Nearshore

18 hours ago, hamilton said:

Good start to the build!

 

The instructions are no substitute for a study of the plans - they will be much more useful for getting a feel for the build and its requirements. I've been working on this model over the last several months but spent the year prior studying the plans, making tables and plotting out the build. This is a complex model! I've already discovered that, despite my best intentions, I have to make major adjustments to the gunports - even though from outboard they run in a nice line, they do not present even heights fore the guns to protrude through them. I worry that any adjustments I make will result in a really wonky-looking arrangement....but we'll see....a lot can be corrected in the second planking!

 

One worry I have about your build is that you've put that transom frame on prior to adding the quartergallery fillers, completing the frame fairing and first planking layer. This might make those jobs a bit more tricky for you - especially in sanding down the q-gallery fillers (which require a lot of finessing to get the proper run of planks aft). These parts need to be sanded down to nearly nothing along their top edge - I used a sanding drum in my dremmel for this. Getting into the tight corner between the transom frame and the filler will be tricky - though perhaps not impossible. 

 

Anyways, the instructions don't state this, which is, of course, annoying - but the order of the framework construction is laid out on the plans and shows the addition of the transom frame after the completion of first planking. Not sure how difficult (or dangerous) it would be to remove that frame now - it's a thin part, so removing it could result in breakage - careful sanding of the quartergallery fillers should produce a good result - it just might take a little longer a be a little more finicky....

hamilton

Hi Hamilton,

Yeah I get what you're saying. The pics I posted were of the dry fit. I haven't glued anything together yet as I am still adjusting the parts. I always have had the motto that "If you have to force it, it doesn't fit". I may be spending a bit more time on the dry fit than usual, but I also believe that this stage will set the tone for the rest of the build. I welcome your advice. I have seen your build log of this ship and its one of the main reasons I decided to go with the Bellona. You are an outstanding modeler and I look forward to your guidance on this. 

Nearshore

20 hours ago, allanyed said:

There are a quite a number of contemporary plans and models of Bellona on the RMG Collections site.  If you study them carefully as you build the Corel version, it should help you.

Allan

Thank you, I will certainly be researching information on that site.

Nearshore

I am bringing this up to date to where I am on the assembly. I have been spending the last couple of weeks dry fitting the framing. The keel has a terrible bow in it. I tried to straighten it out with water and heat from an iron. It did get most of the warp out of it, but there still is a slight bow. I am using some 1 inch aluminum angle on my vise to keep things straight. Hopefully when the frames are glued and the upper planks are in place that that will keep things straight. 

I decided that I was going to bevel the decks prior to them being installed. They sit in place rather nicely without having to pin them in place. I installed .5mm and 1mm shims on the frames to also keep them in alignment. So far everything seems to be lining up ok. I haven't glued anything yet, i still need to mark the keel for the babet and bearding lines.  Well that's it for now. 

Nearshore

Hello,

I have seen a couple of build logs for the HMS Bellona on MSW and I am going to attempt to build this amazing ship. I hope that I can be half as good as the others that are building this ship. I ordered the kit back in May and received it at the end of June. I was surprised that it shipped from Australia as I got a notice that it was stuck in customs. Well, I was not going to start on this until I completed my 1850 Whaling Launch by Panart, which I did. I posted the finished build on the finished build area of MSW. Anyway, this is my humbled opinion on the kit so far.

My first opinion when opening up the box and inspecting the contents was "Oh Boy!!! It's so small" The Whaling Launch was 1:16 scale so going to a 1:100 scale was a bit of a shock. I didn't want to build a large model because I am limited on space. Being in line with the other previews of this kit, I inspected the contents and reviewed the drawings and instructions. They weren't kidding when they say that Corel isn't much on their instructions. I think there is a whole 6 pages in English on how to construct this kit. There are about 10 sheets of drawings, most of them being to scale. There is no parts inventory with this kit, but I knew that going into it from previous reviews that I read. I sorted all the strips of wood and labeled them as to their size so I wouldn't have to hunt for them when needed. I'm not a very experienced modeler, so this will be a very challenging kit for me to build. I am glad that there are a couple of other build logs here that I can follow and help get through some of the difficult challenges that lay ahead.    

6 hours ago, Dave_E said:

Hi Nearshore,

 

That’s the way it works here. Most of what you see me do, I learned from someone here on the MSW forum (my cradle is an example). 😀 Ask questions! Glad to have you aboard. What’s your name?

Hi Dave, my name is Jeff 

Hi Dave, 

Just saw your new build log. Your anchors look amazing. I will be following your build with much interest. Although I'm not building the same ship, I hope I can apply some of your techniques on my next build.

Nearshore 

16 hours ago, hamilton said:

Thanks for dropping in Harlequin and Nearshore! 

 

Nearshore - so far this has been a very enjoyable build - I hope you start a build log when the time comes!

hamilton

Hi Hamilton,

I will definitely be doing a build log on this one. 

Nearshore

14 hours ago, hamilton said:

Hello again.

 

It has been a long while since I've updated here or worked on Bellona. We had to move out of our house on April 1 to accommodate some restoration work and were out for 2 months, which also coincided with a very busy time at work. We moved back home on May 31 and then work calmed down a couple of days after that as a colleague and I finished off a major year-long project.

 

The last month we've been trying to catch up on the garden, which we're getting a very late start on this year, and settle back in. But now, at long last, as I settle into a bit of a break from work, I can finally return to the bench! Today was my first day back and I have to say that almost three months is a long time to take off - it took a bit of studying just to remember what threads there were to pick up on the Bellona!

 

Today I did some repairs on and installed the pantry, which also acts as a support for one of the quarterdeck beams later on. Once this was in, I foolishly installed the poop deck - foolishly, because I have now to install a brass bulkhead part under the poopdeck, which I anticipate will be a bit tricky....same thing with the stern balcony bulkhead, which now must be gently wedged into the cove created by the balcony below, the quartergallery frames on the sides and the poop deck above...hopefully this won't be too frustrating when the time comes!

 

I also did a bit of fairing on the starboard side - the first in what undoubtedly will be a number of sessions of sanding and sneezing....The final step today was to finish and install the forward bulkhead on the aft fact of bulkhead 6. I bathed the part quickly in acetone, rinsed it in water, then brushed it lightly with some very fine steel wool. I then very gently brushed on 4 coats of yellow ochre, undiluted - I use Golden acrylic artist paints and a very fine brush for the purpose. The first shot shows only the first coat applied - the final finish looks much better - I use the side of a small round brush to lightly feather the surface - this reduces the more obvious brushstrokes, though it cannot produce the same even finish as an air brush. Regardless, I'm not displeased with the results. I used a toothpick dipped lightly in carbon black acrylic to render the door knobs. 

 

It feels nice to be back at it! Enjoy the photos and happy modelling

hamilton

Hi Hamilton, Your build looks very nice so far. I will be following this thread with interest. I purchased the Bellona 1:100 scale Coral just last week. I have not received it yet but expect it in the next couple weeks. I doubt that I will start this build until my current build is completed, and hurricane season ends. (1850 1:16 scale whaling launch by Panart.) Keep the post coming!

17 hours ago, Dave_E said:

Ok Boys and Girls… Here it is. Did as much coil work as I dare. I have snagged the rigging so many times it’s a miracle I haven’t snapped parts right off the ship. 😆 I’m calling her finished. Will one of you moderators change the title to FINISHED for me? Thanks again to Paul in Australia for making all the guns and to all the rest of you who helped me along the journey of my first wooden ship build with techniques, critiques and encouragement! Was in no hurry, but I had several months of winter rain that kept me indoors. Keel laid December 4, 2021, launched June 28, 2022.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Very nice build!!! Can't wait to follow your next one.

1 hour ago, ccoyle said:

 

Welcome aboard! My dad did the same, but for B-47s in the USAF. I commend you for getting back to your project after a 37-year layoff -- have fun completing it!

Thanks! I'm surprised that it is still in good shape after all these years. I see so many mistakes I did on the planking back then. There was no internet back then and the instructions are not very good so had no guidance other then text books. Lol

Hi Dave. Thank you for the warm welcome.  My name is Jeff but my handle is Nearshore. Will answer to either one.  I was an aviation electronics technician in the Navy. I am an electrical contractor now and have owned my company for 24years. It's time for me to slow down and get back to the fundamentals of life, this hobby being one of them. I will certainly be asking questions as well as participating in the many forums here. I will start a build log on my next project, HMS Bellona from Corel. I'm told it's a challenging build so I will be reaching out for the expert advice from many of the seasoned modelers here. Thanks again for the welcome!!

Hello all. I am honored to be accepted into this group. I built models when I was very young, mostly plastic. I built my first wooden ship when I was in the Navy back in the early 80s. It was a sloop rig but I don't remember the name or the details, but I still have it after all these years. Back then I purchased a 1850 whaling launch from Panart, 1:16scale. I completed the shell of the hull back in 85 and put it on the shelf and focused on career and family. Well 37 years later and I have taken it off the shelf and picked up were I left off. The pictures are of where I left off and where I currently am. It's probably to late to start a build log here, but I have taken pictures of the build along the way. I have read alot of the build logs here and have gained more knowledge of this art and have applied the techniques to my current build. Cheers and hope to learn more from all of you experienced modelers out there!!