olliechristo

How do you think would be best to construct them? Frames then planks?
 
Perhaps i could cut the supplied boats into frames and plank them.. hmmm
 
I found some nice pictures of a few row boats, do you think any of these would suit the ship and era?  Im thinkng the last one suits best..

That is a good idea John, Will see how i go.. I am going to make oars thats for sure... 
 
Thanks for your compliments..   If i use these plastic hulls, i plan to embellish them a fair bit.. Thanks for the idea mate, i hadn't thought of it.. .  It would certainly add another few hours.. But would also do it much justice i'm sure... Regards Oliver

Hi all. Thanks again those who have helped with ideas so far..
 
Spent about another 3 hours knocking up a cabinet or call it what you will, for the interior.. The shelves are 1mm thick high density polyurethane sheet. I have used this for many projects, comes in many thicknesses. I like it..  It fits in nicely and already having trouble coming to paint things, just love timber in its natural state..  
 
If anyone has ideas or pictures for items to go in the cabinet please share. I have a couple.
 
Also painted the rowboats..
 
Happy crafting all. Regards

Thanks Auvergne and Jeff.
 
I spent another 3 hours tonight and built the forward companionway.. I Built the frame out of a more sturdy piece of black bean than 2x3mm walnut provided..
 
It opens and closes on rails, the hatch has grooves that run on the rails like main companionway and also a mechanism to stop it just flying off.. lugs hook under rails, it too has final opening and closing limits.. Happy with it. 
 
I wasn't too excited about the laser cut stairs for deck so i used them as templates and made them as before.. They are fiddly and certainly not a breeze..
 
Thanks for looking and happy crafting all.

Ok hi again all.  Must have spent about 6 hours since last pictures.. Finished Companionway besides final touches and handles.. Built a new stairway out of hard wood. was much trickier but much happier with the finish..  Still waiting on mini plane to do first planking so will move onto skylight now I think. of course  I want to make it much more realistic and with real glass or perspex perhaps.. I can cut glass no worries..Its just going to be small pieces..

Thanks so much again Jeff Cheers to you.. Great looking vessel there.. Thanks for the info on your handles, that is basically what i am thinking of doing.. I just need the brass.. Also that makes perfect sense about the lanterns.. You have confirmed my assumptions... I have just spent a while building new hardwood "Black Bean" stairs (about to glue) and working on sides of companionway, enjoying it very much.. More Pictures coming soon.. Hope the wet start of the wet season is treating you well, we are getting our first good rain here in some time... Regards Ollie

Ah no its not red cedar at all, i think the veneer i have is QLD cedar.
 
Auvergne. if you have a build log i will comment there, if you read my first post i am new to model ship building , this is my first. I have very little knowledge of boats and even less on your ship..,I'm just handy and have been building things for as long as i can remember.. looks good though.. look forward to finding your log.. Regards. Ollie

Well there goes another 2 hrs on the companionway, tidying interior paint, fixed doors in place and made a door sill at bottom to prevent water getting in and stop doors at a specific point when closed.. basically just have to decorate sides and front now..
 
Can anyone advise any ideas to add to interior of companionway, i figure there would have been a light, considering it is built in 1917, what sort of lighting would this ship have? Lanterns i figure..
 
Another thing i have to work out now is handles for doors an hatch, any ideas for making them or where to source them easily on internet?
 
Im considering rebuilding another set of stairs as the set i have made are cut a bit short from prior fiddling. (they fall just below deck height.  It would be nice to make them out of a genuine hard wood like the black bean that i made the door sill out of. Very hard.. I don't really like to stain timber. Love the natural finish and color..
 
Regards Ollie

I asked Dad about the wood but havnt seen him in person to look, he said there was originally.
-Western red Cedar (Oregon)
-Queensland (Qld) maple
-Black Bean
-Qld Ash
 
The three bottom timbers are Australian
I think what i have is Red cedar 1.9mm veneer (what i have used on roof and doors)   ... and then the larger pieces are Black Bean (door sill)
 
What this ship was actually built out of was teak. Looking at some teak and the western red is kind of similar. Would be nice to get hold of some teak.. We will see.

Yes Rowan.,it worked well, i like the fact that its metal and it was something I had.. just hammer it with a big flat hammer on something flat cut with knife and super glue on.. I then sanded and painted flat black then satin glossed the lot. regards

Oh and the cutting tool is used in my trade and by carpet layers but doesnt get used anymore as we dont use plastic trims  (rarely) we use aluminium edges and cut on a mitre saw.. (I am a tiler/renovator)
 
Coming in handy for fine strips. Regards ollie

Well another 3 hrs went by on the companionway. Time flys when your having fun that is for certain..   Working in 0.5 of mm or less tolerences is testing at times, i usually work within 1mm tolerences only... not fractions of mm
 
So I built the doors in one part first, to aid with getting everything flat straight and square.. The grid is excellent for this.. I used pins and cut them at desired length plus some, so can be sanded flat and even as required.. .. Cut bigger then work smaller and mark off the actual job are some of my tips,..
 
I added a "lug" you may call it, to prevent hatch being hable to come off whilst model is in transit or being fondled. The hatch can slide off once right hand door is open but will not come off otherwise ( in open position or closed with doors closed.).
 
I have chosen an off-white for interior ceilengs etc.. There is lots more tidying to do, but very happy..
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0.5mm drill bit in the drill press. I suggest using a pin to indent wood first to aid in drill not bending and vibrating.
 
I also found some of dads really old timber and cut some down, its hard as nails, i think it's maple or mahogany. will find out. I have lots of tools but they are not designed to work this fine, i cut the strips on a home made bench ripping saw, i like to make do with what i have.. I do have a nice dremel that will come in handy. no micro mills or lathes in this shed..
 
Regards Ollie
 
 

I liked the way this one was designed to work, so used it for inspiration..

I Can see another 3 hours at least just on this component.. I am going to do double doors on hinges tomorrow hopefully and maybe plank the sides.. Already losing track of the hours.. 

Few more pics

Thanks so much Jim Lad and ringbolt.. Pictures helped heaps and i found some more that helped too.  Thanks everyone who has replied.. Wouldn't be going as nicely without your help.. I want to make this boat something special.. And very happy so far.. I am ready to start planking but waiting on a mini plane from The States. So will continue on fixtures and fittings etc..
 
Spent about 3 hrs after work today and had a good go at my companionway.. The picture in instruction book didnt look that great did it?  Very happy with the hatch and the way it slides. Also it will let some nice light through to below..   Regards Ollie

Also roped up my scratched water keg for interior and fitted it..  Ollie

Well yet another thing to ponder.. And another question. I had been looking at the gangway door thinking it looks very small... Then i noticed this model by dave it is the same ship and i think it suits it quite well what he has done with his door. Any thoughts regarding what would be more authentic?
 
Regards Oliver

I have been getting some inspiration from this lovely photo of inside the Endeavour replica.. I am not sure what colour to do walls in interior but im thinking of planking them horizontally and painting white or raw timber perhaps, any suggestions welcome.. Thanks so much everyone.. Ollie

Now im finishing the interior and the plan i have is hard to read at best... Could anyone guess what the fixture i have circled would be most likely..
 
I have thought a lot, it seems like its next to the stores and perhaps the galley. Maybe a sink or wash area or perhaps some sort of closet.. I will just adlib it if its too hard to judge..
 
 
 
Here is the link, on this PDF you can zoom in, but quailty of original image is still poor..   http://www.anmm.gov....s86_Mermaid.pdf

Thanks Tom and John   I have made another step and put interior floor in, will do a few more hours tonight after work..
 
Regards Oliver

I decided the decking was way too dark and after looking at some interiors of other ships of similar era i decided it needed to match the top deck, so into the wood pile and I hand cut strips down with a craft knife that resemble the kit supplied decking very well.. quite happy now..
 
I presume decks below are almost identical to those above? anyway this is what is going in now.. 
 
The barrels are done now... moving forward.. Thanks all, happy crafting.. Ollie

Thanks again, i have one more question. I am customising the main gangway door to be open, just wondering would it most likely oprn outwrads or inwards?
 
I am getting closer to getting the below deck work sorted and back to the plan.. More work to be done on barrels, including filing down bands thinner and painting them darker..
 
Many thanks and regards Ollie

Thanks Rowan. Wow sounds like you have a lot on your plate. Mine arrived fast,, good luck with your choice on starting.. i've got a long way to go
 
Jim, thanks mate. i have only cut half of size of gangway, would there be room to stand inside or just straight through door onto ladder? cheers guys.. appreciate the support, have made some progress today and more pics to come.. Regards Ollie

Thanks so much Jeff and ZyXuz.  I appreciate it...  I only use basic tools and a keen eye.
 
I am well into scratch building the barrels for under floor.. It s been 3 hours at least over 2 evenings..
 
I cut strips at angles and made them all in one tube.. because the lengths are wedges, when i sand the curve at ends of barrel it gives the appearance of planks narrowing and in fact they do, just not as they really woud, but working at this size you cant build like you would a fulll size item, so one has to improvise a little.
 
I used "sika" super glue. it is good quality, then i filled tube with an expanding glue that helped hold the small bits together.. These are not going to be seen from alll angles so i thought better not get too carried away,, i tend to do that..
 
The bands i'm not 100% sure on yet, i made prototypes out of hammered soldering wire but think i need a thinner guage,, the effect is great.. and very nice to bend around two angles