Jack12477

Hi Carl,
 
Lovely work...these PE kits are just amazing and I hope the eyes are holding up!
 
One question is how do you get a good paint finish on without covering up all the etched details?  Is there a primer/paint combo you use that lets you get good coverage with very few thinned coats, even with an airbrush?
 
Cheers,
 
Nigel.

Pimped turret

A pic of the lights so far, still have the Texas deck and pilot house to light up. All this is temp as I am still painting and finishing up lower decks.

Chuck, thanks for the input.  That makes complete sense, I hadn't realized that.  
 
Per, I agree with you about Chuck's products.  I bought some blocks and line from chuck for my Phantom, although I haven't gotten to too much of the rigging, only rigging the deadeyes and a few blocks, but they were very high quality from what I could tell.  I just figured that I could save a little cash and get a bit of a modelling fix by making my own since I have the tools to make them now.  I will compare them to Chuck's blocks to see if the quality of my home made ones is acceptable.

I got after the frame tips this weekend. I destroyed several of them while trying to get them out of the laser cut sheet. They're too small and the sheet is too thick.. My plan for replacement was to use a dowel the same diameter as the parts when they are in the sheet. Then on the table saw, rip a piece of the dowel in half, rotate 90 degrees and rip again giving quarters. Then take those and slice to the proper thickness. They pieces came out OK. Given that I had the saw out anyway I used it to cut the remaining laser cut pieces out.
 

 
As you may notice - a lot of char around the edge. Sanding that off was not easy. Seems like walnut is always harder to get the char off.
 
My replacement pieces were too light colored (not sure what wood it was) so I stained them.
 

 
When I had enough pieces I glued them to the upper deck - doing a better job of lining them up this time.
 

 

 
Note to future builders - do this as late as possible!  I started in on my next task, the bench seats, and have already knocked off quite a few of the frame parts.
 
 

Hi I have some updates to show, although currently only roughed in I think they are significant changes
The LED lights arrived and Rossi46 and I wired up the lower decks. There is a slight change to the layout of the lights that I posted earlier in this log but the effect dictated that these minor changes were required.
I wanted a very restful, dim illumination and the yellow LEDs did just the job, I am very pleased. I'll post night pics later when it gets dark.
Yellow lights all round, between 1,8 and 3mm DIA. The pics below show more detail than I can describe, you know what they say, A picture paints a1000 words.
 
Messy work bench, it got ugly, nearly pulled the chainsaw out.

I am not really sure as I havent built them all but those I have worked on were OK.   Its just that all MFGs of commercial blocks in kits come from Europe.   They are metric so the sizes are off from the start when looking at an MS kit.  So when you build an American ship or an English one where the plans show the blocks the correct size...you get whatever the closest MM metric block made in Europe.  So if it calls for 3/32" you will get a 2.5 mm block.   Which was made slightly bigger as well and not even 2.5mm. 
 
If a block called for should be 1/8" long on the plans you will get a 3.5mm European made block which is too large....etc.  Its not intentional when they are placed in kits but there is only two suppliers of those square blocks from europe (as I was told) and all of the kit MFG's buy from them.  So they have to use the closest equivalent metric size no matter what the plans call for.

Max:
I have bought blocks from Chuck and can vouch for them.
The quality of his are outstanding and is the only ones for me with future builds.
Edit: Chucks rigging line is also something you should consider.

Thanks for the invitation Sean.
When we are going to the USA will come and visit you!
That's a promisse.
 
I have one table myself:-)
Augie and, me we are joking all the time about that one.
We are telling each other that everytime when the table jumps up at a picture, the other one borrowed it :-)
So you can borrow it now....
 
Sjors

Great reference! The boat looks sharp!
Sfeve

Hi Steve, the last shot has a reference at the bottom.
 
"The Fisheries and Fishery Industries of the United States" by George Brown Goode.
 



 
Mike

The model doesn't ship with 1/32" basswood for the ceiling plank. Not having any of that yet I worked on the two cheek pieces next. BTW, my guide has a typo calling for 1/4" x 3/8" x 1 1/2" stock for the cheeks. Actually, it should read 1/2" x 3/8" x 1 1/2".
 
These pieces were a little tricky in that the vertical plane of the cheek that is attached to the stem needs a very specific relative alignment to the plane that attaches to the gunwale strake by way of the rabbet. That is, if the forward/aft cut of the gunwale rabbet is too shallow or deep, the forward part of the cheek will pull away from or push on the stem. Also, if the vertical plane of the rabbet is not correct, the forward part of the cheek will twist into or away from the stem.
 
After a couple of practice tries with balsa, I found it was much easier to work the cheek pieces while they remained attached to the basswood block. 

 


 
Only one cheek is attached now. The kit supplied a wooden piece for the roller but I’d prefer brass.

 
The ceiling planks were added without the centerboard in place just so my knuckles could fit. Also, I intend to airbrush them and think it will be easier with a more open area. The long reach clamps come in handy for these planks. They have (desirably) less force than a typical clothespin. The tips are made from balsa and are much less likely to dent the wood especially when wet.

 

 
This is how she sits today.

 
... a couple more ceiling planks then onto the inwales and gunwales...
 
Mike
 
 
 
 

Hi David, thank you.
Yes, that's a dilemma for me, at least for a little while. I just bought the (very useful) Willets Ansel book... "THE WHALEBOAT" which has an illustration called "Deck View of Whale Boat Ready for the Chase" which caught my eye. So, I'm thinking about that but haven't locked in yet. There is so much gear loaded in the boat a lot of the model detail can get buried.

Pat:
Thanks. Little by little it is moving along.
 
Russ

Cat......I did another experiment for the Great Republic sails.
 
This is simply an experiment and there will be far more detail added...but the general idea of billow and reef edge stressing in the fabric is achieved.
I'll add reef point and bunt/leach lines when the sails are rigged.
 
My example is not weathered....I decided to keep the sails as clean and sharp since the ship is clean and sharp.
 
Rob

Getting ready for the next 15mm turret. Available parts to pimp it:
 

 
Now getting it all together ...

Mike,
I used a "tap" of CA between the plate and the rubbing strake to fix the item.
That way it won't be flimmsy when it comes to the rigging.
As for the fixing the paper, I followed Chuck's recommendation.
Finally, yes that's an amber colored liquid in the background, that you enjoy in small sips.
 
Edit: Thank you for the compliment.

Looks like there was a little celebration?    Besides the nail at the bottom, is there any other fastener?
 
That's a good pic of the trim at the wale. You did a good job of fixing that paper trim to the boat.

Well, before next "masted" build, I am going to work on the skill of making chainplates and eyes. And rigging in general.
I have material for those exercises.
Practice makes one better, someone said long time ago.

Those chainplates and deadeyes were tricky right?! I'm going to also try to rig the mast before the install. So close!! Well- you, not me. Lol
Steve

All the "plates are now installed.

Time for the bowsprit to be attached.
And ....... and, yes so close.
I am also pre-rigging the mast.
Thought to have the majority of rigging done prior mast installation.

Yeeooochh... more storm.  Looks like here it's tonight through Thursday.  Same for you.  Hopefully, you'll just get some rain and not the winds.
 
Netted basket..  How about a lantern mantle painted the proper color?  The other alternative is to hit Micheal's or Hobby Lobby and nose about the doll house, jewelry, and maybe the small decorative items areas.

Ken, thanks for posting the pictures. Glad to hear that you have power. Fingers crossed for second wave!
 
Roger

Would the netting from sacks of fruit suffice? For example either those bags of tangerines or garlic sacks? Then just wrap with string around a metal ring. The part I am not sure about would be how long the bag is? Guessing 18-24 inches in length? And at least a foot in diameter.

Mark and All, the power is back on at 8 pm Sunday life is good again. Roger here are a couple of images of abalone divers. Note the one gathering and putting them in his basket. That is the one item I need to figure out how to weave or make.
 

 

 
Second wave of storm to come through late tonight and early tomorrow; here we go again. My daughter saved our bacon, literally she has two refrigerators with freezers and we managed to save everything. Still need to transfer the frozen stuff tomorrow after the second wave goes through.