The projects in this section are presented as step-by-step journals. Our intent is to delve deeper into the nuts and bolts of constructing and finishing a particular project while giving a sense of how long it takes. The subjects will range from simple kits to complex dioramas and everything in between. Authors will range in skill level, and include hobbyists and professionals.

If you have a project you would like to share here, please drop us a line to discuss it.

Nautilus

by Simon Mercs - images & text © 2005

This is a straightforward (I hope!) build of a large, limited run resin kit.

Image: The mit includes many resin detail pieces, clear vacuform styrene

Image: and white metal.

Image: Parts are cleanly cast with few flaws.

Day 1

Image: Bench-mounted vices and heavy clamps keep the pieces together while the glue sets up.

Image: Nice detail on the midships window area

Image: Ready for primer

Image: Paint is applied in thin coats so I don't bury or blur the surface details ....

Image: ... of which there is a lot.

Image: Bow

Day 2

Today I begin with the large sections that comprise the main hull sections. Several clamps are used wile the glue sets to get a good clean join. While that is setting up, I have a lot of sanding and prepping to be done on all the metal and resin parts in this kit.

Once the glue has cured on the hull I apply the first of many thin primer coats.

Day 3

Today the stand is assembled as it is a good base to work on the rest of the sections of this build. Next, all parts are trimmed and finally cleaned off. Paint will not stick if you don't prep the parts first. Acetone or paint thinner is a good cleaner for the mold release and other residues on all parts. The pictures show the simple process. Do this in a well ventilated area.

Image: The exterior of the wheelhouse

Image: Detail part

Image: Test fit

Image: Again, from beind

Image: I need to grind off some of the upper hull to get the best fit

Image: Detail pieces, painted.

Day 4

Image: The bulkhead details go inside the wheelhose structure

Image: Fit check

Image: Other side

Image: Wheel and ballast tube

Image: Engine telegraph added

Image: Everything painted

Day 5

Wheel House assembly work continues with the attaching of inside wall panels. The tiny steering and speed controls are put into place and then detail painted. These tiny parts require patience to place and paint. Tiny tarnish details are added to give the look of brass dulled by exposure to sea air. The ballast flow tube is cut from a clear plastic tube, and a blue gel strip is put into it to give the illusion of sea water. The hatch in front of the wheel house is placed to give a placement lock on the front of the wheel house "canopy". Lastly, the deck of the cabin is painted in deck steel color.

Image: The rear clear piece is very carefully installed

Image: The cotton swab holds it in place withought scratching

Image: The wheelhouse is finally glued to the hull

Image: Another coat of primer

Image: It's beginning to look like Nemo's sub

Day 6

The external details like the glass section on the rear of the wheel house are tackled today. This takes a little thought and a cotton swab to assist me. Using clear epoxy resin as a 'glue' I get a nice strong bond, and no streaks on the "glass". The wheel house canopy is finally glued onto the hull section and the porthole openings masked off to prevent the internal details from being messed up. The entire sub is once again primed in gray to unify the top and bottom section, and fill seams that would ruin the clean lines at the meeting point. I also have to be careful not to mess up the many "rivet" details that make up the entire exterior of this great kit. Limited sanding and very careful glue application are the order of the day throughout this construction.

Image: Superglue smoothes out the screw hub

Image: Cleaning up the screw guards

Image: Guards in place

Image: Struts in place

Day 7

Short day today. I spent the time I had attaching the screw to the rear section, and then building the caged strut section that surrounds it. These are all metal parts and require some bending to get the alignment correct. I gathered a lot of reference material to get a good idea at the angle and location of these parts.Once the details are etched out correctly, I proceed to prime this area and blend it in with the rest as before.

Image: A hatch here ....

Image: ... a hatch there ....

Image: ... then the dogging wheel detail.

Image: Impressive

Image: Anchor

Image: Worm gear

Image: More detail - in this case, a bollard

Image: Stern view

Image: Preparing the clear bits. The domes from the googly eyes ....

Image: ... are easier to clean up and install here than the kit supplied vacuformed plastic.

Day 8

A lot of work accomplished today! Hull structures, hatches, anchors, dorsal fin, forward fin, ffeboat and many other detail metal and resin parts are attached and primered. The Nautilus is really starting to take its familiar shape! This is a slow and careful stage as the large size makes carefull handling a must. Grab at the wrong place and the last hours work is crushed or knocked off. The stand is very useful in the assembly process, as it is a sturdy design and holds the weight without any problems.

Image: Portside ladder installed

Image: Getting there ....

Day 9

One of the most time consuming parts of the build was the ladder outside the wheel house. The supplied parts are thick brass rods that didn't look in scale to me at all. I substituted small upholstery staples that were much closer to the right size and shape. Careful bending of these parts and cutting finely to get the right span, the ladder began to take shape. The holes for the rungs were filled after insertion and primer was applied to unify all once again. This is more difficult than it looks and I spent a lot of time on it.

Image: Rust

Image: Accent color

Image: More

Image: Still more

Image: Some really dark accents

Image: More

Day 10

Today I apply the first of many color coats to the exterior hull of the Nautilus. Most builds I have seen limit this to a Rust or Dark Tarnished Brass color. I wanted mine to be a bit more complex and have some serious sea weathering effects. First the Rust was applied as a base color. Then some Gold accents were painted on several areas where the real prop had shiny Brass showing through from friction on the high sea. Then, I went into it with various dark shades of Flat Black, and Dark Iron to really start bringing out the various shades of a large metal structure with many weathered parts. You can see how the Dark colors start to merge with the sprouting of Brass colors here and there. All is allowed to dry overnight.

Image: Midships

Image: Anchor

Image: Salon

Image: Bow

Image: Wheel house

Day 11

More weathering, now moving on to the algae effects I remember from the ride at Disney World. I always thought that made the sub look really cool! You can see various sections being done in this style. The idea is built-up algae on the hull, in nooks and crannies, around grilles and hatches, running out of ballast tanks, and lots of other places you would expect to see this growth. This is all done with dry-brushing, and if done right, gives great looking results. Not too much, but part of the overall look of our model.

Image: Placing the clear 'bubbles'

Image: Windows in place

Image: Wheelhouse window

Image: Painted

Image: Frame in position, with final weathering

Image: Wheelhouse light, weathred

Day 12

Some of the last parts are applied today. All those little round bubble domes and the larger ones are placed carefully after being cut to fit. This takes patience and a lot of slicing and dicing. I cut myself a few times with the exacto, but nothing worth doing is easy. Some are painted yellow to simulate lighting, others left clear. The salon iris is closed on this kit, so I built up a nice algae effect around this to give it an authentic look. All remaining touches are finished up and allowed to dry under the heat lamps. Tomorrow, final beauty shots!

Image: Port side

Image: Wheelhouse

Image: Stern

Image: Bow

Image: Right/front view

Image: Dorsal spine, from behind

Image: Anchor

Image: Under the bow

Image: Atop the wheelhouse

Image: Another detail view

Image: Builder and model

Day 13

After a last look over to make sure I didn't miss anything, I take some pictures of the model inside and outside where the colors really come to life. At 32 inches (nearly 1 meter) long, this is an impressive piece. It's going to a doctor's office in their lobby, in a presentation case.

I hope you enjoyed this one!