Endurance by clearway - OcCre - 1/70 scale - kitbash

[clearway]

while i am still working on my HMS Terror i could not resist buying/ starting this one. Have had an interest in Endurance since first reading about Shackletons exploits and seeing the footage of the ships destruction in the pack ice. There is an excellent review of the kit on this forum and as it mentions some upgrading will be needed to make it more accurate.

 

so far have got her as far as the first planking stage (i planked from the midship ply former down tapering planks right from the start at the bow then planked upwards) . I must admit what a joy planking this hull after occres Terror! 

 

 

 

 

i also did not plank the decks yet as opposed to instructions , i will drill and dowel the decks formers in place and sand down before decking is added for extra strength in the hull.

 

Keith

[clearway]

thanks for looking in everyone, sneaking jobs in on Endurance while waiting for glue to dry on Terror yards. Have fitted the formers for the stern , watch out these are handed but if you concentrate on the instructions there will be no issues.  Before i add 2nd planking i will need to decide if i am going to add extra planking near stern to make it a bit fuller or just go with it as is? also i have pulled the brass pins ready for sanding down, also need to add a stealer below the lower most former.

 

 

take care all

 

Keith

 

 

[clearway]

Not much happening wit Endurance due to Terror, but have finished sanding the hull and the stern formers. I have some 4mm x 0.5mm walnut for the second planking and some 2mm x 0.5mm lime for the decking which equates to roughly 6" width. The hardest part will be bending the planks around the counter as per prototype (methinks the admirals steam iron will be abused again)!

 

 

Take care all

 

Keith

[clearway]

Thanks for looking in. Back with Endurance and have planked the poop deck with the 2mm decking (actually Maple as opposed to Lime stated earlier in log). Also have drilled through the stern with a pilot hole so i can install a full rudder. The Walnut planking has been started with the planks for the stern steamed and bent (not easy and maybe planking with a softer wood would be far easier)!

 

 

 

Take care all

 

Keith

[clearway]

Thanks for looking in everyone, got the last of the "u" shaped timbers in place on the counter (looks a bit rough at the moment, but hopefully look better after sanding). I can understand why occre suggested the way they have it and if painting the hull the wrong run of the 2nd planks wont really be noticed.

 

 

Next i will have to work the planking to form the tuck under the stern.

 

Keep up the good work everyone.

 

Keith

[HakeZou]

Hi Keith, I just discovered your log this evening! Looks like we're in a pretty similar spot at the moment, working out the challenges of the second planking. Our solutions for the counterstern planking are different and yours is more historically accurate than mine. (Here's a photo of the Endurance's stern in drydock, just in case you haven't come across it yet). I'm particularly impressed at how well you got the planks to follow the curves there! I initially tried a similar approach but couldn't get the planks to lie flat enough. 

 

Keep up the great work! I'll be following with keen interest.

[clearway]

Ty HakeZou - as part of my research i have read lansing's endurance and the bought the book "south with Endurance" which is a massive hardback weighing a couple of kilos which contains Frank Hurley's photos. To get the planks to lie flat i had to steam them into the U shape you see which was hot and awkward with the walnut splitting for fun! To be honest if using the kit supplied veneer i don't think it would take the stresses, and if painting - so long as gaps are filled - won't really be noticed.

 

Keith

[clearway]

Thanks for looking in, 2nd walnut planking continues and the admirals clothes iron was commandeered again so i could curve the bow planking so it ended at the stem (more hot fingers)!

 

 

Take care all

 

Keith

 

[clearway]

Thanks for the likes and looking in everyone, pulled the pins on the quarter deck and drilled/ fastened with bamboo dowels made from shaved down cocktail sticks (will need sanded down before deck planking added). Also added some more of the walnut 2nd planking.

 

 

Take care all

 

Keith

[clearway]

Thanks for the likes and looking in everyone. work continues with the 2nd planking with the port side about 2/3rds done (will have to move to the starboard side and get that to same level as i like to try and keep both sides equal).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   take care all                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Keith

[HakeZou]

Beautiful work, Keith! I'm particularly admiring how your counterstern is turning out.

[clearway]

Ty HakeZou- i wasn't sure whether i was going to be able to pull it off to be honest as first time i have modelled a stern planked like this intending to leave it just varnished (previous kits like this {ie cutty sark} i built are painted and just used ply/ balso formers which were painted over with high build primer).

My fingers are just starting to forgive me from being steamed!

 

Keith

[clearway]

Thanks for looking in and the likes everyone. As mentioned in my terror log rain and nearly empty house has led to shippy time😋. Finally got the walnut 2nd planking near completion, just needs sanding down/ trimmed here and there and a stealer or two.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                will also need o think about adding the stem, keel and sternpost.                                                                                                                                                               Take care all                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Keith

[Nirvana]

Keith, 

 

I just read through your build log. Impressive work in such a short time.

And yes, she is a ship with lot of history.

[clearway]

Ty Nirvana, gave the hull a bit of a sanding / trimming and also planked the main and quarter decks. As hakazou pointed out in his build log the bulkheads were also planked (i was going to use the 2mm planking as used for deck, but wanted a difference in colour so dug some 3mm strip out of the spares box) Also planked the sides of the island using the 3mm strip.                                                                                                                                                                                                  take care all,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Keith

[clearway]

Thanks for likes and comments everyone, little bit of progress in the shipyard with the decks / bulkheads now all planked.                                                              take care all, Keith                                                                                         

[clearway]

work slowly progressing with the stem and keel pieces attached. Also fitted a brass bearing for the prop shaft in place from my spares box. There is a nice pic of her stern in dry dock showing a two bladed prop (spares box the the rescue again)! Also looks like the prop shaft went through the prop and into another bearing on the sternpost so will add that to the sternpost before gluing it into place

 

 

 

take care all

Keith

[clearway]

thanks as always for the likes and looking in everyone, with shorter days and not much needing done in garden managed a little bit of time in the shipyard (to quote a famous T.V. series "winter is coming") The rubbing strakes and the timber above the stern/rudder are in place along with a bearing in the sternpost for the prop shaft.

 

 

 

 

have fun all and keep up the good work everyone.

 

Keith

[clearway]

Wow how the weather has changed since my last update! since Tuesday gone Honister Pass about 20 miles from where i live has recorded around 4 to 500mm of rain (about 20 inches to our imperial brethren)! Back with Endurance and have added the gingerbread work to the bows, sprayed with humbrol matt white 34 then used an abrasive rubber to reveal the brass scrollwork. also added the timber inside the forecastle bulwarks but used walnut. The bulearks in the waist have been planked as i am going with a varnished finish, decided to use the supplied etched nameplate on the stern by first priming then painting with humbrol 29 dark earth to help it blend in with the walnut planking with the lettering again revealed with the rubber.

 

 

 

 

take care all

 

Keith

[HakeZou]

Some more beautiful work, Keith! Your color choice on the nameplate blends in really well and I love the look of the lined bulwarks on the main deck. Depending on how you proceed with the hardware that OcCre has installed in the cap rail, you will also appreciate that extra bit of thickness there.

[clearway]

Ty HakeZou- i was pondering for a long time whether to just use white transfer lettering or go with the supplied nameplate but they did such a nice job with the etch i went with it!

 

Keith

[clearway]

Thanks for the likes and comments everyone. Today got the capping rails added and started on some of the hatches/ skylights. A few months ago our standing lamp in the living room went bust and when dismantling to fit in the metal recycling bin thought " hey that bit of tubing will be the right diameter for the funnel" and it was, which will look a lot better than using the wooden dowel supplied with the kit.

 

 

Take care all

Keith

 

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

  Great job on the deck planks and the way you planked inside the bulwarks ... lots of detail.  And what a concept - a metal funnel (like the original).  You can add the bands to it, and photos show guy wires bracing the funnel.  

[clearway]

Ty Johnny and thanks for likes/ looking in everyone. Carried out a bit more work on the funnel, it actually had a "bell mouth" top which i worked in with a pair of small pliers, the bands are cut from self adhesive copper strip. The steam pipe according to pics and the plans for polaris i bought went more or less to the top of the funnel with the whistle actually only reaching half way up.

 

 

Also carried out work on the deck house (Ritz) bit of a mystery though as on the plans for Polaris there are three arch topped windows where occre have two portholes and a door. However all the other square windows on the plans are portholes on the photos (i.e. the portholes along the stern island) so decided to make it three portholes with the doors moved to correct positions. Also planked the walls as per photos.

 

 

 

Tomorrow our local model railway show is back on after being cancelled last year (will have to try not to break the bank on the traders stands)!

 

Take care all

Keith

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

  Another great use for set-adhesive copper strip.  Can you recommend a likely source for this material?  I haven't seen any - but suspect that it is the stuff used with some types of security systems to go around glass windows.

[clearway]

Hi Johnny- we use the copper strip for repairing edge connectors on circuit boards at work, but people who make dolls houses use it for making lighting conduit- do a search on copper dolls house tape if no joy with electronic suppliers.

 

Keith

[Ian B]

11 hours ago, Snug Harbor Johnny said:

  Another great use for set-adhesive copper strip.  Can you recommend a likely source for this material?  I haven't seen any - but suspect that it is the stuff used with some types of security systems to go around glass windows.

Most of the garden centres around here in  the UK sell it--- It is stuck down to stop slugs--- they wont slide/wriggle over copper...

[HakeZou]

Wow, Keith, that smokestack looks fantastic! This is a great upgrade! The Ritz is coming together nicely, too.

 

As for the windows: I noticed that in the cabins of the original ship, the windows narrowed from a square on the inside to a round porthole on the outside. Not sure if that was true in the Ritz, as well, though.

[clearway]

Thanks Hakezou- you would think that a ship with soooooo many photographs taken of her wouldn't have any grey areas!!!!

 

Keith

Edited November 28, 2021 by clearway

[clearway]

thanks for looking in everyone, after storm arwen has swept through we have calm with frost brrrrrr, however feels more like endurance weather!

ye olde copper tape has been used for the metal plating on the prow and the prop is in place along with a start on the railings on the ritz and the galley chimney. Actually bought 12mm railing stanchions by caldercraft from cornwall model boats along with 0.7mm brass wire.

 

 

 

take care all

Keith

Edited November 28, 2021 by clearway
typo