HM Schooner Ballahoo by egkb - FINISHED - Caldercraft - 1:64 Scale - First Proper Wood Build

[NMBROOK]

Eamonn,your kit stash must be bigger than mine now!!!!!!!!   It looks like you may have conquered your book buying addiction,only to become a member of kit buyers anonymous   Can't believe the price though,that is Airfix territory!!

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[egkb]

Totally agree Nigel, that is a give away price (I have or rather will have when Longboat arrives 4 kits in the stash)

 

Have to dash dinner ready

 

Eamonn

[egkb]

Sorry about having to rush away Nigel.. my Dinner Doorbell rang (had ordered fish & chips) !

 

Eamonn 

[NMBROOK]

No worries mate,fish and chips delivered? I went to the fish shop as it happens,fancied a donner instead though  

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[egkb]

Haven't had a decent Kebab in years.. that's not the same as saying I haven't had a kebab though..

 

E

[Dee_Dee]

Eammon

 

Looking good!  You're at (what I call) the 'Cinderella' stage of your build, where the personality of your build starts to come out.  The fun part!  I'm still deciding what I'll build next, I have six in the closet (including the 18thC longboat) and #7 is on it's way.  Any more and I will have to start attending meetings for 'Model Ship Builders Anonymous.'

 

I agree with Nigel and Kester about the poly, use the stuff in the can!  It's the exact same stuff.  The stuff in the can will start to thicken after a couple of years, but at that price, it's cheaper to buy a new can and take the old one to the recycling center. 

 

I like the species of walnut I'm using on this build sooooo much better.  It's darker in color with a cast of gray and has a tight grain.  On a prior build, that walnut species was reddish brown in color and the grain was open, causing the dreaded splintering (and it was a pain to work with.)

 

The last time I had a really good kebab was when I was in Manchester.  There's a place just south of the Manchester velodrome and the shop was open late.  YUM!

[NMBROOK]

Hi all,kit buyers anonymous,I am in,all this talk of 'stashes' has made me have a role call   Current count at ten,with plans for probably another ten scratchbuilds       .There used to be a kebab shop in Leeds that was the stuff of legends in these parts,sadly now gone like many good things from days gone by          

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[Stockholm tar]

Anyone thought of building a plank on bulkhead kebab shop? No?

 

Drat! Eamonn saw through my scheme to pursuade him to go for scale planks!

 

Btw, Dee Dee, I don't think I said anything about Poly – wipe on, wipe off, perch sitting, or any other sort – but if it works for you...

Edited March 12, 2014 by Stockholm tar

[egkb]

Hi Lawrence, Thanks for the compliment, have to say though that she is nothing compared to your Vikki !  especially if we start to compare Transom's ..  

 

All The Very Best

 

Eamonn

[egkb]

All Righty Then, some more fascinating updates from The Ballyhooer !! exciting ain't it

 

Well the planking march down the hull towards final victory is on-going.. I have measured and found that I am now well below the Wale line and am almost at the Waterline so it is near change over time to Walnut planking (I don't want to use up all the 'Good' stuff in areas that will be painted, The Wales and the area between them and the Waterline will be black, and there will be a little 1 or 2mm black strip of timber between the Wale and the Capping Rail)

By The Way I also removed the Bulkhead Extension Pieces, just need to be sanded level now. Heady Stuff Eh?

 

And on that Bombshell it's photo time ..  Oh the excitement  Woo Hoo.. :mellow:  :mellow:

 

All The Very Best Folks.

 

Eamonn

 

[NMBROOK]

Looking great mate I was beginning to wonder what had happened to you I retract what I said about tapering around the stern as the transition is not severe like I thought,I can see now with the clamps and pegs censored out of the picture

It is my turn now to not update for a bit,as well as doing trim work where there isn't much to show till it's done and having some non model related jobs to attend to

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[Landlubber Mike]

Looking really great Eamonn!  Very clean, and I wouldn't have thought this was your "first proper" build  I look forward to following your progress!

[egkb]

Thanks Guys, I might put one more of these timber strakes on before moving over to the dreaded Walnut !!

 

Can't wait to see what you have lined up next Mike, and what your Trim work will be like Nigel (detail galore no doubt!)

 

All The Best Guys

 

Eamonn

 

Oh, and Thanks for the Likes too Nigel & Kester !

Edited March 16, 2014 by egkb

[NMBROOK]

Hi Eamonn

I would be tempted to go a little past the waterline as it reduces the chances of walnut dust impregnating the maple when sanding  .It sounds like a good excuse for not switching to the dreaded walnut yet   .If you have enough,I would be tempted to complete the job in maple as it is far easier to get a superior finish on this with paint,not only that,maple is much harder than walnut so they sand at different rates which may make the job a little harder.

Yes the trim is Ebony,but carved with a dentil detail,that bit is easy,shaping it to fit around the windows,not so

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[egkb]

Thanks for that Nigel.. I didn't know about them sanding differently or that the Walnut would interfere with the Maple WOW !!! (I am down to a couple of lengths of Maple, it was cut into 2 for posting so am only able to get one strake per go, unless I resort to various different lengths.. that said I have a few runs of the original 1st planking wood available so I shall continue with that)

Best of luck with the Ebony work

 

Sail 'er Easy Mate

 

Eamonn

BTW that leaves me with loads of Walnut.. I know.. I'll send it all to you!! :mellow:  :mellow: :mellow:  am always thinking of my friends like that you see...   

[NMBROOK]

Thanks Mate!!!!!!!   I can add it to the 2000 lengths I already have discarded from kits Don't get me wrong,you can get a nice finish with paint on walnut,but because of the open grain,it is a lot more fill,sand,fill,sand,paint sand,paint sand etc.You get the idea

Thank you mate after jet washing the decking and myself in the process I shall now continue with the 'trim work'

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

Edited March 16, 2014 by NMBROOK

[J Haines]

Hey there..

Ballahoo is coming along very nicely. looks very neat

[egkb]

Hot Breaking News... (Cue busy & Important music)...

 

2nd Planking Complete... More news and Photos to follow as soon as they come in..

 

 

(Cue Busy & Important Music again.. fade out) :mellow:  :mellow:

Edited March 20, 2014 by egkb

[egkb]

Hi again Lawrence,

Thanks for the visit and the kind word,  yea, I used Maple for most of the 2nd planking (all the top 6 or 7 strakes on the bulwarks area) it cut well, sanded well and seems to look well but remember being new to this I have little to compare it to! (only the original kit supplied stuff, which admittedly wasn't so bad, I refer to the 'pale' wood of 1st planking not the Walnut ! the 'pale' wood is listed as Lime Wood btw.. things get odd here though as the deck timber in the instructions is called Maple, yet in the 'Contents List' it is called Lime and it looks very similar to the 1st planking material!!)

Pop back later Lawrence as I'm sure some of the other folks would have a better opinion on this.. for example Nigel is doing brilliant things with Pear & Dee_Dee is making the dreaded Walnut look simply amazing.. to list only a couple!

 

All The Best

 

Eamonn

[Beef Wellington]

Interesting comment on the deck material Eammon, I thought Caldercraft supplied Tanganyika for all of their ships decks.  Lime wouldn't be my choice for the decks.

[NMBROOK]

Hi mate

Looking forward to the camera footage   Interesting about the deck,try pressing a fingernail into one of your maple offcuts,then try on the end of a deck plank,you will soon tell as maple is rock hard compared to lime.What to do is a bit of a conundrum,I would weigh up whether you will be replacing decking material on your other builds and if so will it be the same width planks.To order replacement timber for just this build is going to kill you with postage,it will be more than the timber I should imagine   I always try to get a large order together for timber,even if it means getting stuff I may not need for months.

 

Kind Regards

 

NIgel

[egkb]

Guys I just did a check as per Nigel and there is a pretty obvious mark left in the supplied deck material.. and nothing obvious left in the Maple.. conclusion the Supplied Material is Lime (does that sound about right?)

Would ye recommend changing it? and to what?  I am guessing the answer to the first part is Yes !! now what about the 2nd Part..

The Supplied Timber is 4mm X 0.5mm..

 

I can order enough for my other Caldercraft builds too

 

All The Best

 

Eamonn

[NMBROOK]

Hi Mate

Yes sounds like lime to me with the 'fingernail' test  .Personally I would go for 4 x 1mm planking.The really thin stuff can get curly when you apply wood glue.The extra 0.5mm allows a bit for sanding,with 0.5mm planks one speck of hard glue or muck can result in sanding through when you are finishing the deck.4mm width is definitely ok at your scale giving a 10 in plank

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[egkb]

Thanks Nigel for that, I was a bit 'anxious' over the 0.5 mm part of the deck work for the reasons you mentioned as I'm not the neatest builder and my work can require a 'clean-up' sanding!!

 

I think I'll order some more Maple from CMB later (I still have some wider pieces left and I kinda have a hankering to do the Middle 2 Planks at 6mm instead of 4mm, I also have some Beech in the 6mm & 4mm thickness which could give a nice contrast on the deck if put in the right place, say 1/3rd out from the Centre boards .. not set in stone, just an idea to play with!  )

 

Thanks again Nigel

 

Eamonn

[NMBROOK]

Have you been looking at those Russian/Ukranian builds with contrasting planking either side of the hatches?         You will just have to try and do a 'mock up' and see how it looks The thin stuff is ok,but I use thick cyano for that with one of those superfine nozzles.Glue seeping out is a problem and it takes some practice not to glue yourself to the deck      

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[egkb]

Just placed the order for the Maple in a few different widths.. hopefully it will be here before I need it this time..     :mellow:  

 

Still a bit more to do before I get to the decking stage so fingers crossed..

 

Next up:

 

Much Sanding!! and maybe a little filling where it will be painted.. Oh and some Photos too, can't forget them

 

Bye For Now

 

Eamonn

[egkb]

Hi All.. Photo as Promised are below..

 

Have Completed 1st Sanding Phase and discovered a small few 'Dips' in the planking, due it would seem to slight Inconsistencies in the 1mm thick planks, will have to watch out for this in future! tis no biggie though as I've plenty of Filler in reserve!!

2nd Sanding wont be happening until Sunday at best due to work, but it will give me occasion to examine those 'dips' more closely and open my Filler Warehouse..

The Gun Ports have been filed out a little accurately more but there is 1mm or so to go, I want to complete inner bulwark planking before finishing them properly. The First & Last Ports are to be cut to the Cap Rail too.

I have Angled Files coming in the post as we speak and hopefully they will arrive just before my timber order for the deck (I need to file down the Bulkhead Spurs which I removed a few days ago before addressing the deck.. have to get the Order of things sorted too re Spirketting, edge of Deck Planks, Painting etc. before going too far)

 

BTW Contrary to appearance in photos the hull is exceeding smooth, even at this stage.. Honestly !!     :mellow:  

 

OK Photo Time..

 

Sail 'er Easy Folks..

 

Eamonn

 

[NMBROOK]

Great work mate!!Very nice job on the planking,she will look fabulous when you apply the paint

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[egkb]

Teeny Weeny Update..

 

2nd Sanding done, Small amount of Filling done & sanded, Stern Post in place and Gluing as we speak, Hawse Pipes drilled out.  Next up 'possibly' the Wale (I say Possibly as I'm not 100% sure what to do next as I'm waiting on my angled files to clean-up the insides of the bulwarks & deck where I removed the Bulkhead 'horns')

 

Take Care Folks

 

Eamonn

[DavidM]

Hi Eamonn,

I've just joined MSW2 and this is my first post.  I'm recently retired, having no experience whatsoever in modelling, woodcraft, nautical terms etc, but am keen to develop a new hobby.  Rashly (perhaps?) I have the Schooner Ballahoo on its way to me in South Yorkshire (from Cornwall Model Boats) as I'd convinced myself (from limited research) that the Ballahoo was a suitable novice project.  Having read your very impressive build log and seen examples of your quality craftsmanship I'm beginning to wonder whether I've overreached myself as currently, I don't know a bulwark from a bulkhead; but fortunately, I've now got the time to learn these things.

Anyway, I wanted to say many thanks for your very informative log which I'm sure is going to help, if not inspire, me to see this project through the many challenging times ahead.

Regards,

David