HMS Druid by Krug - FINISHED - 1:48 - Hahn

[42rocker]

Looking very Good. Thanks for sharing your pics.

 

Later Tim

[dgbot]

Great way to fill small aeas.

David B

[kruginmi]

Wow, board looks pretty active right now.  Lots of great work going on all over the forums.  Thanks for everyone checking in.

 

To finish off the gundeck for this go around I needed the simplified windlass on the posts.  This afternoon I decided to dig in and was done in less than an hour.  I used boxed wood, chucked it up on my lathe and pretty much free handed it to the dimensions required:

 

 

Once sanded and cut off, I used some brass rod and bent up the handles pretty quick.  To allow me to install this I did make the handles in two pieces - one that is most of the length, and one that just goes in the opposite drum.  Blacken the brass, a little bit of super glue and it is done:

 

 

I am moving to the forecastle.

 

Stay Building My Friends,

Mark

[egkb]

Beautiful work Mark.. nice Explanation of using glue & sawdust to fill gaps, it's a tip we hear used often but nice to hear it explained for us novices ..

 

Have a great weekend

 

Eamonn

[kruginmi]

Hey Eamonn, Define 'Novice.'  I am looking at the Ballahoo and it might be your first proper wood build but the experience and care you bring to sure puts you above a novice.  I actually think that anyone that actually finishes planking a hull automatically graduates to 'Been there, done that' classification.  This is my first scratch so I am right in there with you what ever the classification - hah, hah.

 

After four hours in the front flower beds (winter is officially over in Michigan) I needed to do something that showed I was finally off that gun deck.  So...the gammoning jumped out, which included the necessary cleats:

 

 

I didn't know where the cleats should be positioned and did some over thinking for awhile.  Finally I grabbed the line I intended to use and loosely put in the gammoning which took less than 10 minutes.  After insuring the lines were clearing all the headwork and looked right I lightly marked a line on the bowsprit where the cleats should fall.  Pull off the gammoning and make some cleats.  I did keep the cleats parallel with the bowsprit and equal spaced, which required the front face of the lower cleats to have a slight angle.

 

I had hoped for 8 frappings (I believe they are called) and it worked out perfectly with the gammoning hole drilled out so many years ago.  I might eventually replace this but there is no rush since this can be done anytime with full access.

 

 

Stay Building My Friends,

Mark

 

P.S.  Happy Easter

[42rocker]

Happy Easter back to you and yours.

Your build is looking great even if you are working with stuff you did years ago. I guess you were as good then as you are now.

 

Later Tim

[russ]

The Gammoning looks good. Well done.

 

Russ

[gjdale]

Hi Mark,

 

I've just finished reading your log from start to finish and just have to say what a fine build you have made. Congratulations on some truly excellent work. I've also picked up more than a few ideas for my current and future builds. Thanks for sharing all your techniques, tests and trials.

[kruginmi]

Thanks for all the kudos, looks and likes!

 

Grant - for most of the ideas you have picked up here, I can probably refer to other builds where I snagged them.

 

Tim - I don't know if I am as good as lucky!

 

As i thought about the forecastle it became obvious two things had to happen first.  I had to pry off the top level outer planks since they were sanded down slightly more than they should have been and replace them.  Not too hard and easy to do.

 

The second was the railing had to be done now (or a factor of 10 in hardness later).  This was a half height railing (would not conform to OSHA standards) of five posts.  For strength I opted to mortise them into the deck beam.  After all the planking is attached I will attach a cap piece running the length of the beam to cover the end of the planks as well as most of the generated mortises.

 

First order of business was to generate five posts that had some carving done to their tops as well as a plank shelf running the length of the railing.  I cut a notch around the post for the 1/32inch shelf to slide into for support and maintain constant height.  To do this I always like a jig:

 

 

Once the post work was done I cut the post to half width where it connected with the deck beam using my Byrnes saw.  I always use a sled that I have built if I am not ripping down lengths of wood.  The whole sled moves with everything else anchored.  Very solid, very safe and easy to make several accurate cuts on different pieces of wood.  A micro-chisel was used to smooth down any bumps left by the saw blade.

 

 

I then attached one post at a time, starting from the center.  I also doweled the mortised section into the deck beam.

 

 

After each post was affixed I used a piece of oversized wood for the shelf and cut the slot for the post into the shelf.  This allowed one slot to be focused on at a time which was easy as opposed to five at the same time.

 

 

Working outwards it didn't take too long to get all the posts in and the shelf fitting snug.  Then I simply cut the shelf down to size lengthwise and width wise.  An important item to remember was that the deck planks have not been attached (so that size needs to be accounted for).  When I put the railing on the ship I put down a couple of pieces of plank thick wood for visual comparison.

 

 

I will add small pieces of wood to fill the gaps in the shelf behind each post.  This system worked out a lot easier than I had thought and I feel much more confident on the railing work on the stern now - which is a good thing.  Lots of ways to do things, but this worked for me.

 

Next up is the mast partner and then the catheads.

 

Stay building my friends,

Mark

[russ]

Nice work on the timberheads. They came out very well.

 

Russ

[Jim Lad]

Very nice indeed, Mark!

 

John

[gjdale]

Very nicely done Mark.

[kruginmi]

I have had a couple of queries with regard to my Byrnes saw sled so I thought I would give some data on this.

 

 

I originally cut some wood strips that fit into the saws slots.  Not too tight or loose, just right.  I then grabbed a piece of thin plywood and glue tacked it onto the wood strips while they were on the saw.  I tried to get everything as squared up as possible but this wasn't critical.

 

When dry I ran the blade through the first third of the plywood.  I then glued the top block onto the plywood (which held the now slightly separated pieces together).  Then back on the saw and cut almost through all the plywood.  Now attention to detail is critical.  I affixed the back block using a square to insure it was ABSOLUTELY 90 degrees to the now visible cut mark.

 

Once dry I run a clean run all the way through the plywood which adds the cut mark to the blocks also.  That pretty much sums it up.  As I have said previously, I use this almost every time I work on the model.  I need to cut anything at a 90 degree angle, it is done on the sled.  Any other angle I also use the sled with appropriate hold downs.  I consider it very safe and very controlled.

 

Stay building my friends,

Mark

[dgbot]

Great idea.  This is a keeper.

David B

[gjdale]

Thanks for posting the extra info on your sled Mark. I'll be making one of these up for myself very soon now. Your photos and comments will be invaluable.

[kruginmi]

On to the catheads!

 

I decided to opt for a stylized cathead, one that didn't include the section underneath the forecastle.  This was in keeping with not including the knees.  To simplify things I decided to plank the forecastle first and then add the catheads.  I will probably chisel them in just a tad for added realism.  I have only planked one side currently to allow me to know exactly where the beams are.  Both sides will eventually be planked.

 

 

It was at this point that I sanded everything perfectly level between the internal and outside planks.  A cap rail will cover the ribs, ends of the floor planks and outside planks.

 

I cut some boxwood to the correct dimension of the catheads and measured out there targeted locations.

 

 

At this scale (1/48) my preferred method of defining sheaves is to cut out everything except the center, then rebuild (essentially as built practice).  This meant lots of careful chiseling.  Which isn't obvious here is that I did add a mortise past the sheave hole for the mating piece to fit into for strength.  For the sheaves I lathed down some boxwood.  They fit perfectly in the sheave slots and I was quite happy at the result.

 

 

I finally added an angle to the inboard cathead to simulate it going below deck.  I still need to dowel it solid in place but it is definitely a keeper.  When I add the cap rail it will really make this strong.

 

 

Now I just need to duplicate on the other side (but not forget to include the hole for the chimney in the planking!).

 

Stay building my friends,

Mark

 

 

[mtaylor]

Lovely and precise work, Mark.  They look great!

[gjdale]

Lovely work Mark.

[Michiel]

very nice indeed...

lovely

[Mirabell61]

beautiful timber-joining Mark,

 

in all the HMS Druid is coming very well in Progress

 

Nils

[kruginmi]

Thanks Nils,

 

The list of things to do is definitely shrinking but the hours required always stay out there a bit.  Seeing glimpses of things completing is a good push to press on.  Hope that cap rail process goes smooth!

 

Mark

[42rocker]

Nice work and nice sled. Seen several sleds for the big table saws. Nice to see this one for the "hobby" saws.

 

Later Tim

[kruginmi]

Continuing to hammer away at the forecastle as time allows.  The floor planking is complete and this evening I pretty much got the cap rails.  They are not glued as of yet:

 

 

This leaves the tie down posts which affix to the cap rails, cleats, 2 ladders, blackening of the chimney and the eking rails.  Oh - the scroll transition piece from upper to lower railing.  The list continually shrinks.  I am amazed at how much the look of the ship has changed in the last couple of weeks.

 

Tracing the exposed deck beam onto some paper was VERY key to making the deck plank cover up board quite easy.  It does not cover up the entire deck beam to give some more grip / glue area to the ladders.

 

My plan for the tie down posts is, once their locations are known, to drill a hole for a dowel through the cap rail.  Then the tie down post will be tack glued above this hole.  Once set, I will drill from the bottom and then insert the dowel.  Less things to juggle and should insure an accurate fit.

 

Stay Building My Friends,

Mark

[kruginmi]

It seems like every day I add things that now make a significant difference in the look.  Yesterday was the timberheads, gluing the cap rails down and assembling and fastening the ladders.  I have talked / covered how this was done in other parts of the build so I just attach some new photos:

 

 

Boy, that camera angle sure makes those ladders look totally crazy width wise.  That is optics.  I have the cleats, blackening the chimney and the eking rails left before gel coating and moving back to the quarterdeck.

 

Stay Building my Friends,

Mark

[WackoWolf]

Beautiful work. Keep the pictures coming, have been watching since the beginning. Thank you for sharing with us.

[kruginmi]

Thanks Joe and everyone else stopping by.

 

I laugh a little when I look back at this reboot starting in Aug of last year.  At first glance there is NOT a ton of difference apparent between the profile then and now.  However, I think of all the time and things accomplished and this delta can be explained.  Not a hobby for those wanting quick results!

 

My wife rolls her eyes a bit when I explain the time still remaining.  I don't even want to think about what it would have been had I selected to mast and rig her.  I will do the complete scratch one day, but can only fit one of those in my house.  The Druid is good in that it will fit pretty well on a wider shelf space.

 

Taking a break next week to do things with the family so that will fortify me for the final push.

 

Stay Building My Friends,

Mark

[PETERPETER]

G'day Mark,

 

Though I have not had anything to say for a long time, I have been lurking in the shadows watching your log, admiring your progress and the excellence of your work. We recently moved to a newer and smaller home where I have taken over the guest bedroom and arranged my workspace in order to finish my DRUID. I will now have your photos and comments to help me along the way. Great work!

 

Peter 

[kruginmi]

Peter - So glad to hear from you again!  Great news that you are back in production.  Just as I talked about not masting and rigging the shipwright shows back up who is doing just that.  Can't wait to see the progress.

 

Stay Building My Friend,

Mark

[kruginmi]

Before I take a week hiatus I really felt pushed to try to get the cleats in on the forecastle.  I am sure if the ship were rigged there would be a lot more of these things around the hull but I have opted to just put 12 of them at the bow.

 

After figuring out the size I wanted to achieve I cut out a strip of wood to the rough dimensions, then used a Dremel to rough out the inverted arc on top.  I then used my razor saw to cut out the widths:

 

 

Just gluing these to the deck was asking for trouble with such a small glue area, so while I had some good flat surfaces I cut a hole for a dowel through the middle:

 

 

Now for the fun part - sanding.  Each cleat took 5-10 minutes of work to round all the corners and shape it to the desired configuration.  FIngertips are still sore from that.  I did take a sharp knife to expedite in some areas but very slow and steady.  Upon completion I checked the result against the ship and it seemed in harmony:

 

 

I arced in a line where these should reside then checked off their locations using my proportional dividers.  I glue tacked them to the deck:

 

 

Once they had dried pretty firm I drilled through the previous holes into the deck.  I followed this up with a dowel and some glue for a real solid bond.  Once that had time to dry, a light sanding to finish everything up.  Shortly after I gel coated the whole forecastle (the foremast is not fully seated in the following pics to allow it to dry).

 

 

Now when I stand off and look, that bow sure looks a whole lot better.  Still have that eking rail but that will be for another day.  Oh - I will carve a scroll piece to transition from the top rail to the gun deck rail to clean up that transition.

 

 

A good day in the shipyard!

 

Stay Building My Friends,

Mark

Edited May 10, 2014 by kruginmi

[mspringer]

Mark, your work is just incredible and very inspiring.  I also like the fact that you had said it is all primarily basswood...something that is readily available. It makes me think I might want to try this since I would have more stock at the local hobby shop if needed. Thanks for taking all the time and effort to keep such a detailed log of your build.

 

Mark Springer

Edited May 10, 2014 by mspringer