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

[egkb]

Text Based Exciting Update !!

 

Gratings/Hatch Coamings are assembled, just need to be faired (the nice curve put into the top of them and the deck camber put into the bottom, to allow them to sit flush .. if you follow me)  and glued in place.. Deck Furniture is underway.

 

I chose not to drill out the Deck Anchor Rope Holes (AKA the Spurling Pipes on more modern ships) as per the kit plans/layout, but instead to have the anchor ropes go down below via the fore most hatch-way (which I adapted for the purpose by having square sections removed from the grating Port & Stbd)

 

The Deck has been lightly clear matt varnished/sanded a few times and is ready for the afore mentioned bits-'n-bobs.

 

Photo Update will follow when I get the Hatches faired and in place

 

Stay Well Folks and thanks for looking in

 

Eamonn

[Stockholm tar]

Eamonn,

 

Good call on the better arrangement for the anchor cables, with them running down through squared holes in the fore end of the hatch. I'm sure that's the way it was done at this period.

 

Look forward to seeing more pictures. This is going to be one smart-looking vessel.

Edited June 12, 2014 by Stockholm tar

[egkb]

Thanks Kester, I thought it looks better too, more 'Ship-Shape' ..  

 

Stay Well

 

Eamonn

[egkb]

Photo Content Below .... Oh the Excitement eh!

 

Hi All,

  Well the Gratings/Hatch's have been faired and sanded to a 'pleasing' shape (ie one that follows the camber of the deck, which is actually a rather complex shape as it differs somewhat as you move aft !) the shape was achieved by placing some sand-paper onto the deck directly over where the Hatch will end up and working the Hatch fore and aft in short strokes along the sand-paper, after a very short time you will sand the particular Deck Camber at that point into the bottom of the Grating/Hatch.  The curved top was a result of simply sanding the Hatch in a rocking motion as opposed to holding it 'flat' to the sand-paper !   Simples !!    (BTW re the 'Top' curve.. you mayl also end up with weird shaped fingernails on the finger & thumb that are holding the rather thin Hatch .. mine ended up flat on one side..    )

 

All Righty Then It's Photo Time !!

 

Note the hatch's are not glued in place yet and have not been Matt Varnished, the dark colour is a result of my giving them a gentle wiping with White Spirits.. Oh and the little bits of stick protruding from them are just to remind me which way is forward!

 

Thanks For Stopping By Folks

 

Stay Well

 

Eamonn

[olliechristo]

That is all looking mustard mate. Really taking shape now... They look well... Grate!! I have been known to sand off half my finger. The things we have to go through buddy

[Beef Wellington]

Looking great Eamonn, its great trick to do stuff like that on the grating to remember the alignment...until they get knocked on the floor and fall out.  I've resorted to hidden arrows on the underside of these things.

[NMBROOK]

She is really taking shape buddy   Nice work on the gratings,I am right in thinking the remaining opening is for some steps?.Using glasspaper on the deck to shape the underside is something i do as well.It works particularly well with removable superstructures on RC builds,obviously fitting the combing after carrying this out.

 

Kind Regards
 

Nigel

[egkb]

Thanks for the nice encouraging comments and the likes folks !!

 

Ollie:    my nails have been odd now for ages as a result of the sanding work on here.. don't look Grate at all  (see wot I did there as well ???  )

 

Jason:  little marks are now in place underneath !!

 

Lawrence:  I'm tipping and tapping away nearly every day but it is mostly small things, coat of varnish here bit of sanding there..

 

Nigel:  The remaining opening is indeedy for steps but they would be hidden away inside a .... the actual word escapes me but it is a sort of housing with a door.. you know the sorta thingy..  Hmmm I wonder should I do Ollie on it and show some steps by leaving the door open !! might look good..   would be quiet dark in there so wouldn't need to worry about 'hinting' at anything below decks ! and you would only see the top part of the steps!! will have to give this some thought !!

 

Stay Well Folks

 

Eamonn

[NMBROOK]

I would go for it Eamonn and yes the name of said deckhouse escapes me aswell.That would certainly add to the build.A thin ply 'box' painted black inside that drops into the opening and holds the steps would create the desired effect.

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[egkb]

Could look the Biz indeedy Nigel.. however I'd have to remove some of the False Keel where it meets the deck first, shouldn't cause toooo many problems though  (Yup that statement is right up there with 'Margin Planks & Joggling,  just How hard can it be?'       )

 

Stay Well Mate

 

Eamonn

[Stockholm tar]

Eamonn,

 

Is this something like you had in mind? I believe it's called a companionway, or doghouse (looks like a kennel?) perhaps. It has double doors on it's after side, both closed, and there is a thin strip across the top to represent a hinge. I had thought of having one door open but, as you say, you wouldn't be able to see much of any steps. I knocked it up from odd bits:

 

 

 

 

 

[egkb]

That's the fella Kester.. would you believe it is athwart ships on Ballahoo not fore & aft !

 

E

[olliechristo]

Yeah why not go some stairs, more detail is good.. Ollie

[egkb]

Thanks Ollie.. Looks like I'm back in the carpentry biz again  (Threads & Risers right ?      ) remember the Margin Planks?   anyone ? Have a feeling I'll be needing that calming nerve tonic again soon.. the medicinal stuff preferably amber coloured and aged in oak casks!!  

 

E

[olliechristo]

If you try using strips of wood as spacers between the treads it keeps them parallel and if their ends are sanded exactly square on some sort if jig/sanding disc, they go together quite easy.. I do them in a stack with tape, so they all come out identical. I spot weld them with ca then wood glue after.. get the angles on bottom of risers right and rest should follow off that. Hopefully that makes some sense.. Regards :-) oh and I wouldn't worry about cutting grooves into risers, that gets very tricky.. That is me though.

[egkb]

I was with you all the way as far as 'If'...     :huh:    just kiddin mate   I'll give it a shot and see wot happens..   

 

Thanks for the help !

 

Stay Well

 

Eamonn

Edited June 16, 2014 by egkb

[NMBROOK]

Hi Buddy

What started out as a little research into the term 'companionway'   as I always took this to be a general term to mean steps down from a deck into a cabin or lower deck,which it is,sorry Kester,but none the wiser as to the name of the actual enclosure,has led me to look at images of ballahoo's enclosure.You will only ever see the top tread,if that,unless your depict the sliding hatch on top fully or partly retracted You may end up making stairs and not be able to see them.You would still have to make a 'black box' for below deck level to create the illusion.

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[egkb]

That's wot I was thinking too Nigel, as you say without retracting the 'sliding' roof arrangement all you would see would be the top step at best (and the tops of the 'sides' if you follow) I was thinking about half sliding the roof back.. your wee box painted black will be the solution I feel with inside the Dog House (Thanks Kester   that's also what we called the little 'sticking up' cabin on racing yachts, way back when I did that sorta thing  ) painted white,  as per Ollie's Mermaid (though Mermaid is a little later I think, I'd still like to brighten the place up a little as opposed to the bare walnut interior of the kit! the box will still be matt black though)

 

Thanks Nigel

 

Stay Well

 

Eamonn

[Stockholm tar]

Well, looks like I'm in the doghouse over this one. Woof!

 

Eamonn, you're right, it was always called the 'doghouse' on yachts, and I have sailed on one or two as well – although I'd rather not say when. I'm not really sure what the structure was called on vessels of our period though. Anyone?

 

How about Nigel's word 'enclosure', although that sounds as though it has no top... which could then get confused with the 'manger' on a lower gun deck... which I believe is where animals weren't kept... although not on cutters or schooners, 'cos they didn't have 'em... lower gun decks that is... if you see what I mean. I think I need a quick lie down.

 

I think I'm with Nigel on this one, as I don't think you would be able to see much, just the top step if that. So, I'd save yourself a bit of work, and go with your instinct. As to 'brightening the place up', your Ballyhooligan is miles better than the kit already.

 

 

 

 

[egkb]

Thanks Kester.. Looks like just a hint of the steps will be the way to go !  Ballahooligan (Dang.. wish I'd thought of that..      )

 

E

[Holty]

Good start on the fittings Eamonn, catching me up now

[Bindy]

Hi there Eamonn,

 

Your Ballahoo is coming along terrifically and the fittings look great, but I have to say that this

 

... the shape was achieved by placing some sand-paper onto the deck directly over where the Hatch will end up and working the Hatch fore and aft in short strokes along the sand-paper, after a very short time you will sand the particular Deck Camber at that point into the bottom of the Grating/Hatch.

 

 

was just plain clever!   Thank you for a big tip!

[egkb]

Hey There B, thanks for the compliment.. oh and welcome back by the way .

 

I have released the Dog 'House' pieces from their surround and am drawing up plans to alter it (which will allow me to open the doors and show the steps inside etc)  the Doors are actually in one piece.. ie not designed to be opened, just to give the illusion of there being two .. soon see about that.. Hmmmm  now where did I put that saw !

 

 

Stay Well

 

Eamonn

[wmowitt]

Hi all-

 

I've been enjoying this thread quite a bit.  It's been a while since I've done any ship/boat modeling and I'm trying to decide between the HM Schooner Ballahoo and Pickle kits for my first real ship build...so this has been enlightening.

 

I also thought you might appreciate the name of the real boat I co-own with a couple buddies...

 

Cheers

Bill

[egkb]

Hi Bill,     Nice to see a boat with the 'Bag' up (though the pole out board end could do with being lower         sorry, an ex racer I'm afraid.. imagine getting stuck with me on a boat !!!    ) I had to retire from that aspect of sailing last year due to my continuous back issues ( and the back issues were a consequence of a different type of 'Boating', similar to yours I guess from your location   )

 

Cracking looking boat you have there and a great way to buy as you can end up with a much nattier piece of kit than going it alone !

 

Re Ballahoo or Pickle.. The Ballier is a nice beginners boat that lets you upgrade fairly easily, tis cheaper than Pickle and looks great too, unfortunately the same is probably true of Pickle (except the cheaper part that is    ) which means I would be totally useless as an adviser   I think there is a Pickle somewhere in my future though (she is a beautiful looking thing !!)  Well as soon as I complete the list at the bottom of this blurb that is..

 

Stay Well and keep up the sailing on that marvellous Ballyhoo... Hmmmmm... I think you may have the name of which kit to begin with right there in front of you..

 

Eamonn

[wmowitt]

Thanks Eamonn--The name of my current boat certainly is a factor in my decision making!  I've decided to make myself finish off a muscongus bay lobster smack that has been sitting half-complete in a box for about 15 years first, before I'm 'allowed' to invest in a more complicated kit.

 

We'll see if I can keep this illusion of self-discipline up!  Your thread and excellent build has certainly weighed heavily in favor of the B'hoo....

Cheers

Bill

[wmowitt]

and let the record reflect that in the Ballyhoo picture I'm the bloke all the way on the right eating a sandwich whilst everyone else is very seriously attending to the business or racing...

[egkb]

For Shame Bill.. eating a Hang Sanger on board...   :rolleyes:  I was more the Mars Bar on the Windward Rail variety (You'd have hated me..    .. I could tell you some stories about my quest to keep the boat light !!    .. alas was told I had calmed down hugely as a 'speed merchant' a few years ago.. Yup time to retire when you hear words like that said to you, my 'Back Issue' was really just an excuse  )

 

BTW check out the cracking good Muscongus Lobber by Dee_Dee (you'd find a link to it here a few pages back, where she commented on The Ballier, else just type her name into the search bar at the top there )

 

Enjoy your Sunday & Stay Well

 

Eamonn

Edited June 22, 2014 by egkb

[wmowitt]

Thanks Eammon, I'll be sure to check it out!

 

And every day at sea is pretty much a Tuesday--except the day you make port !

 

Cheers

Bill

[egkb]

Teeny Update..

 

The 'hole' for the stairs/companionway has been excavated from the False Keel & 'Between Bulkhead' Filler Blocks which were previously in the way, and painted black.. The 'Dog House' has been partially built, prior to bashing it in order to allow for the sliding roof, doors opening etc,.. The sides of the stairs/companionway have been notched to accept the Threads.

 

Am still working on how to achieve the opening doors/ sliding roof arrangement, though I got some ideas from Ollie's Mermaid build

 

 

Am Still Working Away Folks.. Fear Not (Though the 'Big Strange Warm Orangey Yellow Thing In The Sky' kinda has my attention lately.. Does anyone know what it actually is?...  )

 

 

Stay Well.

 

Eamonn