Albatros by SaifBlitzkrieg - OcCre - 1:100 - first build

[SaifBlitzkrieg]

Hello Everybody.. My Name is Saif - 26 -  Egyptian Living in Kuwait and this is my very first Ship model i am currently working on with my father's help @mhegazi  .. I'd like to share my work with you and i would appreciate any feedback and any inquiries.. I want to make sure that i got everything right and the methods used r the correct ones. Thank you very much

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dan Vadas]

Hi Saif, and welcome to Model Ship World.

 

That's a pretty good job of planking for a first wooden ship build, and it will look even better when you sand the planking smooth and lacquer it. Trust me, you will be amazed at the difference .

 

You have made a few mistakes, but they are really only technical ones. I made most of the same mistakes when i built my first wooden ship - the instructions never tell you everything, do they? . To improve your NEXT ship I'll point out the ones I can see. Please take my criticism in the way it is intended - to make you a better modeller, and to make the job easier for you. These will be the "missing pieces" from the Kit's Instructions . (I wish someone had told me these things before I'd started my first ship ).

 

1. Add more bulkheads or filler pieces to the "false" framing, especially in those areas where you have tight bends like the Bow and Stern. This will give you more area to glue and clamp the 1st planks. You can make these pieces from any scrap you have, like the pieces that are left over from the frame sheets, or any extra wood  you have. They don't have to look pretty because they won't be seen later. Shape them a little bigger than needed and glue them to the sides of the bulkheads where needed.

 

2. "Fairing" the frames to get the planks to sit flat on the edges of the bulkheads is a critical step. You have done a pretty good job of it, but there are one or two areas where you could have spent a bit more time on. Use a strip of planking on the edges of the bulkheads and sight down it to make sure the plank sits neatly on each bulkhead in a smooth curve. Pay most attention to where the plank meets the Stem at the bow and the Sternpost in front of where the rudder will go. I cut the "dummy" piece of planking at an angle to make sure the outer face of the plank will sit where it should.

 

3. When laying the 1st Planking try to make it as if it was the ONLY planking. This will take longer, but it will make the 2nd Planking much easier and with a better result. If you make any mistakes with the 1st planking you will see where you need to modify your 2nd planks to get them to fit properly. Sand the 1st planking smooth, and fill any hollows with wood filler and sand again until it's right (if you have done Step 2 properly you shouldn't have any ).

 

4. Throw away the Planking Nails supplied with the Kit, or if they are REAL brass (and not just plated steel which will eventually rust) keep them for something else - the heads make good Door Knobs . I see you have been using the technique of using plastic-headed Drawing Pins on the EDGES of your 2nd planking - do the same with the 1st planking. The brass nails do nothing to hold the planks in place that good shaping, gluing and clamping can't do.

 

5. Use shorter lengths of plank instead of laying them the full length of the hull. It's a lot easier to work with those planks that are a bit tricky to lay. Make sure you end the plank half-way across a bulkhead, or glue a small piece of scrap to the side of the bulkhead if needed to give the ends of both planks something to sit on. Don't end two planks next to each other on the same bulkhead.

 

6. Most planks will need some work done to them. Do this before reaching for the glue. Shape the plank as neatly as possible, and keep bending and trimming it until it can almost sit on the bulkheads without using a clamp. If you have shaped your plank correctly the clamp or pin should only have to stop the plank from moving until the glue dries.

 

7. Now for the hardest step. At the bow you have at least two areas where the planks end in a sharp point a long way from the Bow. Instead of me trying to explain how to avoid this, read the "Planking Tutorial" in THIS LINK . It also covers a lot of what I've already explained.

 

8. Above all else - take your time and enjoy building your ship . Remember - it's not a race, it's a hobby .

 

I wish you well in completing your model.

 

  Danny

[SaifBlitzkrieg]

Thank you! I really appreciate the feedback Mr. Dan Vad 

I'll definitely try doing that from now on and I've been reading books and checking videos regarding the shipbuilding, and to be honest your points are the most useful ! I am a great fan of your works by the way!  didn't see this coming...

 

The thing is I want to point out the kind of glue I am using, it's a heat activated dark brown wood glue which gets really hard when it dries up.. its very sticky though and a pain to clean.. and also regarding holding and clamping the parts together.. the spring clamps don't get things to settle where i always want them to be, they always slide! and i also use rubber bands to hold things together till the glue dries up

and wanted to ask about a method I use to bend the wood.. which is I drown the wood in water overnight.. it gets tender and easier to bend later on... it works fine but i wonder if there's a better way? a more professional way to be frank

 

by the way, I got this kit used : the hull was done... the railings were broken at the curve.. one side was higher than the other.

 

really appreciate your feedback ! Thank you very much !

Saif

[Dan Vadas]

Hi again Saif,

 

Thanks for the kind words .

 

First off, throw the brown glue away and get a bottle of White Carpenter's Wood Glue (also known as PVA glue) - it's a lot easier to clean up with either a damp cloth for large areas, or a small (damp) paintbrush or cotton tip for smaller ones. Clean the excess glue off as soon as you can.

 

Your clamps are a bit big, but if they are the best you can get then try removing the plastic coating of one of them to see if they grab better. You could also try gluing a piece of sandpaper into the jaws to see if that helps them grab.

 

Your method for bending the planks is a good one - depending on the wood you probably only need to soak it for an hour or so. Harder woods take longer, and hot water works faster also. When the wood is soaked enough to bend, put it in some kind of Jig to let it dry before using it. It will hold it's shape when dry. If you "overbend" it a little bit (make the bend a bit more round) it will make it easier to clamp.

 

   Danny

 

 

[SaifBlitzkrieg]

Hello Mr. Dan

 

Which PVA Glue would u recommend... i am looking forward for a glue that gets a rock solid results like the brown one..

 

Thank you

Yours

Saif Hegazi

[Dan Vadas]

15 minutes ago, SaifBlitzkrieg said:

Hello Mr. Dan

 

Which PVA Glue would u recommend... i am looking forward for a glue that gets a rock solid results like the brown one.

You probably get different brands to the ones we have in Australia. I use Fuller's MaxBond which is fairly thick and dries a bit faster than some others, but any other brand would probably work just as well.

 

What brands have you seen in your hardware store?

 

  Danny

[SaifBlitzkrieg]

I haven't seen any yet... i was wondering if i can go for something specific... I will go check and will let you know right away

 

Cheers !

[SaifBlitzkrieg]

Framings added on the sides, rear, vertical rear and the spoiler XD

[Tigersteve]

It's coming together. 

Steve

[SaifBlitzkrieg]

A solution for this tip.. What do you guys think?

[Dan Vadas]

I think you have put the Bowsprit on way too early, it'll get in the way of fitting out the hull. Or is it just sitting there without glue?

 

  Danny

[SaifBlitzkrieg]

12 minutes ago, Dan Vad said:

I think you have put the Bowsprit on way too early, it'll get in the way of fitting out the hull. Or is it just sitting there without glue?

 

  Danny

No No not the nose mast ! it can be removed! i didn't glue it yet... I mean the part above the mast's hole 

[Dan Vadas]

2 hours ago, SaifBlitzkrieg said:

I mean the part above the mast's hole 

That should do the job .

 

  Danny

[SaifBlitzkrieg]

7 minutes ago, Dan Vad said:

That should do the job .

 

  Danny

Great ! thank you

[SaifBlitzkrieg]

The Hull is done! the planking was filed then had 3 coatings of sealer... started doing the deck furniture

[Dan Vadas]

Looks good Saif, the sanding and lacquering make a big difference don't they .

 

  Danny

[SaifBlitzkrieg]

15 minutes ago, Dan Vad said:

Looks good Saif, the sanding and lacquering make a big difference don't they .

 

  Danny

yes sir that's true! i used Sealer/Thinner thick mixture actually not lacquering 

[SaifBlitzkrieg]

Furniture is finally done !  

[SaifBlitzkrieg]

[SaifBlitzkrieg]

And a quick question.. how do i make a rope tie that holds 3 blocks into it ?! its at the top parts of the masts

[maaaslo]

Saif, you are making really good progress. Your ship looks really nice and neat. One thing though, these dead-eyes all have to have one hole at the bottom, two facing up.  Like here: 

[SaifBlitzkrieg]

On 6/24/2017 at 9:09 PM, maaaslo said:

Saif, you are making really good progress. Your ship looks really nice and neat. One thing though, these dead-eyes all have to have one hole at the bottom, two facing up.  Like here: 

yes will be fixing them now ! thank you  

Chears !