Guardsman by Vic Smeed

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Decided to build a wooden hulled version of Vic Smeed's attractive Customs and Excise Launch, Guardsman (MM1330). At 22.5" x 6" the model seems an ideal size for my next project.

The first stage is to trace and cut the ply centre keel from 1/8" ply, the hull bottom planks from 1/2" balsa and the bulkheads from 1/8" balsa.

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Wooden hull version of plan MM1330

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Bottom planks now glued in place. Sanded level with the keel to give a good straight base for the bulkheads. Glue used was white Evo Stik Resin W. In a recent thread (What Glue) on this site, an Aliphatic glue was recommended and I intend to try this next.

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Tony

Looking forward to your build

I like the quaint boats of yesteryear, they are full of olde worlde charm

Bob

[LARRY WHETTONParticipant @larrywhetton68737]

Hello Tony, nice to see you are building the guardsman , nice little boat, i have two sryrenehulls to start on a build for the grandson so will watching tour build with interest,………..Larry…

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Thank you for the positive feedback. Bob, must say your Glasgow build is excellent.

Managed to glue the first row of bread and butter laminations at the bow and stern. Also fitted bulkheads 1 & 5. I will deviate from Vic's instructions here as he says to fit the rest of the bulkheads, whereas I think it would be best to complete the laminations first. The bulkheads would be a bit fragile glued in place until I am ready for the planking.

I will be taking a short break from this model for a short while whilst I go shopping for more balsa and a prop shaft which needs fitting before the stern laminations.

In his text Vic says the Guardsman is a Composite Hull. Can anyone clarify this. My understanding of a composite hull is shown in the sketch and would be used for Oil Tankers etc.

Thanks.

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

I think you are about right there, Tony

It' s probably an old term, nowadays composite would refer to FG and some thing else?

Bob

ps….Btw I hate balsa wood for boats!…….lol

bob

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

Yes, a composite hull combines different building methods and frequently entails bread and butter or block construction for the bow and stern with planking amidships. It is a very practical, economical and effective way of building a hull and is the method I usually use myself.

Unlike Bob, I am quite happy to use balsa as long as it is properly reinforced, sealed and protected but we all have our personal preferences.

Colin

[LARRY WHETTONParticipant @larrywhetton68737]

Hello ,

thepost is starting to kick off all ready a lot of buildtips and notes ,

iam with Bob on balsa build and as Colin says its ok if sealed , but takes a fair bit of work,

i like plank on frame or styreen , or premade hulls , allso balsa is a bit on the costly side …….LARRY…

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Larry,

You are quite right with balsa (and other materials) being costly. It would have been far more cost effective for me to have bought the styrene hull from myhobbystore. The hidden costs like petrol, bus fares, parking or postage (for mail order/online purchasing) have to be factored in. However, I decided to build this one as Vic's item in the 1982 magazine.

As Bob says earlier, a quainte boat of yesteryear, full of olde worlde charme.

Tony.

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Hello Boys

Balsa wood is perfectly ok for authentic vintage models

Post a few more pictures, please, Tony

Bob

[Dave_PParticipant @dave_p]

It may be more cost effective to purchase a styrene or GRP hull but I personally find it most rewarding to watch a hull take form when scratch built. If model building of any form was done purely on cost/time basis then we may as well just by RTR and were is the fun, education or satisfaction in that?

Please don't take this as me having a go it is just my personal opinion.

[LARRY WHETTONParticipant @larrywhetton68737]

Hi

a good point , but all that waste timber on the floor ,

i would rather put my efforts in the wheel house and deck works and all the other bits ,

cheers LARRY..

[Colin BishopModerator @colinbishop34627]

There is not much waste with composite construction, bread and butter is a different matter!

I too, like to make the hull myself as then I can say I have built the whole model. However, I do understand why some people prefer to buy the hull and construct the rest themselves, just as others prefer to build kits. After all, it's a hobby, so just do what pleases you. (wood shavings make good compost!)

Colin

[ashley needhamParticipant @ashleyneedham69188]

Ther is no right or wrong to building from scratch, hulls,kits or reinforced toilet paper.

Personal preference.

Balsa is easy to work with, WILL take a good finish with the right prep and can be resin reinforced as required.

Ashley No kits here please!

[LARRY WHETTONParticipant @larrywhetton68737]

Good morning Ashley,

Very wise words , you forgot the skip contents , for a good sourse of bit and bobs ,

i/e ikea blinds , i use toilet paper for the purpose it was made for and those brown trouser moments

i tend to think out of box when looking at items on store shelfs ,……..cheers Larry..

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

Come on, Tony

It's about time for a WIP picture?

Bob

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Hello Bob,

Nothing much to report – went to the local model shop in Whitefield, shop had no 1/2 balsa in stock, guess I could have built it up out of twice the amount of 1/4 laminations but I went home and ordered on the internet. Delivered yesterday morning, so hoping to get started again over the weekend.

Thanks for asking,

Tony.

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Bow laminations now in progress following receipt of the balsa.

[LARRY WHETTONParticipant @larrywhetton68737]

Hello Tony,

Coming on , pick up guardsman o friday unwanted hull , a bit on the thin side but no matter

going second skin rivett detail, like Bob doe,s will post a couple pictures ,

also cut out another a little boat for grandson, nice to see a bit of good old balsa , Larry….

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

That`ll take some shaping, Tony

The model will look nice with rivetted card plating on the hull?

Bob

PS ……Have a practice run first………..You too, Larry

Bob

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Managed to finish the bow laminations, cut the stern laminations, file the hull to suit the prop tube and file the prop shaft to give a key for the glue. Araldite will be used to glue the prop tube in the hull. Prop shaft assembly is one of the Caldercraft fine line range which is ideal for the job. I ordered a shorter prop shaft than the one shown on the plan, as the coupling shown is much shorter than the standard Huco. It will mean cutting away the bulkhead and keel.

Bob suggested earlier using card plating to cover the hull which is a superb idea as the hull will not require the same level of finish. This was discussed in Larrys Project. Larry is building the styrene hulled version of this model.

Just thinking recently that wood, F/G, styrene and all other hull building might soon be a thing of the past, we might soon be able to order a download of a hull (and fittings), which can then be printed on a 3D printer.

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

3D printer?………What are you on about, Tony?

Bob

[Tony HadleyParticipant @tonyhadley]

Bob, I think you might like this built at Southampton University – the future of our hobby?

**LINK**

Tony

[Bob Abell 2Participant @bobabell2]

That`s truly gobsmacking! Tony

Didn`t fully understand the process though!….They didn`t show the nitty gritty assembly

I`ll take another look

Bob

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