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

[egkb]

Ok Folks it's about time for a.. wait for it.. wait for it.. A Photo Update.. Woo Hoo !

 

Though I haven't posted here in over 1 month (I know I know) I haven't been exactly sitting back, there has been much planning and scheming going on over here.   

 

The main part of my Planning & Scheming has been to replace the 'Seating' arrangement of the Bowsprit, the kit supplied solution is an Arch Shaped block of wood with a circular hole cut into it that takes the bowsprit.. well it always looked ungainly to me so I drew up a different model borrowing heavily from Sherbourne & Pickle  (the original kit supplied version can be seen beside my 'solution' )  Originally I had planned on incorporating the Riding Bitts into it but as the gap between the 'uprights' is only the width of the Bowsprit (6mm) this didn't prove ideal (the spacing between the Hawse Pipes is slightly more than this, not much but enough to feel wrong,  sorta pinched in.. if you follow)

I also squared the inner end of the Bowsprit to fit the new arrangement, I simply used a hollow piece of dowel that was lying around (an old Turned Wood Pen) that had a 6mm inner hole, glued it in place then sanded it square and faired the edges.. I am in two minds regarding the outcome as the hollow dowel I used is a different coloured wood to the Dowel used in the Bowsprit itself resulting in a dark & light wood effect.. I don't hate it but am not in love with it either   my fall back would be to follow Bobs (Rafine) example in his Essex Build and sand the B'Sprit right down then glue on 4 strips of timber to bring it back level and sand fair.. but as I said I don't hate the current state of affairs (it looks kinda unusual) and I could always Blacken the end 2 cm's anyhoo.

 

I have also been practicing my Brazing for the Gudgeons & Pintles, and thankfully it is going fairly well.. I bought 1mm thick Brass Strips which I figured would be easy to manipulate to the correct shape, but when it arrived Holy Moley it has all the flexibility of an Anvil.. so I ordered something thinner 0.5mm and less!! (it's in the post) the 1mm stuff felt too thick when offered up to the hull anyhoo (you know the old model building saying.. 'If it looks too big then it probably is'..  well if you didn't then you know the old saying now anyhoo     !!)

 

Oh and I cut some round head nails too (using the method demonstrated below by someone waaaaaay more skilled than me!) and fitted them into the riding bitts etc (you may just be able to make them out in the (ahem cough cough) super quality photo that I'm spoiling you with.. sorry in advance   ) I blackened the copper with Liver of Sulphur too  (Yup I've been well busy over here eh?)

Link to Nail Making Here (I hope) 

 

All Righty Then it's Photo Time.. 

 

All The Very Best

 

Eamonn

Edited February 18, 2015 by egkb

[DavidM]

Thanks for the update plus photo and nail making link Eamonn.  I really like how you've modified the Ballahoo bowsprit post and I entirely agree with you that the kit post looks ungainly.  It's a pity that I've now firmly pinned and glued my Ballahoo post to the deck or else I would have tried to emulate your impressive skills.  Tomorrow I'm going to have a go at nail making and have a practise on my new serving machine.  

All the best,

David 

[egkb]

I look forward to seeing your Serving Machine endeavours David, as I mentioned to you earlier the nail making is sooo simple to do, the end results were lightly glued into pre drilled holes then given a wee brush with diluted Liver of Sulphur which blackened the copper nails nicely without damaging the red paint... that said I'll probably wake tomorrow to find the 'whole shebang' has turned green or something   

 

Thanks for stopping by, and to the Like Button folks too.

 

All The Very Best

 

Eamonn

Edited February 18, 2015 by egkb

[Landlubber Mike]

Thanks Eamonn, this is an effective technique and your results look great.  Did you consider pre-treating the nails with liver of sulphur before installation?  Just wondering, as I'm considering adding nail heads to my build but didn't know what the solution would do to the surrounding wood.

[egkb]

Thanks for looking in Mike, I did it both ways (pre treated and after they were in place) there is no discernable discolouration to the painted wood and the work was done almost 6 hours ago.. be warned though there is a pungent rotten egg smell from the LoS.. so don't do it in the kitchen   

Regarding applying the LoS after instaling the 'nails' into bare wood.. Hmmm I couldn't say for certain, though I think you may find the answer over on EdT's Young America Log.. he seems to apply the LoS to the pre installed nails but check whether he has treated the timber first (coat of Polywax etc)

I had a quick look and found this.. scroll about 1/3rd down and you will see him apply the LoS and discuss pre treatments.

http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/3453-young-america-by-edt-extreme-clipper-1853/page-42#entry192759

 

All The Best Mike

 

Eamonn

Edited February 18, 2015 by egkb

[Stockholm tar]

Eamonn,

 

Good to have an update – with photo.

 

Nice job with the bowsprit fitting and riding bitts, a vast improvement on the poor kit example. 

[egkb]

Thanks Kester, though the kit supplied version 'does the job' I just felt I could perhaps do it differently! 

 

There have also been a few other minor changes recently (for instance I changed the kit supplied 'rings' where the Masts enter the deck and did them in a pale wood) but not enough 'action' to warrant an update to the build log  

 

I plan on putting a wee Galley Chimney in place too, so will be asking for advice on how best to achieve this shortly 'cos I kinda like your 'squared' version!

 

All The Best Kester

 

Eamonn

[Stockholm tar]

Eamonn,

 

Yes, good idea to change the 'rings' – or mast coat . I probably would have done that on the Sherbourne, but I didn't think of it at the time and it's a bit late now! (I'd have to de-rig her, and then take the mast out – which I think you'll agree would take longer than one afternoon!) In any case, it's not that easy to see now, being surrounded by bitts, rigging, etc.

 

As for the galley chimney, I'm flattered that you'd want to copy mine! The idea for it came from Goodwin's 'Sailing Man Of War', where he says the earlier ones were square. This changed to a round shape on large ships, but I get the impression that those on small vessels stayed largely the same. Ballahoo is rather later, but it may well be she had a square one too. I think I might have a photo of mine somewhere, should you want it.

 

In passing, would the 'wee galley chimney' be the gaelic version?

[egkb]

Yup, spot on Kester as I guess with a name like Ballahoo there would have to be a certain Gaelicness about her..   Just Kiddin' the class were (I think) all named for Fish..

 

I was thinking a similar thing re the Chimney (that smaller boats built out in the sticks.. so to speak.. Ballahoo was built in the Bahamas.. may not have been as 'modern' in their fittings as those built at home)

Did you carve your chimney Kester or build it up from spare timber?

 

All The Very Best

 

Eamonn

[Stockholm tar]

Did you carve your chimney Kester or build it up from spare timber?

Eamonn,

 

All made from the one piece of wood, tapered towards the top, and with a hollow where the smoke comes out. I had an idea about the latter and might still try it...

 

Anyway, here's the photo:

 

Edited February 19, 2015 by Stockholm tar

[egkb]

Brilliant stuff Kester, thanks for posting the photo!  I shall have to have a go at this soon.

 

Eamonn

[egkb]

Quick Question Kester.. Approx how big is your Chimney?  

 

Myself and David are going to copy/nick your design for our Ballahoo's ..   

 

Cheers

 

Eamonn

[Stockholm tar]

Myself and David are going to copy/nick your design for our Ballahoo's ..   

 

Drats, I knew I should have patented it!

 

Ok, I'll nip aboard and measure it... but from memory it's so long, by so wide, by so high...

Edited February 20, 2015 by Stockholm tar

[egkb]

Hmmm 'So Long By So Wide by So High'.. just as I suspected.. I'll go get my So So Ruler.    

 

Thanks Kester, and sorry for putting you to trouble !

 

Eamonn

[Stockholm tar]

Hi Eamonn,

 

Ok, the measurements are (as near as I could gauge it, carefully avoiding other bits in the way and using pieces of paper, pencil and a ruler ): 6mm long; 5mm wide; 8mm high. The chimney tapers from half-way up, to about 1mm less all round, at the top.

 

Hope that's ok. (I also managed to get some soot on my hands, and the captain was watching me rather strangely... )

 

 

[egkb]

Cheers Kester.. you're a Star ! ..

 

E

[egkb]

Righty Then.. heres my version of Kesters Chimney.. still needs to be painted (I left it 'natural' so as to see it better) and a final light sanding too.

 

It isn't fitted in place but this is essentially where it will go.. I wrapped thin strips of black card around it to act as iron 'binders'.. 

 

Tip of the Day.. The Black Card I bought proved too brittle (once glue was applied to it) to do the jobs asked of it so I coated a 2'' square of it in Dilute PVA and let it dry.. the result was a much more usable Black Card !  this 2'' square has done numerous jobs over the last few months and is a more manageable size than coating the entire sheet of A4..

 

Thanks for the Big Assist Kester.

 

Stay Well Folks and Thanks for looking in..

 

Eamonn

 

Photo Time Again..

[DavidM]

Brilliant Eamonn.  I'm still on with squaring my chimney.  The black card is a very nice touch.

David

[egkb]

The Squaring of the inside took me a good 20 mins of patient filing .   

 

E

Edited February 20, 2015 by egkb

[Stockholm tar]

Righty Then.. heres my version of Kesters Chimney.. still needs to be painted (I left it 'natural' so as to see it better) and a final light sanding too.

 

Eamonn,

 

Very nice too - sorry, forgot to mention about the filing...

[Beef Wellington]

Thats looking sweet Eamonn!  Curious what influenced you to put the angle brackets on the coamings next the holes for the anchor hawse?  Never seen that before but looks great.  Is it paper?

[egkb]

Hey There Jason.. Great to hear from you again.

 

The Brackets are cut from thin (very thin) brass 0.25mm approx and 3 round head nails are simulated on each by a dot of Super Glue (CA) and the whole thing painted black prior to setting in place.. 

Their function is to reinforce the timber where the Anchor Rope goes below deck.. were I to make them now I'd use the 'Making Nails' method from a few posts back and drill little holes, instead of the dots of CA which were nerve wracking to do (got them done without a glitch admittedly but WOW..    )

Incidentally this version of running the Anchor Rope below deck isn't the one as per the kit (where they simply disappear below through 2 holes cut directly into the deck) I thought this looked better.

 

Thanks for looking in

 

All The Best

 

Eamonn

 

Sorry for not posting more often on your builds but you have advanced so far beyond me as to make my input negligible   

Edited February 20, 2015 by egkb

[egkb]

Latest Hot From The Press......

 

The Brass Strips I have been waiting for arrived this morning and I got straight down to making up the Gudgeons & Pintles..

 

The new Strips are approx 0.4mm in thickness and as a result are Sooooo much easier to work with  (my full scale Blacksmiths Forge and Accessories inc. Anvil (needed to work with the 1mm stuff)  are currently for sale on Ebay.. going cheap        )

 

Right then To Business:

Ballahoo needs 3 sets of G&P's, and I bashed them up without any issues..

 

There are 2 parts needed to make each Gudgeon (2mm strip of Brass & short length of Brass Tubing) and 2 parts to each Pintle (2mm strip of Brass & 1mm thick length of Brass wire this came with Kit) .. so I cut 6 X  approx 2mm wide strips off the Brass (in 2 different lengths, ie 3 long and 3 short)

The long ones will be used for the Gudgeons and will eventually attach to the Boat herself.  I bent the strips into a curve whose width was the same as the Stern Post, to make this easier I located some metal (an old metal Mitre Box) that was the same thickness as Stern Post and bent the Strips snuggly around it and using a spare piece of brass tube to keep a space 'open' at the top, a gentle tap with a small pin hammer gives a nice shape around the tube too. see photos

I then soldered a short length of brass tube to the inside of the curved brass strip and trimmed off the excess tube, this produced the Hole for the Pintle, I filed away any rough surfaces or excess solder and that was it for the Gudgeons.

 

The Pintles are made using the short brass strips and in a similar fashion to above except I soldered the 1mm wire to the outside of the curve.. these will end up attached to the Rudder.. incidentally my Rudder is slightly thinner than the Stern Post so I had wrap them around a different metal piece (as it happens a different part of the same Mitre Box.. handy thing that mitre box eh? ) a gentle tap with a hammer gives a nice shape to the bends too.

 

See Last Photo for the result of all this.. they are still a little rough in places and will need to be finished properly then either chemically blackened or simply painted.

Hope this may be of some help to anyone wanting to try this for themselves (though there are many many better descriptions/examples out there in MSW land..  )

 

All The Best Folks

 

Eamonn

 

Photos..

Edited February 23, 2015 by egkb

[DavidM]

Excellent work Eamonn and very helpful and clear instruction.  It's too late for me and my Ballahoo but it's going to help me a lot when I/we start my/our Sherbourne!!

David

[Stockholm tar]

Eamonn,

 

Very professional! I bet they'll look good when fitted.

 

Btw, does your rudder have cut outs slots, so that the pintles are within the leading edge of it, rather than outside? The slots of course make it possible for the rudder to sit closer to the stern post. 

 

 

[egkb]

Spot on Kester the 'slots' are indeed present ..  

 

Thank you for the complement.. coming from you it is praise indeed !!  much blushing going on over here..       mind you I'll probably end up breaking the boat in half getting them in place.. 

 

 

E

[Stockholm tar]

Eamonn,

 

There's some blushing going on over here, as well! :blush:

[egkb]

Apologies for the lack of updated folks but work has been going on in the background.. in fact I'm pretty close to a Photo Update .. ('WooHoo' I hear you say  )

Well I have assembled the Rudder at last (Today) it is sitting in place on its Gudgeons & Pintles and awaiting the final painting.  I didn't want to complete painting (Hull & Rudder) till all the Rudder metal work was fixed in place, due to the scraping and rubbing usual to my clumsy assembly methods.. seriously, if it's possible to damage paintwork then I'll find a way ! 

- The upgraded pumps are assembled and ready to install

- The Ordinance is pretty much ready to go too (only final assembly required.. 'Only'  hmmm heard that before eh?  )

- I located a small chain that will act as the Rudder Preventer (or whatever it is called) and soldered up the connection to the Rudder for it (the 'Spectacle' or somesuch.. Wow is it small, couldn't believe I actually managed to make it !! seriously though it is small  ) 

- Made up a bunch of Mast Hoops also using Dee Dee's method .. So big Thanks to D for that (the method is over on her build, 'bout half way down.. I used ordinary paper though, no Dollar Bills to hand     http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/4670-muscongus-bay-lobster-smack-by-dee-dee-from-midwest-to-chapelle-124-small/page-6 )

- Almost have the Boom Rests done (the fellas that support the boom's at the mast, proper name unknown  ) and the fake 'copper sheet' to stop the Boom Jaws from rubbing the mast too much.. Thanks David for info on that last bit !

 

Question Time Folks..Re the 'Boom Rests' ..   Ballahoo only has one Boom (on the Main Mast)  the Fore Mast is 'loose footed' !! should I put a 'Rest' there also, even though there is no Boom.. in other words would this sail have always been 'loose footed' or could a boom have been used at different times ? (I'm inclined to put the Rest in place regardless)

 

Hopefully Photos next time.. don't forget the question above folks   

 

All The Best

 

Eamonn

[DavidM]

Excellent progress Eamonn and I'm looking forward to the photos.  Thanks for the question about the boom support as I was about to message you about that!  I also wanted to ask you about the method used to position the boom support; is it done prior to installing the mast, if so, how do you calculate the position?  Having done nothing since the mast hoops and only just started the boom support I can see that I will have to get a move on if we are to start rigging about the same time!

Kind Regards,

David

[wmowitt]

Ahoy Eamonn et al.  

 

I've been following your progress on Ballahoo with interest and admiration (my Pickle is proceeding sloowwlly...).    

 

On the forward boom rest question, I'd be very surprised if one was fitted on the original.  Once you have a loose-footed foresail, that's what ya' got and there would never be a need for a boom rest.  Well, except on the rare occasions you lowered the upper boom. Hmmmm.  I guess if there is no matching support for the forward end of the boom on the mast (what the gaff jaws ride on), then there would really be no point in having  a rest for the aft end of the boom...

 

not sure that helps, but it's my two cents....

 

Cheers

Bill