Corsair by Rainbow - OcCre - 1:80 - first wooden model kit

[Rainbow]

Hey guys,

 

This is my first wooden ship model kit and log so I hope this turn out good

There will be some mistakes of course but some tips will be appreciated.

 

I love the view of pirate ships and the ones with cloths that's why I pick Corsair model kit. Plus for first kit I don't like to spent hundreds (or don't have spare money let's say ).

 

Also bought some tools - cutters, file, hobby knife, glue, brush, sanding tool, hand drill and few others. So let's begin

Here are few pics of the kit:

 

 

In my kit the guide was only in Spanish and German which was kind a problem for me but after mailing the manufacture I've received English one

 

Everything looks good in the manual but as soon as I start the build I hit my first trouble - the so called laser cut was not that precise so a lot of sanding was required...

 

You can see that even after some sanding it was still pretty tight fit...

 

At that point I was wondering am I doing something wrong or it's just this specific kit?!

But we'll not give up in the beginning won't we?

 

 

After initial pain I felt that it's not always necessary to be like that

 

And once again I was crushed:

 

With my good friend the file we got to work again (maybe a little bit too much somewhere... in the end...):

 

After the sanding and fitting of the deck I start beatifying it:

 

Need a little bit more work around the deck these days and I should go to the planking part which worries me the most

 

Hope you like this log and eventually I'll try to post couple of times during the week
 

[Elijah]

Don't worry about it Rainbow. If you are prepared, it will be done well. There is plenty of information on doing many different tasks right here http://modelshipworldforum.com/ship-modeling-articles-and-downloads.php. Remember to make sure you bulkheads are lined up correctly, and any help you may want will most probably be given. Lastly, enjoy your build! I look forward to this developing !

[Rainbow]

Thanks for the support Elijah! Nice links as well, some nice docs there!

 

So it was time to glue the deck to the main frame which was something like 20 minutes glue + holding with 4 hands (had help ) but that put me one step further of the project

 

 

In the manual it's before you glue the deck but I was more worried about it so I put some final touch on the deck after it was on the frame

 

 

Then as you might have guessed - its file time again

 

[Elijah]

File time ! Very nice!

[Rainbow]

Compared to the main deck, the upper one was a lot easier

 

[Elijah]

I like the look of your upper deck .

[Rainbow]

Reinforcing the stern and bow

 

[Elijah]

Don't want her breaking !

[Rainbow]

I have a questions for you guys - do I need some tools for bending planks (cause currently I don't have such). Also can I go without the balsa wood (since once again I don't have it as well) but I see lots of build logs here use it?

 

Also when I tried to check these:

 

I had the feeling they will break. How you bend them without braking them

 

Also what types of clamps are used when you glue them?

Edited February 5, 2016 by Rainbow

[Elijah]

I would use an electric plank bender. I don't know about balsa wood.

[Rainbow]

Definitely will need to think about that...

 

Meanwhile few pics of the tools that I currently have and last work done on the Corsair (from now I see that more sanding is coming haha )

 

[Rainbow]

Thanks for the info Paul!

 

Actually to prove you are right today I had the first "mistake"

 

 

Which kind a make me angry/upset. But then I remembered I've seen that in another build log and I think I manage to fix the problem

 

 

Now I'm working on the other side and I know it will be tight fit but I hope everything turns out just right

 

Will keep you up to date guys

[Rainbow]

As you might have guess I had the same issues on the other side as well

 

 

Not so bad from the inside:

 

 

Hopefully all this stuffs will be covered good after the final planking/lining

 

Of course as with all parts until now, the fitment remains a problem...

 

Same for the stern:

 

For which I also had a bending problem

 

 

P.S.: Can you recommend me a tool (even with link) that is used to bend such parts or all parts? Because I start to get the feeling that without such tool it's pretty much impossible not to break them

[Elijah]

The only thing I would know to use would be an electric plank bender. Curling irons work too. The wood bends more easily when soaked.

[Rainbow]

The only thing I would know to use would be an electric plank bender. Curling irons work too. The wood bends more easily when soaked.

 

Something like this ->

?

[Elijah]

Now that's an idea !

[Rainbow]

Don't have so much time this week but I'm almost ready for the planking

 

Few details remains + the final sanding/shaping of the frame and it's about time to see the planking business

 

[Elijah]

Very nice! I look forward to seeing what you can do with some planks and a ships frame !

[Rainbow]

Thanks for the hints paulv1958!

 

Just once again why I shouldn't use nails during planking? Won't be better if I combine nails + glue?

 

As for the balsa I agree but unfortunately I find it kind a hard to get some here + the tool for shaping it so I might skip it.

[Elijah]

You don't use nails permanently for the first planking because when you treenail the planks, you run into the old nails. I'm not sure of any other reasons.

[Jolley Roger]

Looking good so far Rainbow. 

 

For bending planks, I use a normal household iron(the one you iron your clothes with). Just soak your planks for a couple of minutes, then use the iron to heat them until the plank start steaming and then slowly bend the plank to the required shape. I would suggest you test this method on some scrap wood first.

 

With regards to using nails: some people do, some people don't. Just keep in mind that not all nails are equal, I use brass nails, as they won't rust. Some of the kit supplied nails contains iron, which will rust over time and might stain the wood.

 

Good luck with the planking, I used to be scared of planking, but now I love it, there is so much to learn!

[Rainbow]

So that's my first tries with soaking them in water + iron later one

 

 

And my first experience with planking and the master strake

 

 

I'm not too sure so can you tell me if it lines OK or require some corrections?

 

Regards

[Elijah]

It looks good, but I think you are supposed to put the first plank on at half the width of the plank below the deck.

[Rainbow]

Hmm can you point where exactly (like with picture)? Since where I put it right now was already runway through the entire frame (by the kit and so was in the manual.

 

 

Starting from the central frames, glue and pin the master strake, no. 38, using the frame slots as a guide. Line the hull on both sides simultaneously, i.e. for each strake fitted to the left side fit its opposite number on the right side.

[Elijah]

This should explain everything. http://modelshipworldforum.com/resources/Framing_and_Planking/Lining%20Off%20your%20hull%20for%20planking.pdf.

[Rainbow]

So after all I decide to follow what everyone said and fill some of the frames. Also I was finally able to manage to obtain 1 balsa wood stripe (1000x100x20 mm).

 

It's a lot easier and faster to work with it The only "problem" is cutting it with the blade might be a little bit picky since it's 20mm width but other than that is pretty easy

 

Also I reuse some of wood that remained

 

 

 

Also I'm expecting few more tools one of which is this one:

 

Do I still need to soak the stripes when using it (ended with them instead of the heat one kit that I posted before)?

[Elijah]

I'm not sure about your question, but I'm glad you were able to find some balsa!

[Rainbow]

I'm not sure about your question, but I'm glad you were able to find some balsa!

 

I mean about the wood stripes for the planking - do I still need to soak them in water and then use the above bending tool or just use the tool right away

 

From this video I get the idea I can get without the exposure to water

 

[Elijah]

Water would probably help. It makes wood flexible.

[Jolley Roger]

For that type of bender the wood can be dry.

 

Use it only on the first layer of planking, as the bender can leave blade marks on the wood(even on the opposite side of the cut!)

 

Remember, for this type of build, the first layer of planking is to create a nice platform for the second layer.