Chasseur

*Simply Outstanding work* ...Ed 
As a ship in bottle modeler I always pick up tips and techniques from Gents like yourself!

Very interesting timelines here. In the second picture in the lower left corner you have a vintage brass coloured looking device. I haven't seen anything like it before. Looks like something right out of the Sherlock Holmes movies. What pray tell is it?
 
P.S. Love the RC models you are building especially the Marblehead Pond Yacht.
Very impressive Jond!
 
 
Jeff

Very interesting timelines here. In the second picture in the lower left corner you have a vintage brass coloured looking device. I haven't seen anything like it before. Looks like something right out of the Sherlock Holmes movies. What pray tell is it?
 
P.S. Love the RC models you are building especially the Marblehead Pond Yacht.
Very impressive Jond!
 
 
Jeff

*Simply Outstanding work* ...Ed 
As a ship in bottle modeler I always pick up tips and techniques from Gents like yourself!

E&T - A better question is did Ed smelt the iron to make the chain!
 
Ed - unbelievably fantastic. You not only set the bar but give us tools, steps, and instruction on how someday we might hope to achieve something close. You have my KUDOS!
 
Thanks,
John

*Simply Outstanding work* ...Ed 
As a ship in bottle modeler I always pick up tips and techniques from Gents like yourself!

*Simply Outstanding work* ...Ed 
As a ship in bottle modeler I always pick up tips and techniques from Gents like yourself!

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 116 – Bow Decoration
 
Young America's bow decoration is interesting for a number of reasons.  Each side is different.  Just aft of a billet decorated with greenery, the carved figures rest mostly on the waist planking and partially on the base of the billet.  There were no headboards, so it is not clear how these were mounted on the original ship – much less how to mount them on the model -  due to the angle between the two surfaces.  Also, unlike the gilded stern decoration, the figures at the bow were painted in natural colors.  All this, like many other aspects of the ship, is based on Bill Crothers research.
 
After some unsuccessful attempts to fashion a wood base in the angle, I finally decided to sculpt these as six separate pieces, then fit them together on the bow.
The first picture shows the initial figures, sculpted with MagicSculpt® on wax paper taped flat on the pattern sheet.
 

 
The figures are quite small.  The starboard side features a female figure – presumably Liberty – with a shield flanked by draped flags.  On the port side an American Eagle is substituted for the female figure.  Below is the sculpted female figure before any post-hardening refinement.  The points on the flag staffs are thumb tack points.
 

 
The next picture shows some refining of the sculpture using a very small chisel.
 

 
In the next picture the fragile greenery has been lifted off the waxed paper, laid on the billet and touched with a drop or three of thin CA.
 

 
 
Refinement of the greenery was done after being glued on.  In the next picture the three port figures have been fitted and glued on with CA.
 

 
The figures were set into soft sculpting material placed in the angle between the billet and the side, than pushed into a fit.  Some modification of the parts was needed for this.  The sculptures must leave clearance for the square bowsprit to slide in and out.  Excess material was removed.
 
After attachment, the figures were primed with thinned flat black enamel.  The entire hull was given one last coat of acrylic paint and the figures were painted using acrylic gouache.  The next picture shows the starboard decoration.
 

 
The next picture shows the port side.
 

 
The greenery is actually brighter with light highlights than shown in the photos.  The next picture, from dead ahead, shows both sides.  Photos like these and closer ones were very helpful in judging the paint job and suggesting improvements.  The model went back and forth a few times for these.
 

 
The acrylic gouache used for painting the figures dries dead flat, causing an almost two dimensional appearance in the photos – especially in the close ups.  I may give these a coat of semi-gloss medium, perhaps the acrylic sanding sealer I used over the stern lettering.
 
Speaking of that, I received the second order of dry transfers, so I was able to correct the letters that were photo shopped in the last post.  The last picture shows the repaired letters – unadulterated.
 

 
This picture was taken before the final repair on the C.  After repair the dry transfer letters were given a coat of diluted sanding sealer.   I am also quite happy with the final black finish on the hull – shown in this picture.
 
With all this work done, the lower framing was given a last coat of wax, so the model should not have to be inverted again, I hope.  This will allow me to get on with work on the upper deck – cabins, etc.
 
Ed

Ed,
 
I just found this build log, and you are truly an amazing craftsman! You could even be called "King of the Mortise" considering the accuracy and beauty of your joinery. The knees look perfect. Again (as others have correctly stated) WOW! One question: at least some of the extreme clippers had moonsails (the 7th sail, on top of the skysail). Were these an option of individual captains, or did they need to be included in the original drafting to make it to the ship?
 
Bill

Greetings- I am doing research on a boat I have and am trying to establish the builder.The hull is very similar to Floss/Skipjack. Tried to contact Harold Shields who wrote an article for Woodenboat, but he had recently suffered a stroke and was unable to remember much. I noticed your post from a while back and was wondering if you had any response.
This boat was purchased from the owner in 1964 and who stated it was build in Peterborough On. in 1912. Was powered by a 2 cyl. Ferro. It is now powered by a 1 cyl steam engine.
 
Any info would be appreciated, I will try and forward a photo soon.
 
Many Thanks,
 
Don Hall

Looking good Rob!

Looking good Rob!

Use a thinned version of a darker color. You might wanna build a little section of deck to experiment with. Load a small water color brush with the thinned paint and lightly touch it too the deck. It should run off the brush onto the deck and into the crevices between the planks,thus showing the joints'. Go lightly at first you may want to darken it with another wash. Some folks use india ink in a sepia tone , thinned with alcohol. Its a technique the airplane modelers use to make the panel lines pop. Bill

It’s been a while since I posted my progress. I started this model back in November 2014, and yet according to my work log, I worked only a total of 170 hours on  it. So much for my determination at the time to complete it in one year… Over the winter, I built the deck furniture elements  and prepared the hull, waiting for warmer days to start the actual painting.
 
Well, I started the painting which has been so far and exercise in frustration. I usually use shellac to prime the wood and sand it with 400 grid sandpaper. I decided to use Badger modelflex marine paint and spray painting with my airbrush. I first applied a black coat, and then painted the  larger than desired yellow stripe, which I then masked with Testor 1/32th pinstripe masking tape. I then applied another coat of hull black paint. Removing the pinstripe tape was ok, but there was some black paint bleeding under the tape.
Then I marked the waterline and used electrical tape as masking tape before painting the bottom red copper. That’s when problems began. When I pulled the electrical tape, in some areas the black paint came along with it, leaving a mess along the water line. I believe the acrylic paint did not adhere well enough to the shellac substrate. I don’t recall having these problems with my previous models. I was using Floquill paint at the time, which may have been better quality.
Also, I forgot to burnish the tape also before applying it, which may have caused the problem, and maybe I should have waited a bit more for the black paint to cure before painting the hull red ( I waited 24 hours).
In any case, I will try to fix this, but It will not look great anymore. I have read –afterwards- on forums here that the Tamiya tape is the way to go.
 
Painting  the hull is always an exercise I dread, and with apparently good reasons. I don’t know if using Shellac in the first place is a good idea. I experimented some time back with Gesso, but I found it very difficult to sand. I wonder if other modelers are facing the same kind of issues. Also, I wonder if I would have the same issues, using enamel paint?
 
 

Well, it has been a very busy summer, but not for model building!
I finally find the time to go back to my Benjamin Latham build. I completed the deck planking, and after a bit more preparation, I'll start painting.
Here are a couple of pics from the deck planking final steps.
 

 
almost done!
 

 
I installed the thick pads for the mast and fifes rails. The thick pad for the windlass, I'll install after the deck is painted (lots of  masking tape in that area). 

Foredeck planking completed! Onto the main deck planking....
 

Progress update:
 
I finished installing all fake stanchions, and started planking the deck. Since I’m going to paint the deck anyway, I’m using 1/8 x 3/32 planks instead of the 1/8 x 1/8 provided with the kit.
After a futile attempt to cut nibs on the foredeck planks, I decided my Benjamim Latham will not have any nibing on the deck.
Here is a picture of work in progress. I use the Elia’s patented Lego method to hold the planks in place while the glue is drying   

 

Hello Everyone...
This morning I have been working on the preparation of the shroud lines..I usually seize these lines at the point where they make contact when wrapped around the mast.  Therefore as I begin the rigging of the Bluenose I thought I would include some pictures of my method of seizing these lines.  Some modelers will seize the two lines together as they bend around the mast as a method of binding them to the mast. I prefer seizing them, as the real ships did, to prevent chafing where they make contact with the mast and then securing them to the mast with two or three square knots.  Here is an idea of the sequence:
 
The shroud line is prepared in the seizing machine with a clip locating the center of the shroud line.

 
The seizing thread is half-hitched to the shroud line and a dab of CA cement is applied.

 
After the seizing process is completed the thread is tied and glued to the shroud line

 
The excess thread is snipped away

 
The shroud lines are placed around the main mast waiting to be tied in place.

 
I have also installed all of the deadeyes in place on the channels.  The chainplates will be added once the shrouds are fully rigged.
 


 
I wish everyone a great day
Jerry

It's just paper painted gun metal black with wires snipped off in them to simulate metal rivets.
 
Jesse

Ok guys im back. Ive done exactly what bill advised with the templates. I was actually not that far off which was great! So once i finished that i wrnt ahead and stained the hull. So far very pleased with it. The next step i have to figure out how to bend 2 pieces to match the forecastle curve. Any thoughts? And btw thanks guys for helping me get the hull where it should be!

You might need to watch sanding with the dremel
My brother used a dremel sanding the first layer of planking and had the hull so thin in some places your finger would punch right through the hull. He then gave up on it and turned it over to me. I replaced most of the planking, finished the model and gave it back to him.
 
Here is a awful attempt at a drawing of what I did to the stern section of my Sea Witch in order to get the rudder to set in even with the stern because I actually used a stern or rudder post, which I'm not sure they instructed to do. So I removed a bit more wood than just where the notch was. I also used some mahogany wood strips that I had laying around from previous kits, laminated them together to make the rudder and rudder post because my intention from the git go was to finish her in natural wood finish, which helped sell her to a lady for her sons room. As you can tell from the drawing, I have no artistic ability at all so when I say a monkey could do what I do if he has enough patience, eye for detail and stick to it mentality he could do the same thing.               


Mike

I got to thinking that before adding and rigging the carronades in place I would rather pre-do a lot of the deck work while they are out of the way. I can just picture damaging some of them trying to work on other stuff all over the deck. I figured I'd make everything, get holes drilled, etc. but not glue anything down until after the carronades are in place. 
 
First thing is the mast holes. Made a paper template to get the right angle from the plans. Used that to make a crude wooden drill guide. Dilled the mast holes very slowly first by digging out a smaller hole with cutting tools then using drills working up in size and checking the angles frequently as I go. This will get it very close but also give me a little wiggle room later on when the masts are installed. Each mast hole had a separate guide built but I only took shots of one to show the process. Now I will move on to the gratings, and other deck fittings.
 
I know, how can I work around such clutter?!?!    Don't know how I do it myself. Every time I clean it all up it ends up right back like this again. It just works for me. Part of my problem is a severe lack of space but I think it would still be like this no matter how much space I had.
 
Jesse
 

Awesome!

I picked up some spray adhesive for laminating the framework tonight! Made sure to buy something that specifically said "does not cause warping" on the bottle. Glued the first pieces together, and weighted them down on a piece of glass to make sure they're straight. So far so good...

Ah the hazards of the artist.  Build it. take it apart.  Rebuild it.  Uh.  Rebuild again.  Is it good enough this time?  Uuuhhh. 
 
When you finally say that's done, I'm sure that both the boat and the house will be beautiful.
 
Bob