Endeavour J Class Yacht by LMDAVE - FINISHED - Amati - 1:80

[LMDAVE]

I'm starting my second wooden build. I've have been eying this build for a while, but always looked at the 1:35 kit. After seeing how big the 1:35 is (4 ft long 5 ft high), I saw Amati offered a 1:80 that was plank on frame also. So, that is the route I went. I see there is another build of this scale active (Henry James) which hopefully we can help each other.

 

The  drawings and instructions are not near as detail as the MS Bluenose, and are not in English, but hopefully I can follow along well with the experience I had from my first build.

 

I'm looking forward to the painting of the hull. The combination of natural wood, white water line and blue should look fantastic if done right. I all boils down to the second layer of planking at the bottom since that will be seen.

 

For some reason they show the first step of assembling the main mast. I'm skipping that and going straight to the keel assembly.

 

Anyway, here are some kit pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DBorgens]

Dave,

You have made a good choice, Endeavour is lovely. Seeing Floyd's model, it is huge. I think the mast is higher than his T37.

 

Dave B

[fnkershner]

Dave I may wish I had built this one. If I had I would not be bribing the admiral. And by the way how do you taper a 5 ft mast?

[LMDAVE]

Thanks DBorgens!

 

Floyd, doesn't everybody their own lathe at home for tapering something that size!

 

Well, yesterday was day off work and a rainy day....perfect for getting a lot done on a new build.

 

I was able to put together the keel and the supplied stand. I actually went as far as to finish the stand with some stain and varnish already. NOt sure if it'll be my final stand, but might.

 

And I was able to put on the false deck. This gave me a little trouble with the curvature of the deck. I think I've become a slave to CA glue when I need fast gluing, because I didn't have a way to clamp the deck down for the glue to keep it in the curvature. I dont know if I shoudl have pre bent the deck with some steam. Either way, the glue with some accelerator finally did the trick. I attempted using the supplied nails but hammering with that small hammer and trying to make the nails countersink was too tricky and too scary to use a bigger hammer.

 

The filler blocks are shown before filing....that'll be the next step.

 

Anyway, here are some start up pics:

 

 

 

[fnkershner]

This is going to be lots of fun I get to watch you build the same model I am building from the same company but in a smaller scale. My false deck was 2 pieces but essentially this model has the same design. I even have the same stand. I discarded the stand because it was to obviously made of Ply.

 

Also Dave as to how to get the deck to flex. I just used loads of Rubber bands and the bulkheads. Also I don't like CA. I don't think I am that good a modeler. Slow and steady with lots of steps in reverse. Thanks me.

[LMDAVE]

I feel like an idiot now....rubber bands - of course!

[fnkershner]

Hey we all have brain farts once in a while. That's why we have this forum. I recently asked how someone shaped the rabbit on their long boat and they said they used a Dremel. I have been staring at my Dremel all week.

[LMDAVE]

Things are moving along faster than I expected...probably because I had a lot of time to work on it this weekend. I filed the filler blocks and the support blocks on the keel, and first planking looked ready to go, so I laid the first two strips.

 

 

[LMDAVE]

Moving right along with the planking

 

 

 

[fnkershner]

Does your model have 2 sizes of hull planking like mine does? I have 2 mm X 2mm for the keel and 1 mm X 3mm for the rest of the hull. I suppose this is because of the sharp curves. you end up sanding about 1/2 of the wood off from the 2 X 2. What size are your planks? What is your plan? to double plank or paint?

[LMDAVE]

Hi Floyd, mine only has 1 x 2mm for the first planking and 0.5 x 2mm for the second planking. The plans don't give a good planking instructions, so I'm not completely sure how the bottom of the keel is going to come out. I plan to taper into the bottom, and lay one full strip on the bottom, then sand the curvature smooth. If it comes out well, I'll probably start from the bottom up with the second planking since I will be leaving the bottom half unpainted below the water line, only varnished/clear coat.

[bhermann]

Dave - it's good to see you starting up a new build.  Endeavor looks like an interesting subject - I will be following along with great interest.

 

Bob

[fnkershner]

Dave - Sounds like a good plan. I had a devil of a time on that stern. I just could not get the planks to lay correctly. I ended up using a combination of putty and planks and shaping it.

 

I know it is jumping way ahead but what shape is your boom? Have you thought about how you will taper that?

[pete48]

Hi Dave, Nice build you have going on here, the J boats are quite beautiful , I will pull up a chair and watch

 

Best Regards,

Pete

[LMDAVE]

Bob, glad you found my build...thanks for following along. Hope all is well with your Bluenose.

 

Thanks Pete!

 

Floyd, I haven't really looked that far ahead, I'll probably try to match the shape shown on the 1 of 2 full size drawings that show the entire boat from the side. For some reason the first step of this build was to assemble the mast before the keel and planking. I didn't do that yet, and can't see any reason to have assembled that first.

[fnkershner]

I agree, I would assemble the mast last. The reason I ask about the boom is that the real one was aluminum. and it was triangular. As well as tapered at both ends. For mine the supplied wood was triangular but not tapered and unfortunately it was warped. So I have to replace it and figure out how to taper it. And then there is that mast.

[LMDAVE]

Floyd, not sure if you ever found this link while searching, but here is a link to some pretty big hi-res pictures of a completed model. Kind of spoils what you're waiting to see at the end though. CLick on each pic to see an even bigger one.

 

http://www.modelships.de/Endeavour_Ferlemann/Photos_yacht_Endeavour_details.htm

 

I decided to plank the stern before continuing the hull...just for something different.

 

Edited June 17, 2014 by LMDAVE

[fnkershner]

Dave - I like it! very nice job. also wonderful pictures. are these pictures of your kit?

Edited June 18, 2014 by Floyd Kershner

[LMDAVE]

I'm not sure who's model that is, but definitely can zoom in to certain areas to answers some questions. But I believe that I a 1:35 kit model

[fnkershner]

1:35, now you have done it. You have set a bar for me. Looks like I will be busy trying to achieve that level of beauty.

[SawdustDave]

Nice start Floyd....that is a really beautiful model and I'm sure you will enjoy the build.

Dave

[LMDAVE]

Finished the first planking. Just need to fill in the cracks and give it a good sanding. I'm on a cruise next week, so wont be doing much work on her past Sunday.

 

Here are the first planking pics.

 

 

 

 

[pete48]

Hi Dave , the Hull looks Fantastic . Beautifully done

 

Best Regards,

Pete

[fnkershner]

Nice job Dave.

[russ]

Dave:

Nice job on the hull. The planking looks very good.

 

Russ

[LMDAVE]

Thanks guys!

 

I finished sanding and shaping the hull and now starting with the 2nd plank. I'm following the advice of Floyd to Sailor of starting with the bottom up and top down and meet in the middle. Mainly because the bottom hull will be natural wood finish, so I want the best fit there.

 

The starting strips are one directly on the bottom, then on on each side angled into it and sanded smooth, the rest should be easier until I get to where the hull curves.

 

Edited June 28, 2014 by LMDAVE

[LMDAVE]

Finished the bottom of the hull (2nd planking). Will probably switch to the top and go down soon.

 

 

[fnkershner]

Looking real good. It appears that yours and my model have much the same materials and plans regardless of the different scale.

[LMDAVE]

Thanks Floyd. I believe your kit probably goes into more detail. I had to improvise on the bottom cap of the hull but it came out great. Also, the blue upper hull appears to wrap around to the top of the deck. My plans don't show that, nor is there a premade deck bow cap that will fit the front.

 

I would prefer to just lay the outer cap with the bow and premade stern piece and start painting from there, it would make it easier to have that perfect blue line following the upper deck, but most plan recommend installing the deck first, and taping it before painting. I read that method during bluenose also, I think it is so you don't damage your finish with any type of glue that may be used.

 

Either way, I'm going to have to think that one out well before painting.

[fnkershner]

You are correct. but I have decided to modify this a bit. From the experience I had with another build I am going to paint first then plank the deck. There are a couple reasons for this. First, I don't have to mask or worry about paint on the deck planking. And 2nd I like the look of a dark wood rub rail. So I am going to make my own bow and stern pieces and lay the same wood along both sides after I paint. I may also use the darker wood for the king plank. Then plank the deck as usual. I think the contrast of the blue and the dark wood should look nice. I am currently looking at swiss pear for this.