re: Phantom 1868
 

Hey Clayton,

I downloaded the practicum yesterday. What a Godsend! So technical yet succint and easy to understand. I now know that I'm going to finish this thing and it is going to look good when I'm done too!!! seriously though, it's taken me about 5 hours to finish the hull and deck. Cutting the waste took some time and was very delicate work. Tonight I do some coppering. That should be fun! I'm such a geek.

Mike

Re: Phantom 1868
 

Mike:
So how did you remove the waste from the bulwark? That is the very next step for me and I am not sure how I want to go about it. I will probably follow Chuck’s advice in the practicum unless you (or anyone else) might suggest an easier way to do it. I am a little nervous about this part of the modeling process because of all of the warnings about how easy it is to break a piece of the bulwark off while thinning it.

How’s the coppering going? Once I got started it was a lot of fun for me, and the completed product is very satisfying to look at. I would enjoy seeing some pictures of your progress.


Steve:
I was just about to order some acupuncture needles, but will wait to hear how the 0.4mm ones work for you. Keep us posted!

~Clayton

Re: Phantom 1868
 

Hey Steve,

Good to know - I have a Dremel in my woodshop, but never thought of using with ship modeling. You mention having to maintian a "lite touch." Have you ever removed too much wood all at once?

I will have to think about trying that out...

~Clayton