Rich_engr

David- I concur on not drilling for eyebolts, etc. until after painting. Luckily I didn't drill mine until after the bulwarks were painted and done- had no problem finding the holes and installing things. Larry- from my framing of the ports, I found that it was rather difficult to install the 1/32 strips on the vertical sides. Of course, from my earlier mistakes when sizing up the ports (my overly-eager file made them all oversized), I just used the strips as the frame, then verrrrrry lightly sanded those into the correct size. For the sweep ports, you will see that mine appear to be framed, when in fact I used the 1/32 strips on the outside, then gently sanded back to the proper size. (Again, proper size is what I deemed it to be- right or wrong, accurate or inaccurate- it was my call). But the main thing I strove for was to keep them parallel and perpendicular to the waterway (at least according to my eyes~). But you will obviously want to do this after planking the inner and outer bulwarks. I cannot remember if the frames themselves are supposed to "stick out" from the side planks, or if they're flush with the planks. But she's looking good- keep it up! Yeah, in hindsight I know that one can never spend too much time fairing- that's one of those areas that's an acquired art form and science garnered through constant experience!!! But we'll get 'em next time for sure!

Ok... got the fence fixed just before the severe thunderstorms hit. The radar showed we weren't just in the green, yellow, orange, or red, but the BLACK! Yes, our front yard and entire street are a flowing river! Luckily we're on top of a slight hill, so don't have to really worry about flooding. Good, because we need the rain!!! So I'll just hit the ship for a bit instead~~

David, Yes, I totally agree with you there! I haven't checked that far ahead in the plans yet, but that's sort of what I have "planned." I made a ton of rings for the guns and various other hardware/deck fittings, and I haven't touched the ones in the kit yet. But that is good to know- I'll check out the plans. Larry, Yes, the guns are a sizable project in and of themselves, due to the numerous parts required and amount of detail (which is up to one's preference and skill level of course), and the fact that there are 18 of the carronades and two long guns (which I haven't even started yet!). Wood, cast metal, eyebolts and rings, rope and blocks, and some paint... times twenty... (The rigging alone takes quite a bit of rope, and more so if you turn your own on a ropewalk- a few pages back I enumerated how much of the breech lines and gun tackle rope I needed to make, somewhere around 6-10 feet of breech line and about 60 feet of turned rope for the tackle lines!) But again, I stress the importance of the assembly line and doing things in batches/stages!!! This serves a few purposes: 1. Breaks the whole process down into manageable parts/sub-assemblies that don't take too long or are too difficult by themselves. 2. Since one step at a time is being done on all the guns (or any part of the build that has multiples), it ensures that the quality is the same and things turn out the same. 3. Repeating the same step in a row helps with practice and reinforces the hand-eye coordination and muscle memory and thus builds confidence. 4. It ensures that no detail or step was missed on one of the units/guns (like missing an eyebolt or something on one of them). Bonus: Once you've gone through all of the individual steps, you look at your desk and there's twenty completed guns lined up and sitting there, ready for installation!!! That's my take on it anyway, and it has definitely made this whole adventure less intimidating! And, just like in chess, I'm getting to the point where I can start seeing a few steps ahead, so I can plan for the future and really see the importance of what I do now and how it affects things later on! Anyway, enough "zen" for tonight- it's almost 2am (been up since 7am and a loooong busy day), and back to the job hunt tomorrow!

Sounds like a plan! (As an fyi, I used 100 of the 3mm rings for the guns alone: 5 per gun (one for each end of the breech line that mounts @ the bulwarks, one on each side of the upper carriage slide, and one on the deck behind the gun) x 20 = 100). In addition to the rings, I may have to either make my own eyebolts or buy some- oh well... that's much further down the road for me! Today after cleaning, taking care of 9 dogs for the neighbors, laundry, groceries, and hitting the gym, I may try to get a gun or two fully installed. As for IN/OUT, I think I have decided on OUT, since I'm not putting the side tackle on (just the train tackle on the lower carriage, which is fixed), and I'll just have to play with the slack in the breech lines to get them to sit properly. Pics maybe late this evening or tomorrow (after job hunt of course)!

Larry- don't worry. I was in the exact same boat (no pun)- my gaps in some were about as wide as yours, and I just trimmed/sanded a small piece of 1/16" plank to shim the gaps, then painted over them. It was frustrating too, and I didn't realize I had to fill them in until after planking as well. If you look closely, you'll see that my ship is shimmed, trimmed, and filled in sooo many places, but luckily the hull is painted so they're not that noticeable! Another thing I noticed when getting the guns placed, is that (in my case anyway) some of the carriage pins do not sit in the middle of the gun port (some are more forward or aft in their respective ports, so the guns don't sit exactly in the middle), and in retrospect I think this was because of my being a newbie at fairing and didn't quite get the ports all symmetrical with respect to the planksheer. Yeah, fairing is definitely more art than science (and requires a good eye)- inspect, visualize, and maybe even try to physically measure from all sorts of angles and view points... like a sculptor checking the curves on his marble statue~~ lol!

Ken, In looking at the price, it may be a LOT cheaper to make your own- a $5 spool of small craft wire can make thousands of rings. Also, you have more flexibility in making your own (different sizes of dowels/drill bits, and quantities, as well as finish/color- black, brass, copper, etc.,depending on the wire you use). Either way, they turn out basically the same. Even time-wise, it's probably faster (make a 100+ an hour, versus waiting for shipping, or a drive down to the hobby store and back)... Just my thoughts though... I, however, may need to buy more eyebolts (or figure out how to mass-produce my own)... hrm~~ But either way, make your own or buy them- you WILL need more for the rest of the ship! Good Luck!

No problem. 1. The diameter of the rings on the guns is about 3.2mm (1/8 inch)- similar to the large size ones in the kit (the smaller ones are about 2.4mm). 2. That is correct- open the ring up a little to pass through the eyebolt, then close (I used CA since my soldering skills aren't that great). Be careful not to get any glue on the eyebolts, since the ring needs to move freely when it's rigged. Hope this helps!!

Ken, I used some small black craft wire (0.016" or so) to make the rings (there are no where near enough as supplied in the kit). I basically used some old straightened metal chicken wire (#16 and #18 gauge I think) as a dowel, then just wrapped the craft wire tightly around the dowel several times. Then just use some nippers to cut the rings off- quick and easy (can make a few hundred an hour this way). Only thing is that the wire is painted copper, so they have a bit of a gloss finish to them. You can make rings of various sizes this way- just need a different size dowel or drill bit (anything of the required size, but I'd recommend staying away from wood since it'll grab the wire and the rings won't come off as easily). But the trick is to wrap them very tight, with no space in between each wrap- that way they'll all be uniform.

Welcome aboard to the Niagara Club!! You'll find we're a unique bunch, and we're always there to help and support each other! This has been the best way to learn this art. Great start with the framing- looks like you'll be coming up to speed in no time! Keep up the good work and post pictures. -Rich

Looks fantastic there! Awesome job on the stern planking!! Your gun port framing is perfect! You're definitely on the right track- keep going with it!!!

Ok... quickie: over the past hour I was able to lower the height of the guns by roughly 1/16" by sanding down the bottom of the trunnions. Now, instead of the barrels being slammed into the stringer at the top, they're sitting a bit lower- roughly in the top 3rd portion of the ports. Still deciding on IN or OUT??!!?????

David, Thanks for the info!! Yeah, I kind of thought about sanding down the carriages a little, but then I figured I can trim down the trunnions quite a bit (they seem too tall, like the barrels are stacked on top of a pyramid). Plus, I already installed the lower carriages! oops~~ So filing/sanding the trunnions is going to be my approach- we'll see how it turns out. As for the breech lengths, that is true that I can get some additional (but not much) slack if I pull them down and coat them with glue. Also, I noticed the issue with the the side tackle blocks getting too crowded when the guns are run out- this is due to: 1- size of the blocks themselves, 2- length of seizings, and 3- length/size of hooks. Right now (other than redoing all of the tackle) I can decrease the size of the hooks (see a few pages back for my stropping technique). Luckily this problem doesn't surface on the train tackle (attached to the lower carriage). Hrmm... may have to play some more and see what looks best- guns in or out... I like the look of them run out (adds depth to the ship when viewing the side, etc.), but I also want a "clean" deck (enough detail to add realism but not crowded and clunky)... [A weird and awkward compromise would be to have one side run out and the other in, but let's not go there....] Maybe as I ponder this, I can start working on the deck structures...

The guns were intimidating at first, but once I stepped back and broke down the assembly into manageable parts, it wasn't too bad. I'll get some pics of a complete gun before I install them on deck, so you can see that the majority of the work is done off the ship. And I usually do things in batches too- like paint all of the carriages and parts, install the eyebolts & rings, and breech plates, etc... it goes rather quickly and easily once you get into a rhythm. I'll show you what I mean if/when I decide to redo the breech lines and make them a bit longer.

Exactly! Originally, when I finished the bulwark planking, I installed the cap rail, but then removed it due to irregularities in height/fairing. Also, I read on MSW 1.0 that it's easier to install the small fittings on the deck and bulwarks before adding the cap rail, so this worked out to my advantage. I also have to agree with Brian, in that it may be easier to make the bowsprit and install it first (along with all of the other bulwark & deck fittings) prior to adding the cap rail. As I have been continuously discovering, is that it is MUCH easier to do as much rigging, assembly, painting, and fabrication as possible OFF the ship than once installed. (I think in terms of completed sub-assemblies, ready to just plop into place! lol) She's definitely coming along great there Larry!!!!!!

Ken, Right now the top slides are all over the place due to the springiness of the breech lines (when I try to push them into firing position, they spring back inboard). But what I want to do is have the guns run out for firing, with the right amount of slack in the breech lines. In order to get the correct length for slack, the plans say to pull the guns inboard for loading, and measure the necessary length of breech line for that. I'm just not sure as to how far inboard the guns are pulled (farther inboard = longer line = more slack when in firing position). I'm not sure if the rear edge of the upper slide is even with the rear edge of the lower carriage (which is how I set my line lengths), or if it pulls back even further than that... Also, when I have the guns run out for firing, I'm trying to set them so that the front edge of the upper slide is almost on top of the little alignment pin that the carriage mounts to. Another thing I noticed is that my guns seem a little too high- they're almost touching the top of the gun ports. I'll try filing down the bottom side of the gun support block (cast piece that the barrel sits on). I know my gun port heights are correct- checked against the plans, measured and re-measured. So a little more fiddling, adjusting, and experimenting with breech lines until I take the plunge and install the suckers...

Ken- thanks. Keep checking- once I get it "right" there'll be tons of pictures up. I'm anxious to press ahead and get them rigged, but it just doesn't look quite right since they have this ugly-looking sigma shape to them (when looking from the side)... Course, if I have to redo them, it shouldn't take that long (luckily I have tons of extra rope I made for the breech lines).

Is there a similar illustration for 12 pounder caronnades? I am wondering how far inboard the upper slides go when loading or during recoil? I already made the breech lines for my guns (MS Niagara- see the last page of my build log), but I think I made them a bit too short. My thinking was when they are fully pulled back for loading, the edge of the upper slide is even with the lower carriage. If the top slide overhangs the carriage, then the lines will need to be longer. I might have to redo all 18 of them if my assumption was incorrect (probably set me back a week or so)....

Guys- thanks for checking in! Yeah, even though she's been in the making for a long, long time, I truly appreciate the compliments since she's my first. Learned a LOT thus far, and TONS more to learn still! Larry- that's exactly what I did. To get out of the planking/wood monotony that never seemed to end, I started the guns (carriages, hardware, rigging, etc.). Not only was it a nice change of pace, but once the deck was laid and some eyebolts and cleats were installed, the guns were ready for immediate installation. I figure it'll take me about a week or so to get them all rigged and set, after which I'll install the pinrails and begin work on the deck structures, bilge, etc., then it's the channels and chain plates. The WVH would be a gorgeous, ambitious build- that'd be a fantastic piece for one's collection! I think I'll stick with the Syren for my next one- another 2 masts to really get my skills in place before trying a 3-masted one (Fly, Surprise, maybe a Conny). Nevertheless, I doubt I could handle more than one build at a time- it'd be a logistical nightmare considering time and space constraints (and the "pet issue")... lol Well, it's back to the hunt today and the gym this afternoon (could finish the yard work, but not with it hitting 101 today and 104 tomorrow!)

Correct- bright means no paint (usually for woods only, since metals get painted somehow). I like the color scheme on the kit, but I just wish my painting skills were a tad better (and getting used to the consistency of the paints). But next kit will probably be just stained and minor painting (similar to the Syren- I LOVE how that looks).

Ken, yes, I painted them (light buff). I will have to retouch them since the britannia metal doesn't like paint too well... The mooring cleats were the 3/32" wood, so they were easy to paint (black).

Ok... finally had the grilled veggies and various enchiladas with the neighbors. Now, for some PICTURE UPDATES!!!!! yaaayy!! Here's what I've been up to lately: Breech lines are installed on the guns and they're ready for installation. Also, I made the remaining pigtails for the gun tackle. All cleats and mooring cleats are installed on the hull and bulwarks. A couple of weeks ago I installed the rudder (minus rigging). This is what I accomplished this evening: Finally, a closeup (I think I may go with just the breech and train tackle, because it's rather crowded with the upper carriage side tackle): Also, I hope I didn't make the breech lines too short- they're very springy and it doesn't look like there's too much extra slack (made each one about 4 inches from ring to ring). Maybe tomorrow evening after job hunting I'll try to have at least one gun fully figured out and rigged properly, and if it's acceptable I'll move on to the rest.

Lol- no shrimp on the barby~ Unfortunately, I didn't have time to grill, but we'll be doing it tomorrow instead... good thing it was delayed, since the grill ran out of gas this evening while making some bbq ribs! So grilled veggies tomorrow!! Not much activity on the build the past few days- tonight I am installing the mooring cleats and prepping the guns (checking the alignment, etc.). Once they're in I'll get some pics up before they're fully rigged. But, in between job searching and the build, I'm trying to keep my skills sharp by teaching myself some new things (radar and more satcom stuff) and refreshing stuff I learned in college- to help broaden my possibilities. (Btw, there's a goldmine of courses from MIT that are free to download, complete with videos, notes, tests, and problem sets!) So keeping busy and pressing ahead!!!

I agree with Larry- very crisp and clean. I think your gun ports (and Larry's thus far) have turned out better/more square than mine! Don't worry about slow- I think we're all in the same boat there (get it- same boat! hahaha!!!). Aside from some of the minor frustrations, I think all of us are verrrrry relaxed when working on our builds (Hey maaannn- I'm the Dude! Lebowski) lol!

Brian, Thank you for awesome compliment! Sure, it's hard as h#ll out there to keep positive and upbeat, and there's a lot of competition and things working against us, but focusing on the positive and staying strong creates the energy that will help manifest the desired outcome (focusing on the negative will only bring bad results and failure). To quote Tony Robbins, "energy flows where the mind goes." Think, feel, be, and exist in a positive state, and awesome things will happen. Btw, I HIGHLY recommend going to one of his events- very life-changing and self-empowering! As for pictures, maybe in the next few days (have to grill veggies for a neighborhood bbq tonight, and actually get some work done on the guns first!) You guys rock!!!

Nice approach Larry- I never thought of using the dremel and a pointed cutting bit for making the gun and sweep ports. I just made individual planks for each hole (then sanding/filing to final size), instead of laying one single plank the whole length and then cutting out... which is probably why it took me forever... lol! oh well- next time. Glad that you're making good progress- you're catching up and learning rather quickly!!! (Regarding my build, I tend to learn from others after-the-fact. haha!! But I'll get 'em next time!) Keep up the great work!