Nordsee Krabbenkutter 1900 by popeye the sailor - FINISHED - Authentic Models - 1:48

[popeye the sailor]

I finally got through the headaches of getting the family car inspected.   after front brakes,  and complete exhaust {from the manifold back},  I was able to get the car over to the garage for the sticker.  in the meantime,  through all this,  I haven't had much time for modeling.   I did get to reorganize the parts inventory bin and move a few things around.  

    at least I still have MSW to keep me sane.   I was surprised last week,  by a package that came to my door.   recognizing the sender as one of our own,  I brought the package into the house....the admiral was puzzled to the max.   of course I had to assure her that I didn't place any orders without her knowing    opening it up,  I saw the remnants of the Robert E. Lee......he had bought it off E-bay some time ago.  let's put it this way.......it needs work    we had an e-mail conversation about it in the past......he though I could do something with it...he felt that he'd never have the time.  also,  was this kit that he had sent me a picture of during the same conversation.

I have never heard of the company........I thought it to be some defunct company,  but it's actually still in business

 

https://authenticmodels.com/nautical/sailing-ships/

 

Lou thought that this model would compliment the Norden.....he had no interest in building it.   so he sent it to me...he figured I'd have more fun with it than he would.   you really shouldn't have Lou,  but I thank you very much for thinking of me    thanks as well for the R.E.L. .....I'll put that with the other two derelict hulls you sent me....one of these days,  I'll try and make head's or tail's out of it {and them}.  perhaps I'll do as we discussed.........I still like the idea of the ferry     I have more on the model.....I've already started it.....but Gibbs needs to go out,  and he's going to get a BATH    this will be a hoot!.......it's the first of the season!   I'll be back!

[popeye the sailor]

back from dunk'in the dog.......as I suspected,  he didn't take to it very well.  he was a trooper though.......didn't really start shak'in it off til he got out.  of course that led to clean'in the bathroom.   love the way he struts around the house  

 

anyway........it's a solid hull model.   I've not done one before,  so this should be fun.   there's not a lot to the main part of the model......there is more in the way of the fittings though.   the sails are cloth and the images are printed on both sides {thin enough, the ink bled through}.......all you is cut them out.   the fold over flaps are a bit large......I may trim them down a little....I'll see how they look.  it was set up in a clear plastic tray,  but I took it out to get to the instructions.

the instructions are split.......the two small booklets have the written text,  in about five different languages.  there are two large diagram sheets.....one for building the hull and deck layout,  the other is devoted to the rigging.

there is a parts list that is a bit more legible than the one in the little book.......and the one with the picture of the boat on id is merely a folder for the diagrams,  and has a template for the bulwark panels.  the two bigger sheets have the diagrams for the hull assembly.....

and the other one...the rigging.  they highlight in red the sequence shown,  which I thought was kinda cool.

there is also a side view of the boat as well.

along side,  that is the package of some of the wood parts......the rest are arranged on another long card,  numbered so they can be found easily.   the fittings are another long card,  stapled to it in separate bags.  the deck is printed to show the layout.......I may plank it over,  since I have some 2 mm planking on hand,  or if it doesn't look right {I've never been known to sport a printed deck.....so it's a good bet}.   I have one other concern....but I'll wait till I get to that step to address it.   I started right in.

Edited May 2, 2018 by popeye the sailor
spelling

[Mike Dowling]

What's happened to your paddle steamer ?

[popeye the sailor]

the instructions are yellowed in exposed areas,  which suggests that this kit has been around for a while.  how long is unknown.....there isn't anything that suggests a date...not even on the plans.   first thing to do is sand the hull smooth.  I did notice that the slot for the keel is a tiny bit off at the bow.   since it is too deep to correct it,  I just sand the bow to help compensate for it.   the slot for the keel also had a lot of wood fiber in it.......like from a dull blade or something.   I just ran some sandpaper through it,  and it cleaned up well enough.  I noticed a couple of small bumps on the starboard side.....like a knot or hard wood within the wood used to make the hull plug.  not having a small plane,  I took a razor blade and passed it over like a plane,  until the lump was removed.   if you've experienced stuff like this,  it doesn't go away with mere sandpaper.....more times than not,  it makes it worse and more pronounce.

I did pretty good ........it isn't even noticeable anymore     the deck is on 1 mm thick mahogany......printed........it has already start to split,  but not in a critical area.

the bulwarks is the concern I have......not so much for what they are,  but how they are assembled on the model.  the diagram for their assembly is to the left of the deck.  they give you a sheet of that thin stiff 0.8 mm plywood to cut the bulwark panels from.   the templates will need to be cut out.

the stand was easy enough........they supply the base and the pedestals.   the pedestals are routered in one small piece of dowel {at both ends}...you need to cut it equally in half.  the dowel being 1 3/4 long........15/16 did the trick.  the holes were cleaned out that were drilled into the base,  and the pedestals were cemented in place.  the keel part insured that they were even with one another.

I was very careful not to get glue on the surface....I will stain it later and give it a couple coats of clear lacquer.   there is a brass plaque that goes on it later on,  in which I will drill holes for brads,  that might give it some enhancement.   it's better than just gluing it on.    after a short time,  I could remove the keel part and let the pedestals stand on their own until dry.   I began to fit the keel in the slot of the hull.   there will be a gap at the transom........once the stern post is in place,  I can fill in the rest.  I also need to make a hole for the rudder.   the bow stem is on the long card.......in trying to remove it,  I made another discovery...it is glued to the card in a couple of spots.   it was made apparent when I had to rip it away from the card.

again,  I used the razor blade like a plane.......90 % of it came off without removing any wood.   the rest I ended up sanding off....I made it a point to concentrate on just the glue......I didn't want to sand the entire part.   this would cause a couple of problems.....make the part fit loose in the slot,  or alter the part to render it useless.    in doing a dry fit,  it was confusing to center the main part of the keel with the bow stem.   the slot for the stem wasn't routered correctly...too much curve in the hull for the stem........I flied some of the curve out of it.   I also had to adjust the edge of the main part,  so the two parts would join together.  I'll round it off later,  after it's dry.

I've done a bit more today,  but it's still in the camera.   I'm sure more will be done,  so until the next update.....thanks for look'in in.

[popeye the sailor]

hey there Mike.........I gotta set that table back up.   I used it to organize my parts bin.   now that I have the car finished,  I'll be getting back to that build as well.

[Kevin]

another fine build, in the offering I see, Good luck, i will be here, watching

 

[lmagna]

Hi Denis

 

Glad to see that you are interested in building this ship. At least the cost of postage wasn't wasted!

 

You weren't supposed to say where it came from though! If I remember right your comments about the package went something like, "Thought it might be a bomb," and "Thanks for cluttering up MY HOUSE."

 

Looking forward to seeing what you do with it. It's a pretty simplistic kit with very few parts but i'm almost sure you will find someway to spruce it up and make it more authentic.  

Edited May 2, 2018 by lmagna

[usedtosail]

Looks like an interesting little project. Of course you will put your spin on it, which is always fascinating. I'm glad you got the car past inspection.

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Kevin    I'll try to make it interesting.

 

thanks Lou......in response......       you should have seen the admiral's eyes when she saw the R.E.L.  at first I just guessed what it was......that is,  until I found the instructions were in the box    thanks for putt'in them in there.  yea....this kit doesn't have too many parts......but I'll add some,  I'm sure.   I will try to do it justice   

 

thanks Tom...I'll see what I can do....this poor model doesn't know what's in store for it,  you know?!?!?!?   I got away without doing the rear brakes,  but I have them,  so I can do them later.

 

thanks to all who hit the like button.   I got whey-layed into planting strawberries and fixing the hose reel outside....but rest assured,   there will still be an update.  

[vossy]

hope the stairs haven't beat you on the paddle steamer?

 

chris

 

[rafine]

I see that there will be no dust gathering on your bench Denis. You're off and running again.

 

Bob

[BenF89]

Looking forward to following another build from the beginning! 

[popeye the sailor]

hey Chris.......yea,  Mike was ask'in the same thing    nope........now that the car is done,  the table is getting set back up again to continue.  even if it's a small one,  I'll try and get an update posted.

 

thanks Bob......glad your look'in in     yep....got one table going ........look'in to get the other one back on line.....then I'll be runn'in on two burners!     only one way I'll stop modeling........and I ain't there yet      hope your feeling  better.

 

hello Ben........yes sir.......you haven't missed much at all!  glad ta have ya aboard!

 

[src]

Woooo! Hoooo!A front tow seat!!!! That's a rarity for me. 

Setteking Settling in for the show. 

Sam

Edited May 3, 2018 by src

[popeye the sailor]

interruptions all afternoon....then had to man the grill......mot much more got accomplished.   there is enough here though  

 

the deck was cut out of the mahogany sheet.  I got a little sloppy,  but nothing I can't fix .   it was then cemented to the hull....wrapped in rubber bands.

the bulwark templates were cut off of the folder and pinned to a pine board.   the innards were then cut out.......the outer part will be the template.

the stand is ready to be stained

the hull was put on it until the deck dried.

now,  here the skinny on my concern.  around the hull,  about 4 mm down from the deck,  a line must be drawn to where the bulwarks are cemented in place.  I'm not all that warm and fuzzy about this jutting out from the hull.  the instructions tell you to cement on the rub rails,  draw the waterline,  and have at it with paint or whatever suits your fancy.  I'm going to check and see if I have planking that's 0.8 mm thick.......but I need to get the bulwarks and transom in place first.  with the template cut out,  a slight adjustment of the push pins,  and I'm able to slide the sheet of thin stuff under it.

the bulwarks were drawn out and removed from under the template.

this stuff was a bear to cut with a box cutter......but I did it.    I will sand them to even them up,  before I cement them on.   the check for the planking fared well......I think I have more than enough.........0,8 x 2 x 500 mm

so that's the plan........hopefully I can do a good job on it  

 

[popeye the sailor]

hello Sam.......welcome to the log.   I'm just getting started   

[lmagna]

33 minutes ago, popeye the sailor said:

around the hull,  about 4 mm down from the deck

Wow, 4mm seems like a long way. Usually those kind of bulwarks usually get installed at deck level or on a recess that is almost at deck level. They are going to be hard to reference that far down. 

I am also surprised at the method they use to cut out the bulwarks Having the curves opposing each other uses up so much wood.

 

[popeye the sailor]

exactly......all that needed to do them,  was do one side,  cutting both of them from it alone.  port...starboard,  you simply reverse them.   not like they were printed either.   if the stiff stuff doesn't work out,  I have some basswood I can make them from.   that's what they tell ya to do though........4 mm down the side.   I'm going to try only 2 mm,  since I decided to plank the rest of the hull over.   it will work out just as a well.     the fact that it's a solid hull....there is no provision or supplied wood for planking.  to butt it along the top edge of the deck,  would make it too tall.......too high at the bow stem,  and to high at the transom.  this was an extreme waste of wood.....especially this type of plywood.   I still can salvage some of it though.

[Old Collingwood]

Blimey mate another build   You have as many builds as I have VST devices in my Reaper audio device,   this one looks equaly interesting as your other builds.

 

OC.

[popeye the sailor]

thanks OC.......not to mention dangerous.  I almost got a clamp in the face.....not one of the small ones either.  I was adjusting the bulwarks when the big one let go..........hit the pegboard and knocked a few things down.    no problem.......hobbicopational hazard  

[popeye the sailor]

hello all...........is the model calmed down yet?  .....new movie coming out........"when Models attack".........or......"attack of the Killer Model"  cripes....the clamp was as big as the model........good thing it wasn't the larger one!

I gotta get a new set of them......they are falling apart and or breaking through repeated use.   yup......that the current state of the hull.   Just gotta finish filling it in.

    the night before.......the bulwarks and transom were cemented on the model.   of course,  there were a couple "I should have's" in there,  when O looked at it in the morning.

I do have some repair work to do.   I marked off the 2 mm instead of the 4 mm they wanted me to do,  in gluing the bulwarks on....that worked just as good.   I used thumb tacks to hold them in place......made me think of a Viking ship >mild chuckle here<   I did note that the bulwarks were not equal.......the parts themselves,  not the cementing part.   one side at the bow is a little too tall........

.......as well as one side at the stern.......

the damage control isn't too bad.........just a bit of shaving should do the trick.   when I get to the deck,  I'll deal with it then.   first thing I want to do,  is plank the hull.   the transom part shifted a little during the drying process.......I started the process of evening it up.

the stern post was added to the keel

after the transom was sanded to shape,  the planking started.   I used CA to do this.......I got off to a bad start.

I can fix it later with some filler....I'm not going to risk making a mess out it this early by trying to rip it up.   I have those Testor's glue nozzles,  that I fit into the opening of the tube of filler....I can just run some beads of filler,  instead of slathering the hull with it.  I don't want to lose the planked look.  pulling the rudder off of the card......and cleaning up the spot glue mess on it,  I fitted it into place.  there are no gungeons and pintles in the kit.....I'll do something with it.

I did some rounding and evened it off.......and put it back in the box,  after I made up the filler plug for the rest of the slot.  I left enough room for the G&P embellishment.  you can see the planking rounding the transom.

the planking was looking better....there is some minor clinkering.......it should sand down fairly well.

I planked the other side to match the side I was working on.  where the planking joined together at the stern,  I made a filler piece to border off the rudder hole.

the bow isn't too bad.......a bead of filler will take care of the gaps.

I may have goofed up a bit more......I tapered the last plank on the port side,  instead of evening it up to the starboard side.  I hope to get the hull finished today.

 

Edited May 4, 2018 by popeye the sailor

[popeye the sailor]

thanks for the likes gents.....I know it looks a bit like a sow's ear right now,  but after a little repair and some sanding,  the bow looks a lot better.   I added a sliver of wood to the starboard bulwark,  here it failed to meet the stem.   the port side is actually dried white glue,  showing a bit of transparency there.  when I do the filler along the stem,  it should disappear.   I evened out the bulwarks and sanded the tops to level them off.

I was very careful not to get glue on the deck........I will be planking it over,  using the print as a guide.   as for the hull,  the port side is fully planked.  after a good sanding......I'm rather pleased with how it cane out.   there are a couple of places where I will do some filling,  but I think if I were to paint over the rest of it {the way it is},  the subtle plank lines would show,  adding some overt detail.  ...something I'd like to achieve.

I was hoping to have the other side done......but the afternoon got hectic.    I'll try and make an effort over the work week, with any luck.

[popeye the sailor]

I did get to play with the hull a little bit during the work week.   a couple more strakes were laid,  before fitting in the garboard.

I finished filling the rest in last night.

I will do some minimal filling......I want to keep the plank lines

more soon  

[Jim Lad]

I go away for a few weeks and you've half finished another model! It's just not safe to leave the house with you loose in the workshop, Popeye! 

 

John

[Omega1234]

Hi Denis

 

I’m rushing to catch up on yet another build of yours!  This is, to my recollection, the first sailing model that you’ve done (since I joined MSW, anyway).

 

Looking good and I’ll be tagging along for the journey.

 

Cheers. 

 

Patrick

[Piet]

Hi Denis, another build, wow. I love those fishing ships of yesteryear, true romance of the sea.  A hard life though for those fishermen.

It's looking real nice already.

 

Cheers,

[popeye the sailor]

thanks for the kind comments gents    this one was 'one of those things'.......I was going to get back to the Thermopylae......then I was going to bring out the Half Moon,  but I was in question about the dead eyes....and then there was the Trawler.   I ordered life raft bins for her.....deciding against an open boat,  but they are too small in my opinion {I should post a picture so you folks don't think I forgot about her...again}.  I found this model sitting on my door step one day.   I have never heard of the manufacturer..looked old.....so I did some digging and found this:

https://authenticmodels.com/nautical/sailing-ships/

I also think it looks really nice......that is,  until I found that it's a solid hull model.  I only have one in my stash.......a Marine Models kit of a PT boat {PT 10}....I have never done one before.   after some deliberation,  the box ended up on the table,  and I went off to get the table in the spare room back in operation.  that ended with me play'in in the Nordkap box,  separating all the wood {I so want to start it....ohhhhh,  the plans I have }.   back at the main table,  the box opened and I found myself looking over the hull and plans....I saw what is there......and isn't there......and that was enough......it had me with the planking idea.

   I know this is a lot of ishkabibble......and I don't advise anyone traveling the same wormhole that I do,  but I find it fun......crazy,  but fun.  the other day,  I whipped up notepad,  and listed all of my projects and kits I have.....you know,  I'm afraid to show you   my signature doesn't tell the whole story....good thing......there wouldn't be room.

 

hello John........what the heck was I working on when you left?.......oh yea....the Norden >giggle<   glad to have you back and look'in in.......I hope all went as you hoped.

 

thanks Patrick.......yes,  I have a couple of them.   two I have named....the Half Moon and the Thermopylae.......I have the Gothenborg,  but that model has taken a couple of falls,  so I'd have to see if it's salvageable {I'm sure it is}.  I'd have three others,  but I'm steadfast in not starting that project yet {hard for me....gotta tell ya that}     I have a 'what if' in the planning stage for a cloning of the Thermopylae hull,  but I'm keeping that on the back burner as well.  so.....no,  they're not out of the realm for me...there are some plastic kits too {but they're still in boxes}.

 

thanks Piet......I enjoy them too.   the gent that sent me this kit,  thought it would compliment the Norden.  I'm making it a point to display them side by side.  with any luck,  I might be able to add a few bells and whistles to this model,  and make it a bit more interesting  

 

thanks to those who hit the like button    the planking came out surprisingly well........as usual for me,  there are a few spots that need attention.   I didn't think I'd enjoy this new table as much as the old main table,  but it looks more 'lived in',  now that I've build a model on it.   the hood above had turned out real handy as a storage shelf.   I did manage to repair the light {cheap fastening clips},  even though I don't like how little light it lends to the work surface.   I might figure out some way to host a crane light,  sometime down the road.

I did manage to do the filler work........I use those tips that Testor's supplies for their tubes of plastic cement.   I'm able to extrude a fine bead every time,  which in some cases,  it's better than slathering a hull in it,  and then having to sand it all off.   terrible waste  

I thin the filler down with water too,  so I can scrape some of the excess away,  or better define a corner.   the hull has undergone some sanding,  being careful to leave some of the plank lines.

the starboard bow needs a bit more to lose some of the larger lines.......I've added more filler since the pictures were taken.   I'll touch it up and move on towards trimming the stern and transom,  and other things external on the hull.   paint may also be in the plans.......ya never know.

[BenF89]

She's a good looking hull! I like your idea of using the fine tips for the putty. I might have to try that one.

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Ben........if you do try it out,  be sure to thin the filler to the consistency of a thick cream so it will extrude well enough.   it will dry just as fast,  if not faster,  so no worries there.   the tips can be purchased separately,  or combined in assorted paint sets.   the next update is shaping up to be quite fun.  stay tuned   

 

thanks to all who hit the like button as well!  

[Old Collingwood]

Looking very nice my friend,  I completely  get what you mean with the filler  - so much better if it can be applied in small doses and controled just where you want it.

 

OC.