HMS Ballahoo by jim_smits - FINISHED - Caldercraft

[jim_smits]

Fully caught up now!

 

The false deck has been pinned and glued in. All the bulkheads have been shaped to fit the bulwarks and planking.

Shaped the bulwarks by immersing in boiling water and then pegging to the bulkheads.

 

Both bulwarks are a good approximate shape now, so next step is to pin to the bulkheads prior to planking.Y

 

Everything looking a lot better this time....!

 

Edited February 9, 2014 by jim_smits

[egkb]

Hi Jim glad to see you back up and running.. my Ballahoo was beginning to feel a little lonely over here

 

All the Best

 

 

Eamonn

[jim_smits]

Pinned the port side bulwark to the bulkheads and glued at deck level, and to the stem and stern.

 

One thing I am finding is that the fit of the lower edge of the bulwark at bulkhead two is quite far from being flush to the bulkhead. I have steamed the bulwark and have clamped to try and shape the bulwark round the shape of the Bulkhead. Anyone else found this an issue?

[egkb]

Jim I didn't notice this being too big an issue, but I did beef out B/H 2 a bit anyhoo.  Admittedly the Bulwarks did make an slight 'Skirt' like overhang particularly up for'ard but the 1mm first planking took care of this. I didn't have to sand the area too much to get everything flush (it did take me a while to sort out just where the Bulwarks fitted though as the instructions/plan no.1 show them sitting flush with the tops of the Bulkhead 'Horns' all along the hull, personally I found it fitted best when flush to the top of only about 3 or 4 in total, this left it sitting nicely level with the top of the transom!)

Check out the photos below from my log.. as you can see from the Bow photo I had to sand the bulwarks a little to remove the 'Skirt' but it was ok in the end!.

 

Hope this has been of some help Jim

 

All The Best

 

Eamonn

 

 

[jim_smits]

Quick update for you all.

 

Managed to complete the first planking. It was interesting comparing the planking of this smaller vessel as compared to the Snake that I had previously done, with a far greater emphasis on the angle between the keel and the top of the bulwarks. I was adding in stealers from the word go. No great problems however, although the final couple of planks were not the most 'regular' shaped in the world but it will not matter in the big scheme of things.

 

Next steps will be to continue sanding to a smooth finish, adding a few bits of filler in a couple of places with a slight depression and also to 'paint' the entire hull with a bit of diluted PVA to strengthen the build.

 

The first planking really does the ship a sudden sense of being. The lines are now there....!

 

 

 

 

 

[egkb]

Looking good Jim, quick question though.. wots the wee 'hole' at the stern below the bulwarks and next to the lower transom piece... please tell me it isn't required  

 

All The Best

 

Eamonn

[jim_smits]

If it's the triangular hole you're referring to, all I've done is to plank upto the penultimate bulkhead. My experience from planking Snake is that it makes planking the transom and the subsequent 2nd planking easier.

[egkb]

Thanks Jim, you had me doing some serious Plan Examining there for a moment or two !

 

E

[jim_smits]

Back to work on the Ballahoo after my rigging session on the Snake.

 

Second planking is well underway. I took the decision the set the top plank, at the bulwarks, to the top of the stern and follow round to amidships along the top of the template. After this the natural shape of the hull pulls the plank down towards the bottom of the transom. I couldn't follow the top of the bulwark all the way without laterally bending the plank (big no no!).

 

To fill in the empty section at the stern, I essentially cut a stealer notch out of the first plank and butted a second plank up against it. I repeated this all the way to the top and stern of the ship. The main reasoning was that I didnt want any 'sharp points' at the end of any planks where the contours of the bulwark passed each row. Once complete, I could then shave the excess wood back down to the bulwark templates. Hopefully this all makes sense.

 

I will hopefully follow up with images tonight when I get back home.

[jim_smits]

As promised earlier, here are the latest images.

 

Second planking underway, with most of the bulwarks covered and two planks down by the keel. Lots more to go though....!

[egkb]

Looking good Jim, well on the way to producing another beauty !

 

All The Best

 

Eamonn

[jim_smits]

Slight upgrade to the plank bending and shaping equipment.

 

Went to B&Q and purchased a 2 metre length of 32mm diameter platic waste pipe and a removable end cap. Chopped part of this off to the length of the strips supplied in the Ballahoo kit and I now have my very own hot bath for soaking several planks at a time. I still have plenty of spare pipe length to fashion for future builds.

 

Should accelerate second planking....

[jim_smits]

Starboard side second planking almost complete!

 

I just need to add in a few stealers at the stern and one more at the bow. Then onto the port side.

 

Had a tricky little section where the planking from the keel started to meet the planking at the bulwarks but nothing too horrendous that a bit of though and sanding couldn't resolve.

 

After this a generous sanding, filling and sealing with watered PVA before cutting out the gunports.

[egkb]

Very Snazzy Jim.. you'll be past me in no time now !!

 

All The Best

 

Eamonn

 

btw.. don't forget to open the Hawse Pipe Holes too (or should I say Anchor Rope Holes or whatever they were called back in the day) I almost forgot...

[Beef Wellington]

Jim - Some very nice planking there, especially the stealers, something I want to do better next time around.  Are you still going to copper her?

 

Eamonn - don't even try to get in a race with Jim

Edited April 11, 2014 by Beef Wellington

[jim_smits]

Jason

 

I was going to paint the hull only with this build. Not sure if Schooners were coppered? Most builds show them as having been finished with 'white stuff'.....

[egkb]

Jim, following on from Jason and the coppering.. I have her painted black above the waterline to the wales and was looking at her last night and saying to myself that she would look amazing coppered below..  if not totally accurate   soooooo if you have any left over from Snake hmmmmm I wonder  

 

Take Care Guys

 

Eamonn

[jim_smits]

Second planking complete!

 

Spent this morning finishing off the main strakes and then went back over and added all the stealers that were required. Next step after this was a coat of 50/50 PVA and water to soak into the walnut planking and help reduce any splintering.

 

Once fully dry, gave a full sanding with 120 grit over the entire planking and get rid of any major lumps and bumps. Then gave the second planking a layer of walnut filler, smeared into the cracks with the mark I thumb. Again allowed to fully dry and a major sanding back down to the wood with 120 grit, followed by 180 grit and finally 240 grit.

 

Finally gave another coat of 50/50 PVA and water, allowed to dry and a final sanding with 240 grit.

 

I am hoping that the two soaks of PVA mix will prevent any potential splintering when I come to cut out the gunports, which was something that was a tedious and frustrating task with the Snake build.

[jim_smits]

Quick additional!

 

After the conversations on Eamonns build I have decided to fill the gaps between the outermost stern counter frames and the bulwarks.

[egkb]

Brilliant stuff Jim ! Are you going to cut Transom gun ports as per Haddock ?

 

All The Best

 

Eamonn

[jim_smits]

Yeah, was thinking about it.

 

Although the transom of the ballahoo kit doesn't exactly match that of the Haddock plans I will probably add in the gunports. I need to add a second layer of planking to add some strength. Not sure if inboard or outboard just yet. Leaning towards inboard though at the moment.

[egkb]

I did a 2nd Transom layer of planking but on the outside to keep with the Natural Look on my Bulwarks.

Looking forward to seeing what you do Jim.

 

Cheers

 

Eamonn

[jim_smits]

This is where my dilemma is; outside is far easier and retains depth of stern frames but will mean that the 'picture frame' on the transom will sit proud and it looks like the plans (haddock not kit) call for it to be flush with the rest of the stern. I may be wrong however....

[egkb]

Yea, mine sits proud but as it is painted and the edges of the Transom Planking are painted black this isn't a problem.

Inside should be fine though, it shouldn't interfere with the 'thickness' of the 4 stern frame things by much and if you are painting the insides red you could use some 0.5mm deck planking, though that might negate the purpose of beefing up the Transom

 

Best of Luck

 

Eamonn

[jim_smits]

More progress this morning.

 

Managed to plank the inside of the transom ready for the gunports to be cut. Used a piece of decking to get the correct height of the lower planks and then planked up to the top of the transom.

 

 

Gave the planks a coat of 50/50 PVA and water mix and allowed to dry. I then drew a guide mark for both of the rear gunports, drilled out the four corners and used my dremel to bore out the majority the ports. Finished off with a sharp blade and file.

 

 

Also repeated for all of the port and starboard gunports.

 

 

 

[egkb]

That does look Amazing Jim, will you put covers on them or leave them open?

 

Cheers

 

Eamonn

[jim_smits]

Made the decision to do all of the dry fitting of the margin planking. I can then use the margin planking as a gauge to plank the inner bulwarks and remove prior to painting the hull and inside. Ordered some 1mm Maple from CMB to do all of the decking. 

 

First made up two pieces to fit against the transom and the stern frames. Not sure if this is entirely accurate but they fit nicely and set up for the rest of the margin planking.

 

 

I cut some initial lengths of maple and did some 'gauging' to try and work out some optimal lengths to cut to. The rearmost pair have started at 8cm length. Then cut some initial shaping into the planks and fine tuned using sandpaper, checking regularly for the fit and adjusting as necessary.

 

Once the fit against the bulwark was as good as I could make it (bearing in mind the leeway given by the bulwark planking to come), I then used a compass set to 6mm to draw in the shape of the other side of the plank to be cut. Very happy with the results achieved so far. Completed the rearmost pair.

 

 

The next plank I will aim to overlap by about 1cm to allow notches to be cut to lock in both planks.

[jim_smits]

A quick silly question.

 

I have made the next margin planks and cut the scarf joint into one side.

 

Would the scarf joint would be caulked? I would have thought so but just wanted to make sure.

[Beef Wellington]

Would the scarf joint would be caulked? I would have thought so but just wanted to make sure.

 

Pretty sure they were Jim based on pictures I've seen.  Also will show up your nice scarf joints better!

[egkb]

I'll be caulking mine Jim if that helps !

 

Eamonn