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mtdoramike got a reaction from GrandpaPhil in Calypso by mtdoramike - FINISHED - Billing Boats - 1:45 Scale
This is a Billings Boats kit of the Calypso, I received this kit from a good friend and fellow modeller a few months ago. This is not what I usually call an orphaned kit. It took me two years to finally talk him out of it. I had it stashed away in a closet for a few months waiting it's turn on the building bench. I'm finishing up the Dumas 1955 Chris Craft Cobra and then on to another Billings Boats kit of the Nordkap, which was an orphaned kit whose previous owner had passed away before completing it. I will most likely spend time working on both kits periodically.
Now on to the good stuff and the Calypso ahhhh the Siren of the Sea's, she has been beckoning to me for the last two years and her time is growing near. Upon opening the box, I noticed several white printed styrene sheets, which will need to be cut out and finished, wood sheets, and a numerous fitting package, which Billings is known for, they are also known for not including the fitting packages in the kits and making the builder have to purchase them separately. But not this kit, it was included. One thing I did notice is the preformed plastic hull, which I find to be quite thin and light for this size of a model. So, it will require some re-enforcement. I also noticed the 4 sheets of plans were printed on two sheets back and front, which I also don't care for, so I will have to find a Kinko's some where to get additional prints made. Yes, I know Kinko's is defunk so on to an Office Depot. For some this may not both, but for me it is poses a bit of a problem since I like to mount the plans on the wall. This will cause me to have to remove them constantly to check as I go along. I like to check as much as 3-4 steps ahead just to make sure I'm not missing anything. I'm not good at following instructions, I find them more of a suggestion, I'm more of a plans builder.
I would not recommend this model kit for a beginner, I would highly recommend they build a few boats before tackling this beast.
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mtdoramike got a reaction from BobG in I have adopted another orphaned kit
Thanks Mike and Popeye, I did the same, I flipped my belt sander upside down on my outside work bench and went to work on it. The kit supplied a balsa block, which I relunctantly used. But if I did it over, I would have glued together some pine or similar wood blocks, it would give a nicer finish. I skim coated the balsa smoke stack with auto bondo and sanded it smooth to get a better finish.
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mtdoramike got a reaction from mtaylor in I have adopted another orphaned kit
Thanks Mike and Popeye, I did the same, I flipped my belt sander upside down on my outside work bench and went to work on it. The kit supplied a balsa block, which I relunctantly used. But if I did it over, I would have glued together some pine or similar wood blocks, it would give a nicer finish. I skim coated the balsa smoke stack with auto bondo and sanded it smooth to get a better finish.
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mtdoramike reacted to popeye the sailor in I have adopted another orphaned kit
she looks awesome Mike! I enjoyed shaping the funnel for mine...took my belt sander, laid it upside down in a milk crate, and had at it blue seems to be the fitting color for this model....I used a grabber blue. you really did a nice job! the base is sweet!
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mtdoramike reacted to Landlubber Mike in I have adopted another orphaned kit
That's really nicely done Mike. Love the colors you used. I'm sure the prior owner is looking down with a big smile of satisfaction.
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mtdoramike got a reaction from popeye the sailor in I have adopted another orphaned kit
Thank you Bob.
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mtdoramike got a reaction from Ian_Grant in I have adopted another orphaned kit
I hope the previous owner is looking down on the model from heaven with a huge smile on his face on finally see it become the finished model he had hoped it could be and be very pleased. I tried not to think about it when I was finishing it, but now that she's pretty much complete, it brings a tear to my eye now that I'm thinking about it and knowing that this will be me one day looking down or up what ever the case may be hahahaha with a bit of admiration for the person who finishes my unfinished projects.
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mtdoramike got a reaction from Baker in I have adopted another orphaned kit
Finally a display/shipping base befitting of a boat of her caliber!
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mtdoramike got a reaction from popeye the sailor in I have adopted another orphaned kit
Well she is pretty much done, I just have to tiddy it up a bit, finish off the display shipping board and a few other do dads.
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mtdoramike got a reaction from popeye the sailor in I have adopted another orphaned kit
I'm going to refigure the top rigging line where the squiggly line is on the plan because where it terminates will not work for RC operation. The rear post termination point is removable as is the entire cabin area to gain access to the interior compartment.
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mtdoramike got a reaction from popeye the sailor in I have adopted another orphaned kit
I also fashioned the smoke stack, painted it black and installed it. Now Billings supplies a chunk of balsa wood that is kind of in the shape of the stack, you just have to sand it down in order to get the final shape. I used what came in the kit, but if I did it over, I would use 3 to 4 pieces of white pine or similar wood stacked together, which takes sanding better and gives a better finish in the end.
And yes I know, my work bench is a mess, but to me it's an organized mess at least that is what I keep telling my wife every time she brings up "How can you work like that, how can you find anything?"
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mtdoramike got a reaction from popeye the sailor in I have adopted another orphaned kit
Thanks CD, blue is my favorite color, plus I had some left over from a previous build. I was able to spend a few hours on the Nordkap/Breeze yesterday and got the railings all cleaned up and painted, hand crane built and installed as well as several other fittings.
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mtdoramike got a reaction from popeye the sailor in I have adopted another orphaned kit
I know what you mean Popeye, the crane in the upgrade fitting kit is plastic in mine as well, but the kit also included the wooden version. I'm going to see which one looks better.
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mtdoramike got a reaction from popeye the sailor in I have adopted another orphaned kit
Thanks guys, I really had to practice my solder skills or the lack there of before doing the railings. I started out making a jig, and make the railings laid out on my work bench. Short story long, that was a couple of hours and materials wasted. I found the easiest and most efficient way was to just build them on the model. You know what they say about hind sight. Now to clean all that flux off the railings before painting them white.
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mtdoramike got a reaction from Landlubber Mike in I have adopted another orphaned kit
Well she is pretty much done, I just have to tiddy it up a bit, finish off the display shipping board and a few other do dads.
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mtdoramike got a reaction from popeye the sailor in I have adopted another orphaned kit
I hope the previous owner is looking down on the model from heaven with a huge smile on his face on finally see it become the finished model he had hoped it could be and be very pleased. I tried not to think about it when I was finishing it, but now that she's pretty much complete, it brings a tear to my eye now that I'm thinking about it and knowing that this will be me one day looking down or up what ever the case may be hahahaha with a bit of admiration for the person who finishes my unfinished projects.
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mtdoramike got a reaction from popeye the sailor in I have adopted another orphaned kit
Finally a display/shipping base befitting of a boat of her caliber!
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mtdoramike reacted to BobG in I have adopted another orphaned kit
I'm sure he's smiling at the wonderful job you done to finish this model in fine fashion, Mike, and there will be a place at the ship modeling table for you along with the rest of us when the time comes. Until then, keep up the good work!
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mtdoramike got a reaction from mtaylor in I have adopted another orphaned kit
I hope the previous owner is looking down on the model from heaven with a huge smile on his face on finally see it become the finished model he had hoped it could be and be very pleased. I tried not to think about it when I was finishing it, but now that she's pretty much complete, it brings a tear to my eye now that I'm thinking about it and knowing that this will be me one day looking down or up what ever the case may be hahahaha with a bit of admiration for the person who finishes my unfinished projects.
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mtdoramike got a reaction from mtaylor in I have adopted another orphaned kit
Finally a display/shipping base befitting of a boat of her caliber!
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mtdoramike got a reaction from Keith Black in I have adopted another orphaned kit
Finally a display/shipping base befitting of a boat of her caliber!
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mtdoramike got a reaction from CDW in I have adopted another orphaned kit
Well she is pretty much done, I just have to tiddy it up a bit, finish off the display shipping board and a few other do dads.