Endurance by OcCre 1:70

[KeithLyall]

Love this hack! Since the brass black didn't take, I'm just going to paint them. Probably spray paint them black when I paint the hull. I assume the ladders on the actual ship were wooden, so not sure if black is a good idea. I can always take a trip to the hardware store and get some brown spray paint and paint them brown if the black doesn't look good.
View attachment 445959

Everything else that I blackened or blued came out nice. Sanded it in a jar full of sand, just swished the parts around for a bit.
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And started painting the stanchions and small stacks white. I'm not crazy about how the pueter parts come out when painted white. For my Endurance, I'm going for a look of what the ship might have looked like in it's last days before the ice broke it up. So I thought of mixing a little black with the last coat of white to give them a dingier look. Any thoughts?

View attachment 445961

Then I started looking ahead in the instructions. The last page shows OcCre seemingly painting the hull and deck furniture with Betun du Judea. I've never used this. What is it? Is it like Tung Oil? What would it do to my painted surfaces? Would it dull the white to make it look more realistic? And is it the same thing as bitumen of Judea?

Nice work. For the ladders did you glue them or solder them? Am about to construct mine and just came across your post. Thx

 

[Kramer]

Nice work. For the ladders did you glue them or solder them? Am about to construct mine and just came across your post. Thx

Thanks, Keith. I just glued them with CA. I don't have a soldering iron, but definitely want to invest in one.

 

[Magic Mike]

Kramer, very nice work on the hull, ladders and rudder. Love the paint work also! Magic Mike

 

[Kramer]

Kramer, very nice work on the hull, ladders and rudder. Love the paint work also! Magic Mike

Thanks, Mike. It's been so long since I've worked on it. Life, you know. But hope to get back to it soon. I have to rip out and move the anchor hawsehole (I think that's what its called) because it doesn't line up with the other side. This means I'll have to do some repair work and will probably have to repaint the hull.

 

[Kramer]

Wow! It's been over a year since I worked on the Endurance, but I'm hoping to start real soon. I needed to take a break to build the Yorktown diorama. Now I'm eager to get back to the Endurance.

Before I start making progress, I have to fix a few things and order some aftermarket parts. Also was looking for some advice...

I cut the hawesoles at different spots on the bow. Slightly off, but very noticeable. First thing I need to do is drill a new hawesole, probably on the port side (more on why the port side in a bit). Then I'll need to fill the old hole with a bung, sand and repaint the whole hull, then seal it, again. A few questions for the group:

• I may be able to get away with sanding the hull and spot painting the filled hole. I originally spray-painted the hull with 6 coats of paint and sealed it with Minwax clear satin laquer clear coat. Any other recommendations? I'm looking for a matte finish.
• OcCre supplied wooden belay pins. I'm thinking of painting or staining them. Would the Endurance have had wooden pins or brass? I've looked through every photo of the Endurance, even the recently released photos of it at the bottom of the sea, but can't figure out what original looks like.
• I love some of the finishes Francois de Saint Nazaire used on his Endurance. I plan to mimic some of them (flattery to you, Francois!). He bought his 2-prop from Raboesch. It looks great. I've searched all of the US-based companies I know of and can't find a good 2-prop propeller. Anyone have any suggestions? I also thought of trying to modify the OcCre provided 3-prop, just can't figure out how to.
• I'm going to furl the sails like Francois and use silkspan.
• I've blackened pretty much all of the brass so the ship looks more aged. After building my Yorktown diorama, I've gotten a bit brave. I plan to set the Endurance in a scene as similar as I can to some of the pictures I've seen of her in her last days. Sails furled, ship pretty beat up, listing to port, stuck in ice.
• I plan to replace all of the guardrails and ratlines with wire, although from pictures it looks like the bow guard rail is rope. Observations?
• I might replace the stanchions with some I found on Cornwall, but they might look too thick and out of scale. The ones provided are pretty flimsy, but might be more to scale. Maybe I'll just paint them white like Francois, his look really nice.
• I'm going to replace the deadeyes with ebony ones from Dry Dock, and stain or tung oil the OcCre provided blocks to make them a little darker. I'm also going to buy polyester rope for the rigging. I wanted to use Ropes of Scale but now I'm trying to find all aftermarket parts in the US. Tariffs and duties are making shipping expensive. Any preferred US-based rope companies?

Can't wait to get back into it!

 

[KeithLyall]

Wow! It's been over a year since I worked on the Endurance, but I'm hoping to start real soon. I needed to take a break to build the Yorktown diorama. Now I'm eager to get back to the Endurance.

Before I start making progress, I have to fix a few things and order some aftermarket parts. Also was looking for some advice...

I cut the hawesoles at different spots on the bow. Slightly off, but very noticeable. First thing I need to do is drill a new hawesole, probably on the port side (more on why the port side in a bit). Then I'll need to fill the old hole with a bung, sand and repaint the whole hull, then seal it, again. A few questions for the group:

• I may be able to get away with sanding the hull and spot painting the filled hole. I originally spray-painted the hull with 6 coats of paint and sealed it with Minwax clear satin laquer clear coat. Any other recommendations? I'm looking for a matte finish.
• OcCre supplied wooden belay pins. I'm thinking of painting or staining them. Would the Endurance have had wooden pins or brass? I've looked through every photo of the Endurance, even the recently released photos of it at the bottom of the sea, but can't figure out what original looks like.
• I love some of the finishes Francois de Saint Nazaire used on his Endurance. I plan to mimic some of them (flattery to you, Francois!). He bought his 2-prop from Raboesch. It looks great. I've searched all of the US-based companies I know of and can't find a good 2-prop propeller. Anyone have any suggestions? I also thought of trying to modify the OcCre provided 3-prop, just can't figure out how to.
• I'm going to furl the sails like Francois and use silkspan.
• I've blackened pretty much all of the brass so the ship looks more aged. After building my Yorktown diorama, I've gotten a bit brave. I plan to set the Endurance in a scene as similar as I can to some of the pictures I've seen of her in her last days. Sails furled, ship pretty beat up, listing to port, stuck in ice.
• I plan to replace all of the guardrails and ratlines with wire, although from pictures it looks like the bow guard rail is rope. Observations?
• I might replace the stanchions with some I found on Cornwall, but they might look too thick and out of scale. The ones provided are pretty flimsy, but might be more to scale. Maybe I'll just paint them white like Francois, his look really nice.
• I'm going to replace the deadeyes with ebony ones from Dry Dock, and stain or tung oil the OcCre provided blocks to make them a little darker. I'm also going to buy polyester rope for the rigging. I wanted to use Ropes of Scale but now I'm trying to find all aftermarket parts in the US. Tariffs and duties are making shipping expensive. Any preferred US-based rope companies?

Can't wait to get back into it!

Hi Kramer,
Look forward to seeing your progress, and particularly if you do a diorama. Anyway in answer to some of your questions I’ll throw in my few cents. Throughout I have been trying to modify the Occre kit to be more historically accurate using images either online of from Frank Harley’s book as reference.

- Regarding painting the hull I hand painted with Vallajeo Black which looks ok. From a painting of Endurance by the ships artist it does look like a different colour below the waterline as if some form of anti fouling has been applied.
- I am pondering whether to buy brass belay pins but not fully decided on that yet. I think I may need some more than provided as I do NOT plan to use the eyelets at the base of the masts as per the kit but fashion something on the mast which will need more belay pins.
- I bought a cheap 2 blade prop from Cornwall Models in the UK. It was plastic and I was able to cut off the rounded tip of the prop to look more like the original and painted it brass.
- I plan to use silkspan sails as I used it on Endeavour to good effect as I think the supplied sails look was out of proportion. I also plan to go furled.
- I have also blackened metal parts and they look good. I have also use some brown paint to simulate rust on chains and anchors.
- I have use 0.5mm wire for the rails and I like the look much more than using thread. I bow does look like a thinner wire rather than solid railings but in this case I just used the same wire, I had bought replacement stantions and I am pleased with the result.
- Think the supplied deadeyes may be plastic but am travelling at the moment so can’t confirm. I have painted the deadeyes attached to the hull black and also attached using wire rather than twisted thread as per the Occre instructions.
- I have bought some other threads to see if better than Occre’s. The cost of Ropes of Scale was more than I am prepared to pay.

Hope that helps. I am pretty up to date with my build log which details my ongoing model updates if that is of further help.

Look forward to seeing your progress.

 

[Kramer]

Hi Kramer,
Look forward to seeing your progress, and particularly if you do a diorama. Anyway in answer to some of your questions I’ll throw in my few cents. Throughout I have been trying to modify the Occre kit to be more historically accurate using images either online of from Frank Harley’s book as reference.

- Regarding painting the hull I hand painted with Vallajeo Black which looks ok. From a painting of Endurance by the ships artist it does look like a different colour below the waterline as if some form of anti fouling has been applied.
- I am pondering whether to buy brass belay pins but not fully decided on that yet. I think I may need some more than provided as I do NOT plan to use the eyelets at the base of the masts as per the kit but fashion something on the mast which will need more belay pins.
- I bought a cheap 2 blade prop from Cornwall Models in the UK. It was plastic and I was able to cut off the rounded tip of the prop to look more like the original and painted it brass.
- I plan to use silkspan sails as I used it on Endeavour to good effect as I think the supplied sails look was out of proportion. I also plan to go furled.
- I have also blackened metal parts and they look good. I have also use some brown paint to simulate rust on chains and anchors.
- I have use 0.5mm wire for the rails and I like the look much more than using thread. I bow does look like a thinner wire rather than solid railings but in this case I just used the same wire, I had bought replacement stantions and I am pleased with the result.
- Think the supplied deadeyes may be plastic but am travelling at the moment so can’t confirm. I have painted the deadeyes attached to the hull black and also attached using wire rather than twisted thread as per the Occre instructions.
- I have bought some other threads to see if better than Occre’s. The cost of Ropes of Scale was more than I am prepared to pay.

Hope that helps. I am pretty up to date with my build log which details my ongoing model updates if that is of further help.

Look forward to seeing your progress.

Hey Keith, I love your modifications!
I'm too far along to mimic some of your improvements, but am following your lead on some of my modifications to come.
I also don't plan on using eyelets at the base of the masts, but haven't yet figured out how I will fashion them to the masts themselves.
Where did you get your replacement stanchions?
I'm going to purchase .5mm wire for the railings, except the stern railing, which will be wood, and the deadeye chains.
I'm not sure what I'm going to do about the propeller, but changing it from 3 to 2 props is a must. I'm looking for a US-based company rather than UK, but I do like the Cornwall one. Not that I want to just 'buy American,' but with tariffs and customs issues now buying from overseas is more difficult and expensive.
I'm also looking to replace the cotton OcCre thread. Cotton is easier to work with than synthetic, but I don't like the fuzziness of the cotton rope, even using beezwax doesn't completely fix that. I used synthetic on my Pavel's Capt. John Smith's Shallop and I liked the look much better. Looking for a US company.
Thanks again for your reply. Very helpful!

 

[KeithLyall]

Hey Keith, I love your modifications!
I'm too far along to mimic some of your improvements, but am following your lead on some of my modifications to come.
I also don't plan on using eyelets at the base of the masts, but haven't yet figured out how I will fashion them to the masts themselves.
Where did you get your replacement stanchions?
I'm going to purchase .5mm wire for the railings, except the stern railing, which will be wood, and the deadeye chains.
I'm not sure what I'm going to do about the propeller, but changing it from 3 to 2 props is a must. I'm looking for a US-based company rather than UK, but I do like the Cornwall one. Not that I want to just 'buy American,' but with tariffs and customs issues now buying from overseas is more difficult and expensive.
I'm also looking to replace the cotton OcCre thread. Cotton is easier to work with than synthetic, but I don't like the fuzziness of the cotton rope, even using beezwax doesn't completely fix that. I used synthetic on my Pavel's Capt. John Smith's Shallop and I liked the look much better. Looking for a US company.
Thanks again for your reply. Very helpful!

I bought Billings Boats stantions from Cornwall Models. Understand you wanting to buy more local and would guess Billings is available. I have attached details of the reference numbers. Not sure if those are specific to Cornwall Models website but you can at least look up for reference. Note that the Capping Stantion worked out well for the rail at the stern. Look forward to seeing your progress.