HM Colonial Cutter Mermaid by olliechristo - FINISHED - Modellers ShipYard -

[olliechristo]

Thanks Sailor.. I really appreciate you taking time to explain more about planking, I'm really soaking it up and love that there is so much to learn..  It is a great asset to understand how things were built on a real ship so it can be translated to our models respecting materials and scales used... What a wonderful hobby.. Thanks ollie

[RodR]

Ollie,

 

I am relatively new to the site and to model ship building but I read through your log last night.

You are doing a beautiful job considering that this is your first model. 

I too am doing a Modellers Shipyard kit and the instructions call for gluing the keel, stem and sternpost to the finished layer of planking.
I see that you have installed them prior to doing your second layer.  This makes more sense to me and I will do the same.

I really like your idea of the wide push pins.  I was wondering how I was going to hold the planks in place without actually putting holes in them.

Problem solved - Thanks very much

 

Keep up the great work

 

Rod.

 

 

[Jim Lad]

Ollie,

 

Just let the planks sweep up under the counter in a smooth curve.  Have the planks meet each other on the centreline.

 

John

[ringbolt2013]

They say it better than I can! But they are correct ! So follow their directions!! 

[olliechristo]

Okay guys, had some time off work, some good time in the shipyard. Did a full 9 hour day of planking yesterday,, plus another 6 added also..

 

I am a very happy modeller.. I only ended up having to use 4 half stealers on the keel.. No planks are less than 2.9 mm wide.. planks were 5.7 x 0.6 mahogany

 

Photos make it look glossy but its a satin finish.. There are some minor glue marks through clear coat but overall im 92.5 % happy and don't want to risk sanding anymore...

 

I thank my sponsors and support crew..   I won't say it was easy, but I relish in a good challenge/ learning experience..

 

I will mask off and sand where wales get fixed.  Moving onto starboard side next and now to get it's planking on and think about water lines, paint and  coppering.  Regards Ollie

Edited February 1, 2014 by olliechristo

[olliechristo]

more pics and angles

[egkb]

Wow That Is Cracking Good Work Ollie !!

 

My half planked Ballahoo is in the post to you as we speak .. erm.. 'Ollie in Australia' will get to you right?

 

Eamonn 

[Bindy]

That looks absolutely sensational Ollie!   And it is your first build ???  Just wow!

[Jim Lad]

Nicely done, Ollie!

 

John

[ringbolt2013]

BEAUTIFUL!!!!!   Absolutely outstanding!!

 

Tom

[olliechristo]

Thanks Eamonn, Bindy, John and Tom,, really appreciate your compliments.. Im a bit chuffed and you lot are making me blush, a bit like the mahogony..

Having a wale of a time and its been a learning curve... or is that learning about curves

 

I have cut out the "cut - away" and looks great... 

 

Something I noticed and a bit of a tip perhaps..  If you want to dull down your varnish/clear coat,.. Go over it with a very 'worn in' foam sanding pad (3m brand or the like)  wipe with cloth.. looks nice... Happy crafting all. Ollie

[olliechristo]

Hi all, adding 9 hours to log...    I have finished planking   !! A bit of a relief and a cold beer to celebrate..

 

Whilst i've been planking i have finished interior work and scratch built some catheads, can't be having that plywood showing, jeez .

 

Wales are in jig being prepared and i am studying what is the best way to copper my hull respecting the era and place of origin... (1817- Calcutta)

 

I think i will go for ONE parallel band and waterline...  Back to my the workshop i go..   Regards Ollie

 

 

[egkb]

Brilliant stuff Ollie, Oh and is that a bit of a 'Selfie' going on too ?

 

Eamonn

[olliechristo]

Thanks Eamonn.. Yes the better half got a hold of the cam..    More pics and angles, everybody loves pictures Stern post added, very happy with how that went..  I'm liking the way the mahogony and black bean look side by side..  Ollie

Edited February 6, 2014 by olliechristo

[Jim Lad]

Ollie,

 

Well done with the planking, mate!

 

Just a bit of technical 'stuff'.  If your scratch built catheads are the two pieces projecting over the stern are they, then they're actually stern davits!  If you know perfectly well that they're davits, the please just ignore this paragraph.

 

Regarding the coppering; this link may be of some use.  It's of the preserved remains of the Edwin Fox in Picton - much larger than your cutter, built 38 years later and a merchant ship, but built in Calcutta.  The photos may be of some use for comparison.

 

http://www.edwinfoxsociety.com/gallery/

 

John

[olliechristo]

Great John, Yes please correct me on terminology, I am getting better, but a long way to go.. need to do more study instead of always ripping into the prac, but thats nothing new at all.. ...   Thanks for the link, much appreciated  .. Regards Ollie

[ringbolt2013]

Did you ever go see clayton707 ???  That guy is a prodigy, His Vasa is Awesome! Just type in "clayton707" and you can get to his site...happy viewing!

 

Tom

 

Ps   out standing job on the planking!!!

Edited February 7, 2014 by ringbolt2013

[aliluke]

Beautiful work Ollie - the planking is outstanding and getting that stern post fit so tight - better than I'm doing with mine at the mo' that's for sure.

 

Cheers

Alistair

[olliechristo]

Thanks Tom, that is amazing workmanship and the amount of time that must go into a ship like that Vasa..

 

Alistair, your work is outstanding, so I take that as a major compliment.. I was almost worried my planking was too tight..and couldn't see the lines between planks.. thank you.. . Ollie

[egkb]

Damn that's good planking Ollie!! Has Ballahoo arrived with you yet?  I sent it express!

 

From The Far Side Of The World..

 

Eamonn

[aliluke]

Hi Ollie

You are too kind - I'm still a beginner in my own opinion. I guess I feel like I'm in control of my model these days when before it was an out control thing with it's own mind!

 

Yep that "line between the planks" is a really interesting question/dilemma. Perhaps others have thoughts?

 

I have just finished the upper counter on Fly with a complete loss of the planking lines and the same applies to my very carefully calculated and tapered wale planking - all of the tapered lines are virtually invisible - they were too tight. Too lose it looks like crap and too tight it looks like...I don't know what?...Plastic (no implied criticism of plastic models in that thought!)? Veneer? It is hard one and in the future I may do tiny reverse bevels to emphasise the planking line. I did this on my AVS (1:48) and liked the outcome but at a smaller scale (1:64) I decided it would be too pronounced and went for full tightness. The other option is to caulk everything including the hull planks. In hindsight I would have done this on Fly. Anyway if you stay with natural finishes the wood grains will define the planks and your skills will read through.

 

That you can get things this tight on your first go means you are now in complete control! and can loosen those joints for effect on the next pass at  it or caulk the external planks to define the lines.

 

Needless to say, for doing a fine, well researched and brilliantly made model - you have no worries.

 

Cheers

Alistair

[olliechristo]

Thanks Alistair, and your right, a very good topic.. What you have said all makes sense to me. Like you I think I would do the pencil or pen caulking on hull planking as done on wet deck. As I got some way through my planks I wondered.. Was it the norm to caulk these.. Oh well too late.. I fear having gaps as I want to have my model as sealed as possible. I live in very moist tropical environment and it's at it's peak.. I think I will need to keep her in a dehumidified case to prevent damage in the long term.. btw now realising It's all these finer points that really make a model look as good as possible. Regards ollie

[olliechristo]

Eamonn, I received the post. I was impressed. Quick voyage too looking forward to more being sent.. ollie

[olliechristo]

Okay, ive had 2 days work in the last fortnight and the rain just hasnt stopped.. so hence all the progress and posts..

 

Another 5 hours added...

 

I have decided to do fake tree nails on hull and wales... Wales are in progress, the walnut isnt that keen on bending even after two soaks and bends.. You really have to overbend to allow for the spring back but i did fracture one wale..  caution needed..

 

I just wanted to show you all a way of holding planks i figured out, sure its been done by someone..

 

I tap a brass pin through pre drilled tree nail hole and wedge and peg to apply pressure..  working okay.. the rubber bands are ok too i suppose..

 

Regards Ollie

 

 

[olliechristo]

I have encountered a small problem, or misplacement..  

 

I got out the rudder parts and seems two sleeve parts are too small.. And if i have lost the two larger sleeves (which i doubt) then what would the two smaller ones be for???  

 

Please correct me on terminology of these parts,, just named 'rudder parts' in kit..

 

I will email the supplier and order more if i have lost them..  Ollie

[ringbolt2013]

Something is for sure wrong with the baby gudgeons  the pintails seem OK though....My favorite way was to form the strap around a correct size rod and use the rod for the pintles used to do a lot of braising but it worked for me. I would see about parts from the maker. Hope that helps

[olliechristo]

I emailed the supplier and they replied straight away, sending some out on monday... Good service..

 

i thought they were gudgeons, but they are also a fish in my fishtank

Edited February 8, 2014 by olliechristo

[egkb]

Hi Ollie, just catching up.. Quick Question.. Emmm Wot is holding the Clothes-Pegs in place? some kinda witch-craft going on there?

That Wale looks the business!

 

Eamonn

 

Am off to work now, will catch up further when I'm back.

[olliechristo]

They are known as "sky hooks' Eamonn..

 

I have gone ahead with wales looking at the historic painting i noticed the gun ports actually intrude into the wales..

 

I hope this is okay as it looks a bit funny and i noticed this does not happen on many other ships. In the instructions and other builds ive seen the wales are continuous..

 

The painting with dummy gunports shows them going about half way,, In other pictures it shows gunports right into wales.. I couldnt have achieved that with deck heights to rails etc but in hindsight they could have been placed a little higher..  Scratch building my gun ports threw me a bit instead of using the cast ones.. ...

 

I assume it is unlikely wales continue on gun ports lids?  Regards Ollie

 

 

[olliechristo]

Here is how it looks.. Please tell me if i could have done my ports a better way.

 

The side shown here is to be the painted and coppering side so some changes still could be made.. You may notice i was provided with one length of walnut that is considerably darker...

 

The natural wood finish side i am yet to fix the top wale trim.. Regards ollie

Edited February 8, 2014 by olliechristo