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Unskilled and Inexperienced


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Greetings to all!

 

I retired in December 2017 after 40+ years in the chemical industry. My main hobbies during those years were scuba diving, reading and old movies. Unfortunately that was not enough to occupy my time after retirement. Although I'd love to dive every day, I still needed something for my "surface intervals." I'd always been interested in anything nautical and saw model ships as a way to find purpose for my extra time. As of September 2018 I had NEVER tried building a wooden model ship. I built a balsa and paper model plane some 50+ years ago. That's the limit of my skills and experience.

 

Now, on October 1, 2018 I find myself beginning my first ever wooden model ship/boat. I selected the Model Shipways 18th Century Longboat as my first try. Already I have questions about "how to..." 

 

Today I removed the false keel, the keel and the stem from the parts sheet. I began sanding the burn marks and trying to see how the pieces fit together and what my next step would be...and already hit a snag...

 

       I noticed that there are two keel pieces and two stem pieces. On the plan sheet it looks like only one of each is used. Is this correct? Do I use one of each, or only one?

 

My current course of action is to sand off the burn residue and insure these pieces fit well. I will then try to sand the bearding line taper. What's the best way to transfer the bearding line to the opposite side of the false keel?

 

I then plan to lay out and sand the bulkheads/frames. I'll then stain all of those hull pieces with a light oak stain before attempting assembly.

 

Is this a good route to go? I am guessing this will take me a week or so. 

 

I also need to build myself a jig, but that's a topic for another time.

 

Regards,

Don

 

"Unless you're out of air, it's NOT an emergency!"

 

Current Build: "Lady Nelson" by Amati/Victory Models

Current Build: "Polaris" by Occre

Current Build: "Battle Station" A Navy Board Model (Scratch Build)

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Stop the presses!  You're way ahead of yourself.  1) It's better to scrape the laser char from the edges than it is to sand them because sanding will tend to round the edges, which you don't want to happen. 2) Use caution painting or staining. Always consider whether a coating on the wood will impair the strength of glue bonds.

 

The answer to your questions about the "double" keel and stem pieces is contained in the first page of Chuck Passaro's "build log" at

in this forum. (Click on the link box above.) Chuck designed this Model Shipways kit. (His build log is among several listed in the "Build Logs/kit models/small craft" section of this forum.) Chuck's log is beautifully photographed and his step-by-step explanations are fool-proof. He's always open to questions and is most generous in giving his time to share his experience with we lesser mortals. (I'd put him in the "National Treasure" category when it comes to ship modeling.) If you follow his build log precisely, you won't end up making mistakes and getting frustrated. As will everybody else, I expect, I would also suggest you obtain after-market blocks and rigging line from Chuck's Syren Ship Model Company, a sponsor of this forum. His line and blocks are "finestkind" and much better than what the kit manufacturers provide.

 

Read Chuck's build log from beginning to end and then do the same for some of the other "finished" build logs of this very well done model before you go any further. When you've done that, you won't be a "beginner" anymore!

Edited by Bob Cleek
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Thanks Bob. I appreciate your insight on this. I've found the build logs database but have not read through Chuck's. This is all new to me but I look forward to working with it. This first build is an experiment. I'm keeping documentation for my future reference and also to upload as I move forward.

Regards,

Don

 

"Unless you're out of air, it's NOT an emergency!"

 

Current Build: "Lady Nelson" by Amati/Victory Models

Current Build: "Polaris" by Occre

Current Build: "Battle Station" A Navy Board Model (Scratch Build)

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Small steps - sub assembles as the focus-  keeps from becoming overwhelmed my the complexity.

 

Stain is a semi transparent paint - it fills pores.  Aniline wood dyes do not fill pores and enhance the grain.

NRG member 45 years

 

Current:  

HMS Centurion 1732 - 60-gun 4th rate - Navall Timber framing

HMS Beagle 1831 refiit  10-gun brig with a small mizzen - Navall (ish) Timber framing

The U.S. Ex. Ex. 1838-1842
Flying Fish 1838  pilot schooner -  framed - ready for stern timbers
Porpose II  1836  brigantine/brig - framed - ready for hawse and stern timbers
Vincennes  1825  Sloop-of-War  -  timbers assembled, need shaping
Peacock  1828  Sloop-of -War  -  timbers ready for assembly
Sea Gull  1838  pilot schooner -  timbers ready for assembly
Relief  1835  ship - timbers ready for assembly

Other

Portsmouth  1843  Sloop-of-War  -  timbers ready for assembly
Le Commerce de Marseilles  1788   118 cannons - framed

La Renommee 1744 Frigate - framed - ready for hawse and stern timbers

 

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Hey welcome mate. My number 1 piece of advice is to follow what Bob said. Read every build log you can find, then ask questions if you are still unsure. My number 2 piece of advice is to then start a build log of your own. Someone else will be in your same situation as a new builder one day and may find how you tackled a particular part of the building process invaluable. Good luck.

 

Cheers

 

Chris

 

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You have excellent advice above, Malcolm. We all start inexperienced and unskilled. It's a good place to start - it can only improve from there! You'll find good answers to your questions as you go along. There will be mistakes, but that's all part of the process. Have fun!

Be sure to sign up for an epic Nelson/Trafalgar project if you would like to see it made into a TV series  http://trafalgar.tv

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2 hours ago, Bob Cleek said:

Stop the presses!  You're way ahead of yourself.

 

I agree, but for different reasons.  The longboat is NOT a beginner's kit.  Because you are single planking and you can see both sides of the planking, this poses quite a few challenges.  Your planking has to be PERFECT.

 

Just my $.02. :cheers:  Good luck with your build.  I look forwrd to your log.

Chuck Seiler
San Diego Ship Modelers Guild
Nautical Research Guild

 
Current Build:: Colonial Schooner SULTANA (scratch from Model Expo Plans), Hanseatic Cog Wutender Hund, John Smith Shallop
Completed:  Missouri Riverboat FAR WEST (1876) Scratch, 1776 Gunboat PHILADELPHIA (Scratch 1/4 scale-Model Shipways plans)

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Welcome aboard. Much good advice has been offered here. Maybe the most important may be to use the build logs as lessons but don't expect to match the experts yet. The Masters have, for the most part, been building for many years and have made all the mistakes that you will probably make. So you learn from your mistakes and surge ahead. Try not to get down on yourself because your model doesn't look like one you have followed on this site. I think I have found this to be the biggest challenge, being realistic in my expectations. 

Go slow and have fun, it's just work if you are not enjoying it. Sometimes if you feel overwhelmed, the best move is to walk away from the workbench for a day or so.

Patience is definitely a virtue.

Regards, Harley

Cheers, Harley<p 

                     

 

Under Construction:       USS Curtis Wilbur DDG-54 1/200 by ILoveKit

Completed:                     F-35A 1/48 by Tamiya

                                        USS Atlanta CL-51 1/350 by Very Fire 

                                    Liberty Ship John W. Brown 1/350 by Trumpeter

                                    HMS Spiraea K-08 1/350 

                                    USS Arizona BB-39 1/200 by Trumpeter/Mk1 Design

                                 HMS Sir Gareth 1/350 by Starling Models

                                  USS Missouri BB-63 1945 1/350 by Joy-Yard, 9/11/21

                                  USS Indianapolis CA-35 1945 1/350 by Trumpeter

                                  USS Kidd DD-661, 1945, 1/350, on The Sullivans kit by Trumpeter

                                  USS Alaska CB-1, 1/350, Hobby Boss, Circa 2/1945

                          Brig Syren 1/64 Model Shipways, Wood

Started,On Hold:     Frigate Confederacy 1/64 Model Shipways, Wood

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Thank you all for your best wishes. As I said in my introduction, I'm a complete novice to model building. I'm hoping to take it slow enough to avoid major mistakes and excessive frustration, but rapidly enough to see regular progress. 

 

I don't expect that my first effort will be bound for a museum...I'll be satisfied if it looks like a boat!

 

And I will maintain a build log as I progress. For now I'm trying to get my materials and equipment together; set up my work area (out of the way); do preliminary research and practice some skills; and then put the keel together...milestone #1.

 

Don

Regards,

Don

 

"Unless you're out of air, it's NOT an emergency!"

 

Current Build: "Lady Nelson" by Amati/Victory Models

Current Build: "Polaris" by Occre

Current Build: "Battle Station" A Navy Board Model (Scratch Build)

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Welcome to MSW Malcolm! Best of luck to you on your build and don't worry about not knowing or needing to ask something. As you can already see, we are a great community for helping each other along. Most important thing is to have fun! You are building for yourself so no pressure. Again good luck and I look forward to seeing your build! :)

 

"A Smooth Sea NEVER made a Skilled Sailor"
- John George Hermanson 

-E.J.

 

Current Builds - Royal Louis - Mamoli

                    Royal Caroline - Panart

Completed - Wood - Le Soleil Royal - Sergal - Build Log & Gallery

                                           La Couronne - Corel - Build Log & Gallery

                                           Rattlesnake - Model Shipways, HMS Bounty - Constructo

                           Plastic - USS Constitution - Revel (twice), Cutty Sark.

Unfinished - Plastic - HMS Victory - Heller, Sea Witch.

Member : Nautical Research Guild

 

 

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