Cap'n Rat Fink
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Cap'n Rat Fink got a reaction from Elijah in Benjamin W Latham by mattsayers148 - Model Shipways 2109 - 1:48
This makes into a very nice model and a very large model, when I made it all those years ago. Have fun, and a really good start to Matt.
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Cap'n Rat Fink reacted to mattsayers148 in Benjamin W Latham by mattsayers148 - Model Shipways 2109 - 1:48
Welcome a board CaptainSteve, Mark, Buck, Ken and Elijah!
So we're off! Thankfully after a couple builds fairing ain't so bad. I got the keel-stem assembly(yep, that's the term they use) and bulkheads together squared and true. Transom turned out well, after a soak and steam. I got an idea from my son and used an old hair iron for bending. This worked surprisingly well.
So instead of jumpin right in I'm going to study up a bit and take my time on planking. I really like how the double planking turned out on my pirate ship so I may do this again. Since I'm staining. I'm considering using several contrasting woods to get a contrast. So I'm off to start this process.
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Cap'n Rat Fink reacted to DocBlake in Armed Virginia Sloop Patrick Henry by DocBlake - FINISHED - Lauck Street Shipyard - Scale = 1/32 - POF Admiralty Style
Had to do a little work on the cannons and swivel guns. The cannons themselves needed the bore enlarged. A 3 pounder had a bore of about 3" - 3/32" at this scale. The cannons were at 1/16" so I bored them out with a 3/32" bit. I got the swivel gun barrels from Cornwall Model boats. The problem was that the bore was way too big for a 1/2 pound swivel gun. The specs call for slightly over 1-1/2 ", or about a #54 or #55 drill size. I filled the bore with solder and re-drilled the bore with a #55 drill. I've got some Jax Pewter Blackener on order. It should blacken both the brass and the solder.
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Cap'n Rat Fink reacted to DocBlake in Armed Virginia Sloop Patrick Henry by DocBlake - FINISHED - Lauck Street Shipyard - Scale = 1/32 - POF Admiralty Style
Glad to have you aboard, Mario!
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Cap'n Rat Fink reacted to Seventynet in Cape Cod Catboat by Seventynet - FINISHED - BlueJacket Shipcraffters - Scale: 3/4 '' = 1 '
Thanks for looking in Mario. Wow, I just had a look at your Chesapeake Bay Flattie. Beautiful detail and wood. Lots of tips and tricks for me to copy.
Best, Ian
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Cap'n Rat Fink got a reaction from Elijah in Cape Cod Catboat by Seventynet - FINISHED - BlueJacket Shipcraffters - Scale: 3/4 '' = 1 '
Hello Ian,
You are doing a great job on your little lobster boat here. The choices of wood are looking really nice. Your deck also looks outstanding. I had fun with the Midwest Lobster Smack when I built one of these work boats.
So have fun and I am enjoying your progress.
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Cap'n Rat Fink got a reaction from mtaylor in Armed Virginia Sloop Patrick Henry by DocBlake - FINISHED - Lauck Street Shipyard - Scale = 1/32 - POF Admiralty Style
A very nice display of your craftsmanship you got going here Doc. I'm enjoying your progress. have fun!
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Cap'n Rat Fink got a reaction from Canute in Armed Virginia Sloop Patrick Henry by DocBlake - FINISHED - Lauck Street Shipyard - Scale = 1/32 - POF Admiralty Style
A very nice display of your craftsmanship you got going here Doc. I'm enjoying your progress. have fun!
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Cap'n Rat Fink got a reaction from mrshanks in Armed Virginia Sloop Patrick Henry by DocBlake - FINISHED - Lauck Street Shipyard - Scale = 1/32 - POF Admiralty Style
A very nice display of your craftsmanship you got going here Doc. I'm enjoying your progress. have fun!
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Cap'n Rat Fink got a reaction from Seventynet in Cape Cod Catboat by Seventynet - FINISHED - BlueJacket Shipcraffters - Scale: 3/4 '' = 1 '
Hello Ian,
You are doing a great job on your little lobster boat here. The choices of wood are looking really nice. Your deck also looks outstanding. I had fun with the Midwest Lobster Smack when I built one of these work boats.
So have fun and I am enjoying your progress.
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Cap'n Rat Fink reacted to lambsbk in Hooks and blocks
The single blocks are made the same way but with a line from the bottom of the block and the large wire (which I use to form the becket) moved 90 degrees (or parallel to the block).
The block is placed on the jig.
The line is attached in a similar fashion but with the rigging line extending past the block.
With the attached hook.
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Cap'n Rat Fink reacted to lambsbk in Hooks and blocks
I then trim the extra line and apply a little CA to the overhand knot to further secure it.
The block is then removed from the jig when the CA is dry (hastened again with the hair dryer).
I then attach a hook (these are not my best effort but show how it is finished.)
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Cap'n Rat Fink reacted to DocBlake in Armed Virginia Sloop Patrick Henry by DocBlake - FINISHED - Lauck Street Shipyard - Scale = 1/32 - POF Admiralty Style
Thanks, guys...I'm getting there! I spent some time yesterday carving the timberheads. They are made of boxwood for a nice contrast with the black rail. The plans call for 12 : 6 per side. Also, the plans say they should be 3/8" tall. I thought 12 looked too busy, so I decided on 8 total instead. I also went back to Dr. Feldman's book on constructing the original AVS and found that his timberheads were 1/4" tall. I made mine 9/32" tall; sort of a compromise!
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Cap'n Rat Fink reacted to DocBlake in Armed Virginia Sloop Patrick Henry by DocBlake - FINISHED - Lauck Street Shipyard - Scale = 1/32 - POF Admiralty Style
I mounted the rudder to the hull. The system used to create the gudgeons and pintles is different from what I've been used two. In my last two rudders, the pintles were short lengths of brass rod, soldered to the brass strap that attached them to the rudder. The gudgeons were likewise brass tubing soldered to the straps attaching them to the hull. This method is different. After cutting the recesses into the rudder to allow the pintles to slip over the gudgeons and into place, the straps are glued in place. The pintles are simply pins pushed into the wood of the rudder. No soldering! The gudgeons are made of little wood semi-circles with a hole drilled in to receive the pintles. They are then painted black. The straps for the gudgeons are just strips of bras glued and nailed to the hull on each side. Again, no soldering!
The rudder has no false keel and is mounted so the bottom edge is about even with the bottom of the keel itself.
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Cap'n Rat Fink reacted to DocBlake in Armed Virginia Sloop Patrick Henry by DocBlake - FINISHED - Lauck Street Shipyard - Scale = 1/32 - POF Admiralty Style
I'm working on the 3-pounder carriage guns. The kit provides parts to build the carriages made of cherry. They are perfectly fine, but I wanted some contrast between the carriage wood and the black hardware. I chose to use Chuck's boxwood carriages. In my kit, the cannons are brass and came from Syren.
I built a little jig to support the brackets while gluing up the axles. I added the transom and bolster, and rounded the axles to fit the trucks. lastly, I added the hardware and the quoin.
The trunions for the cannons are too short to span across the full distance between the brackets, so I'll have to get some 5/64" brass rod and replace them. The cap square isn't fitted yet.
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Cap'n Rat Fink reacted to DocBlake in Armed Virginia Sloop Patrick Henry by DocBlake - FINISHED - Lauck Street Shipyard - Scale = 1/32 - POF Admiralty Style
I'm working on the gun carriages, but as a diversion I did complete the rudder. I really hate cutting the rabbets for the straps!. I'll fit the rudder to the ship today, and continue to work on finishing up the carriages.
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Cap'n Rat Fink reacted to DocBlake in Armed Virginia Sloop Patrick Henry by DocBlake - FINISHED - Lauck Street Shipyard - Scale = 1/32 - POF Admiralty Style
I formed the main rails out of basswood sheets and stained them with Fiebing's black leather dye. They got 3 coats of poly and I epoxied them in place.
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Cap'n Rat Fink reacted to DocBlake in Armed Virginia Sloop Patrick Henry by DocBlake - FINISHED - Lauck Street Shipyard - Scale = 1/32 - POF Admiralty Style
Thanks, David!
I decided to keep the stock ship's wheel. I played around with scratch building a wheel, but nearly every technique I found required a milling machine. The shipyard has a formal request for one submitted to the Admiralty, but so far no word!
I painted the wheel "Milwaukee Road Boxcar Red" which is a pretty good approximation of varnished mahogany. I may stick with the stock transom lights also. Am I getting a little lazy, or just anxious to finish the model?
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Cap'n Rat Fink reacted to DocBlake in Armed Virginia Sloop Patrick Henry by DocBlake - FINISHED - Lauck Street Shipyard - Scale = 1/32 - POF Admiralty Style
Thanks, Brian and all for the "likes"
Here is the binnacle. This is similar to Dr. Feldman's original version as well as the MS version from their kit plans. the top needs 2 more coats of poly, and the hardware needs a coat of Testor's DullCote to knock off the shine.
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Cap'n Rat Fink reacted to DocBlake in Armed Virginia Sloop Patrick Henry by DocBlake - FINISHED - Lauck Street Shipyard - Scale = 1/32 - POF Admiralty Style
Back in the shipyard. I cut the scuppers into the inboard planking, then painted the inside of the sweep ports and gun ports with a sample of Benjamin Moore paint I had that matched the red heart fairly well. I did add some Dark Vintage Maple TransTint water soluble dye to darken it a little. The deck, planking and framing were given 3 coats of poly. I'm getting closer to the end. The binnacle is nearly done (pictures to come). Then all that's left are the rudder, the ship's wheel, the catheads and swivel gun supports, the guns themselves and the cabin roof framing and planking. Did I say "nearly done"?
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Cap'n Rat Fink reacted to DocBlake in Armed Virginia Sloop Patrick Henry by DocBlake - FINISHED - Lauck Street Shipyard - Scale = 1/32 - POF Admiralty Style
I didn't want to paint the 3-D printed windlass to look like wood, so I made my own out of boxwood and rosewood. I will keep the ship's wheel, though. I'll paint it to look like varnished mahogany.
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Cap'n Rat Fink reacted to DocBlake in Armed Virginia Sloop Patrick Henry by DocBlake - FINISHED - Lauck Street Shipyard - Scale = 1/32 - POF Admiralty Style
I framed in and partially paneled the window seat at the stern which covers the rudder head and tiller. It's just sitting there now. I won't permanently attach it until I complete the rigging that connects the tiller with the ship's wheel ( just in case I need to modify things to accommodate the rig.)
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Cap'n Rat Fink reacted to DocBlake in Armed Virginia Sloop Patrick Henry by DocBlake - FINISHED - Lauck Street Shipyard - Scale = 1/32 - POF Admiralty Style
Because I totally rebuilt the transom in the kit, using a plywood base, planked with pear and overlayed with a boxwood trim, the upper edge of the transom is not particularly attractive. The kit doesn't provide a taff rail because the stock transom is solid cherry hardwood with no plywood involved. I decided to add a taff rail made of boxwood. I soaked the wood then bent it around a template of the top of the transom. Nails hold it in place. I'll let it dry for 48 hours, then dye it black with Fiebring"s black leather dye. It will be glued in place after the great cabin cap rails are fitted.
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Cap'n Rat Fink reacted to DocBlake in Armed Virginia Sloop Patrick Henry by DocBlake - FINISHED - Lauck Street Shipyard - Scale = 1/32 - POF Admiralty Style
I'm starting to prepare the great cabin for framing. The roof deck clamps are in place and the aft-most roof beam has been glued to the transom framing. the problem is that the framing is too long and sticks up above the beam. I used my new Hishika saw to easily saw through the maple frames and remove them. I now need to fit each beam so that the roof (poop deck) sits flush on each and flows smoothly from the bulkhead of the great cabin to the stern. The first photo shows two frames cut, and the others too long. The second shows the Hishika saw cutting the framing, and the third is the final result.
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Cap'n Rat Fink reacted to DocBlake in Armed Virginia Sloop Patrick Henry by DocBlake - FINISHED - Lauck Street Shipyard - Scale = 1/32 - POF Admiralty Style
I added the reinforcing bands to the pumps. I'm playing around with adding some furniture and a couple of paintings on the wall of the great cabin. The portrait is stuck up there with double sided tape for the photo.
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