Blue Ensign

Post 36 Fixing the decorative mouldings. These went on without too much trouble, but at the bow end an extension of the moulding onto the stem, referred to as 'ears', is required to be scratched. I couldn't find a drawing of these items on the plans to use as a working template so it was a case of trial and error. The ear extends to the fore end of the stem and is shaped to run into the fancy moulding running back to the fore side of the bow port. The hawse plate governs the length of the ear onto the hull; I firstly drew the ear shape onto card freehand using the hawse plate length and stem width as reference points. 4402 Once happy with the shape and fit, it was transferred onto 1/16th" Boxwood sheet,(I made several copies) cut out on the jig saw, and given the final shape using scalpel and sandpaper. 4424 The latter stages need soft hands as the stems are quite delicate where they extend back to meet the other moulding, and I did snap one just as I neared completion. 4433 The last job was to scrape the profile into the outer edge. The macro image is not very flattering. 2201 Positioning the ears is a little tricky, they have a slightly upwards angle as they run across the stem, it took me three goes to get them to look right to my eye. They came off ok with water but with the high risk of snapping the tail off the 'ear' 2220(2) With the ears glued into place the lower moulding strip can be completed. 2222(2) 2222 2211 2213 2199 I've yet to decide whether to paint the counter or not, I quite like the natural look, and it is a large expanse of red. 2195 I will leave the outer hull now for a while to concentrate on the inner works, but I will return to do a final fettlin' on the outer works before I install the false deck. B.E 28/08/2108

Thanks Peter and Jason, the safety razor blade does make for a stable scraper, and I'm pleased with the outcome. A simple profile but one I think that is appropriate for a humble Cutter. I agree Jason, a model is more than the sum of its parts and the eye is drawn to the overall effect. The eye registers that the moulding has a profile detail, which really is sufficient at this size of model at this scale. Once completed we don't spend our time looking at it thro' a macro lens. 🙂 Post 35 Moving inboard - lining the bulwarks. I am planking between the bulkhead extensions with 1.5 x 5mm Lime wood strip, and will then reduce the extensions to be flush. I don't really trust myself to get going with the Dremel without this sort of guide. Straightforward but tedious stuff this, measure, chop and fit, from just below deck level to bulwark top. 2013 The addition of this inner layer does firm up the outer bulwark planking particularly along the top and in the stern area where the top edges may be vulnerable to splitting. 2014 So to start with the Dremel, I drew guide lines across the top of the bulwarks and got to work. 2016 The Dremel can only go so far down to the deck level so there is some chisel work to be done. 2075 Working at low revs the Dremel soon reduced the excess and I went as close as I dare. 2076 2079 At this stage the bulwarks have been reduced to a tad over 1.5mm (excluding the outer planking). 2083 2084 Some fine adjustments and tidying up now required before I return to fixing the decorative mouldings along the topsides. B.E. 24/08/2018

Thank you Chuck, I surely am enjoying the project, testing as it is at times. Your well thought out plans and instructions, excellent materials and great fittings combine to make your kits such a joy to build.🙂 B.E.

Post 34 A spot of wiping and a bit of scribing. I had intended to start lining the bulwarks today but CMB have sent me 1.5 x 1.0mm strip rather than 5mm stuff I ordered, so while I wait for the correct stuff to arrive I turn my attention to scribing a pattern into the moulding strips. Before I start I gave the hull the wipe-on-poly treatment to protect the surface. 1829 1830 It surely does enhance the look and I am now starting to feel a little better about the hull finish. So onto the moulding strips. Looks simple enough to cut a pattern into a bit of thin metal and draw it across the strip to impart the design. Well maybe... I am using Boxwood strip 3/64"x 1/16" (1.19 x 1.59mm) The first problem is the pattern is incredibly small and has to be contained within only 1.59mm width. 1838 I chose to use a single edged safety razor blade as the medium, and the fine edge of a needle file to cut the simple pattern. At this size a simple groove along the centre of the strip is about the most I can achieve, and the secret is to use light passes along the strip; press too hard and the groove goes off line. The lower strip has a continuous run from aft of the first port to the stern and is ideally scribed in a single run. 1845 To avoid flexing during the process I used double sided tape to secure the strip and keep it true. 1844 The system seems to work. 1852 1854 So this is the look with the strip temporarily secured to the hull. I think I can live with that. 🙂 Cheers, B.E. 21/08/2018

Hi Martin, I used the brass etched window frames supplied with my Pegasus, and used clear acetate for the glass. To fix the glass I used epoxy resin - very, very, carefully and sparsely applied. Ca is a no, no, for this purpose as it tends to fog the acetate. I have used Clearfix at times and it can work very well. It gives a sort of old fashioned glass look that can look good on period models. I would suggest you trial some on a spare frame to gauge the effect. Those decorative figures are incredibly small at 1:64 scale, have you tried a No 11 scalpel blade point to assist with detailing facial features. Have to handle them carefully to avoid snapping them, but that probably isn't a bad thing when doing fine work. B.E.

Nice work on the Tafferal Martin, I admire your approach to scratch as much as you can, particularly the carving which I mostly dodged on my Pegasus build. How do you intend to glaze the stern lights - acetate or perhaps clearfill ? Very much looking forward to seeing the stern decoration develop. B.E.

Post 33 Treenail completion So after nearly three weeks the hull treenailing is completed, having drilled several thousand holes and got thro' twelve 0.45mm drill bits. 1811 I still think on balance the drill and fill method is the least hard on the fingers and gives a result I am happy with. 1814 It doesn't look too spotty, to my eye at least. 1810 The next suggested stage is to add the topside mouldings, but I am going to digress and first move onto the inboard bulwarks. I intend to plank inboard between the bulkheads and use this a guide to then thin them down to suit. B.E. 19/08/2018

Always admire the finish you have achieved Jason, and your figure looks spot on. Love the graceful curve of the rails; that head on shot is particularly impressive. Very nice work indeed. 🙂 B.E.

Cheers Seventynet and Martin, your encouragement is much appreciated. 🙂 Post 32 Mark, drill, awl, mark again, fill, and scrape. The monotony begins. 1538 To help guide me I used a length of flexible 7mm x 0.6mm strip to mark the presumed frame lines for the treenails down the hull. 1541 Five strakes per day is as much as my patience will tolerate. This equates to around 450 treenails. 1552 I'm reasonably satisfied that the completed strakes are sufficiently muted. Two strakes show the holes drilled and blackened ready for filling. There are in excess of 1900 holes to drill each side below the wale which means a total of around eight days to complete the job at current rate of progress. Feels like a lifetime, but until this is done I cannot move forward.🙄 Onwards...….. B.E. 14/08/2018

Very nice build Thunder, a fine cutter. As far as stirrups are concerned they hang down the back of the yard with three turns taken around the yard and on the real thing the end is nailed to the yard. On models I use a false splice to secure them to the yard, and also to make the eye splice at the lower end thro’ which the horses run. My own method of fixing foot ropes/ stirrups is detailed in my Pegasus log which may assist. (Post 136 page 5) Regards, B.E.

Looking impressive Bob, very nice work. 🙂 B.E.

Post 31 That Treenailing business Can't put this off any longer. I am following Chuck's method of using drilled holes and filler to replicate the Treenails. I am using a 0.45mm ø drill, a lightweight wood filler, coloured to a pale beige, a fine awl to clean the holes, and a 9H graphic pencil. I am also finding that I need tape on my thumb and forefinger to ease the pressure of the repetitive drilling using the pin vise. 1502 I started by creating the treenails for the butt joints on the hull, followed by the intermediate ones above the wale. 1501 1506 The pattern I took from the plans using dividers to mark the spacing. With the topsides completed I applied a coat of wipe-on- poly. 1509 1492 1499 1494 The wale had received some scuffing, so at this point I have also re-coated it. 1498 1491 Losing the will to live with the prospect of the rest of the hull to do; time for reflection on the effect thus far on the first section. Are the treenails too prominent/ dark/ over fussy? I think I can live with them but I need to do a little more sanding on the lower hull and a little time to gear myself up to start this next phase. B.E. 12/08/2018

Thank you Gents for all your supportive comments, I still envy the ultra crisp planking so evident on many of my fellow builders of Cheerful, at times I was pretty Surly about the whole process.😉 Still with some sanding I am starting to feel better about the look of the hull and I think she will pass (my) muster eventually. My mind is now taken up with Treenailing and the best approach to achieve:- 1) a regular distribution, I doubt it can be done by eye alone, over such a large area, and 2) a subtle look where the hull doesn't look as if it is festooned with dark dots. I have decided to follow Chuck's method and have trialled using a 0.4mm diameter drill for the holes filled with an only slightly contrasting filler, but sufficient to give an awareness of their presence. Holes greater than 0.4 seemed too prominent, and smaller not worth doing. My main concern is getting a nice run along the planks of the treenails between the butt ends, and I've not got my head around how to do this yet. 🤔 B.E. 01/08/2018

Post 30 The last few Strakes To speed up the final planking process I used a previously made bow section plank as a template. With the intended plank pre bent, the template pattern was marked on and a scalpel used to shape the actual fit. 1149 I sited the last strake to be third up from the Garboard which places it on the underside of the hull. 1162 I used wider 7/32" stuff for this plank gradually pared down and shaped to fit. 1158 The final strakes were fairly well matched for size and shape. I also used wider stuff for the aftermost plank in strake five, to allow for the increased flare as the plank meets the Stern post. So eight months on the planking is completed. 1295 1296 1298 1299 1303 1306 1308 1318 At this point very little sanding has been done. 1313 Not too sure I have the full approval of my shipwright assistant, and I think he is probably right to cast a critical eye over my progress. Still a lot of work to do on the hull planking to get it looking as good as I can, but I fear it will never match some of the work done by my fellow Cheerful builders. The sanding process will now continue followed by the delightful prospect of treenailing, what joy. I intend to use the simulated method of indicating treenails. B.E. 30/07/2018

Hi Warren, it's a long time since I built Norske Love, but fortunately she is within 15' from where I am writing this reply.🙂 I followed the James Lees (Masting and Rigging) book for the Main Stay collar, arrangement after 1690. The collar was a long strop with a heart in its bight, the line leading thro' a hole in the beak below the Bowsprit. One end has an eye spliced into it and the other end rove thro' this eye and was seized to itself. The eye lies on the Port side of the Bowsprit and should be served all over. This was a fine detail I omitted back in the 1980's when I built my version. You can see the collar running down between the Knightheads before it rounds the Bowsprit and is seized thro' the eye. Regards, B.E.

Sorry for the delay in responding to your post Peter, I have been away enjoying North Yorkshire, and our present run of hot weather has reduced my enthusiasm for return to the work bench. I know what you mean about the apparent distortions in the planking run. I have been aware of it, and I wasn't quite sure what caused it or indeed how to cure it, apart from stripping it all off, which I was disinclined to do. However, with the hull the correct way up that area falls below the curve of the hull and visually has little impact. Regarding the plank adjacent to the Garboard, I'm not unhappy about that one at the moment, the Garboard Plank looks as it should do, and in order for the next plank to meet the stem rabbet, that is the shape required. I'll see how I feel when the next one is added. B.E. 16/07/2018

Great result Steve, a fine looking model, a worthy companion to your Longboat. B.E.

Thank you Jason, fortunately the Garboard and its mate went on first attempt, on some builds it has taken me two or three goes, and we all hate wasting timber, especially expensive Boxwood. Hopefully there will be a much improved look once the hull has been sanded, and has been given a coat or two of varnish. Regards, B.E.

Post 29 Progressing the second band. My initial job was to add the first strake of the lower band meeting up with the Square Tuck. I then re-lined the hull using full 3/16" plank widths for the centre five bulkheads, and tick strips and the fan to mark the others. The lower band of planking is designed to take ten 3/16th strakes at mid-ships including the Garboard Strake. Allowing for the rabbet into which the Garboard strake fits, I calculated that a 9/32" strip would give me a little wriggle room to form the Garboard altho' at a push I think I could have got away with a 7/32" as used by Chuck. Suspecting that some wider stuff would be required over the kit package, I ordered additional width strips from Jason. These comprised 9/32" and 3/8" wide strips which should allow for the Garboard and any spiling requirements. 0305 To make the Garboard I cut the plank to length to butt against the Stern post and reach forward to the edge of Bulkhead J. 0310 I then ticked off forward to produce the taper which ends in a point at the forward end. 0306 Aft of the centre section the width was left at 7/32" I found it necessary to bevel the Garboard plank edge where it fits into the rabbet from the centre bulkhead ⊕ forward to allow for the plank to lie flat on the bulkhead. From the 5th bulkhead from the stern the plank lies flat against the false keel and butts up against the keel rabbet, and some heat applied twist is required for this section. For the adjoining plank I used 3/16" heat bent and shaped to fit. 0316 This is always a tricky plank to fit requiring quite a severe curve where it rounds the garboard plank to fit into the keel rabbet just before it curves up the stem. 0319 Achieving the curve required starting the process from a much longer strip than required. 0331 Having fitted the two lowest strakes I return to planking from the top. 0332 There is a reasonable match to the strakes each side of the stem. 0336 I finish this section with five strakes to go. I hope that four 3/16th planks plus a spiled strake made from a wider plank will complete the job. I'm now off to North Yorkshire for a week and will hopefully complete the hull planking on my return. B.E. 29/06/2018

She’s a fine looking model Doug, love the colour combination of the lower hull and top sides. Standing rigging looking all ship shape too 👍 B.E.

Nice work Ian , I will be very pleased if my effort gets close to what you have achieved. B.E.

Cheers Dave, you know I hadn't picked up on the second smaller head piece for the stern post until you mentioned it above. I had managed to get a reasonable fit of the post to the counter so I opted to not hack into the counter planking more than I had to. Thank you Martin, I think it will look ok once fettled, but I still have a small sense of disappointment that I didn't get it closer to the plan. Post 28 Stern post 9767 Took a little modifying of clamps to hold the post close to the false keel and liberal use of elastic bands to hold in place until the pva set. 9772 With the Stern Post in place I carried on and cut out the Rudder port, I thought a convenient time whilst the build is still in a raw state. 9777 On with the lower planking band now. B.E. 06/06/2018

Cheers OC and Dave How time flies, I see it has been over a month since I last attended to Cheerful. Post 27 (27/05/2018) The mysteries of the Square Tuck This involves some intricate framing below the counter, and a job I approached with some apprehension. This may have contributed to my lack of eagerness to return to the workshop. I basically followed Chuck's instructions but I used some 3mm thick boxwood to form the frames. Fitting the centre strip and the upper sections along the counter edge is the easier bit; the testy part is the shaped frame that follows the line of the hull and butts against the other two strips. Having glued the first sections in place my approach was to form a template part out of card to form the basic shape before committing to the real stuff. 9548 Several tweaks of the card template were made before I committed the pattern to a 1.5mm thick piece of boxwood. The pattern was then transferred to the 3mm stuff. 9550 For the planking inside the frames I decided to infill with a piece of 1.5mm Boxwood sheet before planking so that I could use 3/64" thick strip rather than 1/8" stuff. As suggested by Chuck the pieces were temporarily glued to the hull for final shaping of the outer edges; the inner edges were then reduced to the 1/8th width before gluing finally to the hull. 9569 Not quite sure why but my version took six planks of 3/64" x 7/32" Boxwood strip. rather than 5 planks of 3/16" to fill the void. I suspect that the aftermost bulkheads were perhaps not faired down sufficiently to reduce the Square Tuck area. I decided to carry on to completion to see how the overall effect suited my eye. It didn't suit my eye so off came the lower frames and planking, but I baulked at removing the hull planking to re-visit the aftermost bulkhead. The revised arrangement still took six planks for the infill, the difference being the size of the outer segment between the 3/16th and 7/32" width planks. 9732 Having trialled both I opted for the (6) 3/16" planks with a slightly larger outer segment. 9733 This is in a fairly raw state prior to cleaning up. 9738 Not exactly matching Chuck's exemplary version and I cannot say I'm elated with my Square Tuck effort. As Mr Spock might say, It's a Square Tuck Jim, but not as we know it At this point I will also add the Stern Post as I prefer to work the lower planking to it rather than add it afterwards. That said the Stern Post will need some tweaking to get a tight fit from keel to counter. Still we press on. B.E. 04/06/2018

Looks beautiful Rusty, those friezes really pop out against the inboard colour. Incidentally my kit arrived today and altho’ I won’t start it until Cheerful is nearing completion, your log will provide me with a useful reference guide. B.E.

I do hope so Mike B.E.