Making Boot Stripes and waterlines .
Hi; Watchya doing?
I am doing a Waterline/Bootstripe on the Charles De Gaulle . No, it isn't that difficult.Waterlines are tha bane of most builders because. The Tape when applied wants to squish aft and rise forward . Can't have that now can we ?
Here's How many builders solve that problem and many have gone to their reward ,but, they did it too .All the way back to the days of wooden models for shipyards to sell their product to Navies .
Get the model's DECK level with the surface it's on ! This can be done with LEGOS, stands or even scrap plastic turned into a cradle .Then make sure it is LEVEL fore and aft and port to starboard .This is a must !!.
Now take a Brand new charcoal pencil or a number two shading pencil . Build a stand out of LEGO,scrap plastic and do this till your pencil touches the ship directly Midship, Level and straight .
Gently start moving the pencil along the hull to the bow,go around to midships on the other side .You should have a very faint but straight line . Now proceed to the stern .Be careful here ! The line will fade out in spots on some types of ships Get to the rudder and center of the stern .Proceed to midships and pull away .
Your line will be interupted because of the hull shape .Take a piece of square chalk and put it in the rig and connect the lines between where the pencil stopped and started . You have your line . Now take the number two soft pencil and go over the line Dust all the chalk off and wipe the hull with a soft cloth .
Do Not press hard .Now using Tamiya tape, tape it and paint the line from the tape to the keel with low pressure or sweep your hand brush that way . let dry, Remove tape . Let dry 12 hours .Then come back and measure the height of your Boot Stripe . Re -Tape at that measurement over the stripe .
Burnish the tape Only on the edge where the next color goes .Paint it .Remove tape and let dry 12 hours .Viola ! One Waterline /Bootstripe Done . T.B.