Baltimore Class Heavy Cruiser

It’s a mold building weekend here at Modelshipsahoy. This Baltimore plug was donated long ago in trade for a hull. It is a wreck. So many reasons why I prefer to build my own plugs.

First I figured out the thing is an inch too long and had to chop off and rework the lines of the transom. Then, This thing has all kinds of wiggle in it and I keep burning holes trying to sand out the humps.

Worked all afternoon on it without even realizing that the skeg is WAY off center. Thanks to my lovely wife for pointing that out to me.... now I owe her a back rub. Gotta go.

I fix Tomorrow. Good night moon.

 

Skeg cut off and relocated. I’ve used 1/2 a gallon of Bondo on this project already... primer shot will help fine finish before this gets set to mold.

 

Do you ever sleep? Are you a robot love the pics awsome work sir.

 

Sometimes. Not enough. Lots going on here. Hopefully tooling gel on the Baltimore today along with a fast cat deck and hatch and the turrets for Omaha and Tirpitz.

Baltimore still a little lopsided. Trying to make it nice before it becomes a mold.... it’s not being nice.

 

Looking good from this angle

 

Looking much better now... had to rebuild and templet most of the starboard side.

You guys think polyester resin stinks?... Try Tooling Gel!

 

Baltimore mold all laid up. Should be available this weekend.

 

So the other day I have two of my pre-teen boys wax the plugs... I supervised them for all but this one. I left them “working” on it for 2 hours and came back to find them sword fighting with tape measures. “It’s all done Dad!” They said.... six hours of destructive plug removal later I’m thinking I got bamboozalled.

And to add to my pain, my 50 year old saber saw just couldn’t cut it any more and decided to retire.

 

sound like there is going to be some ship yard worker refresher training in the near future...be careful they have a union you know

 

No joy on combat models this week... a new 41” Harbor Launch mold came online.

 

The boys redeemed themselves on this fast cat hatch!

 

I’ve had better days...

 

Baltimore got to take a step forward in a tooling gel shot for some other projects today. The starboard side was wrecked bad by the boys lack-a-wax. Still a ways to go before production.

 

You really are impressive

 

Thanks Evan... was not so much me, props go to my new spray nozzle.

 

your really tough on your nozzles, aren't you.

 

You gotta be tough on em... or they grow up to be wimps.

 

Haven't done q whome lot of spraying. But it's TRUE go easy and they clog constantly . Awsome job on that can't wait to see more

 

Medical attention was given to the Baltimore Molds bad case of Chisel Pox. Gel got a little chuncky on me towards the end of the batch, so the port lip will probably get a spray job just cause it’s ugly anyway.

 

Still looks really good