ChrisLBren

Wednesday, September 24th, 2014 - Some Pictures of "Le Cyclope"  
In the absence of new material from my model to show, I start to post some messages in which you can understand what kind of sailing ship I'm building and its appearance once finished. 
I'm starting with some pictures of a model of an unknown author, although I think should be B. Frolich, of one of the 22 bricks de 24 designed by Pestel.
It is "Le Cyclope". 
Le Cyclope was set up in 1804 and launched in 1810 in Genoa. Armed with sixteen 6pdrs guns she was transferred to Italy in June 1810. 
Good vision, Jack.Aubrey.
 
01 Le%20Cyclope/dsc_0336_zps99d9a8ea.jpg

02 Le%20Cyclope/dsc_0338_zpsd16f2304.jpg

03 Le%20Cyclope/dsc_0339_zps3651ac8f.jpg

04 Le%20Cyclope/dsc_0340_zps2e72d043.jpg

05 Le%20Cyclope/dsc_0344_zps699eb6e5.jpg

To be continued . .
 

Thanks AP, Rusty, Nils and for all the likes.
 
Rusty - it's good to see you back around.
 
So the rough fairing has been completed and frame pair K which is the first frame bend has now been installed with its spacers. I am making and installing the floor spacers from 4" Swiss pear as the square frames go in, and the frame bend spacers are 4" boxwood that I hope will give a little bit of contrast.
 
As of today, frame 14fore and frame pair J have been cut out and need assembly, hopefully over next few days.
 
Ben

Hey Andy,
 
Here are some photos of my WVH as she stands today - I built her between 2002-2005 using mostly kit parts - single planked with the walnut wood provided.  I followed Corel directions as to where and how to start your planking run.  It turns out well - - as you can see the wales are placed on top of the planking after she's fully planked -which is not correct. You see a lot of kit models constructed this way - because its easier. Wales go on first to determine your planking run - then you plank from there.  If you want to paint your hull off white though - you can cover up the inaccurate run if you choose to follow the instructions.
 
I also attached some photos of the main deck - I milled my own holly for deck planking and tried to do a cut away to show the lower gun deck - which at the time seemed like a good idea - but now looks wrong to me - there would have been a few more beams here.  I also scratched my own gun carriages - because the ones in my kit were metal - i understand they have replaced these in newer kits.
 
The good news is I did a lot of research - Corel's plans are strong. I did some research secondary sources and the other sheets of plans I ordered to research the WPV. Some things are simplified - but overall Corel did a nice job.  
 
Look forward to seeing your progress,
Chris

Norman,
 
I am surely not an expert about bitumen, but here is how I use it. About UV stability, I do not think that it does matter simply because models are intended to see the sun. The key is the quantity, effectively, too small quantity, it will not be enough apparent and too thick it will not dry. Usually bitumen is applied mainly on the hull, on large surface.  Bee wax is added in the mixture, so oxidation, I guess, is  not acting that much.
Bee wax has been used for centuries for wood cabinetry. In this case bitumen is added to this mixture to simulate time aging and I like the effect.

Andy heres' a Russian build log that might be helpful
 
http://chez-xandra.be/publ/16-1-0-60

Andy heres' a Russian build log that might be helpful
 
http://chez-xandra.be/publ/16-1-0-60

Andy heres' a Russian build log that might be helpful
 
http://chez-xandra.be/publ/16-1-0-60

Thanks guys - Max I used two sets of plans from two German books written about 16th and 17th German warships - I'd be more than happy to share my research if Andy doesn't mind - I don't want to hijack his thread.  
 
I may or may not restart this build in the near term - first I have to finish my scratch built Confederacy and then I was thinking about moving onto the La Jacinthe.  At the same time - I have kept the WVH in storage since 2006 - its a great kit and does deserve to be finished.

Hey Andy,
 
Here are some photos of my WVH as she stands today - I built her between 2002-2005 using mostly kit parts - single planked with the walnut wood provided.  I followed Corel directions as to where and how to start your planking run.  It turns out well - - as you can see the wales are placed on top of the planking after she's fully planked -which is not correct. You see a lot of kit models constructed this way - because its easier. Wales go on first to determine your planking run - then you plank from there.  If you want to paint your hull off white though - you can cover up the inaccurate run if you choose to follow the instructions.
 
I also attached some photos of the main deck - I milled my own holly for deck planking and tried to do a cut away to show the lower gun deck - which at the time seemed like a good idea - but now looks wrong to me - there would have been a few more beams here.  I also scratched my own gun carriages - because the ones in my kit were metal - i understand they have replaced these in newer kits.
 
The good news is I did a lot of research - Corel's plans are strong. I did some research secondary sources and the other sheets of plans I ordered to research the WPV. Some things are simplified - but overall Corel did a nice job.  
 
Look forward to seeing your progress,
Chris

Hey Andy,
 
Here are some photos of my WVH as she stands today - I built her between 2002-2005 using mostly kit parts - single planked with the walnut wood provided.  I followed Corel directions as to where and how to start your planking run.  It turns out well - - as you can see the wales are placed on top of the planking after she's fully planked -which is not correct. You see a lot of kit models constructed this way - because its easier. Wales go on first to determine your planking run - then you plank from there.  If you want to paint your hull off white though - you can cover up the inaccurate run if you choose to follow the instructions.
 
I also attached some photos of the main deck - I milled my own holly for deck planking and tried to do a cut away to show the lower gun deck - which at the time seemed like a good idea - but now looks wrong to me - there would have been a few more beams here.  I also scratched my own gun carriages - because the ones in my kit were metal - i understand they have replaced these in newer kits.
 
The good news is I did a lot of research - Corel's plans are strong. I did some research secondary sources and the other sheets of plans I ordered to research the WPV. Some things are simplified - but overall Corel did a nice job.  
 
Look forward to seeing your progress,
Chris

Hey Andy,
 
Here are some photos of my WVH as she stands today - I built her between 2002-2005 using mostly kit parts - single planked with the walnut wood provided.  I followed Corel directions as to where and how to start your planking run.  It turns out well - - as you can see the wales are placed on top of the planking after she's fully planked -which is not correct. You see a lot of kit models constructed this way - because its easier. Wales go on first to determine your planking run - then you plank from there.  If you want to paint your hull off white though - you can cover up the inaccurate run if you choose to follow the instructions.
 
I also attached some photos of the main deck - I milled my own holly for deck planking and tried to do a cut away to show the lower gun deck - which at the time seemed like a good idea - but now looks wrong to me - there would have been a few more beams here.  I also scratched my own gun carriages - because the ones in my kit were metal - i understand they have replaced these in newer kits.
 
The good news is I did a lot of research - Corel's plans are strong. I did some research secondary sources and the other sheets of plans I ordered to research the WPV. Some things are simplified - but overall Corel did a nice job.  
 
Look forward to seeing your progress,
Chris

Hey Andy,
 
Here are some photos of my WVH as she stands today - I built her between 2002-2005 using mostly kit parts - single planked with the walnut wood provided.  I followed Corel directions as to where and how to start your planking run.  It turns out well - - as you can see the wales are placed on top of the planking after she's fully planked -which is not correct. You see a lot of kit models constructed this way - because its easier. Wales go on first to determine your planking run - then you plank from there.  If you want to paint your hull off white though - you can cover up the inaccurate run if you choose to follow the instructions.
 
I also attached some photos of the main deck - I milled my own holly for deck planking and tried to do a cut away to show the lower gun deck - which at the time seemed like a good idea - but now looks wrong to me - there would have been a few more beams here.  I also scratched my own gun carriages - because the ones in my kit were metal - i understand they have replaced these in newer kits.
 
The good news is I did a lot of research - Corel's plans are strong. I did some research secondary sources and the other sheets of plans I ordered to research the WPV. Some things are simplified - but overall Corel did a nice job.  
 
Look forward to seeing your progress,
Chris

Hey Andy,
 
Here are some photos of my WVH as she stands today - I built her between 2002-2005 using mostly kit parts - single planked with the walnut wood provided.  I followed Corel directions as to where and how to start your planking run.  It turns out well - - as you can see the wales are placed on top of the planking after she's fully planked -which is not correct. You see a lot of kit models constructed this way - because its easier. Wales go on first to determine your planking run - then you plank from there.  If you want to paint your hull off white though - you can cover up the inaccurate run if you choose to follow the instructions.
 
I also attached some photos of the main deck - I milled my own holly for deck planking and tried to do a cut away to show the lower gun deck - which at the time seemed like a good idea - but now looks wrong to me - there would have been a few more beams here.  I also scratched my own gun carriages - because the ones in my kit were metal - i understand they have replaced these in newer kits.
 
The good news is I did a lot of research - Corel's plans are strong. I did some research secondary sources and the other sheets of plans I ordered to research the WPV. Some things are simplified - but overall Corel did a nice job.  
 
Look forward to seeing your progress,
Chris

Hey Andy,
 
Here are some photos of my WVH as she stands today - I built her between 2002-2005 using mostly kit parts - single planked with the walnut wood provided.  I followed Corel directions as to where and how to start your planking run.  It turns out well - - as you can see the wales are placed on top of the planking after she's fully planked -which is not correct. You see a lot of kit models constructed this way - because its easier. Wales go on first to determine your planking run - then you plank from there.  If you want to paint your hull off white though - you can cover up the inaccurate run if you choose to follow the instructions.
 
I also attached some photos of the main deck - I milled my own holly for deck planking and tried to do a cut away to show the lower gun deck - which at the time seemed like a good idea - but now looks wrong to me - there would have been a few more beams here.  I also scratched my own gun carriages - because the ones in my kit were metal - i understand they have replaced these in newer kits.
 
The good news is I did a lot of research - Corel's plans are strong. I did some research secondary sources and the other sheets of plans I ordered to research the WPV. Some things are simplified - but overall Corel did a nice job.  
 
Look forward to seeing your progress,
Chris

Saturday, September 20, 2014  
Today I completed to cut the bulkheads, a small job because only few of them were missing. Below the images of the dry test that sounds pretty good, having no problems at all at this time. 
Then I did other tasks, little stuff, but I'll explain in detail in a future post. 
Regards, Jack.Aubrey.

01 Brick%20de%2024%20Plans/P1090964_zps101e0520.jpg

 
02 Brick%20de%2024%20Plans/P1090962_zps10a620cd.jpg

 
03 Brick%20de%2024%20Plans/P1090960_zps3fd9ec32.jpg

 
04 Brick%20de%2024%20Plans/P1090965_zps284caef9.jpg

 
05 Brick%20de%2024%20Plans/P1090963_zpsd56f545f.jpg

 

Hi Andy,
I have built this ship - my only comments - watch the bridal ports on the pressed wood - the levels are not correct on the instructions.  Make sure to consult the plans.  
 
Also for a better looking ship - do not follow the planking instructions (they are simplified and not correct to actual practice).  Install the wale first and then proceed to plank - there are plenty of good tutorials on how to do it right on this site.
 
Lastly, i was able to use the kit provided walnut and single plank and was able to do the job without a problem.  Just proceed slowly and build a pipe to soak your boards to be able to make the bends at the bow.
Chris

Good news and bad news: First the bad news -- after beating my head against the wall trying to do the cathead supports and eking, I decided to take a time-out. The good news is that I did do the lower rail and then decided to do other work on the head ( the gratings, ledges, knees, boomkin chocks).
 
Apart from the grating, which is a laser cut kit part finished with golden oak stain, all of the other parts were made from boxwood strip.The lower rail is a two part lamination to create the molding.
 
I will now return to the cathead supports and eking.  
 
Bob

Hi Andy,
I have built this ship - my only comments - watch the bridal ports on the pressed wood - the levels are not correct on the instructions.  Make sure to consult the plans.  
 
Also for a better looking ship - do not follow the planking instructions (they are simplified and not correct to actual practice).  Install the wale first and then proceed to plank - there are plenty of good tutorials on how to do it right on this site.
 
Lastly, i was able to use the kit provided walnut and single plank and was able to do the job without a problem.  Just proceed slowly and build a pipe to soak your boards to be able to make the bends at the bow.
Chris

Hi Andy,
I have built this ship - my only comments - watch the bridal ports on the pressed wood - the levels are not correct on the instructions.  Make sure to consult the plans.  
 
Also for a better looking ship - do not follow the planking instructions (they are simplified and not correct to actual practice).  Install the wale first and then proceed to plank - there are plenty of good tutorials on how to do it right on this site.
 
Lastly, i was able to use the kit provided walnut and single plank and was able to do the job without a problem.  Just proceed slowly and build a pipe to soak your boards to be able to make the bends at the bow.
Chris

An update !  Ive committed to setting aside an hour a night 5 days a week - and Ive added the fenders and ships ladder. The fenders were tricky to get right - I used an old planking iron to get the correct bend to fit flush with the hull.  
 
After i add the channels, I suppose i need to start thinking about some sort of stand - open to suggestions - Im bummed i didn't predrill the keel to accept rods so i can use brass pedestals. 
 
 

An update !  Ive committed to setting aside an hour a night 5 days a week - and Ive added the fenders and ships ladder. The fenders were tricky to get right - I used an old planking iron to get the correct bend to fit flush with the hull.  
 
After i add the channels, I suppose i need to start thinking about some sort of stand - open to suggestions - Im bummed i didn't predrill the keel to accept rods so i can use brass pedestals. 
 
 

Hi Group,
 
I've been playing around with my typical finish -3 Coats Pure Tung Oil (first one cut 50 percent by mineral spirits) and I've added Bitumen to the top coat and here are the results - thanks to Dimitry on the Russian forums for giving me this tip to age wood.  No simulated caulking added here - just wood sanded to 600 and then finish applied
 
This is the finish I will apply to my next build - La Jacinthe in 1/36th.  Ive added some photos to compare this new technique to my usual on Confederacy.  
 
Your thoughts as always are appreciated,
Chris
 
 

Wednesday, September 17, 2014
 
After a few days of inactivity due to a dental intervention that I cannot define as "simple routine", today I felt able to resume works without taking risks and so I started to cut out the bulkheads of the brig.
Usual method: printing of the bulkheads using my computer with AutoCAD, gluing the paper over the plywood and cutout of the piece with the scrollsaw . . except ending the day using the coping saw which I found to need less time overall.
Let me better explain: using the scroll saw, which as I already had occasion to write is not a simple tame horse, I'm forced to go rather slowly in order to avoid to do damages, and, always for the same reason, I cut a little generous. As a result I have a lot of work with a file and sanding blocks, making a lot of fine powder very annoying. However at the end the bulkhead is near perfect.
But then I realized that, having to work on rather soft poplar plywood, if I use the coping saw, it takes me more or less the same time to cut but the result is 99.5% accurate, and consequently the finishing stage is minimal and I save a lot of time. Moral: I save time with the same result.
Now, I do not mean that manually is better than with the powertool, but in this case, thanks to favorable circumstances, it proved to me the best method. So I guess for the remaining bulkheads to proceed manually. 
Finally here below shown the frames ready, the first six from the bow. They are dry mounted on the keel to make sure everything is well in place. 
 
01 Brick%20de%2024%20Plans/CAM00322_zpsded718c4.jpg

 
02 Brick%20de%2024%20Plans/CAM00323_zps321a2cd8.jpg

 
03 Brick%20de%2024%20Plans/CAM00324_zps6edb10ed.jpg

 
Even the longitudinal reinforcement seem to fit perfectly. . I think I'm on the right way.
 
04 Brick%20de%2024%20Plans/CAM00326_zpse004032f.jpg

A touch of color and personalization. .
 
05 Brick%20de%2024%20Plans/CAM00325_zps6918e259.jpg

 
To the next message . . Jack.

Ha! - yes I will use Bitumen - but not on this build - I just want to finally finish Confederacy after almost 5 years in !

Thanks for the advice Gaetan - I used an Exacto #11 for all of these carvings on the quarter galleries - you are a master - ill give your blades a try on the next build which will have much less carving than this one.