Elidir/Louise by Constructo

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Elidir/Louise by Constructo - Build Log

This is my 11th build

I purchased the Elidir by Constructo kit online. After receiving it, I noticed that the box had already been opened. Unfortunately, I did not take an inventory of the parts before starting the build.

I proceeded with the hull planking, This phase did not go smoothly, I have never worked with planks that are 2X5mm that are made out of Sapelly. I had to do extinctive sanding to get the hull looking decent. After sanding I found some cracks that need to be filled. I couldn’t find the correct color. So now there are color variations in the hull. I don’t want to paint the hull. They do give extra thin planking to do a second planking. I’m not sure at this point if I will be doing a second planking.

 

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Missing Components: After completing the hull planking, I discovered that some key components were missing. This was unfortunate, as I hadn't checked the inventory first.

A member of Model Ship world member believed he had the same kit and kindly offered to share parts. However, after further investigation, he found that his kit was actually the Louise, which was a renamed version of the Elidir by Constructo. Fortunately, he sent me the entire kit. It also contained better instructions, a sheet plan, and photos of each step to complete the build. But some of the dimensions of this kit are slightly different for the Elidir kit. So now the kit is going to be a combination of the two kits.

 

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Decks


I decided to do a different type of planking for the deck than the instructions called for. For the inner deck I staggered the planks. Then filled with wood fill, I put three coats polyurethane on it. I liked the way it turned out so I decided to do the main deck the same way. Didn’t like the way it looked at all.

The Louise kit had the stamped deck ready to be cut out and decked as per instructions. The issue was the new kit dimensions are slightly different. I went to Hobby Lobby, purchased new wood to the main deck. I created a new deck using the hull as the templet and the Lousie deck for the cutout.

 

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• The Wood Problem: The Sapele strips were quite thick for the small scale of the hull. This made them stiff and difficult to bend, especially around the tight curves of the bow and the stern.
• Bending: I had to steam and soak every plank aggressively before applying it. Even then, great force was needed to nail and glue them securely to the bulkheads.
• Fairing: After the first layer cured, the hull was quite "steppy" and uneven, reflecting the difficulty of bending the stiff wood perfectly. Before moving on, I spent several dedicated hours sanding and fairing the entire hull.
• Frame Removal: The unique requirement to cut out and remove five of the internal bulkheads came next. This was unnerving, as I was essentially cutting out the temporary support structure, but the planking was rigid enough to hold the shape.
  
  The Second Layer of Planking
  I glued the veneer strips directly onto the sanded first layer, ensuring the edges were tightly butted together. Using rubber bands and clamps to hold the veneer tight to the shape.
  Once the second layer was sanded lightly and sealed, the hull finally took on the smooth, form of the Victorian steam launch. This transformation made all the previous struggle worthwhile.
  
  Deck: Planking the deck piece with the supplied contrasting strips was a delicate job, requiring precision to ensure the lines were straight.

 

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The Cabin: The final assembly of the small cabin posed its own set of challenges. Getting the structure square and ensuring a tight fit to the deck was critical. The fiddliest part was the detailing:

Curtains: Getting the tiny curtain material to hang with the correct, natural-looking folds inside the windows took several attempts and the precise application of small amounts of glue.

Roof Top: Attaching the final roof top required careful clamping to maintain its gentle curve and ensure a flush, clean joint with the cabin walls,

 

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Engine Fittings Challenge: Assembling the small, non-functional steam engine and boiler components was surprisingly tricky. The kit uses thin brass wire to represent piping, but much of the wire was supplied already bent and kinked. I had to spend frustrating time straightening the wire completely before I could even attempt to shape it into the smooth, aesthetic curves required for the visible piping runs.

 

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Finished