I've seen where you can simulate the canvas blast bags on gun turrets, but never exactly how. Mike Ashley said to use white glue, but not much else. Use it straight, thinned with water? Pour straight from the bottle or let it set up for a few minutes? Do you put any backing behind the barrels to keep the glue from just running down the back end of the barrel?

This might help-
http://www.naplak.com/Modeling/turrets.htm


last time I saw the Wisconsin her blast bags were black rubberized canvas

I would use dilluted white glue and tissue paper. Lay the paper on and slowly soak it with the glue/water mix, forming it as you go. Let dry and paint. Looks just like canvas or rubberized canvas.

A tiny rope of epoxy putty ( blue and yellow) or Milliput works real well too just work it with a wet toothpick!

My first choice is Squadron whilte putty. Of course I build 350 scale. For 700 sscale, I would assemble the turret....tubes in place ad use the thick Elmers type glue a drop or two......let it dry.....apply aagin as necessary.

When I do the putty, I have found it works best by gluing in the barrels and pushing the putty into place from inside the turret.

Hi Mark

On my current project (1:700 USS Arizona) I have used the system John Fields described - white milliput.

It can be a little teddious task (we are talking about 12 blast bags - and they are supposed to be very similar between them ) but rewarding.

I never have used elmers glue / white glue, but I guess the effect would be more smooth


I made a little roll of millliput, bend it around the brass barrel and then with a metal scriber, started to shape it and make the crevises, folds and bends with it. Tried to make all the front of the bags aligned and in the same sahepe and size (easier said than done!).
Take your time and if anything goes wrong, just remove that milliput bit, take a little break and start again!

Skipper

WOW guys, I am inpressed! I can't use putty with out getting it everywhere and you guys roll it up into 1/2 mm logs and form it around a 1mm barrel???

I'll keep with the white glue for a bit and report back on how I finally got it to work.

I want to thank everyone for their answers to this question as well. I've collected a 1/700 stash of ships I would like to start on, and this was one of the questions that was in the back of my mind. Good techniques, all. Given what I have on hand, I think blaster76 ideas will work for me...thanks very much, Steve.

Mike

We are talking about Epoxy putty - Duro 2 part ribbon is one Milliput is another. it has the feel of clay - you mix the two parts together and sculpt it - working time varies with the brand - a more expensive solution would be Aves-
http://www.avesstudio.com/Products/Apoxie_Sculpt/apoxie_sculpt.html

John,

Yeah, I've used Miliput before. Nice stuff, I love the work with water before it sets up action. I'm not as happy with the solvent based putties (Bondo, Testor's red, Squadron's white or green)

I use Mike Ashley's book as well. You are right in saying that he does not say whether to thin the glue or not. On pg 23 though it shows him using Aluminum foil as a backing to keep the glue from running down the barrels of the guns.
I would venture to say you would need the glue straight from the bottle though to keep the glue from running behind the tin foil though..

Paul

Great catch! I recall the foil, I just didn't pay a lot of attention to it at first. I'm guessing that you're right on not thinning either. I might actually pour some out and let it stand a few minutes before I try to pour it so it could evaporate a little bit.

I've used acrylic gel medium, applying it with a toothpick. When the first application dries, I add more, repeating the process until it's built up to my satisfaction.

This picture was my first attempt at it, on my 1/600 Airfix Repulse, built about 4 years ago. It was also one of my first attempts at weathering, and not a good attempt!

Hi Martin

You are being to humble!
I like it, even if it is slightly overdone

It is so hard to keep weathering right to the scale we are working

Skipper

Martin,

Thanks, I just happen to have some gel medium for doing the water on this project. I'll give it a try.

Martinn the weathering ain't that good ???!!! I tend to disagree sharply with that statement, I think it is incedible. 99 % of what I've seen has either no weathering or looks like Joe's rust-bucket tramp steamer.

MD--- I would take some hunks of sprue that are close to the diameter and experiment with all these wonderful suggestions until you find the one that is the eaiest and least expensive. I know that this one thing goes a long way in appearance as most kits don't use them so the modeler can turn the turret around and lift the guns...a throwback to when models were built to play with.

Steve,

Thanks, that's a good idea on how to learn the techniques. Hopefully, I get a chance to try it soon. Sadly, I am old enough to remember those ship models as toys days. That's why I cut the guns apart and posed the barrels at different elevations (slavo mode)