40' Cruising Sailboat by BenF89 - 1:12 Scale

[Omega1234]

Go with your 'gut feeling', Ben.  That's usually the best solution.

[BenF89]

Well, I finished installing the decking. I planked all the way into the galley:

 

Decking into Galley 

 

And an overall shot showing all the decking:

 

Accommodation Flooring Overview

 

Next up will be sanding, filling, and finishing. Not sure what I’ll tackle during/after that process.

 

Thanks for looking in!

[BenF89]

INTERIOR DECK FINISHING - PART 1

 

I was able to get the first round of fill/sand/stain done. It was nice outside, so I could work without bothering the family with the smell of filler and stain, or the noise of my brand new Dremel stylus tool that I got specially for sanding the floor and other tight spaces.

 

The first picture is the result of filling & sanding, before the first coat of stain.

 

Interior Deck Filled and Sanded

 

It’s not perfect, but once I finish the stain/sand/repeat process, I think it’ll be ok. There’s a ways to go, as can be seen in the picture below of the first application of the stain. Technically, it’s scratch remover for dark wood, but we already had it and I didn’t want to buy like a quart of wood stain for such a small area. I think it’ll work out after a few coats.

 

First Coat of Finish Applied

 

I personally liked a light shade for the deck, but the kids voted that they liked it dark (I had a sample section of dark in a spot that’ll be hidden). So I made it to customer specifications. Hoping to get another shot at sanding and then a second coat it while it’s still nice this afternoon. I have tomorrow off, too, so that might allow some opportunity.

[Omega1234]

Hi Ben

 

I'm really enjoying seeing the progress you've made; especially with the deck planking.  This is turning out to be a super-detailed yacht; custom designed and built by a Naval Architect, no less!

 

Keep the updates flowing.

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

 

 

[BenF89]

Thanks Patrick! I realize that the deck has a 'weathered' look - that's super unintentional - I was trying to get it even, but with the variations in the wood, I guess, some areas took more of the stain than others. That said ...

_____________________________________

 

INTERIOR DECK FINISHING - PART 2

I was able to get some more work in. My general process was use a 120 grit sandpaper disc on my new Dremel, sand down the stained deck (almost bare, actually) to even it out a bit between previous sanding grooves and raised areas where there was still filler, then re-stain. After staining I tried to buff/even it out with a polishing/buffing pad on the Dremel (kind of like a hardwood floor buffer, I think). Then I started doing a light 240 grit sanding with the Dremel on a lower speed, taking less stain off each pass. Added more stain. Did a couple iterations of that same process, but started wet-sanding. Finally, the last couple of coats I've just added without sanding down at all between coats. (*Note: I don't actually know what I'm doing- mostly I've been experimenting). While I can't say I got what I was aiming for (an even colorization), I did get a result I think I'm happy with instead - a floor with natural color variations that looks a little 'lived in' - like a real boat. (I may try to hit some of the lightest areas with something to darken them up. Not sure what, though) 

 

Here's a couple poorly-lit shots of the (mostly) finished deck:

 

Deck Finish - Looking Forward

 

Deck Finish - Looking Aft

 

One of the unfortunate realities of working in a confined space is that the stain got EVERYWHERE, not just the deck. But, this is OK, since I was planning to do some 'finish planking' and/or painting of the vertical surfaces. My plan is to put some heavy paper or thin cardboard down to cover and protect the deck while I do the remaining work on the bulkheads and other interior furnishings.

 

That's it for now. This was a big step, and now I can start adding detail that would have made doing this step more challenging later in the build. I think I'm going to tackle either the head forward or the rest of the galley next.

[BenF89]

FORWARD HEAD OUTFIT - PART 1

 

So, I decided to start problem solving rather than ‘problem dwelling’ on the issue of fixtures and furnishings that were racking my mind, starting with the head compartment, and specifically the toilet. Can’t hand-wave it away with some vaguely suggestive artistic license in 1:12 scale!

 

I began by actually selecting a model to model- I had a catalogue I picked up at a boat show a while back when I was collecting any research materials I thought might be helpful in outfitting the boat model. Fortunately, I kept it during all the cleanout that happened during our remodel this summer. It was a Dometic brand catalogue, so that’s the only reason for picking that brand. I selected a MasterFlush 7260, because I liked the look and thought it would be reasonably sized for the tiny head compartment. More on that later... 

 

With the model of ‘equipment’ identified, I made some rough drawings based on the limited dimensions and pictures in the catalogue. I decided to use balsa wood chunks, and do two layers for the bowl, a small chunk of square bar for the pump housing, and got myself some 3/4” diameter woodworking plugs that I used for the pedestal. Once installed, I’ll use the O-Rings I got for the engine hoses way back to simulate the water supply and ... erm... ‘discharge’ hoses.

 

So here’s some so-far pictures.

 

First up - shaping the bowl. This was made from two layers of balsa cut to the top-view outline and super-glued together (my rough sketch is in the background):

 

Initial Shaping of Bowl

 

With the bowl shaped, I started hollowing out the inside. I used my new Dremel- it was fantastic! I don’t think I could have done it without it. Certainly not as well.

 

Starting to Hollow the Bowl

 

And a picture with the inside completed:

Bowl Inside Carved Out

 

Next I tackled the pedestal. As mentioned, this was two 3/4” birch woodworking plugs superglued together and sanded to shape. I used the Dremel to hollow out the recesses above the bolting mounts in the side of the pedestal.

 

Pedestal Construction

 

Then I made the pump housing that goes behind the pedestal. The inlet hose goes into the raised inlet connection on the left side. The discharge comes out the right side.

 

Pump Housing

 

Finally I super glued all the pieces together:

 

Assembled Toilet, Minus Seat and Lid

 

Of course, I wanted to see how it fit in the head. Let’s just say that (a) this is not a luxury master bath, and (b) my idea of a ‘boxing-in’ the head inside some joinery isn’t going to happen; at the very least I need to seriously rethink the idea. The good news is that it pretty much physically fits in the space...

 

Test Placement View 1

 

Test Placement View 2

 

I think there’s barely room to stand at the sink. Let’s hope that wherever this live aboard is home ported has decent restroom facilities.

 

Anyway, next steps are to (a) make seat and lid, (b) figure out how to hinge them, (c) paint it a nice sanitation white, and (d) install in the head compartment. For this last step I even downloaded the installation manual to make sure the hoses look right!

 

Till next time...

 

 

[Omega1234]

Hi Ben

 

Nice - you seem flushed with success...Ahem...sorry, I’ll let myself out!

 

Seriously, though, nice job on the toilet.  It may not be luxurious, but at least it should be ‘fit for purpose‘.

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

Edited February 24, 2019 by Omega1234

[Omega1234]

Hi Ben

 

Another quick question - With all of the work and detail that you’re putting into this boat, is it still your intention that it be given to your daughter as a “doll boat” to play with?

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[BenF89]

Hi Patrick,

 

Thanks for the compliments! They bowled me over. And no need to close the lid on the puns; in fact, you should keep pumping them out! They give me a good chuckle and help clear my head. (Ok, I’ll show MYSELF out now...)

 

As for your question: yes, still planning to gift it over once complete. I’ve come to terms with the ‘destructive possibilities’ and have a few thoughts. Firstly, most of the really ‘breakable’ stuff is either replaceable, and/or unnecessarily detailed- which leads to the next point.

 

I view the project itself as my enjoyment of the boat, and as my first scratch build, it’s been a lot of learning and filing away ideas for my next projects, whatever and whenever they may be. So I can let go of the boat, have lots of pictures of the ‘finished product’, and have the gains in skills and tools that the project brought about.

 

And, finally, there’s the joy of giving it to my daughter after years in the making, and the possibility of a long time of enjoyment of it, adding ‘accessories ‘ as she gets older, etc. She’s nearly six now, and old enough to appreciate the imaginative possibilities of a doll house (or boat). 

 

So I’m having fun making it to be used- I wouldn’t spend time trying to figure out how to hinge the toilet lid if I didn’t want it lifted   And if the details survive childhood, then maybe she’ll gain an appreciation for what I attempted to do. Or not, but I’ll know and apply it forward to other projects, and that’s enough.

[Omega1234]

15 minutes ago, BenF89 said:

Hi Patrick,

 

Thanks for the compliments! They bowled me over. And no need to close the lid on the puns; in fact, you should keep pumping them out! They give me a good chuckle and help clear my head. (Ok, I’ll show MYSELF out now...)

 

As for your question: yes, still planning to gift it over once complete. I’ve come to terms with the ‘destructive possibilities’ and have a few thoughts. Firstly, most of the really ‘breakable’ stuff is either replaceable, and/or unnecessarily detailed- which leads to the next point.

 

I view the project itself as my enjoyment of the boat, and as my first scratch build, it’s been a lot of learning and filing away ideas for my next projects, whatever and whenever they may be. So I can let go of the boat, have lots of pictures of the ‘finished product’, and have the gains in skills and tools that the project brought about.

 

And, finally, there’s the joy of giving it to my daughter after years in the making, and the possibility of a long time of enjoyment of it, adding ‘accessories ‘ as she gets older, etc. She’s nearly six now, and old enough to appreciate the imaginative possibilities of a doll house (or boat). 

 

So I’m having fun making it to be used- I wouldn’t spend time trying to figure out how to hinge the toilet lid if I didn’t want it lifted   And if the details survive childhood, then maybe she’ll gain an appreciation for what I attempted to do. Or not, but I’ll know and apply it forward to other projects, and that’s enough.

 

Hi Ben

 

Nicely put!  The act of giving is one of the purest joys imaginable; especially when it's given with love to a child.  What's more, the memories that that'll impart in the years to come will be priceless.

 

A quick anecdote - My two kids are adults now.  One's married and the other is engaged.  We had them all over this morning for a cooked breakfast in the back garden.  Without any prompting, both of my kids starting talking about their childhood memories.  My son said "Dad, I remember we had a big plum tree over there and brick path that led to the back fence".  Then my daughter said to her husband - "see that patch of garden over there, that's where Mum and Dad built my sand-pit and we had a cubby-house to play in, as well."  Hearing their childhood memories warmed our hearts.

 

My point being, that you too, will be able to enjoy the same feelings when as a future adult, your daughter says to you, "Dad remember that boat you built for us.  I played with it all day long..."

 

Have a great week.  Enjoy.

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

Edited February 24, 2019 by Omega1234

[BenF89]

Hi Patrick,

 

Thanks for the encouragement! That’s the experience I’m hoping for, at least.

[BenF89]

FORWARD HEAD OUTFIT- PART 2

After much deliberation, I decided that I needed to go back to the drawing board for the head. Way back when I laid it out, I must not have had a good reference for the size of the ‘marine sanitation device’ (MSD). I remember making sure there was at least room to get in, stand, and sit. Since then, two things happened that threw a wrench in the plan. First, the MSD got bigger. Second, either my space got smaller, or I didn’t properly account for ‘out of scale’ wall thickness. Both have led to rethinking the space. So, I took a ‘ticker tape’ and got the as-built space available. Then I started sketching out an alternative configuration of the space in model scale. (The picture below has a ‘working concept,’ not the final design, since I haven’t got the final design.)

 

Forward Head Redesign Concept

 

You can see the outline of the MSD I made last post, and it’s just too big. I’m glad I didn’t finish it, since I decided to go a different direction. I found a smaller MSD, and modeled it up. (I also printed out the dimensional details of three others in case this one didn’t work...)

 

Second Attempt at MSD, 1

 

Second Attempt at MSD, 2

 

I placed it in the space, and it seems to work much better. With a rearrangement of the sink cabinet, I think it will work much better.

 

MSD in Head, 1

 

MSD in Head, 2

 

So, now I’ll need to re-do the sink cabinet. Oh, also - you can see I started to do sheathing over the wood structure. The idea is to give it a ‘fiberglass insert’ look. 

 

More coming soon- going to try to get some of the demolition/rebuild work done this weekend. Plus, if the MSD works out, it needs a bit more detail work.

[BenF89]

FORWARD HEAD OUTFIT- PART 3

I managed to get a little bit more accomplished tonight. Though, it doesn’t feel like accomplishment... 

 

On the bright side, seeing a ‘blank slate’ gave me another arrangement idea. More to come.

 

Edited March 10, 2019 by BenF89

[BenF89]

FORWARD HEAD OUTFIT- PART 4

Turns out I was quite literal when I said back to the drawing board. Tonight I got views set up to make another attempt at a workable arrangement.

Forward Head Redesign Drawings- 1

 

‘Ticker tape’ and tracing paper (on the left) got the basic information I needed for the plan and bulkhead sections. A stainless steel 18” ruler got me the rest. You can see the light-bulb idea I got once I saw the empty space after doing the tear out work - swap the location of the sink and MSD. I think it will make more useable deck area.

[popeye the sailor]

great progress Ben.......didn't know you were majoring in ceramics      redos are part of scratch building.......they go hand in hand   

[BenF89]

Thanks, Denis! Good to hear from you

_________________

FORWARD HEAD OUTFIT - PART 5

Spent most of the ‘build time’ this week planning and drawing a new head arrangement, and then carefully measuring for part details. Results are below:

 

Head Redesign- Sheet 1

Head Redesign- Sheet 2

Head Redesign - Sheet 3

 

My plan is to build as much as I can off the boat out of styrene, rather than build it in wood and have to sheath it. But the plastic-sheathed-wood route may be more robust. I suppose I’ll find out what I decide when I make it.

[BenF89]

FORWARD HEAD OUTFIT- PART 6

This is the first of a couple posts that will update the ‘log’ with current state of the build.

 

After a month of various things pulling me away from the yard, I got back into the swing by working on the forward head some more. I started with the outboard wall, which is 1/32” wood with a very thin polystyrene sheathing. I made the ‘cubby/shelf’ thing entirely out of polystyrene.

 

After checking fit and making adjustments as needed, I started work on the sink cabinet. This I also built entirely out of 0.40” polystyrene. I finally remembered to snap some pictures when I got to the sink itself. I used a 1” birch woodworking plug and hollowed it out with the Dremel tool. Then I glued it to the sink cabinet top. (I’ve been using CA glue for almost everything, and it’s been working well so far)

 

Next I lined the inside of the sink with the super thin polystyrene, followed by ‘bare metal’ adhesive backed foil:

 

 

I made use of some eye-hook latches from the hardware store for the faucet- I just cut the latch end off.

 

 

And then a couple polystyrene tube ‘nubbins’ painted grey got me the hot and cold water nobs.

 

 

I attached the sink cabinet top to the rest of the assembly and test fit it in the boat

 

Finally, I added a floor made of polystyrene with a ‘tile’ pattern, and fit the last funny shaped piece of polystyrene to cover the hull from sink to forward bulkhead between the floor and outboard vertical wall. I also softened the corners of the sink cabinet to give it a more “molded in” look.

Here’s an overall shot showing the current state of the head compartment in the boat

 

I still plan to paint it flat white to (a) cover boo boos and marks, and (b) to try to give it a more off-white/ fiberglass-y look. But I had run out of white paint, so I moved on to the galley, which will be the next update (sneak preview in the above picture).

 

 

[Omega1234]

Hi Ben

 

Your boats’ looking really good.  I especially like your attention to getting the measurements just right so that everything looks correct (you wouldn’t happen to be a Naval Architect by any chance, would you?  Hehehe).

 

Is the intention that your daughter is able to remove all the internals to play with, or will everything eventually be fixed in place?  Just curious, especially as once the deck on, access would be further limited, of course.

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

 

 

Edited May 26, 2019 by Omega1234

[BenF89]

Hi Patrick! Thanks for looking in!

 

Good question - the plan is that all will be fixed in place, but there won’t be much of a deck. Only over areas that aren’t accessible anyway. It’s both bigger and smaller than it looks (if that makes any sense), but I have been trying to think through access and such. I may end up leaving the inboard wall of the head off, or make it removable to improve access (of course, with kids that will probably turn into option 1 anyway...).

[Omega1234]

Ahh. Yep. Sounds like a plan. Knowing most kids, their first inclination would be to test what can be removed and what can’t.  Natural curiosity, I guess😊

[BenF89]

GALLEY - PART 5

Once I got as far as I could on the head without paint, I switched to working the galley. 

 

I started by templating the shape of the counter top with a piece of thin cardboard, followed by tracing and cutting out of 1/32” wood sheet.

 

Then I added the ‘trim’/ coaming around the edge of the counter top. I used 1/8”x1/8” basswood, I think.

Next came the cutout for the sink, followed by the sink’s construction. The sink was built from 0.40” polystyrene, then covered with the adhesive back foil.

 

Once the sink was built, I dry fit it in place. The pictures show the first of several test fits as things progressed.

 

Then I finished the counter coaming with some .5mmx3mm strips I had on hand, attached the polystyrene finish counter top, and installed the sink.

 

 

I did the same to the opposite side without the sink. Then, I realized I had to get the finish planking on the galley base cabinets before attaching the counter top, because the stove would get in my way. So I planked the lower part of the galley structure. The picture shows the planking partially complete.

 

 

Finally, an overall shot showing the galley in context 

 

 

This gets the log just about current with the boat. More to come soon!

 

 

[BenF89]

HEAD AND GALLEY FINISHING 1

Spent some time last night working on finish details for the head and galley. Got most everything painted, and added the faucet to the galley sink. I also simulated the top-opening hatches in the galley counter with some small plastic rod for the hinges and pin heads for the latches.

 

Head:

Galley:

Counter Hatch details:

Sink details:

 

I decided to have some fun with updated POV shots. Sitting on fwd vee berth:

 

 

Standing at nav station across from galley:

 

 

And finally an aerial view of the whole boat:

 

 

Till next time!

 

 

[Omega1234]

Hi Ben

 

She’s looking mighty fine.  I really like the details that you’re adding, all of which add to the overall effect.

 

Nice job, especially the galley sink.

 

Cheers. 

 

Patrick

[BenF89]

Haven’t posted in a while, but haven’t been idling, either. Here’s an update on some odds and ends I’ve been busy with.

 

INTERIOR FINISHING ODDS AND ENDS

So, first off, I finally added a lid to the marine toilet, using doll house hinges. The micro screws didn’t play so well with the balsa, but the super glue did just fine.

 

(I did eventually paint the lid, which can be seen in a picture below)

 

Next, I made the wood heater. I used 3/4 PVC for the body, and polystyrene for the top, bottom, door, and stove pipe. To get the polystyrene door to conform to the tight curve of the pipe, I glued the back, positioned it, then used wire to band it in place.

 

 

Then, I painted it, which was fun because it was an opportunity to get ‘artsy’ with the glow of the fire through the door. 

 

 

After test fitting, I went in a laid the tile pattern Polystyrene, same as for the head floor. I decided to paint it a light blue, as a contrast with all the other neutral/natural coloring, since the heater and hearth are a design focal point.

 

 

After this, I started doing some of the finish work along the hull. i started with what will be the inside of the quarter berth ‘cubby’. I went with white polystyrene sheathing (emulating fiberglass molding) because the space will be one of the darker ones on the boat, and I wanted to brighten it rather than stick with wood paneling. 

 

 

Then I started tackling the forward vee berth, which is wood planked all up the hull. I haven’t yet decided whether to plank the forward bulkhead, or sheath it white for contrast.

 

Till next time!

 

Edited June 18, 2019 by BenF89

[BenF89]

FORWARD VEE BERTH FINISHING 1

Since my last post I’ve been busy chipping away at finishing out the forward berth, and today I hit a big milestone: I have finished the hull and bulkhead details and cut the foam pad for the mattress. All that is left to finish the space is a mattress cover and bedding, both of which my wonderful wife will help me with, and then a couple shelves along the hull each side.

 

Here are some pictures of the space without the pad, showing the final planking and bulkhead finishing:

 

 

And here it is with the foam pads for the bed and seat placed:

 

 

Till next time!

 

Edited July 1, 2019 by BenF89

[Omega1234]

Hi Ben

 

Your boat’s really coming along beautifully. I bet your daughter must be pretty excited as she watches it all coming together. 

 

I especially like the heater!

 

Cheers.

 

Patrick 

[BenF89]

Thanks, Patrick!

 

Yes, she’s at the age now (just turned 6) where she understands what the boat is to be, and appreciates it. Though, there are still *some* surprises for her as it gets finished- and she wants it that way. She actually told me to cover it up once it’s done so there will be something she ‘doesn’t know about’ when she finally gets it gifted to her. The stove heater is actually one of the surprises. She’s been guessing what the ‘blue room’ is for, which has been cute. It all helps keep in focus the ‘why’ behind the project. 

 

I’ve been shooting for Christmas to have it done, and given the regular rhythm I’m getting into, I think I can do it. I’m moving into a space-by-space approach to finishing up, so I’m trying to think of a way to cover up a space once it’s finished, both to protect it from other work and from peering eyes.

 

That said, there are still several big design hurdles to get through. One of the best things about this project and really diving into a scratch build has been building my confidence and creativity in solving these problems, so I’m excited to see how this turns out!

[Omega1234]

Hi Ben

 

I like the idea of hiding each completed section from ‘prying eyes’.  Gotta keep some surprises😊😊

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[BenF89]

HEAD FINISHING

Another milestone last night: I (finally) permanently installed the head unit and toilet into the boat. I added all the detail I wanted to add with the unit out and able to be handled/positioned as needed. Here are some shots of the (almost) final space:

 

Some things I added to finish the space out are the details defining an access door under the sink (hinge, latch, and scored in outline), a mirror on the aft bulkhead, a towel rack/hand hold next to the toilet, and of course the toilet paper roll. Here’s a detail shot of the latter two items:

 

The TP roll was fun to make- just some polystyrene tube with a small piece of thin polystyrene sheet glued to the back, and then while half-melted from the wet cement, the little piece of sheet was crumpled a little to look like paper. 

 

Here’s another shot of the space, with the flash on to get some more detail:

 

Next, a semi-PoV shot from the forward berth, which better shows the mirror:

 

 

And finally, some protective wrapping, to keep it safe from myself... and others:

 

 

There are some small details left, like a small amount of molding around the sink cabinet to the aft bulkhead to cover a gap, and a bit of square bar to define where the wall would be. I decided to leave the wall open, to facilitate access. It could be added if it survives long enough to be a display model. ... (it likely won’t...)

 

Again, till next time! I think I’m going to try tackling the dresser and closet on the starboard side, across from the head, now that I don’t need to get into that space to work.

[Omega1234]

I love the toilet paper, Ben!  

 

It's details like this that elevate a model to the next level.

 

Nicely done.

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

Edited July 6, 2019 by Omega1234