Blue Ensign

With the keel proper added the assembly can be secured in the simple building board, and the process of adding the bulkheads can begin.

1092
I always start by fixing the centre bulkhead and then work fore and aft to ensure they are all lined up and set square to the keel.

1094
I use two Engineers Squares to check each Bulkhead is vertical and square to the keel, and mini levels for the horizontal line across the top.

1119
With the bulkheads in place I stick two bracing strips across the tops to help brace the bulkheads against the fairing process.
The block on the top is to secure the boat inverted in a vice.

1114
Nothing fancy about the building board, just sufficient to hold the keel and stem in place.

1114
Fairing has just started in this shot, I don't bother to remove the char at this stage, it will clear soon enough and helps to show the fairing line.
 
B.E.

With the keel proper added the assembly can be secured in the simple building board, and the process of adding the bulkheads can begin.

1092
I always start by fixing the centre bulkhead and then work fore and aft to ensure they are all lined up and set square to the keel.

1094
I use two Engineers Squares to check each Bulkhead is vertical and square to the keel, and mini levels for the horizontal line across the top.

1119
With the bulkheads in place I stick two bracing strips across the tops to help brace the bulkheads against the fairing process.
The block on the top is to secure the boat inverted in a vice.

1114
Nothing fancy about the building board, just sufficient to hold the keel and stem in place.

1114
Fairing has just started in this shot, I don't bother to remove the char at this stage, it will clear soon enough and helps to show the fairing line.
 
B.E.

Thank you Michael, kind of you to say so, but I was definitely thinking of my skills
 
Time to think about planking.
The kit provides Limewood planks of ⅛" strips which equates to 3.2mm. I will be using Boxwood strips of 3.4mm. The kit strips are of 1/32" thickness,( 0.79mm) my Boxwood stuff is a nominal 0.6mm.
I would have liked a tad thicker but the required lengths are fairly short, and they will (should) be fairly easy to manipulate.
I added the transom piece, but to provide more security I drilled and pinned this piece thro' into the False keel.

1123
The sheer line was marked off  on the bulkheads and a sheer line template made  to form the sheer on the top planking strip.

1126
There is not a lot of room for clamping the strips during glueing on this little model. I use an assortment of modified spring clips, modified clothes pegs, and mini bulldog clips.

1128
Not a lot of pressure is applied using these but it is sufficient providing the planks are properly  wet/heat  shaped to remove tension.
I use a good quality pure pva with a five minute grab.

1134
The first two strakes below the sheer  went on without problem, and these add greatly to the stability of the hull especially the transom board.

1131
I then turn my attention to the Garboard strakes. For these I use 4.5mm wide strip.

1141

1143

1139
Planking will now continue to completion.
 
B.E.
 

Cheers Guys, 
Work begins cutting out the replacement stem and keel in Boxwood. The kit parts provide the templates.

1076
The false keel is prepped  with the bearding  lines cut in and the 'false' rabbet carried up to the stem.
One of the problems I found with the Pinnace kit was the softness of the Basswood stem, making it susceptible to dinks and scarring.

1077
The false keel is fairly fragile and I managed to break off the top part whilst trial fitting the stem. At least the Boxwood stem will be more robust than the Basswood version.
This is the time to also renew my sanding sticks and prepare a simple building board to secure the keel.
 
B.E.
 

I've decided to keep my oversized breastwork.  I can't find any figures at 27mm -- and the larger ones I have found would cost so much I'd have to give up my dream of buying a new handplane before the end of the year.  But the happiness of ignorance is that without any truth-telling measure, I have managed to convince myself that the breastwork looks ok.
 
To make my "decision" irreversible, I've gone on with the bannisters and the newel posts.  I started with the posts, since they would allow me to fix the length of the bannisters.  I turned them in much the same fashion as I did for the stanchions, except that I tried to make a ball at the top (as shown on the NMM plans).  My skills at the lathe are not the keenest (it still holds much of the mystery of a new tool), and so I only managed a smashed ball.  I also wanted something of a tenon down on the bottom to hold it solidly in the gangway.  Since I already had a photographic record of the stanchions, I forgot to do one for the posts.  But when I had the second one in the vise to do some fine tuning, I managed to snap off the tenon. You'll see the wound in a bit.
 
For the bannisters I thought it might be nice to add a touch of color by going with cherry.  FFM 2 shows that the bannisters have a gooseneck to cover the distance from the stanchion to the inboard edge of the gangway.  On my Fly this distance measures 3/16"; I cut a piece of cherry stock down to 1/8" thickness, then freehanded the shape of the bannister with the gooseneck and the 1 1/8" length I measured from the stanchion to the placement of the newel post.
 

 

 
And here you can see the wounded newel post.  As a fix, I simply drilled a hole in the bottom and stuck in a pin.  You can also see that at the top ends of the bannisters, I've filed a round notch to fit against the stanchion.  This notch is also angled slightly, since the bannisters will have to drop down a bit.  And at the bottom of the starboard bannister, you can see where I've marked the length.
 
Now, I asked myself if I could possibly join the bannisters to the posts with a mortise and tenon.  They would have to be pretty tiny at this scale, and after snapping off the tenon from that one post, I felt a few butterflies.  But I have had the experience of falling off a horse (too many times), and know the importance of climbing back on (and of having a good chiropractor).  So I said, why not -- if I mess it up, I'll simply start over.
 
So here you can see my work:
 

I cut the tenon with my beloved 1/16" chisel from Lee Valley.  Then I drilled out the mortise and squared the corners a bit with the same chisel.  It took a few tries, and I worried non-stop about snapping off the tenon.  But with some luck . . .
 

Whaddya know, it fit.
 
So here is how it looks in place:
 

 

 
And here is how they both look:
 

 
What follows is the iron strap that extends from the top railing of the breast work down onto the bannister.  I'm not sure how I'll get that done, since every time I fire up the soldering torch I remember that I don't really care for metal work (isn't that why we pay farriers?).  And I keep thinking that in some of the pictures of older models in FFM the strap is made from wood (though somehow I couldn't find them last night, so maybe they're wishful thinking).  Since the strap has a gooseneck as well as the downward curve, I fear metal is probably the better option.  But I feel my feet getting heavy, and my imagination turning to the planksheers and other wooden details.
 
Martin

B.E.,
 
Very nice new project
 
PS: I started laughing ---  and hoping to improve on my Pinnace build. so you wrote.
 
An impossibility for sure - Not speaking of your skills --- members will understand (:-)
 
Happy to be, again, at your shipyard.
 
Cheers,

Just a quick update.   Even though I only have to make 5 more sweeps I can tell you that they take a long time to complete.  I finished the sweeps for one side of the display so now you guys can better see what the finished presentation will look like.  While working on these last few parts I am also finalizing the plans and gearing up to start making kits in just a few weeks.  I am also busy writing the instruction manual.
 
I am looking forward to the Winnie soon after !!!
 

 

 
Chuck

With the keel proper added the assembly can be secured in the simple building board, and the process of adding the bulkheads can begin.

1092
I always start by fixing the centre bulkhead and then work fore and aft to ensure they are all lined up and set square to the keel.

1094
I use two Engineers Squares to check each Bulkhead is vertical and square to the keel, and mini levels for the horizontal line across the top.

1119
With the bulkheads in place I stick two bracing strips across the tops to help brace the bulkheads against the fairing process.
The block on the top is to secure the boat inverted in a vice.

1114
Nothing fancy about the building board, just sufficient to hold the keel and stem in place.

1114
Fairing has just started in this shot, I don't bother to remove the char at this stage, it will clear soon enough and helps to show the fairing line.
 
B.E.

Cheers Guys, 
Work begins cutting out the replacement stem and keel in Boxwood. The kit parts provide the templates.

1076
The false keel is prepped  with the bearding  lines cut in and the 'false' rabbet carried up to the stem.
One of the problems I found with the Pinnace kit was the softness of the Basswood stem, making it susceptible to dinks and scarring.

1077
The false keel is fairly fragile and I managed to break off the top part whilst trial fitting the stem. At least the Boxwood stem will be more robust than the Basswood version.
This is the time to also renew my sanding sticks and prepare a simple building board to secure the keel.
 
B.E.
 

18th Century English Longboat by Blue Ensign - MS 1:48 Scale.
The second of the Model shipways kits which I am moving straight onto whilst I'm in the mood, and hoping to improve on my Pinnace build.
As with the Pinnace I have 'previous' with this kit having already scratched a 1:64 scale version for my Pegasus build, from Chuck's plans.

1083

057
It was quite small with an hull length just shy of 4" so one might think a larger kit should prove easier. Not necessarily, I found I had more trouble with the 1:24 scale kit Pinnace than the scratched 1:64 version.
I will use the kit provided false keel and bulkheads, but this time around I will replace the stem and keel with Boxwood. My aim is to otherwise not use any of the provided kit wood.
The hull will be planked with Boxwood strip, slightly thinner than the provided Basswood, but this should be less problematic on the smaller Longboat than it proved to be on the much larger Pinnace.
I now need to get the preparatory work done before I start assembly.
 
B.E.

Looks pretty clean to me Steve, and certainly better than mine was at that stage. Plank thinness seems to have afflicted several builders me included, but unless there is light behind it I found it not to be too problematical once the hull had been varnished, and in my case painted below the waterline.
 
B. E.

With the keel proper added the assembly can be secured in the simple building board, and the process of adding the bulkheads can begin.

1092
I always start by fixing the centre bulkhead and then work fore and aft to ensure they are all lined up and set square to the keel.

1094
I use two Engineers Squares to check each Bulkhead is vertical and square to the keel, and mini levels for the horizontal line across the top.

1119
With the bulkheads in place I stick two bracing strips across the tops to help brace the bulkheads against the fairing process.
The block on the top is to secure the boat inverted in a vice.

1114
Nothing fancy about the building board, just sufficient to hold the keel and stem in place.

1114
Fairing has just started in this shot, I don't bother to remove the char at this stage, it will clear soon enough and helps to show the fairing line.
 
B.E.

I felt very much like you do at this stage of the build, quite dissatisfied with the look of the planking in small areas.
I think I would try the fill with sawdust/glue mix where the second plank meets the third, but if the result stood out, I think I would just remove the offending plank and spile a replacement.
If you used pva it should be not too traumatic to remove the plank cutting thro' between the bulkheads, and easing off where glued by careful wetting with a paint brush point on the join.
 
B.E.

I felt very much like you do at this stage of the build, quite dissatisfied with the look of the planking in small areas.
I think I would try the fill with sawdust/glue mix where the second plank meets the third, but if the result stood out, I think I would just remove the offending plank and spile a replacement.
If you used pva it should be not too traumatic to remove the plank cutting thro' between the bulkheads, and easing off where glued by careful wetting with a paint brush point on the join.
 
B.E.

Looks pretty clean to me Steve, and certainly better than mine was at that stage. Plank thinness seems to have afflicted several builders me included, but unless there is light behind it I found it not to be too problematical once the hull had been varnished, and in my case painted below the waterline.
 
B. E.

I felt very much like you do at this stage of the build, quite dissatisfied with the look of the planking in small areas.
I think I would try the fill with sawdust/glue mix where the second plank meets the third, but if the result stood out, I think I would just remove the offending plank and spile a replacement.
If you used pva it should be not too traumatic to remove the plank cutting thro' between the bulkheads, and easing off where glued by careful wetting with a paint brush point on the join.
 
B.E.

Looks pretty clean to me Steve, and certainly better than mine was at that stage. Plank thinness seems to have afflicted several builders me included, but unless there is light behind it I found it not to be too problematical once the hull had been varnished, and in my case painted below the waterline.
 
B. E.

With the keel proper added the assembly can be secured in the simple building board, and the process of adding the bulkheads can begin.

1092
I always start by fixing the centre bulkhead and then work fore and aft to ensure they are all lined up and set square to the keel.

1094
I use two Engineers Squares to check each Bulkhead is vertical and square to the keel, and mini levels for the horizontal line across the top.

1119
With the bulkheads in place I stick two bracing strips across the tops to help brace the bulkheads against the fairing process.
The block on the top is to secure the boat inverted in a vice.

1114
Nothing fancy about the building board, just sufficient to hold the keel and stem in place.

1114
Fairing has just started in this shot, I don't bother to remove the char at this stage, it will clear soon enough and helps to show the fairing line.
 
B.E.

With the keel proper added the assembly can be secured in the simple building board, and the process of adding the bulkheads can begin.

1092
I always start by fixing the centre bulkhead and then work fore and aft to ensure they are all lined up and set square to the keel.

1094
I use two Engineers Squares to check each Bulkhead is vertical and square to the keel, and mini levels for the horizontal line across the top.

1119
With the bulkheads in place I stick two bracing strips across the tops to help brace the bulkheads against the fairing process.
The block on the top is to secure the boat inverted in a vice.

1114
Nothing fancy about the building board, just sufficient to hold the keel and stem in place.

1114
Fairing has just started in this shot, I don't bother to remove the char at this stage, it will clear soon enough and helps to show the fairing line.
 
B.E.

Looks pretty clean to me Steve, and certainly better than mine was at that stage. Plank thinness seems to have afflicted several builders me included, but unless there is light behind it I found it not to be too problematical once the hull had been varnished, and in my case painted below the waterline.
 
B. E.

Looks pretty clean to me Steve, and certainly better than mine was at that stage. Plank thinness seems to have afflicted several builders me included, but unless there is light behind it I found it not to be too problematical once the hull had been varnished, and in my case painted below the waterline.
 
B. E.

With the keel proper added the assembly can be secured in the simple building board, and the process of adding the bulkheads can begin.

1092
I always start by fixing the centre bulkhead and then work fore and aft to ensure they are all lined up and set square to the keel.

1094
I use two Engineers Squares to check each Bulkhead is vertical and square to the keel, and mini levels for the horizontal line across the top.

1119
With the bulkheads in place I stick two bracing strips across the tops to help brace the bulkheads against the fairing process.
The block on the top is to secure the boat inverted in a vice.

1114
Nothing fancy about the building board, just sufficient to hold the keel and stem in place.

1114
Fairing has just started in this shot, I don't bother to remove the char at this stage, it will clear soon enough and helps to show the fairing line.
 
B.E.

With the keel proper added the assembly can be secured in the simple building board, and the process of adding the bulkheads can begin.

1092
I always start by fixing the centre bulkhead and then work fore and aft to ensure they are all lined up and set square to the keel.

1094
I use two Engineers Squares to check each Bulkhead is vertical and square to the keel, and mini levels for the horizontal line across the top.

1119
With the bulkheads in place I stick two bracing strips across the tops to help brace the bulkheads against the fairing process.
The block on the top is to secure the boat inverted in a vice.

1114
Nothing fancy about the building board, just sufficient to hold the keel and stem in place.

1114
Fairing has just started in this shot, I don't bother to remove the char at this stage, it will clear soon enough and helps to show the fairing line.
 
B.E.

Cheers Guys, 
Work begins cutting out the replacement stem and keel in Boxwood. The kit parts provide the templates.

1076
The false keel is prepped  with the bearding  lines cut in and the 'false' rabbet carried up to the stem.
One of the problems I found with the Pinnace kit was the softness of the Basswood stem, making it susceptible to dinks and scarring.

1077
The false keel is fairly fragile and I managed to break off the top part whilst trial fitting the stem. At least the Boxwood stem will be more robust than the Basswood version.
This is the time to also renew my sanding sticks and prepare a simple building board to secure the keel.
 
B.E.
 

With the keel proper added the assembly can be secured in the simple building board, and the process of adding the bulkheads can begin.

1092
I always start by fixing the centre bulkhead and then work fore and aft to ensure they are all lined up and set square to the keel.

1094
I use two Engineers Squares to check each Bulkhead is vertical and square to the keel, and mini levels for the horizontal line across the top.

1119
With the bulkheads in place I stick two bracing strips across the tops to help brace the bulkheads against the fairing process.
The block on the top is to secure the boat inverted in a vice.

1114
Nothing fancy about the building board, just sufficient to hold the keel and stem in place.

1114
Fairing has just started in this shot, I don't bother to remove the char at this stage, it will clear soon enough and helps to show the fairing line.
 
B.E.