Chuck Seiler

I am jealous. I am about the same place but mine is crappy less good. Also, you are doing a better job of documenting.

More work done on the model. Not so much on the log. I was going to spend some time on basic infrastructure, but I doubt that there is much interest, so I will launch into planking. But first, just LITTLE on infrastructure. Most of the ship consists of two different plies of cardboard; a rougher thick stock, about 1MM thick and a thinner, smoother stock at .5MM. Often these are laminated into thicker pieces. Deck beams are 3 x thick stock. Stem and stern pieces are 3 x thick + 2 x thin. The thin stock is used for painted areas but not all thin is painted. Painting should be practiced in order to get the right look. I defer to Clare's discussion on painting for process. Bottom line is that you paint the piece with a wash of #3 (kit comes with pain in numbered jars. As far as I can tell #3 is unbleached titanium) which serves as a primer. Let that dry for 24 hours. Next, paint with your primary color, using a watered down mixture. This ensures it is not too thick and that you can see the reference marks/nails on the piece. 24 hours later you paint again using a wash of a different color, designed to simulate wood grain. I did not need to do this since my initial wash did that fine. The instructions have you mixing the paints at different proportions to achieve the right color. I was a little confused at first. For the primary color, mix #15,29 and 30 in proportions 6:0,25:0,5....huh?🤪 I guess in some places they use commas like decimal points, so the proportion is 6: 0.25: .5 ... or 24:1:2. ...or as close as you can get. I had alot of thoughts on painting, but too boring. If interested, let me know.

Not so obvious. Cardboard, when painted properly, can look like wood.

What material are you working with? It appears wood. If so, I agree with above...use wood glue. If cardboard, contact cement is recommended because wood glue might soak in and cause it to expand. For my hanseatic cog cardboard model, I am using contact cement for planks but Elmer's white glue for structural.

Chris, Looking good!!! Are you using wood glue or contact cement? I had the same problem with clamping bow and stern. I ended up just using the five fingered clamps. I had problems in subsequent planking (strake 4 thru 7) with the butt joints. Even when fit flush, I had to press down on the joint long after the contact glue set to ensure the ends stayed flat. Early on I get slight raises. Nothing big, but you can see if you look.

I am somewhat envious. My active experience with ships are ones with steel decks. Now I am too lazy to volunteer on ones with caulked seams...except maybe as a docent. On the subject of perception, sometimes first hand knowledge can be skewed. It was noted that prisoner of war models (and old swabby models) made by topmen and other crew that spent alot of time aloft seemed to be out of proportion: the sail area was proportionately larger than the hull, because presumably that is how they saw the world. Urban legend, perhaps, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Hallelujah bro! I would add to that: yards.

I disagree. I find that when applied to one side of the plank, it gives a subtle but not overwhelming look. If you ever get a chance to look at a caulked deck from above, it doesn't look pure black (at least the ones I have seen). I have the privilege of working with the San Diego Maritime Museum and get to see the SURPRISE and others for atop the BERKELEY. This is still unrealistic because holding a model at half arms length would require going up several hundred feet. However, as you go up/further away, colors become lighter. Anyway, just my opinion.

#11 blade for exacto. Acquire others as the need arises. You may eventually want to shift over to a surgical scalpel but that is personal preference. I normally use yellow wood glue but also use CA glue (super glue) to clamp loose ends while the wood glue dries. Sounds strange, but... Not all parts can be easily clamped. The best clamps you have (in terms of versatility and flexibility are the ones at the end of your arms. Unfortunately you only get 2 at best. (Be careful when holding a superglued plank butt until it sets. You may glue your hand to the model. Don't ask me how I know...stop laughing.) Clamps....never too many. Look at other build logs and see what others use. Magnification--jewelers loops or magnified head band. Often overlooked but reallymakes a difference when donig detailed work. Sufficient lighting...looks like you have that covered. Did I mention that you can never have too many clamps?

Three day weekend---wooooo hooooo! What should I do? Work on Wonder Dog, work on Wonder Dog build log or work in the yard (which I can legally do in California if the squirrels and all allhave masks and remain 6 feet apart). Perhaps all three. I suspect there may be scotch and barbecue somewhere in there as well.

Interesting. I would think you still need some under support for the planking to ensure that, at least butt ends, have something to sit on. Since the bulkheads are relatively thin and (as it turns out) the butt ends don't always fall on a bulkhead, I have added some blocks inside the frame to provide for support. I think I document this (if I ever post my log).

The basic hull structure is formed by a number of interconnected athwartships frames and fore/aft longitudinal to provide strength. The bow and stern have additional fore/aft strengtheners. About halfway down from the top, a false deck in in place for strength. Part of that will be the cargo area. It is best to dry-assemble the hull structure to make sure everything fits. It is well made and precisely laser cut so it should fit perfect. However, as I mentioned, it is a fairly symmetrical hull and often fore looks like aft and vice versa. Parts fit ALMOST perfect if swapped around, but not quite. Sometimes you have a tab but no slot. Sometimes it doesn't quite match. It is best to find these problems BEFORE you start gluing. Don't ask me how I know. Frame partially assembled. You can see the cargo area which will be painted next. Once the model is fully planked, you will never see this area, so I don't know why they include planking, but this is an opportunity to test painting methods. The cargo area shows the pre-printed planking and nails. Clare Hess goes into greater detail on how to prepare the paint and then paint these areas with a watered down wash. Side view of the frame assembly with one of the hull strengtheners. Note the line on the strengthener. (Don't worry, we will get a closer look later.) This is one of many reference lines we will use to ensure the planking is done correct. SPOILER ALERT: It doesn't always help. A view of the underside frame assembly. The white covering helps strengthen and provides surface for planking. The arrows (enhanced) are supposed to point forward. I was able to get this mounted with the arrows pointing after (before I knew what the arrows were for) with no problem Fits fine. Later, when e start to plank, we will see where this is a problem.

55 or 65? On mine, part 55 is a single piece that mounts on the stem and has reference marks where the planks should end. 65 L and P are the forward plank of the broadstrake.

Which strakes are they? I had three strakes that were too short and a couple too long. I can deal with the too long, but.... I was on target with all the reference lines, but somehow the strake was too short. don't recall which. I can respond when I get home. My build log update is coming soon.

Looking good!!! That is all wood, correct? Looks a lot like my cardboard. Is planking pre-painted/darkened, or do you have to paint?

You are not going to paint the cargo area? Yeah, noboy will see it Unless you leave the hatch cover off) but it gives you opportunity to practice the washed out painting.

About the model/kit. This is a card model by “SHIPYARD”, a Polish company who specializes in quality cardboard and paper models. Many of their models are featured in MSW build logs. I got my model from “Ages of Sail”, an MSW sponsor. Currently Chris Coyle is building a wooden version of Wutender Hund by SHIPYARD. A description of the kit can be found at: https://modelshipworld.com/topic/23468-172-wütender-hund-by-shipyard-hanseatic-cog/ His build log can be found at: https://modelshipworld.com/topic/24243-wütender-hund-by-ccoyle-shipyard-172/ Clare Hess is building a card version of the stripped down “Bremen Kogge”. His build log can be found: https://modelshipworld.com/topic/23434-hanse-kogge-by-catopower-shipyard-172-scale-card/ As I write this, I am well into the model: I am into the hull planking and deck planking. For that reason, I can give some thoughts on the kit. --The cardboard is pre-printed, but must be painted to give it color. I am not wild about this…my painting skills are not up to the task. Be sure to use a very watered down paint or else you will cover the pre-printed material. Be careful when painting the cardboard. Because the watered down paint will soak into the cardboard I needed to use long brush strokes to keep it from being splotchy. I eventually had success with the single planks/strake, but continued to have issues with wider assemblies. This caused me to go in another direction. --Practice painting. --Challenges of cardboard. In some cases (frame) I used Elmer's white glue and in some cases (planking) I used contact cement. In both cases you need to get the piece set quickly. Unlike with wood, if you need to deconstruct, it is very hard and there will be damage. Once glued you are screwed. While cardboard can be sanded, there are challenges with pre-painted parts if they are not flush the first time. Sanding and repainting looks less than great. --In my opinion, the instructions are good, but not great. The instruction book is 55 pages and is mostly pictures. The written instructions are pretty limited and normally not required, but sometimes a little more explanation is nice. As Clare noted, sometimes they seem to skip steps, but if you look hard enough you can find what you need. --The laser cut pieces are cleanly cut and clearly marked. Most of the pieces stay put until you need them. I marked the ones that disconnected and stored them in the box until needed. --Many of the part have tabs and notches to help with assembly. This is good because it helps ensure most of the pieces-parts go together correctly. BEWARE. For the basic hull, the bow looks alot like the stern and I was often confused. I had to mark the bow to remind me. --The stiffeners are marked with arrows (forward and up) to help with placement...you are fine as long as you remember which way is forward. 🙁 I am sure I will have other words of wisdom as I go along. Let's start.

Is it possible that you put the false deck in backwards? The hull is very symmetric and I often ALMOST made a mistake, expect it fit one way (tabs and sots) but not another. I don't recall any slots missing. I assume the laser template for the card model is the same for the wood model.

About the Wutender Hund. According to Chris Coyle, Wütender Hund was the vessel captained by Klaus Störtebeker, the leader of a group of North German privateers that were active at the end of the 14th century. Wütender Hund roughly translates to “Mad hound” or “Angry dog”. I will often refer to it as “Wonder Dog”. If you look at various paintings and drawings of cogs, as well as more modern replicas, you will see some pretty plain cogs, some with stern castles and some with both fore-castles and stern castles. The very pronounce castle structures and “fighting top” show that WH was intended for fighting. Many had a raised stern castle for defense, while also providing a space to operate the ship, allowing more deck space for cargo. The two models (Bremen Kogge and Wutender Hund) show the difference between the trading cog and war cog. In these two SHIPYARD kits, the hull form is almost exactly alike, as are the parts. The hull form appears to be based on the same ship that inspired the Roland von Bremen, above. The “trading cog” was often called into service as a “war cog”. I am not sure how easy it was to add or remove the stern castle, but the fore-castle appears to be easily added and removed. BATTLING COGS or THE FIELD TRIP DURING TH LAST NRG CONFERENCE...you make the call. This shows the value of the higher castles.

Fortunately for you/unfortunately for me, it is easier to unglue wood than cardboard.

Background. For most of my life I have been a student of history. I have focused on wars and other extraordinary events. Armies, warships, wars. Warships, like fezzes, are cool, bristling with armament. They are normally an expression in the pinnacle of technology of that society. In 1992, during the 500th anniversary of the Columbus expeditions, I had an epiphany. Why did Columbus sail west from Europe and end up in the new world? He was looking for pepper. By the 1300s, trade between Europe and China/Asia was well established. Exotic items such as silk and spices were high on the list of items traded. Even common (for us) spices such as pepper was in high demand due to the poor quality of the food of the day. Unfortunately (for many) the overland and oversea trade routes to the east were dominated by Islamic traders and the eastern Med by the Italian city-states such as Venice, Genoa and Pisa; which added significantly to the cost of the product. How do you cut out the middle-man? Spain looked west and Portugal looked south, around Africa. The result of those decisions could, and do, fill volumes. My eyes opened to the importance of trade. Trade, like war and religion, cause cultures to expand, to bump into each other and interact for the benefit and/or detriment of all involved. Trade and commerce may not be flashy, but like water it is constant and powerful. If you are interested in trade, you have to consider the vehicle of trade whether it be a caravan, a railroad or a ship. How did the products get from point A to B? The Hanseatic Cog is one of those vehicles. About the ship. The cog was the work horse of the Hanseatic League, a confederation of northern European trading nations from the late 1100s to about 1450. The cog was the modern day tractor-trailer truck whose large numbers accounted for a huge amount of trade transported to and fro. Cogs are first mentioned in 948 AD, in Muiden near Amsterdam. These early cogs were influenced by the Norse knarr, which was the main trade vessel in northern Europe at the time, and probably used a steering oar, as there is nothing to suggest a stern rudder in northern Europe until about 1240. The influence of the knar is not a coincidence. Viking exploratory trading adventures, raids, and piracy occurred early throughout the Baltic region. Over time, the center of trade moved from Denmark to what is now northern Germany. As range and cargo amounts increased, and expanded into open ocean, the vessel changed. It became large and more seaworthy (although nothing to write home about). The need for spacious and relatively inexpensive ships led to the development of the first workhorse of the Hanseatic League, the cog. The new and improved cog was no longer a simple Frisian coaster but a sturdy seagoing trader, which could cross even the most dangerous passages. Fore and stern castles would be added for defense against pirates, or to enable use of these vessels as warships, such as used at the Battle of Sluys. The stern castle also afforded more cargo space below by keeping the crew and tiller up, out of the way. Cogs were clinker-built, generally of oak, which was an abundant timber in the Baltic region of Prussia. This vessel was fitted with a single mast and a square-rigged single sail. They ranged from about 15 to 25 meters (49 to 82 ft) in length with a beam of 5 to 8 meters (16 to 26 ft). It was a bulky freighter with one mast and a square sail. A helm at the stern and a flat floor made it possible to ship in low water. Unlike the Nordic longboats they were more economical to use. A cog could transport a relatively large amount of cargo with just a small crew, on average up to 90 tons; the largest cog ships could carry up to about 200 tons. They could be produced relatively quickly and inexpensively at that time. Larger loads could be transported more cheaply and by a smaller crew than previously. That’s what made this type of ship so successful. There were cogs of different sizes, between 15 and 25 m in length, 5-8 m wide and with a moulded depth of 3-5 m. The measurement of the capacity of a cog was called “last”, equivalent to 2 tons. This was the capacity of a carriage drawn by four horses. A small cog of 50 last was able to carry the same load as an endless convoy of 50 waggons pulled by 200 horses. There were also cogs twice as big. With the castle (aft) the surroundings could be observed well. Due to the lack of keel, the cog could also fall to ground during low tide, but it was also restricted to navigate because of that. A cog could only ride with the wind and not cross the wind. REPLICA COG "Roland von Bremen"...before it accidentally sank. (oops) The cog was not going to win any beauty contests. It was a klunky beast, but very functional.

My current project is a cardboard model of a late 14th century Hanseatic cog (kogge). If you have followed my builds before, you will know that walking and chewing gum are not my strong suit. When I try to build a model AND document it with a build log, I usually get distracted. Here goes. Here is what is SUPPOSED to look like when completed. We'll see.

Chris, I am pulling up a chair. I will be following your log closely. I am working on the card version of WH and will be debuting at a MSW forum near you this weekend. I am curious if, other than material, there are any differences.

Clamps...you can never have too many clamps. And magnification.

Kenna, Welcome to you and your Dad. Cautionary Advice to New Members is there for a reason. Many people get into ship modeling because they want to build something grand and glorious. Soon they find they are over their head, get discouraged and quit. By starting with a simple model first, you get a feel for how things work, what to do and what not to do. You also slowly acquire the tools you need (if you don't already have them. It sounds like you have tool #1...patience. A good second model would be, as Chris suggested, a galleon. That way you can see how a galleon is actually constructed and much of the guesswork is eliminated. There is nothing wrong with starting a new model while still working on the old. That way once you get one part of the process down, you can use that knowledge on the new model. Make your mistakes on the prototype. Good luck! I look forward to seeing your build log.