Oseberg by Mike Dowling - FINISHED - Amati- modified

[Mike Dowling]

Ahoy shipmates (and all that blarney!) I am back!!!

 

After a pause and change of model I have returned to the watery kind.

 

I got the Amati Oseberg on ebay at a reasonable price most of which was probably accounted for by the pretty box! The Viking boats required surprisingly little wood which is exactly what Amati provide. There are instructions dubiously translated into English, a good sheet of 1/1 plans, a little box of bits and pieces. Lots of small dowel to make oars with, a wee bit of deck planking veneer and some well cut laser pieces including the pre-shaped strakes, the false keel and bulkheads and that is about it. Would you believe you even have to add your own glue!!!

 

Anyway, I appreciate this is not an accurate representation of the real Oseberg and it is interesting to note that Amati now seem to sell exactly the same kit named the 'Drakkar'.

 

I don't intent to modify it very much but I can see that the plywood edges will need to be covered and the deck planking done completely differently from the destructions. I have looked up a couple of other builds to get me up to speed.

 

So here goes, a couple of pictures of the box and contents to start with and I just couldn't resist posting a couple of pictures of my interim model (with apologies to MSW).

 

 

[Mike Dowling]

Well, there's a good start. A nicely warped false keel to pay with. Because of the strange nature of the boat I don't think I can brace it at this stage to flatten it so my plan is to add the bulkheads and make sure they are square and then brace them when they are glued to correct the warp.

 

I have also drawn onto the false keel a rough guideline for the bottom strake and, where I can marks for subsequent strakes. I am hoping that it will help to keep things symmetrical later.

 

I notice the inclusion in the kit of a dragons head (brittania metal) but it would seem that the real Oseberg didn't have one. Interestingly there seems to be a laser cut piece of scroll as on the rear on the sheet so I may add that instead. Sadly in this kit there is none of the impressive scroll work that the Billing version has but I don't think my skills allow to put my own on.

 

 

[EJ_L]

First off, well done on that stage coach! Beautiful model!

 

I would caution using that warped keel. One of my current builds had that issue and while I did manage to get it squared up and what I thought was straightened with the bulkheads, I quickly found out was not as well fixed as I was hoping for. While I have still been able to make a very nice model, the bend is noticeable and has caused issues throughout the build. If it is not too much of a hassle, it may be worth buying a small piece of plywood to cut out a new keel.

 

Which ever you decide, I am looking forward to the journey on your build!

[Mike Dowling]

I know you are right but my skills with a fret saw are not that great. I am trying the soak and weight technique first (!!!!) and will see what happens.

 

Thanks for the comments about the coach - it does make a change from boats and I have tried to alternate up until now. Trouble is I have nearly run out of coaches and the dreaded scratch building looms ever closer!!

[dicas]

Helo.

Not the best of kits by Amati, and you need to change a lot to get a decent model, I am presently building one, I started it some years ago, then put it aside because it was not what I wanted it to be. Anyway I picked it again and now I am in the process of getting it better. As a matter of fact I am only using the hull, all the rest is new.

You can see how it is now, maybe it helps.

Regards

JL

[twintrow]

Mike:

If the warp isn't corrected with the weights, I would cut the existing keel at the bow just where the keel ends the bow curve, then cut of the stern just where the stern curve starts, the pick up a piece of poplar for your local wood supplier and remake the section cut out and reattach the bow and stern pieces.

 

I've had to do that several times.........and sometimes remake the whole keel.  It is also easier to cut the rabit in a solid piece than into plywood.

 

God Luck

Tom

[Mike Dowling]

Thanks Dicas for the picture. I agree, not the best of Amati kits but it is a bit different and I think will look OK in the end. I had already thought of changing the deck planking as you have done. You have a very nice looking hull there anyway.

 

All will be thrilled (!!!) to know that my wetting and weighting overnight have worked and I now have a much straighter keel to start with. I still plan to brace it a bit after I have the bulkheads on as apart from keeping it straight I think it will give a bit of extra strength when it comes to putting the strakes on.

[cog]

You are nearly finished !!!!!!! Can't even entertain you until you get new sandpaper ... bummer

 

Looking good, Mike. I nearly feel guilty when I look at my progress ... nearly

[Mike Dowling]

What do you mean Carl. That's not my model, I haven't even got the bulkheads on mine yet !!!

[cog]

Auch, I'll just silently disappear in a very dark corner ........ on an uninhabited isl in a far, far away galaxy

[Cathead]

Mike, this looks like a fun project to follow. As I'm also working through my own problematic kit with bad instructions and limited materials, I'm quite empathetic to the challenge, though it also creates some fun opportunities for learning and customization. Plus, I love Nordic ships of this period and something along these lines is definitely on my life list. Can't wait to learn from your experiences.

[Mike Dowling]

Don't worry Carl - it happens to all of us as we get older !!!!

 

Really nice to have you along Eric, I will have to make it good if I am to meet your levels.

 

Anyway, the keel. That's better now isn't it !!

 

 

[reklein]

Very nice Stage coach. Too bad on the keel warp. Good job straightening it. Now be careful not to build a warp back into it as you add the bulkheads. When I was building R/C plane fuselages I would hsve a straight line drawn out on the building board to maintain my alignments. Good luck on your build.

[EJ_L]

Much better looking! You should be able to get a nice straight boat out of that.

[Mike Dowling]

Thank you reklein for reminding me about building the warp back in, I had completely forgotten about that. It is sitting in a drill press vice with a straight wood splint along it as I write to make sure it stays straight.

[Mike Dowling]

All bulkheads on nice and square although the warp did try to creep back - as they do! However I have put in a few braces partly to give the framework more rigidity but also to keep the warp in check.

 

I think it look ok.

 

An interesting point about this boat, I am supposed to do the faring for each strake as I do them one at a time. Maybe it will be easier this way. I am not particularly good at fairing at the best of times. These pre-cut strakes are going to have a fair bit of twist in them, I wonder how I will get on ?

 

 

[cog]

Nice, Mike.

 

You'll get on either easily, or with great difficulty MAybe something in between ... in the end I know you'll manage

[EJ_L]

Fairing those frames will be a bit of a challenge to do without breaking them. Going to have to be gentle which is probably why they suggested doing it one at a time. Keel does look a lot better and hopefully you can pull out that last little bit of curve and keep things straight.

[dicas]

Hi Mike.

 

There no special problem with the strakes, they are strong enough to take their position on the frame without breaking. I followed the instructions loosely, or didn't follow at all. I felt no need to cut along the strakes, as suggested in step 12 of the instructions. But if I remember well, I faired the frames as I was putting each strake, and it workwd well.

 

I am thinking that maybe I should open a post with my building, maybe if helped future builders.

 

Regards

 

JL

[Mike Dowling]

JL, did you have to fair the underlying strakes for each row ?

[Mike Dowling]

Call me a plank by all means !! (A good seafaring term methinks) These here strakes are not symmetrical ! So, guess who put two on back to front. Oh yes, so isn't it a good thing that I use white glue for putting planks on.

 

A lot of water later , some gentle removal and they are now on the right way round I hope!! 

 

I will post some more pictures after I have recovered from my shame.

[dicas]

It happens... 

 

As for your question well, I am not sure if I understood it (I am sorry, but I am Portuguese and by no means a good English speaker or writer).

 

But here goes what I learned with those strakes:

 

Each one was sanded so that the upper one coud make the more contact possible. Each was glued (white glue, what else) to the lower one. 

There was no noticeable problem with the strakes, except that at the bow and stern the steps on the frames are of no use at all. It was impossible (for me, at least) to lay the strakes against the frames. I ended by fairing the the frames and erasing the steps.

The strakes are 0.8mm (1/32), but you must thin them to half, at least in the extremities or you will end with a very thick planking (just look at the juxtaposition of ply at the bow and stern. Be prepared to do this.

 

I added an extra strake, because a board of 50cm would be very usefull to get water into the boat and the crew out of it... I think it looks far better, and more like the Oslo Museum ships (or the Bergen ones) that I visited.

Edited February 4, 2017 by dicas

[reklein]

Proof that a person can't have too many clamps. Nice work.

[Chuck Seiler]

Mike,

 

    I recommend using rubbing alcohol (isopropyl) for the un-gluing process.  It works as good as water (maybe better) but does not seem to affect the wood.  Use in a well ventilated area.

[Mike Dowling]

 I am so glad I put 'modified' in my title.

 

Apart from not being symmetrical, I also discovered far to late and just about when I had finished that all the strakes are a tiny fraction too long which meant that the lovely line I marked before starting to put them on as a guide line was a complete waste of time.

 

I have been scratching my head and trying to figure out a way of getting over this problem and I think the only solution is to reshape the edges of the strakes fore and aft. I may also take a wee bit off the prow of the keel which I don't think will be noticeable in the end.

 

I was trying so hard to get the strakes symmetrical on both sides of the hull I didn't really notice the mess I was making front and back. I also miraculously managed to do one side quite well and the other is horrific.

 

This is not going to be my finest hour nor my best model so my only redemption will be trying to make the best of a bad build. Maybe I should stick to making coaches!!

 

Whilst drying I thought you might like to see just how many clamps it is possible to use at any one time and also my rather awful front, back and bottom!!

 

Anyway fellow modellers, don't be too hard on me, believe me I have given myself quite enough of a hard time over this already.

 

 

[Mike Dowling]

Before anyone even suggests it I am not taking them all off and starting again !!!

[dicas]

Well, I thought of that too. Or, since the plans are actual size, just redo everything. But Somehow I managed to make a more or less decent job of the hull.

Before you enter into something drastic  I assure you that this is the kind of model where the hull as almost no importance, since you hardly look at it at hull level if you see what I mean.

I manage dto correct the front and rear strakes using a needle file with one side without teeth, putting that side against the hull and filing the strakes. It worked perfectly and I managed to get the strales back to the drawn line.

I think that in spite of your dispair, we are making a good job so far. Just go on and concentrate on the deck and bits. On this model, these are important and make the model.

JL 

[Mike Dowling]

Now that is what I call compassion, what a really nice, kind person you are. I had the same idea with the needle file and reckon I can improve the situation. I think you are right though that the hull and all its mistakes are not going to show too much in the end. As the boat has one sort of good side I will make sure that that is the one that shows!

[Blighty]

Now you're talking my language Mike! Good luck with the fix and press on.

[Mike Dowling]

I wish I was building another Chaperon !! I enjoyed that. My next build potentially is a Chinese Junk. I think that is going to be much more fun !!!