_SalD_

Thanks Jack, and the plating will cover a few dents in the hull as well. 😉

Underwater hull paint or not:
To simulate the ships copper plated bottom it was recommended, per the instructions, to paint the bottom of the hull rather than actually copper plating it.  This was recommended because it was thought that copper plates would look out of scale at 1:96.  I had coppered the hull of my New York pilot boat the Phantom, which is the same scale (1:96) as this ship and IMO I thought that the plates looked appropriate.  In any case I decided to copper the ship’s hull instead of painting it.
 
Using the drawing shown below for reference I scaled the plates to be approximately 14” wide by 48” long.  I had some 3/16” wide x 1.5mm thick adhesive backed copper tape which at 1:96 scale would make the plates 18” wide. Although the tape is a little wider than what’s shown on the drawing I didn’t think that I could cut it straight enough to make it the correct width.   So for the plates I used a piece of tape 3/16” x ½” long (18” x 48”).  At this scale, however, I did not show any plate fasteners.

Port side plating.

The over spray on the bottom of the hull is from some touch up I tried to the upper hull.  This is why I don't like to spray paint, not patient enough sometimes.
 

Thanks for all the likes and for following my build.

Topsides painting:
I normally use a brush for all my painting but I decided I would try spray painting this time.  I think the biggest reason I don’t like spray painting is because of all the taping and masking off you need to do.
 
Taping the waterline.

 
First coat, and no, just in case you're wondering, I did not spray it in the bedroom. 

 
Three coats later.

Underwater hull paint or not:
To simulate the ships copper plated bottom it was recommended, per the instructions, to paint the bottom of the hull rather than actually copper plating it.  This was recommended because it was thought that copper plates would look out of scale at 1:96.  I had coppered the hull of my New York pilot boat the Phantom, which is the same scale (1:96) as this ship and IMO I thought that the plates looked appropriate.  In any case I decided to copper the ship’s hull instead of painting it.
 
Using the drawing shown below for reference I scaled the plates to be approximately 14” wide by 48” long.  I had some 3/16” wide x 1.5mm thick adhesive backed copper tape which at 1:96 scale would make the plates 18” wide. Although the tape is a little wider than what’s shown on the drawing I didn’t think that I could cut it straight enough to make it the correct width.   So for the plates I used a piece of tape 3/16” x ½” long (18” x 48”).  At this scale, however, I did not show any plate fasteners.

Port side plating.

The over spray on the bottom of the hull is from some touch up I tried to the upper hull.  This is why I don't like to spray paint, not patient enough sometimes.
 

Thanks for all the likes and for following my build.

First I would like to thank everyone for all the likes.
 
The gun ports were cut and lined as per an option in the instructions.  The porthole locations were laid out using the templates provided and the brass rings were attached to the hull using some ac glue.

 
The same brass ring used for the portholes was supposed to be used for the hawse holes just flattened out into an oval shape.  After doing this I just didn’t think the ring was the appropriate size.  I used some brass wire to form an oval for the outer hawse hole and went a little farther and cut and filed a piece of brass tubing to line the hole through the hull.

 
The brass tube was eventually filed down flush with the inner bulwark.

 
Since the hull will be painted I just used some wood filler to fill the gaps around the wire and tubing.

 
 

Garboard strake:
Before fitting the garboard strake to the bulkheads I penciled in a centerline on the inner keel pieces to help align the planks. 

 
Beginning with the fore plank, it was soaked in hot water and then clamped in position on the hull.  These pieces were allowed to dry and then glued in place.  The same procedure was followed for the aft garboard strake.  After the fore and aft pieces were set the center section was fitted in between them and glued in place.
 

 

 
You may have noticed, and maybe you haven’t, but the picture background has changed.  This is because I am back at my residence in Florida. The previous photos were at my house in Connecticut where we spend the holidays with the family and a few of months in the summer.  My main workshop is still in Connecticut so I am relegated to the spare bedroom down here.  Most of my toys…I mean tools are still in Connecticut so I will try to make do with what I have. 
 
Thank you for all the likes.

Thank you all for the likes 
 
Bulwark inner filling strips:
The straight inner bulwark filler strips were cut to length and glued in between the bulkheads as instructed.  For the curved filler strips at the bow instead of cutting each individual piece and then trying to bend them to fit between the bulkheads, I soaked the entire strip of wood and then clamped it to the inner side of the bulwarks.  After it dried I cut the individual curved pieces and glued them in.

 
Around the upper counter at the stern the instructions say to use the keystone shaped pieces for the inner filler.  I don’t think these were provided or maybe you're supposed to cut them yourself, what I did was to trace the shape of the upper counter on the sheet with the inner filler pieces.  After cutting it out it was soaked and formed to fit around the inside of the upper counter.  To keep the upper counter from absorbing the water from this piece and possibly distorting it, I placed a piece of saran wrap between the two until the inner piece dried.


 
After it dried it was glued and clamped in place.
 

 
 Lower counter pieces:
The lower counter pieces were soaked and bent to shape.  The pieces provided are a little too short and a small filler piece was fitted between them.

 
Completed inner bulwark fillers with bulkheads sanded flush to the interior of the inner bulwarks.

First I would like to thank everyone for the likes.
 
Inner stem and stern post:
The direction call for tracing the curved line (bearding line) onto a piece of paper that was supposed to be laser etched into one side of the inner stem and inner stern post pieces.  This line was then to be transferred to the opposite side.  However there was no line etched in them.  I contacted a fellow MSW contributor, bobandlucy, who had completed this model and whose log I use for reference to see what he used for the curved line.  Bob was kind enough to send me an updated parts drawing that he obtained showing the curved line that was supposed to be etched into the parts.  Using this drawing I made a pattern of my own that I used to transfer the bearding line to the two pieces.

The back of the pattern was shaded with a pencil and then the line was traced over to transfer the line.


The pieces were then sanded down as called for in the instructions.
Inner stem post

Inner stern post

Inner keel pieces:
The inner keel piece is pretty straight forward and was cut and glued in place, leaving gaps for the mounting pedestals.
 


Stern knuckle pieces:
These two pieces were glued into place as per the instructions and then tapered after the glue had dried.


 
Appreciate the likes, thank you.

Bulkheads:
After the gluing the bulkhead spacers to either side of the central spine the bulkheads were then glued in place.  Bulkheads were squared up using the same combination of Lego’s and the one inch angle.  There are guide lines etched into one side of the central spine that helps to align the pieces.


 
Thanks again for the likes.
 

Thanks Jack, and the plating will cover a few dents in the hull as well. 😉

Nice job Sal, looks good and it covers the overspray 😉

Topsides painting:
I normally use a brush for all my painting but I decided I would try spray painting this time.  I think the biggest reason I don’t like spray painting is because of all the taping and masking off you need to do.
 
Taping the waterline.

 
First coat, and no, just in case you're wondering, I did not spray it in the bedroom. 

 
Three coats later.

Underwater hull paint or not:
To simulate the ships copper plated bottom it was recommended, per the instructions, to paint the bottom of the hull rather than actually copper plating it.  This was recommended because it was thought that copper plates would look out of scale at 1:96.  I had coppered the hull of my New York pilot boat the Phantom, which is the same scale (1:96) as this ship and IMO I thought that the plates looked appropriate.  In any case I decided to copper the ship’s hull instead of painting it.
 
Using the drawing shown below for reference I scaled the plates to be approximately 14” wide by 48” long.  I had some 3/16” wide x 1.5mm thick adhesive backed copper tape which at 1:96 scale would make the plates 18” wide. Although the tape is a little wider than what’s shown on the drawing I didn’t think that I could cut it straight enough to make it the correct width.   So for the plates I used a piece of tape 3/16” x ½” long (18” x 48”).  At this scale, however, I did not show any plate fasteners.

Port side plating.

The over spray on the bottom of the hull is from some touch up I tried to the upper hull.  This is why I don't like to spray paint, not patient enough sometimes.
 

Thanks for all the likes and for following my build.

Making the knees for the thwarts. 
 
 
 

 
Added the knees at the thwarts, stern and bow. Added the rails at the sides of the hull and painted the area between the cap rail and lower rail black .
Added the oarlocks and bowsprit step.
 

 

One thing I missed: the upper stem and stern post should be stained rather than painted white at the point where they cross the lower rub rail.
I kind of like the effect the way I did it, though, and will keep it as is.
 
I'm hung up on the bowsprit strap, which is supposed to be made of the same tape used for coppering the hull. It is just too thin to manipulate. . .
 
 
 

Added the ribs. Could not avoid some crimping in the bends:
 

 
At this point I came to the realization that I should have thinned the hull more- it's going to require a wider cap rail than specified to cover the hull/ribs with a slight overhang all around. The kit-supplied rail was never going to fit even if the overall width of the assembly was as specified. Decided to move forward regardless.
 
Added the grates, thwarts, and mast support:
 
 
Although the 28 gauge wire supplied is supposed to be darkened out of the package, it does not look black enough to me. I may try to paint it black later.
 
Fashioned the windlass from 3/32" square stock. The manual speaks of shaping the octagonal portions by filing and sanding, but my set of micro-files are not fine enough for this, and sanding at this size is hard even at the highest magnification I have available. I carved the piece with my surgical scalpel with a #11 blade. It is octagonal, I think, but may not be exactly uniform. I did find that I like carving. . . 
 

 

 
And finally, my obscenely wide cap rail, which I made in two halves. I was actually very happy that I was able to fashion them at all.
 

 

 
It will be quite a while before I have to commit this longboat to the larger model. I may give it another shot, but I also may not. I remind myself that I am in this for fun, not perfection. . .
 
 
 
 
 

Topsides painting:
I normally use a brush for all my painting but I decided I would try spray painting this time.  I think the biggest reason I don’t like spray painting is because of all the taping and masking off you need to do.
 
Taping the waterline.

 
First coat, and no, just in case you're wondering, I did not spray it in the bedroom. 

 
Three coats later.

Topsides painting:
I normally use a brush for all my painting but I decided I would try spray painting this time.  I think the biggest reason I don’t like spray painting is because of all the taping and masking off you need to do.
 
Taping the waterline.

 
First coat, and no, just in case you're wondering, I did not spray it in the bedroom. 

 
Three coats later.

Topsides painting:
I normally use a brush for all my painting but I decided I would try spray painting this time.  I think the biggest reason I don’t like spray painting is because of all the taping and masking off you need to do.
 
Taping the waterline.

 
First coat, and no, just in case you're wondering, I did not spray it in the bedroom. 

 
Three coats later.

Ron, the frig is full of them, come on down anytime.  Good to be back and thanks for checking out my build.

Topsides painting:
I normally use a brush for all my painting but I decided I would try spray painting this time.  I think the biggest reason I don’t like spray painting is because of all the taping and masking off you need to do.
 
Taping the waterline.

 
First coat, and no, just in case you're wondering, I did not spray it in the bedroom. 

 
Three coats later.

Topsides painting:
I normally use a brush for all my painting but I decided I would try spray painting this time.  I think the biggest reason I don’t like spray painting is because of all the taping and masking off you need to do.
 
Taping the waterline.

 
First coat, and no, just in case you're wondering, I did not spray it in the bedroom. 

 
Three coats later.

Alistair, very interesting method for aging the copper plates.  I just might have to try it out on my current build.  The one thing I'm not sure about however is which morning pee I should use, the 1AM or the 3AM or the 5AM or the 7AM.😉

Ron, the frig is full of them, come on down anytime.  Good to be back and thanks for checking out my build.

Alistair, very interesting method for aging the copper plates.  I just might have to try it out on my current build.  The one thing I'm not sure about however is which morning pee I should use, the 1AM or the 3AM or the 5AM or the 7AM.😉