ChrisLBren

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. 
 
 

Hey Gang,
An update at last !  Ive rigged and installed the rear cannon as well as the ships wheel.  As you can see by the profile photo - i probably should have mounted it about 1/32 further aft as the ropes arent centered on the drum.  And i think wheel stand is a little too tall by maybe 1/16.  Some corrections may be in order....
 
Stay tuned,
Chris

Hi Gang,
 
After a hiatus due to my wife and I having twins, she's dusted off and I'm hoping to recommence this build.  I've attached some not so great photos from my iphone - the idea here is just to get a log started and motivate me to get back in the shipyard - for at least a few hours per week.  
 
This build was started back in November of 2009 using Chucks plans that later were used in the Model Expo kit.  The woods used were swiss pear from Hobby Mill for almost exclusively with the exception of boxwood for the decks and a little bit of ebony for the false keel and checkerboard flooring in the great cabin.  Im a big fan of Fiebings dyed swiss pear and used this method for all black areas with the exceptions I just mentioned.  I used three finishes, pure tung oil for the hull, Watcos Danish Oil for the deck fittings and beams, and diluted sanding sealer for the deck.  
 
My goal is to at least get the 6 lb guns rigged and installed along with the ships wheel hopefully by the end of the month so i can begin the headrails this summer if the twins cooperate....
 
Thats it for now - by the way the photo posts looks a bit different than the old Modelship World - any tips on the best size to upload so they look more standard/fill the screen ?
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. 
 
 

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. 
 
 

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. 
 
 

Guys,
 
Thank you for all the positive comments of the outside planking. 
 
Jan you are right I should not whine over a 0.5 micron fault. It casts a shadow over what the hobby is really about:
enjoying  building something with your hands, whether from a kit or scratch, of a subject we have interest in, share here on MSW and learn to make the next build better than the one in the shipyard. And of course having fun with this merry band of mad man
 
And let the other four behold my sore thumb
 
And this is what I learned, first draw the run of all the planking on the hull before starting to plank. This would have avoided my 0.5 micron mistake. 
 
And because I don't like to post without a picture, I have a severe outbreak of Anobium punctatum in my shipyard. I try to repair the damage done with size 400 micron treenails
 

 

 
Remco

Cont...
 

 

 

 

 

 
 

The planks of the main wale have been drilled for the bolts at the butts and the treenails have been installed.  The bolts are 0.75" in diameter and the treenails are 1.25" in diameter.  Although not quite to scale, I used a 77 bit for the bolts and a 75 for the treenails.  I usually dry-fit the treenails, relying on the finish to hold them in place.  However, I wanted some structural strength with these treenails so I drilled them deeper into the frames and dipped them in dilute glue to secure them.  I realize no one will see them, but it only took a few hours and the added security is worth it.  I wet the wale in the second photo to make the treenails stand out.  
 

 

 
Next came applying a black finish to the wale.  I tried several approaches before making my final decision. I found an unopened bottle of Floquil hull black.  This looked good but when I applied the Watco's finish it rubbed right off.  Next I tried archival marker.  Looked good but the length of time it took to apply tried my patience.  Feiberg's leather dye also looked good and allowed the joint lines to be slightly more apparent but it bleeds into the wood and I was afraid of getting it onto the stem (even with masking).  My winning choice was artist acrylic paint.  This comes in a tube and can be diluted to the desired consistency.  It applies nicely and there was no concern about ruining the stem.  I was a little sloppy in getting paint on the frames when painting the edges of the wale but this will be covered with planking and so will not show.  The photos show the first coat applied.   I am up to 3 coats and will probably go with 3 more.  In between coats I am sanding with 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper (used dry).  Each subsequent coat is more dilute than the initial one.  I have left the aft edge a little long for final shaping later.  The bolts will be installed after the painting is completed.
 

 

Finally the painted version:
 



 

Hello.
 
I'm building L'Amarante, a french corvette, at 1/40 scale, a bit smaller than the original on the monograph (1/36) by Gérard Delacroix. I'm using pear wood and ebony, by now. I've done the keel and the stern frame (except the fashion pieces and its upper parts). This model has got 52 frames. I've started from stern (52) to stern (1).
 
Best regards.

Minor milepost... aft half-frames are installed.  I need to trim a bit and then rough fair them before moving to fore half-frames.
 
 

Thanks for all the likes, comments and support.
 
Yippee! Managed to complete the hawse timbers after the damaged can't frame 1 was replaced, obviously I need to mark and drill the hawse holes as well as make the bowsprit chock but pretty happy to of finally got to this point.
I have also been making up the rest of the cant frames in readiness.
And I have even spent quite a bit of time working on the Indy plans.
 
Ben

Well at last made a few hours of modeling happen this weekend - boarding ladders completed and ready to be mounted on the hull.  Baby steps - feeling re energized to wrap this one up.

Фотосессия. С отделкой корпуса при ярком солнечном свете. Снятый на профессиональной камерой. Наконец исполнение соответствуют действительности. И это хорошо.

I hear ya buddy - walk away - take a break.

Hi all,
 
a small update, not as much as I have hoped. Very bussy last time... so the images here:
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Alex

Not perfect - but the cheeks are carved and installed...

Well at last made a few hours of modeling happen this weekend - boarding ladders completed and ready to be mounted on the hull.  Baby steps - feeling re energized to wrap this one up.

Well at last made a few hours of modeling happen this weekend - boarding ladders completed and ready to be mounted on the hull.  Baby steps - feeling re energized to wrap this one up.

I decided I needed a break from half-frames.  So for a few days I've been doing some prosthetic work on my Admiral's fake leg.  So far, I haven't screwed it up even though I'm hitting it with a heat gun,  dremel and cut off wheel, and tolulene.
 
As time permits, I cleaned up the salvaged keelson along with the salvaged fore and main mast steps.  The keelson is now glued into position after tweaking the fit and the mast steps are fitted but not glued.  There's markings inside for re-fitting them into position and also marked up the exterior for drilling and fitting the pedestals.    As soon as I can figure out a way to drill them square in all dimensions (not a square hole but exactly perpendicular) I'll do it.  This beast is too big for the drill press or the mill... <sigh> 
 
Also, minimal fairing at this point on the inside of the hull.
 
Anyway... picture.  And as always, errors, omissions, and stupid mistakes, while not always intentional are subject to be commented upon by those who read this.
 

Well at last made a few hours of modeling happen this weekend - boarding ladders completed and ready to be mounted on the hull.  Baby steps - feeling re energized to wrap this one up.