ELBE 1 1948 by Mirabell61 - scale 1:87 - Lightship

[Mirabell61]

Update

 

all stb. planks are on now except for the bulwarks. On the port side there are still two planks to be placed in the keel area. The planks are scraped and sanded. A few touch ups with filler in the aft area are neccessary. Aft the prop is preliminary mounted. I had to cut out the stem, because I had forgotten to insert the prop-rod into the shaft. Will close the gap later on. There are only very few touch-ups required. Before the bulwarks are done I have to do and plank  the deck.

 

Nils

waiting for doing the rudder assemly

 

I`m pleased with the planking, ten planks on the sides so far, all worked out like it should be. The forecastle sides must still be planked. There are two little outcuts in the keel-lne where the stand`s spindles will go through Later on

 

The one-layer planking is smooth and true shape with the frames. The hull is strong and sturdy and very light, no warping to be seen

 

Edited March 21 by Mirabell61

[Veszett Roka]

Very clean work Nils.

[Mirabell61]

Thank you very much Veszett,

 

Nils

[Jim Lad]

Going really well, Nils.

 

John

[Mirabell61]

Thank you very much John,

 

Nils

[Mirabell61]

Update

did some more scraping on the hull, also built in the prop and the rudder

 

Nils

the scraping method is a very good way to take off a minimum of the planks thickness. I use 3 different scraping sharp edged  blades

the scraping chips are are very thin. The advantage vs. sanding is : no dust created

the rudder is made and soldered from brass sheet The gap in the stempost is closed now

the rudder is fully workable, but it now ca`nt be removed any more unless desoldering

I fixed a metal edge to the keel and the stem in order to give more solid hold

 

The preliminary pencil-waterline is marked up

 

 

[KeithAug]

Flashing along at your usual pace Nils. If I blink I am going to miss the next instalment.

[Jim Lad]

Your scrapers work really well, Nils.

 

John

[yvesvidal]

These scrappers are the best way to trim and carve a hull. I used these on my HMS Bellona and I could not have done the equivalent work with sanding paper. In the old days, modelers used a piece of broken glass as a scrapper. Now, we have these pre-shaped tools that are so much easier to use.

 

Yves

[Mirabell61]

Many thanks Keith, John and Yves,

 

Keith,

I`m pleased that you look up the log reguraly, stay tuned

 

John,

yes, the blades were used already on my "5 Elbe" and "Ergenstrasse" hulls, without intermediate, sharpening

 

Yves,

right , once I used scrapers, I would`nt want to miss them for my builds

 

Nils

 

[Javelin]

Very sharp and solid work Nils. An astounding pace of construction as well. I believe not many here can match your building speed. 

 

[Mirabell61]

thank you very much Roel,

 

Nils

[Valeriy V]

You are actively progressing in your work, Nils! I'm watching with pleasure.

[Mirabell61]

Thank you for your words Valeriy.

I`m also waiting for updated news for of your SS. Blagoev .....

 

Nils

 

[Mirabell61]

Update.

 

Today I took her (cut) off the build platform, and had my first look into the hull, am pleased with it so far.

Outside against the bow-post and the side skin I installed the integrated round pod that later on takes up the mushroom typ anchor, (3 tons in real weight).

Its the first time she settles on her own standplate

 

Nils

 

the pod for the mushroom anchor later on. It faces downwards to a certain angle and ends a bit above the waterline

its made from 20mm round beechwood. The face is light convex, as it fits neatly into the concave shape anchor

the overstanding upper frames will be cut off

a sight into the hull

here to be seen one of the spindle counter nuts, and the resting foot lug for the light towers stand tube. This is also why I built in the squarebar on the topside of the keel

 

 

the shining through narrow plank gaps are filled with white cured wood glue. the hull at this degree of building is extreme light

 

Edited March 26 by Mirabell61

[Canute]

She has very nice lines, Nils. 👍

[Mirabell61]

Thank you very much Ken,

yes, I think that is also one reason why a few light-ships were tranformed into 3 mast sailing barks, after they were taken out of duty.

the "Alexander von Humboldt" was built as a German lightship, with birthname "Reserve Sonderborg", in 1906 and later transformed to the well known 3 mast bark with the green sails

 

Nils

Alexander von Humboldt (former lightship)

 

[Jim Lad]

She looks like a ship now she's on her stand, Nils.

 

John

[Mirabell61]

Thank you John,

 

Nils

[Kevin]

very nice indeed, love her shape

[Mirabell61]

Thank you Kevin,

I`m pleased that you like it

 

Nils

[Mirabell61]

 

Update

 

today the deck beams were installed, and the overstanding upper frameportions cut off.

I also received the steel concave shield 21,3mm diam. of the mushroom anchor, for soldering on the anchorshaft

 

Nils

the deckbeams for forecastle and the main deck are on

 

this is a pressed and cut out steel round 21,3mm Diam.

 

 

 

[Jim Lad]

Excellent progress, mate!

 

John

[Mirabell61]

Thank you John,

in the moment I`m a bit stuck with considering the construction of the upper poop and forecastle top rounding covers. Of course one way would be to shape balsa support parts, but I would rather have smaller frameworks to shape by means of planking the 3-dimentional areas .....

 

Nils

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mirabell61]

Update

 

for the rounded areas I found a solution. It`s going to be a mix of planking (forecastle), and balsa fillers combined with brass curved sheet plate

 

Nils

in the narrow roundings I used 3mm wide strips, in the more flat areas 8mm and 10mm strips

there is a supporting framework installed

for the poop 5 stacks of balsa  combined with with a brass sheet part

 

[Jim Lad]

Good solution, Nils. Those sorts of areas aren't easy.

 

John

[Mirabell61]

right John,

I feel the spheric planking is a real task, but makeable, and it takes a bit longer ....

 

Nils

[LEFEBVRE]

Hello Nils.
Great work, we look forward to the rest.
Friendships from France

[Mirabell61]

good morning and happy easter break Lefebvre,

Thanks for your words,

 

Nils

[Blue Ensign]

Very impressive brass work Nils, and your problem solving skills are second to none.

Nice progress.

 

B.E.