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[Footski]

Well, that was a happy half hour, reading through this thread. To say I am impressed is an understatement. This build is simply superb. Thank you so much for posting all this and keep up the magnificent work.

[Stuw]

Hi Stu,
Welcome to the forum.  I am a relative newbe here too.  (6 yrs or so) 
So I agree that there are many "tricks of the trade" 

Yes - It ended up being the Styrene Strips.  I left the lighter Veneer strips in place on the smaller decks. 
I am not so "xxxxx" as to rip all that apart just so everything is the same.     

When it comes to planking, I have my way of doing it which has worked for me.But understand that Denver Colorado is "high desert" with no humidity.  (less than 50% most of the year).When I buy a kit, I let it sit for at least 6 months to dry out. 

So -  For deck planking. 
1. I use a harder type of wood if not in a kit.  Here we have Basswood, which I am told is similar to Lime.  as opposed to something like balsa. 
2. If not using a "caulk" - I put on a light coat of sanding sealer - (actually I use a water based poly) on each plank.      then I use a black heavy duty "sharpie" pen on each edge. 
3. If using a caulk, I use styrene strips - http://www.mackproductsrc.com  look in accessories.    I am sure someone else in the UK sells them,    they come in both black and white. 
4. Here is where I differ from others - I use a "Medium - Gap Filling CA glue"  and I have at hand some pointed tweezers that are very good at 
   keeping things down - the medium ca glue takes a little bit to set.  I do not use any accelerator. 
5. After finishing the gluing I let it sit - under weight - for 24 hours.
6. Then I sand.  If the styrene is higher than the planks, I use 80grit to get started, then 120, then 180.   Finally 320 when I get to the deck, just to
    remove any glue marks. 
7.  Then - if not already sealed, I apply the "sanding sealer" -  And use a 1000 grit scotchbrite pad to scuff. 
8.  Finally I apply REAL SPAR VARNISH.  I get mine from a boat supplier on the east coast.  It is not a urethane product, takes up to 48 hours to full set.    Scuff with the pad, apply another coat or two.
And finally - let the thing set as the finish can be still soft for up to a week. 

oh - and use a "tack cloth".
So far this has worked well for me.  (But your mileage may vary.) 

More to come. 

Regards to all, 

Jim Pope
Denver, CO USA

Hi Jim,


Thanks for your in depth reply and top tips! Yours is a bit different to my low altitude, high humidity existence here in England!


I have found this forum very therapeutic, especially with our Lockdown 3.0 here in UK. It’s great to see all these projects around the globe. Thanks again for all your pictures and explanations. It’s honestly helping bring some personal focus to distract from the current limbo we seem to be in. At least we have you guys and plenty of online boat bits shops!


Stu

[jpdenver]

Thanks again for all the kind comments. 

I am still in the dark about how to keep the "pig squeals" away. 
I am all trial and error. 
All my boats are slow - on purpose.    Again - Steam Power tends to do that. 
The other major factor is poor eye-hand coordination. 
Fast boats and I do not run well together.   
They end up flipped.  I end up embarrassed. 

Those of you that have seen some of my steam builds over the last 6 years or so may remember
that I got into this hobby "sideways" -
 I wanted to learn about building steam engines.   I determined that there were basically three types   
   - Those that sat on a table, those that ran on a track, and those that were put in a vehicle.   I do not have a lot of table space. My wife owns the garden - And locomotives take a long time to build.
So that left vehicles.  - and boats seemed like a good idea.   

Colorado does not seem to be well known for water.  but we do have a few lakes and reservoirs. 
I located a local RC Club and started going to meetings - and after a year somebody told me I needed to actually get a boat! 

My first was a Krick Borkum.  and the rest is history.   

SO this brings me around to electric power, ESC and Motor selection, and how to match the parts up. 
One part that eludes me is the the concept of TURNS.  and how they apply in the equation. 
I have seemingly made the mistake of buying "cheap-$%^" from Ebay-China.  (Qty3 - 6V ESC for $20) 
They basically seem to be an ON/OFF switch. 

I also had a unit from Horizon Hobbies - ($40) that was perhaps better made, in that the Pig Squeal went away. 
So I ordered couple more. They come tomorrow. 

But -  What is background on all this -  what makes one better than the other when we are talking about
"cruising" rather than "racing"? 

Thanks again for reading my thread.  If there is a thread somewhere that really lays out the answers to my electric questions 
I would appreciate a link.  Otherwise perhaps a condensed version here would help others as well. 

Be Well, Stay Safe. 
More to come from a chilly Colorado. 

Regards to All. 

Jim (and the girls) 

[Mark T]

Well, that was a happy half hour, reading through this thread. To say I am impressed is an understatement. This build is simply superb. Thank you so much for posting all this and keep up the magnificent work.

I have to agree  - Just been catching up Jim and its looking amazing!

[Stuw]

You have probably seen it already, but I’ve come across this guide to all things brushless on the forum. It’s helped me albeit I’ve already got my motor and esc as I copied the setup of the Proboat type kits (and I’ve probably gone overboard for my needs!)


If you need specific info maybe ask the question in that section and you may get more replies?


https://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,13538.0.html


Stu

[jpdenver]

Thanks Stu.
After venting my frustration I found a bunch of info here too. 
So -  never mind.  Back to building.   

I got the second ESC from Amazon today and finished up the electrical wiring. 
It's a Horizon Hobby Dynamite.   

On to the ForeDeck. 

First I played with mocking up some placement of the rear deck parts. 
Just checking how they look.
You only get to glue once. 

 

[jpdenver]

Some more observations.
When I started this build, I thought that perhaps it would turn out to be an "easy" 2-3 months. 
Instead, I found a kit that was very well put together up to a point. 

The laser cutting is superb.
Until you get to the really small pieces where the cuts are so fine that the grain of the wood (sapele)
is not strong enough to keep the piece together. 

From what I can see in the manual (that I translated for them) is that the original design was at 1:12. 
Then the kit manufacturer re-scaled the kit to 1:18.    That is the kit they are selling now.  (and the one I bought). 

When they re-scaled, the parts layout changed from the one documented in the manual.  And a few pieces were left off,
or not included in the design.  The manual, after a discussion of the basics of laying the deck planks, pretty much fades
away to "you figure it out - look at the pictures". 

So - that is where I am now -  figuring it out. 

and where the initial build went pretty fast, it almost felt like I was "cheating". 
So at the 75% point in the build, I am actually having more fun figuring out the "fiddly bits"

The fact that the decks have a sub-base and laser cut planks that match up with the base have been a godsend. 
I would not like to have to cut the planks on the curve.  I see blood and stuck fingers in going that route. 

What was not evident is the need for accessibility of the internals of the hull. 
Little things like -  "Where the heck do I put the battery?"  and "OK- now how do I get it in and out?"

If I had just gone blindly ahead, I would have found that in order to access the rear deck hold area -
with all the electronics, I would have needed to remove (destroy) the railings that are attached to
both the main deck and the upper area. 

Investigating this leads me to have to consider the overall construction. 
So I designed the rear deck to slide back and off.  This impacts the rub-rail placement. 
Also some of the wood decorative pieces will need to be placed so that other pieces can move
without tearing them up. 

It is while planning all this that I came to the conclusion that the deck was just about 1/8 inch too narrow. 
The rub rail did not protrude past the sides, and then I found that wood was not included for the rub-rail that runs
forward of the wheelhouse under the portholes. 

I also find that I do not have a clear picture or diagram of the stern.  Most pictures and drawings are side views. 

So you can see where the fun begins.    If I was just using the manual provided with the kit, I would probably deviate from
accuracy a lot.  The fact that I went to the trouble to buy Dave Metcalf's Drawings,  and tracked down a copy of the article (Thanks Colin)
as well as bought a copy of the book on the Bluebird -  All of these together are allowing me to figure it out. 

So I no longer feel like I have cheated, no more than staring with a GRP hull.  I have practiced my meager skills in planking a frame,
kept up my strength by sanding down all the drips in the glass and epoxy (or most of them!)  and  felt the minor embarrassment from seeing
the occasional dimple in my hull after the paint application.      

BUT -  I am having "fun" - (ok, a strange definition of the term) - figuring out the fiddly bits. 
The little accents that make the model come alive. 
The little brass connection points for the foul weather shields on the wheelhouse. 
Adding LED's for interior lighting,  masts, and navigation. 
Comparing the real-life drawings and pictures to see how close I can get. 

One of the things I will probably NOT do is to be to obsessive over Bright Brass vs Chrome. 
We have all seen the struggle to create an accurate chrome-look. 
I have researched plating my own chrome pieces.  I have come to the conclusion that
it is beyond where I want to go right now.
I do not know air-brushing.  perhaps I should take some time next summer to learn.
However for now I will take it piece by piece as to whether or not to try to paint a piece
of shiny brass to a less-than excellent piece of painted chrome.   

So - please be kind if you see that I have deviated from the original color-scheme of the Bluebird.      

Back to working on the Fore-deck. 

Here are a few pics of the work I did yesterday while not watching the Super-Bowl. 

Thanks for reading.Hope you enjoy my narrative. 
Comments welcome. 

Regards to all,
Stay safe, get vaccinated, wear a mask, drink more beer. 

Jim Pope
JPDenver
Denver, Colorado USA

[Colin Bishop]

Some really interesting comments there Jim. Thanks for sharing them with us. Just goes to prove that kit manufacturers don't get everything right and that builder input is stil essential to deliver the model you really want!

Colin

[jpdenver]

Colin,
Again, I thank you for making the copies of the article available.  It has been a lifesaver. 

I want everyone to know that I really like this build. 
No regrets at all. 
As a matter of fact, the extreme amount of supplied laser cuts will probably spoil me as both of myfuture kits in the queue are Dumas Chris Crafts, and much more work for planking and deck work is expected. 

It stated as a "paint by number" kit, but has now taken on a much more Engineer - cut - fit - glue - finish type of project. 

Later,
Jim

[jpdenver]

Finished up the foredeck planking.
Then weighted it down over a rod in order to form to the curve of the deck while the glue dried.
While that sits overnight I went on to add some diffuser (frosted paper) in front of the portholes.
Also added some to the Aft deck too. 

More to come. 

Jim

[Capt Podge]

Wow, that frosted paper technique looks good - one more thing to add to the good ideas book 


Ray.

[jpdenver]

Fore Deck.
I took the finished deck and used a little plane to shave off the 
styrene that was above the surface. 

Then I coated top and underside with sealer. 

Next was the process of fitting the edging to the assembled deck. 

and of course putting it on the bow to see how she will look. 

More to come. 

Jim

[jpdenver]

Rub Rail 

As I said earlier, the width of the rear deck did not present well when it came to the
rub rail.  It did not actually extend out each side to rub on anything. 

So I added a small piece of mahogany (from an earlier project - never throw anything away)
to each side of the rear deck. 

Then I added the front pieces of rail under the portholes to match the actual boat. 
These had been omitted by the kit manufacturer. 

That's about it for today.  My wife got an appointment for her first covid shot. 
Need to drive her over to the clinic.  My turn soon - I hope. 

Later,Jim 

[jpdenver]

It has taken a while to get the fore-deck to a point where I can attach the outer rim. 

While that was setting up, I attached more of the fiddly-bits to the wheel-house. 

Almost ready for a float test. 

More to come,

Jim

[Stuw]

Nice work. I also like the foam strip with all your useful tools stuck into it. What a handy set up.

[jpdenver]

Thanks Stu,

The foam comes in handy when I just need to put something where I can find it quickly during an assembly. 

I finally got the fore-deck looking like I wanted it. 
Applied a coast of varnish, and set it in place to dry. 

When it sets up I will do the first float test to see where we are in the tub. 
In the meantime - more fiddly-bits to work on.  Time to start on the railings and screens.
More to come. 


Jim

[jpdenver]

Float Test. 

Dropped a battery in place and filled up the guest tub. 

I put all the fiddly-bits in a container on the fore-deck right in front of the wheel house. 
I am making the assumption that the parts will be evenly distributed over the craft, so
putting them over the center is a good estimate. 

Put the Bluebird in the water.    Lo and Behold -  She Floats!! 

And pretty level at that.  Right where the plans say she should be.

Only took a couple of 50Cal lead balls to trim her.   

So I will be packing her bow with air bags and foam. 

Right now she displaces 6lb 3oz. 

More to come. 

Jim

[Capt Podge]

Good to see her afloat and your planking looks lovely 


Regards,
Ray.

[jpdenver]

Thanks Capt.
Now that I had determined if there was a need for ballast,
I felt comfortable packing the bow with air bags. 

Added a couple of 50cal lead balls to compartment before Ifilled it up.

Tomorrow I will put another coat on the fore and aft decks. 


Regards to all,
Jim

[jpdenver]

So now I am starting to finish up all the extra pieces. 

The mast and rigging are started. 
I added some rope to the bumpers.
and then also worked on the life rings, lashing rope to the outside. 

[jpdenver]

Now that the foredeck has been positioned,
I worked on fitting the stairs. 

The stairs were assembled way back at the beginning of the build,
when I was actually following the manual. 

When I started to fit them in place, I see that the top step is
slightly tilted.  and both steps are symmetrical in this way.
So I am not sure if it is by design or a misstep. 

Since the wheelhouse needs to be removable, I needed to mind the
clearances.  So the forward steps are attached to the hull, and then
the rear steps are actually attached to the wheelhouse and stay with it when removed.

More to come,

Jim

[jpdenver]

Finishing up the trim pieces. 

I added the bow hardware,  the kit had plastic pulleys - I put in some of my own. 

Then I paid attention to the stern. 
The trim there was not complete in the kit. 
So I fashioned some approximations based upon the pictures in the book.
I am not completely satisfied, and my take them off for a re-do later. 


 

[SailorGreg]

Coming along very nicely Jim.  And very quickly. A kit like that would probably take me most of a year!

Greg

[jpdenver]

Greg,
Thanks for the observation.
I agree that the build is progressing at a fast pace. 
Up to now. 

I think that what has contributed greatly to my speed is the fact that
EVERY piece of wood - except for the hull planking - was laser cut. 

Down to the individual pieces used for window framing, and the little pieces that would normally be
cut from "bundles" of provided wood.  Since I did not have to take time to measure/cut things like the
deck planking or the other intricate parts, I was able to move faster than usual. 

However, I can also see where the speed of assembly had a cost.  The kit builders provided a great service in the
supply side, but the process of "building blindly" without better actual measurements (like drawings) allowed me to make some
mistakes.  For example - the stern is about 1/8 inch too wide.  Normally this might not be an issue, but the precut trim pieces
no longer fit correctly, and required some "padding".   As I have remarked previously,  The documentation does great up to the
point of planking the decks, but falls short on the finishing touches. 

So now I need to think again.  Measure and plan and craft rather than just assemble. 

Which is all good. 

Would I recommend this kit to others?   If you are experienced, and take the time to study the
plans from Dave Metcalf, and read the Book.  And the article.  I think you will be greatly appreciative of
the laser-cut parts. 

I have enjoyed this build.  I kind of wish I had a "build log" from others to reference.       

Which I guess is why I am doing this log.  So that if anyone wants to try their hand
then perhaps they can avoid some of the minor frustrations, and end up with an enjoyable model. 


So - back to the build. 

Thanks for reading,
Jim Pope
JPDenver
Denver, CO  USA. 

[Stuw]

I’m still enjoying this build! Very tidy wiring inside. Great detail and quality of finish looks great to me. I reckon from what you’ve said about reading about the ship this is modeled on (sound like your research has helped greatly) that you’ve turned an ok kit into a much more accurate version.


I feel very inadequate but watch with interest!