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

[egkb]

Ok am back from the Holliers and decided to get going again on the Ballier ... Yup you read that right, it's Update Time Again Woo Hoo 

 

Today's exciting Post is ..... Wait For It ... The Carronade Breech Rope !    

 

I took some time to decide what position to put the guns in  (In or Run Out I Mean) and chose a sort of 'mostly' run in .. am not too sure how far the Carronade would slide inwards on it's sledge, so I experimented and saw that the 'mostly' Run In position cleared the Muzzle of the Bulwark sufficiently and it looked less awkward than Fully Run In (Or where Fully Run In Looked Like, if you follow) but it will be easy to alter at a later stage ! I also left enough slack in the breech rope so it would be tight in the Fully Run In Position.

I Blackened some Eyelets and Rings I had previously made (by winding wire around a drill bitt) assembled them and looped the Breech rope through the Ring and seized the end in place, threaded the other end through the Sledge fittings on both sides and the Carronade itself .. then finally seized it around it's Eyelet & Ring.. The Seizing was fun to do .. and by fun I of course mean flippin' awkward  the knots were held firm by diluted white glue ... See Photo ... That's Right, There are actual Photos Too !!!   

 

Have a great Weekend Folks And Thanks For Stopping By ..

 

All The Very Best

 

Eamonn 

 

Photo Time Now ...

[Landlubber Mike]

Beautiful work Eamonn, and glad to see you're back

[drtrap]

Nice work Eamonn!!

[Cornish_K]

Nice to see the progress, Eamonn. The model's looking great. I'm also a first time wood builder tackling the Ballahoo!

 

It's interesting to see how you go about things. I've already noticed the rather sparse instructions don't make any mention of rigging the carronades at all. Quite a few photos of finished Ballahoos show them 'clean'.

 

But looking at yours I think I'll decide to fully rig them. It looks far better that way.

[egkb]

Hi Keith .. I going to nip over to your Build Log shortly and follow you along the Ballahoo Journey .. there is vast room for improvement of the basic kit (and many folks on here have done so.. just look at Jim Smits and David M's versions ! ) That said even the 'Basic' version as built straight from the box will offer up a nice wee model .. 

The Carronades do I feel need a bit more rigging than that suggested in the Plans though.. MSW here is a great resource for info re this and other additions you might swish to include..

I have to pop out to the shops now but will be over to your Build Log when I get home again (am looking forward to it )

 

All The Very Best Keith

 

Eamonn

 

Big Thanks to all the Likes and to those who drop by to catch up ! 

[foxy]

Been thinking on that kit Earmonn.

 

Looks very Interesting.

 

I have the Pickle and those little carranades need more than just one rope attached, so lovely job mate.

 

What paint did you use for the trucks.

 

Frank 

[egkb]

Hey there Frank .. Thanks for stopping by.   The paint is Admiralty Paints Range, bought from Cornwall Model Boats (just down the road from you ) and the stuff on the carriages is simply their Red Ochre .. I watered down the paint, with as many as 6 coats if memory serves .

 

Hope this helps

 

All the Very Best

 

Eamonn

Edited September 11, 2016 by egkb

[foxy]

Yep thanks Eamonn.

 

I have some to build, will be doing the same as you on the carranade trucks with Admiralty paints too.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

Frank. 

[jwvolz]

Carronade looking nice there Eamonn.

[egkb]

Thanks Joe .. Only one to do now .. hopefully tomorrow should see it fin 

 

Eamonn

[foxy]

Had two packets of these delivered for my HM Schooner Pickle, from Cornwall model boats, so had to have a go at two of them.

 

Wonderfull detail.

 

You have done them proud Earmonn.

 

Frank 

Edited September 16, 2016 by foxy

[egkb]

Thanks Frank .. What a nice thing to say ! .. 

 

Eamonn

[egkb]

OK Folks .. The Guns are in place,  the Breech Ropes are done and attached to the hull,  all that's left is to attach the Tackles and clean things up a bit ( You Know.. the usual scratches and scrapes (mostly on myself..    ) associated with using ever so gentle taps with Sledgehammers, Crowbars other nefarious items on model boats ... 'Huh !!'   says you  ..      ) 

 

Oh and just to really keep ye all interested there are even Photos .. Yup you read that correctly Actual Photographs   See how I spoil ye all !..

 

Anyhoo .. Here come the Photos ..

 

 All The Very Best Folks  Oh and Thanks For Stopping By .. !

 

Eamonn

 

 

[egkb]

All Righty Then .. Got the Block And Tackle's for the guns attached, so am best pleased with the week-ends work .. 

All told the guns were easier than expected (fiddly but easier) Admittedly not quiet finished, but nearly there.. all that's left is to clean up, make some rope coils .. sure what could be easier  I hear you say .. Cough Cough   

 

OK OK Photo Time Again .. See how I spoil ye all !!

 

All The Very Best

 

 

Eamonn

 

 

[egkb]

Hi Again Folks .. I managed to get some more work done on Ballier today and took some quick photos of the current state of affairs (Sorry in advance for the poor quality, it's kinda dull in Arklow (Home Town) at the moment and I'm sure you don't want to see the state of my Build Table so I covered it with an old sea chart.. kinda appropriate  )

Anyhoo .. The deck fittings are almost all in place now .. all that is left are the Elm Tree Pumps, which are already made up and await fitting ! The Bowsprit/Jib boom is only 'dry' fitted and the Rudder Tiller Arm just needs to be finished off with a 'strengthening'  band around the Rudder Head, and perhaps something around the end of the Tiller itself .

You may be able to see where I diverged from the Kit in the shape of the Jib Boom inboard end deck fitting (where it will be 'secured') I dispensed with the Kit supplied piece and made up a 'better' fitting as discussed and photographed earlier in this log on pg 37 post #730, (least I think it looks Better  ) one of the original plans of the Haddock (same class as Ballahoo) show it done this way, so I must be on the right track ..

 

OK Folks enough Prose .. on with the Photos .. 

 

All The Very Best

 

Eamonn

 

Oh And Thanks For Dropping By.

 

 

[egkb]

Hey There Dirk .. Thanks for stopping by and for the comment 

 

 I have another photo update. I know right, nothing for almost a year and now 2 in as many hours !!   

 

Well I had a kind of 'strike whilst the iron was hot' moment and decided to get on with the Elm Tree Pumps ... So this is what I did, I mean, they were just sitting there so they might as well be attached to the actual boat 

All deck fittings are glued in place and have a wire drilled into them and then into the deck for added security !

 

Almost time to decide on what to do about the Anchor .. some research will be needed cos the supplied one just looks too big for a small boat like Ballahoo (Ballahoo is approx 55 feet overall)  having been around similar length and indeed longer wooden fishing boats most of my life (I live only a  hundred meters from the Harbour) I have seen the anchors on them and they are much smaller, the anchors on the Sailing ships (many examples of which are dotted around town) which operated from this harbour in the past would have had anchors similar to that supplied with Ballahoo and they were circa 100 to 120 feet or more.. The Anchor size is why I'm confident Ballahoo would not have had a Windless.

 

Take It Easy Folks

 

Eamonn

 

Oh and thanks for all the Likes and Comments are always welcome too !

 

 

[foxy]

Moved on a tad I see, and very nice too.

 

Must get one of those, maybe under a different name.

 

Cracking job mate.

 

Frank 

[DavidM]

Hi Eamonn,

I've not been receiving notifications so I wasn't aware that you were back in your workshop and updating your log.  Your Ballahoo is looking fantastic.  I agree entirely with your comments about the anchor.  The more I look at my model, the more I feel the kit anchor is too big in relation to the overall size of Ballahoo.   However, I'm now busy with Sherbourne, so any changes to my Ballahoo will have to wait!

Take Care,

Kind Regards,

David 

[Cornish_K]

Looking very good, Eamonn. I'll be referencing this log regularly when I reach the same stages of my Ballahoo. It's serving as a very nice guide for me!

 

Unfortunately, I've had a bit of a niggly back these last few weeks and haven't been haunching over the hobby desk to work on mine much. Should be back on it very soon though.

[egkb]

Hi Keith .. David M has built a fine version of Ballahoo also (you will see a comment from David just above your own) but I couldn't convince him to set up a Build Log    so should you hit an impasse I'm sure we can all help you out  (Did u see Jim Smits Version by the way ?)

 

All the Very Best

 

Eamonn

[egkb]

Hi David .. Great to hear from you again .. Yea, I've been back to Ballahoo again and thoroughly enjoying it .. One of the hardest parts of it has being having to practically relearn what I was planning on doing (if you follow .. good tip .. write stuff down Tee Hee )

I only have a few more minor deck pieces to put in place (for instance.. eyelets for guns around the empty gun ports and the like) then I'm onto the Masting And Rigging 

I should love to see what you are doing with your Sherbourne BTW .. Please feel free to post them here or Messenger them to me if you prefer .. I bet she is a gem !

 

All the Very Best Mate

 

Eamonn

[DavidM]

Eamonn: I've made a slow start with Sherbourne but, rather than clutter your build-log, I'll message you a photo or two in due course.  I've bought some pear wood for the hull, maple for the deck, rigging rope, cannons, swivel guns, and blocks from Chuck, so I'm really looking forward to this build.

All the best,

David

[egkb]

Hi David .. could you send me a list (when you Messenger the photos) of what you bought (and Where from) that Wood Upgrade sounds amazing !!

 

E

[Blue Ensign]

looking very good Eamonn, a great little model.  

 

B.E.

[egkb]

Hi All ... Just a written update this time ..

 

I have the Rudder reinforcing band in place.. not sure what it is called but it's the 'metal' band that sits at the rudder head just where the Tiller joins with the Rudder itself (you know the piece I'm talking about  don't make me go look up its proper name.. Pleeease   )

Also attached the 'Metal' Band at the end of the Bowsprit .. I will drill it and attach 4 eyes there later, as I wont be able to remove the Bowsprit once they are in place .. the Kit Plans call for all attachments (Bobstay, Stays & Shrouds) here to be simply tied to the end.

 

For the 'Metal' Bands I have used self adhesive Black Tape (Automotive Tape .. Think 'Go Faster Stripe Tape etc) to which a small drop of CA has been used to keep the ends from un-doing . The Tape is approx. 0.5 cm wide and I cut long thin stripes off it to make the Bands.

 

Not much point in photographing these updates Folks as they are pretty small and will look better once the Eyes are in place with the Blocks attached ..

 

BTW I just Googled that Bowsprit Band .. a 'Cranse Iron' ..  Well there ya go ! 

 

All The Best Folks, Oh and Thanks for stopping by !

 

Eamonn

[foxy]

Coming on fine I see Eamonn.

 

Very nice pictures.

 

frank 

[egkb]

Hi Frank ... Thanks for stopping by and for the nice comment, I've been busy over the past few days with small detail work (kinda difficult to photograph without bringing out the big guns, but time hasn't allowed for that so I'll stick with the fairly trusty Camera Phone  .. and to be honest it probably does just as good a job for this kinda work .. though I could have held it steadier .. Oh Well   )

 

The first photo is a close up of the 'Cranse Iron' on the tip of the Bowsprit.. I know the block should have an 'eye' in it but I'm happy enough with it. 

 

Photo Number 2 is of the Base of the Bowsprit where I secured it with a bar through the bits and the B'Sprit itself, I then fed a small 'Locking Pin'  through a hole previously drilled in the Bar (0.3 mm hole for the Pin and the Bar itself is 0.75mm .. that was fun  ) and fitted a line from the Pin to a small eye in the bitt. 

Photo 3 is of the Bob Stay which has just been Served with a Hook 'spliced' at the Bowsprit End and a Metal Eyelet 'spliced' into the other end .. I will be using a lanyard rove between this Eyelet and a Ring already in place on the Bow near the waterline .

 

I need hardly say that all of the above are not per Kit Instructions...     which calls for a much less satisfactory approach.

 

The Bowsprit Shrouds will be done in a similar manner to the Bob Stay .

 

Thanks For Stopping By Folks and Thank You for all the Comments & Likes .. Always Appreciated .

 

Eamonn 

 

Photo Time .. 

 

 

[egkb]

Hi Again Folks .. Well I have the Bob Stay and the Bowsprit Shrouds done and in place,  they are only temp tightened at the moment .. final tightening will take place much later (along with all the rigging)

The shrouds are slightly thinner 'rope' than the Bob Stay 

I just need to Blacken the Shroud Hooks and cover them all (the Served Ropes) in watered down PVA Glue to keep fuzzies at bay 

 

All The Very Best And Thanks For Stopping By

 

Eamonn

 

 

[egkb]

Thanks Dirk 

[drtrap]

Superb!