This is my current project, the 1/96th scale Old Steam Navy resin kit of the USS Weehawken. I'm in the final stages, I need to work on the ship's boats and their required block and tackle, crew figures, display base, etc., but this long project is coming to an end.

Sweet project Devin!
I've taken the liberty of making this post into a "Blog" so you can continue to add updates more easily...keep us posted on the progress, mate!
Cheers,
Gunny

Spent many days in good old Weehawken, NJ
Wonderful view of the New York Skyline.
Some duel took place there a long time ago.

Really nice looking build. what is the date on the penny

No where near as old as it should be! I do have a few Morgan silver dollars around here somewhere, but even they don't go back to 1863.

Devin,
I have a flying eagle from 1864.

Seriously, that is a great looking build!

Excellent work, Devin. Love the Monitors. I"m looking forward to it's finish.

Steve

very nice and crisp build so far... reason I enjoy ships more than other types is the breadth of choices and possibilities, such as this one.. look forward to the rest, great topic!

Awesome build Devin. I love ironclads.

later...Gator

Hi Devin,

Excellent work, looks great so far.

Al

Thanks for the feedback, everyone. I hit a snag with the display base and cover -- the first time I'm building my own -- and that kind of knocked the wind out of my sails. I hope to get more deck clutter installed this weekend and then post more photos.

Not a lot of progress this weekend. I'm taking it slower and working on little stuff, most of which involves the ship's launches and isn't far enough along for me to worry with photos yet. Below are shots of the bow and anchor (which hangs from a cylindrical anchor well), the stern (the prop is white metal, painted brass, and weathered with glazes), and an overall shot of the stack and hatch comings waiting to be permanently attached. You can also make out in these photos the numerous flush rivets that line the hull side plating. All hull plating was scribed by me (the kit came perfectly plain and flat) and the rivets were made with a jewelers punch tool.

I've been getting a lot, and I mean a lot, of questions along the lines of "so, when does she get her black paint?". The answer is she does not. Contrary to popular belief, most ironclads were not overall black. Weehawken herself was described as being "lead" color which comes out to this shade of blue-gray. The gray she is now is how she will remain. The red stack band is also from written accounts, and the lower hull red is based upon other ships of the class and the original Monitor.

It seems everybody likes Civil War ironclads over ther, and I sure do too! What a beauty, and a big one too apparently. i just love the precision of the work involved as well as all the details pics
congratulations!

Nice!! Is that the new base she's sitting on?

Yes it is. I'm very happy with how the base and case cover are turning out for my first attempt at making them myself. I believe I'll be rolling my own from now on.

Beautiful work Devin.

A few more photos. First is the nameplate I had made by Double O Laser Services. Amazing quality. The plaque is 3.5" long and was $24 shipped. It also has two mounting screws.

Next are shots of my stack rigging. I'm using single strands of braided picture hanging wire. It's finer than the steel wire that Gary Kingzett gave me and showed me how to twist into anchor points. I'm able to take a single strand and twist it into anchor loops, doubled up on the bottom, and the excess wire fits nicely into the deck and into the 1/48th scale Grand Line styrene turnbuckles. For the main stack rigging I'm also using a double twist of the same wire. I wish I didn't have to use the ring attachment point on the top where it meets the stack, but the alternative is pulling the mounting points out of the already finished stack and twisting new ones like I did on the deck side, and at this point that won't be happening.

All of this still needs to be painted after I do the other three runs.

Very nice, love the detailing... awesome looking plaque! Crisp and professional, worth the price for an important build. Thanks for sharing!

I've been working on figures this weekend. These are the 1/96th scale resin figures offered by Cottage Industry Models. The tallest of the upright figures are right at 20mm tall. I'm calling these guys "complete", but I'll probably tinker with them. I said I was done yesterday and then decided to try making the brass buttons and shoulder boards on the officers. The bottom photo shows who will be the ship's sentry; I modified his hand position so he can hold the rifle, added an ammo clip box and belt to his waist, and I scratch built the rifle, using plastic for the stock and barrel, and 1/350th scale 20mm photo etch to fabricate a strike plate and hammer.

hello Devin,
i love the ship,but the figures and rifle are fantastic.i have been thinking about doing a ironclade,you just helped me to go ahead take the risk and order one.
thanks for the photo's and your thoughts on the subject.
cheers,
Bruce

Fantastic work Devin, beautifully built ironclad, the high quality is truly enhanced by the plaque and the base. I look forward to seeing the figures on the display.

Frank

I'm at the point where I work for several hours and then stand back and say "did I accomplish anything?" The final details are the slowest part on this end of the build (the filling and sanding being the slowest part of the initial side of the process).

First are photos of the ship's boats. Two perfectly find styrene boats came with the ship, but they had no hull detail at all. I couldn't get my scribing to work along the curves of the hull, so I ordered these two Amati 90mm boats. Beautiful metal hulls and rudders, dark wood included for the details. Since I've included no wood elsewhere on the project, I replaced that with strip styrene. In the photo you can see one completed and primed, the other is ready to be primed. They will both be overall white/ivory.

On the ship herself I've finished the clear turret roof and the pilot house. I've attached all of the two-ball stanchions, and the brass boat davits. I also have added more dry-brushing and pastels to give everything a bit more life, some of it's a bit heavy right now, but the final flat coat will bring it all together.

At this point I need to do a final clear coat, finish painting the boats, and then run the life lines and rig the davits. The end is near!

The last 10% takes 90% of the time
It looks really good. The detail for the scale is great.

Nice display, Devin!


Like you have said, mate, the "end is near"...love the build, and would like to use it for an "On Display" feature (insert hint here ).......great modeling!

Just two quick photos before I run out the door this morning. She's basically "done", but I will add more figures and some more lines on deck this coming week before MosquitoCon next Saturday. Even though I made a few flubs I learned a LOT building this kit and really enjoyed it. Once I finish the rest of the lines on deck and get a new bulb for my photography lighting I'll post more detailed photos.