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_SalD_

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Everything posted by _SalD_

  1. _SalD_
    Jimbo, I appreciate the kind words and you taking the time to check out my build
  2. _SalD_
    Thanks, Alan. Like I mentioned, I was a little disappointed at first with how dark the deck turned out—but it’s definitely growing on me. I think using lighter colors for all the attachments will help balance it out. Thanks, Popeye—I really appreciate you checking in and the kind words!
  3. _SalD_
    Cap Rail and Main Deck Planking With the hull painting completed, it was time to move on to the main deck. The first step was installing the cap rail above the bulwarks. Before gluing the rails in place, I sanded the edges to round them off. Then I stained them, and once dry, applied three coats of wipe-on polyurethane. For the deck planking, I used leftover material from a previous build. Since the deck features three hatches and a winch along the centerline, I decided to install the first six planks—three on each side of the centerline—as single, full-length pieces running from the cabin to the bow structure. The remainder of the deck was planked using a three-butt shift layout. To make the job easier, I treated myself to a razor cutter. Honestly, I should have bought one ten years ago—it made a huge difference when cutting all those planks. Deck Completed. I also installed the bow trim pieces at this time. I was slightly disappointed by how dark the stained deck turned out. I had tested a strip beforehand, which looked considerably lighter. Still, I do like how the darker tone complements the blue of the hull, so I can live with it. After the stain dried, I applied three coats of wipe-on poly to the finished deck. Battery Access Hatch The next step was a bit nerve-racking. I needed a way to install and remove the battery, so I decided to cut an access hatch into the deck. Using an X-Acto knife, I carefully cut through the deck in the area where the two deck hatches will go. I also used an X-Acto saw to cut through the bulkhead frames. Battery Installed. Hatch in Place. Thanks for looking in and for the likes.
  4. _SalD_
    Thanks for the advice, Rob — and no need to apologize. I can use all the help I can get when it comes to electronics! As for changing out the antenna, that's definitely way above my pay grade. So, you think I can keep the antenna inside the cabin? I was under the impression I needed to run it up through the cabin roof and keep it vertical, kind of like a car radio antenna (not that cars really have those anymore). Good advice, I will definitely do that before putting it in the water.
  5. _SalD_
    I finished painting the hull, applying the blue paint above the waterline. Once the paint had dried, I proceeded to install all the electronics along with the propeller. The only thing I'm still unsure about is what to do with the antenna and how to support it. Thanks for looking in and for the likes.
  6. _SalD_
    Thanks, Rob! To be honest, I have to give all the credit to my wife—she asked ChatGPT what color would best match the Nordkap fishing vessel, and this is what it came up with. Just remember, always be nice to AI so when it takes over the world it will be nice to you.😄
  7. _SalD_
    Thanks, Alan — I really appreciate the kind words and you taking the time to check out my build.
  8. _SalD_
    Painting the Hull and Sprucing Up the Pilot House I started painting the hull after carefully taping off the waterline. The paint I’m using might be a bit unconventional for a model, but my wife had a coupon for free paint samples—so I figured, why not give it a try? For the area above the waterline, I’m using Benjamin Moore’s Palace Blue, and for below the waterline, Barret Brick. I’m still not confident enough with my airbrush, so I’ve been applying the paint by hand with a brush. Three coats later… I went off on a bit of a tangent with the pilot house and decided to spruce up the interior a bit. I’m planning to use different planking for the main deck than what came with the kit, so after painting the interior walls, I repurposed that kit-supplied planking for the pilot house flooring. Then I thought—if you’re sailing the North Sea, you definitely need a navigation chart. I printed out a reduced copy of a chart and made a small frame to mount it in. The pilot house is now finished, complete with the ship’s wheel and compass. My only concern is that once I put the roof on, it might be too dark inside to see all the details. Thanks again for all the likes.
  9. _SalD_
    Rudder and prime coat I permanently installed the rudder so I could begin painting the hull. To ensure the rudder straps stayed securely in place, I added some “rivets” through the straps before epoxying them to the rudder post. The hull, superstructure, and stand were all primed. I chose to use white primer since the final color scheme includes a lot of white.
  10. _SalD_
    Bow Deck and Pilot House Superstructure Construction of the bow deck began by gluing together the partition pieces that form a faux interior at the bow. The roof support frames for the bow deck were also glued in place at this stage. Next, the deck and side pieces were attached. The frames and deck sides required a fair amount of sanding to ensure a proper fit. I’d also like to thank robdurant for mentioning in his build log that the holes on the deck are not symmetrical to the centerline—catching this early made it much easier to correct before installing the deck. Finished deck; after some wood filler and sanding. The pilot house assembly went together fairly smoothly, with no major issues once I figured out the placement of all the parts. Lower superstructure Upper pilot house So far so good.
  11. _SalD_
    Thanks Rob appreciate the kind words. I apologize for the length of this post but my actual progress is a bit ahead of my updates so I thought I'd try to catch up. I also want to say that this kit is not for the faint of heart. Honestly, it feels like someone tossed a bunch of parts into a box, slapped a picture of a boat on it, and the instructions basically say, “Here, build this.” That said, it took me a while to figure out which parts needed to come together first. So let’s start with the easy stuff. Deck-Top Fish Bin This one was pretty straightforward. No major issues there. Ship’s Stand The stand came next. The instructions provided a few basic dimensions, but not quite enough to properly place all the support members. I ended up building the base first, then positioning it directly over the hull to figure out the correct length for the uprights. Anchorways Now here’s where things got tricky. Don’t mix up the side pieces—they might look the same, but they’re not. One side is slightly larger than the other. I didn’t catch this until after assembling one of them, which caused a bit of backtracking and I’m still not 100% sure I have these right. After cutting them into the hull a little wood filler was used to fill the gaps. Interior Bulwarks I wasn’t happy with the look of the interior bulwarks above the deck because of the exposed planking lines and glue marks. It just didn’t resemble a steel-sided ship and I wasn't sure if just painting the sides would cover everything. To fix this, I cut and installed 1/16” thick birch sheets between the bulkheads to cover the planking. Scrubbers and hull stiffening After that, I moved on to cutting in the scrubbers and attaching what I assume is some kind of hull stiffing on the outside of the hull. Thanks for reading this far and for all the likes.
  12. _SalD_
    Waterproofing the Hull After completing the sanding of the hull, I was ready to try something I had never done before on one of my ships—waterproofing the hull. After studying roddurant’s build log, I decided to use Eze-Kote Finishing Resin by Deluxe, along with Deluxe Materials Super Lightweight Fiberglass Cloth (1.0 oz). My first step was to apply two coats of Eze-Kote to the hull, sanding between coats with 300-grit sandpaper. The resin is pleasant to work with—no odor, it goes on easily and cleans up quickly with water. Next, I positioned the fiberglass cloth on the hull, working on one side at a time. I applied the Eze-Kote using a one-inch-wide paintbrush, working the resin into the cloth starting at the keel center and moving outward toward the stem and stern. After allowing the resin to dry overnight, I trimmed the excess cloth and repeated the process on the other side. Cleaning my basement hence all the 'priceless' junk on my work table. Once both sides were glassed and trimmed, I applied two additional coats of Eze-Kote over the fiberglass, again sanding between coats with 300-grit paper. I also applied a single coat of resin to the interior of the hull—at least in the areas I could reach. Then came the big test! I inserted the prop and rudder post and... IT FLOATS. No runs, no drips no errors, as they say.
  13. _SalD_
    Thanks Rob and I want to say your build log of the Nordkap has been a great help. And thanks for all the likes.
  14. _SalD_
    Sanding the Hull I sanded the hull using my favorite palm sander with 220-grit sandpaper. I know that might seem a bit aggressive, but with a light touch, it works very well. For the stern, I chose not to use the thin wooden veneer sheet provided in the kit to wrap around the aft bulwarks, as I couldn’t get it to form a smooth, even curve. Since the aft bulwarks will eventually be covered by the pilothouse structure, I decided instead to fill the space between them with balsa wood blocking, then sanded it down to match the shape of the stern.
  15. _SalD_
    "Planking is complete; now I just need to fill the gaps and start sanding. The stern still needs a bit of work."
  16. _SalD_
    Thanks Yves I appreciate the comments. And thanks for the likes.
  17. _SalD_
    Planking the hull is ongoing—I'm a little more than halfway through. I'm approaching the stern planking a bit differently than shown in the instructions. Instead of wrapping the planks around the stern as shown, I'm running them continuously from the keel up to the three bulwark planks I installed earlier. It seemed easier to shape the planks this way, and it feels like a cleaner fit overall—if that makes sense.
  18. _SalD_
    Thanks Rob, Right now I'm only doing two planks a day so it might take me a while to finish the hull. Maybe I can step it up a bit and do 4 a day. And thanks for all the likes.
  19. _SalD_
    Planking the Hull Just a quick update on progress. I’ve started planking the hull, beginning with the three planks above the deck line. The instructional diagram was a bit misleading—it suggests these three planks cover the entire hull area above the deck, but in reality, there's a large uncovered section at the bow. After that, I began planking from the keel upward. I’m treating the planking process much like I would on any plank-on-bulkhead (POB) model, though I'm not too concerned with the precise plank layout. Since the hull will eventually be sealed to make it watertight, the planking won’t be visible in the final build.
  20. _SalD_
    Deck, Tiller, and Drive Shaft After the glue had fully dried on the bulkheads, I proceeded to glue the deck into place. To secure it, I used clamps around the access hatch and planking nails for the rest of the deck. I got the idea for using nails from @robdurant’s build log—thanks for the tip! Once the glue set, I installed the pieces framing the access hatch. I assume these parts are designed to help position the cabin above the hatch. I also cut in the access hatch for the tiller. Next, I took a crack at drilling the hole in the keel frame for the tiller. It may have been a bit of overkill, but I used my mini drill press to ensure the hole was vertical and plumb. Now, one thing I’ve learned from Billing Boats is that they assume you know something about RC boats. They don’t provide any instructions on which parts to use for the tiller. After a bit of rummaging through the parts bag, I think I found the right pieces. I wasn’t fond of the cross arm they provided due to the slotted holes—it just seemed like there’d be too much slop in the movement. So, I decided to make my own. After that, I carefully cut out the keel for the propeller shaft. This part was a little nerve-wracking since it was the first time I'd had to cut the keel apart in one of my builds, but it all went smoothly. With everything cut and fitted, the shaft and tiller fit very well. Cutting the stuffing tube and shaft to the right length was pretty straight forward. I also installed the tiller servo and temporarily set the motor in place to check for fit. I wanted to do all of this before planking the hull, as I thought it would give me better control over getting the propeller shaft to fit correctly and ensure the motor was in the right spot. I did a test run and everything worked well. Thanks for all the likes.
  21. _SalD_
    Rob, I have to say I've never heard that one before. Sounds great. And please don't hesitate to offer any suggestions I do appreciate them.
  22. _SalD_
    Bulkhead Frames All the bulkhead frames and cross pieces were removed from the wooden sheets. At this point, I deviated from the instructions by gluing the cross pieces to the bulkheads before installing the bulkheads onto the keel. To help keep the keel straight and vertical during assembly, I built a support jig using aluminum angle pieces. After reading numerous Nordkap build logs, I noticed a common issue: those who followed the dimensions provided in the instructions often struggled with bulkhead alignment at the deck level. To avoid this problem, I used the deck itself as a template when installing the bulkheads. This ensured proper spacing and alignment. Once the bulkheads were in place, I found an answer to my earlier question about motor placement. The access cutout in the deck only extends as far back as bulkhead #7. Placing the motor at bulkhead #8 would make it inaccessible, so this confirmed that the motor needs to be positioned near the #6 bulkhead. And thank you for all the likes.
  23. _SalD_
    Stem, Stern, and Keel Construction I began by gluing the two keel strips to the stem and stern post assemblies. Once the glue had fully dried, I added the additional pieces to both the stern and stem. I believe these form the rabbet for the planking. A quick note: the instructional diagram show two small parts (#31) meant to be attached to the top of the stem. I may have missed them—old eyes—but I couldn’t find these parts on any of the sheets. So, I simply fabricated them using leftover material from the sheet the other parts came from. Now that the keel is laid, I decided to do some preliminary planning for the propeller shaft and motor layout. The stuffing tube is 8 mm in diameter and approximately 9 inches long, though it can be cut to any length as needed. Initially, I was planning to shorten the shaft to about 5 inches, which would position the motor just above the #6 bulkhead. This configuration is shown in the first photo below. The black marks on the tape indicate the top edge of the bulkheads at the ship’s centerline. However, I’m now considering using the full 9-inch shaft without cutting it. In that case, the motor would sit above the #8 bulkhead, as shown in the second photo. The only concern I have with the longer shaft is the potential for increased vibration. I’d appreciate any advice or suggestions on which setup might be better—especially in terms of stability, performance, and vibration. Or if there's another option I should consider. Thanks and thanks for the likes.
  24. _SalD_
    @yvesvidal welcome aboard and thanks for following. @robdurant welcome and thank you for all your help. Quick Update: No major progress on the ship build yet, but I did receive some key parts to begin motorizing the model. I picked up a 40mm 3-blade brass prop, a Torpedo motor with mount, a 4mm shaft and stuffing tube, a universal joint coupler, and a 15-amp ESC — all from Harbor Models. Big thanks to Nick, the owner, who was very helpful. I also got some great gear from my brother (mentioned in the first post), including a Spektrum DX6 transmitter, Spektrum AR635 receiver, Spektrum A6000 servo, and a battery charger. All I need now is a battery, and I’ll be ready to start testing things out. Just a reminder — this is my first R/C boat model, so I’m still learning the ropes. Any tips, advice, or constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated!
  25. _SalD_
    Hello everyone, Welcome to my new build log for the Nordkap 476 by Billing Boats. I chose this model as my first venture into remote-controlled ships; something I’ve wanted to try for a while. My only previous R/C experience is with an electric plane I built for my brother a few years ago, so this will be my first foray into R/C boating. I’ve been fortunate to connect with 'robdurant', who has a detailed Nordkap build log here on MSW. He’s been incredibly helpful in guiding me through the process and pointing out the key components needed to fully motorize the vessel. A few particulars: Built In 1970 in England, Tonnage 185 gross register tonnage, Length overall 40.0 m, Beam 9.30 m, Motor 1000 HP diesel, Engine speed 12-14 knots, Crew 7-8 men, Fishing tackle Drag net (trawl), Fishing area Around Iceland and Greenland, Haul Herrings, cod and trash fish. Length of model 81.5 cm (32"), Beam of model 19.5 cm (7.68"), Height of model 43.0 cm (17") I guess I was fortunate, because unbeknownst to me when I ordered the kit, it came with a cap and some free extras—a fishing net and even some fish!! Looking forward to sharing this journey with you all!

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