Digital Navy - USS Arizona - 1/100

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eibwarrior

Member
Dec 17, 2005
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Knoxville, TN
Hello guys.

I've taken quite a long break from card modelling. I had some plastic stuff I wanted to finish, and then I was involved in building a PBR for a Vietnam Vet...

I've had the itch to get back into paper, but wasn't sure what to do. I have had the DN Arizona for a few months but that didn't seem to be enough. I saw the 1/100 Bismarck in here and thought it could use some company from the USN.

I've been wanting to build large for some time now, and I figure now is as good a time as any. So here it goes. I've run sheets 1-7 (hull structure) through my Oce printer at work and reproduced them at 250% zoom at 600 dpi. I was quite pleased with what came out. The DN format at that magnification was slightly smaller than "C" size documents.

I've started cutting those out and laminating to 2 mm card stock. The 1/250 scale Arizona calls for 1 mm card, and so the double thickness seems to fit the scale that I have now. I measured the slots for range of thickness and 2 mm works good.

This is going to be a wild build. The 1/100 Arizona will top out at 72" from bow to stern and be over 14" wide at the widest part of the hull. I look forward to the challenge of my brief modelling career. I may need to lean on you Vets in here for some advice from time to time. :wink:

Here's my first shots. Sheets 1-3 lined up from end to end. I've put a 1/350 plastic Arizona in the picture so you can get a good appreciation of scale. The other shots are sheets 1-3 laminated to the card. Boy, that 2 mm card is some expensive stuff.






 
i look forward to seeing this done since i am allso working on this model from DN my self

i wish to know if you have some errors on putting together the superstructure there are a couple of pieces that dont seem to be cut deep enough

if memory serves it was piece 8 ill confirm that when i work on mine at home

oh yeah was your office printer a laser?
 
Thanks Hermit. I've been watching your build closely. Keep up the good work.

Yeah, I'd like to know if you've run into something on the superstructure. You're much further ahead than me. My magnification to 250% would only exaggerate any mis-fit.

The Oce printer I used is for drawing reproduction (construction drawings) and only uses toner. No ink, no laser. I used it on the hull superstructure since the printing isn't critical. However, the lines seem to have come out crisp despite the magnification, and they held up well to the scissors.

I've planned to go to Kinkos for all the color sheet reproductions. I'll probably print most of that on 110 pound card.
 
idk if this will save you money or not
but what i did was run all sheets on 20# glossy laser print for the whole run
then i used 3m spray mount to attach them to various card stock
yes its a little more work but because i did it like that i got to use
20# 40# 65# and the old 110# on all the various sheets and on the superstructure i did
a layer of 20# 110# AND some really thick poster board to make it just over 1mm and it fits really nice like that
just my 2 cents since i think they charge you more for the heavier weight there and i think it prints cleaner on the 20# laser paper anyways
besides it lets the modeler decide the right thickness for what he is doing at the time
also i have never had a delamination issue with the 3m spraymount ever!!!
its like 10$ for the big can and it lasts a very long time
money well spent...

been sick and my hands have been hurting but im going to make another push on the old girl this weekend... ill race ya!!!

sign1
 
That's a good idea. I'll have to check the print costs and see how much it varies. Your's is a good idea though. If it costs a bunch to go to the heavier stock, I'll probably do that. I'd like to print my parts to a minimum 40 pound stock though, in order to reduce any wrinkling or other mishaps when mounting.

I agree about the 3M stuff. No delamination. It's a good tool and gives you a lot of flexibility.

Race me? Heck, I'm letting you debug the build for me. :twisted: Stay out front as long as you can... :mrgreen:
 
Thanks Rick.

I've got a little progress to show this evening. I cut and laminated parts for most of the weekend, and today I started cutting out finished pieces.

I have the ship's out line with the upper deck supports started. I've never cut 2mm card before. Man, that's tough stuff. I felt like a lumberjack hackin' at a Redwood with my puny hobby knife and utility knife. It would take at least three scores or more to get seperation on each cut. :cry:

I took care of that though. After a few pieces I run out to Wally World and bought a $9 pair of utility snips by Stanley. Now that's a good investment. It makes good clean cuts, even on radius. Slices right through that thick stuff with ease.

Here are a few shots to show where I'm at. Just beginning to insert the upper deck support ribs. You'll notice the handy 1/350 Arizona for reference and the very familiar cardmodels.net scale cube also. Don't blink or you might miss it. :mrgreen:

arizona4sh8.jpg


arizona5dn9.jpg
 
ok in that last shot pay attention to piece 8
you will find it is not cut deep enough to mate correctly withthe other piece
and there is one more like that a little further on


measure 2x cut 1x

i didnt discover it till i glued mine

8(

it should end at the same depth as piece 7

actually all of the pieces should be the same depth

welcome to the grind
 
Thanks for the heads-up Hermit. Yep, No. 8 is coming up tonight. I'll probably get down to about 13 or so this evening.

I'll pay close attention to them before I cut out the slots.

This is such a cool project. My wife asked me last night... "Is that whole thing one model?" sign1

Then she said... "Where are you going to put that?"

Good question. :rolleyes:
 
Hermit, you were right about rib #8, and #12 also.

Their slots are not cut deep enough to make them flush to the piece #23. I had to extend the length of those slots about 1/4" on my scale.

I'm down to #13 right now, and will get to #21 by the end of this evening. I'll starting mounting the upper half of the superstructure to #23 tonight.
 
Hi Elb

Nice to see you back at it again I shall watch this one with a lot of interest.........BIG Job looks great so far.

regards

barry
 
i have seen some of the models sanded and painted for the red lower hull
have you been considering this as well?
i am
i just wish i could find a guide to it
i allready have a airbrush
i just need to go over the "spackeling of the joints" and what is the most accurate color

i love the deep gloss red
but i am trying to make the most realistic display model

do you have the same thoughts
 
Hermit... Yes, I'm considering that. It really depends on how the hull plating looks at this scale. If I do it well enough and the joints are tight, I may skip that. If not, I may fill, sand and paint.

I'm going to play it by ear.

Barry... Thanks for checking in. I've been away far too long. This project will keep my around for a while. :cool:

Here's my update for the night. All upper structure is fitted and ready to mount to the median piece (#23). These shots were taken before gluing, and it's just sitting atop. Gluing with weights will take place overnight, then move on to the lower half of the superstructure.

The scale still blows me away, even after a week of looking at it.

arizona6wa1.jpg


arizona7ff7.jpg
 
A little progress to show this evening.

I've started the lower half of the superstructure, and have about half the ribs installed and glued.

The upper half of the hull superstructure is now firmly mounted to the median piece #22.

No turning back now. :twisted:

arizona8dq5.jpg
 
it looks like you are building 2 now? :eek:

how do you expect me to keep upwall1

i know i will send you my kitty to help you in your modeling efforts :twisted:
that should slow you down....

stooges8
 
it looks like you are building 2 now?
Click to expand...

Yep, that's the same look my wife had. :mrgreen: I still don't think she's too sure what's going on.

That's ok, you can keep kitty. I have a 4-year old and 2-year old that do well enough in that department. I have to wait until after their bed time to work. That's modeling time.
 
I usually give my 4 year old a chunk of really thick cardstock and tell him to go color it then cut it into itty bitty pieces - with those kids scissors it keeps him busy for a while :) now the darn cats - thats another story....
Chris
p.s. thanks for the update!
Chris
 
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