Hanse Kogge by Torbogdan - FINISHED - Dusek Ship Models

[popeye the sailor]

super looking ship torbogdan...the added detail will make it more interesting  

[Robin Lous]

Looks good! I'm glad you managed to get those planks in place.

 

Don't forget to make the oars for it. 

[Torbogdan]

The oars are done. Just afraid to show them as yours are much nicer

[Robin Lous]

It's not like I'm the master of oars 

 

More like...the fool who condemned himself to make a lot of them

[Torbogdan]

I´m working on the rope ladder to the look out post. Lots of repetitive work. Suddenly I have a whole new understanding for the persistence needed when rigging for example Victory...

 

It is a bit difficult to "get it right". I simply make a knot and seal it with a little white glue. The "steps" of the ladder becomes a bit different in length. I try to even it out but its fiddly work.

 

[Torbogdan]

It does´t look like much, but it is a big deal! I did the sail and bested the ´orrible sewing machine in fair combat! It was not easy figuring out how the machineworked or what went wrong, (which frequently happened) but finally it was done. Blood was shed as I tried to correct a jammed machine with a x acto knife and dropped it so it cut my left thumb but I´m done!

 

Some finishing touches left, like removing some threads. The sail is a bit too short though. I wished it was about 10mm longer (from the top of the mast to the deck) so to speak. But it will do!

 

I´m thinking about staining the sail in some weak tea to get a more weathered, medieval look but cannot decide if I should. 

 

Should I?

Edited November 7, 2016 by Torbogdan

[Robin Lous]

Maybe when you have some left over sail material...try it on that?

 

Looks good

 

Robin

[Torbogdan]

Maybe when you have some left over sail material...try it on that?

 

Looks good

 

Robin

Sometimes the answer is so obvious that you miss it...

 

You are so right. I have quite a lot of extra sail, I´ll try on that. 

[popeye the sailor]

when I have my sails cut out and sewn,  I give them a coat of diluted white glue,  and lay them on a bunched up towel.   I lay a sheet of plastic wrap over the towel,  so not to make the admiral unhappy,  and let them dry.  they take the shape of the towel,  and will keep the bend better should you have to shape them further.   cut off material is perfect for testing purposes  

 

here is a little something I have been working on........I need to get back to it one of these days  

 

 https://wenzelswharftips.wordpress.com/2014/04/29/embossing-sails-part-1/

[Torbogdan]

Getting there slowly but surely. The sail is in place. Some running rigging left and the flags and fixing the cargo. I ordered some extra barrels as cargo from a polish manufacturer, waiting to see how they look. I´m thinking about adding some other pieces to make it looked more "lived in" but I´m not sure. 

 

What do you think, is it a good idea to add small touches such as a sword, shield, box of carrots, some animal pelts or is it better to "keep it clean"?

 

I took the pictures yesterday in quite a hurry. they are not that good, I´ll try to post better ones soon.

 

 

 

[popeye the sailor]

she looks awesome!   skip the carrots........make it spinach    to add extra detail is good,  as long as it doesn't predate the subject.  crates would be good too...sure....barrels......coiled rope and tackle......weapons may look good if a rack of sorts would normally be present on deck.   shields could be hung along the outer bulwarks,  if it's within the dating.   she's a really sweet ship....you've done a fantastic job!  

[Robin Lous]

It's getting better and better Torbogdan, I really like it!

 

Some barrels and other cargo will look nice, but don't go over the top with it please. 

 

Robin

[Torbogdan]

Some updates. Rigging is done! Lifeboat is tied into place but the cargo stack is loose. i´ll move it around a bit to see where it should be glued. Also waiting for the barrels to arrive. I will also make a bundle of sail and maybe a few "sacks of grain" from leftover cloth of the sail. The reason for some more cargo is not obvious in these pictures. When I stained the hull some of the stain "leaked" into the deck despite it being varnished. So there are a few areas that does not look too good. So my idea is to cover those spots with cargo!  It is an old trick I used when I built plastic model tanks. All mistakes and "ugly spots" I covered with mud or equipment

 

The rope for the anchors must be fixed as the float in the air so to speak.

 

When it comes to cargo, I won´t go over the top, and if I do I´ll post here first before gluing into place to get feed back!

 

 

 

[Torbogdan]

As I´ve written previously I need some cargo to hide a few bad stain spots in the deck, and here they are! But first a picture of my trusty sewing machine. It is from IKEA and cost euro 99. Not the most advanced machine around but more than good enough for me!

 

 

From some of the left overs from the sail I simply sewed two straight lines next to each other, did this three times.

 

 

Then with a tweezer I turned them "inside out" and stuffed them with a bit of left overs and tied a string around the opening and flattened them a bit.

 

 

This is the end result. They will of course get a some paint on them to make them match the boat a bit. I do not think a Kogge from about 1410 or so had white cargo sacks…

 

 

Size wise they might be a tad big but absolutely ok. Compared to the hatch they are not overly "out of scale" I think.

 

It was a quick easy way to get some extra cargo. The "opening" of the bags and end of strings got a little white glue on the to stop the fabric and strings from unraveling. 

 

Now I´m waiting for the barrels to arrive, should be in this coming week. Then I can do the finishing touches and the model will be finished. 

 

So maybe next week end or the one after that I will break out the champagne and celebrate a bit

 

[Torbogdan]

So close to done it is basically done!  

 

A few pieces of rope is left to secure some cargo and a last "going over and check for details" before it is 100% done. My second ship model and I´m pretty proud of it. I learned a lot and did a few mistakes here and there but nothing much I think.

 

So what will I try to improve specifically next time? Learn how to take better pictures… Get the rigging "tighter", when I try to tighten one rope something goes slightly askew or another rope becomes slack, or a cleat snaps. So I will read up on how to get nice tight rigging. 

 

Now it is off to work but I will make one last post after this one with a few better pictures and some more text. So far a great day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Robin Lous]

Beautiful! Almost a pitty you can close this book soon.

 

Perhaps ruffle the flags somewhat? They look a bit stiff now.

 

What will be your next build?

 

Robin

[Torbogdan]

My next build.... Oh that is a secret for the moment but will be revealed next week! It will no doubt cause quite a stir

[cobra1951]

Looks great, very nice little build

[popeye the sailor]

superb model to add to your collection......you've done a great job!       rigging looks fine......sail movement will dictate how taught the lines are to be  it's a good blend of the basic kit,  your addons and bash,  and your talent.  you aced it  

[Torbogdan]

I have added a few wrinkles in the flags to make them less stiff looking, that was very good advice! Also many thanks for all nice comments and such!

 

Here are a few more pictures, I have not had much time to fix all the little things (actually not that many but a few) but hopefully I´ll do that this weekend.

 

I did cut out and start on a base plate for the model. It is a ordinary bit of fir wood. I stained it in the same color as the ship. I have a little fear that base and ship will "blend into each other" and think of replacing the oak mountings with brass ones. I will have to pre mount it and see how it looks.

 

I really liked this model kit. I think that the level "advanced beginner" was an accurate description of it. The instructions was very clear and easy to follow. A New comer would have no trouble finishing this kit. This is only my second wooden ship but I think that Dusek produces very good models with good instructions. Granted I have not built any models from other manufactures but with that limit in my experience I can recommend Dusek as good models!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[donrobinson]

Congratulations on your completion, she looks real fine  

[Robin Lous]

Congrats Torbogdan!

 

I really enjoyed following this build and I already look forward to your next.

 

Robin

[Torbogdan]

Mounted to the base. Except a green or maroon piece of cloth at the bottom of the base it is done!

 

 

So what will my next project be?

 

Well it will be an airplane actually. I have bought the Model airways 1:16 Fokker Dr1Triplane!

 

I hope I won´t get keel hauled for this

 

I won´t have a log about it here on building logs for model ships but maybe I can have one under the "shore leave" heading?

 

But after the Fokker I have OcCres Cazador lined up! So then it is back to wooden ships!

 

My building philosophy is to build what I´m interested (unfortunately way too many different eras and machines…) And also to build more or less "straight from the box". I´m not much for scratch building or improving or changing model kits. I just like to build them as they come. If they are not 100% historically correct I´m not bothered by it. In other words, others build much more accurate models or better looking models or more correct models, that is fine by me. We all like different things and have different approaches to the hobby. But I love to follow builders who modify and scratch build their models!

 

Also  when the model is done, I tend to loose interest in it. I usually just put it on a shelf and forget about it. When it is done, it´s just done. Can´t really explain it but the model becomes irrelevant. I like the building process, creating things. I´m also very unsentimental, if some one wants to buy models I build, I sell them in a heartbeat. If I would, in a few years, "want it back" I would just rebuild it.

 

Well time for a toast and christen the ship in champagne (before it is retired to a shelf )

 

Edited December 2, 2016 by Torbogdan

[Robin Lous]

traitor! 

[popeye the sailor]

now that's a coincidence........I have the Guillow's Fokker Dr 1!   these past couple of weeks,  it's been a little hectic around here,  so I've been doing small sub projects.  the Guillow's kit offers some plastic machine guns and I'm not happy with the way they are coming out,  so I'm making a pair out of wood.  it's going to be a static model anyway......no way I'd test my mettle by trying to fly it.   I built a spitfire MK 1.......my first one in many years.  I also dabble still with plastic......cars and planes mostly.

 

so there's nothing wrong with being multi-faceted,  in my view.   it keeps the mind open to new things.   some techniques can easily be applied to other mediums.   Again,  I think you did a super job with this build.....congratz on a wonderful model