Topic: Linkspan Models Norland / Norstar - Development of a kit..... (Read 200420 times)

deadwood · « **Reply #125 on:** January 02, 2015, 10:31:40 am »

Hello Carl,

I wish you a very happy New Year, and one more fortunate than the past was to you!

Your stamina and pursuit of your kit developments against all odds are awe-inspiring.

Now, seeing your NORLAND plug build taking shape is very impressive.

Thank you for letting us peer in your workshop by posting those photos.
When I saw you standing in front of your disc-type sander smoothing frames on one of them I really thought this was a colleague of mine who has a spitting resemblance.

Me lacking any machinery, and only having a venerable manual fretsaw for cutting frames, keels, decks etc. I always used to position the paper template frames on the plywood so that the edge of the stand extensions to assemble the frames keel-up on the building slip board would coincide with the edges of the plywood sheets.
This would save me from long freehand fretsaw cuts that need to exhibit a straight line, which is always a bit difficult to saw.

Also I used a kind of trolley where I fixed my building slip board on, which used to be an undercarriage for a TV-set.
So I didn't need to lift and turn the whole slip board with the hull's frame carcass each time when I needed to fix another plank stripe to the other side.

Regrads,
Ralph

carlmt · « **Reply #126 on:** January 18, 2015, 04:22:15 pm »

Belated Happy New Year All!!!!

After spending some time on preparing fittings and details for the Free Enterprise kit, I have now managed to get a chance to carry on with planking the Norland plug. I think the phrase is "we are getting there!!!!" :

carlmt · « **Reply #127 on:** February 09, 2015, 09:37:41 pm »

Planking is finished!!!!

For a first time effort, I dont think it has come out too shabily..... wood blocks fitted where the curvature was too much for planking and now the sanding begins. Not looking for perfection from the wood, just a good enough surface that a skim of filler or two would suffice.

HansP74 · « **Reply #128 on:** February 10, 2015, 11:58:19 am »

Hi Carl,

Beautiful work

Really good to see major progress like this, thanks for sharing the update with us and best of luck for next stages.

Best wishes,

HansP.

carlmt · « **Reply #129 on:** February 11, 2015, 10:47:29 pm »

Many thanks for the compliments Peter!!!! I have to say I really enjoyed laying the planking, and it was so satisfying to see the shape coming together. That cedar planking from Twigfolly really is good stuff - highly recommended

.

Spent this evening shaping the bow and bulb. It helped enormously marking the known 'waterlines' along the stem and then using waterline templates cut from stiff card to gauge the shape as the wood was carefully sanded away.

The slight gaps where the frames are will be filled with filler when I skim the whole boat.

I have worked so long on this hull 'upside down', I thought it might be interesting to see what it might look like the right way up

!

Tomorrow I shall make a start on giving the whole hull a light sanding in readiness for the filler

HansP74 · « **Reply #130 on:** February 11, 2015, 11:36:26 pm »

Carl,

My goodness, this is going to be one very impressive model ferry! The complex hull contours in the second shot are testament to the effort you've invested in this. Let us have more shots as you go on, you must be pleased to be seeing such a massive yet sweeping hull shape emerge from all the sanding, planking and sawdust.....

Can't wait for more but don't let us hassle you, and keep enjoying this build

Best wishes,

Peter.

carlmt · « **Reply #131 on:** February 14, 2015, 06:12:47 pm »

Planking a hull gives a far, far better 'line' than does using block foam between the frames! I think I will stick with this method for the future hulls

.

More progress today - skim coat of filler added. My plan is to use the filler to just take out the grain of the wood and fill all the little holes made by the planking pins. There will obviously be areas where just a bit more than a skim will be needed, but I dont think it will be much.

Once this layer of filler has been sanded back, I will give the whole hull a couple of coats of 'filler primer' then flatten that back. Once I am happy with the finish, it will be time to add all the detail that needs to be moulded - windows, rubbing strakes, belting, openings etc.

carlmt · « **Reply #132 on:** March 01, 2015, 09:36:52 pm »

Following a few weeks of fillering & sanding, fillering & sanding, managed to get a couple of coats of primer onto the wood today.

Once this has been rubbed down it will be time to add a few coats of filler-primer and then to rub THAT down to a super-fine finish ready for the detail such as rubbing strakes, belting and windows to be added.

At this rate we should have a prototype by September!!!

City trawler · « **Reply #133 on:** March 05, 2015, 07:24:02 pm »

Will this hull be available to purchase as I'm looking at building a NORLAND for my dad who served on her in the falklands

carlmt · « **Reply #134 on:** March 05, 2015, 09:24:07 pm »

Quote from: City trawler on March 05, 2015, 07:24:02 pm

Will this hull be available to purchase as I'm looking at building a NORLAND for my dad who served on her in the falklands

HI - Yes, she will be available as a full kit. We are hoping to have the prototype ready for the Blackpool Show in September.

City trawler · « **Reply #135 on:** March 05, 2015, 09:26:37 pm »

I'm too far away for the Blackpool show. But I will 100% buy a kit when there ready. This will mean so much to my dad

carlmt · « **Reply #136 on:** March 05, 2015, 09:42:53 pm »

Thanks Simon

That means alot to me

Will you R/C her or keep her for static display?

Howard · « **Reply #137 on:** March 05, 2015, 09:49:49 pm »

Hi Carl, put me one away of me when there ready but no rush you know why

dont think i,ll need it for a few years but realy got the bug now.form what I,ve seen so far it looks perfect.
Regards Howard.

City trawler · « **Reply #138 on:** March 05, 2015, 09:51:32 pm »

I will R/C her for sure

carlmt · « **Reply #139 on:** March 05, 2015, 09:55:10 pm »

Right guys!!!! I had better get back out into the workshop then and crack on!!!!!

Thanks for all the encouragement and support

carlmt · « **Reply #140 on:** March 07, 2015, 10:06:48 pm »

First coat of filler/primer added and rubbed down

Second coat tomorrow...........

carlmt · « **Reply #141 on:** March 08, 2015, 03:31:57 pm »

A little bit of filler here......a little bit of filler there........

..........a thorough rubbing down, and then a few more coats of filler primer:

There are still a few small areas that require some attention but then, after another flattening, she should be ready for some top-coats.

HansP74 · « **Reply #142 on:** March 09, 2015, 09:59:11 pm »

Hi Carl, this is superb and those hull lines just keep looking better and better. I plan to "stuff and mount" my Norland, but with full LED lighting, operating stern doors, modelled car decks, interiors and rotating radar....... She'll never touch a drop of water, but from the comfort of my study I can invoke all those wonderful night crossings of the North Sea. But no plans to install a smoke generator in the funnel, though

Found this link on Youtube tonight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4Uq3NR8rV0

Wonderfully evocative night scenes on deck of the Norland and footage of the last commercial voyage, Falklands endeavours etc - well worth a watch - some parts seem to be extracts from an ITV production, quality of camerawork is excellent.

Best wishes,

Peter.

HansP74 · « **Reply #143 on:** March 10, 2015, 11:12:44 am »

Found this too - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyqEt29uTMU

.... it's an hour of VHS filming shot on / around the Norland on her Falklands deployment, plenty of detailed shots (including the bridge) that could be really useful in developing the basic kit or for anyone wanting to model her as used during the Falklands.

Regards,

Peter.

carlmt · « **Reply #144 on:** July 03, 2016, 10:20:45 pm »

RIGHT!!! Time to start updating this little thread with some progress, now that the Free Enterprise V kit is finished and starting to sail out the door...........

Managed to find some time to progress the drawings to the stage where we will be prototyping the laser-cut sheets for the superstructures very soon now. Just waiting on the delivery of some wood strip to add the rubbing strakes to the hull plug then a little final fettling and she will be off to the fabricators to make the mould and pull a couple of fibreglass hulls.

In the meantime, we have started to design the 3D fittings - the first being the stern ramp. A quite large (110mm x 70mm) part that would be added following cutting the aperture in the stern:

More anon

carlmt · « **Reply #145 on:** July 10, 2016, 11:49:19 am »

Good morning All - update from the Linkspan Models shipyard

Now that we have the laser cutting machine, it will be easier to accurately transfer data from the drawings to the plug - for instance, the location of all the openings in the hull. These need to be marked on the plug so that they appear on the fibreglass moulding to accurately locate all the windows etc that need to be cut out.

To that end, templates cut from 0.5mm styrene are produced and laid on the plug and the openings then marked:

Carl

hama · « **Reply #146 on:** July 13, 2016, 10:24:38 am »

Nice work Carl, that plug looks fantastic! This will be a most impressive model.
That twobladed prop seen on the first pic seems a little blunt though!

All the best to both of you!
Hama

ballastanksian · « **Reply #147 on:** July 13, 2016, 10:42:06 pm »

Ooh, it looks like it might need a bit of balance!

Keep up the good work Carl. Youy are doing great.

carlmt · « **Reply #148 on:** July 26, 2016, 10:06:07 pm »

Quote from: hama on July 13, 2016, 10:24:38 am

Nice work Carl, that plug looks fantastic! This will be a most impressive model.
That twobladed prop seen on the first pic seems a little blunt though!
All the best to both of you!
Hama

Thank you Hakan - so good to hear from you friend! Flo and I do hope you and the family are well? I am thoroughly enjoying trying to get this model together, but Flo is very keen for me to make a start on the Dalaro!!!!!! Lines plans are what are really needed for me to get going though - the GA's you kindly gave me when we met are perfect for everything else, but the lines plans are essential for producing the hull form

.

For those unfamiliar with Dalaro - here she is........a beautiful Stockholm archipelago ferry skippered by our own Hama!!!

ballastanksian · « **Reply #149 on:** July 26, 2016, 10:09:23 pm »

Would you design it to the same scale as your larger ferries or go for a similar sized model in larger scale?

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Author Topic: Linkspan Models Norland / Norstar - Development of a kit..... (Read 200420 times)