Mike Dowling

Beautiful job Mike.

I like the railing you added on the upper deck; looks like you added a stairway access as well since previous photos, so I'm sure the passengers will appreciate the rail, too.
 
Very nice model.

Not a dumb question at all my friend. I have been used to doing kits with laser cut pieces. Very easy to remove from the boards and, except maybe for the scorch marks, very easy to work with.
I have now completed two Constructo kits, the REL and Louise both of which I am pleased with in the end but, they don't use the same process for parts. As a result what you get are clearly marked sheets of pieces but not fully cut so you have to follow grooves with an xacto or similar. Also the quality of their plywood parts is certainly questionable when compared with other manufacturers.
I can't be too damning of Constructo because they do finish up being nice models but there are certainly better quality kits out there with better instructions.
 
I hope that is helpful to you in some way.

Thank you to everyone, Strangely enough after all this time I decided to put another row of railings on the wheelhouse deck because somehow the boat just didn't look finished. I reckon it was well worth the effort.
I really am very grateful for all the comments and especially glad that the unpainted approach is appreciated.
 
 
 

Thank you to everyone, Strangely enough after all this time I decided to put another row of railings on the wheelhouse deck because somehow the boat just didn't look finished. I reckon it was well worth the effort.
I really am very grateful for all the comments and especially glad that the unpainted approach is appreciated.
 
 
 

Thank you to everyone, Strangely enough after all this time I decided to put another row of railings on the wheelhouse deck because somehow the boat just didn't look finished. I reckon it was well worth the effort.
I really am very grateful for all the comments and especially glad that the unpainted approach is appreciated.
 
 
 

Thank you to everyone, Strangely enough after all this time I decided to put another row of railings on the wheelhouse deck because somehow the boat just didn't look finished. I reckon it was well worth the effort.
I really am very grateful for all the comments and especially glad that the unpainted approach is appreciated.
 
 
 

Thank you to everyone, Strangely enough after all this time I decided to put another row of railings on the wheelhouse deck because somehow the boat just didn't look finished. I reckon it was well worth the effort.
I really am very grateful for all the comments and especially glad that the unpainted approach is appreciated.
 
 
 

I've only built 2.5 kits so far. My first was a Constucto, and the second Model Shipways. I also did a side build of a Midwest kit.
 
Constructo - cheaper kit, the bulkheads were too few and too far apart in my opinion. Not a bad kit overall, but the material was thin and easily broken. The wood types included were nice, and it did build into a decent looking model, although I replaced the oversized and extremely fuzzy rigging line. Instructions were terrible, and I don't know if I could have finished it without finding MSW.
 
Midwest canoe - Simple kit with decent wood and good instructions. Still some issues, but nothing show stopping. Not a lot of extra material if you make major mistakes.
 
Model Shipways - Armed Virginia Sloop - Frame and bulkheads tightly spaced and good quality basswood. Lots of extra material included. Instructions are quite decent. Some of the cast parts are quite decent, others fairly bad. Rigging line is terrible, and blocks are also pretty bad, I replaced both. Excellent customer service and parts replacement support. Don't get their paint, it's pretty bad. Overall a good quality kit, in my opinion.

Thank you to everyone, Strangely enough after all this time I decided to put another row of railings on the wheelhouse deck because somehow the boat just didn't look finished. I reckon it was well worth the effort.
I really am very grateful for all the comments and especially glad that the unpainted approach is appreciated.
 
 
 

mike   I think she looks great   I cant see any of the warping   and the non paintage  looks great 

Well folks, here she is warts and all !! I can't say I am sorry that she is finished but I do think she looks better than I expected her to. I am very glad I put on the extra railings as I think they make a big difference. The rigging such as it is, is rather minimal but there has been a lot about this kit which has been like that from the start.
 
Despite my best efforts the decks have continued to warp even after gluing and even managed to break some of the glue joints. Without doing a complete rebuild there is absolutely nothing I could do about it so I just have to live with it.
 
I really love the wood finish because of the colours and it does make it very different from the other Robert E Lee builds I have seen. Apart from the lovely pre warped decks etc the biggest challenge of this build for me has been the really tight bending of various kinds of wood and I have learnt a few lessons from it. The only painted bits on her are the windows, doors, railings and funnels,  otherwise it is all varnish.
 
It will not surprise any of you to know that I couldn't recommend Constructo kits to anyone. Having done two now I share others opinions about the poor quality of supplied wood. I had to raid my 'stores' on several occasions. I know Constructo kits are at the cheaper end of the market and now I know why. I shall not be doing another kit from that stable !!
 
My next effort will be another kit from my tried and tested OcCre manufacturer.
 
 

Thank you to everyone, Strangely enough after all this time I decided to put another row of railings on the wheelhouse deck because somehow the boat just didn't look finished. I reckon it was well worth the effort.
I really am very grateful for all the comments and especially glad that the unpainted approach is appreciated.
 
 
 

She's looking great Boyd! Nice score with the sander. 

Nicely done.  This is the first Robert E. Lee that i have seen that is not white with red trim I like the natural look.  Though I rarely go that route.  Bravo!
David B

Well done Mike - a great job.  In reading your log I sense the same frustration that I felt with all the 'fiddly bits' and achieving the tight tolerances that the model requires.  You did well to finish it in four months as it contains a bit more detail than the Amati version that I built, especially on the hull.
There is more than you might think in building the RE Lee but I agree with you - it is well worth the effort.
Roger

Well folks, here she is warts and all !! I can't say I am sorry that she is finished but I do think she looks better than I expected her to. I am very glad I put on the extra railings as I think they make a big difference. The rigging such as it is, is rather minimal but there has been a lot about this kit which has been like that from the start.
 
Despite my best efforts the decks have continued to warp even after gluing and even managed to break some of the glue joints. Without doing a complete rebuild there is absolutely nothing I could do about it so I just have to live with it.
 
I really love the wood finish because of the colours and it does make it very different from the other Robert E Lee builds I have seen. Apart from the lovely pre warped decks etc the biggest challenge of this build for me has been the really tight bending of various kinds of wood and I have learnt a few lessons from it. The only painted bits on her are the windows, doors, railings and funnels,  otherwise it is all varnish.
 
It will not surprise any of you to know that I couldn't recommend Constructo kits to anyone. Having done two now I share others opinions about the poor quality of supplied wood. I had to raid my 'stores' on several occasions. I know Constructo kits are at the cheaper end of the market and now I know why. I shall not be doing another kit from that stable !!
 
My next effort will be another kit from my tried and tested OcCre manufacturer.
 
 

Here goes then, next update.
 
The ventilation deck is now on and in the right place !! I had a senior moment when I first glued it on and managed to get it off centre. So, more soaking to get it off before replacing it correctly.
 
I have also included a photo using a 5p piece to show the 'right angle' bends that this kit requires I can tell you my wood bending skills have been tested with these. I have tried several methods but the way it has worked out has been to soak the wood in really hot water but only for about 15 minutes then bend really carefully using a hand held mechanical plank bender - the one with the blade - very, very carefully. If the wood isn't soaked enough it just snaps, if left too long it gets too soft and the 'blade' goes straight through it. I am very glad to say that with this particular wood I only have four more bends like those to do.
 
Plenty more bending to come for hand rails though with 1mm square bass wood and if I can't do it I will have to resort to styrene. Anyway that is in the future.
 
I have also put in one photo of the 'invisible' paddle wheels !! Someone else said it was an awful lot of effort for things that don't show and I am very inclined to agree with them !!
 
 

Thank you Mark, George, Pat, Druxey, Daniel, Grant and Bob.
 
 
That must be what those guys in white coats knocking at my door want .
 
Well, here are the final pics - she's all complete. Apart from the accident with the mast the whole build went according to plan, and I am very happy with the result. So is my partner - after all, I built it as a present for her :
 

 

 

 

 
  Danny

Hi all, seems like a long time since my last post but thought i would wait till i had something to show . I wanted to make sure i had the deck finished before i fixed the masts so i revisited the cannons and decided to add a simple back tackle , just to take the bare look of it ,also added a few cannon ball racks and think i will leave it at that .
 

 

 
these are made with 2 mm blocks with a hook at one end and a 2mm ring on the deck end  
I now have the 3 masts ready for rigging , i left the top fittings off untill the shrouds etc are fitted which means a lot of the work can be done off ship 
I decided to go with the black seizing on the natural shrouds and am happy with the result but won,t tie anything permenantly untill later in case i need to make a few adjustments 
 

 
the next few pics are of the simple tool i used to keep the deadeyes a constant distance . I have seen several variations on many logs so nothing new ,but they are a must so worth mentioning.
 

 

 

 
Next pics show masts in place although not yet permanent or squared 
 

 

 
I,m sorry my pictures seem to be mixed up at least in the preview , the last 2 were supposed to be of my latest tool purchase , the Proxxon sander . I was thinking ahead to my next build which will probably be an attempt at a Triton cross section and am hoping this will do as a thickness sander as well , time will tell ? I haven,t used it yet but i think it will be usefull 
 

 

That looks really nice Mike. I have just seen your p.m from nearly 1 year ago! Sorry, I have not done any modelling for a while and have only fleetingly looked in on the site. The build looks very good.

Well folks, here she is warts and all !! I can't say I am sorry that she is finished but I do think she looks better than I expected her to. I am very glad I put on the extra railings as I think they make a big difference. The rigging such as it is, is rather minimal but there has been a lot about this kit which has been like that from the start.
 
Despite my best efforts the decks have continued to warp even after gluing and even managed to break some of the glue joints. Without doing a complete rebuild there is absolutely nothing I could do about it so I just have to live with it.
 
I really love the wood finish because of the colours and it does make it very different from the other Robert E Lee builds I have seen. Apart from the lovely pre warped decks etc the biggest challenge of this build for me has been the really tight bending of various kinds of wood and I have learnt a few lessons from it. The only painted bits on her are the windows, doors, railings and funnels,  otherwise it is all varnish.
 
It will not surprise any of you to know that I couldn't recommend Constructo kits to anyone. Having done two now I share others opinions about the poor quality of supplied wood. I had to raid my 'stores' on several occasions. I know Constructo kits are at the cheaper end of the market and now I know why. I shall not be doing another kit from that stable !!
 
My next effort will be another kit from my tried and tested OcCre manufacturer.
 
 

The rest of the photos for now

Yes, I know what you mean, there is 700 little men below deck but the planking hide them too. Funny though, make an error and everyone sees it. Which to be honest for me is very helpful, somethings you don't notice when your working on it, until a third party points it out. Then its oh yes, of course 
 
Just a pic or two to help anyone out.

If it is of interest, OcCre do a cross section of the Santisima Trinidad (which I am building at the moment) and also a full size model at the same scale of the same boat. I am a big fan of OcCre kits as their quality and instructions seem better than most. Hope this is helpful.