md1400cs

I am less than a week away from our trip to Paris, and then the North East Joint Clubs Meeting is shortly around the corner, once I return.  My objective, before the show, was to get the head fully together and re-touched, as well as the upper balcony level.  Well, I’m not going to cross that threshold before April 29th.
 
There were a number of competing priorities, throughout March, and I just couldn’t find the time I needed to make that happen.  I say all of this in the event that even one of you had hoped to see the model in New London.  I’ve decided not to bring it because these areas at the bow and stern will remain too un-finished looking for display.
 
These also happen to be particularly challenging areas of the model to bring together.  I am satisfied enough with the balcony bulwark parts that I made:

Fitting the end pieces to the model required some tricky cutting-in to the outside window pilasters.  You can see that the sill moulding for the window tier extends fully to the ship’s sides:

The rebate has to accommodate both the end piece and the 1/16” caprail that I have yet to make:



It’s a slow and winding business that necessitates painting in stages.  One thing that was a little surprising to me is that the fore and aft depth of my middle and upper balconies is significantly more shallow than the stock kit:

Thinking about my process, I realized that I had made a design decision, earlier, when I was figuring out the middle balcony; I realized there would be limits to the degree to which I could bend the posture of the Four Seasons figures, so that they could stretch from the now “false” lower balcony to support the projection of the middle balcony.  By necessity, then, the middle balcony determined the depth of the upper balcony.  Proportionally, I am not displeased by the more shallow depth.
 
One failed experiment had to do with the bow angels that seat just behind the headrails.  I used a combination of C/A and liquid plastic cement to secure the headrails.  Before glue, though, I had dry-clamped each headrail in-place for several days, in order to better induce the shapes and relieve unwanted stress on the subsequent glue joint.
 
Now, bear in-mind that I am fully aware these headrails should be flat.  The design of the kit figurehead, in combination with my widening of the bow, does not allow for any reasonable projection of the aft escutcheon of each headrail.  The gap you see on Frolich’s model, below, would have been more than double on mine:

photo, courtesy of Marc Yeu
 
With such a distracting projection away from the forecastle bulwarks, these escutcheons would have looked like jug ears.  In consideration of that, I decided it was better to perpetuate the in-accuracy of the stock headrails, which are also rounded to seat up close to the hull.
 
In an attempt to distribute any remaining stresses across a broader glue surface, I thought I could literally pin those escutcheon ears down with the bow angel carvings:

Unfortunately, one must drill for these pins at the precise depth and angle.  This proved quite difficult to do with the headrails already in-place, and the result of my attempt was that the carving did not lay flat against the ship’s side.  Forcing it to do so would have, in fact, introduced additional lever strain on the headrail glue joint.  Consequently, I ground the pins away, filled the holes and simply glued the bow angels in-place.  I’ll post pictures of all of that once the re-touching is complete.
 
The other surprising thing to me was just how much shimming was necessary for the other remaining headrail supports, now that both headrails were fixed in-place.  In hindsight, it would have been much wiser to pattern these supports after the headrails had been installed.  Instead, I had attempted to dry-fit them one side at a time.  Using this approach, though, I could only eyeball the centerline, and only poorly at that!  Just look at all the plastic I’ve added back to these parts:

Finally, though, I can do the necessary touch-ups and glue these in-place.
 
One part that could only be made once the headrails were installed was the forward terminus of the headrail grating.  In the stock kit, Heller provides a mostly flat headrail grating, the forward end of which rests on a small ledge just behind the figurehead.
 
As an upgrade, I want to create a new headrail grating that is both cambered, athwartships, and that follows the upward sweeping arc of the headrails.  This is a tricky piece to make and fit.
 
I seem to have lost the picture of the cardboard template I had made to start this part, but I transferred that pattern to a piece of 1/16” styrene.  In my first attempt, I tried to muscle a bend into the part, but it snapped.  On the second attempt, I used an open candle flame to soften the plastic so that I could easily induce this curve:

There was some melty distortion, at the edges, that was removed during the fitting and shaping process.  As I had with the pattern, I temporarily CA’d a handle to the part for ease of fitting in this tight area.  Once I had a perfect fit, I glued a piece of 1/8” square stock to the forward end so that I could shape a neat bullnose that transitions into the knee of the head:

You can also see the thinner stock that I glued to the aft end, on the under side, to create a ledge for the grating slats.  To finish off the piece, I filed a gentle camber into the top surface of the part, which is now ready for paint and installation:


And so, it is a lot of fiddling around to make this imperfect geometry coalesce into something that looks purposeful and a reasonable facsimile of a ship’s head structure.
 
If I were starting this whole project all over again, one thing I would definitely do would be to fabricate a continuation of the middle battery planking past the beakhead bulkhead, in a downward tapering arc towards the stem.  By the time I realized this was actually a feature of French practice, it was too late to incorporate the detail.
 
Thank you for the likes, comments and for looking-in.  When I next return, later in May, I will have some nice finished pictures of the head.  Until then, be well!

Hi Mates,
 
LEDs update
Lots of hours installing, so far, 29 LEDs some with flickering as well as some static (all warm white)
 
Eighteen others have been added to needed locations (balcony walkways, and for lanterns) but all need to be secured and positioned into their proper places. It’s also important to aim the LEDs for best visual effect.
 
PS: Evan Designs ROCKS!!
 
Still to do….
•install upper rear quarters ceiling into place (that’s next)
•attach its wiring looms for the seven lights,
•clean up the wiring jungle to make room for both AAA battery packs
•connect remote sensors to all lights and battery packs,
•attach two battery packs, to their permanent locations.
•make “candle looking” cylinders for the five stern lanterns,
•seal any light leaks to the outside,
•re-attach poop deck,
•cut two very small openings in rear facing stern upper panel for the remote sensors,
•make a magnetic connector to that rear panel as well (for easy access to batteries)
 
Thanks for dropping by, likes and comments all much appreciated.
 

Hi Mates,
 
LEDs update
Lots of hours installing, so far, 29 LEDs some with flickering as well as some static (all warm white)
 
Eighteen others have been added to needed locations (balcony walkways, and for lanterns) but all need to be secured and positioned into their proper places. It’s also important to aim the LEDs for best visual effect.
 
PS: Evan Designs ROCKS!!
 
Still to do….
•install upper rear quarters ceiling into place (that’s next)
•attach its wiring looms for the seven lights,
•clean up the wiring jungle to make room for both AAA battery packs
•connect remote sensors to all lights and battery packs,
•attach two battery packs, to their permanent locations.
•make “candle looking” cylinders for the five stern lanterns,
•seal any light leaks to the outside,
•re-attach poop deck,
•cut two very small openings in rear facing stern upper panel for the remote sensors,
•make a magnetic connector to that rear panel as well (for easy access to batteries)
 
Thanks for dropping by, likes and comments all much appreciated.
 

Hi Mates,
 
LEDs update
Lots of hours installing, so far, 29 LEDs some with flickering as well as some static (all warm white)
 
Eighteen others have been added to needed locations (balcony walkways, and for lanterns) but all need to be secured and positioned into their proper places. It’s also important to aim the LEDs for best visual effect.
 
PS: Evan Designs ROCKS!!
 
Still to do….
•install upper rear quarters ceiling into place (that’s next)
•attach its wiring looms for the seven lights,
•clean up the wiring jungle to make room for both AAA battery packs
•connect remote sensors to all lights and battery packs,
•attach two battery packs, to their permanent locations.
•make “candle looking” cylinders for the five stern lanterns,
•seal any light leaks to the outside,
•re-attach poop deck,
•cut two very small openings in rear facing stern upper panel for the remote sensors,
•make a magnetic connector to that rear panel as well (for easy access to batteries)
 
Thanks for dropping by, likes and comments all much appreciated.
 

Hi Mates,
 
LEDs update
Lots of hours installing, so far, 29 LEDs some with flickering as well as some static (all warm white)
 
Eighteen others have been added to needed locations (balcony walkways, and for lanterns) but all need to be secured and positioned into their proper places. It’s also important to aim the LEDs for best visual effect.
 
PS: Evan Designs ROCKS!!
 
Still to do….
•install upper rear quarters ceiling into place (that’s next)
•attach its wiring looms for the seven lights,
•clean up the wiring jungle to make room for both AAA battery packs
•connect remote sensors to all lights and battery packs,
•attach two battery packs, to their permanent locations.
•make “candle looking” cylinders for the five stern lanterns,
•seal any light leaks to the outside,
•re-attach poop deck,
•cut two very small openings in rear facing stern upper panel for the remote sensors,
•make a magnetic connector to that rear panel as well (for easy access to batteries)
 
Thanks for dropping by, likes and comments all much appreciated.
 

Hi Mates,
 
LEDs update
Lots of hours installing, so far, 29 LEDs some with flickering as well as some static (all warm white)
 
Eighteen others have been added to needed locations (balcony walkways, and for lanterns) but all need to be secured and positioned into their proper places. It’s also important to aim the LEDs for best visual effect.
 
PS: Evan Designs ROCKS!!
 
Still to do….
•install upper rear quarters ceiling into place (that’s next)
•attach its wiring looms for the seven lights,
•clean up the wiring jungle to make room for both AAA battery packs
•connect remote sensors to all lights and battery packs,
•attach two battery packs, to their permanent locations.
•make “candle looking” cylinders for the five stern lanterns,
•seal any light leaks to the outside,
•re-attach poop deck,
•cut two very small openings in rear facing stern upper panel for the remote sensors,
•make a magnetic connector to that rear panel as well (for easy access to batteries)
 
Thanks for dropping by, likes and comments all much appreciated.
 

Alexandru,
 
Your art is SO brilliant as to be almost, well too amazing. Such a work of love on your part. Thanks SO much for sharing your brilliant  build of such a complicated ship-plank-by-plank. An astonishing build.
 
Michael

Simply astonishing work. !!!!
 
Michael

Hello,
the carpenters fished mostly the cabins and the painter painted them. They will get now some free days till Eastern, but the shipwright has to think about the galley. Some bricks are ordered, but there are some more questions to solve. 
 
If you want to find the dust, make a picture 😄 

Thanks Frank - always a pleasure when you drop by.
 
Experimenting with locations of the three size lights; Nano, Pico, and Chip blending with some non-flickering as well –
 
This image iPhone was not up to the task (did not pre-set for correct image quality) – lights are not as intense as some depicted in images, but lights harmoniously blend nicely through those windows where I’ve temporarily placed some LEDs. Also, another dozen or so need to be inserted into proper locations.
 
I did determine that I will have to segregate the wiring.
All flickering lights will be connected to a specific 3V AAA power source. Non flickering will have their own AAA battery pack.
 
Evan Designs indicate that all 3V flickering and non-flickering can be sourced from the same power source. Yes, that’s right, they do all work - but I noted that as such, the flickering effect (of those LEDs) becomes much more muted, as to be almost “missing” when blended with non-flickering types.
 
Segregating all flickering onto one power source returned those light to their proper flickering “look”.
 
Having also removed the poop deck will allow me to “fix” an issue that I feel is not quite right – the sloping angle of that deck seems a bit too high at the stern. Other images detail my thoughts
 
Regards,
 

Hi,
Work in progress update. Got all of the LED’s needed from Evan Designs (excellent source!!!). So started the installs – Yikes this would have obviously been SO much easier had I decided to add lights earlier in this project. But enjoying the current challenge this is creating for me.
 
Where to locate the batteries and two needed on/off buttons to be determined. Battery packs will, of course, fit inside – on/off button locations TBD. Will also make some kind of candle looking housings for the lantern LEDs
 
Thanks for dropping by….
 

Snug Harbor Johnny,
 
 Thanks, for your nice post as well as your comment/suggestions. Indeed, you are right I (we’ve) probably had issues with leaking Lithium AA/AAA batteries especially in remotes and in electronics that sit idle for extended periods of time.
 
I had originally wanted to add two CR2032 button cells – to be located just under the poop hatch grating cover for easy access, but those button cells only allow a maximum of 10 - 3V LEDs to work with a single CR2032. Had bought two, but decided that I needed more than 20 lights both steady and flickering ones as well. So -so long button cells.
 

 
Now it will be up to the two AAA holders as power sources; also going one step further – The lights being an afterthought, it would have been a mess removing the (to be constructed) case each time to turn the lights on/off. And I’m not prepared to go deep into the ship to drill holes for the on/off switches through the keel – or thereabouts then somehow add the on/off buttons and wires outside of the case.
 
Logged into Evan Designs, they have a remote control with sensors that will turn 3V lights on/off as well for dimming if I so desire (had no idea).
 

 
Perfect solution for when model will be housed in a Plexiglas case. This was suggested to me by a member of another forum – had no inkling of how this technique is so very popular with model railroad enthusiast. Yes, to your well noted point, I will indeed “keep an eye” on potential leaks.
 
Thanks for dropping by and your post – appreciated….
 
Kind Regards,
 

Snug Harbor Johnny,
 
 Thanks, for your nice post as well as your comment/suggestions. Indeed, you are right I (we’ve) probably had issues with leaking Lithium AA/AAA batteries especially in remotes and in electronics that sit idle for extended periods of time.
 
I had originally wanted to add two CR2032 button cells – to be located just under the poop hatch grating cover for easy access, but those button cells only allow a maximum of 10 - 3V LEDs to work with a single CR2032. Had bought two, but decided that I needed more than 20 lights both steady and flickering ones as well. So -so long button cells.
 

 
Now it will be up to the two AAA holders as power sources; also going one step further – The lights being an afterthought, it would have been a mess removing the (to be constructed) case each time to turn the lights on/off. And I’m not prepared to go deep into the ship to drill holes for the on/off switches through the keel – or thereabouts then somehow add the on/off buttons and wires outside of the case.
 
Logged into Evan Designs, they have a remote control with sensors that will turn 3V lights on/off as well for dimming if I so desire (had no idea).
 

 
Perfect solution for when model will be housed in a Plexiglas case. This was suggested to me by a member of another forum – had no inkling of how this technique is so very popular with model railroad enthusiast. Yes, to your well noted point, I will indeed “keep an eye” on potential leaks.
 
Thanks for dropping by and your post – appreciated….
 
Kind Regards,
 

Snug Harbor Johnny,
 
 Thanks, for your nice post as well as your comment/suggestions. Indeed, you are right I (we’ve) probably had issues with leaking Lithium AA/AAA batteries especially in remotes and in electronics that sit idle for extended periods of time.
 
I had originally wanted to add two CR2032 button cells – to be located just under the poop hatch grating cover for easy access, but those button cells only allow a maximum of 10 - 3V LEDs to work with a single CR2032. Had bought two, but decided that I needed more than 20 lights both steady and flickering ones as well. So -so long button cells.
 

 
Now it will be up to the two AAA holders as power sources; also going one step further – The lights being an afterthought, it would have been a mess removing the (to be constructed) case each time to turn the lights on/off. And I’m not prepared to go deep into the ship to drill holes for the on/off switches through the keel – or thereabouts then somehow add the on/off buttons and wires outside of the case.
 
Logged into Evan Designs, they have a remote control with sensors that will turn 3V lights on/off as well for dimming if I so desire (had no idea).
 

 
Perfect solution for when model will be housed in a Plexiglas case. This was suggested to me by a member of another forum – had no inkling of how this technique is so very popular with model railroad enthusiast. Yes, to your well noted point, I will indeed “keep an eye” on potential leaks.
 
Thanks for dropping by and your post – appreciated….
 
Kind Regards,
 

Jason,
 
Just found your log - Excellent work !!- great start - a Viking ship will be my next project - I will follow along as well. 
 
Regards
 

My keel turned out better than I thought once I sanded everything down flush. Just hope when I stain the birch veneer color matches the original kit wood
 

Thanks for the input Steven and Cathead. Cathead, I have had a couple of joints come apart when handling also. So far I have put some glue back into the joints and its worked. I am finding as I put more pieces on the ship the more sturdy it gets.
 
I am now installing some veneer on to the dragon head and down on to the keel of the ship.  
 

 

Bonjour tout les monde!
 
I am still alive and kick'in and so is my model.   Little time and little progress lately, but rest assured this baby will get done.   Couple more rows of planking done.
 

Hi Louie,
 
I’m not an expert in these ships so I am not a good resource to answer the question , but I have looked at what pictures and drawings are available of such Viking ships.  Check out this photo of the Oseberg which to me appears to show a curved thwart at the mast partners and the thwart appears to have a rabbet cut into it to accept deck planks.  So I did something similar in my model.  It would make sense to have a thwart at this location that supported the mast higher up than the deck to add additional sideways strength to the mast partners.   I saw the Oseberg in my youth and if I lived nearby I would be there often looking at the ship for reference!   Maybe others on this site can add more?   Thanks
 
Jason
 

Busy with work and life these days, including Alphorn building which is competing for limited time with model ship building.....but slow progress continues here and there on the deck!
 

 

 

Guten Tag!
 
Wee little bit-o-progress.  I custom made the curved thwarts that rise up the the mast step.  At this point I can begin planking the deck.

 

God kväll,
 
This evening I have worked on the mast step and partners.  I built the kit version from plywood and used it as a template to make a solid basswood version.  I also built a solid one piece vertical mast step/support belowdecks.  Here are the steps I took this evening, and also the handcarved current status of the parts.  I will sand these prior to finishing.  I also include a photo of the Oseberg mast support itself.
 


 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

Greetings from Wisconsin!
 
I have completed installation of the plank support strips on either side of all the bulkheads.   I have more bulkheads that the standard kit, so I ran out of the little strip material and used small basswood strips after the kit material ran out.
 
Next, I will build up the tops of the bulkheads with wooden strips so that the tops of the bulkheads are flush with the tops of the planks; see photos below.  This is a deviation from the kit, but is more accurate vs the original.  The Oseberg ship has small planks that run from bulkhead to bulkhead and which are staggered in lengthwise alignment with the planks between the next bulkhead....ie the mini planks are not all in one big aligned row down the deck of the ship.   
Deck of the Oseberg can be seen below.  Also, I note the shape of the bulkheads above the deck, I will carve mine to be more similar to this.

 
And here, a replica viking ship showing the staggered small planks, the top of which are flush with the tops of the bulkhead:

 
Also, sidenote, from looking at sketches and photo's it seems the Oseberg was not built with solid bulkheads but with thwarts that would run from starboard to port that supported the deck.   I think this would have been lighter and allowed for more storage space and storage of longer objects.   Various viking ship cross sections can be seen below. I still need to build the arched "bulkhead/thwart" that partners.  
 
photo of Oseberg Bulkhead assembly:

Gosh I do like the weekend!
 
Nice cold morning here in Wisconsin.  Bottom of the hull is planked.  Now I will go back over the planks and glue and clamp the few areas were there was not glue between the planks, this will be a quick easy job just to make sure the planks are tight together along their whole lengths.  Then I will attach the remaining planks to the sides of the hull.
 

 

Snug Harbor Johnny,
 
 Thanks, for your nice post as well as your comment/suggestions. Indeed, you are right I (we’ve) probably had issues with leaking Lithium AA/AAA batteries especially in remotes and in electronics that sit idle for extended periods of time.
 
I had originally wanted to add two CR2032 button cells – to be located just under the poop hatch grating cover for easy access, but those button cells only allow a maximum of 10 - 3V LEDs to work with a single CR2032. Had bought two, but decided that I needed more than 20 lights both steady and flickering ones as well. So -so long button cells.
 

 
Now it will be up to the two AAA holders as power sources; also going one step further – The lights being an afterthought, it would have been a mess removing the (to be constructed) case each time to turn the lights on/off. And I’m not prepared to go deep into the ship to drill holes for the on/off switches through the keel – or thereabouts then somehow add the on/off buttons and wires outside of the case.
 
Logged into Evan Designs, they have a remote control with sensors that will turn 3V lights on/off as well for dimming if I so desire (had no idea).
 

 
Perfect solution for when model will be housed in a Plexiglas case. This was suggested to me by a member of another forum – had no inkling of how this technique is so very popular with model railroad enthusiast. Yes, to your well noted point, I will indeed “keep an eye” on potential leaks.
 
Thanks for dropping by and your post – appreciated….
 
Kind Regards,