MEDDO

Update:
 
Waterline marked, using my favorite martini glass on a smooth level kitchen countertop

 

 
Hull painted green, it took approximately 20 coats of Liquitex Hooker's Green acrylic.  Next up was setting the masts and putting in the small wooden framing at the base of them.
 

 

 
Finally, I started the process of the lower shrouds.  The upper shrouds on the foremast were done prior to the setting them.
 

 

As Kurt said, we will have it available in the store Monday or Tuesday.  This really is a fun project.  It does not take months to build and the final product is quite sharp looking, granted I have a vested interest...

The first thing any builder should do is read the entire instruction set for both intermediate and advanced and look at the plans.  This will help in two ways, first you will be less likely to make stupid mistakes.  Secondly, you may want to build one part from the intermediate and another from the advanced project (for example, you own a lathe but not a mill and want to build the advanced barrel but the intermediate drumhead).  Make sure you understand the plans.  Most of us are not used to looking at engineered drawings; kits typically include perspective or distorted drawings to prevent copying.  Decide on your scale, develop a materials list and gather your lumber.  If you are using contrasting species of wood, buy a lot more than you think you need.  I had to change species for my advanced hatch coaming because I ran short and could not color match replacement wood.  Except for the capstan barrel, do not attempt to build this with soft woods.  Now to get started.
 
The individual subassemblies (deck, barrel, drum head, hatch and grating) can be built in any order; they are assembled as the last step.  I started with the deck.  There are three beams and two carlings between each beam.  The carlings support the capstan step and the hatch.  For simplicity, the mortices in the beams are cut at an angle.  This is readily accomplished with a razor saw to make the cuts and an 11-blade to remove the wood between them.  Once the carlings are installed, no one will know you "cheated".

The carlings are next.  Again, the tenon has been simplified.  On the right, you can see the simplified tenon and on the left a proper one.  Looking from above, there is no difference.


And here is how it looks with the beams and carlings assembled.  Make sure everything is square.

 
 

Two years ago, the Guild started selling the half hull kit, a project designed to include modelers who had no access to power tools.  The purpose of the kit was to teach modelers how to plank a hull by spiling.  The Guild has a new project, actually two projects, designed to expand your modeling skills and develop confidence in the step towards scratch building.  As you know, the Guild’s logo is a capstan.  Our next project is construction of a capstan, shown on its step, with a hatch and grating.  The first project is designed for the builder whose only power tools are a Dremel-type rotary tool and a hobby circular saw.  The second is for the builder who has all the “toys”, including a lathe and mill.   This is a picture of the completed intermediate-level capstan.

 
Because this is an introduction to scratch building, the project will be sold as a download which will include a monograph and fully dimensioned plans for both the intermediate and advanced projects.  No wood is included.  The builder will choose the scale of construction and develop their own lumber list.  Most of the plans are drawn at a scale of 1:16 (3/4 scale).  At this scale, the completed model measures approximately 6” x 6” without the capstan bars and 12” x 12” with them installed. 
 
Let’s get started…

This was posted in the Nautical/Naval History forum but is not being seen by many so I hope it is not wrong to post it here as well.  The gentleman doing the podcasts and gaining some traction on having a TV series produced about Nelson would love to see our membership sign on.   I received the following email from Adam Preston and as you can see, this could turn into a wonderful series that most of us would probably want to watch.  Also note his interest in our hobby.  Hugh Bonneville of Downton Abby fame is promoting the Trafalgar series as well.  Hope he plays Nelson!!
 
Dear Allan 
  Thank you for getting in touch - and for your offer to help with the project ‘Trafalgar’. My current target is to get 10,000 sign ups at www.trafalgar.tv because that is the kind of number that will get broadcast executives sitting upright. I am now at 1050 so I have a way to go.    To help spread the word I have created a podcast which I launched on the weekend. You can subscribe here https://shows.acast.com/trafalgar-squared please share this with anyone you know who is interested in this subject area. The podcast has already had 500 downloads from all over the world (as many in North America as the UK)   I am interested in the documents you mention Allan - I am a great devourer of this kind of stuff - do you have them as a PDF or something that can be mailed?    I am hoping to one day do a podcast episode about the world of model ship making and am slowly gathering info on that. Am I right in thinking this is an area of expertise for you?    With best wishes   Adam   
 
 
 

Post 60: Rigging the Shrouds
 
Though I have done this on my previous build, I cheated and used three horizontal seizings.  This time I decided to do it the " proper" way with a throat seizing as described in Chuck's monograph.  I had some discussions with him about the details of this since the  book by Lees and others suggest that the shroud should run anticlockwise around the deadeye but in Chuck's diagram they are clockwise. His point was that neatness was the main point and that for a right handed person it was easier to tie the throat seizing on the right hand side and so I elected to do it that way.  Incidentally, there is a detailed discussion of all this by Ed Tosti here.  I also used Ed's method of keeping the deadeyes level:
 

 
 
 
I think this is actually overkill for only four deadeyes!! 
 
Chuck does it freehand and, it retrospect that would be just as good.  In my view jigs only work if you can keep the tensions on each shroud equal.  I found this easy enough for three of the stays but difficult for the fully served stay at the forward end.  Anyway here is the final result,

 
 
John
 
 
 
 

Thank you for your encouraging words, Joe. Replicating these details is a challenge that I set myself as the prototype is still extant.
 
The cleats and stretchers are now installed.
 
 

Great Anniversary!  

Allan, already signed up

I listened to the podcast and it is an interesting addition to my list.  I am looking forward to future episodes

Allan, already signed up

Allan, already signed up

Thank you, Maury.
 
The two floor boards have been made and installed. Then blessing (and curse!) of having the prototype to refer to is that one sees all kinds of detail not shown on the usual plans. The photographs show a delicate beaded molding along the edges of these boards so, of course, I had to try adding these. 
 
First the planks were spiled and cut out. They are a scale 7" wide and 3/4" thick. The moldings were then carefully run. (I had this profile available from a previous open boat model.) the planks have considerable twist at both ends, They were hot water soaked and clipped in place to dry, then glued in permanently.
 

Michael, With 40K members here at MSW, we can make the TV series happen by joining the Trafalgar Squared group and giving Adam ammunition to get the producers to invest in this series.   
 
I would LOVE to see this turn into a high quality television series and hopefully Hugh Bonneville (anyone that watched Downton Abbey will know him) will play a major role as he is apparently on board with this project.

I listened to the podcast and it is an interesting addition to my list.  I am looking forward to future episodes

For any who might be interested, I posted a review of Richard Endsor's most recent book, 'The Master Shipwright's Secrets', in the books section; and also on Amazon. It is a very well-researched and most informative work, with some wonderful fold-out plates by the author, who is an accomplished artist.
 
All the best,
 
Mark 

Great Anniversary!  

Further to the above, I emailed back and forth with Adam Preston who is leading the project.  He wrote the following:  
Dear Allan 
  Thank you for getting in touch - and for your offer to help with the project ‘Trafalgar’. My current target is to get 10,000 sign ups at www.trafalgar.tv because that is the kind of number that will get broadcast executives sitting upright. I am now at 1050 so I have a way to go.    To help spread the word I have created a podcast which I launched on the weekend. You can subscribe here https://shows.acast.com/trafalgar-squared please share this with anyone you know who is interested in this subject area. The podcast has already had 500 downloads from all over the world (as many in North America as the UK)   I am interested in the documents you mention Allan - I am a great devourer of this kind of stuff - do you have them as a PDF or something that can be mailed?    I am hoping to one day do a podcast episode about the world of model ship making and am slowly gathering info on that. Am I right in thinking this is an area of expertise for you?    With best wishes   Adam    https://www.trafalgar.tv https://shows.acast.com/trafalgar-squared https://www.patreon.com/adampreston?fan_landing=true   Any ideas on how we can the word out to our 40,000 members to reach out to Adam and the project?

Another planking update: Completed another two-5 plank bands on each side or 20 rows on each side.

The keelson is in now. I found that I had to score it fore and aft as the frames rise. Holes were drilled for ringbolts and a blind square mortise cut for the mast step. Next will be to spile and fit the two boards that support the stretchers (footrests) for the rowers.
 

The aft body floors are now in. Then aftermost four pairs had to be cut from heat pre-bent stock. Next up, the keelson. It is substantial at 2½" x 4½" wide. Although the draught does not show this, photographs kindly supplied by Eberhard of the actual boat interior show this scored down on the floors and futtock heels. As this will not be visible (nor are the drainage holes in the frames) I won't go that far!
 
 

After spending months looking at Chuck Passaro's website and reading through logs of finished and in process Cheerfuls' I ordered the kit. This being a scratch built POB I ordered the starter kit from Syren Model Company. I've been following the Winchelsea group build using Alaskan Yellow Cedar as the building material. Reading comments and looking at photos of the wood with WOP helped me buy some AYC to try on other builds. I must say "I like the way it looks, cuts and finishes" so I bought the wood along with the starter kit. 
When the Cheerful arrived in a large envelope and a small box upon opening the packages I immediately spread out the contents and started studying my loot. 

 
Let the journey begin. Now its back to reading the monograph and logs of how and what to start first
 
Stay Well and Stay Safe
Will 

Thank you to all the 'Likes'.
The work on the gratings is almost finished. I still have to glue them on the deck.
 

For the hatch, I used strips of wood cut with my Byrnes table saw from a sheet of 1/4" thick milled Yellow Alaskan Cedar sheet. I really like this wood because it allows for precise cuts and makes for clean angles.
 

The coamings have lap joints on the corners. The first coaming is done and ready to receive its grating.
 

First, all coamings are prepared. The lap joints are made with my new tool, a Proxxon MF70 micro milling machine and I must admit that it is very precise.
 

A first blank assembly is carried out.
 

Once the assembly is completed, the excess lengths are sanded down.
 

The edges are rounded and the treenails simulated with toothpicks.
 

 
For the coloring, I tested a new product from Liberon. It is a casein furniture paint. A finish with a tinted wax, also from Liberon, is finally applied with a soft cloth.

 

 
A sheet of black paper will be glued under the hatch.
I am more and more hesitant to treenail the deck.
Does anyone have any idea what size drill bit to use o simulate realistically the treenails at a scale of 1:24 ?
 
 
 
 
 

Today marks my 1 year anniversary working on Cheerful. This is often the chance to show progress photos, however I’m buried sorting out shrouds.

 
So much fun……yes I noticed I’d managed to snag the peak halyard tackle in the lanyard 🤣

Two down six to go. Lanyards are temporary until all four per side are complete. 
 

Hello and thank you for warm words and likes!
 
The "head pieces" (is it right term?) are usually represented on the contemporary models as one piece of wood. On the plans that show this area in detail, you can see a small rail attached:
 

 
So I have tried to implement this:
 

 

 

 

 
They are first fixed with a few drops of glue, because I still have to adjust the seats of ease in the corners
 
Alex