La Candelaria by schnu - OcCre - bomb vessel - first build

[schnu]

Hi there, I have gotten this Kit for my 16th birthday back in January. If someone would question me why I wished to have a model ship or how I came on the idea of model shipbuilding, I could not answer it. One morning I just woke up with it in my mind. It might have been a model that I have seen once, or some photos on the internet that gave me the Idea.

 

Anyway I chose this kit because it was in a good price range and it was the only one with 2 mortars in the front. Once it had been ordered I searched eagerly on the web for more pictures of the finished ship. (a little late maybe    ) Unfortunately there were only a few pictures and I only found two build logs (one in Russian and one in Portuguese). I might have taken another ship if I had known this before ordering it. I was wondering what other ship were available and this is how I stumbled on this site. Only after reading through build logs did I come on the Idea of modifying the kit. I never thought to improve it  , but now that I have a log I will try to do modifications .

This log may not be worthy of this site, but I hope to get excused because it is the only build log of this ship here.

 

 

 

Anyway here are some pics:

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first planking I did was terrible, because the instruction weren`t very clear, so I used lots of wood filler  

 

 

 

 

 

Now I just finished the second planking and started to cut out the gun holes (is that what they are called?) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[schnu]

Today I couldn`t do much as I am waiting on some tools that I bought on ebay, I only started to paint some things:

 

 

I am still not convinced of a brass boat, do you think that it is worth buying a little kit in wood? I didn`t finish painting it yet because I am not sure if I will use it.

 

I also started to paint the figurehead, but my brush isn`t great, as there is a light split in the middle of the hair, will have to buy new one.

 

Finally I also started to paint the cabin, but I am not sure which color i should take for the decorations. (Now they are still plain metal). I am hesitating on gold, light brown or very dark brown, does someone have any suggestions on the colour?

I wish I could scratch buil the cabin but I don`t have the tools for that, so I will just go with the brass one.

[Vivian Galad]

Nice work on your planking, Schnu. Don´t know about small kits for boats, but I definitely wouldn´t use a brass one. I´ve got a San Francisco to build in my shelf and it brings a brass boat - I´m planning on scratchbuilding my own. As for the colors, think u should research about your ship and find the best suited color considering what the real ship should look like. ^^ Keep up the good job!

[Karleop]

Hola Schnu,  

 

one thing you can do with the metal boat is cover it with wood.  I made that in three of the kits : San Francisco, Endeavour and Pandora and the result is very acceptable as you can see in the pictures:

 

 

Saludos, Karl

[schnu]

Thanks for the ideas, I think I will just put wood on it, as I don`t have any idea how to scratch build it. For the colours its really weird, I gooogled a bit and found different cholor schemes, does that mean that the ship probably didn`t exist? I also found one major issue in the plans of the ship, occre really messed that point up, will post about it tomorrow, as its a little complicated to explain. But anywy it seems that my modell will not be historical accurate, which is a little disapointment, but as long as I finish the modell it will be an acomplishment which is good enough for me.

[Vivian Galad]

Schnu, I´m no specialist on La Candelaria ship, but color scheme is something very difficult to set. Most of the kits can´t be very acurate about coloring cause no one knows about it, really. There´s speculation on this or that set, so, If I were you, I wouldn´t care that much, aside doing that bit of necessaire research. ^^

[schnu]

So I am back, I couldnt do much as I had visit and its the end of the schoolyear, where there are many exams =/. Anyway I had the ocasion of cleaning y workspace, so here is a photo of it. (Not really the most apropriate place, but it does just fine for me)

But now to the actuall build. In the last post I told about the problem of the kit. I was looking a little at some buildlogs and I was quite impressed by the decoration of the inside cabin, So I told myself that I would try it too. So I went on and placed the brass stern, note that normally there would be a wood piece behind the brass, but I just wanted to see if the windows are in the right posision. To my surprise the windows are way too high, first I thought I had done an error, so I looked at the plans, but everything seems right, I really can`t understand why occre would do such an error.

So I guess I will try too scratch build the stern. I noticed that The roof of the cabin is a little low (around 1.5m or 4.9 feet for those who prefer it). So I shall do some modifications.

Finally I got two books about model ship building and a little hand drill.

[schnu]

Does someone have an Idea on how to cut those squares out, they are 4x4mm and 6 mm deep, I didn't make them earier. Should I even make them, because cutting out the gunport was already annoying, the wood supplied in the kit tends to splitter... I'm not sure what to do

[aliluke]

Hi

Your work looks very good.

 

Those squares are the sweep ports and are definitely an accurate inclusion on such a ship. To form them I'd use a fine drill bit in a pin vise and drill close to each corner then I would cut them out from those holes with a scalpel blade. Then finish with a needle file. Not easy to do with that depth of 6mm. If you'd rather save yourself the risk you could leave them off but they really should be there.

[MarisStella.hr]

Hi... I think you need engraving tool kit, very sharp knives ... you can make it so that you  drill holes with a drill first and then cut and sand openings to completion ...

[schnu]

Okay thanks, I shall try it then, if I fail I guess I can still just redoo the second planking. thanks for the tips.

[schnu]

Exams are finally over, now I have more time for the ship. I finished the sweep ports, they aren`t perfect, but I guess they will have to do, except if someone has an idea to improve them.

The ramin wood splintered on the first few  ports I made, so I had to rip off some planking and replace it. On this photo one can see that the precut holes were muvh too high, as the ones I made were measured from the plan.

I also started to cut out the stern. Now I am moving to the ships `handrails`. I have some difficulties on bending the wood, as the curve is quite pronounced on the front and the wood is quite thick… any suggestions?

The brown plank is the one to be bended, i thought of cutting it in two, but iI am not sure if thats the right thing to do.

[Littlebob]

I think you are doing really well on your build, to help bend your planks soak them in water first.

[Vivian Galad]

Schnu, for bending wood there are lots of tricks and tools. I bended my last ones soaking wood on water and heating an iron bar - That was totally improvised, since I did it all on my stove - but you can use those hair "curlers" or similar. For soaking the wood, use a recipient to fit all the strip you want to bend and let it there for 20 minutes or more. Over heat, soaked wood can bend easily.

[schnu]

Thank you for the advices,I followed them by putting boiling water on the wood strips, it worked out okay and I was able to nail them in place, for the second one I will also try the iron bar, will hopefully post results soon (probably a day or two)

[Karleop]

Hola Schnu, I use a variation of the methods already mention:  put the strip to bend over a towel and then using a steam iron you can bend it slowly using your hand.

 

 

Saludos, Karl

[schnu]

I finished the forward part of the handrails; I just have to do some sanding and slight adjustments. Like said befor I had to use nails, as I saw no posibility of using clamps (should I remove the nails, blacken them or let them be?), the tips really helped thank you all.

The handrail on the bottom of the pictured was bent with steam iron (I have no iron bar, but I am thinking of getting one for my next build) and hot water, while the one on top only with boiling water. On the image there is no real difference, but I had to use less force with the iron. First I was a little unsure if it would dammage the woood, but it seems that was not the case. Now I am proceeding with some outer planks on the hull. Those were painted with acrilic colour (not sure if it was the right choice, but now it is too late to change that). I am asking myself if the acrilic colour will be damaged by the heat of the iron, has anyone tryed it? Otherwise I will just use hot water + the clapms which do little cuts in the wood (I forgot their name, sorry). Finally I have noticed that the ship has some issues with the scale. The doors are about 1.3 meters high, which seems very small, the mortar deck is about 1.2m below the main deck, yet there are no stairs/ladder which leads to it (that is not so high, but still if you have to climb down that with mortar amunition...). Is it possible that it was that way? I shall take more measurements to see if something other seems out of scale. 

[Karleop]

Hola Schnu,

 

No, the iron steam does not affect the acrylic painted surface, as you can see in the last picture I sent to you, there were planks already painted.

 

Saludos, Karl

[schnu]

Gracias Karl, I wasn't sure which paint you used, this will make it easier

[schnu]

I am sorry for the lack of progress, I have vaccations and have to take a little brake. On the good side I am going to visit the Vasa museum, , and I am exited about it.

[schnu]

I have finally made it back home. After some thoughts if I should move my workplace to the nuclear disaster shelter or my room, I opted for my room, as the light down there is relatively dim.

(sorry for the bad quality of the image)

 

Today I couldn`t make any progress, tomorrow the handrails will hopefully be finished and I shall start planning for the cabin, after finding some great but few builds with the interior decorated, I want to give it a plan and am ready to fail/succeed. One question that rests upon my mind is how I shall varnish and stain the hull, any suggestions are welcomed. By the way the Vasa museum was amazing, a real beauty. It was the first time I had to make a queue to enter a museum, it was worth the waiting. 

[Vivian Galad]

Schnu, great you´re back and must have been a wonder to see the Vaasa. Good luck on planning the cabin and that´s difficult indeed - you have to read a lot just to learn the ship had something inside her cabin - it get´s harder as the years go back, by the way. Varnishing and staining are really personal matters. I like the wood to be there, to see it´s characteristics, so, I age my wood with bittumen wax and some stains (dark or oak) and varnish it with transparent varnishes - never those shining ones - opaque is what I want.

[schnu]

Hi, I haven`t done much on the ship lately, the school started again, so I am sitting all day long at the desk wondering what job would suit me... After some long vacations I find it always difficult to get back to the "normal life". Yes Vivian, the Vasa was amazing, she was huge. I imagined her to be smaller. I decided to use some "satin finish" (Seidenmatt in German), not sure if it is the right name. I might still change the lack, if I am not convinced with the test result.

 

I have finally opened a hole at the back of the ship to fit the cabin in:

 

I started to work on the cabin floor, which still needs some sanding and size adjustments. It is made in two parts; this made it easier to get the right sizes.

 

I have also started to scratch build the stern. The original one is made of metal and the window are much too high, as shown on a previous post.

(Padauk wood was used to plank the stern.)

 

 

I would be really glad if someone (or many people) could point out errors at the stern, because later it will be difficult to repair or hide them. Two things that I have already noticed:  At the left of the stern I have done too much sanding.

It also seems that the left window end is higher than the right end.

I would also like to thank everyone for the likes and comments. 

[ChrisLinden]

Hi schnu,

 

You are doing a good job. Making replacement parts, solving issues, thinking outside of the box. That will bring you far in this hobby!

[Vivian Galad]

Great work, Schnu. That´s the fun in it, to build our own ship, even when building a kit.

[schnu]

Hi schnu,

 

You are doing a good job. Making replacement parts, solving issues, thinking outside of the box. That will bring you far in this hobby!

Thank you Chris, sometimes the things in the box just aren`t good enough and it is always worth a try, if I fail I can go back in the box ^^.

 

Great work, Schnu. That´s the fun in it, to build our own ship, even when building a kit.

You are right Vivian, it gives this unique feel to the model and it feels good to know that there is not one exact model like this anywhere else, or at least I hope.

[testazyk]

Great craftsmanship!

[schnu]

Thank you Tom

Edited October 17, 2014 by schnu

[Cap'n Magee]

Looking good schnu!  She'll be fine when completed.  I'll be following along...

[schnu]

Thanks Magee. The progress I made is small, (vacations and I had to order some things). Anyway I have fixed the errors that I found with the stern and fitted the window frames. (I still need to do some sanding)

 

 

 

I have made some small progress with the cabin too. When the things arrive I can continue to work on the stern window.