Martin W

Hi Bob -- I can see why you say that you're enjoying this build -- it's giving you a chance to showcase your skill and taste in setting contrasting woods together.  And I'm with you 100 % on your views of quality wood.  Castello, especially, is really nice to work with.  I have a good sized chunk of it out in my workshop, and plan to carve it into a replica of a 15th century image. 

Here's hoping you don't get any serious remnants of Harvey.

Cheers,

Martin

Nice Dolphin, BE, very appropriate for the 18th century.  Did you draw it freehand?

I've never been on the Dart, or further west than Swindon.  I trust you'll bring back scenic pictures?

Cheers,

Stay-at-home Martin

I agree, Kurt.  I bought my second pair from Amazon, and didn't realize till I got them, that they had the plastic lens.  Much inferior.  Maybe I'll learn my lesson.

Cheers,

Martin

Hi Mike -- I think the optical standard for modellers is the Optivisor with the #5 lens.  I use my so much that I invested in a second one to use outside in my workshop.  You can get them from Micromark:

http://www.micromark.com/Optivisor-Binocular-Magnifier

Though my guess is that you could probably find the same elsewhere for less money. 

Cheers,

Martin

Very nice, BE.  And I have to notice that you've got the extension for the the lathe  (there's no emoji showing me turning GREEN).  Coincidentally, my lathe is out at the moment, as I try to figure out the stanchions for the breastwork -- which should also tell you that I'm headed over to your Pegasus log, along with those of the other Olde Swans, to check them out.

Cheers,

Dusty Martin

Ha Ha, Mike, steal away!  You won't be robbing me any more than I stole from Greg Herbert!!

Thanks Peter, I appreciate it.  I'm afraid though that that same bird could also show how my boatyard could use some tidying -- with my optivisor on, staring at the top of the workbench, I don't see the clutter until I step back. 

Thanks as well to everyone who clicked on the like button!

Thanks guys.  Jason, the steps were a challenge indeed.  The treads themselves were mostly guesswork -- I tried to follow the curve of the gangway, but still had to do lots of adjusting to make everything look right.  And of course, putting the thing together -- ay yi yi!

Well, a mere two months have passed, and the wildlife in my yard have become oddly quiet (a pair of red-shouldered hawks were lurking about for a few weeks).  In my usual desultory fashion, I've filled the lull by doing some work on the entry steps, and thought I would take a shot at the winding stairs depicted in both FFM 2 & 3.

The first step (so to speak) was to determine the length & angles of the stiles.  In order to accomplish the curved appearance, the top of the fore stile sits further inboard against the curve of the gangway, while the bottom of each will need to line up along the same line (easily determined by the deck planking).  I simply cut some templates from card, and after lots of trimming, found the basic angles:

Then I traced the templates onto some 1/8 inch castello stock, and rough cut them with the jeweller's saw, and then fine-tuned them with files.

Greg Herbert, in FFM 3 shows his technique for cutting the dadoes with a wood mill, and that's the strategy I followed.  The stiles simply get glued to a piece of scrap with outer frames along the X-Y axes:

The braces and the outer frames need to be the same thickness as that of the stiles.  And the lines along the Y axis represent the spacing of the dadoes.  On the mill these lines enabled me to set the cutter as well as test the depth of the cut.  And the result looks like this:

It doesn't matter that the stiles will stand at different angles, the treads will all be parallel.  Here's a view from afar:

And here is the port-side version (my second effort, and therefore the better of the two):

I decided to use holly for the treads, both to contrast the stiles and to match the deck.  In this close-up the stiles look overly thick, but they do look right in real life.

Next, I plan to start on the breastwork for the Quarterdeck, which will then enable me to finish the fancy curved rail along the gangway.

Cheers,

Martin

Ingenious, BE.  Are you sure you aren't a reincarnation of an 18th-century ship builder?  Your technique just seems completely logical.

Cheers,

Martin

Hi Ken -- I commiserate with you on those sheaves:  I went through almost the same experience on my Fly.  And I corrected the error in the same way you're planning to do.  In the end, it wasn't that hard to do, there was just the emotional aspect of having to undo work.

Best of luck!

Martin

I like that railing along the quarterdeck, and the fenders have an attractive curve.

Cheers,

Martin

I'm with Mike on the moulding -- really, surprisingly good considering it is lime.  You must have some nice small files to get such a sharp profile on your scraper.

And that's a lovely portrait of William Himself overseeing your work!

Cheers,

Martin

I agree that the treenails being subtle approaching invisible makes them just about right.  For a build this size, they would create the pin-stripe suit with two-tone shoes effect.

Cheers,

Martin

Hi Joe -- I just found your log, and am duly impressed with your work.  The coppering looks fantastic (and I'm just not going to think about the tarnishing process ).  I can certainly understand your attraction to this class of ships -- they really do have a charm all their own.

I'll be looking forward to following your progress.

Cheers,

Martin

Hi Peter -- Glad to see you're back to work!  Trafalgar builds have always held a strong fascination (and, like you, I find myself a touch ambivalent about Nelson; and let me think, what was it Sam Johnson said was the last refuge of scoundrels?  Still, Nelson, like Napoleon, is nearly mythic in the romance he engenders, and Bellerophon was also a great heroic figure!).

I'll be following your progress avidly.

Cheers,

Martin

Hi Mike -- I know nothing about coppering a hull, but I agree with you that the oxidized look on model #2 looks pretty good -- no, really good.  I also would lean toward the higher coppering line because it seems to compliment the particular shape of the hull -- the lower line of the ebony planking creates the appearance of a top-heavy hull.  Just my aesthetic opinion.

Cheers,

Martin

Hi Doug -- There's a lot of progress here, with plenty of details!  Could you tell me what you used for the stanchions at the fore end of the pumps?  They're considerably more substantial than the kit-supplied PE version.

Cheers,

Martin

Hello William!  It's always a treat to see his noble self.  And Yorkshire has always stood out (along with Brittany) as a favored destination.

Lovely work, too, BE.  I don't know anything about the Caldercraft or Humbrol colors -- I don't even think they're available stateside.  But I do like the blend you worked out.

Cheers,

Martin

Hi Mike -- I recall some discussion of transfer letters a while back in one of the Rattlesnake logs.  I can't remember which one, but it might have been JS Gerson's.  I'll check and get back to you.

Martin

Hi Nils -- or should I say Grandpa!  Double, Triple, Quadruple Congratulations!!!!!

Bravissimo Nils!  I've been amazed at every step seeing what you're capable.  And the final result is simply beautiful!

If you do this quality of work in your garden, it has to be a masterpiece as well!

Cheers,

Martin

I like your determination, Mike.  It has to be strange as well, moving from the 18th-century Pegasus warship to the much later American ship.  Different hull, and just about everything, right?

Cheers,

Martin

Hi Ken -- I'm just catching up.  Wow!  your work looks really good.  The furled sails make your build stand out.  And the meticulous details make me want to look, and look. 

Cheers,

Martin

Beautiful work with the ebony, Mike.  I can't wait to see close-ups.  And that is a curious planking pattern, as you say.  I've seen others on MSW build the Charles W Morgan, but haven't read enough to understand the reason behind that curiosity.  Could you offer any background?

Enjoy your yard work  while you can -- if it's 100 F here, I assume it will be that hot in DC soon enough!!

Cheers (Sweatin' in Oklahoma),

Martin