Chuck Seiler

Greetings all....I'm back!!! Model Shipways Kit (modified) Scale: 1:24 1/2”=1’ Circa: August-October 1776 Happy Moon Day!!! I am starting my build log on the 45th Anniversary of the Moon Landing....just because. I don't actually plan on building until the first or second week in August, so I can do some summer stuff. I will be doing some pre-build planning and I may add my thoughts here. I wanted to get started early so that my small but dedicated band of followers can find a seat. Background. This will be the SECOND time I built PHILDELPHIA. The first time I did so as a scratch build based on the Model Shipways plans. I will refrain from going into why I chose PHILADELPHIA and save some bandwidth by giving you the link to my scratch build (if I can figure out how to do it). Chux scratch Philly. It was a fun build, but I had some challenges. I have found that there was an additional sheet that comes with the model that does NOT come when you buy the plans separately. This includes all the templates for bulkheads and other pieces parts. Thanks alot Model Expo for not including that!!! At any rate, it was an interesting build. I entered it into the County Fair Design in Wood Exhibit (Scale model class) and actually got an offer to buy it. By then, I was too attached to it to sell. I offered to make a model from the kit, with boxwood and holly replacing the planking and primary exterior wood, as in the scratch. I figured with the kit as a guide and my experience from the previous build, I could build it much faster and I could correct some problems...both with my build and what I perceived to be with the plans. It also gives me an opportunity to work in a larger scale. Some of those corners got really tight at 1/4" scale. History. Again, so save bandwidth, I direct you to Philly History. PHILADELPHIA and the history behind it is fascinating. It (and its associated fleet, not to mention many of its adversaries) was built in a few weeks. It 'lived' only a few months. IIRC only PHILADELPHIA and ROYAL SAVAGE were the only two ships sunk during the battle, but within a week or two of the battle the entire American fleet was sunk, scuttled or captured-but it was considered a strategic American victory. A century and a half or so later, it was discovered, raised and preserved. It exists today, on display in the Smithsonian Institution. NOW your interest is piqued, eh. I think you REALLY want to go to Philly History and read more about it. Other suggested readings include: The Gunboat Philadelphia and the Defense of Lake Champlain in 1776. by Lundeberg, Philip K. The Gondola Philadelphia and the Battle of Lake Champlain. by Bratten, John R. Benedict Arnold's Navy, by Nelson, James L.

To all my faithful followers and lurkers.... It has been awhile since I posted in earnest, so I figured I would give an update. My intent was to get the model back from the Fair on 07 July, then get to work wrapping it up, culminating in one final photo shoot. I still need to add the awning, sweep rack and sweeps. I had been grinding away at either getting PHILLY ready for the Fair, workingon the project I was working on at the Fair or working AT the Fair almost every weekend since February. I figured I would take some time off to do some summery stuff before I finex'd. As it turns out, one fellow seemed to like my model (among others) and indicated he was interested in purchasing it. I think I will encourage him to be a judge next year. It was kind of a waffley interest, but interest all the same. When I spoke to him, I told him that unless he was REALLY set upon that model, I was reluctant to sell it, since I had gorwn more attached to it (and I had not really intended to sell it anyway, but $1100 is $1100). In his offer he had mentioned a commission. I suggested that in lieu of my scratch Philly, I build a heavily bashed kit, with all the planking, major timber and rigging replaced. He is considering it. I have been thinking about this for a few weeks. This option gives me the opportunity to build Philly again, fixing problems I had before, in a bigger (more managable) scale and with some templates I didn't have before. My thought is that if the person does not want to buy it, I can enter it into the Fair next year and see if I can sell it. The issue with keeping that model and selling the scratch one (aside from emotional attachment) is that a case for the larger one will cost me a fortune. The downside to all this is I will NOT be able to spend time on the project(s) I had hoped to complete (Continental Sloop Providence). We shall see. At any rate, I have the kit and I expect to start sometime in August. Keep your one good eye peeled for my Build Log up in the kit section. kirkout

Steve, Absolutely, ask away. Keep in mind this is scratch, not kit, so some of the process will be different. For reasons to be outlined in a future post, I will probably build/start a build log on the PHILADELPHIA kit myself, so I will be more familiar with the actual kit build. My plan is to substitute boxwood for most of the basswood planking and 'stuff'. I also plan on 'correcting' some of the issues I found. --If you check out the Smithsonian link I posted earlier, you will see the virtual 3D Philadelphia. It indicates that the bulkhead behind the forward platform is either non-existent or not a full bulkhead and that there is access under the platform. I plan to model that in there. --In the kit/plans it appears the bailing well/bailing pit has four walls. It makes sense that the well would have free access to the whole bilge so water in the ship could be removed. It seems that all or some of some of those would be gone. Again, I polan to model those. One thing you should start thinking about up front...how do you plan on displaying the model. As I was completing the model and was getting ready to mount it, I found I did not have anything to anchor the pedistals to...so a big gob o' glue is holding them in. Start a build log and i will come over. I suspect some of my followers will come as well. I believe Kurt Van Dahm, who is doing the Ships in Scale build checks us out from time to time. Maybe he will check yours out as well.

That's why he gets the big bucks. When is the featherboard coming out?

I see that it has two 3" drums. Could it handle a wider piece of wood if you used the same grit sandpaper on both drums?

Okay Per, now you did it. I'm going to have to get one of THOSE too. <sigh>

Mick, You will not be disappointed.

I tend towards the Dremel. I have several. While one is corded, I find myself using the cordless 770 (7.2 volts) most of the time. One recommendation if going Dremel...get rid of the collets and get a micro chuck.

Bob, Looking really good! That oughta get you at least Honorable Mench at the Fair next year. Now that you have fleshed it out a bit, perhaps you could go into detail about the open stern area. Also, what are your plans for finishing? will it be natural or will it have some colouration?

I am seeing alot of people using wipe on poly. Can you stain once you have applied it or do you have to stain beofre you apply. Obviously you can paint over top of the poly wipe.

Is that HMS THUNDERER I see? Ooops. Can't be. Has a US flag.

Wow, indeed!!!!

Don, Welcome to the fray. My gunboat PHILADELPHIA is in the water and Mike's (Mike 41) Row Galley WASHINGTON is fitting out at Ft. Ticonderoga.

Bob, Thankee.

Rusty, Thanks. That is about what my current build looks like; wale = 1/16 over base and black = 1/32 over base. I am a bit concerned with working with the 1/32" stuff. My other option is to go full thickness: 3/32". My opinion on that is it will be TOO thick to porperly bend. I guess that's why they made experimentation.

What is the URL for Clare's website?

Rumor has it that you were soliciting Fair go-ers to find Japanese speaking/reading folks to help with the instructions. How have you been able to cope with the Japanese-only instructions? Any recommendations for somebody considering this kit?

Rusty, What thickness above existing planking will you be doing for the wales? Will you be doing a blackstrake? If so, what thickness above existing planking? Chuck S.

Kurt, I don't know how far along you are. If you get a chance, take a gander at the rigging plan. Does the location of the top yard lift blocks look right to you? I think when I get my PHILLY back, I will move that up the mast another 1/4" or so. Bob, Kurt was going for the "under the water for 150 years" weathering. :-) Chuck

This kit category is a tough crowd. Slack off a couple days and you slip to page 4. Bob, I have it on good authority that you had a good 8 hours of build time Saturday. Let's see some updated pictures of that balsa wood pirate ship. Chuck

Bart, I have added it to my list of things to do if I ever get back east again. I am glad that I have had an opportunity, along with other PHILLY builders, to bring this little known part of American history to people's awareness. Chuck

I agree with Mike Y. It is very fixable.

I remember SOB. Signs northbound all the way from Florida and Southbound from Virginia.

Bob, Your CONSTITUTION feels forsaken and unloved. First the longboat, now Woody Joe. I look forward to your progress.

JS, I just came upon your log. I am planning on building the Hunt bashed MS Rattlesnake in the near future. I will review your build log in great detail and will refer to it often.