Cap'n Rat Fink

HERE IS THE REST OF THE PHOTOS....
 
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 

 
 
 
HAPPY MODELING EVERYONE!!!
 
 
 

THANKS FOR ALL THE LIKES...
 
     WELL HERE WE GO AGAIN WITH MY ADVENTURES IN METAL WORKING. LOOKING HOW RONNBERG WENT ABOUT MAKING THE GRAPNEL ANCHOR. I SAID OH BOY, MINE WAS NOT GOING TO COME OUT THAT GOOD. SO I HAD FIGURE SOME OTHER WAY TO WORK WITH MY FEEBLE METAL TALENTS.

SO HERE WE GO....I HOPE THE PICTURES EXPLAIN ENOUGH OF WHAT I WENT THROUGH. IF NOT PLEASE ASK AWAY. I REALLY LIKE SHARING WHAT I GO THROUGH IN HOPES IT WILL ASSIST OTHERS IN THEIR MODELING ADVENTURES.

 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 

HI JOHN AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
 
SO ONWARD WE GO WITH ADDED MORE OF LITTLE THINGS. I TRIED CARVING THE LOGGERHEAD INSTEAD OF JUST TURNING IT ON THE LATHE. NEXT TIME IT'S THE LATHE. I AM STICKING WITH WHAT I DO BEST...HAHA!
 
 

 
THE HARPOON CROTCH AND THE TUB OAR CROTCH FROM BASSWOOD...
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
TRYING TO BETTER MY METAL WORKING SKILLS WHICH I HAVE NON TO SPEAK OF. THE TUB OAR LOCK WAS A LITTLE CHALLENGE WITH SILVER SOLDERING. IT CAME OUT PRETTY GOOD. SOLDERING SMALL ITEMS IS A CHALLENGE FOR ME. LARGER ITEMS NO BIGGIE. RONNBERG HAS THIS IN HIS BOOK, BUT THESE WERE USED IN THE LATE 1860's THRU EARLY 1870's. WHY HE HAD THIS IN HIS BOOK AND ON THE PLANS??? ALL I CAN FIGURE IS THE BOAT DID NOT CHANGE MUCH IN EVERYTHING ELSE SO MAYBE THAT's  WHY. I AM JUST GUESSING HERE. IF I WANTED TO USE IT I COULD???
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
HAPPY MODELING!!!
 
 
 

AND A LILLE MORE....
 
 

 
 

 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 
YOU ALL HAVE A NICE MODELING DAY!!!
 
 
 
 
 

I DECIDED TO PULL AWAY FROM THE BOAT TODAY AND WORK THE WHALE HARPOON GUN. I HAD TO FILE THE KIT GUN A BIT TO LOOK LIKE I WANTED IT TOO. MY BUDDY WHO USE ALL THE MATERIAL EXCEPT FOR A FEW ITEMS AND WOOD LEFT THE GUN. SO I WORKED IT OVER TO MY LIKING...
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 

 
 
 

HI JOHN AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
 
SO ONWARD WE GO WITH ADDED MORE OF LITTLE THINGS. I TRIED CARVING THE LOGGERHEAD INSTEAD OF JUST TURNING IT ON THE LATHE. NEXT TIME IT'S THE LATHE. I AM STICKING WITH WHAT I DO BEST...HAHA!
 
 

 
THE HARPOON CROTCH AND THE TUB OAR CROTCH FROM BASSWOOD...
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
TRYING TO BETTER MY METAL WORKING SKILLS WHICH I HAVE NON TO SPEAK OF. THE TUB OAR LOCK WAS A LITTLE CHALLENGE WITH SILVER SOLDERING. IT CAME OUT PRETTY GOOD. SOLDERING SMALL ITEMS IS A CHALLENGE FOR ME. LARGER ITEMS NO BIGGIE. RONNBERG HAS THIS IN HIS BOOK, BUT THESE WERE USED IN THE LATE 1860's THRU EARLY 1870's. WHY HE HAD THIS IN HIS BOOK AND ON THE PLANS??? ALL I CAN FIGURE IS THE BOAT DID NOT CHANGE MUCH IN EVERYTHING ELSE SO MAYBE THAT's  WHY. I AM JUST GUESSING HERE. IF I WANTED TO USE IT I COULD???
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
HAPPY MODELING!!!
 
 
 

Excellent work, Mario, and very clear explanations of your processes.
 
John

AND A LILLE MORE....
 
 

 
 

 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 
YOU ALL HAVE A NICE MODELING DAY!!!
 
 
 
 
 

AND A LILLE MORE....
 
 

 
 

 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 
YOU ALL HAVE A NICE MODELING DAY!!!
 
 
 
 
 

THANKS JOHN, and THANK YOU ALL FOR THE LIKES!!!
 
 
SO I CONTINUE ON WILL ALL THE LITTLE BIT TO ADD TO THE HULL OF THE BOAT....
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 

AND A LILLE MORE....
 
 

 
 

 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 
YOU ALL HAVE A NICE MODELING DAY!!!
 
 
 
 
 

THANKS JOHN, and THANK YOU ALL FOR THE LIKES!!!
 
 
SO I CONTINUE ON WILL ALL THE LITTLE BIT TO ADD TO THE HULL OF THE BOAT....
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 

Excellent re-working of the harpoon gun, mate!
 
John

I DECIDED TO PULL AWAY FROM THE BOAT TODAY AND WORK THE WHALE HARPOON GUN. I HAD TO FILE THE KIT GUN A BIT TO LOOK LIKE I WANTED IT TOO. MY BUDDY WHO USE ALL THE MATERIAL EXCEPT FOR A FEW ITEMS AND WOOD LEFT THE GUN. SO I WORKED IT OVER TO MY LIKING...
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 

 
 
 

Thank you for the likes everyone!
 
 
 

 
 Now for the thwart knees and the pads. I decided to use basswod because the thwarts were boxwood. Since both are light colored I figured it would make for a nice contrast. I pre- bended one of the strips ahead of the knees. No reason.
 
 

 
Once I figured the curve to the knee I made a little template so I would have the same curve for all 12 knees.
 
 

 
Made all the knees a little proud so I could just do a little sanding in place, till they were flush with the wales. The one knee to the extreme left is completed.
 
 

 
Even though I pre- bended the strips I Soaked the strips for about a minute and placed them on the knees and cloths pinned them for a few minutes so they would conform to the curve on the knee. I cut them to length and glued them in place afterwards. Per the practicum this was going to be done with 2 lamination's. The clothes worked very well, because the inside of the pin was of course wood and rounded  which helped keeping the pin from leaving a mark on the soft basswood.
 
 

 
working on the 2nd lamination.
 

 
Both lamination's in place, glued, sanded, and ready for wipe-on poly. The two different tones of light colored wood came out real nice for my taste.
 
 

 
And how I left it last night. Just a little finish and we be done.
 
LATER YOU ALL!!!
 
 
 

I can pretty call this area done, except for the drilling of the hole for the mast. The instruction say to do this ahead of time. For me I figured I can better locate where the mast hole should be placed.
 
 
 
 
 


 






 
 
Like I mentioned earlier. I was going with not just the main sail, but also add the jib. It required me to add a few more bits at the bow. The jib cleats and jib staple. The staple was in some boats just for the simple reason that they would at times run the line to the jib thru a staple located just under the chock.
 
 
 

THE NEXT 2 PHOTOS OF THROUGH ALSO SHOW SOME OF THE gaping OF THE FLOORING. I DID THIS BY USING CARD IN BETWEEN EACH FLOOR. WHEN YOU READ ABOUT THESE BOATS, THEY WERE BUILT AND THEY WERE BUILT FAST. SO THEY WERE BUILT ROUGH. WITH GAPS HERE AND THERE. I JUST WANTED MY BOAT A LITTLE CLOSE TO THE REAL THING.


NOW THE CHOCK LOCATED AT THE BOW IS WHERE THE WHALE LINE WOULD RUN WHEN A WHALE WAS SPEARED. THE CHOCK WAS PROTECTED BY A BRASS, LEAD, LIGNUM VITAE, WHALEBONE OR A ROLLER. THE KIT PROVIDER A ROLLER, BUT MY FRIEND USED IT WHEN I GAVE HIM THIS KIT. I USED A FISH WEIGHT OF COURSE MADE OF LEAD AND SHAPED IT TO FIT. IF YOU HAVE NOTICE THE HOLES DRILLED IN THE BOX ARE IN A TRIANGULAR SHAPE. THEY DRILLED IN THIS PATTERN OR A DIAMOND SHAPE. NOW THEY NOT FOR DRAINAGE BUT FOR THE CHOCK PINS. THE PINS WERE USED TO HELP KEEP THE WHALE LINE FROM JUMPING OUT OF THE CHOCK.


THEY SAY IF THE CHOCK WASN'T PROTECTED IN THIS CASE WITH LEAD THE CHOCK AND STEM POST WOULD BARELY LAST ONE SEASON, IT WOULD WEAR DOWN VERY FAST.
































AND NOW ONWARD TO THE BUILDING OF THE TABERNACLE. THIS MODEL IS A LOT OF FUN, BECAUSE IT HAS A LOT OF LITTLE BITS TO DO HERE AND THERE WHICH I ENJOYING MAKING...
 

THANKS JOHN, COMING FROM YOU A MASTER BUILDER IT MEANS A LOT SIR!!!
 
 
 
OK WERE DID WE LEAVE OFF AT. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF BUILDING THE TROUGH FOR THE BOAT.



I BUILT THE WHOLE TROUGH AWAY FROM THE MODEL. IT MADE THE PROCESS EASIER, AND MADE IT SIMPLE TO LINES THINGS UP...

































 

HERE ARE FEW PICS OF ME ADDING THE TROUGH. NOTHING IS GLUED EXCEPT THE LARGER TWART. I NEEDED THE TWART GLUED SO I CAN BETTER FIT THE TROUGH AND THE LAST TWART AT THE BOW.













 

NOW WHERE RONNBERG's BOOK IS SUPERB FOR BUILDING THE BOAT, I DO FAVOR ANSEL's BOOK THE WHALEBOAT IS GREAT FOR ADDING DETAILS TO THE BOAT. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO KNOW ME KNOW HOW I AM. I TRY TO MAKE MY MODEL MY OWN, BY CHANGING THINGS UP. IN ANSEL's BOOK HE SHOWS THE N.B. BOAT WITH A MAST TROUGH AND A JIB SAIL. SO I WILL BE GOING IN THAT DIRECTION TO MAKE MY MODEL DIFFENT FROM OTHER MODELS OF THE BOAT.

HERE ARE A FEW PICS OF WHY I WENT IN THIS DIRECTION.....





















 

THANKS YOU JOHN , and VLADIMIR,
 
 
 
HI EVERYONE,
JUST GOT A LITTLE BUSY WITH THINGS AROUND THE HOUSE, BUT I AM BACK TO MODELING AGAIN. FINISHING UP THE STIFFNERS AND THE FOOT BRACE WHICH ARE NOW COMPLETED. THEN THE PREVENTER CLEATS WHICH I MADE FROM 1/8" SQUARE BOXWOOD WHERE NEXT.
AS FOR THE THIGH BOARD IT WAS FAIRLY SIMPLE. I HAD TO DRILL HOLES FOR THE LIFTING STRAP, KICKING STRAP, AND THE CLUMSY CLEAT ALL LOCATED ON THE THIGH BOARD. ONCE DONE I DID NOT INSTALL THE BOARD BECAUSE I HAD TO WORK WITH THE TREADED "BOX". WHY DO I SAY THIS? WELL REMEMBER I STARTED THIS LOG A FEW YEARS BACK AND THEN I GOT BUSY. I LEFT FOR ALMOST 2 YRS. STUPID ME WHEN I READ THRU RONNBERG's BOOK I CAME TO THE BOX. I DIDN'T AGREE WITH THE RONNBERG's INSTRUCTIONS AS TO WHEN TO DO THE BOX. I MADE MY PLANS, BUT TOTALLY FORGOT. WHICH MADE BUILDING THE BOX A ROYAL PAIN THE BUTT!!! I WAS PLANNING ON MAKING TEMPLATES OF THE BOX BEFORE THE INWALES, BOX CHOCKS, GUNWALES, AND THE CHEEKS WHERE ALL INSTALLED. BY FORGETTING TO DO SO, EVERYTHING WAS IN THE WAY AND BUILDING THE BOX TURNED INTO A PAIN. IF I HAD REMEMBERED HOW I WAS GOING TO GO ABOUT BUILDING THE BOX IT WOULD OF BEEN A BREEZE TO DO. "STUPID ME".
I PRIDE MYSELF THAT I TRY TO LOOK AHEAD AND PLAN THINGS WAY AHEAD OF TIME TO MAKE THINGS EASY ON ME. PRACTICUMS ARE GOOD BUT TO ME THEY ARE MORE LIKE THE "PIRATES CODE".....MORE LIKE GUIDELINES. LOL!

SO HERE WE GO....






















 

Another update on the little details this whale boat has a bunch of....























 

Hi Mario, thank you very much for the encouragement. Just today I was looking at your very sharp and clean whaleboat. I really like your use of different woods as well.
 
I have slowed down some in the last few weeks when I didn't get the look that I wanted from the .045" whale line. It just seems too pudgy to me as they sit on the harpoons. In any case I ordered a Rope Rocket from Syren and today ordered assorted threads for experimentation. I'm trying to get as much scale into the project as I can so I'll attempt to get the line a little thinner and a more "bright straw" color. I hope the learning curve isn't too long! In the meantime I put some time into the steering oar brace chaff mat: (somehow all my shots are smaller ..??..)
 

 
... trying out the look of a "sword mat". Ashley #2964

 

 
The oar lock lanyards and the shroud lines are in as well as the trip line and steering oar strop.

 

 
The strop covering is a piece of shrink tube painted with a little burnt umber. 
 
Comments, corrections and suggestions are always welcome.
Mike
 

Hi Vladimir, thank you for visiting the page. I do appreciate your input and comments. I think this kit is a great one for putting in as much scale detail as one feels like. I've decided not to rush this one so I could pick up all the tips on this web site as I can before moving on... and there are plenty of tips to check out.
 
So, this is a proud day for me. I finally pulled off a satisfactory "in place" eye splice using 4 strand .035" rope. Of course, tomorrow I will need an appointment with the eye doctor for a realignment of my eye balls! The eye splice is for the boat warp and has a line length of 45 inches per the build manual.

 
I made a couple of sweedish fids from brass tube for the sticking and tucking.

 
I only used 2 tucks. It seems to me that the rope twist gets tighter using more tucks which makes it more difficult to lift a strand with the fid. I could be imagining that (??). This shot also shows 10 or so chock pins. They were whittled into shape and meant to snap when the whale line got snagged.
 

 
Time to glean some more tips from this site on how to coil up the line to look authentic.
 
Thanks again,
Mike