Topic: Bluebird of Chelsea (Read 5273 times)

Peter Cobban · « **on:** April 30, 2006, 08:14:46 pm »

Here is a picture of progress, it may appear slow but there is the garden and my 24 ft baby in the boatyard. If any one likes anti-fouling, next year you can do mine as well.
Anyway, the hull has been built from liteply formers with double diagonal planking from .8mm ply. It is then coated with West epoxy and rubbed down. After half a dozen coats of varnish it will be goog enough to paint.
I will keep you informed as to progress.

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ron h · « **Reply #1 on:** April 30, 2006, 10:32:33 pm »

It looks like double diagonal planking, very nice,

ron h

Peter Cobban · « **Reply #2 on:** May 06, 2006, 07:57:50 pm »

Here is I hope a smaller photo of further progress.

mike_victoriabc · « **Reply #3 on:** May 06, 2006, 09:25:48 pm »

Your's is coming along. Here is another (if the photos turn out) rescaled to 1:24 using a fibreglass hull turned out by a fellow in the Burnaby Club. I've set the mounts for the motors and built a jig to align both shafts. These use 4mm stainless shafts with brass tubes and oilite bushings - my attempt at learning how to use a Unimat. The motors are the Robbe 4083 units with 5, 5:1 gearing - may perhaps end up being too much for this style of boat. Any thoughts on what you may use?
I look forward to seeing more progress.
Regards,
Mike

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mike_victoriabc · « **Reply #4 on:** May 06, 2006, 09:28:14 pm »

First photo disappeared! Try again.

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Peter Cobban · « **Reply #5 on:** May 07, 2006, 07:58:48 pm »

Mike

I am using two motors from Howes of Oxford. Total cost ?5.95 plus p&p.

It will be interesting to see how the two different boats perform.

Keep posting progress.

Cheers

Peter Cobban · « **Reply #6 on:** May 30, 2006, 07:42:31 pm »

Here are three new photos of recent progress. The motors and shafts are fitted, together with all the decking and rubbing strips. I have also turned some twenty brass portholes ready to fit when I have had the courage to apply the paint to the hull.

Peter Cobban · « **Reply #7 on:** May 30, 2006, 07:44:26 pm »

oops posted the same photo twice

Try Again

boatmadman · « **Reply #8 on:** May 30, 2006, 10:54:53 pm »

cant help but wonder how you manage to get such good results in that nice tidy workshop!

rats · « **Reply #9 on:** May 31, 2006, 01:51:51 am »

Is that two lathes I can see in background ? - I am seriously jealous !

Peter Cobban · « **Reply #10 on:** June 01, 2006, 08:01:16 pm »

The finish is achieved by careful application of the planks, and rubbing down before applying the second layer. The whole hull is then coated with West system epoxy using the correct thinners, and rubbed down. I think so far the hull has had an additional ten coats of varnish, rubbed down with 240 grit before applying another coat.

I keep the workshop clean by using a dust pan and brush, when I have finished for the night.

There are two lathes. One is a Unimat that I have had for some twenty five years, and the accuracy was beginning to suffer. I then bough a Chinese lathe from Chesterfield machine tools.

I have a theory, which I will bore you with. One can either build kits which now can cost upto ?300 and more, or one can scratch build, and spend the same sums on tools. The choice is yours.

I have and use the following: two lathes, one set up as a vertical mill drill, grinder for sharpening tools, scroll saw, band saw, and a dremel drill. I hope that they see me out!!!

Peter Cobban · « **Reply #11 on:** June 27, 2006, 10:20:31 pm »

Just a quick note to keep all that are interested upto date with the progress.

The aft cabin sides are now installed and the deck laid. When I startwed this project, I aimed to make as much of solid wood as I could. I have used ply as the sub-deck, but it is planked with tulip wood, and the covering boards are in pear. The cabin sides are in mahogany. The wheelhouse which is under construction is also of mahogany, built onto a ply deck.

cbr900 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 01, 2006, 05:34:09 am »

Keep those posts coming the model is looking very nice, cannot wait to see more..

Roy

dannymax · « **Reply #13 on:** July 07, 2006, 11:44:38 am »

cant wait for more updates...looking good...

Peter Cobban · « **Reply #14 on:** July 30, 2006, 07:44:33 pm »

Here is the progress so far.

Orignally my intention was to try and emulate all the joints that would have been used by the boat builder. This proved impossible at this scale. Thus, the wheelhouse and the aft cabin are in fact cut from a sheet of mahogany. I hope that I will have all the major woodwork completed before the dark nights set in. Then I can start on my favourite bit, making all the detail.

GOGSAMWE · « **Reply #15 on:** July 30, 2006, 08:09:36 pm »

Fabulous looking model Peter.
Nice wood work

Steve

ron h · « **Reply #16 on:** July 30, 2006, 10:47:03 pm »

I hope you dont mind me posting this one here, its one being built at our society, scratch built 1/24 scale.

ron h · « **Reply #17 on:** July 30, 2006, 10:48:03 pm »

TWO MORE

mike_victoriabc · « **Reply #18 on:** July 30, 2006, 11:05:18 pm »

Both of those are coming along well. I'm the one left at the atarting gate! Better get mine outside to at least paint the hull.
Nice work, thanks for posting photos.

karbine · « **Reply #19 on:** July 17, 2007, 02:44:43 am »

A great model of the lovely dunkirk little ship itself , i see her quite regular on the Thames

DickyD · « **Reply #20 on:** July 17, 2007, 08:03:07 am »

What happened to the rest of this build ? ???

kendalboatsman · « **Reply #21 on:** July 17, 2007, 09:08:34 am »

Hello Peter,

Your Bluebird looks fantastic, I gave away my magazines and plan set for the Bluebird of Chelsea about 8 years ago because at the time I thought I could never do it justice. Who knows maybe in a few more years I will buy the plans from Magicalia and build it.

Quote from: Peter Cobban on June 01, 2006, 08:01:16 pm

I have a theory, which I will bore you with. One can either build kits which now can cost upto ?300 and more, or one can scratch build, and spend the same sums on tools. The choice is yours.

Funnily enough I reached the same conclusion last weekend about kits and scratchbuilding. I was trying to work out which kit to build and figured out I would buy that lathe I always wanted and concentrate on scratchbuilding and semi kits.

Clive :)

Bryan Young · « **Reply #22 on:** July 17, 2007, 10:15:41 pm »

Quote from: ron h on July 30, 2006, 10:48:03 pm

TWO MORE

I see that you too have gone for a straight fore and aft deck planking. I struggled for ages to do the "correct" curved planks but eventually decided that the wood wastage and credit card bills were not worth it. I built mine at 1:12 scale..what is yours?
I also went for the twin rudder set-up as opposed to the single. My biggest mistake was to put in 2 engines with gearboxes. The performance after making them "direct" (still 6v) is much better and quieter.

mike_victoriabc · « **Reply #23 on:** July 18, 2007, 03:14:09 pm »

Hello Bryan (again thanks for sending me the CD's of your boats), I had my hull in the water a week or so ago to see how it would be balanced with the batteries - two 6v batteries running two Robbe gear drive units - not as quiet as it could have been and I think different props would help. 3 blade brass but on 6v not quite enough power. Was considering 12 volts but I think that may be unnecessary after looking through these posts. A slow build for me due to otherdaily duties but the deck is next - will post a couple of photos for comments.

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Author Topic: Bluebird of Chelsea (Read 5273 times)

Peter Cobban

ron h

Peter Cobban

Peter Cobban

Peter Cobban

Peter Cobban

Peter Cobban

Peter Cobban

dannymax

Peter Cobban

GOGSAMWE

ron h

ron h

karbine

kendalboatsman