MV Oldenburg 1/48th scale

Hi All,

This is my new project for the Lockdown 2, I have been producing a drawing from photographs over the last couple of weeks and now have enough drawn to start construction.

Plenty of history on the web, built in Germany around 1958 and converted at the Appledore shipyards in 1985 for her current use, home base of Bideford, we have seen her on our stays at Ilfracombe and it's about time I built a small ship she will measure 36" which I hope is a handy size, will be ply keel and balsa from there on, here goes !!

Regards Ray

Ray, wow, a month to build all that! 

nice project. Lots of interest on deck. Plan??? 😇

Ashley

Edited By ashley needham on 05/11/2020 17:34:27

Hi Ashley,

I'm hoping 6 months, the last lockdown I wasn't working !! Yes lots of scope with the deck details and lots of day trip people from 4 D models

Now she is set up on the building board looking ship shape.

Regards Ray

Certainly different to your other builds, unlike mine!

Good stuff.

Will be interested to see how you do the balsa planking.

Chris

Hi All,

Good weekend planking Oldenburg, using 1/8" balsa, as balsa in demand I will use Styro foam for the front & rear blocks carved and sanded to shape, then light weight glass cloth and water based resin on the outside & polyester resin inside if I can find some in the shed  Regards Ray

Edited By Ray Wood 2 on 09/11/2020 10:11:09

Ray

When you say Styrofoam for the blocks what type do you mean? We have had builders here for 3 months and have left some offcuts of a cream coloured insulation foam with aluminium foil on one side. Don't need any at the moment just thinking of putting some in the shed for future use.

Tim

Hi Tim,

For maybe the last 20 years aeromodeller's have been using Bluefoam, which was manufactured by DOW chemicals known as Floor or Roofmate, brilliant stuff carves and sands to a fine finish but has become increasingly hard to get as they may have stopped making it, same issue with Depron

The insulation you have may work ? but I bought some from Wickes and is not the same texture or workability.

I bought grey Styrofoam from 4 D models in London and will be using that for Oldenburg.

Try a trial with your insulation and see how it goes, I have used similar but it seemed to tear?

Regards Ray

The builders stuff is great if you are making a loch ness monster and slapping on the fibreglass ,but it is too soft really for modelling in small amounts.

Blue styrofoam used to be light blue, but the larger/thicker bits seem to be grey now and slightly less dense but it’s still ok. Use a sharp knife to carve, and rough sandpaper but with not too much pressure to shape.

Ray. When you have finished that one on Friday, what’s next??? 🤔

Ashley

Edited By ashley needham on 09/11/2020 15:45:09

Edited By ashley needham on 09/11/2020 15:46:12

Hi Ashley,

You know how I like to keep busy

I may have a return to steam engine building after this batch of boats are complete, but no real rush with Oldenburg, the superstructure will be the challenge I think.

Here one the grey foam bow blocks in place, quite a bit of filling required to the planking but that's the down side of relatively thin balsa planks but they do bend easier

Regards Ray

Ray / Ashley

Had a quick play with the insulation foam. It cuts easily and files or sands very easily. Lots of dust. But very soft or am I just used to wood or plastic? Ever easy to dent even with finger.

Tim