Robert E Lee by Mike Dowling - FINISHED - Constructo

[Mike Dowling]

Here we go again, my next project ! I decided to do another paddle steamer, this time a Constructo kit.

 

First impressions, not impressed by the plywood parts. They don't use laser cutting which means you have to cut most of the parts with a knife. The plywood is very thin and quite badly warped but, being so thin I should be able to flatten it OK. Nice bundled wood for the model as I found with the Louise.

Reasonable instruction book with photos and two 1/1 sheets showing side elevations and overhead deck diagrams.

 

So, first thing as usual is to put frames on the false keel which will lead to double planking of the hull.

 

 

[Mike Dowling]

Progress report !

 

Frames fixed nice and square on false keel.

 

Hull bottom pieces are on.

 

The bow and stern re-enforcements are on and

 

the whole hull has been sanded and faired. Seemed strange to have to fair such a shallow hull but it had to be done.

 

Next stage is the first planking on the hull sides.

 

 

 

 

[Mike Dowling]

I finally got the hull covered. What a saga ! I thought this was going to be fairly easy but how wrong could I be. It has taken ages and, for all you sadists out there I had to cheat at the stern. I simply couldn't get the 2x5mm wood to bend round it so I had to resort to balsa packing and yes, ashamed as I am to admit it, filler !! I just could not see another way round it.

 

So here are some pictures for you to laugh at !! I still have to trim and sand it all down before the second veneer planking which I sincerely hope will be easier than the first lot !

 

Whilst waiting for planks etc to dry I did at least get the first deck planked !

 

 

 

[Mike Dowling]

Well the second planking proved to be every bit as difficult as the first go. The stern on this beastie have been really hard to do, more so I think than an orthodox boat. I am still not sure why except that the stern is more bendy than it looks and the wood didn't want to play. At least I got it covered. It has been sanded and sealed with lacquer but I am hoping that a bit more sanding and a couple of coats of varnish will make it look better.

 

I am not very happy with it but my consolation has to be that the hull on a paddle steamer doesn't show very much.

 

 

 

 

[mtdoramike]

It looks very good. If you aren't happy with the final result, you can always paint the hull. If I were building it I would most likely paint it anyway. I was unaware that Constructo made a Robert E Lee paddle wheeler kit. I'm glad to see it. Thanks.

 

 

Mike

[Mike Dowling]

Thanks Mike. I have to say it is definitely not the best kit in the world and if I follow the destructions (!!!) the finished model except for the windows, doors and handrails should be wood and not painted. I would prefer it to be that way but I will see how it goes. I know most of the REL's I have seen are mostly white.

[Mike Dowling]

Well folks, after a bit more sanding and a couple of coats of varnish the hull doesn't look too bad. I have now attached it to the lower deck, started to do some of the first deck woodwork and put the finishing strip around the edge. That took a fair bit of soaking and bending but it's on !!!

 

I wish the ply sections were laser cut but they are not. They have to be cut our from a marked sheet which is really tricky and then sand everything down - takes ages !!

 

 

[shihawk]

Sounds like hard work Mike .Bending 2x5 sounds daunting !! Surely the second planking was thinner . But you seem to have made a good job of it .

 Your decking looks like  maple if so did you have any problems keeping it all the one shade ,i only ask as i had a few diffs with mine and wondered if it is common with all Maple or maybe mine was cheap stuff ??  At least the weather is in your favor , no reason to go outside !!

[Mike Dowling]

Hi there Shihawk and thanks for the post. I have been watching your build and I think your planking looks brilliant despite your 'shades'. I can't believe on a real ship of that age would be the same shade throughout so whilst you might be cheesed off with it (and I do understand your point).  I actually and quite deliberately did exactly the opposite from you as I wanted my planking to be random. The wood is 'Mukali' whatever that is !

 

The second planking on the hull was just 0.5ml sapele so more forgiving than the first go !

 

You are absolutely right about the weather !!!!

[fifthace]

That hull is pretty impressive Mike. And to think not so long ago you spent quite some time putting off starting on the planking of Bounty.

 

Nice job

[Mike Dowling]

Well fancy seeing you back !! Where have you been ?

 

With regard to planking - I hoped I was getting better at it but this thing has been an absolute monster which I don't understand because it is basically flat ! But that stern !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[fifthace]

It's amost like a mini Titanic stern.

 

I've been back a few days :

 

http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/9532-hms-victory-by-dominic-constructo-196/

[Mike Dowling]

Good to see you back !

[mtdoramike]

Very nice planking job, I can't wait to see how the build goes.

 

 

Mike

[Mike Dowling]

So far the lower deck now has its superstructure buildings on and the paddlewheels in place. A few windows and doors have been added and some sanding and varnishing done although it still needs some more.

 

A word of warning to anyone thinking of getting a Constructo kit. The plywood is very soft and poor quality. Not only is it warped in the box, as soon as you try to plank it, it bends more. If you want to bend it it tries to bend in the opposite direction from that which you want. The measurements seem to be quite critical on this model which is not aided by wobbly wood. I have also discovered that the measurements of sections marked out to be cut do not correspond with the plan sheets - oh joy !!

 

You may be surprised to know that I love this model building really !

[mtdoramike]

Yep, I can tell it's a thrill a minute, especially with Constructo. But they do finish off to be a beautiful model. It's looking great so far.

 

 

Mike

[Captain Al]

Hey Mike,  things are looking great.  I know how much you're enjoying it. 

[Mike Dowling]

Well folks,

 

A fair bit of progress since last I updated this.

 

The basics of the second deck are now done and fitted. Those pesky little columns took ages !!! There are supposed to be 20 identical columns (!!!!) but,

 

I am simply not that clever. I did the best I could ! My first efforts after gluing them on the underside of the second deck proved to be 1mm too wide on each side which meant the deck wouldn't sit down properly !!!

 

So, I took them all off again after much soaking. About half of them broke so had to be remade. My second attempt just fitted width wise but some were then 1mm too short. Well, sorry to all you perfectionists out there but 1mm too short they are going to be !! I don't think it shows too much.

 

The stairs were good fun too as they had to be built up with individual wood pieces. Nothing like the Amati kit where they are pretty much pre made. Effectively they were scratch built off the plans and to my amazement, they fitted !!

 

The observant amongst you will notice that I am having to varnish as I go along as there is simply no way this could be done with all the twiddly bits that have to be done later.

 

I also thought for anyone wanting to try a Constructo kit that I would include a couple of pictures of the lovely pre warp problems that I have had with every flat piece so far. It makes planking them are real pleasure (!!!!) and they still don't want to lay flat after that.

 

Anyway - judge for yourselves !

 

 

[Mike Dowling]

The rest of the photos for now

[shihawk]

What,s a mm between friends , if you hadn,t mentioned it no one would have known  . Believe me i know the frustration of spending hours on pieces that then don,t fit or just don,t look right ,i think we all do !. I also varnish as i go along mainly through impatience to see the final look but am finding that much of it will need another coat at the end when cleaned and dusted . Stair case looks impressive and i really like the finished deck .I won,t advise on the warped piece others will  know more ,there is bound to be a solution ? Bad weather next week so you will have plenty of time to find it . 

[Mike Dowling]

Thanks for the post shihawk, I am glad someone is watching !!! The only problem with varnishing first is gluing bits on afterwards but I have found that fairly thick PVA seems to do the job.

 

Nice of you to be so charitable about the 1mm gap ! The only solution I can find with the warping is to keep everything as flat as possible and give the wood a coat of dope before anything else. That helps and then the planking on top helps a bit more. Once decks are ready to go in place the previous work seems to hold them flat. It's just a shame that Constructo seem to use such cheap ply, their kits cost enough to justify better.

 

As you say definite building weather next week and I have to say I think your Victory is looking brilliant. I wonder if I am brave enough to try that next ? !!!!!!

[mtdoramike]

It's looking great so far. Now as far as the supports go, I would just add a little piece of wood to the bottom of each one or use wood filler or putty to fill the small gap until it touches the deck and then paint them. You could even make the pieces of wood a little wider to look like the base of columns to appear to give them more support. I'm not a perfectionist nor a purist. I'm more about function than form, so with that said, I suggest making the attempt at some sort of correction since the supports actually hold up the deck. I always look at painted models as being able to get away with a multitude of sin versus natural wood models, which shows EVERYTHING! Good luck.

 

Mike

[Mike Dowling]

Thanks for that Mike, I must admit I had been thinking along similar lines but, the biggest problem is that not all the columns are too short ! At this stage it would be very difficult to shorten the long ones to put a filler underneath and I think it would be difficult to add putty and paint the shorter columns to match. In some ways I feel it might just be better to regret what happened and leave it alone as an attempt to try a correction could look worse ?

[Mike Dowling]

Here goes then, next update.

 

The ventilation deck is now on and in the right place !! I had a senior moment when I first glued it on and managed to get it off centre. So, more soaking to get it off before replacing it correctly.

 

I have also included a photo using a 5p piece to show the 'right angle' bends that this kit requires I can tell you my wood bending skills have been tested with these. I have tried several methods but the way it has worked out has been to soak the wood in really hot water but only for about 15 minutes then bend really carefully using a hand held mechanical plank bender - the one with the blade - very, very carefully. If the wood isn't soaked enough it just snaps, if left too long it gets too soft and the 'blade' goes straight through it. I am very glad to say that with this particular wood I only have four more bends like those to do.

 

Plenty more bending to come for hand rails though with 1mm square bass wood and if I can't do it I will have to resort to styrene. Anyway that is in the future.

 

I have also put in one photo of the 'invisible' paddle wheels !! Someone else said it was an awful lot of effort for things that don't show and I am very inclined to agree with them !!

 

 

[Captain Al]

Right purdy little steamer you got there mate.  Someday I might just try one meself.  What with you to show me the how tos it caint be all that diffeecult.

[Mike Dowling]

I thought it was about time I did an update !

 

Columns and railings are now done, the instructions said 111 columns and 113 spacers !!!! That took a while and I know they are not all straight. The railings were pressed brass strip which had to be bent and painted and then 1mm square hand and foot rails put on each length. A fair test of wood bending I can assure you !

 

Just to make life harder for myself I have also put railings on the third deck which the Constructo model doesn't have but the real R.E.L did. I managed to get some extra strip from Constructo which is about the only good thing I have to say about them !!

 

There is some more varnishing to be done before the funnels and smoke stacks and rigging get done along with the gangplanks and a few more bits and pieces.

 

But, here she is to date.

 

 

[shihawk]

 Lookin great , thats a hell of a lot of railings ??  Like the contrasting wood colors . I,m sure your glad to be on the final straight , any thoughts for the next project or do you wait untill completely finished ??

[Mike Dowling]

Thanks for the post Shihawk, I have to confess I will be pleased to see the end of this one !!!

 

My next project is in fact sitting next to me in it's box. I was bought for a 'large' birthday the Occre Santisima Trinidad cross section. Some might see this as a backward step but firstly I love models where you can see the insides hence my cutaway Bounty, secondly it will take up less space and thirdly I think it will be a good opportunity to improve my rigging skills ! I also think it's a great model and I do like Occre kits. I may have to build the whole S.T boat afterwards !!!

[Mike Dowling]

Well folks, here she is warts and all !! I can't say I am sorry that she is finished but I do think she looks better than I expected her to. I am very glad I put on the extra railings as I think they make a big difference. The rigging such as it is, is rather minimal but there has been a lot about this kit which has been like that from the start.

 

Despite my best efforts the decks have continued to warp even after gluing and even managed to break some of the glue joints. Without doing a complete rebuild there is absolutely nothing I could do about it so I just have to live with it.

 

I really love the wood finish because of the colours and it does make it very different from the other Robert E Lee builds I have seen. Apart from the lovely pre warped decks etc the biggest challenge of this build for me has been the really tight bending of various kinds of wood and I have learnt a few lessons from it. The only painted bits on her are the windows, doors, railings and funnels,  otherwise it is all varnish.

 

It will not surprise any of you to know that I couldn't recommend Constructo kits to anyone. Having done two now I share others opinions about the poor quality of supplied wood. I had to raid my 'stores' on several occasions. I know Constructo kits are at the cheaper end of the market and now I know why. I shall not be doing another kit from that stable !!

 

My next effort will be another kit from my tried and tested OcCre manufacturer.

 

 

[Krelis]

Nice!