перевод
Chapter 7. Copper Plating
12.2024
I hesitated for a long time before starting this challenging stage, conducting trials and preparations, but the time has come.
Initial Data:
The dimensions of the copper sheets on the original ship:
4` х 1`2" = 1219мм х 356мм.
In my 1:79 scale, this translates to:
15,43мм х 4,5мм.
However, I found this too small and opted for sheets designed for 1:72 scale:
16.77мм х 4.725мм. 
Technology Overview:
All work with copper was done wearing nitrile gloves from start to finish.
1. Copper
I ordered 0.1 mm thick copper sheets from the Ukrainian store "Korabel." The pattern is different on the two sides of the sheets.
2. Defects
I smoothed out all imperfections on the reverse side using the rounded end of a pair of manicure scissors. Its smooth, spherical surface made this task easier on a cutting mat.
3. Adhesion and Shine
To ensure better glue adhesion, I sanded the inner surface with 400-grit sandpaper and polished the outer surface to a shine with 1000-grit sandpaper to remove any tarnish. Important: Sanding must be done on a perfectly flat surface, as any imperfections on the base will transfer to the copper during sanding.
4. Cutting
Initially, I tried snapping the strips along the engraving lines, which worked but slightly stretched the free edge, resulting in a slight curve. So, I switched to cutting strips with a knife and lightly sanding the edges with sandpaper. I cut the strips in stacks of five plates at a time—both out of convenience and to achieve more controlled lines during fixing.
5. Protection
I applied tape to the outer surface of the strips (in stacks of five) to protect them from glue, damage, and fingerprints. This step is essential!
6. Fixing
I glued the strips (each consisting of five plates—though the first one had only four due to damage) using Akfix 705 gel cyanoacrylate glue. I applied the glue to the strip with the tip of the tube, then spread it with a toothpick. I positioned the strip and pressed it down evenly with all my fingers. Strips of five plates fit perfectly in size.
When overlapping plates, you should work from the stern downward to the bow so the “scales” overlap like fish scales, facing away from the waves. However, since I’m gluing the plates edge-to-edge, the nail imitations create the appearance of overlap. For my scale, overlapping 0.1 mm copper sheets would look too coarse, and keeping the lines straight would be more challenging.
For convenience, I started gluing from the keel and worked upward in the central section along the most even trajectory until reaching the second-to-last belt below the waterline. This belt will align strictly along the waterline. Afterward, I’ll taper the sheets in the bow and stern areas. This stage will be more complex than simply laying strips along the lines and is further complicated by the need for symmetry on both sides. Thus, the central section will also be laid out according to a strictly uniform plan.
I glued the strips with a 6 mm forward offset for the joints. In other words, the joints of the upper row are 6 mm closer to the bow than those of the lower row—not centered like brickwork but approximately at a 2/5 offset (for convenience, 6 mm). This ensures that when the tapered sections are added, the joints won’t align directly above one another. Aligning them further from the center (as on the original ship) would result in mismatched joints between rows.
7. Final Finishing
This step is still far off, but here’s a preview. After completing the plating, I will remove the protective tape and polish the entire surface one final time. After this, the copper can no longer be touched by hand! Then I plan to age the copper (patinate it), but only after successful tests. If the patination doesn’t work out, I’ll leave the copper as is to develop a natural patina over time.
Progress is slow, but steady. Today, I managed to attach 1/12 of the copper plates, which is half of one of the six sheets I bought. It’s hard to say whether these six sheets will be enough, but I hope so. If I run out, especially for the triangular fragments, I may need to buy sheets in a different scale to fill the remaining gaps.
Here’s what I’ve learned: working with gloves is essential, as I mentioned earlier—glue gets everywhere. Another key point is to tape over the outer side of the plating for the same reason.
When gluing the strips edge-to-edge, it’s crucial to cut the copper with a very sharp knife so the strips are perfectly even. Otherwise, steps may appear in the upper rows. I’m glad I started from the bottom—most of what I’ve done so far is barely visible, as it faces downward. This has given me a chance to practice and refine my technique so that the visible sections turn out well.
From my calculations, preparing 1/12 of the plating takes two days, plus another day for gluing. This means the whole process will take at least 36 days—but realistically, probably more.
So, the work continues! 
Copper... and ones more copper.
With experience, the work is progressing faster. The same routine continues: rough sanding on the inside, polishing to a shine on the outside, cutting into strips, taping them with scotch tape, and then fixing them in place.
To press the copper strip against the hull while the glue sets, I came up with this tool. It’s made from air-drying plasticine (available in toy stores). I rolled it into a “sausage” and pressed one side flat against the table to create a flat surface. After it hardened, I applied tape to the flat side to prevent glue from sticking to the plasticine.
On the other side, I made indentations for my fingertips to better grip and stabilize the tool when pressing the copper strip down.
This way, I apply even pressure across the entire surface, not just at the points where my fingers touch. I replace the tape occasionally when it accumulates too much glue.
I’m working symmetrically and alternately. First, I glued half of a sheet on one side of the hull, and now I’m applying the other half to the opposite side. So far, I’ve used one of the six sheets of copper plating. The downside is that every sheet has defects. One strip not only lacks the row of nail details but is also wider than the others. Because of this, I set aside one defective and one normal strip (from the other side) to use later for the triangular sections.
I really hope the six sheets will be enough for the entire hull.
I also wanted to demonstrate the correct alignment of the nail pattern and reiterate that if plating overlaps, you should start at the stern and work downward toward forward the keel. However, if the plating is applied edge-to-edge, the nail pattern alone determines the proper orientation, meaning you can start from anywhere as long as the nail pattern aligns correctly. Starting from the keel is simply more convenient for maintaining horizontal lines.
Another time-consuming part is cleaning the edges of each copper strip after it’s glued, to ensure the next strip fits seamlessly edge-to-edge. The glue seeps out from under the copper when I press it down, and I have to remove the excess with a scalpel. Some of the glue, stained with paint, also seeps through the seams, but this will be cleaned up after the tape is removed and the final polishing is done..
So, 1/6 is complete...
...and there are five more rounds of this dance to go. But for now, this is the easy part. Things will get more interesting when I start dealing with wedges and triangular sections!
20.12.24
Progress keeps progressing, and there's more and more copper on the ship.
I also wanted to share how I protect the copper with tape and, most importantly, how I cut it. Here's the step-by-step process:
After cutting the copper strips, I hang a piece of tape and stick the strips onto it. I do this for all the strips at once to ensure they oxidize uniformly — or rather, don’t oxidize.
Then I hang these "garlands" so that they don't stick together and, when I have time, I cut out copper strips from scotch tape.
To cut them, I place the strips with the non-adhesive side down on a cutting mat. Using a very sharp scalpel, I carefully trim the tape along the edge of the copper strip.
For convenience, I cut the ends of the tape with scissors, ensuring the adhesive side remains on top. This way, the edge aligns perfectly with the copper.
On-site, I cut the necessary number of pieces (from 1 to 5) from a strip of 10 plates using sharp snippers.
Today, I also tackled my first wedge!
First, I placed a long strip over the plating and marked the triangular section to be cut.
Then, I trimmed the excess with a scalpel and ruler (I save the leftover piece since it may come in handy for a wedge of similar size later).
Finally, I cut the strip into segments and glued them in place.
Working with wedges will be the most challenging part of the plating process. Not only do I need to calculate the correct lines and maintain symmetry on both sides, but I also need to ensure that the nail pattern always imitates proper overlap (more on that later).
For now, I’m almost at the RDK. There are two upper rows left, but first, I’ll make everything symmetrical on the other side and use that as a reference for the next steps. Wish me luck!
P.S. You know, even at this stage, you can start to see the big picture, and it feels like all this effort is worth it...
22.12.24
Today, I finally reached the waterline. From the keel to the waterline (WL), there are 29 rows of copper plating. To prevent glue from seeping onto the paint above the plates, I use electrical tape, which I align precisely along the waterline.
As planned, I started plating from the keel upward, ensuring the rows remained perfectly horizontal to the keel. Upon reaching the waterline, I switched to plating horizontally along the waterline, ensuring the rows align with it. This way, the lower rows naturally taper into these, rather than the other way around.
At the stern, I'll taper the rows to a point, while at the bow, two rows will follow the waterline.
A few words about "tapering" (the rows that narrow to a point): Since the copper plating simulates nails, the upper edge of the plates (where the nail imprints are close together) must always be preserved to maintain this appearance. I first mark the cut line, then, if the section is above the waterline, I cover it with electrical tape before attaching the row. Once the top row is in place, I can proceed with the lower ones.
After securing the plates, I completed a full row that tapers to nothing for the first time.
On one side, the progress so far looks like this:
For the other side (I work on both sides simultaneously in portions), I start at the waterline and work downward to meet the lower rows, carefully mirroring the pattern from the first side. Even if something doesn’t align perfectly, I can blend the rows seamlessly because these sections will be lower. And, as expected, slight discrepancies appeared—an excess of about 1.5 mm. I’ll have to find a way to cover this, but since it’s a small area, it should remain unnoticeable.
Another issue has emerged: when removing the protective electrical tape, small fragments of paint come off with it. I’ll likely need to touch up the lower wales to fix these imperfections.
The holidays are coming up, which means I’ll have more time to work on the ship. I’m eager to finally finish the copper plating. Honestly… this might be the last time I do it (if I build another model). It’s such a specialized and tedious task!
03.01.2025
I’m truly glad I bought this kit and can take my time with it. I had some minor difficulties with the copper plating, which frustrated me, but I shifted my focus to the Alert—translating the instructions, cleaning the parts, and then returned to the copper plating today, resolving the issues.
I figured out how to approach the placement of strips under the stern and discovered a way to speed up the preparation of the copper. Now, instead of applying tape to each strip individually, I apply it to the entire sheet and then cut the sheet with the tape into the required strips. I initially avoided this method because I was worried the tape might interfere with the cutting. However, after testing it, I realized the key is to replace the blade more frequently to ensure it cuts the copper cleanly. This adjustment significantly sped up the preparation process. What used to take two days now takes just 2.5 hours per sheet.
I accomplished quite a lot today. Tomorrow, I’ll aim to symmetrically apply the plating on the other side.
And I’m particularly pleased with how the strips are aligning, just as I envisioned.
06.01.2025
Today I symmetrically made the result that I showed last time. And what it means is that the view from the stern will be absolutely mirrored (right and left sides). The ship is becoming more and more covered with copper. It remains to finish a little in the stern, to sheathe the rudder naturally and then a large part on the bow of the ship... eh..
And what's more important, I've finally started to get something with copper patination samples... I don't want to make any predictions yet, I need to wait at least a week to understand the result, but what I see - I really like it, hurray! One thing, to achieve the predicted result, you need to create the same thin film of liquid on the copper surface. So that there is no long time difference between the dried areas and those that are still wet. Otherwise, the patination will be very patchy. But I have a solution.. and after all the tests, I will show it to you... patience.
07.01.2025
While I am copper-sheathing the hull, I decided to print a 1:48 scale figure of Horatio Nelson for the *Alert*. I had already printed a similar one—albeit in 1:79 scale—for the *Victory*, and I wanted to show the difference in scale. The small figure is 22 mm tall, while the large one is 40 mm. Nelson was not a tall man; for the larger figure, I actually scaled him up to 175 cm, whereas for the smaller one, I kept his actual height. I plan to document the ship's construction with the painted 1:48 scale figure in the background to provide a sense of scale for the ship's components relative to an average-sized person.
P.S. The figure is a scan of the original statue, but I added the headgear for authenticity.
08.02.2024
I haven't posted anything for a few weeks, I've been busy calculating the rigging for Alert, you can read about it on his thread, but for now I want to share my experiments with copper sheathing.
I waited for the results for a whole month and didn't really do any sheathing. And now I can share what I got.
So, I figured out why, I had a problem with the result, although I did everything correctly according to Shevelev's method. It turned out that I used a special copper cleaner before applying the patina. I don't know what its fault is, but after I applied the patina to a clean polished copper (wiped with alcohol), the result became completely different. Let's go in order.
I made a sample from the same copper blank as on the ship, glued it in the same way and removed the protective tape before polishing.
At this stage, I already realized that there would be problems in those places where the sandpaper did not reach well. Glue could remain in these places and prevent the patina from laying down normally, so such places had to be rubbed very carefully, which took a very long time.
First I processed it with 400 grit sandpaper, then with 1000 grit.
I applied the patina (I'll tell you about it below) with a paper towel, but I realized that this is not the best option (below I'll tell you what is the best way to apply it and how).
And after drying, the surface turned a little green.
After that I removed the surface patina with a dry brush like dust. I left a little for an experiment to see what would happen with such a surface.
The disadvantage was that the surface dried unevenly, and therefore the patina was applied differently, in patches. And that's not the worst thing, some spots were shiny at some angles, and that's not very good.
And here's the result a month after application (by the way, I later erased the green patina everywhere).
Notice how unevenly the copper itself has oxidized (on the right).
It is very clear that the oxidation occurred differently. In the center it is closer to brown, and along the perimeter - to red. There are greenish areas, and in general I like the result. Yes, it is not ideal, but already almost as I want. Therefore, today I repeated everything again, with minor changes. So:
I sanded the copper again with 400 and 1000 grit sandpaper (I covered up the previous result). I wiped the surface with alcohol and after drying, I immediately applied Patina-it. I wrote about this product earlier, Dmitry Shevelev uses it and I have been looking for it for many years (but it was discontinued and I accidentally bought it in the USA from an antique dealer).
I applied Patina-it with a brush generously, so that there was a lot of liquid on the surface evenly.
Then I wait a few seconds (10-20) so that the surface does not have time to dry out and with the same brush I wipe the surface, as if collecting excess moisture, wiping the brush with a napkin from time to time. This is necessary so that the surface dries as evenly and simultaneously as possible, otherwise there will be spotting. The result is like this.
Then we wait until the surface is completely dry and after that I brush off the oxide like dust.
In some places it is easy to do, in others it requires effort. In the end, this is the result.
The color changes within a week, and after a month here is the difference: on the right - immediately after drying, on the left - after a month.
But this time I waited less before rubbing, and accordingly the color saturation may be different, but the spottiness will also be minimal. In a month I will show the difference and the final result. Also, based on Shevelev's practice, I can say for sure that the color becomes even different in a year. More reddish, just the way I want... so let's hope for such a result.
And now—the result after a year and a half.!!!
The result seems to perfectly match Shevelev's, though the sheen visible at a certain angle (in the last two photos) is a bit bothersome. I still need to decide whether or not to apply a patina. On one hand, it looks beautiful, but there are visible artifacts that spoil the effect...
Just to give you some context: the copper I had taped over oxidized underneath the adhesive tape, which I hadn't removed for nearly a year and a half. I hadn't expected that to happen, but it did. At the same time, I got to see how the copper oxidizes without forced patination. So, I’m going to remove all the tape; if I like the color and there’s no damage, I’ll just leave it as is. But if there are adhesive marks or the tape doesn't come off cleanly—requiring me to polish it with steel wool—then it might make sense to try patination. As a last resort, if I don't like the result, I can always polish off the oxidation and let it oxidize naturally again...
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To wrap up the topic of experiments, I’d like to add one final point: oil finishes. Over time, I’ve tried three types of oil—linseed, teak, and tung. I’ll now share my conclusions regarding what I like and which one I’ll use to finish the model.
Let’s start in order with the one I liked the least.
That would be linseed oil. Its advantages are that it’s affordable, cheap, easy to apply, and dries relatively quickly; however, after a while, it develops a truly awful, overpowering stench—even when you're nowhere near the model. Also, the wood darkens significantly with this oil. Over time, I noticed that light or medium-toned wood turns a very intense yellow—literally a straw-like color! If that’s the effect you’re looking for, then this is the oil for you.
The second oil I had high hopes for—but which also failed to live up to expectations—was Teak oil. Honestly, I found absolutely no upsides to it. It’s hard to find, expensive, and takes a long time to dry (despite claims of rapid drying). It absolutely must be thinned with solvents, otherwise it’s too thick to apply, and—most importantly—it leaves a very glossy finish! That isn't always good for a model; in fact, it’s usually bad. If you’re aiming for a museum-style look and plan to apply a bitumen varnish over it, this oil might work, but it’s very difficult to apply and hard to achieve a good surface finish. It requires multiple layers applied correctly, at the right time, and using a special technique, which makes it, at the very least, inconvenient to use. I’ve seen good results achieved with it, but I couldn't manage that myself, so it’s not for me.
So, at that point, I settled on—as you might have guessed—Tung oil. I haven't yet decided whether I’ll apply a bitumen varnish over it for an antique look, but even without that, I liked the finish it produced the best (again, speaking of that specific moment in time!). It doesn't have a glossy sheen (provided you apply only one coat; a sheen does appear with two or more). And since it only requires a single application—unlike the others, which need several—it saves a lot of time overall. Yes, like teak oil, it needs to be diluted with solvent at a 2:1 ratio, but I use an odorless solvent intended for artist paints, so the smell isn't an issue. Also, although it takes a long time to dry (it's best to wait a month), any type of glue adheres to it perfectly. Nothing sticks to teak oil at all, and things stick only with difficulty to linseed oil. This is crucial for me because I need to glue parts onto the surface after application. This is because it doesn't form a film on the surface the way teak oil does, so it brings out the wood grain more effectively. For instance, simulated nail heads are barely visible under teak oil, whereas with tung oil, every tiny dent and cut stands out clearly (which isn't always ideal if there are imperfections in the workmanship, but still). Another advantage is that tung oil contains a UV filter, so the wood underneath doesn't darken the way it does with linseed oil. In short, if you were to ask me which one to choose, my answer would be unequivocal: Tung oil! BUT! Fortunately, I conducted long-term experiments and discovered that tung oil—like linseed oil—darkens dark wood species (which isn't a bad thing), but it also significantly darkens light-colored woods. In other words, the deck would become very dark—matching the *Daru* wood I used for the entire hull. I only noticed this more than a year and a half to two years after application.
Now, let's move on to the experiments—or rather, the results. These are preliminary findings; more detailed results will follow later!
The photo below shows just how much the wood darkened under linseed oil over the course of a few months. (Top: immediately after application; bottom right and center: several months—perhaps half a year—later; bottom left: with an additional bitumen coating applied over it—this one can be disregarded for comparison purposes).
The photo below shows the finish using teak oil. On the right is just the oil; on the left, a bitumen coating has been applied over it. As you can see, the simulated nail-head pattern is completely invisible under the oil alone. The holes only become apparent beneath the bitumen, whereas with the oil, they are visible only where the finish has a sheen—and it is quite glossy. The surface has a high-gloss finish due to the film that has formed.
In hindsight, I probably should have applied a very thin, single coat; the oil itself is extremely sticky and awkward to work with! It dries and starts getting tacky before you can even finish spreading it. Dust sticks to it immediately, and the whole process just didn't appeal to me.
The photo below shows the finish achieved with Tung oil. On the left is a single coat; on the right, two coats. A slight sheen appears with the second coat and intensifies with each subsequent layer. The darkening effect increases similarly; the surface gets a little darker with every coat. A single coat diluted 2:1 with solvent is enough to achieve an excellent finish. The oil really brings out the wood grain, making any simulated nail heads or cuts immediately visible. Still, I’m not a fan of the look... I’ll show you what I ultimately settled on next.
The situation with the finish on the *daru* (gunwales) is similar.
At the bottom right is the linseed oil finish; to the right, the finish with bitumen. Not only did the wood darken (which isn't necessarily a bad thing in this case), but glossy black streaks appeared—and not just under the bitumen, but under the plain linseed oil as well. But what happened after a year and a half to two years... I was shocked... The surface darkened drastically, which was something I hadn't expected.
In the photo below: to the left of center is teak oil; on the far left, the same oil topped with bitumen. To the right of center is tung oil; on the far right, the same oil applied in two coats. As you can see, the teak oil is very glossy, whereas the tung oil has no sheen at all, and the black stripes remain matte.
So, it’s up to you to decide. What was a downside for me might be a decisive plus for someone else, and vice versa. I’ve shared the results and my opinion, but the final decision is yours.
And here is the result after more than a year and a half. The color has turned very yellow and orange. Sometimes it doesn't look bad, but I didn't care for the "straw-like" look. Plus, there’s the sheen from the Teak Oil.
I tried to immediately capture the color on camera and then tried to edit it in the editor, but I see something similar in real life. To put it mildly, “more orange” than I expected...
I also tried replacing Belink's Tung Oil with Rustins... but I decided to use it for the dark pear, but for the light woods I chose Rustins Danish Oil.
I haven’t decided yet exactly how I’m going to cover the deck and hull, but it’s definitely not linen or teak or tung. More inclined to use a very thin layer of almost dry rags soaked in pure Danish oil. And I use tung only to separate dark elements from the main mass..
But!
There is one important point: I applied the teak oil in several coats, and that’s when the sheen appeared. However, I’m going to try applying it to a concealed section of the deck—heavily diluted with solvent and in just a single coat. For all its drawbacks, teak oil has a major advantage: it doesn't turn light-colored woods excessively yellow! And that’s a very good thing. So... I’m not ruling it out completely; I’ll give it another chance and try a single, diluted coat. Hopefully, I’ll like the result.
10.02.2024
By the way, for comparison... In the photo: the top grating was treated with linseed oil four months ago, as were the stair frame and the steps on the bottom-left grating. The two bottom gratings and their frames, however, were treated with tung oil a month ago. We’ll see what happens to them in another three months, of course, but I don't think they’ll darken the way the linseed-oiled ones did. (The deck hasn't been treated with anything yet.)
Speaking of the deck... Here’s a life hack for simulating nail heads.
To avoid drawing lines, you can cut strips of tape and use a regular gel pen to create the look of nailhead trim along their edges.
First, though, you need to carefully rub the ball against very fine-grit sandpaper (1000–1500 grit) until it falls out. You’ll then have a sharp, cylindrical tip that can be used to press in these kinds of round indentations. The technique is simple: apply pressure using a twisting motion, and—by testing on scrap pieces—get a feel for the right amount of force. You can achieve very consistent circles; it just takes practice. When I get to the decks, I’ll definitely show you how it looks with a tung oil finish.
___________________________
Finally, I got to the copper plating again... The end of this process is getting closer and closer to me. But I really want to finish it all))) Then cover it with patina and hide the body with oil... And while all this is drying, you can start the long-awaited Aleart.
01.03.2025
I will soon dream about this copper sheathing))) I am already at the finish line, but the end is getting closer, the further it seems. Today I completely closed the front and started to sheathe the keel. There are a couple of lines left at the back and in fact this is work on the keel. Well, let's not forget about the rudder, but it is not the same scale)) I am afraid to guess how much more work there is...
I don't want to complain, but the end of the planking has been dragging on for too long. I'm also sick, which slows everything down even more.
Today I completely finished the planking under the stern. I planked the entire keel, leaving only the imitation of the false keel. And only the front end on the bow remains, one strip and that's it, but! This is only the hull, and let's not forget about the rudder. But this is already a trifle compared to everything else.
I ordered Scotch-Brite for polishing copper, I really hope that it will not undermine the plates. The polishing stage scares me as much as the stage of applying the patina. It seems that I already liked the results that I experimented with, but I will still make another test and check again. Fortunately, there is a lot of copper left. I expected that 6 sheets would be used. But in the process it seemed to me that this would not be enough and I ordered two more sheets of chalk. So, I spent 5 sheets on almost the entire body, without the steering wheel, and naturally, after covering the steering wheel from the 6th, it will be a lot, but what to do with the 7th and 8th? ))) I can’t return it to the store, selling two is also pointless... But now you know that for such a scale 6 sheets are more than enough, even taking into account the uneconomical consumption and the reserve for defects.
When I remove the tape, I'll count how many plates there are on the case, I'm interested myself. I didn't glue them individually, so I know how many fragments there are in total, and the difference in the total number of plates will tell me how much faster it is to fix them individually.
I kind of like the result, but I have mixed feelings. Firstly, it's not quite like the original. Secondly, there are some flaws and they can't be removed. I'll hope that the patina will hide everything. And again, I'm worried about how the copper will look after polishing and patina... In short, I'll finish it and see what's left to guess))
06.03.2025
Hooray, friends!!! I finally finished covering the hull! Naturally, there is still the steering wheel left (*but the spoiler - I practically made it today. Maybe tomorrow I'll finish it - and show the result).
This was the most painful task for me)) especially at the end, when it seemed endless))) But I managed, and didn't even do anything just to finish earlier. Today there was a beautiful sunset and I decided to take warm photos.
Symmetry +- satisfactory. Could have been better, but that's how it is. From the stern it turned out more symmetrical, but at a quick glance it will do from the front.
07.03.2025
So, the final chord - and the skin will be completely finished.
Rudder feather.
Before I started to skin the steering wheel, I glued the pins of the curtains, and then pasted the end with strips of self-adhesive copper tape. Due to the complex geometry of this area, it would be problematic to use a regular shoal, so the choice was obvious.
Then I cut off all the excess and isolated with tape the area where the glue should not get. 
At the same time, I left 1.5 mm of exposed copper in order to glue standard copper plates on top of it. This will prevent the self-adhesive tape from peeling off in the future.
Then I made imitation nail heads on self-adhesive tape...
.... and with that the copper cladding work is OFFICIALLY COMPLETED!!
In the end:
2630 copper plates were used to cover the entire underwater part of the ship in my 1:79 scale!
The plates were in 1:72 scale and had the following dimensions: 4.5 x 17 x 0.1 mm (naturally, most of the glued plates were rectangular, but they also turned into trapezoid and triangular shapes in the narrowing areas).
One thing, those who were following the process, noticed that I glued them in groups, i.e. not only individually, but also in two, 3, 4 and even 5 plates in one strip. In the end, this saved me 2 times more time. Since in total I glued exactly half of the total number, or more precisely 1310 fragments.
Next up are the steering wheel covers... cleaning off the tape, polishing off the glue and opening up the patina... but for now I need a little break from copper. For now I'll number the parts on Alert.
____________________________
I decided to install legs on the display case.
Since this project has been put on hold,
The display case will serve as an anchor point for my current project, which I plan to continue working on. I will return to the *Victoria* (I hope) and try to complete it to the stage of a finished hull.
A couple of years later, two more display cases appeared above the original one, featuring my current project. And while Victory is on hold, you can follow the construction of two...
Alert 1777 > > >