Need advice on closing a gap

Hi Arnie. I went back and looked at the other thread you started, and also took a look at the instruction sheets online, as I don't have a set.

Your attempts at closing the gap are not the right way to solve this. Because you are right- your wood overlay will be the same size as the plastic part and the problem will reappear. The problem most likely started on the gun deck. You really need to take the upper deck back off now and go back down below and fix the issue. Otherwise it will keep reappearing- the transom wont fit, the holes for the masts won't line up, and so forth.

I am not sure what the problem stems from, but I have an idea. The gun deck sits on a series of ledges, but it also slips in under a series of little nubby pins that hold it flat and tight down on those ledges. In your pictures in your ROP thread you can see those pins. You can see that the gap is there on the port side as well.I think what has happened is that the extra thickness of the wood overlay has kept the deck from fitting in under the pins- they are jammed against the side of the deck rather than fitting over it.

You've also done a great job of building up the bulkheads, but it looks like there's enough clearance under the extra thickness for the deck to fit. So take the deck back off and look in there. It may turn out to be as simple as just clipping off those pins, but you'll need to get at the base of them or it won't solve the problem. The other possibility is to carve a little of the deck away from where they need to go. Either way I think it will solve the issue. But no half measures. You only want to take that upper deck off once, so be sure you get the thing all the way together before you leave it.

I hope that does it, good luck, and it's a fine looking model.

Yeah... I was afraid someone was going to tell me something like that (LOL). You are right...no half measures, and the problem surely lies w/ the gun deck,  but I am at a loss on how to remove the spar deck at this point. All the rest of it is firmly glued in. I have never had a problem like this and am somewhat of a babe in the woods in this regard. So... I would like to change my plea from help w/ sealing the gap to help w/ removing the spar deck.

There's a couple of things in your favor. One is that unfortunately you can see what you have to cut off along one side. The other and more important is that you'll be covering it up.

This might be one time that a Dremel is actually useful in plastic modeling. Face it, you are going to make a mess, but go slowly and the damage will be minimal. Cut, don't pry.

Just don't create more work for yourself. But the kit is really robust and the sides are pretty massive pieces of plastic.. And if you need to cut out a 1" x 1" piece at each ledge, that can't be too hard to patch later as long as you dont create bumps. Who knows, the wood deck might well span over the holes.

I just sacrificed a resin anchor for my Nautilus to the kitchen floor gods this evening. Spit happens but that's the evil fun of it. Think how good you'll feel when you solve this little issue.

Well...this is scaring the crap out of me, but I am going to go for it. No pain no gain right?

Fear will not help. Just don't be in a hurry.

And don't bend or pry. I've taken apart more than a few old glue bombs and restored them, it just takes patience.

Hey btw I really liked your big Pamir.

The most important lesson I have learned in modeling, and I am no styrene Socrates, is that if you are taking a shortcut and you sense that might even remotely be the case, you will come up short.

Success! Managed to "cut" around the edges w/ an exacto knife (millimeter by millimeter) w/out any damage and remove the spar deck.(phew!) Looks like you were right about the pins for the gun deck. There is two on each side that did not slip over the top of the deck. I will need to figure out how to remove them w/ out removing the breech rigging for the cannons. I might just have to re-rig them, but after all the angst about getting the spar deck off, this should be a piece o' cake. Thanks so much for encouraging me to "do the right thing", and thanks for the compliment on the Pamir.

BZ to you, arnie and to GM for his advice and encouragement.