VIKING SHIP DRAKKAR By Jerry - FINISHED - Amati Scale 1:50

[Canute]

Looking good, Jerry. I can see Ragnar raiding in this boat.

[Jerry]

Hello Glenn..

You are much too kind. It's been fun but I'm still having trouble understanding the plans. I realize now that the hull is supposed to be finished natural...Too late for that now; toomuch wood filler.  Looks like it's going to be a walnut paint finish.  Thanks for checking in.

Best,

Jerry

[Jerry]

Hello Ken..

Happy to see you again. I'm afraid Ragnar is too late...Leif Eriksson has already laid claim to the ship.  Have a great night.

Best,

Jerry

[Jerry]

There you are, Lawrence.  I enjoyed our skype visit today too.Thanks for the kind words but I think things will slow down now.  Take good care.

Jerry

Edited May 6, 2015 by Jerry

[Jerry]

Good evening everyone..

A few pictures to bring my progress up to date....

I installed the 3ply very thin sub deck and began to lay the deck planking. I have chosen not to emphasize any caulking as I'm not sure if this method was known at the time of the Vikings.  But I have staggered the planking as shown in the instructions. The planking is 5 x 0.5mm. light wood and I have no idea as to what it is as it not mentioned in the material list or instructions.  It's a bit lighter than I thought it would be but I intend to varnish it which should darken it to where i'd like it to be.
Here a three more pictures.

Best,
Jerry

Edited May 6, 2015 by Jerry

[Jerry]

What a surprise!!  As I was closing shop yesterday I heard an unusual sound.  I looked everywhere but didn't see a thing so I went ahead and continued my every day cleanup.  This time i heard a few loud grunts and when I looked on my bench, lo and behold, there he was.  Leif Eriksson was standing in his Viking Ship yelling my name and giving me a warning,  "Jerry," he said, "Don't be messing around with the Drakkar unless you do it right."  I couldn't believe my eyes.  "Keep the Viking tradion alive and don't stray off the correct path."  I managed to snap a picture of him before he faded back into history.  "I'll do my best," I managed to utter.  So now I have to shape up or ship out...

 

Man, Leif's a funny looking guy.

Best,

Jerry

Edited May 8, 2015 by Jerry

[Keith_W]

I wouldn't want to annoy him, Jerry. He will burn your house down, kill all the men, and take the women and children. 

[Jerry]

Hello Keith..

Happy to see you're still around.  Fortunately, Lief took off in the Gulf of Mexico towards the west heading for Texas...But, I'll heed your word and treat him nicely if he ever returns...

Best,

Jerry

[Jerry]

Hello again..

This time I have a little progress to report.  The deck has been planked and a coat of matte varnish has been applied.  The cross bars will be next and they will happily cover the seams between planks.  I wish everyone a very happy weekend.

Best,

Jerry

Edited May 8, 2015 by Jerry

[gjdale]

Nice progress Jerry.

[Jerry]

Thank you, Grant...Good to see you.

Best,

Jerry

[Jerry]

Hello Everybody..

Well, the admiral decided to clean the house today (when is she going to go back and work on her Bounty???) so I was able to sneak into my office and work on Lief's ship.  He calls it a ship, a Viking Ship no less, but frankly, I think it's more like a boat...a long one maybe.  Anyway I was able to get the cross bars installed and another coat of varnish and then I drilled the holes for the oar locks and the shroud lines.  Finally today I added the spacers for the outboard railing that will hold the shields to protect Lief and his men.  The spacers are timy so I followed the directions by gluing longer stubs in place and when dry, i cut them off with an exact razor saw.  The next step, I think will be to attach the railings.  Good evening to everyone.

Best,

Jerry

Edited May 9, 2015 by Jerry

[gjdale]

Be grateful that the Admiral didn't have you turned to scrubbing the decks as well Jerry!

 

Adding the crossbars to the deck really makes a difference. Looking good!

[Jerry]

Hello Grant..Believe me, I'm grateful but the beautiful admiral has pitty on me because of my very bad back.  I appreciate everything she does, especially supporting me in the custom I'm used to.  Now if she'd only go back and work on her model....

 

By the way, what ever happened to your Chris Craft Model?  I enjoyed your build log but it went quiet.

 

Good night,

Best,

Jerry

Edited May 9, 2015 by Jerry

[gjdale]

Thanks Jerry,

 

Isn't it great to have an understanding and supportive Admiral?

 

The Chris Craft is still going, but all modelling paused while I had my hip replacement surgery. Still recovering from that - another two weeks before the Doc will let me go back to work, but am allowed small stints in the shipyard. Focus has been on the Bomb Vessel Cross-Section lately while I waited on some bits and pieces I needed to make mods to the Chris Craft. Expect a return to that build very soon. And perhaps the start of a third project - something completely different!

[Jerry]

Good afternoon (or eveing) everyone...

Well here I am again hoping I'm not boring anyone.  I have a few more pictures which hopefully will show what I've been up to.  In my collection of model paints  (Admiraly, to be specific) I found what I thought was an excellent choice for coloring the bulwarks and hull.  It's a walnut brown and I am very pleased with the way it turned out.  I have also fabricated, painted and glued in place the the "shields rack' whic clings to the upper hull at the gunwales.  It looks like the next steps involve the deck fixtures so I believe the masting and rigging is not too far off.

Best to everyone,

Jerry

Edited May 12, 2015 by Jerry

[Glenn-UK]

Nice looking paint job on an interesting build, good you're able to make use your paint collection.

[Jerry]

Thanks, Glenn..I appreciateyour look-see and comments.

Jerry

[popeye the sailor]

hello there Jerry......caught your build by surprise.........the surprise being how far your gone!   your moving like wildfire........looks awesome!

[Jerry]

Hello Popeye...

Nice to see you again.. Well, I wouldn't call it like lightning but what else do I have to do.  Building these boats has been a wonderful tonic for me; It won't be long and i'll be planning my next one.  Please come visit again and of course....regards from the Admiral..

Best,

Jerry

[popeye the sailor]

perhaps she's waiting till school lets out. 

[Jerry]

When school lets out we'll be going on a cruise for a couple of weeks.

[Jerry]

It's thundering, lightning and raining like hell outside.  The Florida rainy season has arrived since it's the fourth day in a row that this has happened.  

 

Hello everyone...

 

Well the Drakkar is beginning to take shape, and with the weather we're having these days, it's not too soon. But before I mention any progress I would like to echo a remark that Keith made when he looked over this  same Amati kit   He said the wood was terrible and Imust say the same.  And to make matters worse, some of the smaller parts were laid out so that the grain caused breakage of some of them.  Fortunately I've had that experience before and didn't panick; I just used my tweezers and some quick drying CA cement and all was well again.

 

Today was a good progress day......

 

The trestles, oar racks, swinging boom steps have been shaped, sanded, painted and applied to the deck.  There's a chest and a bucket that is mentioned in the parts list and I can't find any place in the directions or plans  (Italian and English) as to where they are to sit on the deck so i guess I'll put them where I want to and noone will know the difference.  Tomorrow I hope to construct the anchor and its paraphernalia and asome other stiff if I have time.

 

Here some pictures that bring this build up-to-date.:

 

Best,

Jerry

Edited May 13, 2015 by Jerry

[Glenn-UK]

Its good to see you know what to do when things don't go to plan; a sign of an experienced builder which of course you are.

 

It's coming along nicely, and before much longer you'll be fluent in Italian!

[Jerry]

Hello Glenn.

I received your post before I finished mine.  LOL..No problem, I just hope you got to see the whole thing.  Thanks for what you said: I always appreciate your comments.  Hope your evening is going well.

Best,

Jerry

[gjdale]

Looking good Jerry.

[Jparsley]

Jerry that's a fine boat you have there so far Leif would be proud

[Jerry]

Thanks for the nice comment, Grant.  Hope you are doing well.

Best,

Jerry

[Jerry]

I appreciate your compliment, Jparsley...Stop by again.

Best,

Jerry

[popeye the sailor]

she's looking great Jerry!   I notice a rise in the bulwark at the port bow.......is that to be used for something?