Norwegian Sailing Pram by Desertanimal - Model Shipways - Scale 1:12

[Desertanimal]

Here we go on the next build the Sailing Pram. This is my second ship build. So far I am up to cleaning up the outside of the hull. I figured it was a good place to get the log started, plus I have some questions.

 

This kit certainly has you up your game. You've got keep a close eye on many things for it to stay true. 

 

Let's start with a picture of the transom. I was a little mixed up because the knee on the aft transom reaches higher up than it does in the photos. I checked some build logs and they matched mine so I moved on.

 

 

Getting everything cleaned up and ready to plank. I didn't have a lot of confidence in the the frames staying square so I added some supports. The transom mount on the base also allowed it to rotate a little so I added the other support you see in the front right of the photo. I don't have a photo of it but drilling the hole in the bow transom knee went well. I started a little smaller and slowly. It came out clean but it's just a tiny bit off center. Darn close though, I'm happy with it.

 

 

 

Lining up the center plank.

 

 

Cutting the sloping rabbet on the back of the plank for the fit at the transom. That was an exercise for sure. Tried many methods, files, sandpaper, finally resorted to more or less "shaving" off the bevel with a sharp #11 blade. And the instructions say 1/3 of the thickness of the board, Hahaha. I went a little deeper because of the overhang, no point in the end being 1/3 deep if it gets trimmed off and farther back it's not quite as deep. That's why it's a little deeper. They did improve the more I did!

 

 

 

Somehow when sanding the bevel on the aft transom I lowered the height of the notch at the center so after the center plank was attached the transom knee was hanging in the air. I added a sliver of wood underneath neat after tracing the shape of the spare transom knee they provided. It should look ok after some cleaning up.

 

 

 

Planking...

 

My notes on planking. This boat planks up slowly. Getting the planks where they are supposed to go and keeping the hull flat on the forms and the transoms level with the board is a bunch to pay attention to. At least with me, once I've got something clamped up, I'm temped to start bending the other side. DON'T do it. Once you get it set and good. Leave it alone to dry, don't risk twisting it or lowering the joint on the transom etc. The Dory was different from this one as it was getting glued to the forms, so the farther you went, the stronger it got. This hull is only relying on that bevel glued to the next plank to hold together. As you move up it tries to lift off of the frames, keep checking underneath to make sure it's still seated on the forms. So take your time and be patient. Let it dry before removing rubber bands and clamps.

That also brings up the point of make sure your bevels make good joints. Dry fit the planks and use a straight edge on the forms to see how well the bevel matches up and clean it up accordingly.

 

 

 

Here's a note for anyone starting this build. After I removed the hull from the frame I noticed char on the inside. I was pretty sure I had cleaned up most of the char and then I realized it was transferred from the frames. So sand that char off also just be careful not the change the shape. It will save you the hassle of cleaning it up later.

There was also some light dents from holding it on the frames that I'm taking care of with a little water.

 

 

Here is the outside of the hull getting some sanding. I'm pretty happy with the spacing and true-ness of it all. The joints at the transom are not too bad. I'd love to hear opinions and constructive criticism on how to make things better.

 

 

 

Some final questions.-- How should the edges of the planks on the bottom be handled? Should they be left square or rounded over? 

 

The instructions mention that sometimes the skeg has a protective brass cover on it. I think that could look nice. Can anyone direct me to on details on that?

 

Thanks for any help and suggestions!

Chris

 

 

[ccoyle]

I love the lines on this little boat. Seeing one being built here always makes me wish I had a real one.

[rob444b]

I rounded the edges of the planks on my pram, but I think either way looks good. It is more personal preference. If you want a brass skeg on the bottom, I would use a thin brass strip and attach it after you paint. I would use CA to attach it in place.

Your pram looks amazing so far. I also had the transom knee hanging in space, don't feel alone!

 

Rob

[druxey]

Slight rounding of all corners on a boat are appropriate.

 

You are dong a very nice job on the model so far.

[Desertanimal]

So there's been work being done. I got the interior completed. I used the wrong stock for the floorboard cleats. Figured that out when I went looking for that piece of wood and started going Hmmmm. Looking at the build it seems they get covered so I'm not going to worry about that and just replace the missing stock. An excuse to go to the hobby store with the intention of only spending $1.00, best intentions and all right?

 

I occasionally get supervised by one of our old cats. This is Marilyn, she's 16 and diabetic and doing great, having the best life.

 

 

 

 

Here is the current state. Transoms finished, mast step installed. I've read a lot of concern about the height of the thwarts and I've also read that in the end it really doesn't matter. So there they are.

 

Rowlock pads (shouldn't those be call Oarlock pads?) are next to be glued.

 

 

 

Thank you for all the encouraging words!

 

Chris

 

 

[MAGIC's Craig]

Looking very good, Chris.  And please give Marilyn a gentle skritch from Vicky and me and Ballou. 

[Desertanimal]

I just realized that the floor boards are connected to the floor cleats. So looks like I’ll be redoing those because they’ll sit too low.  No biggie. 

[Desertanimal]

So I replaced the floorboard cleats and replaced them with more appropriate sized wood. I had to trim down the closest I could find at the hobby store.

 

Worked on the dagger board. Installed the thwarts. Those took a lot of trimming to get them to fit well.

 

 

 

 

Started on painting. Trying to really improve this step of my process. So I am open to any help you can offer. I have a couple of other threads going about that...

 

 

Filled a few ugly spots and such. I think this was just the first coat.

 

Then started working on the inside. That was a chore getting into all the nooks and crannies, but I enjoy painting in general. It's very zen for me.

 

 

You can still see many brush marks and glue marks. I'm not sure why I think those will just go away....

 

Here's a closeup of the edge. Is this finish good or at full scale would it look like a 5 year old, a bucket of paint, and a rag? The shine on the bottom corner of the rowlock is reflection.

 

 

Thanks again for all the kind words!

Chris

[ccoyle]

12 hours ago, Desertanimal said:

Here's a closeup of the edge. Is this finish good or at full scale would it look like a 5 year old, a bucket of paint, and a rag?

 

Close-up photography is the enemy of being satisfied with a job well done -- it highlights a wealth of tiny mistakes that no one will notice at normal viewing distances. I have to remind myself of this fact all the time.

[Wawona59]

Brush painting, I believe, is a skill that is developed over time through trial and error.  In my experience the key to a good brushed finish is to apply several thin coats of paint to let the paint level out between applications.  A good quality brush, such as an artist's brush also contributes to success.  If the paint applied is too thick, it won't level out properly.  Are you using acrylics?  I've read that some modelers use actual artists' acrylics from the tube because the pigment is ground finer.  I've had good luck brushing Tamiya acrylics thinned with 91% isopropyl alcohol.  Your pram is coming along nicely.  Don't sweat the mistakes.  They are inevitable and an opportunity to learn what does and does not work.  

 

Stay the course and enjoy the journey.  Sometimes I have to remind myself that we build models for enjoyment.  Carry on!  Keep up the good work.

 

 

[rob444b]

Looks wonderful! If I may suggest, make sure the dagger board will fit the trunk after painting. Guess how I know? 😅

 

Rob

[Desertanimal]

Hey Robb, yeah I was concerned about that. I made sure it was a pretty loose fit before paint. Fingers crossed!🤞 

Edited May 27 by Desertanimal

[SiriusVoyager]

On 5/27/2024 at 12:03 PM, rob444b said:

Looks wonderful! If I may suggest, make sure the dagger board will fit the trunk after painting. Guess how I know? 😅

 

Rob

I may have had to repaint my dagger board after installing. 
 

The pram is looking great!  Your paint looks good to me. 

Edited May 28 by SiriusVoyager

[Desertanimal]

Thank you all for the kind words and encouragement.

 

The build has stalled a little while I wait for smaller nails to arrive. I ordered them from Drydock and shipping takes quite a while.

 

Some questions while I wait. I understand all the brass should be blackened in order to look like iron. What about the white metal parts? Should those also be black?

 

Is there a good source for reference photos with this boat? I would like to see what “accessories” I can make that will be good practice on scratch building parts and also make the model just a little more realistic. I would appreciate any suggestions.

 

Thanks for checking in!

Chris

[Desertanimal]

OK, there has been a little progress as I'm still waiting on supplies and tools.

 

After looking at some pictures online, I noticed some tillers had a more ergonomic shape. So I decided to make one from scratch. It has the same overall dimensions as the original for the most part. It might be completely inconsistent with this time period or boat. If so please let me know.

 

 

 

Then I decided to try my hand at some weathering/wear marks. I'm not really sure where these should be so I made what I hoped was an educated guess after looking at photos online. I can't find a lot that describes this boat.

I'd love your opinions of my work and suggestions for what else to do. I'm thinking the boat should have more wear and rub marks but I don't know where to put the wear! (see what I did there?)

I'd like to add a slightly dirty wash to the hull. Would that be appropriate for this time/boat? I'm not sure if these boats sitting out of the water was a common sight or not?

 

I did this with watercolor paints. I'd like to try my hand with some dry pigment soon!

 

 

Thanks again for stopping in!

Chris

[rob444b]

Your boat looks great. I think your tiller looks great and there is no reason the "owner" of your boat could not make a modified tiller if he wants. As for wear and tear that's also totally up to you. Perhaps some earth colored pastels woujld be helpful?

[druxey]

Just imagine where any rub or wear points might be. Edges of the gunwale would be an obvious area, for instance.

[Desertanimal]

OK, I've started working on the brass and metal parts. First thing I did was make this little setup to hold stuff down. Then I used epoxy to put the tubes on. I couldn't decide between soldering or epoxy and figured I can't blacken either one so I'll go the easier route. The wires are .031 and I had to drill out the holes so they wouldn't deform.

 

 

Setting up the other metal parts for painting. I was just using flat black spray paint. I cleaned the parts with 91% IPA.

 

 

Spray paint magic! Or at least you would think right?

 

 

Next I thought it might be a good idea to rub the painted stuff with a 6b pencil to get a more "iron" look. Umm, the paint came right off! Essentially you can get the paint off by rubbing your fingers on it. What the heck did I do wrong? I don't know if the brass is the same. I'm afraid to check. This picture looks like I'm asking "why won't my pencil graphite stick to these metal parts?" I swear it WAS painted!!  HAHAHA

 

 

I'd love some suggestions on the paint situation. Also on the rudder side, I'm thinking if I can get a small enough amount of epoxy inside the bend, and/or sand off any exposed epoxy, I'd be able to blacken those parts. However since I'm painting (trying) the gudgeon side will there be a stark difference in finish and I should just paint the other parts also?

I appreciate all the support and comments!

 

Chris

[Mark Pearse]

Hi there

 

I just came upon your log, she's a lovely boat & the model is going really nicely. On painting the metal, I haven't painted metal at scale, but in general you use an etch primer onto cleaned metal before top coating. Another possible issue is mixing time, one time I had this tiny tin of Humbrol enamel that said stir for 5 minutes....I didn't & it took a week to dry; next time I stirred for 5 minutes & it dried overnight.

 

Earlier you asked about painting, I'm in the building industry & it's common knowledge that 90% of a good paint job is preparation. ie: use a sandable undercoat, & carefully sand it. Maybe repeat, depends on how much you want the pores of timber to be filled. Then top coat #1 , sand it carefully. Again etc until you're done.

 

A sweet boat & the colours you chose look excellent.

[druxey]

The metal parts should first be spray primed before painting them (see post #19). This gives more 'grip' for the paint layer. Wood also benefits from priming first, as suggested.

[rob444b]

I usually use Brass Black, which is inexpensive and works on many metals.

[Desertanimal]

I’ve been using that in the brass. Can’t use it on the white metal, can I? 
That could solve a lot of issues…

[rob444b]

The only way to know is to try it!

[Desertanimal]

More progress, I got the painting of the white stuff figured out. I used Mr.Color primer and AK paint. I think they look good, maybe a little too shiny. Received my replacement block plane the other day. The first package came with the plane missing and the package obviously taped closed. Lee Valley replaced it with no issues but I hate that companies have to do that. I hate thieves.

Anyway here's a picture planing the gaff.

 

 

Some pictures of the other masts. (Are these all "masts" of some sort?) I made my own eyes with brass wire and blackened them. Also made an attempt to make a big bolt at the top of the mast.

 

 

 

 

Started working on the sails. These are the pieces getting the glue treatment. I seem to remember the word "sizing" regarding the watery glue stuff. Where did I get that? I was considering adding some machine stitching to the sails but I kinda want this build done. So maybe on the next one.

 

 

Thanks for checking in!!

 

Chris

[druxey]

At least the thief had really good taste....  Coming along well, Chris.

[Desertanimal]

There has been progress on the pram. I have/had a concern with the sail. It seems too small for the boom and the gaff. You can see in the top pics how the corners line up with the associated hole or cleat.

 

 

 

After much consternation and looking at the pictures in the instructions I decided to move parts and shorten the gaff and boom. Here are the results. The angle of the sheet is a little wonky. Not sure what was with all that. It looks to me that adjusting the sizes of the boom and gaff were the wrong move and making a larger sail would have been better but I didn't have sail material so that pushed my choice.

 

 

I used some thin copper sheet for the chaffing pad on the mast. I rolled it around a paint brush handle to shape it and added a tiny bit of epoxy to attach it.

 

 

Here is how I had to wrangle the rope to get them glued up. When you tie a half hitch it will loosen if there is no tension on it. Is that a function of nylon rope and is it less pronounced on cotton? I also had trouble cutting it close to the knot without it fraying. I used a soldering iron to burn off the little ends but that left blackened ends. (Angry face here).

 

Trying a rope hank...

 

I'll be making another one with the sheet.

 

 

I've still got a little work to do. Some more weathering was going to try a little rust on the metal parts.

 

Thanks for all that are following along. I'd love to hear some constructive criticism if you see something I can improve on.

 

Chris

 

 

Edited June 19 by Desertanimal

[druxey]

Perhaps a dab of glue on the line before you cut it might help.

[rob444b]

I made some "pockets" for the battens with left over sail material and just glued them over the battens. I think it made for a more finished and realistic sail.

 

Rob

 

 

Edited June 23 by rob444b
insert picture

[Dan Poirier]

Looks good!

[Desertanimal]

Hey Rob. I saw that on a build log and essentially forgot! Thanks, I’ll add those! 
 

Chris