Return to the BUILD
In this issue, we apply additional light blocking stickers, attach our forward two funnels to the Boat Deck, and add another section of hull plating.
Contents
Parts
Materials: All of the parts in this issue are metal.
Magazine
- A Date with Destiny – Joseph Laroche from Haiti
- Edwardian Era – Progress in Physics
- Step-by-Step Instructions
Build
Forward Superstructure
As part of my Frosted Windows mod, I use sanded acrylic strips to cover up these portholes:
I also took some time to check for any light leaks along the Boat Deck structures and I found a lot! I used triangles of painter’s tape to mark them all:
I then carefully disassembled the affected Boat Deck components and ‘blacked out’ any leaks using Black Tulip Matte fabric paint. This is a very thick and very opaque paint often used by modelers to seal gaps. I used it all over the place, but I have circled a few of the locations here as an example:
Next, I realized I forgot to add a frosted panel to the Officer’s Lavatory and Marconi Radio room skylight openings, so I did that here:
Finally, I covered up this large rectangular slot at the rear of the Superstructure with a piece of black acrylic sheet. I think it was meant for wiring, but it will not be needed and allows a lot of our interior light to leak out:
Step 1
Retrieve your forward Superstructure assembly and the smaller Reflective Self-Adhesive Stickers sheet from the previous issue.
These Stickers are identified by their shapes. I have noted them here:
Step 2
Fit Reflective Sticker #1 to this interior rear wall of the forward Superstructure, aligning the window opening.
As before, I highly recommend using tweezers for this. Since I am painting the insides of every deck structure on my Titanic, I am not using these stickers at all. However, I will show where they should go:
Fit Reflective Sticker #2 and #3 to the top and side of this nearby ledge inside the rear wall of the forward Superstructure:
Step 3
Carefully remove and discard the long Self-Adhesive Strips (49E) we previously attached to the two LED Strips inside the forward Superstructure. Retrieve your shorter Self-Adhesive Strips (61L – last used in the previous issue). Attach these Self-Adhesive Strips to each LED Strip, covering only the two center LEDs as shown. Be sure not to trap any wiring underneath these Strips:
Step 4
Retrieve your Boat Deck assembly from the previous issue. Place the forward Superstructure near the forward end as shown, then feed the plugs of the LED Strips and Smoke Generators down through these holes of the Boat Deck.
If you added custom flooring to the First-Class Entrance area around the staircase like I did, make sure these two holes are opened up:
Make a mental note of which cables are for the LED Strips and which cables are for the Smoke Generators inside the Funnels. The Smoke Generator cables are longer, but mark them if needed:
While pulling the wiring slack through, fit the forward Superstructure assembly to the Boat Deck:
Right before I fitted this Superstructure, I decided to add another COB LED Strip to my First Class Entrance area as it was a bit dim in there. Again, about a foot of wiring was attached to this strip and ran down through the Boat Deck holes:
Step 5
Carefully turn the Boat Deck up on its side and secure the Superstructure into place from below with twelve (12) AP screws.
The instructions would have us secure this assembly in a later step, but let’s just get it attached now. These AP screws were supplied with Issue 49:
Step 6
Disconnect the LED Cable (43D marked ‘Z’) from socket ‘J4’ of the LED Strip in front of the main Grand Staircase and set it aside. Connect the plug from the LED Strip under the First Funnel to this same socket ‘J4’.
The wiring instructions for this part of the issue can quickly become confusing. For example, the instructions say this is part 43C, but it is actually part 43D. If you are following my build, we left this cable 43D attached to the LED Strip at the end of Issue 43. I will do my best to explain how this all works.
First, unplug the ‘Z’ cable and plug the First Funnel LED Strip into socket ‘J4’ in front of the staircase, as shown:
Connect the plug from the LED Strip under the Second Funnel to socket ‘J2’ of the next board over, as shown:
Retrieve your LED Cable (48E) from Issue 48. Connect this Cable between socket ‘J1’ of the LED Strip under the Second Funnel and socket ‘J3’ of the LED Strip under the First Funnel.
Note how I ran this cable around the staircase so it would not be seen from above:
Finally, using the LED Cable (43D) we disconnected earlier, connect this between socket ‘J2’ of the LED Strip under the Third Funnel and socket ‘J3’ of the LED Strip under the Second Funnel.
I ‘pinched’ the center of this Cable just to take out some of the slack:
To test all of these lights together, retrieve your LED Cable (52A) used during testing in the previous issue. Connect this LED Cable between an open socket of the rear LED Strip under the Fourth Funnel, and the ‘MOT/LED’ socket of the Tester Unit.
This test should light all of the stock LEDs we have installed on the Boat Deck so far:
Step 7
Retrieve your Self-Adhesive Squares sheet from Issue 61. Remove the backing paper from the final Square and adhere it to this location, covering the hole towards the Third Funnel. Be sure not to cover the nearby LED of the LED Strip, as shown.
There is a sizable hole in the Boat Deck at a superstructure edge that this Square will keep light from coming up through:
Step 8
Retrieve your Piping A and Piping B from Issue 60.
If you remember back to that issue, I had painted the ends of these pipes to match my funnels:
At the right rear of the Third Funnel, press the two large pins of Piping A into the matching holes at these locations.
Note how the five small rear pipes will line up to small holes in the engineering Deckhouse roof:
When you understand how Piping A fits, apply a small amount of super glue to the large holes and secure Piping A into place.
I used tiny drops of super glue to secure the small pipes into the Deckhouse roof as well. The important thing is to keep the horizontal pipes parallel to the Deckhouse roof, as shown:
In a similar fashion, press the pins of Piping B between the left rear of the Third Funnel and engineering Deckhouse as shown:
On my model, there was a problem here. One of the small pipes at the rear of Piping B did not line up to its hole in the Deckhouse roof at all:
While these water pipes are pretty far from accurate anyway, this was either a molding problem with Piping B or the roof hole was put in the wrong place. My solution was just to gently bend it to line up with the hole in the roof:
Step 9
Retrieve your Vent assembly from Issue 60. Super glue the pins of this Vent into the matching holes at this location on the Deckhouse roof:
Fourth Section of the Upper Port Side of the Hull
Step 10
Retrieve your Bow Hull assembly from the previous issue. Fit the forward end of the Fourth Hull Section (Upper Port Side) to the rear left edge of the existing upper hull and rotate it back into place until the posts align to the mounting tabs, as shown:
I needed to remove a small section of my Frosted Windows here so the rounded forward rounded tab of the Hull Section would sit flush:
Secure this Fourth Hull Section into place with four (4) LM screws.
The Allen Key for these screws was supplied with Issue 15. However, I used a stubby bit ratchet with a 2mm Hex bit to make this easier. This is also your friendly reminder to try using 3-in-One Oil on all screws going into metal:
Step 11
Fit the Cross Support between the Brackets we installed in the previous issues, aligning the posts and orienting it as shown:
Secure the Cross Support into place with four (4) AM screws:
Thoughts
There was so much to do in this busy stage! I am very happy that our Boat Deck is nearly finished – it looks amazing with all four Funnels attached! As always, keep your Boat Deck assembly someplace flat and safe until we need it again.
Next Up
Issue 65 – Hull Section (Starboard Side), Bracket