BUILDING MAMOLI'S HMS BEAGLE (PART I)

Model Expo recently ran an "Early Summer Sale" offering Mamoli kits at 40% - 60% off. I purchased the HMS BEAGLE that normally costs $219.99 for $139.99. I'm working on a Model Shipways WILLIE L. BENNETT skipjack, but wanted to have two ships on the ways so that I could swap back and forth between the two.

While rated as an "Intermediate" level kit, I think that a neophyte to shipbuilding with some wood modelling experience, good skills the proper tools could turn out a presentable model. I would suggest that along with the kit, the novice builder purchase a copy of Frank Mastini's "Ship Modeling Simplified" as Mamoli only provides the modeler with the bare essentials of construction.

While I found just about all of the wood and other materials in the kit to be of high quality, I was rather disappointed to find that the false keel and bulkheads are router as opposed to laser cut. The slots on both the false keel and bulkheads were rather sloppy and not up to what I would personally expect from a $200+ kit (even if it was on sale). There was also alot of chipping around the slots from the routing process that had to be carefully sanded down. Even though the false deck helps true up the carcass assembly, I spent quite a bit of time sanding and shimming with 1/32" and 1/16" by 1/4" scrap wood to get a proper fit bewteen the false keel and bulkheads. No big deal, but I would have expected better from Mamoli. I forsee having to add some blocks and timbers at certain locations in order to "bulletproof" the carcass for planking.

This is the first opportunity that I have had to use my Model Shipways FAIR-A-FRAME. While I think that Model Shipways makes a very good ship kit, this frame is more trouble than it's worth. The channels that clamp the bottom of the flase keel are so high that they interferred with the proper depth setting of the bulkheads and I had to measure and fit a shim to raise up the keel. However, in doing this, it was difficult to get the keel to stay securely clamped. The FAIR-A-FRAME assemblies to hold the bow and stern are very fragile and I broke one in the process of construction. The plywood is brittle and snaps like the proverbial twig in a heartbeat.

Before I go any further, I plan to design and fabricate my own reusable base.

In the meantime, the false keel, bulkheads and false decking has been pinned securely and I still have some double-double checking of the alignment to do before going for the glue. To secure these parts, I'm going to try Elmer's PROBOND carpenter's glue. It is a gel and (supposedly) will not run when applied. We shall see how it works out.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Al

 

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Yeah, Corel also uses plywood keel, so i dumped the whole keel and build a new one from the drawings. Now i can apply a real hardwood keel like the AL kits.

 

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