_SalD_

First, I would like to thank everyone for all the likes, comments and for following along.
 
Finishing a few odds and ends before starting on the masts. Chain trusses for the sponson support were added.
Aft chains:

Fore chains:

Funnel support guy wires were added. I had some gray thread left over from a model plane I had made that worked out fine.

and the ship's bell. Added a pull cord into the cabin.

Then there were a couple additions that I chose to add. First, to coverup the laser etch guide lines in the deck planking adjacent to the aft companion ways I decided to make a couple of brass monkeys for cannon ball storage.  Cannon balls were made using the ends of straight pins painted black.

Before:

After

Last but not least I added her name to the stern.

 
 
 
 

Coppering Complete!
 
I was dreading this, but I've got to say it wasn't too bad.  Just didn't try any marathon sessions to get too burned out at one sitting.  Finished up being about 1200-1300 tiles.  Whew!  Couple of coats of shellac to seal some edges and corners to help keep them from peeling.  Now it's on to guns and other deck paraphernalia.
 

 

Update
 
the midship deck houses with portholes and doors are added .....
 
Nils

 

 

 

 

Anchors and stocks:
My kit came with two options for the anchor stocks, one wood the other britiannia metal.  I chose to use the wooden stocks.

I used some of the card stock painted black and glued to the wood stock to represent metal strapping.  I also decided to use a smaller size block for the cathead block and tackle than the 7 mm block provided.

I went a little rogue with the placement of the anchors and didn't follow the instructions too closely.  On one side I decided to show the anchor in its raised position lashed to the cap rail.

For this option I needed to add an additional cleat to the inside bulwark in order to secure the lashing to.

On the other side I decided to show the anchor still being raised.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

This is a nifty model and yours looks great.  I suppose anyone who reads the available MSW builds will note the few challenging spots and be advised of remedial steps before going too far on the project.  You are right that the guns look proper now, and sanding a bit of the bottom of the carriages is an effective 'slight of hand' that is virtually invisible on the finished model.  I suppose that someone just starting out might 'lower' the level of the deck a tad by trimming the top of the bulkhead forms that the deck will be mounted on - or the needed allowance could be "split" between trimming the deck forms and building the bulwarks slightly higher (thus raising the gun ports just a tad).

She has her teeth!
After installing the gun ports lids the cannons were added.  I had the same problem as rcmdrvr had in his build that the cannons were too high for the port openings.  I used a suggestion made by Snug Harbor Johnny in rcmdrvr's build to file down the carriage bottoms and the carriage wheels in order to gain some room.  This worked out well and you can hardly notice the flattened wheels with the guns on deck.

I had some 2mm blocks left over from another build so I decided that I would add the out haul rigging.  

Rope coils were made to be added later.

I also decided on this build that I would show the in haul rigging as well.
Aft cannons

 
Forward cannons

All her teeth

 
 

Anchors and stocks:
My kit came with two options for the anchor stocks, one wood the other britiannia metal.  I chose to use the wooden stocks.

I used some of the card stock painted black and glued to the wood stock to represent metal strapping.  I also decided to use a smaller size block for the cathead block and tackle than the 7 mm block provided.

I went a little rogue with the placement of the anchors and didn't follow the instructions too closely.  On one side I decided to show the anchor in its raised position lashed to the cap rail.

For this option I needed to add an additional cleat to the inside bulwark in order to secure the lashing to.

On the other side I decided to show the anchor still being raised.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

She has her teeth!
After installing the gun ports lids the cannons were added.  I had the same problem as rcmdrvr had in his build that the cannons were too high for the port openings.  I used a suggestion made by Snug Harbor Johnny in rcmdrvr's build to file down the carriage bottoms and the carriage wheels in order to gain some room.  This worked out well and you can hardly notice the flattened wheels with the guns on deck.

I had some 2mm blocks left over from another build so I decided that I would add the out haul rigging.  

Rope coils were made to be added later.

I also decided on this build that I would show the in haul rigging as well.
Aft cannons

 
Forward cannons

All her teeth

 
 

Anchors and stocks:
My kit came with two options for the anchor stocks, one wood the other britiannia metal.  I chose to use the wooden stocks.

I used some of the card stock painted black and glued to the wood stock to represent metal strapping.  I also decided to use a smaller size block for the cathead block and tackle than the 7 mm block provided.

I went a little rogue with the placement of the anchors and didn't follow the instructions too closely.  On one side I decided to show the anchor in its raised position lashed to the cap rail.

For this option I needed to add an additional cleat to the inside bulwark in order to secure the lashing to.

On the other side I decided to show the anchor still being raised.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Small update.  The aft companion ways and skylights were assembled and installed along with the rudderhead housing and compass pedestal.  The companion ways are a little smaller than the laser etched guidelines in the deck used to position them so the lines do show a bit at the ends.  For future reference to myself, I like the simulated decking but I wish I hadn't showed the butt ends of the planking.  It came out too dark.

The bulwark rails were fitted and glued in place.  I chose to stain the railing.

Ship as of today.  I need a better background

I also would like to thank everyone for all the likes.
 
 

Anchors and stocks:
My kit came with two options for the anchor stocks, one wood the other britiannia metal.  I chose to use the wooden stocks.

I used some of the card stock painted black and glued to the wood stock to represent metal strapping.  I also decided to use a smaller size block for the cathead block and tackle than the 7 mm block provided.

I went a little rogue with the placement of the anchors and didn't follow the instructions too closely.  On one side I decided to show the anchor in its raised position lashed to the cap rail.

For this option I needed to add an additional cleat to the inside bulwark in order to secure the lashing to.

On the other side I decided to show the anchor still being raised.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Anchors and stocks:
My kit came with two options for the anchor stocks, one wood the other britiannia metal.  I chose to use the wooden stocks.

I used some of the card stock painted black and glued to the wood stock to represent metal strapping.  I also decided to use a smaller size block for the cathead block and tackle than the 7 mm block provided.

I went a little rogue with the placement of the anchors and didn't follow the instructions too closely.  On one side I decided to show the anchor in its raised position lashed to the cap rail.

For this option I needed to add an additional cleat to the inside bulwark in order to secure the lashing to.

On the other side I decided to show the anchor still being raised.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Bowsprit & bowsprit cap:
I shaped and fitted the bowsprit as called for in the instructions along with the bowsprit cap.  The card bands and gammoning strap were added. I chose to paint the bands black instead of white as shown in the instructions.  I like the contrast and how they show up better.

Bobstays:
The two bobstay chains were added.

Bow fairlead:
Things were going along well until I got to this step.  As you can see in the picture below my two attempts at bending this piece ended up in failure.  The two pieces were both soaked AND steamed but they still broke as I tried to bend them around the 1/8" dowel.  I do believe however that the way the pieces are positioned on the wood sheet makes them almost impossible the bend without breaking. The piece is layout so you are bending it along the grain instead of across the grain (if that make sense).  I made my own piece so the bend was across the grain and I had no problem bending it.

Fairlead painted and installed.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Took forever to sand down the bulwarks to a thickness that would provide an overhang of the cap rail at the rails' specified finished width of 1/4". 
 
One side nearing completion:
 

 

 
I had put off finishing the planking by building the wheel assembly, galley stack, and other fun stuff. Now its time to plank. . .
I decided to try lining off 3 bands of planking. First I tried 1/16" art tape, which failed to adhere to the bulkheads when repositioned. I then tried black thread:
 

 

 
I overlaid a wood plank against the thread to verify I was creating a similar line to how a plank would lay and it looks OK. I then started to mark plank widths using tic strips and a planking fan.
What troubles me is that the top band (below the wales, bottom band in picture) wants tapering at the stern, yet the bottom band (nearest the keel) will require stealers:
 

 

 
The instruction manual only speaks of tapering planks at the bow, not the stern. And looking at other build logs I see no mention of any tapering needed.
Hmmm. . . If anyone has some insight into this question, please chime in!
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

Copper Plating
 
I seriously considered painting the lower hull with Model Masters Oxidizing Copper Paint.  This stuff has actual copper flake in it and is supposed to patina naturally over time.  Or you can buy an accelerator to make green or blue patina immediately.  I bought a bottle of the paint and painted some samples.  I considered getting the accelerator, but by then I'd decided I didn't think I'd like the way it looked and that I would bite the bullet and go with the copper plating tape in the kit.  
 
I also experimented with this tool.  It's from Artesania Latina.  It comes in kit form, you have to put it together.   It looks promising because it combines fine edge divots, coarser mid plate ones in an alternating pattern, and seam markers.   Theory is you just roll this thing down the tape and make all your marks in one quick pass.  Much Time Saved!   It works, but my main issue with it is that it's VERY hard to keep it going in a straight line keeping things properly aligned.  Really no good way to run it in a guide or straightedge to guide it, that I could come up with at least.  Plus it's got so many sharp points hitting the copper all at once it wants to pull the tape away from the backing and wrap around the wheels.  Maybe this has promise, and someone will figure a better way to use it.  But I'm putting it in a drawer for now and going back to a bit more old school, but tedious method.  
 

 
I made a simple card stock and tape jig, that I can use to produce 9 tiles at a time. Using the straight edge to guide a fine pounce wheel (sewing tool, Excel brand) for one edge and one side of each tile.  Only marking one side and end because the tiles will be overlap jointed.  I made a little wood jig to poke the mid-plate lines.  That part is a bit tedious, but it's fast.  Could probably be made quicker by making a multi-pin stamp, but I've tried making one and can never seem to get all the pins straight and the same length.   Once all the divots are poked, just take a knife and cut each joint, careful to cut just the copper and not the backing.  This gives a really easy to use strip of plates that peel off easily.
 

 
And so it begins.  About 100 plates laid - only about 900 more to go 
 

Update
 
I made the 2 masts and the 4 loading derricks.
For the frontmast I`m planing to fit the crows nest with an access ladder from deck to it
 
Nils
the 4 derricks with fastening pionts for the blocks and angle pivot, also the 2 "tapered" masts with fastening eyes for rigging- blocks and shrouds

the counter-points for the derrick pivot pins

"tapered" masts

the long aft derricks reach over the entire welldeck area with the 2 holds

 
 
 

She has her teeth!
After installing the gun ports lids the cannons were added.  I had the same problem as rcmdrvr had in his build that the cannons were too high for the port openings.  I used a suggestion made by Snug Harbor Johnny in rcmdrvr's build to file down the carriage bottoms and the carriage wheels in order to gain some room.  This worked out well and you can hardly notice the flattened wheels with the guns on deck.

I had some 2mm blocks left over from another build so I decided that I would add the out haul rigging.  

Rope coils were made to be added later.

I also decided on this build that I would show the in haul rigging as well.
Aft cannons

 
Forward cannons

All her teeth

 
 

Thanks rcmdrvr, appreciate the comments and all the likes. 

She has her teeth!
After installing the gun ports lids the cannons were added.  I had the same problem as rcmdrvr had in his build that the cannons were too high for the port openings.  I used a suggestion made by Snug Harbor Johnny in rcmdrvr's build to file down the carriage bottoms and the carriage wheels in order to gain some room.  This worked out well and you can hardly notice the flattened wheels with the guns on deck.

I had some 2mm blocks left over from another build so I decided that I would add the out haul rigging.  

Rope coils were made to be added later.

I also decided on this build that I would show the in haul rigging as well.
Aft cannons

 
Forward cannons

All her teeth

 
 

She has her teeth!
After installing the gun ports lids the cannons were added.  I had the same problem as rcmdrvr had in his build that the cannons were too high for the port openings.  I used a suggestion made by Snug Harbor Johnny in rcmdrvr's build to file down the carriage bottoms and the carriage wheels in order to gain some room.  This worked out well and you can hardly notice the flattened wheels with the guns on deck.

I had some 2mm blocks left over from another build so I decided that I would add the out haul rigging.  

Rope coils were made to be added later.

I also decided on this build that I would show the in haul rigging as well.
Aft cannons

 
Forward cannons

All her teeth

 
 

Thanks rcmdrvr, appreciate the comments and all the likes. 

Your build is really moving along.  Very impressed with the details you are adding.

She has her teeth!
After installing the gun ports lids the cannons were added.  I had the same problem as rcmdrvr had in his build that the cannons were too high for the port openings.  I used a suggestion made by Snug Harbor Johnny in rcmdrvr's build to file down the carriage bottoms and the carriage wheels in order to gain some room.  This worked out well and you can hardly notice the flattened wheels with the guns on deck.

I had some 2mm blocks left over from another build so I decided that I would add the out haul rigging.  

Rope coils were made to be added later.

I also decided on this build that I would show the in haul rigging as well.
Aft cannons

 
Forward cannons

All her teeth

 
 

Bowsprit & bowsprit cap:
I shaped and fitted the bowsprit as called for in the instructions along with the bowsprit cap.  The card bands and gammoning strap were added. I chose to paint the bands black instead of white as shown in the instructions.  I like the contrast and how they show up better.

Bobstays:
The two bobstay chains were added.

Bow fairlead:
Things were going along well until I got to this step.  As you can see in the picture below my two attempts at bending this piece ended up in failure.  The two pieces were both soaked AND steamed but they still broke as I tried to bend them around the 1/8" dowel.  I do believe however that the way the pieces are positioned on the wood sheet makes them almost impossible the bend without breaking. The piece is layout so you are bending it along the grain instead of across the grain (if that make sense).  I made my own piece so the bend was across the grain and I had no problem bending it.

Fairlead painted and installed.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Small update.  The aft companion ways and skylights were assembled and installed along with the rudderhead housing and compass pedestal.  The companion ways are a little smaller than the laser etched guidelines in the deck used to position them so the lines do show a bit at the ends.  For future reference to myself, I like the simulated decking but I wish I hadn't showed the butt ends of the planking.  It came out too dark.

The bulwark rails were fitted and glued in place.  I chose to stain the railing.

Ship as of today.  I need a better background

I also would like to thank everyone for all the likes.