Rich_engr

Ok... back to ship modeling!! Here's the completed deck structures (I did get the companionway painted). I did not install the bars in the windows- just used some clear plastic from a package for the glass panes: I'll probably go ahead an install them later today/tomorrow. Next up is to figure out the ship's bell & forw'd riding bitts (installation will wait until the bowsprit is done). Then it's adding the remaining eyebolts & hardware on the outside of the hull (for the bobstays, bowsprit rigging, etc.), as well as the steps on the side of the hull.

Thanks guys!! And to mini-celebrate, I'll make some BACON and eggs for lunch!!! (Beer and fish sticks for dinner~~ lol!) Yesterday I managed to complete all 3 deck structures- I'll get some pics up here in a sec.

Wayne- thanks!!!! It's been a long, sloooow build, but definitely have made some progress lately! Pretty soon it'll be masts & rigging!!! Quick job update: the place in Dahlgren called back and said all was excellent!!! They're checking with their customer, then they'll bring me out for an actual interview as soon as next week possibly!!!!!! Praying all stays well!!! Thank you all for the support you have shown me! Even if this one doesn't turn out, I know that I have lots of fellow builders wishing me the best, just as I wish all of you the best!! So we'll see soon enough!

Bob- my pins are 5/16 (8mm), which would correspond to about 20in on the real thing. The BOM for the kit calls for part # WP0410, but doesn't say what size (part doesn't come up in a search on ME). However, the 12mm (15/32) would make the pins 30in in real life, which does sound too big. I heard typical belaying pins are between 16-18 inches in length, so by that measure the 8mm would be correct. Btw, the fife rails are complete, as is 90% of the deck furnishings. I only have the hatch on the companionway to complete, along with the ship's bell and riding bitts on the bowsprit (ladders as well, but I'll do those after I install the caprail). John- thanks for checking in!!! That's awesome that you got to go to the Niagara museum- I was there in Erie a loooong time ago in high school and got to go aboard. Little did I know that I would be building her decades later... Good luck with the Morgan- that's one kit that grabs my interest as well- maybe a future build. I see you're in Willis, TX? You're a couple of hours south of me. lol! Anyway, I'm going to try to get the deck stuff finished this week, but of course I'm still dog sitting, and gf + neighbor are still out of town (may come back this weekend, but we'll see). Phone interview yesterday went great!!! It was the best one I've had thus far, so I'm praying that it turns into the real thing!!! (Btw, the position is at the Naval Weapons center in Dahlgren, VA- I'd be testing comm systems, radars, etc. onboard ships & subs!! How bada@@ would that be if I got the job!!!) But still keeping things positive and moving ahead!!

LOL!!! Sam, unfortunately my gf left me with just 3 dogs, 2 cats, and an empty fridge for the week or so... therefore I took some "shore leave" and procured the eggs, bacon, and beer. But the peace and quiet has been nice- haven't been able to deeply focus on anything in a while, so the space is nice while she's out of town helping some neighbors in El Paso. The mom (who is the sister of one of our neighbors) died 2 months ago, and the dad was killed in a botched kidnapping one or two years ago, and our neighbor is guardian of the 2 kids, one of which has cerebral palsy (?), and my gf went down to help them clean their two homes (were hoarders apparently)- loooong story... So I'm at home watching our 3 dogs + 2 cats and the neighbor's 3 dogs (along with job search), so naturally the quiet is welcome. Good news though- got a call today from a company and they want a phone interview either tomorrow or Monday, so at least it's something!!! We shall see..... So maybe tonight I'll get back to my deck houses...

Larry, I'm probably going to use some thin clear plastic for the glass panes, like the type from some packaging (was thinking of some leftover clear/brown polycarb, but it's too thick). I'm debating on whether I want to put the bars in the windows or not... I didn't go in the shop yesterday, so maybe tonight I will finish the companionway (I'm watching the neighbor's dogs so I gotta check on them this week). That's a rather impressive operation you had going (3+ TONS of lead?!?!? wow!). It sounds like you should have patented your plating process, but who knows- maybe it's not patented and you can still claim it? Still, it's amazing to hear and learn of everyone's backgrounds on here- very interesting facets of this hobby and forum! Hope the meds kick in and you get better soon!

Ouch! Please take care and get better soon Larry!!! Don't know anything about shingles, but doesn't sound like fun. Getting paid to model, huh??? Hrmmm... that wouldn't be too bad of an option for me, but 1: I doubt anyone would buy my beginner's work; 2: prob wouldn't pay all that well, and 3: that'd turn my loving hobby into a job, so after work was over, then what would I do?????? lol~~~ Speaking of cannon balls, where would they be stored on deck anyway???? Would some racks need to be made, like what's seen in some pics of some Syren builds? Would be interesting, because maybe that could be an addition to the deck features.

Thanks guys! Yeah, it wasn't as bad as I thought (luckily it was too small, but I could have corrected one that was too big by replacing a section of decking). So now that little issue is taken care of, later today I'll finish the companionway, which may be a little tricky due to the hatch opening. We'll see how it goes... Also, yesterday I picked up some 3/8" square stock to replace the round dowels for the masts. I couldn't find any 5/16" for the next size dowel, so those spars/topgallant sections may have to wait a little. Nevertheless, still trucking along on the build in the evenings after the job search. Hanging in there!!!

Here's what I was able to accomplish last night: the salon deck structure. I was working on the companionway, but realized something was a bit off... After staring at my deck cutouts, the coaming structure, and then the plans again, I realized that I made the opening in the deck about 1/4" too short!!! This should have jumped out at me in my pictures, looking at the drawings, measuring, etc... somehow that one slipped through! But no need to worry- I removed the section of deck where the capstan goes (with the extra deck support planks) and cut off the extra length. After replacing the deck piece, I was left with the correct slot length for the companionway. I was able to make and paint the coaming. The rest of the structure will be completed tomorrow-ish, followed by the captain's skylight.

Alrighty.... for a real update on the build: The past few evenings have been very productive building all of the deck fixtures and test fitting before installation. Bilge pump I made on Saturday. Forward fife rail is installed Aft fife rail is installed Bilge pump is not installed yet (have to add coils to fife rail first) Here's a view of where I was as of Sat night: Last night I was able to make the coamings and support frame for the three deck houses- I plan on having these done by mid-week.

Bob- good idea doing a test fit. Yeah, it'll be interesting to get the correct angles since both masts have two different rakes (get my protractor). But it'll be a little while until I start the masts (will use square stock and make some kind of jig). (square dowel- umm???? oxymoron??) lol!!

Good work Larry! You used the exact same table I made for the plank widths (both belt and plank widths) and butts (except mine has dots for the butts)! haha!! Planking looks good- it'll take a while and may get boring at times, but just push through it. You're getting the hang of it for sure! Just remember to give your back a rest now and then- even mine gets tight from hunching over for hours on end. Looking great!

Thanks Patrick! It seems logical that square stock would make more sense than round for making masts... but that'll be in a little while until I start that phase. Augie- thanks for the heads-up. I'll check out B.E's log. For an update, last night I painted and installed the galley pipe, fabricated and assembled the bilge pump (not installed yet), and assembled the lower chain plates with deadeyes. The Admiral is out of town for a week (or more), so I have the whole house to myself. (No beer and Cheetoes for me.... well, maybe just the beer. And bacon.) Other than the job hunt, which has been slow going lately (no new openings), I'm slowly prepping the house for sale & packing a few things up for when I do get a job (plan on being able to start wherever in a week after I actually get an offer). So it's a good time to really make some progress on the build- I plan on having all of the deck structures and fittings done and installed this week (maybe get to the channels as well). (just reminded me: chain plate tutorial!!!!)

WOW!!! Awesome!!!! Congrats on this major milestone!!!!! Finishing the hull planking is definitely worth a celebration!!! Looks really good- just some sanding and you're all set. Before you know it, you'll have the deck done and the hull painted. Great job! Keep it up!!

Bob- as some advice, I'd recommend not putting on the cap rail just yet... there's a bunch of stuff on the bulwarks that need to be installed (eyebolts, cleats, tiller rigging, pin rails, etc.), and it's a LOT easier without the extra overhang from the rail... Even without the rail installed, it was still a bit tricky getting all of the fittings in place. I ripped mine off a long time ago so I could have easier access. I'll install mine once all deck fittings are in place (probably in a few weeks). So twice 22? lol- still a youngin' (I'm just past being an eighteen-year-old twice myself, which probably explains why part of me feels young and the other part is an old fart~) Enjoy your weekend!!!

Bob- As I think about the masts & spars, I'm a bit intimidated/scared about getting the shapes correct (exact size octagons, chamfer, taper, & round), which I think will be my next biggest challenge. I think the hardest part will be making all portions come out even & symmetrical. Attaching the hardware & rigging actually looks easier to me! lol~ I somewhat tried to make the octagonal shapes in the mast slots along with the angled support inserts that are also octagons (hidden under the planking), but I'll definitely have to find a different method to produce the exact shape needed. Plus, I think working with round stock will be more of a pain to shape the mast sections, so I might go ahead and buy some square stock instead. I saw a post a while back in Masting & Rigging (by Garward I think) that showed a method for making square stock octagonal, which I might try.

She's looking good Larry- the paint removal looks ok (don't want the planks too thin). Gun ports look nice- framing will be fun. The bowsprit looks like it will make for an interesting and challenging project- I'm somewhat timid about starting my masts & spars... Regarding the planking, are you using a steam bender to shape the planks? I found the ME plank bender (soldering iron with a giant round head) to be my best friend when planking! (If you do have it, use a couple of scrap pieces to get a feel for steam bending- it's a lot of fun and you can do quite a bit with it.)

Patrick- glad the hand is healing, and from the sound of it, it looks like you'll be needing both hands in the future. But honestly, don't get discouraged- your ship IS gorgeous and an inspiration for all of us in the Niagara Club. (And we newbies wouldn't have caught on to the "mistakes" either.) Yes, don't model while angry or while in a strong emotional state- it's like drunk driving in the modeling world, which isn't cool. So relax, go easy on yourself (chalk this up to experience), go do some fishing or tend to other matters that'll help unwind the mind. Then get back to the rigging once you're more focused and have a solid plan. We have faith in you, and we're here if needed!!!!

Larry- thank you for the compliment! Yours is turning out fine as well- perhaps this could be some motivation for ya~!! Here's my tentative process: Build all of the remaining deck structures (skylights, bilge, bell, etc). I already built and installed the forward fife rail last night, and plan on making the aft fife rail today. Complete some of the smaller details on the outside of the hull (steps, channels, rudder chains, eyebolts, etc.). Re-attach the caprail (had to strip it off early on due to the gun port heights and had to reinforce the bulwarks). Assemble the hammock rails, catheads, stairs, etc. Fabricate the bowsprit Fabricate the masts Fabricate the spars But as I review the drawings, this may change due to things forgotten or overlooked. I plan on doing as much work, fabrication, and rigging off of the ship as possible in order to make things easier! (wow- it's weird making a task list without mentioning the guns! lol!!!)

Adam- thank you!!! Although it's been very slow going (only took me four and a half years to get this far), it hasn't been too bad for my first build. I think the biggest hurdle is finding the rhythm and seeing the process. Now that the "monotony" is over, I can get into the real nitty-gritty~~~ Thanks for checking in and following along- this is also what helps make this fun and keep one's head in place!

Here's some pics of the guns fully installed and rigged. Now it's back to double checking the plans to make sure I didn't miss anything- I want to have all of the inner bulwarks completed and all fittings installed before building & installing the deck houses. And after deck is 100% done, it's on to the channels (chainplates are done!), then masts & spars!!!!

Thank you!! I've been picking away here and there at a few things lately, but mostly want to get the long guns installed today/tomorrow, and document my chainplate tutorial. Once the long guns are installed I'll get some pics up. Had an actual phone interview today, which was nice considering it's been super quiet for over two months... so we'll see- could be a few days to weeks until I hear from them (the HR guy said their process is slow, and for me to just hang in there and be patient). Other than that, still looking around!

Long guns are about 95% done- they'll be installed tomorrow (after haircut and errands), thus completing her armament!

Ok... guns are all rigged, along with the tiller bar. I also installed the pinrails on the bulwarks. I've been making parts & assembling the two long guns- they'll be painted tomorrow. I took a bit of a break from the hunt today since nothing new was coming up... needed to clear my head, and at least I made some progress!

Here's the guns mostly rigged. I still have to trim the lines, but everything else is in place. I think I'm going to leave the inhaul tackle off, since that'll make the deck look really cluttered.