Barque Stefano by robdurant - MarisStella - 1:63

[robdurant]

Hi Eamonn,

 

Overall it's a very simply hull to plank, but the counter is a bit of a pest. Mainly because the plank needs to be shorter on its lower edge than on the upper edge, so it naturally wants to clinker at the lower edge. I resorted to water, steamed on the plank-bender, bending it between my fingers, and then when I thought it was pliable enough (i.e. just about to break if I bend it any further!), getting it in place on the model using superglue, and often clamps a centimetre or two at a time... It still wasn't perfect by any stretch, but I managed to get it close enough that sanding brought it level without it breaking through the depth of planking in any places. It's solid enough now, so no harm no foul

 

I finished planking the counter yesterday on the port side, so I'm probably feeling a bit more positive about it than I was early on yesterday. I'm please with the lines over all, although I do wonder whether the line that leads into the counter should dip less... I guess the lines on the wale should hopefully hide this, as long as they take the correct line, once the hull is painted. And I can always sand it back a bit further if necessary. I'll double-check against the plans later.

 

I carved out the balsa in the stern to just above deck level and was pleasantly surprised by how solid it all seems.

 

Thanks for looking in.

 

Rob

[robdurant]

Hi all,

 

A little update to show progress. I've finished second-planking the port side, (and I'm a good way down the starboard side, too). There were a few moments of doubt along the way, but I'm really pleased with how it turned out. Here are a few pictures showing the really lovely lines that these working vessels had...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm not bothered about the marking from the superglue, because it's all going to be covered up. But the superglue did make the whole job MUCH quicker. I went from 4 1/2 months on Ethalion, to under a month on Stefano from first plank, to this point.

 

Looking back I notice now that I hadn't sat the model on the stand properly, but thankfully nothing amiss happened. The stand is surprisingly sturdy, and a very useful part of the kit. Now... back to planking! I'm hoping to have the port side complete in the next couple of days.

 

Happy building

 

Rob

Edited March 20, 2021 by robdurant
Mixing up my port and starboard :)

[egkb]

Nice bit of planking going on there Rob !  Here's another crackin' good build that will over-take mine shortly (even though I'm over half way through the ratlines lol  ) 

That said .. Spring is in the air over here.. The build Race Is On   

 

Eamonn

[robdurant]

Thanks Eamonn

 

I hope I don't rocket past you  As a not inexpensive kit, I need to make this build last a while  Quite happy to be the tortoise. I do look forward to seeing more of your work on Ballahoo... she's a very fine model, and she demonstrates the benefits of taking your time. It looks like you're well onto the home straight with her. I particularly like the building slip stand you've made. Did you design it yourself? It certainly looks the part.

 

I've finished the second planking, and I'm really pleased with how it turned out. Minimal sanding was required to get a nice finish. I won't bother putting any photos of that up, as they're pretty much identical to the ones above.

 

The next step is removing the bulkhead tabs and I wish I'd had a flush-cut saw to do this, but an x-acto saw did the job okay.

 

 

Once removed, the balsa in the stern can be carved out using an x-acto knife down between the transom and the balsa, and then a mix of the x-acto saw, a chisel and some light sanding to get the balsa block down to the level that will support the deck. I was a bit nervous about this, but actually it wasn't too bad.

 

 

Now it was time for the first layer of deck. I was concerned that I'd end up with an uneven deck if I tried to plank it for the first covering, so I decided to break from the instructions and use some 1.5mm ply I had left over from another project.

Digital calipers were used to measure off the width at the front of each bulkhead and this was then marked out onto the ply, checking back and forth. Once the marks were made, I used a plan bent along the marks and had my son draw along the plank. This resulted in a nice smooth curve.

 

 

 

Sadly the ply wasn't long enough to go along the whole length of the hull, so the false deck ended up in three pieces, but it ended up a pretty near fit. A stanley knife worked well for cutting out the shape, and then a light sand along the edges to make sure it was a nice fit.

 

 

 

I was concerned that the curve of the deck would not be maintained where the deck parts joined, so I added some balsa supports between these bulkheads and sanded them down flush to the tops of the bulkheads.

 

 

Once it was done I took the opportunity to mark the following items onto the false deck. 

 

1. Mast positions

2. Deck furniture positions (cabins, hatches, companionway, etc...)

3. Mark the plank termination positions for the shift pattern ready for planking the deck.

 

 

I was pleased with how this went, but before I glued it in place, I wanted to make one more check (and I'm SO glad I did!). I drilled out the mast holes, to check the angles of the masts when stepped, and with the intention of using stub masts to help with locating the deck when I glued it in.

 

This test showed that the main mast hole was marked almost 10mm too far aft resulting in a crazy rake... far greater than on the plans. I'm not quite sure how this happened, but it did... (I made the false deck so it's definitely my bad and not the kit!) Anyway, I filed the hole forward until the mast was at the correct rake, then fitted a reinforcement piece underneath the false deck to complete a mast cutout in the correct position, filled the missing bit of wood in with wood filler (it's going to get covered up anyway, and the strength will eventually come from the reinforcement, planking, and mast collar), and tried it all in place again. This time, the rake is correct.

 

So, the deck has been glued in place with Aliphatic resin (carpenter's wood glue) and clips all round the bulkheads to maintain the curve of the deck both front to back and side to side... It's rock solid now, and will make a good solid base for the planking, with no chance of my stuffing it up

 

 

I've sanded the freeboard (bulwarks) to remove the superglue marks from the first planking, and filled them with wood filler ready to sand them really smooth. I didn't get the bulwarks as smooth as I ought to have in Ethalion and it came back to bite me, so I'm going to spend a bit more time on it this time. And as I type this the wood filler will hopefully be going nice and hard ready to be sanded back tomorrow.

 

 

So that's me up to date. 

 

Happy building, all

 

Rob

Edited March 24, 2021 by robdurant

[egkb]

1 hour ago, robdurant said:

I particularly like the building slip stand you've made. Did you design it yourself? It certainly looks the part.

 

Hi Again Rob ..  Yea, I did a wee bit of research here on MSW and found some styles I liked .. In this case it was Dubz's style I copied (for his Sherbourne) and adapted it to Ballahoo.. Alas Dubz (Dirk) is no longer a member with us here on MSW, I guess this happens.. Oh Well.

 

Eamonn

[robdurant]

Hi all,

 

Thank you for looking in and for the likes.

 

I've sanded back the bulwarks, and they're now pretty smooth, so it's time to get the deck planked. But before I did that I was thinking it would be nice to inject a little more interest into the model, and that means showing that she's a merchant vessel that carried cargo. That involved cutting out part of the hatch, and for good measure I also cut out a section where the companionway ladder would go. 

 

Once cut out card trays were made and painted to sit in these sections and give the appearance of depth. Some model railway coal in two different sizes is on order to go into the cargo hatch. I remember reading that colliers were dangerous vessels to travel on because the cargo was transported as was, and could easily shift in heavy seas, unbalancing the vessel. So... A glimpse of coal in the hatch is the idea. I'll just have a few of the slats off the loading hatch as otherwise a heavy surgery would have to be done to one of the bulkheads.

 

 

 

Now it really was time to plank the deck. I worked out from the plans that the planks are 66mm in length. I wanted to plank the decks with individual planks so that the wood tone changed from plank to plank. That meant something heading for 350 planks needed to be cut out, and I didn't want to have to measure each one by hand... so I created a very basic jig.

 

 

The stanley knife blade is put to the right hand end flush with the ends of the guides, and tapped with the hammer to cut the plank. As long as the plank is held against the left hand end as shown above, the plank will be the right size. After doing this, I added channels to cut planks to 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 lengths as well, and these were used for the first planks at the bow end to create the shift pattern as per the plans. 

 

The 7x1.5mm waterway was put on first. I've seen discussion about whether this is accurate or not. I've decided to include it as it's an interesting feature, and I'm planning to make the deck furniture from walnut, so it should tie everything together nicely. Time will tell! It was stuck in place in one piece, then the mast openings were cut out along with the hatch and companionway openings. I figured if it is for strength it would have as few cuts in it as possible, so it runs right through the deckhouses for my interpretation.

 

The planks were marked on one long edge and one short edge with a black sharpie to simulate tarred caulking. I don't bother with treenails as having been onboard Victory and Cutty Sark, to my mind you can barely see them in 1:1 scale, let alone 1:63! I discovered very early on that the sharpie ink was leaching into the cut ends of the planks, and wicking up the plank a little way, which was a bit ugly... This was solved by dipping the end of the plank that would be marked in the carpenter's glue before marking it. It takes seconds to dry when the excess is wiped away, and this prevented the wicking.

 

Planks were run right across the openings to maintain the distances neatly, and then the openings were cut out again once the glue had dried. I did this for each run as it made access for the saw easier.

 

As I've planked, I've been copying the false deck markings onto the deck, so I don't have to measure it all out again. I'm mirroring the shift pattern between port and starboard. Here's the progress so far with three and a bit strakes on each side.

 

 

So that's me up to date. 

 

Happy building

 

Rob

[egkb]

Great plank chopper ..   and I like the idea of giving some depth to the cargo hatches .. 

 

Eamonn

[robdurant]

Thanks Eamonn. And thank you to everyone for your likes and encouragement. As always, they spur me on.

 

The plank chopper works well, but usage has shown that pine was the wrong wood to select for the base. It's got pretty mashed up now, and doesn't cut as cleanly as I'd like. I'm almost there, though. Plywood would work much better I think.

 

The model railway coal arrived, so I thought I'd have a go at filling the hatch insert. I used the smaller grade, and once it was packed into the holder, I poured watered down carpenter's glue into it. It made quite a mess, but I left it to dry overnight, sat on a plastic surface (so it didn't stick to it), and wiping the excess away, and it worked beautifully.

 

Some pictures...

 

The holder...

 

 

Filled with coal... 

 

 

 

And the finished result...

 

 

Once the coaming is in place, and a few of the covers left off, it should look really smart.

 

Finally, a picture of the planking so far... 

 

 

The waterways will cover the edges here, but I'm enjoying trying to get a nice neat edge anyway.

 

Happy building

 

Rob

[egkb]

Looks like a nice topped up coal cargo!  She would certainly be Down To Her Marks in real life  

 

Eamonn

[robdurant]

6 hours ago, egkb said:

Looks like a nice topped up coal cargo!  She would certainly be Down To Her Marks in real life  

 

Eamonn

 

Yes, I suspect the ship's owner might be happier than the captain about that load 🤔

[robdurant]

Okay - a milestone to report 

 

I've finished planking the deck. I also took the opportunity to get a photo with one of my other models in shot as a comparison. HM Cutter Sherborne (a Caldercraft kit).

 

 

 

 

The paper cover is to stop the coal getting lots of dust on it from the build.

 

I believe the next step is to start making the holes in the side of the hull for the scuppers and fairleads, etc...

 

Happy building, and thanks to all who take an interest in the journey.

 

Rob

[BobG]

Wow...the Stefano dwarfs the Sherborne! She's going to be an impressive model.

[egkb]

Hmmm Rob, looks like you have the Ships Boat sorted ... 😂😂

 

Eamonn

[robdurant]

Hi all,

 

Some more progress. 

 

I've been cutting out the holes in the hull, some of which I haven't opened up to their full size, so that I can do that once the surrounds are glued in place and I know precisely where they are and what size they need to be.

 

The openings for the double blocks were marked onto the hull, chain-drilled round the edge with my proxxon mini drill and a 0.5mm drill bit, and then cut out carefully with a sharp xacto #11.

 

 

 

As I trimmed the wood, I checked the size against the blocks with a set of digital calipers.

 

 

And finally, the block was checked. These blocks are very finely cut, and I haven't broken one, but I can imagine they're pretty fragile, so you want them to be a gentle push fit, not to be forced into place. Before I glue them in, I'll need to drill down through them to fit in the sheaves. I've been putting that off... but I'll summon the courage at some point.

 

 

Freeports were also drilled (with their centres 21mm below the top of the hull), along with openings for the hawse ropes... these are the holes that mooring ropes go through... When the instructions mention bitts, don't think of the large wooden frames that go on Napoleonic frigates... think of the metal uprights with a cross over that you get on modern ships... (it's all on the plans, but it took me a few seconds to switch era!)

 

It's worth double checking these measurements, because if you get it wrong and drill too near the top of the bulwark, you'll end up with a drill bit appearing through your nicely planked deck. I used some masking tape to make sure I had a smooth line, drilled them at 1mm, then opened them up to 2mm. These will have corresponding holes in the deck where the pipe to allow water off the deck begins. (This is where it ends)

 

 

Anchor chain holes were also drilled. I've left these small so I can adjust the size later. I'm wondering whether to have a brass pipe through from the deck... we'll see. I remember doing that on my Deans destroyer, and it made for a nice look.

 

Regardless, you need to chisel out the balsa block to make room for chains to come through the space. That space will also be needed for the stays that go from the bowsprit through the bow. Three on one side, and two on the other. These also need to be lined up so that they don't interfere with the decoration. It occurred to me that this decoration would be lined up according to where the bowsprit went, and so I opened up this hole at the same time.

 

To stop the bow getting damaged, I temporarily fixed a scrap of plywood onto the bow to take some of the strain. This was fixed to the balsa I left in place to support the bowsprit.

 

The hole for the bowsprit would form a channel in this balsa on either side, and it would also provide a support for the middle of the focsle deck.

 

Here's the scrap of ply, with the balsa hollowed out.

 

 

The first hole drilled in the bow... 

 

 

And gradually opened up...

 

 

A wood drill bit (not attached to a drill) was used to make an even channel through the balsa... Care was required to make sure it did not run through and scratch the deck... (especially the king plank that runs down the middle of the deck)

 

 

Once through, and trial fitted, it proved to be very sturdy.

 

 

 

And so the scrap could be removed with gentle pressure...

 

 

So, as it stands, I now have the reference points to work out where the decoration goes, and where the five holes for the bowsprit shrouds / stays(?) go. There's more to share, but I'll put it in another post

 

Rob

[robdurant]

While I was working on all that, I also had my eyes on the superstructures, wondering how they would go together. So I quickly assembled the laser cut structural pieces. And I have to say they went together like a dream... If the superstructure ends feel like they won't fit, try them at the other ends...  The lower edges matched up to the deck better than any kit I've built before. Really really nice!

 

 

 

Part of my desire to put these together was because I wanted to start thinking about how these cabins would look. There's nothing at all wrong with the kit, but I wanted to try a little scratch building, and thought these would make good candidates... So... I did some measuring, and set to with CAD, and this is the result. It's based on a bunch of photos from various clippers / merchant barques, including Cutty Sark, and the James Craig in Sydney (a barque from a very similar era that is still sailing). 

 

 

So, I want to make the look something more like this, but also, I want the windows to be glazed, the door to be open, and some detailing to be done on the inside (e.g. a tiled floor etc...) We'll see how far I get with that. I definitely want the finish to be varnished walnut and white. My guess is that although the kit parts are brilliant, I'll probably end up remaking some of the structure.

 

Watch this space!   

 

 

[robdurant]

Finally, I've had a good look through the fittings. And the majority are really really good. There was one item I felt let the side down a little, and that was the ship's wheel. 

 

Thankfully this is easily solved. A quick look on Cornwall model boats, and £2.98, and I had an 18mm ship's wheel in brass winging its way to me. I wasn't quite sure which size I'd need, so I ordered the 21mm one too, which as it turns out feels a little large... that was £3.10... 

 

And here are the results next to a 1:64 figure... (bearing in mind Stefano is 1:63, so for someone my height, the difference would be 3cm!)

 

As you can see, the kit wheel is both a little rough and ready (with an offset centre), but also grossly oversized for our poor captain's hands, being presumably designed for a much smaller scale model - perhaps 1:24... The RB models wheels are, to my eyes, far more fitting for the scale... In this shot, the RB models version are both front down as they have a rod extending from the back, which will make them really easy to mount when the time comes.

 

 

The RB Models wheels come as a kit, but it's simple enough to put together, with a clever bit in the middle to put the superglue, once all the parts are in place... then it's all capped off with a boss. (21mm assembled, 18mm in parts, below)

 

 

Finally, the wheels from the front.

 

 

 

 

[ccoyle]

14 minutes ago, robdurant said:

As you can see, the kit wheel is both a little rough and ready (with an offset centre), but also grossly oversized for our poor captain's hands

 

I'm pretty sure that's the same wheel that was included in my ancient Corel Flying Fish kit. It wouldn't surprise me at all to learn that somebody -- maybe Corel or Amati -- is churning these out in bulk for use by other companies in the region.

[robdurant]

Yep, They look very similar to the Mantua ones on Cornwall Model Boat's site... 

 

https://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/acatalog/35050-Ships-Wheel-Boxwood-20mm-35050.html#SID=63

[robdurant]

I've finished making holes in the hull for the time being, so I masked off the deck and gave the bulwarks a coat of admiralty paints matt white.  Then I made up and mounted the double blocks in the bulwarks using the smaller sheaves provided in the kit and the 0.5mm wire also provided. The holes were hand drilled very carefully with a 0.6mm pin-vice. They're not perfect, but I was worried I'd destroy the parts using a power drill.

 

The blocks were assembled and a drop of superglue applied at each end to secure the pin in place. The blocks were glued in place with carpenter's glue. They all slope so that the fore end is higher and the aft end lower.

 

Once mounted I masked the sheaves themselves, and painted the bulwarks again.

 

 

 

 

Having done this, I marked the waterline, masked it, and painted the hull above the waterline with Admiralty paints dull black. I started with a 50% water mix to act effectively as a mist coat, and then use a 80% paint / 20% water mix for a few coats after that. 

 

 

Then it was time to start opening up the holes for the surrounds, which were gently sanded to round them off, and then glued in place once the holes were opened up to match the insert. So far I've just done the rosettes on the port side for the mooring ropes. These photos are seriously close in, and a bit brutal and show that I have plenty of room to improve on this task! Hopefully I can clean these out a bit. I'm very pleased with the overall effect, though.

 

 

 

Thanks as always for the likes, comments and encouragement.

 

Rob

 

[egkb]

Brilliant Rob, things just get better with each post ! Roll on the next updates.

 

Eamonn

[robdurant]

Thanks Eamonn

[robdurant]

So I can't remember whether I mentioned I bought one of the "Rope Rocket" rope making machines from Syren Model Company. It arrived just over a week after I ordered it and I assembled it with a little trepidation. I'd heard other say that using it was really easy, but I wondered whether this was false humility... 

 

Well, it turns out not. I watched the videos Chuck has on youtube (just search chuck passaro rope rocket on youtube, and you'll find them), and followed the instructions.

 

And here's the result...  The top rope is one I made (0.72mm made of three single strands of DMC Cordonnet Ecru No. 20) - the very first rope I made!... and below is the shop-bought rope I've been using up to now - again labelled 0.75mm.

 

 

So now that I've got a whole bunch of thread (I bought 20, 40, 50, 60, 80 and 100) and a little time, I'll be working out what makes up which...

 

Here's one more photo of some of the rope I've made so far... Both with no. 20, the first three single strands, and the second, turned the other way with three triple strands. Making, respectively, 0.72mm and 1.5mm rope.

 

 

 

So... kudos to Chuck for a brilliant, elegantly simple design and kit. This rope rocket really is that simple!  My models will never have anything but my own rope on them from here on in. It's worth pointing out that these photos were taken under a very bright daylight bulb, and are nowhere near as shiny in real life.

 

Take care and happy building.

 

Rob

Edited April 21, 2021 by robdurant

[egkb]

Brilliant Stuff Rob .. Making Rope is deffo fun and adds a real sense of accomplishment too.. 😊

 

Eamonn

[BranPie]

Just wondering... I see you're based in England. Did you buy directly from the Syren website or is there a European distributor for that rope rocket? I think I'd like to buy the Syren rope rocket and the serv-o-matic for my next model. The supplied "rope" in kits is such a letdown. 

[robdurant]

Hi @BranPie

 

I bought straight from Syren in the states. I've done that before and never had any problems. 

 

Rob

[dunnock]

Those ropes look very good compared to those normally supplied in kits. I'm very tempted to get one - maybe I can drop a few hints to the boss for my birthday along with the complete set of blocks for my Diana that's also on the list.

Is there import duty to pay into the UK?

David

[robdurant]

My order was less than £135 so it didn't qualify for customs tax... at least that's my understanding and I didn't get asked to pay any extra,  where I have in the past on larger orders. Don't take my word for it tho. You can check out the regs here... 

 

https://www.gov.uk/goods-sent-from-abroad/tax-and-duty

 

I guess if you got all those.blocks you may end up paying tax to import them. I did on the gun carriages I bought from Syren. As long as you factor it in then it isn't a nasty surprise

[robdurant]

Hi all,

 

A little progress to report. I finally bit the bullet and - using a sheet of 1mm walnut from Cornwall Model Boats - for the curved sections, I made up the parts that edge the deck (the "covers" as they're described in the instructions). 

 

It took a few attempts, but eventually I got some neat parts cut out and shaped for the stern and bow, and the centre was 1x5mm walnut. I used left over stock I had lying around, but that doesn't mean it's not in the kit - it just means it came to hand more easily, and I'm lazy by nature.

 

The process for the stern and bow sections went something like this.

 

Scan the top-down plan on Sheet 3 that shows the deck edge.

Print out the plan to 100% size.

Cut out, and modify the shape at the stern and bow to fit the model itself.

Mark out some sections so that the grain roughly follows the length of the pieces being cut out... 

Cut out the sections and pritt stick to the walnut sheet (noting the direction of grain, so it runs along the piece)

Cut out the sections carefully to shape and then steam the pritt stick'ed patterns off the wood by holding with plyers over a boiling kettle for a few seconds.

Trial fit, sand and trial fit again until it's ready.

 

Here are a few pictures of that process and the results...

 

 

 

 

Having glued these parts down with carpenters' glue the gaps were then filled in with the 1x5mm strip.

 

 

 

Right... happy building to you all  More soon.

 

Rob

 

 

[robdurant]

Hi all,

 

Thanks for the likes. I've made a little progress by drilling out the (almost) vertical hole through the transom for the rudder post. In retrospect, perhaps I should have done this before I glued on the stern post, as it would have made for much easier access to drill from below, but the stern post was glued in place, so instead, I measured up where the hole should start, and then used a 1.5mm drill glued inside some 2mm plastic tube to make the initial hole. The plastic tube allowed me to align the drill by running the tube along the stern post, thus creating the right angle for the hole. The photo below shows that the stern post steps in towards the top (as does the rudder) so by putting the 1.5mm hole vertically above the top of the aft extent of the stern post, the hole ends up in the right position. Hopefully that makes sense... I neglected to take any photos of this stage.

 

With careful checking at regular intervals, the hole eventually made it's way through the king plank on the deck, and it was then opened up using a series of drills from above (being careful not to scratch or dent the stern post as the drills made their way through to the other side) until the hole was approx 7.5mm. At each step, the hole was checked to make sure it remained central to the king plank. (As it turns out this was approx 1mm to starboard of where it should be, but I'd rather shape the rudder post so that it looks central than have the hole off-centre - this won't be a working model after all, so I can cheat )

 

Once opened up, the rudder was constructed from it's laser-cut parts, and with some rough shaping of the rudder post it was test fitted. The rudder post fits beautifully, with a nice small gap between the sternpost and the rudder (it had dropped away from the hull a little when I took the photo below, but it does sit closer). I'll bevel the fore edge of the rudder and perhaps taper it towards it's aft-end before finally fitting, the top of the rudder post will need to be shaped for the tiller, and there'll be plenty of work to do to get it coppered, etc... before it gets fitted, but I was keen to ensure it would work before I went too much further.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for looking in.

 

Rob

 

[robdurant]

Oh yes, and another note that may be of help to other builders of Stefano.

 

In the instructions, when you get to the point you're installing the rosettes, there are rosettes for the hawse-pipes, but then another rosette is mentioned for the anchor opening... that in fact is the rudder opening rosette. It's 1mm ply, and marked as no. 32 and it forms a surround for the rudder post hole under the transom. You can see it in place on plan sheets 2 and 3. 

 

Happy building.

 

Rob