HM Yacht Chatham by JohnW - Caldercraft - 1:64

[JohnW]

Hello everyone

 

My name is John and although I’ve been a member for a few months now I’ve been lurking in the background and checking out all the kit builds.

 

I’ve been modelling for many years, mostly plastic and resin kits. I did have a bash at a wooden kit, the Del Prado Bounty, when it was published. Got as far as completing the first planking but then had to put it aside and when I went back to it most of the remaining parts had warped. So time to start again.

 

After looking at the available kits I decided to go with Caldercraft. They seem to have a good reputation and I like the idea of having a number of contemporary models available all to the same scale. I was thinking of one of the smaller and to be honest cheaper models (under £100) just in case I make a real hash of it. That brings the list down to Ballahoo, Chatham, Convulsion or Sherbourne.

 

With no real preferences amongst those it came down to Chatham simply because I picked up an unstarted kit for a little over £50 on EBay. I appreciate that smaller doesn’t necessarily mean easier but I think this is the right approach for me.

 

 

I haven’t been able to find any build logs here for Chatham so I’ve decided to start one. It is a bit nerve wracking going public as there are many super modellers here and I’ve no idea how this is going to turn out (or how long it will take). So here we go. No doubt I’ll have plenty of stupid questions along the way so any help and guidance would be much appreciated.

 

First step – I’ve checked that everything is there (which it is) and I’m now resisting the urge to get stuck in and instead am having a good study of the plans and the rather flimsy instruction booklet.

[tkay11]

It's great that you're doing a Chatham (and that was a good buy at £50). There were a couple of excellent ones on MSW1 and was the model I was going to start on -- except for the fact that it was out of stock at the time and the Sherbourne was in.

 

As you've been looking at the site for a while you'll know you're in for plenty of help and support from the more experienced. I've never seen anyone here regard any question as stupid, so I'd put that worry aside -- what may seem stupid to you  may well show up something that's been missed, and if it is just that you don't know then lots of people who have been through the same learning process will be only too willing to jump in and provide the answers they found to the same question. You'll also find that as you get stuck in you'll be contributing your own skills and ideas to the mix.

 

So, in sum, welcome to the forum, and I (and probably a lot of the other cutter/ yacht builders) am very much looking forward to your log.

 

Tony

[JohnW]

Thanks Tony

 

I'm kind of relying on the help that is so freely given here. I suspect that even for a small model there is plenty to learn.

 

I've studied everything until I'm seeing double so will be starting on the bulkheads and false keel this evening.

 

Cheers

 

John

[tkay11]

These first steps are nice ones as they're fairly easy (just find a method of keeping the bulkheads square with blocks or Lego bricks).

 

Your next choice will be whether to fill in the spaces between the bulkheads. That's really useful for the stem and stern where you're going to be bending the planks round at a sharp angle, but I filled in between all bulkheads with balsa and that proved very useful as a support for the planks and a guide for the fairing. If I did it again I probably wouldn't use balsa, but balsa is very easy to shape.

 

You might also consider how you are going to mount your ship. If you are going to place it on the stand provided by Caldercraft, there's no issue. However if you want to mount it on pedestals then you'll have to insert a couple of nuts into the bulkheads and drill through the keel. That requires very accurate drilling. I set up mounting points in mine, but on reflection it would have been easier to stick with the standard way of mounting.

 

Tony

[tkay11]

John, you might also want to post a note in the 'New to the Hobby' forum to say you have joined, and that you've started a log with the Chatham. That way you'll get more people who will be careful to pay attention to your log in the early stages to see how much help you need. Otherwise people may not be aware that you are just starting out.

 

Tony

[JohnW]

Thanks Tony

 

I have some balsa on order as the kit only comes with minimal extra strengthening at the bow and nothing at the stern.

 

Good point about the base. I'm not so keen on the cradle provided and will have a look at what is available for pedestal mounting.

 

Your last point is a good one - I thought I had posted when I first joined but on checking I hadn't. message there now.

 

Thanks for all your help

 

Cheers

 

John

[tkay11]

One thing I forgot to mention is that you might find it easier to leave off the stern post until after you've done the planking. I didn't do that, but regret not having done so. The point is that once you have shaved or filed off the bearding line at the stern, you can then plank and file the planks to the end very precisely. Otherwise once the stern post is in you have to fit the planks to the edge of the stern post. Some also leave the stem post off as well for the same reason until they have done the planking.

 

Of course, you may already have assembled all the pieces, so I'm sorry if this suggestion is redundant!

 

Tony

[JohnW]

Hi Tony

 

That's very good timing. I've been trial fitting the bulkheads this weekend. The first 4 needed quite a bit of fettling and then the rest went in pretty well out of the box.

 

I'd seen all the comments about bearding lines and filing of material in the other build logs and planking primers. There doesn't seem much opportunity to do this at the bow and it isn't mentioned at all in the instructions or plans. There is probably more room at the stern though so I'll have a look there.

 

i was also wondering about whether or not to fit the keel, bow and stern posts before planking as per the instructions. It seems to me that would increase the chance of damaging them when sanding the planking.If I take some material off below the bearding line am I reducing the gluing area when it comes to fitting the keel etc? The false keel is only 3mm and the walnut keel just 4mm. I guess if I take the false keel down to 2mm then that would leave 1mm each side for the planking to butt up against. In fact I've probably just answered my own question as the gluing area will also include some of the planking I think?

 

While I had the chance I've also trial fitted the mast dowel as the mounting slots in the false keel and bulkhead 4 will be impossible to reach once planked. Lucky that I did as the bulkhead needed a bit of work to allow the dowel to fit.

 

Hopefully the balsa will arrive in the next day or so as the extra re-inforcing provided for the bow looks totally inadequate.

 

All the best

 

John

[tkay11]

You're right, bearding is not done at the bow or the keel. The stem and keel are quite ok to be fitted since they also act as a ledge under which planks are fitted. It's because of this that some people chisel out a rabbet round the stem and keel. I didn't do this, but I'd probably do so in my next build as I remember it took a lot of careful measurement to fit the planks at the stem.

 

You mention taking the false keel down to tmm. Don't forget your planking is double. I used 1mm for the base planking and 0.5mm for the top planking. That's a total of 1.5mm. If, as is probable in your kit, you use the wood supplied, then the top layer is 1mm, making a total depth of 2mm.

 

So this leads to a very narrow end at the stern, and why it really is easier to put the sternpost on after the planking.

 

The choice I made of 0.5mm top planking was helpful in making the top planking easier, but did lead to thinking how that would match the way the wales were done, so there are always implications in these choices.

 

Tony

[JohnW]

Thanks Tony - the task for the evening then!

[JohnW]

Quick update. Rabbet cut on the bow and keel sections before mounting the walnut pieces. Bearding line and trimming of the stern section underway. Main deck slightly trimmed to allow the walnut bow piece to fit properly.

 

Hopefully the balsa will arrive tomorrow so that I can produce some in fill blocks - especially for the bow.

 

All being well some photos tomorrow as well.

[JohnW]

First picture below. This was after cutting the rabbets and mounting the bow piece and keel. Decks and bulkheads are dry fitted at this stage. Bulkhead 11 at the stern is missing only because without either the stern post or glue it won't stay in place!

 

 

Balsa for the bow and stern infills has arrived so that will be task for the evening.

Edited April 9, 2014 by JohnW

[tkay11]

Great to get going, isn't it! Looking forward to the rest.

 

Tony

[JohnW]

Hi Tony

 

It is getting much more interesting. So much easier to understand things like bearding lines when you have the bits in front of you.

 

The infills took longer than I expected but I have succeeded in doing a reasonable job at both bow and stern. I was very wary with the bow in particular as it seems that it would be very easy to totally change the shape of the ship if not careful.

 

Lesson learnt here was that it would have been easier to fit the infills without the bow piece in place. Ah well that's enthusiasm for you!

 

With the infills in place I've now glued in the bulkheads and false decks, the latter held in place with pins for now.

 

Everything is being left overnight now to set before I start on the first planking.

 

 

Where it looks like the false keel and bulkheads might be visible (through the skylight and grating) I've painted both matt black.

 

 

 

Everything now feels much more solid and is literally much more ship shape.

Edited April 11, 2014 by JohnW

[tkay11]

It's coming along just fine. Are you going to fill between the remaining bulkheads?

 

Tony

[JohnW]

To be honest I'm in two minds. I can see benefit in blocking in the lower hull and might give that a go.

[Bindy]

What a great start John!

 

I may not be able to offer much help or advice, but I will be here to cheer you along and hopefully steal some hints and tips from you haha.

[JohnW]

Hi Bindy

 

Thanks for the cheering along! Not sure there'll be much to steal except perhaps how not to do things but we'll see.

 

Busy planking at the moment (I know -  I should be out in the garden on such a lovely afternoon) so hopefully some pics of progress soon.

[JohnW]

It's been a while since I posted any progress, mainly because I managed to break every drill bit that I had that was suitable for making pilot holes for my map pins. new bits have arrived so I've managed to get stuck into the first planking.

 

Couple of issues have come up. The bevelling of my bulkheads wasn't as good as I thought, especially bulkhead 3. I think I can rescue that with a bit of sanding and filling but a lesson learnt for the future.

 

The other problem I have brewing is at the stern. The first row of planking was supposed to be in line with the main deck and also catch the stern gallery. I couldn't get it to do both without seriously forcing it. In the end I went with the natural curve and will now have to sort out the stern. Not sure yet whether to fit a small block and then fit the first planks over it or to fit a slightly larger block that would be flush with the first planking and so avoid the problem.

 

 

 

 

As you can see I've started sanding the lower hull - some of it looked a bit clinker built - and will need to finish that off along with a bit of filling.

 

Next up is the remainder of the first planking that forms the bulwarks. I'm planning to cut around the removable supports with a razor saw to weaken them just enough to make breaking them off easy. there is a lack of guidance as to what to do with these planks at the bow so I'll need to have a bit of a think there.

Edited April 23, 2014 by JohnW

[mij]

Hi John

 

She`s looking good.

 

mij ( X Farnborough man)

[Blue Ensign]

Hi John, good job on your first layer planking once cleaned up it should provide a good base for when you come to apply the top layer. Well worth re cutting the rabbet along the stem when you come the second layer, helps to secure the planks around the bow and present a neat finish against the stem.

 

Cheers,

 

B.E.

[tkay11]

I don't understand what the problem is at the stern, John. There's another build (in German) at http://www.modellboard.net/index.php?topic=30870.0 which is slightly past the stage you are at -- so you might pick up a hint from the photos there.

 

Could you explain the problem a bit more, or maybe show what the plans suggest?.

 

There's also a low res picture of the stern at http://www.model-boats-ships.co.uk/commission-restoration/kit-model-ships.html.

 

Tony

[JohnW]

Thanks mij and BE

 

Tony - accordingly to the instructions the top plank should curve round to the gallery a bit like the black lines in the attached.

 

 

I couldn't get it to bend that far. Thanks for the links I'll take a look - there may be some answers there. I don't think my problem is insurmountable though.

Edited April 23, 2014 by JohnW

[JohnW]

Just had a look at the German site. Looks like he also couldn't get that top plank to go where the plans say. Makes me feel a bit better!

[tkay11]

In that case, it looks as though the planks shouldn't stop at the end, but indeed should curve round. If you fill in the space with balsa or lime or some wood that's easily sanded, and remove the planks that have been cut 'short', it shouldn't be too hard to bend the planks over the sanded filler wood (which you can apply glue to). You could also put in an epoxy putty, or some other wood filler which would help hold the planks.

 

To bend the planks you just have to soak them until they can bend with gentle hand pressure, and curve them round a bottle or shape that's similar to the one you want. I seem to remember about 20mins in warm water does it with the kit strips.

 

There are all sorts of methods of bending planks, but most depend on water. The one I prefer is to soak them then dry them on or round a shape using a hair dryer. Others use low wattage soldering irons to bend their planks on, or hair curling tongs. Some prefer just to use a dry heat, but I haven't tried that myself.

 

You can also buy plank bending tools but they depend on nipping the wood on the inside curve: which works, but can make the wood split more easily if you are not careful, and more difficult to sand.

 

If you know all this, then I apologise -- but that's all I can suggest for the moment.

 

Tony

[mij]

Hi John

 

This is how I bend my planks.

The planks are place in cold water for about 10 minutes, then taken out of the water and then placed over the hot plank bender (a piece of shapped aluminium fitted to a solding iron) and worked to the shape you require.

Use the water as frequently as required.

The wood I used is 4x1mm cherry.

 

 

 

mij

[JohnW]

Thanks guys

 

Although I gave the planks a thorough soaking I was struggling to get them to bend in 2 directions at once.

 

I hadn't thought of artificially drying them around a former off the model. I'll give that a try (probably the hair dryer method as I have a house full of women!).

 

Cheers

 

John

[mij]

Using the plank bender I made, bending in 2 direction is possible if you take your time.

 

mij

[JohnW]

That may be the answer mij - I might just be too impatient to make progress!

[JohnW]

While I have some filler setting on the lower hull I've had a look at what's needed to first plank the bulwarks. The instructions are very clear that the bulkhead fascia needs to be fixed in place before extending the first planking upwards.

 

A trial fit of the fascia with it resting on the lower deck shows that it will also be flush with the upper deck. Which in turn means that the upper deck planks will overhang.

 

 

Not too happy about that so I have placed a short length of deck planking below the fascia before gluing it on. This should not only ensure that the upper deck planking is mounted up against the fascia but will also allow the lower deck planking to slide underneath which should give a better finish.

 

 

My goodness those close ups really show where more sanding is needed!!

Edited April 25, 2014 by JohnW