Norden by Halvor - Billing Boats - 1:30 - First build

[Halvor]

Buildweek 1 - entry 1

 

Hi there, 

 

I just received the kit Havmågen by Billing. Since this I really the Norden, with some colours and additional decals, I chose to place it under Norden. 

 

As I am from the Norwegian west coast, these boats are a common sight for me and I look forward to getting to know the hull shape better. In the kit a colour for painting the hull above the waterline is included, however this is not common here. So I'm wondering if I'll be able to plank it so well as not to paint it on my first build, or if I should just focus on gaining experience with this build. Any thoughts on this? 

 

I will try to follow the building instructions closely an not make any changes other than absolutely required ones. Possibly with the exception of the painting scheme.

 

Next post will be unboxing and checking that all the parts are there and in good condition.

 

Best regards,

Halvor

Edited March 27, 2021 by Halvor
marking

[Kevin]

@JamesG did a nice version of this

 

 

 

Edited March 25, 2021 by Kevin

[Veszett Roka]

Welcome to the community Halvor!

[popeye the sailor]

nice!   I built one as well........a really fun kit to build!

[Halvor]

Buildweek 1 - entry 2

 

Thanks for all the responses! I will most certainly look into the other Norden builds as I go along 😀

 

I did open the box and check all the parts. How exact should these sets be? There are some pieces that seem to be not according to the bill of material, but not critical issues and mainly there are too many of some of the planks. I do however realize I will have to be very careful with all of these as the thicknesses are very small!

 

I thought today I will add a box content picture

 

The items that are additional to the Havmågen - 683, as opposed to the Norden

 

And the first build progress (starboard side - I will change it to port before I continue)

 

I decided I will do one half at a time as per the build instructions, and spend some time trying to understand the lining and planking process which I realize have many details to it, one half at a time. Rather than focusing to much on obtaining a perfectly symmetric hull I'll try to learn from the port before I do the starboard. I assume most of the time a ship model will be displayed starboard to the viewer? 😁

 

Best Regards,

Halvor

Edited March 27, 2021 by Halvor
marking

[Veszett Roka]

4 hours ago, Halvor said:

 

 I assume most of the time a ship model will be displayed starboard to the viewer? 😁

 

 

It depends on many things. If the boat going westward, then port side will shown. Also, same for all boat what has left-handed captain, but left handed first mate must shown on starboard. Additionally, please be careful: boats and ships before 3200BC always presented on starboard, at that time the portside wasn't yet invented, even for hieroglyph men too 😁

[Keith Black]

1 hour ago, Veszett Roka said:

If the boat going westward, then port side will shown

 Veszett, not if you're facing south.  

 I think most models are displayed from the starboard side because most reading/writing is left to right. It would be interesting to see if that holds true for models built by those in Middle Eastern countries where reading/writing is right to left.

[popeye the sailor]

when I bought the kit,  it was simply called the Norden.    with this model,  the name is located on the front of the pilot house.   in the case of the Cux 87,  it was located on the stern.  basically,  most fishing companies number their boats,  and usually they are on both sides of the bow.  there are some companies {North Atlantic trawlers and deep sea fishing vessels}  that will put the name of the ship on the bow.

 

I do hope I'm reading the discussion correctly,  because I didn't know there was a proper way to display a ship.  I always display my models on the side that came out the best   

[Halvor]

13 minutes ago, popeye the sailor said:

I always display my models on the side that came out the best   

 

Yes, thats a very good approach 🙂

[Halvor]

Thanks for the usefull information, @Veszett Roka, @Keith Black and @popeye the sailor. Im really happy that I can seemingly select how I want it myself.

 

I was mainly thinking about the fact that on drawings a ship usually sails to the right. I think I will feel that it is weird if it sails the other way. But I will stay open in case the other side turns out nicer 🙂 

[Halvor]

Buildweek 1 - entry 3

 

I decided to not change the side, after I learned that I will be free to decide the display side after the build is finished above.

 

In this session I glued the frames to the keel, before I fitted the deck. I checked that everything looked good and glued the deck in place. Since I am new to this and do not have a lot of tools, I decided to just keep the deck in place while the glue set. 10 minutes can be a long time! An obvious opportunity for improvement before starting on port side. However it did turn out fine.

 

After spending some time beveling with a hobby knife (I might invest in a better tool for this) and sanding paper (320) it looked like this:

 

I installed the bulwark as well. I thought that the radius at the aft was a little small, and I decided to soak and fit it before gluing, using whatever I had at hand.

 

After it had dried in place, I loosened it and glued it in place. It was a bit tricky to ensure good surface matching in both ends, but in the end I managed using pins. Again a couple of clamps might have been handy.

 

This morning I removed the pins and it now looks like this:

 

Next up will be more sanding and adjusting. I also think I will try to follow the lining process before starting to plank, maybe it would not be necessary for this model, but I think it would be good to learn the process and make the first mistakes here 🙂

 

There will not be any further building updates the next week due to other engagements, but the week after Easter I will continue.

 

Have a nice weekend everyone and stay safe.

 

Best regards,

Halvor

 

Edited March 27, 2021 by Halvor
marking

[popeye the sailor]

yes...those bulwark panels can be a problem.   usually,  I don't use them...I simply plank the bulwarks.  it comes out just as good.  I've built a couple of these split hull designs,  and to me,  felt that it might be extra work joining the two halves once planked.  I joined the halves together before planking,  so I could properly clamp the halves together.  I also though of the seams at the stern and the bow.  most modelers will approach these steps in a different way.....there are no real wrong ways to build wooden ships.  it all comes down to what is easier for you.  the neat bit of research I think you will enjoy,  is the net winch

  

 

 

I did a lot of looking to find out how it worked........even more to find the right mesh for netting.  I work for Walmart on the trailers and trucks,  and one day I was working in a trailer,  I happened on a hairnet that crumpled in a corner.  it had been left behind from a shipment to a store,  and repeatedly run over and beaten........it looked perfect!  I didn't even clean it up.......cut it to size and used it   

be sure to fare the frames well,  so the planking will sit on the bulkheads flat.......it will insure smooth contour to the hull  

[Halvor]

@popeye the sailor thanks for the post and pictures! I look forward to work with the winch, and your net find is an awesome story! I have to start keeping my eyes open.

 

One thing I saw that you did and which I may try to do is to cut out the deck edge to frame the deck planking. I think that looked very neat.

 

Anyways, first up is reading some planking tutorials.

 

Best regards, Halvor

[popeye the sailor]

yea...planking can be a bear.......I'm not the best either.  but I've planked quite a few hulls already,  and it DOES get better    good that your checking out methods........it's all part of the learning curve    one thing I try not to do,  is ruin the parts panels that the parts come from.  if a part becomes damaged,  another part can be traced and cut to replace it.  I also use them to create other hulls......just the hulls......and fit out different ships that are similar.

[Halvor]

Buildweek 3 - Entry 4

 

Thanks for looking into my buildlog and a particular thanks to all of you who have liked my posts. Also thanks to Popeye the Sailor for the encouragement to start planking.

 

During Easter I've been browsing a lot on the forum, looking at different planking techniques and the tutorials on these. I decided to try to follow the lining and measuring process and had some progress on this yesterday. Since I don't have a printer or special tools, I took some inspiration from the different build logs and tutorials and used masking tape, a pencil and a ruler to mark the planking on each frame. I adjusted the outermost planks instead of all planks so mainly they are 3mm wide and it turned out like this:

 

 

After transferring the markings I attached strings of thread along three lines to see how it turned out, like this:

 

 

The upper line does have a small kink nearing the aft, but I am satisfied with the way it looks and will use these markings as well as I am able to.

 

I am aware that the main division should happen before I added the locations for each individual plank. When I started to measure each frame I realised one of the reasons for why this is a beginner kit, it was relatively easy to place each plank and the whole exercise was maybe not necessary (as clearly demonstrated by other build logs). I am however happy to be able to learn these processes and measuring techniques on an easy hull. 

 

In the next session I'll be starting to shape and affix the planking 🙂

 

Best Regards,

Halvor

[popeye the sailor]

the stern is going to be the tough spot here.   this contour is common with fishing vessels.  as I have done with quite a few of my fishing vessels,  I took sheet basswood and created panels to cover this area.  the Nordkap.......the Progress......the Cox 87 and the mary Ann,  I've pretty much done the same thing.

with my build of the Progress {which is a clone model of the Nordkap}  this is the area that I will cover.  this is an area that is great stress for planking.  I do all this freehand,  so I have no templates to show.  here I created the stern bulwark.

planking the side bulwarks isolates the next strake,  which will run over this area.  to bend the planking over to the stern stem, without tapering,  it will clinker.  I will fill in the transom.

filling in 1/2 of the area,  it is trimmed so the other side can be added.

with the other side added,  it tidies up the contour of the transom,  and makes it easier to plank.  you'll still need to taper the planking to keep the line straight......this is the key to planking........create a straight line and maintain it.  you will find that some methods work better on different styles of hulls

   one aspect that will never change,  is that the mid ship is always wider than the bow and stern.  tapering,  stealers,  and jogging planks are common tools to use in every form of the art {call it what it is}.  planking is an art...........just look in on some of these logs and you'll see how other folks accomplish it.....some are very good!     the banding method your illustrating is good......a lot of folks use it with great success.  one thing I find with it though,  is that it harder to keep the line,  and tapering to fill in is more common.   I usually start planking from the bulwark down......laying the planking until 'it' tells me that I need to start tapering.  to taper the end,  establish where the taper begins,  and don't exceed 1/2 of the plank width.  if the planking wants to go the other way {away from the plank line forming a gap},  let it........this filler is called a stealer.  if you want to get away from adding in a stealer,  establish where the stealer will begin,  and simply notch the plank at an angle and fit in a short section of planking,  essentially doubling the width of the plank.  as a rule,  this occurs mostly at the bow....but it can occur at the stern as well

 

sorry for getting carried away......there quite a bit to the art   

[Halvor]

@popeye the sailor Thanks for the tips, nice pictures! I'm just starting the hobby, so I'll use the balsa wood on the stern as provided in the kit. Maybe on the other side I'll try to bend the planks over it if I feel brave 🙂

[Halvor]

Buildweek 3 - Entry 5

 

I started the planking 🙂 I realize I need to get some clamps and pins which are better suited since I did some damage on some of the frames with too thick pins. This won't be visible so I'm not too worried about it. I'll review my toolbox before commencing on the second half.

 

Thanks for following and liking my build-log 🙂

 

My progress so far:

 

Pre-fitting a plank

 

Overview of my progress so far. I'm trying to taper the panks in the stern.

 

Bow detail:

 

Stern detail

 

Best Regards,

Halvor

 

 

[popeye the sailor]

try wetting and bending planking around a glass to get the curvature for the stern.......you may need to trim them flush at the #1 bulkhead.

 

I know your just starting out......so did I when I built the Nordkap.  I'd look at these kits and shy away..........I'd think to myself that I could never build one.  I made mistakes.........oh boy..........did I make 'em!  but one thing I did that helped me out a lot,  was to think outside the box.......I scratch built what I couldn't use in the kit.  now the Nordkap was an old kit....nothing was laser cut.  I got it from a friend......a skeleton on a pine board.  he had stopped working on it and stored it in his attic for 30 years or so.  I do a lot of scratch building now...I've gotten so comfortable with it,  that I can't do a kit without doing it.  I ran into the same problem as you have here.....that curved stern.  to taper,  bend,  and curve to create this counter / transom,  is probably the hardest thing to do {some may not agree,  but I do}.  as I mentioned,  the one thing to keep in mind,  is holding a straight line with planking.  here is a picture of the Nordkap...what I did at the bow.

looking close,  you'll see the stealers I added in there.........shouldn't do it this way {two together like this},  but as I mentioned.......what did I know   but you can see how I maintained the straight line.   the stern is the other Achilles heel........I planked it,  but it took a lot of effort.

done in a herringbone pattern,  was the best way to plank it over.......sanded it looked like this...

sanded and with a coat of filler,  it looks like this...

    

 

I gotta take the pup out and go to the store for now.........I want to help.  I hope these pictures will give you an idea or two.  I'll be back    

[Baker]

On 4/9/2021 at 8:29 PM, popeye the sailor said:

I want to help

Very well explained how all this should be done 👍

[Halvor]

@popeye the sailor Thanks for the pictures and the tips - the wetting and bending around a class worked very well! It takes some skill it seams, if the planks soak to long they get to soft and break, and if they are soaked to short they seem to snap internally. I know it is a long time until, but I look forward to the next build to see if the quality of the wood supplied makes a lot of difference. Anyways, I'm very happy with the laser cut frames 🙂

 

 

 

Buildweek 4 - Entry 6

 

I continued the planking process after realizing that I had made a mistake with the planks closest to the keel. I looked a bit around on the forum, and seemingly these should extend pretty much from the bow to the stern. So I removed my first try and had another go. After doing this change everything went pretty smooth, and now I'm on the finishing stretch.

 

One thing which is both good and bad about the half hull solution is that there is nothing to do while waiting for the planks to dry and then for the glue to set, I get time to realize mistakes - but I'm also pretty sure that the additional time that I would spend on doing both sides at the same time would not be a lot more.

 

Here are some pictures with the current status:

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for following my build log!

 

Best Regards,

Halvor

 

Edited April 15, 2021 by Halvor
removed picture

[popeye the sailor]

I do apologize that I haven't gotten back.......life can be so involving.  good you fixed the garboard......it looked as though you were in the process of removing it.  as with all planking,  it goes all the way back to the stern stem.  as you notice,  the bulwark strips are not the same thickness as the planking. 

   the planking is 1.5 mm..the thickness of the bulwark panels is about 1 mm.  when I built mine,  I looked at this and that is why I decided to do away with them and plank the bulwarks.  sanding the planking to match the bulwarks would substantially thin the planking,  and raise the concern that I would sand through......   there's no need to remove them......you can very easily use 0.5 thin strip and add to the thickness of the panels.  

   planking is a slow process......I like to use the time to research and look through the instructions.  I'll see things that can be improved on,  even things that can be done while I'm waiting for the next run.  don't be concerned in using a more aggressive sandpaper either.......keep in mind as to where you are with thickness and sand consistently along the entire length of the hull.  never concentrate on any particular spot....that will cause you to sand through....you don't want that.  if you are planning the use sheet basswood or the like to cover over the stern transom,  go with a thin sheet......and use the grain to your advantage.  wet it,  let it soak a short time,  and work it while damp {you may want to pat some of the wetness away}.  I trim as I go along fitting it.....I get a more exact fit this way.

 

your line looks better...your adjustments show improvement    it may look scary at the moment,  but this is normal.  once the hull halves are joined and sanding has been done,  it will begin to look like something.  it's when you can get some paint on her,  that her beauty starts to show.  your doing a great job    

[Halvor]

Buildweek 5 - Entry 7

 

I continued planking and have now completed the first half and attached the balsa piece at the stern. I managed to fit the planks so I could have complete lengths all the way, and this was sort of my hope for the first half. I now have more experience when I start on the second half. I do need to get some better and more suitable needles (short and thin with a head) before I start. 

 

Now for the pictures:

 

I adjusted the second to the last plank so the last would be easy to fit:

 

The last plank had just a slight reduction in breadth to make it fit.

 

 

I do see that the last plank looks a bit strange since it is so large as compared to all the others. So room for improvement there 🙂

 

Now I just need to repeat the process! 

 

Thanks for looking in and best regards,

Halvor

[Veszett Roka]

It is still better than my first planking was, generally. Sanding and filling will produce a smooth surface, if the vessel will be double planked (veneer on top) then it is almost ready to the second layer. If not, if this is the final body then filler is a must anyhow, so i consider this as a great start Halvor.

Edited April 21, 2021 by Veszett Roka

[popeye the sailor]

nice........your half way there    sanding and filler is still your friend.......paint covers a lot of sin.  you'll get better......the other side might come out better, it may surprise you     I haven't got it down pat either.......  I wouldn't double plank.......filler.....sand it smooth and to contour,  and paint.  to me,  the only reason that one would double plank a hull,  is to avoid stain.  cover with Walnut,  mahogany,  or Oak thin strip and a clear sealer [especially if that particular color of stain is unavailable}.   looks fine........your on the right track.  when you can get the two hull halves together,  you'll see  

[Halvor]

Buildweek 6 - Entry 8

 

First of all thanks for the kind words and encouragement, @popeye the sailor and @Veszett Roka, and off course all of you who read and liked my buildlog. The hull will be painted in the end, so most of what I do now will be hidden.

 

Since I finished the starboard hull, I have completed some of the same steps on the port half. It is quite a bit quicker this time, particularly since I saved all the tape I used for measurements. 

 

Gluing the frames to the keel plate.

 

Mounting the bulwark and transferring the lines from the starboard half

 

 

Mounting the garboard plank and the top plank.

 

 

Now I'm going to continue planking a couple of planks each night until I'm finished and then glue the halves together before filling and sanding. 

 

Thanks for looking in, and have a great day!

 

Best regards,

Halvor

 

[Halvor]

Buildweek 7 - Entry 9

 

Hi all,

 

Just thought I would post a small status update. I've continued the planking of the port side, which is coming on nicely. This time I have used some of the shorter pieces of planking and I think I've had some solid progress.

 

Still no clamps, but I'm considering if I will stick to the nails for this build and consider some starter pack for my next build. 

 

The current status:

 

I have started to use some shorter pieces to get more pressure in the contact surface in spots where the planks does not fit exactly.

Stern:

 

Bow:

 

Thanks for looking in.

 

Best regards

Halvor

[popeye the sailor]

most shop carry 7 mm brads for modeling.........they can be inserted with a tool known as a pin pusher.   they also carry 10 mm brads,  but they have visible heads on them and I've not seen a pin pusher available for them {they carry small hammers instead}.   I used then for door knobs and levers on the dash    good to hear your making progress     great job!

[Halvor]

Buildweek 20 - Entry 10

 

A very long time since I posted anything now, had to complete some other tasks related to an almost completed renovation project at home 🙂

 

During my holyday I bought some new tools in Trondheim, clamps mainly, and a pin pusher as mentioned by popeye above. These really helped a lot and I am posting a picture of the current status for the port side (two strakes currently fitted and drying): 

 

I hope I will get around to do another post very soon!

 

Best regards,

Halvor

 

[popeye the sailor]

good to see your able to get back to the table    hope to see the assembled hull soon!