Rich_engr
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Everything posted by Rich_engr
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Arrived safe and sound! No damage at all. Drive was good- no problems, other than my heater clonking out and car overheating. Def ready to start work Monday!! -
Ok folks... this is THE weekend to make the cross-country drive! Finally got my clearance and all is set and ready to go- I start work on the 2nd!!! My Niagara is all packed up, along with all parts, tools, and fixtures. Let's hope that the roads and traffic are kind!!! So, for the next few weeks or so (possibly longer), I will try to get some mini-work done on the bowsprit in the evenings (Thanks to Bob and his idea of using the drawings and applying them as templates to the wood.) The rest of the large-scale production will resume once I have a more permanent place to live. But as always, I'll be checking the site and following along with everyone else (and wishing I had my shop up and running!).
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Yeah- I'm with Larry on this one. Definitely looks like an approach we can tackle. I like it!
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Nice work Bob!!! Your pictures of the bowsprit will definitely help give some good insight into its shaping! Planking and everything else seems to be coming along really well! Great work!
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Larry- unfortunately I'm still waiting for my revised start date... per the original offer, my first day would have been TODAY... but everyone's anxious- me, gf, family, neighbors, and future employers (as well as MSW shipmates)... just waiting for the gov to do its thing (super slow bc of the shutdown and major backlog)... Hrm, I like the idea of checking to see if the hobby shop has the correct size of wood for the bowsprit- I think I may have to stock up too. (Yeah, don't know what it is about the bowsprit, whether it's the shape, dimensions, small details, or what, but that thing is scary for some weird reason!) Perhaps it's something I can whittle on in my room in the evenings once I actually start work. And don't worry about DNA being a part of the build- if a CSI ever needs proof, all they have to do is take a cotton swab to any ship build. (Heck, the plastic ones from my childhood still have full fingerprints in the glue!!!) Mmm- Scotch and a cigar... that sounds good, but for now I'll settle for a Miller Lite~~ Those planking lines are really looking great- you'll probably finish before Christmas.
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Larry- great work on the planking! Halfway done- that's definitely a milestone to celebrate!!! I really like how your planks terminate into the rabbet at the bow and along the transom- very clean and neat! (and to think you did some of this without your plank bender too!) Great work!!!! I agree about the bowsprit- that thing still scares the bejeezus out of me still for some reason... but I'll have to face my fear someday (just not today, obviously!). You'll get there too, and you're doing a fantastic job thus far!! She's looking good!
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Tony- excellent progress there with the fixes and the improved sub-deck. You've definitely got the hang of it, and most of that is patience and being able to see and fix one's mistakes. I think you're on the right track now and can pick up some steam. I know- the basswood is a bit too soft- always fuzzy and can't quite get that exact sculpted look. This being my first wood kit ever, I am still highly inexperienced with the different types of wood and grains, but I think hard woods are the way to go next time. But for planking the hull, once all the planks are in and the hull is sanded, there's not much of a problem, especially since the hull is painted. And yes, I am still highly envious of your shop- well-equipped, spacious, and clean. (Mine's all packed up into two plastic tupperware bins for the time being...) It's great to see you moving along- looking really good!!!
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Wow- amazing what an airbrush can do! Looks good- did you use the ME paints, or something else? Decking looks good too- are you going to taper and/or add butts to the planks? For the caulking on mine, I just used a dark brown colored pencil. Great to see yours coming along there!
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Lol- yeah, regarding those chores, I'll pencil you in once I get a chance (did I mention I also do paved walkways?). HAHA!! But I think we finally got it all done today, since the agent is taking the pictures and listing it tomorrow. I wonder what happened with your bender- maybe a wire broke inside or something (did you get zapped at all???) I love that little bugger- really helps with all sorts of bends (even edge bending, like I used on my foremost nibbing strakes). I hope you get your new one soon! But if you can't work on planks, there's tons of other little parts you can work on, which is another thing that's nice about this hobby: you don't necessarily have to go from Step 1 to step 2 to step 3...., but you can move around a bit which adds to the fun variety!
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Lol- I showed them one full pic (taken around late August- it's prob in my log). It was when they asked what kinds of stuff do I like to do, hobbies, etc... that's when I whipped out the phone and showed them. They were a bit impressed, and the program manager was like, "Wow!! That is detailed!!" with eyes almost bulging out! So yeah, I think it helped some. Plus, my other interests line up with theirs (biking, shooting, outdoors, etc.), the job (detail, precision, drive for excellence, in addition to Navy-related work), and what's in the area (close to water, gorgeous scenery, family). My soon-to-be supervisor also has a salt water aquarium (we used to have a 50 gallon one), so that was nice little way to connect/establish excellent rapport. Yes it is driving me nuts with my ENTIRE shop and build packed up here in the garage!!! After extensive yard work, cleaning the whole outside of the house, going room-to-room and packing, cleaning, and repairs, all I want to do is sit down and work on my ship (which I can see from here, sitting in its clear plastic bin with tools, parts, and some books), which is probably why I check in here quite often and drool at everyone else's work! lol~~ (Plus, the waiting part is driving me nuts, and I was supposed to start a week from tomorrow, but that might be pushed back.) Which is why I'm glad to see you and the rest of MSW making great progress!
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Larry- awesome work on the planking!!! She's really moving along and taking shape!!! I'm sorry to hear about your plank bender- I'd be lost without mine!!! But I'd probably stay away from using the soldering iron, since it's not quite the same thing... (Did you try to remove the round head from the bender and attach it to the iron??) Great work though! Heck, by the time I get up and settled, and get my shop set up, you'll probably be planking the deck and then some!!!
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Coming along nicely! Luckily it's the 1st planking, so I wouldn't worry about it too much, just as long as you have a good foundation for the 2nd final planking. I believe you mentioned earlier that the mast was a giant dowel- would it be possible to buy a long piece that is square, which might help with the shaping??
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Yes, ME = Model Expo. (Of course, doing an Amati or Mamoli kit would be a change-up since it'd be in metric, not english measurements...)
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Aw, man- that sucks! Your framing looked good- what was wrong with the bulkhead??? From your pics, everything looked like it was shaping up very well!! Thankfully ME is awesome with their parts-replacement and customer service!!! So "projects and attempting to date after divorce"- that'd be time consuming and I can only imagine your difficulties (not to mention one's focus is all over the place). Perhaps try the Zen approach to modeling: relax, breathe, and center the mind. I find connecting with the wood to be very soothing and almost meditative. It definitely helps wash away the stress and scatter-brain. We're all pulling for ya, so don't stress about the build (or life)- we're here for ya!!!
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Wow!! I just started following this log- awesome work!!! And BIG!! She reminds me of an R/C (plastic hull) kit I had when I was a kid of the Stars & Stripes. She was over 3 feet long and about 5 feet tall. The sails were so large that she wanted to blow over every time I had the window open!! How do the Italian kits (Amati, Mamoli) compare to the ME kits? It looks like it's well supplied and are the instructions really good? Love those J boats!!! Absolutely gorgeous!!!!
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Larry- that's what my gf and I keep saying, that we're just cleaning the place up for them and not ourselves... lol~ funny how stuff works like that. Mark- thank you. Yes, the bench is coming with us (it's obviously not where I build- garage has zero climate control). But we're getting there slowly but steadily. Realtor wants to get final pictures on Friday so she can list the house, which may/may not have to be delayed until I know 100% for certain that everything with the job is all-clear. Still, pressing ahead like we have good sense. Either way, the house needs prepping to sell/move.
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Finally got the garage done yesterday- took about 10 hrs! I dragged every single thing out and emptied it, then swept all the crud, spiderwebs, dust, etc., then sorted and packed a bunch of stuff. By 10pm I was whipped! But it's done, and all that's left is the attic and some small stuff here-and-there in the house. So it only took us about 2 weeks to get the entire house and yard ready to show (and it was a bit of a mess beforehand). Here's before: Here's after emptying and cleaning:
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Laying the deck off the ship first may help with the planking, but could also cause some height issues later on. Planking the deck on the ship and then staining/cutting holes, etc. isn't too hard- the curves are gentle and there's room to work. Are you going to include butts in your deck planks, or run them as full-length strips?
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Ahhh... still cleaning/packing the house... also waiting for the final word on when I'll start (still haven't processed my "stuff" yet)... Original plan was to leave here next Friday (the 8th), but that might be pushed back a few weeks because of govt shutdown, so just getting as much of the house in order as we can. Shop is 100% torn down now. Just a few plastic bins of all of my stuff and half of my workbench is all that remains~~~ Should be putting the For Sale sign in the yard next week, but might have to delay that until I'm 100% certain of the job and when I start. soooo may variables right now~~
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Yep- slow, but steady ahead~~ It took me about 3 years to finish planking just the hull, so I wouldn't worry about things taking some time. Besides, the patience shows in your work, and it looks great!!! Bob has a good point: most of the time is spent looking at plans, researching, and figuring things out. The small percentage of time is actual wood work. Plus, he has a nifty idea for those darn stern filler blocks!!!!!! But relax, be patient, and above all- have fun!!
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Lol!!! Sam, that's one FULL week of probably 14hr days... gonna take just a day to drag everything out so I can sweep the dirt, webs, and fur out... then deciding what can be tossed and what can be neatly organized... From my perspective, it's a rat hole of a mess. Oh, and then there's dragging two rooms' worth of crap down from the attic (mostly books, which aren't light)... Still moving ahead. Passed my pee test, did some of the required paperwork/background stuff... now just waiting on my interim approval and I'll be all set. Met with the realtor the other day and she's coming by to check out the house tomorrow (see what needs updating/replacing/painting, etc.) so we can have a more realistic game plan. I also have to get my car looked at to get it ready for the cross-country drive and maybe winter tires (haven't driven in real snow in a looooooong time). So it's going to be my ship+shop tools, some books, and clothes all packed into my Rav4... it'll definitely be an experience!! Next two weeks are gonna be super busy and are going to fly by~~~
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Very good! Coming along really well!!
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Tony- I agree with what Patrick said. For most, if not all builders, everyone has "what the heck? how do I___??" moments. But your work is excellent, so you shouldn't worry. I know framing and planking takes a good while, but it's well worth it if you're patient and believe in yourself (and your plan). Nice touch with the treenails- they really do make a difference. Maybe I'll try that on my next build. Awesome shop- you're definitely all set to tackle whatever gets thrown your way!!
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Lol- that's funny how guys tend to do that with cars... and yet I don't know a darn thing about vehicles (other than where the gas, air, and maybe oil go)... Still, I can imagine seeing engine parts, grease and oil stains, and tools all over a bathroom or living room! But no such mess here- we spent the whole weekend cleaning, painting, etc. Only got about 3 rooms and 1 bathroom done (I pressure washed the entire outside of the house, patios, and fence). Still have to go through the other half of the house inside, plus I gotta tackle the garage and attic (which will take me a week- yeah, it's that bad)... 18 days until I head out!!
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Ok... there will quite possibly be zero build updates for a while, since last night I packed up the shop. I fit most of my tools and parts into a plastic bin, and I have to find another one to fit the ship in. It's amazing how compact my shop is- all parts, paints, most wood (and scraps), power drill, tools (files, sand blocks, tweezers, all clamps, calipers, drafting sets, etc), and plans & books/notebooks all fit into a medium sized tub. The only remaining items are my lamp, Dremel & stand, and vise. Now if I could just get the rest of the house and garage as packed and clean in the next 3 weeks...
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