# On the positive side...



## Steve Hodges (Feb 12, 2007)

I'm now facing months of voluntary self isolation with my missus due to her being in an "at risk" category for Covid 19. Although already semi-retired, I have stopped site work altogether, so no more travelling. All very grim, but on the bright side I can actually FINISH umpteen modelling projects! A quick census in the loft has given the following "to do" list
- Billings "Banckert" tug: complete the deck detailing, replace old 27 mHz r/c
- Billings static Thames barge "Will Everard: running rigging and sails
- Cabin cruiser: refit motor, batteries and r/c for my grandson
- Billings static "Danmark": just about everything, bought off Ebay with hull unplanked
- Thames barge "Kathleen" static kit: not started yet
- Privateer schooner kit: not started yet
Beside that lot there is an Airfix "Victory" kit that someone gave me 25% made, a small plastic kit of "Shinko Maru", and a Revell "Benledi". Honestly, its alarming what you ac***ulate. Now I' ve got to get started and see how many I can finish before the coronavirus gets me! God knows where we will put them all when they are done, though, my wife doesn't realise yet just how many there are.........


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## Dartskipper (Jan 16, 2015)

You're going to need a bigger shelf.


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## Paul Braxton (Jul 21, 2005)

Sounds like there's going to be quite a bit of time on the hands of some us. This self-isolation will be good in many ways. I can't believe how much work you have on your hands, Steve! And I thought my 'drydocked-awaiting-return-of-skilled-workforce' HMB Endeavour was one project too far! 'All' that needs doing, immediately, is to complete the time-consuming and complex (for me) task of finishing the outer planking. Hundreds of trunnels to make and fit...

I wish you all the very best in your own 'endeavours'. May they all take shape and leave drydock very soon.


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## Steve Hodges (Feb 12, 2007)

Paul Braxton said:


> I can't believe how much work you have on your hands, Steve!


Nor can I, Paul, nor can I! I'm afraid its a legacy of looking on Ebay and thinking "Thats a bargain! I can put it away until I retire..... " And I do have some finished models, honest! Looks like to sail my r/c Thames barge I will have to sneak down to the lake before breakfast and avoid talking to any early joggers........
Good luck, everyone!(Thumb)


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## 6639 (Apr 20, 2006)

I have been working like crazy to build this motor sailor RNLI Lifeboat dating back to the 1920's for a charity sail up the lake Windermere in june…..and yesterday we found that all support boats, the steam museum and the RNLI Windermere had pulled the plug until crisis is over.
one doesn't blame anyone at all as these things are just uncontrollable...…..it will just give me longer to finish and less stress......but not bad for 5 months work from scratch, lol

the second boat in the picture is being made as the Samuel Fletcher of Manchester, as a gift to Lytham, St Annes lifeboat museum...….The pressure is now off.


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## Stephen J. Card (Nov 5, 2006)

Beauties!!!!


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## 6639 (Apr 20, 2006)

hopefully they will be when finished Stephen.


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## Winmar (Feb 13, 2016)

nhp651 said:


> I have been working like crazy to build this motor sailor RNLI Lifeboat dating back to the 1920's for a charity sail up the lake Windermere in june…..and yesterday we found that all support boats, the steam museum and the RNLI Windermere had pulled the plug until crisis is over.
> one doesn't blame anyone at all as these things are just uncontrollable...…..it will just give me longer to finish and less stress......but not bad for 5 months work from scratch, lol
> 
> the second boat in the picture is being made as the Samuel Fletcher of Manchester, as a gift to Lytham, St Annes lifeboat museum...….The pressure is now off.


Hats off to a crew craftsman!(Applause)


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## 6639 (Apr 20, 2006)

thank you for your kind comments guys. cheers.


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## Irvingman (Jan 29, 2006)

Paul Braxton said:


> ...................And I thought my 'drydocked-awaiting-return-of-skilled-workforce' HMB Endeavour was one project too far! 'All' that needs doing, immediately, is to complete the time-consuming and complex (for me) task of finishing the outer planking. Hundreds of trunnels ..................


Hi
I recently completed Endevour's longboat, my first move away from plastic and first attempt at planking. I learnt a lot (generally from my mistakes!) and with the start of "lockdown" took the plunge and bought a 1/80th scale model of The Mary Rose by Caldercraft.
I have found the builders instructions very vague to the point of misleading ( "plank the main-deck then fit the two parts" - you never told me I had to cut it in two before planking!! ) and the 8 sheets of drawings unclear in detail, they are neither construction drawings or technical drawings. 
I'm having to work most of the assembly sequencing out myself which I actually quite enjoy but I'll probably have to ask Boris to extend the lockdown through until next year.
Have I been unlucky with this particular kit or are most of the drawings and instructions on these kits a bit vague?
John


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## Paul Braxton (Jul 21, 2005)

Hi John.

My 'Endeavour' kit was a partwork, an Eaglemoss production, at 1/48 scale, ostensibly. Total cost of the 100 issues of the magazine was NZ$1700, or about 800 quid in all. The finished ship should be worth it. On the whole, for this, my first (and quite probably last!) 'proper' wood model, the kit instructions were very good, particularly, by the look of it, the rigging plans, although I see on various online forums that some of it isn't necessarily accurate to the time period and in some instances, like the cannon tackle on the deck, for example, too minimal altogether. 

As mentioned, I had to leave my build for various reasons, but having built up a measure of confidence in a couple of other unrelated woodworking and construction projects, I have now accrued a whole new set of skills and what's more, some decent hardwoods to work with, rather than the variable bits included in the kit. Their ayous wood, for example, used in the deck and hull planking, has been very variable in quality, some pieces being not fit for the purpose. Now I have yew, sapele, mahogany, English oak, Tasmanian Oak, English Lime, (from which I hope to make the quarter light window detailing, rather than the horrible brass ones they supply), Parana Pine (for planking of hull and deck), NZ totara, manuka, etc. Far better than the plywood they use for things like the rudder, deck housings, etc. 

Working with these is an absolute gift, I can tell you, especially the yew, as it takes a lovely finish and is very forgiving when working with it as a very thin veneer. I learned early on how to make veneers to any thickness, down to just a millimetre or so, and all by hand! (Necessity really is the mother of invention - I can't source veneers here, other than the thick kind they sell in craft shops, useless for the tasks I want). Some of the timber I brought over with me from the UK when I emigrated in '07, others were sourced here after I found a brilliant supplier right out on a farm in the sticks. A veritable storehouse of delight for someone as passionate as I am about wood. When you work with any of these timbers, whether for a veneer or some detailing, you find it so much more rewarding, both in working and also in the finished detail. You are almost in a shipyard in miniature it seems at times.

As a complete novice when I began, I simply started off by following the instructions to the absolute letter, thinking that in doing so I would be bound to get it 'right', but after a while a suspicion began to slowly dawn that it would be much better to make my own parts and to actually work out how it would have been on the ship at full size. For this, I have a few reference works and my own photos of various parts of the replica which I took when she was berthed at Weymouth in UK in '97. Most notable ref is a work, a tome by Ray Parkin, a gold standard, I would say, for anyone seriously trying to do the ship justice. 

The rigging plans seem very good quality and are printed at full scale for this kit. Very detailed indeed and nicely produced in my opinion, though the sails supplied are nowhere near the correct scale in thickness, nor are they any use at all for the ship, so I will be making my own from some light linen I have, which is just about right. The forejack pennant or union flag is no good either, nor is the stern red duster. It's these little things which can make or break it all, and worth persevering with to get right. It all makes a huge difference in the end, and time shouldn't come into it either, in my opinion at least. When I started, I thought I would be able to easily complete the build in less than a year, now it looks more like a two or even three year build, realistically, and that's without the long layoff I've taken. 

Hope these comments may be of some interest.

Regards, Paul


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## Irvingman (Jan 29, 2006)

Paul Braxton said:


> Hi John.
> 
> .........................Hope these comments may be of some interest.
> 
> Regards, Paul


Thanks Paul, I really need to find a source of good woods. The strips supplied for the first planking of the Mary Rose aren't sufficiently long to span the length of the vessel in one piece and involves blocking out between the bulkheads to give a base to make a smooth joint!.
Fittings look to be of reasonable quality and the rigging plans full size although the quantity of the various threads suggest there isn't much room for error!!
Cheers
John


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## Steve Hodges (Feb 12, 2007)

Just to prove that I have been getting on with things since I started this thread, I've attached some photos of my completed Banckert tug and my renovated r/c Thames barge.

I would have made more progress on the list of projects from the loft, but I decided that I needed to make a proper workshop area in my garage. Which meant clearing out another load of junk. And rearranging all my toolboxes. And painting the walls. And lining the garage roof......

No chance of running out of things to do in this lockdown, that's for sure.


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## seaman38 (Mar 16, 2016)

#13 , you and your family, should be very proud of your dedication and achievements, the results are superb, congratulations on jobs so well done.


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## Frank P (Mar 13, 2005)

Steve, they are good looking models, well done.................

Frank


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## Paul Braxton (Jul 21, 2005)

Beautiful, top museum quality work, Steve. Congratulations. Your details with sails and rigging, in particular, strike awe with me. So much attention to detail; I only hope if I ever reach the stage of rigging my Endeavour, that I can get the same authentic feel as you have achieved. Well done, and I hope you can use the time out of circulation to make some more.


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## Steve Hodges (Feb 12, 2007)

Paul Braxton said:


> Beautiful, top museum quality work, Steve. Congratulations. Your details with sails and rigging, in particular, strike awe with me. So much attention to detail; I only hope if I ever reach the stage of rigging my Endeavour, that I can get the same authentic feel as you have achieved. Well done, and I hope you can use the time out of circulation to make some more.


Thanks Paul, but the sails and rigging are largely the work of the original builder, I have only done some mainly cosmetic renovation. Because the model seems to have been well used I think it has acquired an authentic look, through the sail colour fading , and some wear in the rigging, hull scratches etc.
I am currently working on a static model of the barge Will Everard, when its finished I will post some photos and hope that it meets with approval!


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## Andrew77 (Aug 4, 2020)

That's really nice Steve, I appreciate your skills.


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