I like how well my cell phone camera focuses so well at full magnification at 11" distance. Everything look HUGE.
Cheap Chinese Halcon speed build [COMPLETED BUILD]
- Thread starter DARIVS ARCHITECTVS
- Start date
- Watchers 45
-
- Tags
- completed build halcon
Kurt Konrath
Kurt Konrath
Don't know if it is just the camera magnification or lack of bee's wax, but your rigging lines are awful hairy.....
So are my legs, especially if you get this close to them.
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2021
- Messages
- 1,653
- Points
- 488
I'm 77, my hands wobble involuntarily at times, plus arthritis I am in denial of. I'm nearsighted as a mole, which has always proved something of an asset for closeup work.
I refuse to give in or up until they scrape me off the pavement or find me slumped over my workbench.
I refuse to give in or up until they scrape me off the pavement or find me slumped over my workbench.
Day 37
A bit more rigging. The halyard for the main sail gaff was rigged, parrels for the main boom and main sail gaff made, and cleats on the main boom scratch built.
The parrel for the main sail gaff is run around the mast and tied off.
The lift line for the main sail gaff is run from the tackle and passed under the belaying pin as the first step in belaying the line.
After five turns around the pin using two sets of tweezers, the bitter end is trimmed. A bit of PVA applied to the line at intervals while looping it around the pin keeps the springy thread from unlooping itself. Belaying with rigging tools gets easier with practice, even at this scale.
The parrel on the main boom is prepared and a set of running chocks on the boom for the main boom topping lift line were made.
Progress so far.
A bit more rigging. The halyard for the main sail gaff was rigged, parrels for the main boom and main sail gaff made, and cleats on the main boom scratch built.
The parrel for the main sail gaff is run around the mast and tied off.
The lift line for the main sail gaff is run from the tackle and passed under the belaying pin as the first step in belaying the line.
After five turns around the pin using two sets of tweezers, the bitter end is trimmed. A bit of PVA applied to the line at intervals while looping it around the pin keeps the springy thread from unlooping itself. Belaying with rigging tools gets easier with practice, even at this scale.
The parrel on the main boom is prepared and a set of running chocks on the boom for the main boom topping lift line were made.
Progress so far.
Beautiful !
Day 38
Only got the main throat and peak halyards for the main sail gaff. I’m learning several new maritime terms while building this boat.
Only got the main throat and peak halyards for the main sail gaff. I’m learning several new maritime terms while building this boat.
- Joined
- Jun 17, 2021
- Messages
- 1,653
- Points
- 488
Wonderful detail work at the tiny scale. I assume you remembered to bring your hood this time. 
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2020
- Messages
- 10,378
- Points
- 938
this is exactly the attitude that one must have.I'm 77, my hands wobble involuntarily at times, plus arthritis I am in denial of. I'm nearsighted as a mole, which has always proved something of an asset for closeup work.
I refuse to give in or up until they scrape me off the pavement or find me slumped over my workbench.
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2020
- Messages
- 10,378
- Points
- 938
Hi Kurt. Looking at the current state of your model, has made me question the way that I am sure many of us think. Here we have a super-cheap (and let's be honest - much maligned) kit which is in no way comparable in quality to the models that we prefer to build. With La Couronne you have invested tons of time to build a beautiful model whilst on SOTS you have invested the proverbial blood, sweat and tears in the quest for historical accuracy. ) Yet, the question remains: Did you enjoy those builds exponentially so much more than this one so that it justifies the prices we pay for those "dream" kits? Or, are those builds sometimes more of a frustration to us, because we simply expect so much more from those kits and ourselves?
As an added advantage, this model has allowed you the opportunity to be actually building in your current circumstances by being small enough and mobile enough to be taken with you as necessity dictates. With either of your two big ships, you would now have sat in your hotel room, twiddling your thumbs and ended up the next day at work in a bad mood, because there was no "relief valve", the night before.
As an example, the 1:50 scale model of the Harvey by Shicheng builds into a model that is almost 1-meter long and which retails in China for the equivalent of approximately 164 USD. At that price you can do an awful lot of kit-bashing - enough to satisfy the needs of the demanding builder or build it as it is and save yourself lots of money.
The fuzzy ropes are exactly what I mean. To the builder used to paying lots and lots of money for expensive kits and who have the knowledge that custom-made ropes are available, these ropes may be unacceptably fuzzy*. To the ordinary guy who spends 12 USD on a kit, it doesn't matter one iota. He wants something that he can build and can display - fuzzy ropes and all. To him it is about the ENJOYMENT he derives from BUILDING. Is that not the lesson that we should learn? I am sure that you thoroughly ENJOY/ED this build and, in my opinion, this build has highlighted your talents and skill sets just as much as your more expensive kits.
In summary, kudos to you for building this kit and kudos to the "cheap, Chinese Harvey/Halycon". Let's declare them an SOS icon!
*In some of those expensive kits, the ropes aren't much better!
As an added advantage, this model has allowed you the opportunity to be actually building in your current circumstances by being small enough and mobile enough to be taken with you as necessity dictates. With either of your two big ships, you would now have sat in your hotel room, twiddling your thumbs and ended up the next day at work in a bad mood, because there was no "relief valve", the night before.
As an example, the 1:50 scale model of the Harvey by Shicheng builds into a model that is almost 1-meter long and which retails in China for the equivalent of approximately 164 USD. At that price you can do an awful lot of kit-bashing - enough to satisfy the needs of the demanding builder or build it as it is and save yourself lots of money.
The fuzzy ropes are exactly what I mean. To the builder used to paying lots and lots of money for expensive kits and who have the knowledge that custom-made ropes are available, these ropes may be unacceptably fuzzy*. To the ordinary guy who spends 12 USD on a kit, it doesn't matter one iota. He wants something that he can build and can display - fuzzy ropes and all. To him it is about the ENJOYMENT he derives from BUILDING. Is that not the lesson that we should learn? I am sure that you thoroughly ENJOY/ED this build and, in my opinion, this build has highlighted your talents and skill sets just as much as your more expensive kits.
In summary, kudos to you for building this kit and kudos to the "cheap, Chinese Harvey/Halycon". Let's declare them an SOS icon!
*In some of those expensive kits, the ropes aren't much better!
Hello again HH. I enjoyed the more expensive kit more than this kit for a couple of reasons. One, the Chinese kit is crap in all respects except frame and parts fitup. The instructions are virtually nonexistent and the material is simple soft plywood. The laser cutting, however, is precise and it can be turned into a decent model by applying some experience and lots of replacement parts, but mostly because I am totally unfamiliar with schooner construction and have to research each and every aspect of the boat in each step. The small size forces one to select which rigging features need to be omitted because of access restrictions and to reduce costs in small, expensive blocks. The Halcon kit has depleted my stocks of belaying pins and some sizes of tiny blocks, and with Falkonet parts being as unobtainable, that is a great concern for me since it has impacted parts reserved for the Sovereign. It started as a build for something to do at the hotel, because my current job situation takes me out of State four days per week, cutting me off from work on the Sovereign and many family activities. Hopefully that situation will change in the future. Like you said, one box of tools/materials and a separate box for the model make the build portable.Hi Kurt. Looking at the current state of your model, has made me question the way that I am sure many of us think. Here we have a super-cheap (and let's be honest - much maligned) kit which is in no way comparable in quality to the models that we prefer to build. With La Couronne you have invested tons of time to build a beautiful model whilst on SOTS you have invested the proverbial blood, sweat and tears in the quest for historical accuracy. ) Yet, the question remains: Did you enjoy those builds exponentially so much more than this one so that it justifies the prices we pay for those "dream" kits? Or, are those builds sometimes more of a frustration to us, because we simply expect so much more from those kits and ourselves?
As an added advantage, this model has allowed you the opportunity to be actually building in your current circumstances by being small enough and mobile enough to be taken with you as necessity dictates. With either of your two big ships, you would now have sat in your hotel room, twiddling your thumbs and ended up the next day at work in a bad mood, because there was no "relief valve", the night before.
As an example, the 1:50 scale model of the Harvey by Shicheng builds into a model that is almost 1-meter long and which retails in China for the equivalent of approximately 164 USD. At that price you can do an awful lot of kit-bashing - enough to satisfy the needs of the demanding builder or build it as it is and save yourself lots of money.
The fuzzy ropes are exactly what I mean. To the builder used to paying lots and lots of money for expensive kits and who have the knowledge that custom-made ropes are available, these ropes may be unacceptably fuzzy*. To the ordinary guy who spends 12 USD on a kit, it doesn't matter one iota. He wants something that he can build and can display - fuzzy ropes and all. To him it is about the ENJOYMENT he derives from BUILDING. Is that not the lesson that we should learn? I am sure that you thoroughly ENJOY/ED this build and, in my opinion, this build has highlighted your talents and skill sets just as much as your more expensive kits.
In summary, kudos to you for building this kit and kudos to the "cheap, Chinese Harvey/Halycon". Let's declare them an SOS icon!
*In some of those expensive kits, the ropes aren't much better!
As for the ever hated fuzz, you can't see it really, unless you get your nose right up in the rigging. It does look truly AWFUL in the photos. You have to keep in mind that the running rigging is made from my smallest diameter sewing thread, and not great quality thread at that. Its certainly not rope.
As someone whose primary inspiration comes from larger, older warships, a schooner is not my first choice for a model, but the boat is growing on me. I personally feel the money spent in the thousands of dollars for La Couronne and HMS Sovereign of the Seas was worth it, and most hobbyists who have a strong passion for what they build, no matter what it is, might agree because it simply makes them happy. The DeAgostini kits are some of the most expensive, suffer from lack of historical accuracy in several features, and do not have the quality hardwoods you find in companies such as Corel. They are aimed at less experienced builders, and the high cost comes from the detailed color, step-by-step, instructions. If you lack some skills, they are there to allow you to build a fantastic looking model while learning the skills as you build, and as such they have an important place in the model industry since they allow a total beginner to fast track to a very detailed first ship model. I believe all the expensive kits, with exception of a few such as the Caldercraft HMS Victory, lack full development of historically accurate features and, over time, have remained that way for decades. Updating the kits costs money that companies aren't willing too invest, and it would drive the kit price up even higher.
Am I happy with how the Chinese Halcon is coming along? Absolutely. You are right to say it's all about the joy of building in this case. It's been a practice piece and a research/learning exercise in a new type of vessel, and there were valuable lessons learned from it, but it will certainly not be my best model. If I wanted to build an accurate model of a Baltimore schooner, I wouldn't have started with this $12 thing! It is definitely not for beginners because of it's lack of instructions and tiny scale. It is raw material for the modeler with some experience to hone some skills on for hull planking, and the level of additional detail is up to the builder. The kit serves as an example of how much you can do with a simple model if you know where to take it.
Last edited:
Nope... I keep making that mistake... maybe next week. I did replace my Titebond II PVA glue and my CA glue. Both froze a few times this winter in the truck and they turned to Jello. We have REAL winters here. Remember the beginning of the move Fargo? That sort of Winter...Wonderful detail work at the tiny scale. I assume you remembered to bring your hood this time.
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2020
- Messages
- 10,378
- Points
- 938
Hi Kurt, I agree fully with everything you said. That is why I say it would be a most interesting exercise to build the 1:50 scale model which comes with complete instructions and all rigging material.
For a fellow interested in schooners, I would agree. The fact that the Chinese Halcon kit was literally the worst and cheapest kit I could find held some sick appeal for me.
Spent some time in Gwinner about 20+ years ago. They have a Bobcat plant where they utilize some of the robots I work with. Cold and lonely. They had a 7-room motel at an intersection of highways and absolutely NO restaurants. I was so happy to go BACK to Fargo to fly home...
So, where did you get the belaying pins? I assume that info is in the blog somewhere, but I am lazy.
Cheers,
M.
I stocked up on belaying pins about 2 years ago, when you could get them. They are made in Russia by Falkonet, the best manufacturer for smaller blocks and detailed parts. If you can find some, they are expensive at $7 for 20 belaying pins. Note that their 9mm are actually thinner in diameter than the 8mm long pins. The 9mm pins fin in the pinrails of the Chinese Halcon, but I have had to lightly file the shanks of some 8mm pins to fit using a flat diamond file, and save the 9mm pins for the other model.
Last edited:
The air in North Dekota was AMAZING! So clear. You could see for miles (literally). When my partner and I finally left Fargo (we were warned not to rush to Gwinner since there is nothing there) and started driving we could see the lights of Fargo behind us for about 100 miles or more!
We actually both had to pee after a while. And since there was absolutely nothing around, I told Len to wait until the next set of oncoming headlights passed us (it took ten minutes or so). And then STOP the rental car. Leave the lights on. And so, we both relieved ourselves beside the car. And then got back in and continued to Gwinner. I figured, who could tell that we stopped?
I've seen clean air like that in Main and Colorado. Definitely not here in Ohio.
M.
We actually both had to pee after a while. And since there was absolutely nothing around, I told Len to wait until the next set of oncoming headlights passed us (it took ten minutes or so). And then STOP the rental car. Leave the lights on. And so, we both relieved ourselves beside the car. And then got back in and continued to Gwinner. I figured, who could tell that we stopped?
I've seen clean air like that in Main and Colorado. Definitely not here in Ohio.
M.
I ride motorcycle across the Dakotas every so often so I know what you mean about being able to see forever. Been to Lisbon, one town north of Gwinner. If you ever need a bucket full of FLAT, that's where you find it.
Yeah? What type of bike do you ride?
The last one I had was in Japan. A Yamaha SRX600. Over there they tax and insured them by cc size. Up to 50cc was free and so the scooters were what you would see everyone riding. The next level was 125cc. Then 400 (there was an SRX400). And then Unlimited. And so why would anyone pick up a 600cc single? A buddy and I got them (used) for a steal. And I had the time of my life in the mountains with that in Japan! Knee to knee rubbing the payment (or gravel) while holding it back with the clutch on a low gear...
Ah, the days.
M.
The last one I had was in Japan. A Yamaha SRX600. Over there they tax and insured them by cc size. Up to 50cc was free and so the scooters were what you would see everyone riding. The next level was 125cc. Then 400 (there was an SRX400). And then Unlimited. And so why would anyone pick up a 600cc single? A buddy and I got them (used) for a steal. And I had the time of my life in the mountains with that in Japan! Knee to knee rubbing the payment (or gravel) while holding it back with the clutch on a low gear...
Ah, the days.
M.
2003 BMW R1150GS Adventure, and the ever fun Yamaha TW200. The BMW is the two wheeled truck for moto-camping, and the T-Dub is of course the trail explorer. Sounds like you had a lot of fun in Japan. 600cc sounds like a perfect mix of power without heavy weight. I used to ride a 1939 DKW 3PS, then upgraded to a 1944 DKW NZ-350/1.
South Dakota goes on FOREVER
and EVER!
Last edited: