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mandolinut

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  • Gender
    Male
  • Location
    New Smyrna Beach, Florida
  • Interests
    sailing, oil painting, mandolin playing

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  1. I added the previously built side rails today and began planking the upper deck. Used a black EXPO dry erase pen with a flat applicator, as I used on the main deck, to blacken the planks edges before gluing them down. This will take a few more days. Enjoying the journey.
  2. I am very happy with the high level of detail from the Billing Calypso regarding the numerous brass parts on the crane, wench, windless, portholes, and numerous other deck features. However, the helicopter falls short , lacking any detail which would be ok if there was no detail anywhere else. Thanks to fellow Calypso builder Don Nunnehi , I saw where he used the Bell oh-13 Sioux helicopter by Italeria. 1:48 scale as opposed to 1:45 scale of Calypso....close enough. This model has amazing detail in the cockpit and building the engine is a subproject within a subproject :0) There are many engine parts as you will see in this photo showing only some of the engine parts. I plan to use the cockpit and clear canopy and engine from this Italeria kit and then scratch build the rear body and tail section to match the Calypso Hughs 300 helicopter. Received the kit in the mail and started gathering engine parts. I will use the pontoons supplied by Billing to attach below the helicopter. Thanks again to Don for the idea. Here is a fun video of the engine build I came across:
  3. Today, I joined and glued the two upper deck sections. Planking over this entire structure will be next. Since this will be a static model, there is no need to have this deck removable, and I want the decking planks to run continuously without a joint where the two deck halves come together. I marked the reverse side of the upper decks for the future locations of various structures. ures
  4. Thanks for the nice words, Nirvana. I had time to work a bit more on putting together my wench assembly today. Feeling a bit like a watch maker at times with the variety of interesting brass parts. Once painted, I will add the four posts and the canopy. I added a small, curved wire to the electric motor and have it disappearing under the platform to simulate an electrical supply conduit. It has been fun working on the crane and wench, but I am now ready to get back to working on the ship.
  5. I gathered parts for the winch assembly today and began constructing. This should be fun. I also found an old "crab claw" clasp from some jewelry parts gifted to me. I believe this will make a nice hook for the mini sub crane. I had to remove part of the claw to make it work.
  6. Worked a bit more on my crane assembly today. Added the hydraulic pistons and a few extra hydraulic lines as seen in original photos. I felt more like a watch maker. This is good touch therapy for these 76-year-old hands. About halfway there for the crane. A project within a project. Love it.
  7. I finished adding the Micro Krystal Clear to the bow portholes in anticipation to gluing down the deck. The product works as advertised leaving a glass like porthole. Showing one of the portholes finished. Also showing two of the nose bulb observation portholes, one glazed and on not glazed. I will do the same for the decompression chamber. Also working on the crane which I believe is a rite of passage for any Calypso builder. Many parts that have to fit correctly. Here it is dry fitted. Need to paint the crane and then add a number of the pullies for the cable. I see the hull needs more paint. d
  8. I received my order of Micro Krystal Klear and tried it out on one of the forward portholes. Backed up the porthole with clear acetate taped down on the inside. As described, it looks like milk when applied (see photo) but dries clear and looks quite good. I will now do the other portholes including those portholes for the decompression chamber and viewing ports on the front bulb. Also working on assembling the crane which is interesting.
  9. Back on the workbench today gathering parts for the aft crane that use to launch the mini sub. Looking at the instructions and finding the various parts is much like doing a jigsaw puzzle where you look through 500 pieces to find the piece or pieces you are looking for. Note to future builders: the upper crane assembly (2 parts) has a long rectangular plastic spacer in between them. This unfortunately does not show up in the plans. See photo. I then glued the three pieces together and drilled out a number of holes in the various areas where a small wire will pass through and act as an axle for the various pulleys.
  10. Calypso got her "wings" today. The pilot house curved fairings are a very nice and distinguishing feature, so once again, my ship is starting to look more like Calypso. Before soaking and bending the curved panels, I painted what would become the inside which would be very difficult to do once they were attached. I also found a reference photo of the pilot house showing some triangular supports under the ledge of the front windows, so I added that touch. Still needs lots of sanding, filling and painting to do everywhere but now I have something to work with.
  11. In anticipation of gluing down the forward deck, I added basswood strips along the upper edge to have more of a gluing surface area for the deck. Also added some cross pieces for the same reason. Without these wood strips there would be very little ABS to glue the deck down. Also painted and added doors (not included) for what would be an entrance to the forward cabins. I still need to add clear liquid plastic to the forward port holes before attaching the deck.
  12. Thankyou Alan. I am warming up for the foredeck and lower cabin roof tops.
  13. I had fun adding deck planking to the wheelhouse roof and the upper cabin roof today. At this point they are not glued down. Feeling good as the ship is starting to look more like Calypso.
  14. Making some progress on Calypso. Really enjoying this journey. Added some grab rails to the sides of the upper and lower cabins port and starboard and also to the steps of the wheelhouse. Also added flooring and paint to the interior of the wheelhouse. Trying to decide how much detail to add to the interior. It would be very hard to see. Painted the steps leading to the wheelhouse before gluing on the outer fairing. Started working on the ship's funnel which I usually call the smokestack. Everything still needs a lot of clean up, sanding and more paint.
  15. I have decided to plank the entire foredeck and cabin deck and placing the structures on top rather than cut all of the deck planking around the fixed surface structures. I am therefore anticipating transferring the graphics which are laser engraved on the top surface showing the placement of so many structures onto the bottom (backside) so I know where everything should be placed once the graphics are covered with planking. Same for the roof of the pilot house. I also began building the stairway to the pilothouses and the related supports. Now to add the middle step and front fairing.
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