RichardG

My childhood in England was feet and inches. Then changing to metric as an adult. I then move to the US and am back to imperial. I find I work in fractional imperial and decimal metric - very confusing. I'm taking 1/4" x 1/16" strip and measuring a millimeter length. BTW, there is a scale calculator app available for Android called Scale Calc.

You can get small really small trackers. Here's a tracker about the size of 4 stacked US quarters. Self-charging as well. http://www.retrievor.com/small-and-lightweight-gps-tracking

I've been a member on this site for 4 months and looked at a few hundred build logs. Some I liked, some I didn't as much. My likes and "not so much likes" were the subject matter, never the person, or form, or size, or scale, or material, or period. Even those where the actual ship wouldn't be one I would build, I've clicked the "Like this" when I've seen work (or words) that impressed me. This is a hobby (and a slight obsession ). As far as I know there is only one rule - enjoy what you are doing. So go for it! All the best, Richard.

Looking very good . You obviously have way more patience than I do for painting, I stop after 3 or 4 coats. Richard.

It's been one of those months When I removed the original planking, I removed all the hatches etc. The forward hatch was salvageable and just needed some sanding and cleanup. The midships hatch needed rebuilding. The exact details for the hatch are not shown in Chappelle's book and the AL plans are for a very simple hatch (which seems reasonable). However I thought I'd make something a little more complex with some hinged covers. The sides are walnut and the tops holly to match the deck. So after some work with wood and paper for the hinges I was done. Except it really didn't look right, the very light planks and black hinges made it look like a piano! The color of the holly also didn't work with the grating on the other hatch. So, put that to one side and start again. Back to a simpler hatch and basswood instead of holly. Things are going well, it's all sanded and the first coat of polyurethane is one. Then last night, I'm looking at it and thinking something's wrong. It turns out that the hatch is not squared up correctly - there's not a single right-angle in the whole thing! I don't understand how I managed to spend several evenings working on it and not notice. So it's back to square one and on to my 4th hatch This hobby definitely teaches you patience! Richard.

There is a photograph of the Pride of Baltimore II here https://www.facebook.com/prideII/photos/pb.72244443638.-2207520000.1409197704./10152154152158639/?type=3&theater. The trestle trees are clearly parallel to the deck - I think it would look very odd if they weren't (although I couldn't say why). It's not clear to me why the angle would be a problem. Everything has to be cut with the rake in mind but it should all still work. See the mast cap here http://www.mysticseaport.org/morganblog/wp-content/blogs.dir/7/files/2013/08/IMG_7990.jpg, the hole is definately cut on an angle. It'll be interesting to see everyone else's thoughts. Richard.

The best sample of lighting I've seen is on the Royal Caroline by Doris: http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/854-royal-caroline-by-doris-card-1749-140/?p=21417 (you'll find lots of other pictures in the log). She describes the LEDs she used in http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/854-royal-caroline-by-doris-card-1749-140/?p=18921. This particular build is amazing! It's well worth taking a look anyway. RIchard.

It's at http://modelshipworldforum.com/ship-model-rigging-and-sails.php (last item in list). Or a direct link to the PDF http://modelshipworldforum.com/resources/Rigging_and_Sails/Understandingthread.pdf

Some Progress. I took a few days vacation with the family and resisted the temptation to take the razor saw and holly strips to cut some planks while away . I've painted and fitted the stern timbers, along with the waterway. The scarf joints and edges look a little rough at the moment. I haven't cleaned up the black tissue yet, that'll be done when the planking is complete and will look a lot better (I hope!). I'm still trying to work out exactly how I'm going to fix the bowsprit and knight-head in relation to the first few planks. I have squared off the deck end of the bowsprit where it fits under the knight-head. I examined a copy of Chappelle's History of American Sailing Ships at the local library but the drawings are not that detailed. I'm just about ready (finally!) to lay the first plank. It'll be short because of the forward hatch but it will be progress . My wife and daughters are asking me when it'll be finished - my answer is next year, which seems about right. Richard. p.s. I really need to find an avatar.

I know what you mean Joe. I do think that a model can be "too perfect and regular" - it then gets a little bit soulless. I'm assuming in real life, the treenails would have be within an 1/2 inch margin of error, at this scale that's 1/4mm. So I think I'm going to be ok - even with a jig there'll be some variation and the other stuff on the deck will break things up. If I find it is getting too uniform, I can alway make a 2nd jig and then alternate between them. At the moment, I'm trying not to spend too much time trying to think of everything. In my line of work that's called "Analysis Paralysis" - then you never get anything done. Thanks, Richard.

Well while it's being decided what ship I'm actually building (see http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/7309-splash-boards-on-1815-1822-revenue-cutters/), I just wanted to show some progress. I've started rebuilding the deck. The 1/4" x 1/16" basswood for the waterways, is half done (the port side). The curvature at the bow I tried to edge bend. I know some people have been successful with this. I just ended up with crumpled wood. I went with plan B and cut it out of wider stock. I also had to make a simple "thicknessing sander" to thin them down to 3/64" to match the planks. I have no power tools but don't at this stage really need them. For the treenails, I'm using the fill the holes method. I plan to drill before I lay the planks, hoping to get better consistency that way. I've built a jig for the holes (I knew I find a use for those old CD cases that are gathering dust in my closet!) I printed and cut out a plank layout then stuck it to the CD plastic against a perfectly sized ridge. I then drilled the holes (the paper providing a location and it stopped the drill sliding). The paper then provides a non-slip surface when I drill from the other side. All I have to do now is build a jig for cutting the planks to length and drill a gazillion holes. I've also decided to add stern timbers, I think this is more accurate and I like the look in the link above and Dubz's Alert build. Overall, I happy with my slow and steady progress. I've been doing a lot of thinking before moving forward. I am not doing the deck a third time . I have a full-time job, wife, and 2 daughters (9 and 14) - so I have plenty of other things to be doing. I restarted this build to reduce my work related stress and hey it works . Of course my wife says I'm getting obsessed . All the best, Richard

So does this mean the Dallas AL kit is the Dallas (maybe at 1/48)? Richard

Thanks for the details Nigel. I will be using this technique on my 1/50th scale cutter. I think it looks really good. I did find leaving the glue too long did make things more difficult. I used very fine scissors to trim the tissue.

Old planking removed I've removed all the old planking. Still some final cleanup of filler to do. I'm filling the holes from the old pinrails with dowel - I think I'm going pin the new ones in, so I need a good foundation. I'm rebuilding almost all the deck fittings. I've decided to fix these to the false deck prior to planking rather than just laying them on top. The new planking is going to be 3/64 x 5/32 (8" to scale) holly. This I got from HobbyMill - very nice. This is my test using black tissue to simulate caulking (as suggested by NMBROOK) Nigel (NMBROOK) has posted a tutorial here http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/7445-plank-caulking-using-tissue-paper-tutorial-by-nigel-brook/.

This is from the Dallas AL plans: This is from the Alert 1818 plans: Richard.

Thanks Frankie, I wish I could see her.

I don't know the answer to your question but I will be interested if someone else does know, I've just removed mine as part of the replacement of the deck planking. So if it's not the Dallas, what is she to be called? I did some brief research when I restarted the build and came across a few anomalies around the date but had decided to go with the US Coast Guard's date for the Dallas at 1816 not 1815 (see http://www.uscg.mil/history/webcutters/Dallas1816.pdf, the same site gives 1815 as the date for the sister ship Surprise). Measuring the length and beam of the plan at 1/50th scale the AL model does seem somewhat larger than the Dallas and Surprise (length 56'8", beam 17'). On page 77 of The global schooner : origins, development, design & construction 1695-1845 / Karl Heinz Marquardt, it states that the Surprise was built in 1815 but the Dallas was not built until 1821 and was then "lost" in 1822. Interestingly, it gives the following numbers; 79 ton, length 69' 6", beam 19'. This is much closer to the model size. Looking at the list of cutters at http://www.uscg.mil/history/webcutters/CUTTERLIST.asp, some possibilities might be: Alert 1818 Detector 1815 Eagle 1816 Search 1815 There are others in the list from around the same period (1815-25) with no size information. Detector and Search seem a little light. Are you planning to put up a build log? Richard

I considered leaving the old planking. There were 2 main reasons I didn't. First I wasn't sure of getting a strong bond. Second, given the almost non-existent bulwarks on this ship, I'd have had to add extra height to the existing edge and felt this would then be out of proportion. So far I'm happy with my decision. I'll continue to post here and we'll all get to see if it was worth it

I don't think it is manufactured any more. There's one on ebay - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Artesania-Latina-Dallas-Revenue-Cutter-Kit-/231274109664?pt=Model_Kit_US&hash=item35d902dae0 Krick make a similar cutter at 1/24 scale http://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/acatalog/krick_alert.html Corel also have a cutter http://www.modelexpo-online.com/product.asp?ITEMNO=SM55W Hope this helps Richard

Joe I'm getting forgetful, my knees creak, and my hair is grey but apparently one thing is getting better in my old age - my patience. As I am working on the Dallas, I'm seeing places where I did ok but didn't take that extra little bit of time to really make that part smooth or round that edge nicely. So now I'm taking that extra time, and enjoying it, and seeing better results. All is well. Richard

Let the demolition begin... Going a bit easier than I expected Some of the smaller deck fittings have be saved. Everything else can be rebuilt. Richard

Alistair, Very nice job on the planking and the rest of your build. Let's hope I can do as well It'll also give me an opportunity to fix some other stuff. Richard.

Well I bit the bullet - I am going to replank the deck! I'm currently in the process of demolishing the deck fittings (photos to follow). I'm salvaging some parts, others I'll just rebuild. I'm ordering holly from HobbyMill. I'll have to test some of the methods of caulking I've seen here - I'm definitely not doing the deck a third time! Richard.

Wonderful!

I got mine from the Dick Blick art store http://www.dickblick.com/products/ook-dark-annealed-specialty-wire/ . 100ft for $1.89, which will keep me going for a while - of course I still need to learn how to make the hooks