Duyfken by Robin Lous - Kolderstok - Scale 1:50

[CaptainSteve]

Love your work so far, Robin. There's an easier way with the filler blocks, though. Just rough cut the balsa to over-sized slices to fit between your bulkheads. Don't worry about the rough appearance. Once all are glued in place, do your initial fairing with your power sander. You can then clean up and fair properly with finer grades of sandpaper.

 

Here's some pics to show what I mean ...

      

 

 

Will definitely save you time doing the last 25 blocks !!

 

 

Edited November 3, 2017 by CaptainSteve

[cog]

Kees de Mol filled the space between the frames with pur foam it's a lot easier than balsa, just as light, and you can shape it with a knife and sandpaper ... just a thought laddy

[Robin Lous]

3 hours ago, popeye the sailor said:

would this ship have a whip staff that would operate a tiller arm below deck?

yep, in (old) Dutch that's the kolderstok...

Happens to be the brand name of the manufaturer of the kit.

 

Carl and Steve, you're right about possible shortcuts.

Call me stubborn, but since this is new to me I try to work as neat as possible.

I'm not yet ready for shortcuts.  When I get the hang of it I think I can speed this up.

One of the things I learned here is...don't rush. Besides, I need time to look at things I still have no clue about how to do it properly.

 

Robin 

[cog]

Well, I do not see it as a shortcut, more like a possible alternative. In the end it is you who decides what to use and how. I'll just sit back, relax, and watch you do your thingy

[Robin Lous]

21 hours ago, CaptainSteve said:

Once all are glued in place, do your initial fairing with your power sander.

I don't own one...well, I do, but when I use that one I'll reduce my poor little build to rubble in less then a second. 

Not a suitable hobby sander anyway and I can't use the disk sander for it either.

So all "hecho a mano" with files, sanding sticks and sandpaper.

Done some more...and in between I do some sanding and with it the fairing started also.

 

When I feel a section is (more or less) ready...I tape it, so I won't sand off too much there by mistake.

Some frowning from the Admiral now. I hope I can finish this before sanding balsa will be banned.

 

More soon,

 

Robin 

[Old Collingwood]

1 minute ago, Robin Lous said:

I don't own one...well, I do, but when I use that one I'll reduce my poor little build to rubble in less then a second. 

Not a suitable hobby sander anyway and I can't use the disk sander for it either.

So all "hecho a mano" with files, sanding sticks and sandpaper.

Done some more...and in between I do some sanding and with it the fairing started also.

 

When I feel a section is (more or less) ready...I tape it, so I won't sand off too much there by mistake.

Some frowning from the Admiral now. I hope I can finish this before sanding balsa will be banned.

 

More soon,

 

Robin 

What I found/find useful for sanding is those decorators sanding sponges (basically sand paper wrapped around a square sponge)  they are great as they are flexible and bend with the hull shape, so you can get a nice smooth finish.

 

OC.

[zappto]

This is very nice work, i never used balsa for my build, i guess it holds planks from deformation really well. More is better then less on this work, as i noticed.

[Baker]

Robin,

Some builders paint the edge of the plywood frames black. Before applying the fillerblocks.

This way you can see better how far you can sand.

As long as black paint remains visible on the widest part of the frame its ok.

 

Dutch,

Schilder de zijkanten van je spant zwart vooraleer je de balsa blokken aanbrengt.

Als je daarna begint te schuren moet er nog zwart overblijven op het breedste deel van je spant.

Altijd juist, en nooit te veel afgeschuurd.

 

 

 

 

[Robin Lous]

Thanks guys!

 

3 hours ago, Old Collingwood said:

decorators sanding sponges

Yep! I have those also, but I prefer the (also...and more) flexible sanding sticks, they're somewhat smaller and easier to handle I think.

 

2 hours ago, Backer said:

Some builders paint the edge of the plywood frames black. Before applying the fillerblocks.

It's a lucky coincidence the sides of the fames are charred dark brown because of the laser cut.

Indeed handy...when you start to sand of the charred edge...it's time to stop. Because of the fairing many frames will lose it completely though

3 hours ago, zappto said:

i guess it holds planks from deformation really well.

I guess so also...first time I do this. But...it makes sense! 

 

Furthermore....nothing new to show.

I hope to finish one side tomorrow or on monday.

I'll be more than happy when I get both sides done in a week.

I expected this to be more difficult, but with the saw table and disk sander it's very doable.

The filing and sanding takes time, but that's ok.

 

More soon,

 

Robin 

 

[Louie da fly]

Coming along nicely, Robin.

 

Where would we be without balsa?

 

Steven

[*Hans*]

Robin, just found your topic - thanks for posting. You've already done a very nice job!

[Robin Lous]

Thanks Hans and Steven!

 

I can't complete the fairing without adding the cabin wall and the stern, so I do them now...and do the balsa on the other side...on the side as well.

Manual stage #59 deals with the rudder hole and the gun ports, I think it's a good idea to do both at stage #2 already.

 

With it my first minor modifications.

I copy the larger hole seen on the replica.

On this photo covered with leather or fabric.

I have close up photo's also, but those I can't show, because of copyright.

Made the larger hole, lined the inside with walnut strips. The outside planks will cover the edges.

I'm now bending the slightly curved horizontal planks. Reminds me...I still need to buy a plank bender. 

 

More soon,

Robin 

[*Hans*]

Btw - I know the guy who designed the Bronze hand canons (he did this especially for me) - so if you are really interested in them I can ask.

Edited November 5, 2017 by *Hans*

[Robin Lous]

That would be great! 

 

Thanks a lot Hans! 

[Robin Lous]

Sunday we had dinner guests, so we had to cook and entertain...

It was an enjoyable evening, but it limited my shipyard time. 

 

Yesterday and today I spend my time planking the stern...

A time consuming, but rewarding task. The horizontal planks are slightly curved, top section 45 degrees, bottom section 60 degrees.

And my second modification...the gun ports.

The manual and plan show 8 mm x 8 mm ports...glued on top of the planking.

The replica ship has rectangular gun ports there. I made the outside measurements 9 mm x 11 mm.

The lids will be 8 mm x 10 mm...flush with the planking and a small gap of 0,5 mm all around, so you can see they're there!

I'll also make the "rope holes" next to the gun ports from a 4 mm drilled open ebony dowel. Rounded edges.

 

The shipyard received new supplies today!

A wooden ship's boat to replace the unsuitable (and likely frowned upon) resin ship's boat I already have. The gratings and a supply of walnut.

 

Still busy with the stern...it's a painstaking job to work around the gun ports, but I did that to myself. 

Edit: Finished manual step #2

I now continue with the gun ports and the cabin wall.

 

More soon, slow but steady!

 

Robin 

Edited November 7, 2017 by Robin Lous

[Barbossa]

Hoi Robin,

Nice work !

I Hope you did not start treenailing after enjoying such fine Bourgundy & Bordeaux wines 

[cog]

Maybe I should get me a kit like this, if they deliver such wines with it  ...

[popeye the sailor]

oh boy wine does not a straight line make   ! 

[Old Collingwood]

8 hours ago, Robin Lous said:

Sunday we had dinner guests, so we had to cook and entertain...

It was an enjoyable evening, but it limited my shipyard time. 

 

Yesterday and today I spend my time planking the stern...

A time consuming, but rewarding task. The horizontal planks are slightly curved, top section 45 degrees, bottom section 60 degrees.

And my second modification...the gun ports.

The manual and plan show 8 mm x 8 mm ports...glued on top of the planking.

The replica ship has rectangular gun ports there. I made the outside measurements 9 mm x 11 mm.

The lids will be 8 mm x 10 mm...flush with the planking and a small gap of 0,5 mm all around, so you can see they're there!

I'll also make the "rope holes" next to the gun ports from a 4 mm drilled open ebony dowel. Rounded edges.

 

The shipyard received new supplies today!

A wooden ship's boat to replace the unsuitable (and likely frowned upon) resin ship's boat I already have. The gratings and a supply of walnut.

 

Still busy with the stern...it's a painstaking job to work around the gun ports, but I did that to myself. 

Edit: Finished manual step #2

I now continue with the gun ports and the cabin wall.

 

More soon, slow but steady!

 

Robin 

Im loving the grey shade of your planks (is it natural or bleached)  it is just what I was hoping to achieve with my deck planks.   Really nice work.

 

OC.

[Robin Lous]

lol guys...yeah, it was one of those fancy "all the way" dinners.

We do that a couple of times per year, more and we will go bankrupt.

 

@bearegalleon Yes, I'm well aware the Duyfken replica is a pretty looking ship without being overly accurate and it reminds me of English Elizabethan era ships.

The upper herringbone patern reaches to three fifth of the height of the stern. The cabin windows and the stern decoration on top are the remaining two fifth.

So it's not completely like the print you showed, but the resemblance is still remarkable. 

I'll fill the hull near the stern with balsa also, that's why I have to do the stern now, so I can finish the balsa filling.

 

@Old Collingwood The walnut is untreated plain...walnut. I also like the grey hue...it indeed looks like weathered wood.

I also like the colour diversity of this wood. From grey to very dark brown. Walnut is dense (hard?) wood, not easy to cut with a knife, but you can sand, saw and file sharp edges. The quality of the wood supplied in the kit is superb.

I did sand each plank with 600 and 1200 grit sandpaper...that's close to polishing. When you varnish walnut, the grey will become a rich dark brown.

I'm thinking of leaving it as it is...no varnish and certainly no staining.

For a deck I think it's a bit too dark though.

 

Before I can do the cabin wall, I need to do the deck planking, so that job will move forward. Manual #3.

 

More soon,

Robin 

Edited November 8, 2017 by Robin Lous

[Baker]

Nice work Robin.

 

The untreated walnut is very realistic.

And, after treatment with oil or varnish it becomes indeed a red / dark brown color.

 

Most finds of remains of ships from this period have rectangular gun ports.

Reason : The greater the height of the gun port, the higher the elevation angle that the cannon can have.

[Robin Lous]

Thanks for the information Patrick!

 

I noticed there's no deck between fame 1 and 2 and since this will be visible I asked Hans (from Kolderstok) about it.

There should be a deck and newer versions of the kit have this. So I made a support frame and the deck.

This is of course still a base deck...planking goes on it.

 

I must now do the grating and the 2 hatches...

It was tempting to order grating matching the size, but  the thickness of the wood and size of the holes would be way to small, 

So I had to order oversized gratings to get this right.

 

I'm not sure about this, but I think it's better to do the grating and hatches before planking, instead of on top of the planking.

 

And I finally got myself a plank bender!

It almost feels like I'm a wooden ship model builder now. 

 

Well, more soon, 

Robin 

[Robin Lous]

I decided to modify the deck hatches.

This is the forward hatch. The kit has a closed hatch with hinges. I'll copy this...an open hatch, somewhat smaller than the kit's version of it.

 

Surgery!

Done and painted the inside black.

The larger rear hatch (not on the photo's) will get a lid, but not with hinges. With rings to lift it out.

When I finish the frames for the hatches and grating...I can do the planking.

 

More soon,

Robin

[Robin Lous]

It's been a busy day on the shipyard...

I finished the hatches. 

The forward and cargo hatch are made of planks sitting on the deck...curved when needed, planks lining the hole inside the hull and capping planks.

The rear hatch a bit simpler, because it will get a lid.

 

And a change of plan...a less sophisticated grating, like the one on the replica Duyfken.

After all, it's a humble ship and discovering a wasteland called Australiosomething...or something like that... doesn't give her the right to show off with fancy gratings. 

 

So I'll scratchbuild the grating. I can do the deck planking now.

 

More soon,

Robin 

Edited November 11, 2017 by Robin Lous

[zappto]

This is good idea make gratings before planking, you will get nice planking. Will you use varnish for deck finish or some oil?

[Robin Lous]

Thanks,

I'll varnish the deck with semi gloss.

I have the intention to leave the walnut as it is. I'll varnish the lighter wood though. Deck and masts, not much more I can think of right now.

 

Robin 

[Robin Lous]

And the grating...

Made of 1x1mm walnut strips. This also helps me with the "no staining policy". 

A dry fit...

I think I'll somewhat reduce the width of the cap planks...a tad bit too massive to my liking now.

 

More soon, planking the deck.

 

Robin 

[cog]

Robin,

I do not want to be the proverbial pain in the "you-know-what" but the upper side of a grating usually looks like the one you are not using. The underside is like the one you are ... just for your information ...

She's looking good so far

 

Cheers

[*Hans*]

Nicely done! What you can do is sand the upper planks back to a thickness of almost nothing and then you are close to the real ones.

Edited November 13, 2017 by *Hans*

[Robin Lous]

10 hours ago, cog said:

but the upper side of a grating usually looks like the one you are not using.

Might usually be true, but this is how it looks on the replica ship. I didn't study 1595 gratings used on a Dutch pinas, so it can be wrong.

 

Now busy with the planking...

Before someone says the planks near the mast are not staggered, that's because this part will be covered with mast foot planks.

This is the part in between the schaarstokken (translation?). I use wider planks for them.

I'll tree nail the deck with 0,5 mm walnut (the planks are 4 mm wide).

 

Since work will become increasingly busy until the end of the year...I'll be happy when I get the deck done this year...and perhaps finish the balsa.

 

More soon, but it will slow down on my shipyard.

 

Robin