MEDDO

Just enjoyed reading thro' your log Michael, a very nice build in progress.
 
B.E.

Thanks Patrick.  I always have a bit of trouble with planking because no matter how careful I am, it always seems to stair step a bit on me.  But I guess that is what sand paper is for eh?
 



 
Will try to get some of the sanding done tonight.

So baby steps.  Getting some time in and was able to place the stern side window.
 
I planked a bit of the stern first.
 

 
then measured for the window
 

 
then.....
 

 
ouch...
 

 
and i guess it doesn't look too bad
 

The next step was a hard one.  Adding the wales.  I found out that I did not leave a large enough rabbit at the bow to put the end of the wale plank into.  I had to carve out a small notch to be able to get the wale in place.
 

 
With a bit of soaking in water and then steaming in my kettle I was able to form the bend of the wale.
 

 
So I think I found the "wall side" and the "room side" of the model.  
 

 
Not a bad first attempt.
 

 

I was able to shape and clean up the transoms some last night. I was also able to add the wing transoms.
 

 
I started to shape the wings.  I of course forgot my prior lesson and broke one off while shaping resulting in me having to replace it.  Haha.  Now I have spacers in there while shaping.
 

 
Learning every day...

Roughing in the transom.
 

 

 

I think may be done with the fairing for now.  Just a bit left (cleaning up the tip of the frames like the pointy one in the second picture).Will be getting on the stern framing tonight.
 

So the fairing is going slowly.  Ever so slowly.  Think I am about 1/2 done now.  At least it is starting to shape up.  I am using a piece of scrap planking to see/fit the frames.  Maybe in another week or two...haha Meanwhile the next step will be to frame out the transom. 
 

 

Whoa, this fairing thing is taking a while.  At least it's getting there.
 

Your Build Log is just incredible......unbelievably. You are doing a fantastic job on this ship.....great......!
 
Remco I have a question to you......I found this on your first page
 

 
have you done this yourself or did you buy this?????? And when you buy this, where can I get those things. Sorry but I do not know the name of the things on this picture 
 
 

So sanded a bit and it looks better
 

So sanded a bit and it looks better
 

So sanded a bit and it looks better
 

Thanks Patrick.  I always have a bit of trouble with planking because no matter how careful I am, it always seems to stair step a bit on me.  But I guess that is what sand paper is for eh?
 



 
Will try to get some of the sanding done tonight.

a Little update for the Quarterdeck..
 
 
 
 

Little binnacle cabinet
 

 

 

 
 

 

 

 
 
 
Nils

Thanks Patrick.  I always have a bit of trouble with planking because no matter how careful I am, it always seems to stair step a bit on me.  But I guess that is what sand paper is for eh?
 



 
Will try to get some of the sanding done tonight.

Aren't those planks glued to each other side by side?  If they are, I think you can hold them at the same level by holding each plank next to the formeer one ...with a cloth peg, provided the planks have previously been tapered, beveled, and if necessary bent sideways.

Those planks look great! I get the same trouble when I plank also. Sandpaper is my best friend.

Thanks Patrick.  I always have a bit of trouble with planking because no matter how careful I am, it always seems to stair step a bit on me.  But I guess that is what sand paper is for eh?
 



 
Will try to get some of the sanding done tonight.

Double posting I know!
 
So I got the ladders stained and in place. Stain does not like to take to places that have superglue on it and ladders do NOT like to be built with woodglue so we had a conversation. In the future I'll either fight it out with the wood glue, or I will do what I'm probably going to do with this model which is to spot paint the spots that didn't take the stain with some water based paint.
 
I also got the railings up on the lower decks. Let me tell you that was not an easy time. The long brass pins went in fine, but tying the line through those pins was very difficult. Not tying, although I'll admit it WAS a little bit tricky since that lower deck is a confined little space. I have tweezers though, so not bad. What was difficult was getting the appropriate tension between posts for the lines. That was difficult. I'd get the right tension then tighten my knot and it would go all loose. I would get one end perfect and then have to re-do it later. I re-did it a couple times and overall I am happy with MOST of the lines. I think once all the masts, sail and rigging fills up the deck I won't notice any of the individual ties that I didn't like.
 
I also started with the chainplates and deadeyes to run along the outside. Exactly enough components for this process so I needed to be careful. Bending the brass around the ring and fitting the deadeye into the ring was timeconsuming and difficult, but I didn't end up needing to heat anything, just bend really carefully. On this part I am taking the time to drill out two holes on each chainplate with a pin vice so I can use the rivet nails. I like how the finished product looks although I got some sticky finger syndrome as I was gluing.
 
I need to take the time to finish drilling out the starboard side and then do the port side. I broke two pin vice bits drilling the metal, but am nervous that if I use the dremel the drill will walk and screw up my whole deal so I'm taking the time to do it by hand. I could have blackened the brass. However, I didn't know how to do it at the time and wanted to make progress. I also don't think the brass looks bad. I think for the purposes of the model it works and once I clearcoat I think they'll pop nicely.
 
After I finish the port and starboard chainplates on the hull I believe I will be ready to finish staining and clear poly coating my hull. I really look forward to this step as I believe that the whole thing will pop. I have found that I often am not totally happy with my work and then once I stain and clear coat it I all of a sudden feel like it looks good and comes together. I guess I can see that. I also paint Warhammer 40k and other 28mm miniatures and often feel like crap about my paintjobs until I detail the base and hit it with clear coat and then all of a sudden it just works.
 
This has been a great project and I feel my skills slowly improving. This is a more complex kit than the SF so it's a good stepping stone on my way to a HMS Victory! I have not needed to rely on the instructions too much but hope to be tackling masts in a week or two and then I'm sure I will have to slow down because that's a whole different can of worms.
 
What should I start daydreaming about doing next folks?

Not much to show for last weekend's work.  The garden has taken over most of my free time.  I have completed the upper deck hatches and ladderway.  The head ledges are bolted to the deck and the coamings are treenailed.  Even though I used a light colored wood for the treenails (bamboo) they are barely visible.  The nails securing the grating battens to the ledges were made by making a dimple with the point of a compass and then highlighting it with pencil. I scribed the main hatch cover to simulate a three piece cover.Openings have been cut into the aft hatch cover to accommodate the main jeer bitt pin. This will not be installed until I am ready to work on the quarter deck beams to prevent damage.
 

 

 

The planking is looking great so far Michael. Planking is one of my favorite parts of a build. I'm looking forward to seeing the next four planks.

So I started work on the Port side lower hull on the stealers at the bow and stern. The starboard side I had finished previously but was not that pleased with my craftsman ship. I had done a bit of a ham fisted job of it so was hoping to do a much nicer job on the Port side. I was going to add some comments on the photos but I can’t see how to do that. Any way the photos show I needed to make a plank to cover the area from bulkhead F aft to the stern post. I was really having trouble wrapping my head around this so first I made the first cut along the right half of the plank. I won’t tell you how long I stared at this thing trying to figure out how to draw the next cut. The other photos show the final shaping and finally the plank installed.

Getting back in the shipyard.  Starting to plank the side.  Needed to bend the planks so after soaking in a glass of water for a 20 or so minutes I gently bent the planks and then clamped them on this container 2 at a time.
 

 
Laying the first plank and gluing/clamping.
 

 
 
So it is much more noticeable now that I have the first plank layer, that the wale and the planks are not quite horizontal to the waterline.  They kinda point up right at the bow. 
 

 
 
I am going to try to lessen this with a bit of plank narrowing by sanding on each of the next 4 planks.

Getting back in the shipyard.  Starting to plank the side.  Needed to bend the planks so after soaking in a glass of water for a 20 or so minutes I gently bent the planks and then clamped them on this container 2 at a time.
 

 
Laying the first plank and gluing/clamping.
 

 
 
So it is much more noticeable now that I have the first plank layer, that the wale and the planks are not quite horizontal to the waterline.  They kinda point up right at the bow. 
 

 
 
I am going to try to lessen this with a bit of plank narrowing by sanding on each of the next 4 planks.