Shazmira

Wow, thank you so much for the great feedback. As I progress through this first build I am hoping some brave soul will tell me near the end just where my skill level lies so I can better determine how much to bite off for that next build!

Sam, your work is looking first class....can't wait to see more!

Looks beautiful Aaron, I really like the cherry!

Ah, found them, guess I was not doing my search properly before, or else the logs had not yet been restored when I was looking...I do really like the Montanes, she is a beauty. Thanks for all your help.

I am looking for my next kit,current build is an Artesania Latina...plenty of pitfalls, and lots of bashing to do on this one. I am curious if there is a manufacturer out there that is relatively problem free and who that might be. I have been looking at some OcCre kits and am impressed by what is written about them but can find no OcCre build logs here at all to see what real people have to say. Any advice is appreciated.

It's your turn now! Lead away

Randy, she looks ready, and so are you.....just remember this is a long slow process, and there is a learning curve to it. Take your time and you will do fine!

Very impressive! She is beautiful!!!

Sam, Thank you very much for the reply and the pics that make even more sense of it. I do have some left over boxwood, and a miter saw. I like the wedge shape much better than just using a butt joint at the corners, and I dont know if I am capable of mitering the corners on pieces that fit in an 8mm x 8mm hole. Your way looks great, and if you dont mind I intend to copy it on my build!

Well, the re-planking was moving along at a pretty nice clip, and I was very happy with the way this third try was looking, practice really does make a person better But, yesterday afternoon, I still am not sure exactly how it happened, I managed to impale myself with a freshly bladed #11 exacto knife. It entered on the side of my hand, just below the pinky finger, and attempted to exit out the palm of my hand at the length of the blade. No big deal I thought, not the first cut I have ever had....long story short...it turns out I severed a bundle of nerves that conveniently sits right there. So a 400 mile round trip to the nearest hand surgeon, and 1 emergency surgery to repair and reattach the nerves and one sliced tendon. The picture shows nothing but all the bandaging around the splint and surgical incision, but it is all I will see for the next two weeks until I go back to see the surgeon . I find it ironic that what began as a slice less than 1/2 inch in length (at least at the entry site) has now resulted in micro surgery and incisions requiring some 68 stitches. I am curious to see what it looks like. Anyway, I guess my model building is at a standstill for the next couple weeks, as I have no use of my right hand, with the exception of my exposed thumb, as the rest of my fingers are totally immobilized Aaron, you get to move back in the lead of our little tandem SF2 building adventure, your turn to be the guinea pig . I am already going through withdrawal, so now I am sure I will be spending even more time here watching everyone else do what I am unable to. Have to get my fix anyway I can!!!!

Robert, thanks for that warning. I think I may just wait till everything is attached to the hull before I cut them again

The small boat is coming along very well...I have not yet decided if I am going to attempt building my own, modify the one provided with the kit, ot just use what I have been given. It this point, since I am now planking my ship for the third time, any thoughts to alternatives for anything else are on the backburner anyway. I do not know why your pic size is different...I know I save all my pics at 800x600 so mine all look the same, perhaps yours saved at a higher pixel value?

Ha, Aaron, I am so glad that you are learning from my mistakes instead of repeating them I am happy to know I serve a purpose here lol

Sam, she looks beautiful, can I ask how you lined your gun ports? I believe my dogs have eaten 2 of them (metal) that were provided in the kit, so now I am going to need to find a different way to do the gun ports on my decks.

Thanks for the comments of support guys! This site really is the best. I am pretty sure if it had not been for the words of encouragement I really would have at the very least shelved the ship. When I realized my mistake last night it took all the wind right out of my sails (pun intended), I know it is silly but I felt defeated by this bundle of sticks Did not sleep well at all, brain was trying to work it out all night, got up this morning and looked it over; hoping I could force the strakes where I needed them to go...alas, no. I was about a half inch too high on my ports. Saw a forum today about correcting common mistakes and felt a bit better to know even the pros goof up sometimes. And the most important thing they all had to say was to take a positive attitude about it, figure out how to fix it, and move on. Then I got all these words of encouragement from people here and my attitude has improved I have been unsuccessful removing my second layer of planking. I used 99% isopropyl to dissolve the glue, and it worked fine for removing larger pieces like the strakes and false keel but I had no success on the planking. I found I was chewing up the first layer too much trying to pry things loose. So I have filled my port holes with glue and balsa blocks, let that set up and dry and then used 60 grit sandpaper to sand that second layer waaay down. So here I am again replanking the whole ship....but I am sure I will be happier with the results this time! It was a good thing I found that 25 year old Charles Morgan in the basement, also very good that it has the correct thickness mahogany strips and apple wood strips . Guess I wont be building them side by side now, but at least I am not on hold waiting for Hobby Mills to fire back up in March

Bedford, I know before the crash I had looked at all the SF build logs...hoping to learn from others mistakes. it seems I did...but still managed a pretty major set back even so. Figure this gun port faux pas is going to cost me at least a week of forward progress. My significant other suggested maybe next time I buy my kits in duplicate so I have spare parts handy since I seem to be doing everything twice anyway....maybe not such a foolish idea Oh well, live and learn I guess. even though I measured multiple times and laid out my strakes first...I forgot to align the strakes correctly at the stern (slaps her forehead and does her best Homer Simpson imitation DOH!) looking on the bright side I will get some more practice at planking now, so hopefully this time it will come out without the errors.

My reworked hinges. I feel they seat much better now, thanks to all the help!!!

Well I have my first major screw up %#$@!&$ It seems I managed to cut my lower gun ports in the wrong place. Soooooo I will be spending the next few days tearing off some planking and replacing it, so I can get them where they belong. Did I say !#@$^&* Some days you just seem to go backward Feel rather like crud today too. So quitting early tonight and crawling into bed

Very impressive planking job,and even more so your patience to do it so painstakingly!!!! Cheers

Wow, very nice...thank you so much for posting. I hope mine turns out half as good as yours did and I will be very happy!

Randy, looks like she is coming along nicely. And you will probably want to follow Aaron's advice and fill inbetween those bulkheads, especially since you are going to single plank her. It gives you much more surface to glue to around thoses dangerous curves at the bow and stern. Good luck, I will check in often to see how you are progressing.

Randy, good to meet and have another SFII buddy. Best of luck with single planking that hull, I have no doubt that you will end up with a decent result, as long as you pay your dues in sweat and blood . She can be nasty for sure! As for waiting on that rudder, if this is your first attempt at building you will find that while you are waiting for glue to dry, there is always plenty of little, builds, paints, assembly etc of parts you will need further along in the build. I tend to sit at my table and work for hours straight on the days I am off work, so I keep busy looking ahead and getting those little things ready. It keeps my hands and mind occupied, which then keeps me out of trouble I look forward to following your build log!

I did find that tool at the hardware store today, but then opted not to spend the $23 they wanted for it. I decided what they had was too good and would just cut through that soft brass. So tonight I came home, tore the rudder all apart, and redid it. I just used the cutters I already had, very small, and very dull, but shaped the same, and used your technique combined with beveling that edge on the rudder a bit. I also used the nails provided with the kit as the pins. Worked very slick and gave me a much better looking result. Too tired tonight, but I will post the pic tomorrow.

Toni, you make it sound so simple...but I am guessing it has to be harder than building from a kit. You are right about the tools though. It seems at least once a week I am running to the hardware store to pick up some sort of tool to make life easier.

Bedford, that tool looks perfect, I will have to check my local hardware store and find me one.