usedtosail

Thanks George and Jp, and the likes.
 
Jparsley - you can see the taper jig in the first two pictures of my last post, on the saw. It is basically a sled that has an angle adjustment that rides along the fence of the saw.

Thank you guys.
 
Just a real quick update.   Not to much except I did drill the hawse holes and the hole for the bowsprit.  As simple as this procedure may sound it is actually rather tricky.  I had to be really careful to drill these parallel to the keel and straight back.  There is always a tendency to just drill through straight in.  But instead,  the bit must be held so it enters the bulwarks parallel to the keel.  I started with a small hole so if the angle was wrong it could be corrected.  Then I switched to needle files and then an even bigger round file to finish it off.  
 
The angle is super important because the hole for the bowsprit must be drilled the same way.  Straigh back and parallel to the centerline.   If the hawse holes were drilled at an "off" angle then there wouldnt be room to properly create the hole for the bowsprit.  I used a graphite pencil to darken the hawse holes but I may go back and use a dull flat dark gray instead,   No rush to decide.
 
Now I can move on and start creating the waterway in preparation for the deck planking.
 
Chuck
 

 

 

Thanks George and Dan.
 
For the tapering of the deck planks at the transom I did end up using the tapering jig on the Byrnes saw. It worked great. I set the jig to a 1/2 degree angle and set the fence so that the end of the plank would end up at 2mm. I couldn't run the plank all the way through because the jig has a piece that pushes the plank, which would have hit the blade. I used a piece of tape to mark the location I needed to stop the jig, and then I used a sanding block to remove the little nub at the end of the plank. I like this set up because I can cut the planks to length first then put the taper on them.
 

 

 
I replaced the two wide planks in the center with three regular width planks, and I like it much better. I tapered all of the planks that go to the transom so far. These are edge bent slightly at the transom and the joints look pretty tight, so I am happy with this method.
 

 

 
Oops, I forgot to cut the planks for the mizzen mast hole. Simple fix.
 

 
I will be using a three butt shift with around 20 cm long planks, like I did on the gun deck planking. I have to figure out where to start this with the planks I have already cut.

Thanks George and Dan.
 
For the tapering of the deck planks at the transom I did end up using the tapering jig on the Byrnes saw. It worked great. I set the jig to a 1/2 degree angle and set the fence so that the end of the plank would end up at 2mm. I couldn't run the plank all the way through because the jig has a piece that pushes the plank, which would have hit the blade. I used a piece of tape to mark the location I needed to stop the jig, and then I used a sanding block to remove the little nub at the end of the plank. I like this set up because I can cut the planks to length first then put the taper on them.
 

 

 
I replaced the two wide planks in the center with three regular width planks, and I like it much better. I tapered all of the planks that go to the transom so far. These are edge bent slightly at the transom and the joints look pretty tight, so I am happy with this method.
 

 

 
Oops, I forgot to cut the planks for the mizzen mast hole. Simple fix.
 

 
I will be using a three butt shift with around 20 cm long planks, like I did on the gun deck planking. I have to figure out where to start this with the planks I have already cut.

Still hammering away...    Thanks for the likes and comments.
 
Here's the latest pics.  Starboard side wide wale planking is complete.  Needs final sanding and bit more caulking (  ) of some planks that I didn't quite get fitted right.  Relatively minor fix, in my opinion.  the splotchiness is from wiping it down with water to raise the grain for the final sanding.  An interesting effect is that not all Swiss Pear is the same color.. some is darker than the others.   Interesting.
 
Next comes the narrow planks.  per measurements, I need 28 strakes.  Seven strakes at the stern to the deadwood so I need to take those into account as they are 9" planks on the counter to the deadwood. After that, they can be wider as they run to the garboard.  The bow will need serious tapering and I'm starting to mark everything out.
 
Any tips, oops, or advice appreciated.
 




 

Thanks George and Dan.
 
For the tapering of the deck planks at the transom I did end up using the tapering jig on the Byrnes saw. It worked great. I set the jig to a 1/2 degree angle and set the fence so that the end of the plank would end up at 2mm. I couldn't run the plank all the way through because the jig has a piece that pushes the plank, which would have hit the blade. I used a piece of tape to mark the location I needed to stop the jig, and then I used a sanding block to remove the little nub at the end of the plank. I like this set up because I can cut the planks to length first then put the taper on them.
 

 

 
I replaced the two wide planks in the center with three regular width planks, and I like it much better. I tapered all of the planks that go to the transom so far. These are edge bent slightly at the transom and the joints look pretty tight, so I am happy with this method.
 

 

 
Oops, I forgot to cut the planks for the mizzen mast hole. Simple fix.
 

 
I will be using a three butt shift with around 20 cm long planks, like I did on the gun deck planking. I have to figure out where to start this with the planks I have already cut.

Thanks George and Dan.
 
For the tapering of the deck planks at the transom I did end up using the tapering jig on the Byrnes saw. It worked great. I set the jig to a 1/2 degree angle and set the fence so that the end of the plank would end up at 2mm. I couldn't run the plank all the way through because the jig has a piece that pushes the plank, which would have hit the blade. I used a piece of tape to mark the location I needed to stop the jig, and then I used a sanding block to remove the little nub at the end of the plank. I like this set up because I can cut the planks to length first then put the taper on them.
 

 

 
I replaced the two wide planks in the center with three regular width planks, and I like it much better. I tapered all of the planks that go to the transom so far. These are edge bent slightly at the transom and the joints look pretty tight, so I am happy with this method.
 

 

 
Oops, I forgot to cut the planks for the mizzen mast hole. Simple fix.
 

 
I will be using a three butt shift with around 20 cm long planks, like I did on the gun deck planking. I have to figure out where to start this with the planks I have already cut.

Thanks George and Dan.
 
For the tapering of the deck planks at the transom I did end up using the tapering jig on the Byrnes saw. It worked great. I set the jig to a 1/2 degree angle and set the fence so that the end of the plank would end up at 2mm. I couldn't run the plank all the way through because the jig has a piece that pushes the plank, which would have hit the blade. I used a piece of tape to mark the location I needed to stop the jig, and then I used a sanding block to remove the little nub at the end of the plank. I like this set up because I can cut the planks to length first then put the taper on them.
 

 

 
I replaced the two wide planks in the center with three regular width planks, and I like it much better. I tapered all of the planks that go to the transom so far. These are edge bent slightly at the transom and the joints look pretty tight, so I am happy with this method.
 

 

 
Oops, I forgot to cut the planks for the mizzen mast hole. Simple fix.
 

 
I will be using a three butt shift with around 20 cm long planks, like I did on the gun deck planking. I have to figure out where to start this with the planks I have already cut.

No further work needed. Those two middle images show what I was looking for, which is how I made the fore pin rail. Thanks a bunch.
 
You know, the irony is that I live about 5 miles from the Peabody museum but have never been in it. I have been meaning to go for ever and have just never gotten around to it.

Thomas - yes that little lathe really comes in handy. I am using it more and more.
 
I continued cutting planks for between the coamings. I used a small round file to notch the planks around the U shaped pin rail supports. I lucked out that I didn't have a plank with the support right in the middle. I used wider planks for the two center planks, but now I am going to replace them with three regular width planks, because they look too different. I also measured the widest portion of the spar deck to determine that there will be 41 planks across the width of the deck, so I have to fit all 41 into the 8.4 cm at the transom, since these planks are tapered at the transom. That means each plank at the transom needs to be 2.04 mm wide. I have to figure out the best way to taper these planks, since this area will be very visible and not painted, so I can't hide my flaws. I recently bought the tapering jig for the Byrnes saw, so this may be the time to break it out/in. I am open to other suggestions too. For hull planking I have been cutting the planks with an X-Acto knife and sanding them afterwards, but I don't always get nice flat edges that way. Here are some pics of the planking progress. None of the planks are glued down yet, and I have yet to mark the edges of these, for which I have been using a Black Sharpie on one edge.
 

 

Thomas - yes that little lathe really comes in handy. I am using it more and more.
 
I continued cutting planks for between the coamings. I used a small round file to notch the planks around the U shaped pin rail supports. I lucked out that I didn't have a plank with the support right in the middle. I used wider planks for the two center planks, but now I am going to replace them with three regular width planks, because they look too different. I also measured the widest portion of the spar deck to determine that there will be 41 planks across the width of the deck, so I have to fit all 41 into the 8.4 cm at the transom, since these planks are tapered at the transom. That means each plank at the transom needs to be 2.04 mm wide. I have to figure out the best way to taper these planks, since this area will be very visible and not painted, so I can't hide my flaws. I recently bought the tapering jig for the Byrnes saw, so this may be the time to break it out/in. I am open to other suggestions too. For hull planking I have been cutting the planks with an X-Acto knife and sanding them afterwards, but I don't always get nice flat edges that way. Here are some pics of the planking progress. None of the planks are glued down yet, and I have yet to mark the edges of these, for which I have been using a Black Sharpie on one edge.
 

 

Thomas - yes that little lathe really comes in handy. I am using it more and more.
 
I continued cutting planks for between the coamings. I used a small round file to notch the planks around the U shaped pin rail supports. I lucked out that I didn't have a plank with the support right in the middle. I used wider planks for the two center planks, but now I am going to replace them with three regular width planks, because they look too different. I also measured the widest portion of the spar deck to determine that there will be 41 planks across the width of the deck, so I have to fit all 41 into the 8.4 cm at the transom, since these planks are tapered at the transom. That means each plank at the transom needs to be 2.04 mm wide. I have to figure out the best way to taper these planks, since this area will be very visible and not painted, so I can't hide my flaws. I recently bought the tapering jig for the Byrnes saw, so this may be the time to break it out/in. I am open to other suggestions too. For hull planking I have been cutting the planks with an X-Acto knife and sanding them afterwards, but I don't always get nice flat edges that way. Here are some pics of the planking progress. None of the planks are glued down yet, and I have yet to mark the edges of these, for which I have been using a Black Sharpie on one edge.
 

 

Thomas - yes that little lathe really comes in handy. I am using it more and more.
 
I continued cutting planks for between the coamings. I used a small round file to notch the planks around the U shaped pin rail supports. I lucked out that I didn't have a plank with the support right in the middle. I used wider planks for the two center planks, but now I am going to replace them with three regular width planks, because they look too different. I also measured the widest portion of the spar deck to determine that there will be 41 planks across the width of the deck, so I have to fit all 41 into the 8.4 cm at the transom, since these planks are tapered at the transom. That means each plank at the transom needs to be 2.04 mm wide. I have to figure out the best way to taper these planks, since this area will be very visible and not painted, so I can't hide my flaws. I recently bought the tapering jig for the Byrnes saw, so this may be the time to break it out/in. I am open to other suggestions too. For hull planking I have been cutting the planks with an X-Acto knife and sanding them afterwards, but I don't always get nice flat edges that way. Here are some pics of the planking progress. None of the planks are glued down yet, and I have yet to mark the edges of these, for which I have been using a Black Sharpie on one edge.
 

 

Thanks George, Dan, and Jay, and thanks for all the likes, guys.
 
Dan - I am an old guy too, so we old guys need to keep inspiring each other. I hope you get to start your Conny soon and I will enjoy following along.
 
Jay - Thanks. I wanted something a bit different and when I saw how the bulkheads were shaped, I figured I could pull this off. Also, since ME sells the extra guns. I think others in the past have modelled the gun deck too. You are doing a great job on the cross section and the research especially is very useful. Your full model is pretty terrific too. As for the stove placement, here is what I have. The part of the gun deck I modelled includes only the back of the stove, but you can see where it is in relation to the riding bitts aft of the fore mast on the gun deck and the fore mast location. I think maybe I moved the bitts a bit further back to make room between it and the stove, but to me it looks workable.
 

 

 
And here is what I worked on last night, cutting planks to fit around the forward coamings. These are just dry fit, but they are the right size planking now. The fore mast hole is too wide, so I have to replace the four outer cut planks with two full planks.
 

 
 

I thought this was going to be a better update than it is, but I do have some progress to show.
 
First, here is the U shape main pin rail dry fit in place before finishing. It was a bit challenging drilling those four holes in the right places, but I took my time and measured many times before drilling. You can see how much sturdier this rail will be being glued into those sub deck support pieces.
 

 
I then gave the fore and main pins rails and the bitts a coat of pre-stain and two coats of oak stain.
 

 
I then positioned and glued most of the coaming hatches in place. There is one small one that goes just in front of the fore bitts, but I want to wait until the bitts are in place to get it in the right spot.
 

 

 
I started measuring and dry fitting deck planks between the forward coamings, but after I took these pictures I realized that I was using the wrong size planking strips, so I basically have to redo all of this. Not a big deal, but I did loose about an hours work. its all practice for the rest of it though, right?
 

 
I was happy with the way the planks line up along the coamings. This has not always been the case on previous builds.
 

Now the big question is 'will all that stuff in the front fit inside all that stuff in the back?'
 
I am sure it will, but after installing each deck I will be cutting away a lot of the beams along the starboard side. I want to be able to see something inside.
It is about time to start working on the frames again.

Definite version. A bit smaller and more thin
 

 
Two old at left
 

 
Temporary on place
 

After planking the bulwarks I painted it red.  The finished bulwarks were 5/32" thick.  Maybe slightly thinner.  Then it was time to add the caprail.  It will be added in two pieces.  First the main rail which is 1/16" thick.  This was sanded flush both inboard and outboard.   Another strip will eventually be placed outboard as a fancy molding.  It is scraped like the others and is 1/6" x 1/32".  But it wasnt added yet.
 
First I had to create the hawse hole plates....which are essentially 1/32" thick pieces with the holes ut for the hawse holes and the bowsprit.  This sits flush with the top of the caprail so I had to add it first before I could add the fancy molding strip along the caprail outboard.  I didnt drill the hawse holes yet.  This will be done next.  But the hawse plates in position makes it easy to find their locations.  So that will be done in a day or two.
 
Lastly I added that fancy molding strip outboard for the cap rail which stands proud of the hull planking and finishes it off.   This is where I am to date and after drilling the hawse holes and hole for the bowsprit I will make preparations to start planking the deck.   Its getting there...
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
I am contemplating painting the hawse plates and the stem above the ear molding black.....along with the fashion pieces at the stern.  But I have time to decide that.  So I will live with it as it is shown for a while before I commit to it.  Maybe after I drill and file the holes for the bowsprit and such...we shall see.
 
 
 
 

Thanks George, Dan, and Jay, and thanks for all the likes, guys.
 
Dan - I am an old guy too, so we old guys need to keep inspiring each other. I hope you get to start your Conny soon and I will enjoy following along.
 
Jay - Thanks. I wanted something a bit different and when I saw how the bulkheads were shaped, I figured I could pull this off. Also, since ME sells the extra guns. I think others in the past have modelled the gun deck too. You are doing a great job on the cross section and the research especially is very useful. Your full model is pretty terrific too. As for the stove placement, here is what I have. The part of the gun deck I modelled includes only the back of the stove, but you can see where it is in relation to the riding bitts aft of the fore mast on the gun deck and the fore mast location. I think maybe I moved the bitts a bit further back to make room between it and the stove, but to me it looks workable.
 

 

 
And here is what I worked on last night, cutting planks to fit around the forward coamings. These are just dry fit, but they are the right size planking now. The fore mast hole is too wide, so I have to replace the four outer cut planks with two full planks.
 

 
 

Thanks George, Dan, and Jay, and thanks for all the likes, guys.
 
Dan - I am an old guy too, so we old guys need to keep inspiring each other. I hope you get to start your Conny soon and I will enjoy following along.
 
Jay - Thanks. I wanted something a bit different and when I saw how the bulkheads were shaped, I figured I could pull this off. Also, since ME sells the extra guns. I think others in the past have modelled the gun deck too. You are doing a great job on the cross section and the research especially is very useful. Your full model is pretty terrific too. As for the stove placement, here is what I have. The part of the gun deck I modelled includes only the back of the stove, but you can see where it is in relation to the riding bitts aft of the fore mast on the gun deck and the fore mast location. I think maybe I moved the bitts a bit further back to make room between it and the stove, but to me it looks workable.
 

 

 
And here is what I worked on last night, cutting planks to fit around the forward coamings. These are just dry fit, but they are the right size planking now. The fore mast hole is too wide, so I have to replace the four outer cut planks with two full planks.
 

 
 

Thanks George, Dan, and Jay, and thanks for all the likes, guys.
 
Dan - I am an old guy too, so we old guys need to keep inspiring each other. I hope you get to start your Conny soon and I will enjoy following along.
 
Jay - Thanks. I wanted something a bit different and when I saw how the bulkheads were shaped, I figured I could pull this off. Also, since ME sells the extra guns. I think others in the past have modelled the gun deck too. You are doing a great job on the cross section and the research especially is very useful. Your full model is pretty terrific too. As for the stove placement, here is what I have. The part of the gun deck I modelled includes only the back of the stove, but you can see where it is in relation to the riding bitts aft of the fore mast on the gun deck and the fore mast location. I think maybe I moved the bitts a bit further back to make room between it and the stove, but to me it looks workable.
 

 

 
And here is what I worked on last night, cutting planks to fit around the forward coamings. These are just dry fit, but they are the right size planking now. The fore mast hole is too wide, so I have to replace the four outer cut planks with two full planks.
 

 
 

Well, the break's over, and this model is finished.  I've been hiding while I fitted the rigging and sails.
 
There were the usual FUBARs, but I promised myself I would stop whining about Amati.  Still, it was fun when my wife "volunteered" to make the sails.  Her comments made mine seem restrained by comparison!
 
One thing to comment on.  The rigging was nice to work with, as the "rope" was 1-2mm thick.  This made seizing easier, but created difficulties threading through relatively small holes.
 
Some surgery was required, as seen here, where I had to bore out the windlasses from the size on the right to the end result on the left.  You can see the dental drill I used, and the size of the rigging rope:
 
 

 
 
 
As before, this is not a model that likes to be photographed, so apologies for what follows.  Here she is in her intended position in our lounge room:
 
 

 
 

 
 
I planned to display her from the port, but the sails are rigged such that you see all of them from the starboard.  I may change that later.
 
And a few other full views:
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
Soon, I will post some other views, but that may have to wait a while.  We are off for a week on a catamaran in the Whitsundays - this one http://www.whitsundayescape.com/product/seawind-1250/
 
Tough, huh?
 
Cheers,
 
Brett

Thanks George, Dan, and Jay, and thanks for all the likes, guys.
 
Dan - I am an old guy too, so we old guys need to keep inspiring each other. I hope you get to start your Conny soon and I will enjoy following along.
 
Jay - Thanks. I wanted something a bit different and when I saw how the bulkheads were shaped, I figured I could pull this off. Also, since ME sells the extra guns. I think others in the past have modelled the gun deck too. You are doing a great job on the cross section and the research especially is very useful. Your full model is pretty terrific too. As for the stove placement, here is what I have. The part of the gun deck I modelled includes only the back of the stove, but you can see where it is in relation to the riding bitts aft of the fore mast on the gun deck and the fore mast location. I think maybe I moved the bitts a bit further back to make room between it and the stove, but to me it looks workable.
 

 

 
And here is what I worked on last night, cutting planks to fit around the forward coamings. These are just dry fit, but they are the right size planking now. The fore mast hole is too wide, so I have to replace the four outer cut planks with two full planks.
 

 
 

Thanks George, Dan, and Jay, and thanks for all the likes, guys.
 
Dan - I am an old guy too, so we old guys need to keep inspiring each other. I hope you get to start your Conny soon and I will enjoy following along.
 
Jay - Thanks. I wanted something a bit different and when I saw how the bulkheads were shaped, I figured I could pull this off. Also, since ME sells the extra guns. I think others in the past have modelled the gun deck too. You are doing a great job on the cross section and the research especially is very useful. Your full model is pretty terrific too. As for the stove placement, here is what I have. The part of the gun deck I modelled includes only the back of the stove, but you can see where it is in relation to the riding bitts aft of the fore mast on the gun deck and the fore mast location. I think maybe I moved the bitts a bit further back to make room between it and the stove, but to me it looks workable.
 

 

 
And here is what I worked on last night, cutting planks to fit around the forward coamings. These are just dry fit, but they are the right size planking now. The fore mast hole is too wide, so I have to replace the four outer cut planks with two full planks.
 

 
 

Transformation time!
 
Some serious painting has been done and the hull is now the finished colours.
 
The black was easy enough, Chaos Black from the Games Workshop range. I thought the yellowish colour was going to be more difficult, the more pics of replicas and other models I looked at the more options there seemed to be for this colour, ranging from almost lemon yellow to quite dark ochres.
 
I couldn't find anything close to the colour I was looking for at any of the usual model shops so I thought I would be in for a lengthy mixing trial and error process but before starting on this I decided to give the Games Workshop another visit and found a standard colour which is exactly what I was after.
 
Painting the black and ochre bands was relatively easy as I was working to steps in the hull planking but the waterline was a bit more of a challenge.
 
I am quite happy with the finished look.
 
Cheers,
 
David.