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TBlack

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Everything posted by TBlack

  1. TBlack
    Michael, I don't actually own the book. I found it in our local library. It has to go back tomorrow, but I think I've gotten adequate notes to get me through the standing rigging. I'll get it out again when I need to do the running stuff. Tom
  2. TBlack
    Brian, the ambitious part is the scale; it's smaller than 1:96. At my age, I can't work on her too long before my hands start to shake. Fortunately, I didn't commit myself to a time schedule on this project, but I don't get paid until I deliver the goods! Crackers, I've decided to employ the Cutty Sark kind of shroud set-up (no channels). My source, Harold Underhill, in his Masting and Rigging the Clipper Ship, plate 21, page 118 shows that wooden ships did indeed have deadeyes set up on the main rail; they're supported by chainplates which I've omitted. Furthermore, I'm trying not to alter the original model too much beyond what it was. I'm making a few small corrections here and there (I'll be adding ship's boats to the top of the house), but it's still folk art. Tom
  3. TBlack
    A little more progress. Got the bowsprit/jib boom area rigged and all stays forward. Moving aft. I opted to rig the futtock shrouds and top mast srouds while the mast was off the boat, thinking it would be easier. I've never tried that before, and I don't think it will interfere with the shrouds below. Tom
  4. TBlack
    Andy, I agree with you, the stave doesn't look overly large; it'll pass. You're getting pretty good at this serving stuff; very neatly done, cap't.! Tom
  5. TBlack
    Popeye, Isn't it great when the admiralty has an appreciation for our art/craft/science/hobby? I have a brother who is an architect and who tried to give me a "simple" CAD program to use. The manual is 1.5" thick!.....too much information! The program resides on my computer gathering dust (pixels?). Tom
  6. TBlack
    Thanks, Michael, the hard part of the mouldings is cutting the razor blade properly. If everything lines up, it's a miracle. If I knew how to use a CAD program, it might have been simpler. Tom
  7. TBlack
    Thanks, guys, for the support. I'm getting there! Tom
  8. TBlack
    Except for some stain on the moulding, I've finished the boat deck. It's not secured yet, as I have to install support pillars along the edge and I thought it might be easier to fit them before securing the deck. The moulding is basswood subjected to scraping with a razor blade. Pretty straightforward except at the forward end. There's an "S" curve that gave me fits. But we came through it largely intact.
  9. TBlack
    The bulwarks must have been fun to fit! It's a little hard to see from the photos, but is it one long strip, or several pieces? Following the sheer line and angling and not much gluing surface? Good work! Tom
  10. TBlack
    Peter, You and Dan have quite the shipyard there. I count from April 7 to now as 5 months and a week to build this beauty. Fast work! Nicely done. BTW, where do you stow that huge dime? Tom
  11. TBlack
    John, Thanks for the corroboration. I've received my supply of blocks from Chuck Passaro; truly remarkable little creations, with the emphasis on little. Here's a picture of the 2mm single block. The first picture is for our folks who are members of the Commonwealth, the second is for our stateside viewers . Stropping it is going to be a challenge. Notice 2 holes, not one! Tom
  12. TBlack
    I've been involved with putting hardware on the masts prior to stepping them back on the model. I mentioned that I'm using Harold Underhill's book on masting and rigging the clipper ship as my guide through the rigging process. In that book Underhill says that while the yards for the courses are fixed to the mast, each yard above them are fitted with halyards. Fine so far. Then he states that the lifts for the course yards can be adjusted while the lifts for the upper yards are all fixed. Does that sound right? And does that mean that if you raise the main topsail yard, for example, that the lifts go slack? Tom
  13. TBlack
    Cap't Bob, As you know, I, too, like to step away from sailing craft from time to time. I think it adds to our diversity. I'm eager to see how you tackle this build. Tom
  14. TBlack
    Michael, Popeye, Bob, Thanks for the thoughts and sentiment. For me, this project has been a new frontier, at least above the hull. A squared rigged ship doesn't have a superstructure as such. It has deck furniture. Maintaining the sweep of the sheer line for several decks, and knowing that it would be a visible feature of the model had me pondering. how to go about it. I chose to extend the bulkheads up through to the 01 level which seems to have worked. The other new area was my use of styrene in various places on the model. It has its pluses and minuses, but is a helpful medium especially around the pilot house. The only area yet to do that has me in a quandry is the eagle on top of the pilot house. I'm hoping to produce something that passes. We'll see. Tom
  15. TBlack
    Popeye, For you, anything always! My fellow yankee inspiration: I'm in the middle of applying "canvas" to the boat deck.
  16. TBlack
    JC Frankie, I know that the owner of this model is about my age and that his grandfather bought the model. So, say it was bought around 1890-1900. The restoration is not complicated; it's the scale that's getting to me. I bought an optivisor for this project; that's made a world of difference! I'm going to try some of Chuck Passaro's smallest cordage for the larger stays and shrouds, although I haven't a clue whether it will be to scale. Tom
  17. TBlack
    Bob, looks like a fun project. I have to salute you for two reasons: your ability and facility with CAD programs, and your ability to work in 1:96! Kudos to you! This will be fun for us spectators. Tom
  18. TBlack
    John, It's a pretty small scale ( less than 1:96) the holes in a 2 mm deadeye look almost invisible! Hope I'm up to it. Tom
  19. TBlack
    John, Vinalhaven is starting to look like something. This deck shouldn't be too hard to put together. It all seems to fit OK. In that picture I'm actually in tears and she's trying to comfort me. It's the first time I've seen her in that dress..."my little girl" has disappeared and this young woman has taken her place; what the heck happened!? Tom
  20. TBlack
    "Just painting" takes a while. The main problem was the gold stripe along the side. It's in a groove that is not sharply defined (the edges wander a bit). That makes it very difficult to place masking tape. Some of you folks have an artistic background and could probably paint the stripe freehand; not me...I need all the help I can get. Anyway, here it is with those deadeyes from Cornwall (fast delivery, by the way). I just guessed on the appropriate size. These are 2mm and 3mm. I don't think they look too out-of-scale? Tom
  21. TBlack
    Thanks Bob, I've had some health issues that side-lined me for a while, and I'm working on a restoration of a clipper ship "Amanda" that is giving me fits and taking its own sweet time (I'll up-date that later). And Robbyn isn't the only one who went to a wedding this August. Here are me and my daughter:
  22. TBlack
    I've gotten the boat deck shaped and fitted; it's 1/32" plywood. I'm assuming the decking would have been canvas which I'll simulated with painted card stock, overlapping the edges to create seams. The second photo shows that the edge of that deck had a wooden border laid over the canvas around the edge.Pretty straightforward. Tom
  23. TBlack
    Look at that overhang! It could almost double as a harpoon! The sea is calm and yet the deck is awash.
  24. TBlack
    Just dropping in to let you know that, despite several serious health problems, a daughter's wedding and other responsibilities, I have made some progress on this project. More importantly, I've also decided on the scope of my work which will allow me to move forward more purposefully. On the spars, I needed to make one royal yardarm, two mast caps and one mast top, and paint the whole thing. On the hull, so far, it's just painting to make it more crisp looking. Although, you'll see holes in the cap rail where I've pulled out a series of eyes that will be replaced with deadeyes, coming from Cornwall. Blocks will be from C. Passaro,
  25. TBlack
    I'll second what Frank just mentioned. You must have a huge shop to be able to tackle all of these projects at once. But I'd also comment on how focused we all are on the model. What I really want to know is how the blackberry muffins turned out that you made back on the 14th? Tom

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