Jack12477

gee........now where the heck have I been the last couple of days........I dunno......it's all a blurrrrrrrr!   I'm working on two plastic kits on my desk.....planking the Tree Boat,  and the Jingle Belle.   cramming this all together,  because Thursday on to next Tuesday,  it's gonna be a bit sketchy for model building........but I'll try and get something done Thursday and Friday.
 
anyway........life goes on for the Jingle Belle.   I figured it was just as good a time as any,  to get the windows in place.  the stern window is now cemented in place.
 

 
....and so are the two front windows........
 

 
....and so is the port side badge window......{poor picture}
 

 
....and so are the two cabin doors.
 

 
but.......still one set of windows eludes me......the starboard side.   they are cemented together and waiting for the colorization.  before that can happen though,  the exterior needs to be finished off.
 

 
hard to notice in this picture,  but I saw a couple holes in the material.  they were quickly patched up by dabbing and spreading some white glue over them.   the joints were filed out and covered with the quarter round molding.   they broke on me too.....not serious,  but still they had to be fixed and left aside for a short time.
 

 
once these dried,  I could sand them and flush everything out.  then they got some touch up paint.  THEN.......the color
 

 
now to wait till they dry somewhat.......and then they can be cemented in place.

Hey tom seems like I was there from the beginning but I do have to say that the slide show rejuvenated the imagination and interest. It shows the progression that I had forgotten It reminded me of how a simple few peices of wood can transform into a piece of art

Hi all,
I have been busy building my display case/table for my Constellation.  I am just getting ready to stain it and will put up pics when all is said and done.  In the mean time I played around with putting together a YouTube video of my ship build log pics.  It's not quite ready for network TV but it was fun to do.  Check it out.
 

 
Tom

Sorry about this issue Ken, but thank you for the very helpful post. Never a dull moment when modeling indeed....
 
Interesting that the Flying Fish roll had this much color difference as I think you purchased this kit at the same time as your Connie and Niagara.
 
Be very interested to see the results of your tests with Brasso if you need to go there, but hoping a little time will take care of this problem for you.
 
Cheers,
 
Nigel.

Look down, look down
Don't look 'em in the eye
Look down, look down,
You're here until you die 1….. started the rat lines
 
It was slow at first but once I got the hang of it they moved along quite nicely just very tedious.  I used a card with lines on it to help me space the lines which I found to be helpful in a few ways.  First it helped keep the lines level and spaced evenly, secondly I found it useful to hold the end of the thread in place while I thread it behind the shroud and lastly, for me anyway, it helped me see the thread.  I spaced the lines a little closer than ¼”, 0.22 to be exact, which is closer to what’s shown on the drawing.  The futtock shrouds were done the same way.
 


 
The topmast shrouds and rat lines were done next and similar to the lower mast.
 
 

 
I splurged a bit and decided to buy some 5mm cleats from the Syren Model Co. instead of using the supplied metal ones.  These were tied to the shrouds as instructed.  The sister blocks were tied to the futtock shrouds as was the catharpin.
 
 


 
 
1. Les Miserables cast lyrics

Popeye, Carl, Per, Sal, Pete, George,  thanks for the compliment and all the LIKES.
 
Popeye, yes the brass rings came with the kit. Unfortunately, tho, they were a tad small in diameter for the mast so I can't get them to close tightly - almost couldn't get the bolt ropes between them and the mast, even tho the mast is the exact diameter specified on the plans.

Popeye, Carl, Per, Sal, Pete, George,  thanks for the compliment and all the LIKES.
 
Popeye, yes the brass rings came with the kit. Unfortunately, tho, they were a tad small in diameter for the mast so I can't get them to close tightly - almost couldn't get the bolt ropes between them and the mast, even tho the mast is the exact diameter specified on the plans.

Jonathan you are absolutely correct. Necessity is the mother of invention and I opened my Flying Fish box and retrieved the roll of copper foil from it to continue on. Request for replacements from ME have not been very timely and having masking tape on the hull I want to get it off so there is no tape residue on the hull. Especially with the regular type tape. 
 
Here is how different the two finishes are. The roll in the Flying Fish is like a shiny new penny versus the tarnished one already applied. I will let the new tape set awhile to see if it comes in line with the existing one; otherwise I may have to use Brasso with it's wadding to clean them all to the same finish and allow them to start tarnishing all over again. Never a dull moment in modelling.
 
  

Popeye, Carl, Per, Sal, Pete, George,  thanks for the compliment and all the LIKES.
 
Popeye, yes the brass rings came with the kit. Unfortunately, tho, they were a tad small in diameter for the mast so I can't get them to close tightly - almost couldn't get the bolt ropes between them and the mast, even tho the mast is the exact diameter specified on the plans.

Small Update:
 
Added the Mainsail and Main Gaff topsail to model, spend several hours trying to determine where the Gaff topsail tack and sheet attached to the belay points - the rigging plans were very vague. Finally got it figured out and attached. Attached the boat rack and boat to deck. Rigged the anchor and chain and attached to capstan and into hole for chain locker.
 

Popeye, Carl, Per, Sal, Pete, George,  thanks for the compliment and all the LIKES.
 
Popeye, yes the brass rings came with the kit. Unfortunately, tho, they were a tad small in diameter for the mast so I can't get them to close tightly - almost couldn't get the bolt ropes between them and the mast, even tho the mast is the exact diameter specified on the plans.

Thank you all also for the likes !
 
@Ulises,
 
Thanks my friend for the clear explanation.
I hope they understand you better then when I telling something   
 
@ Piet,
 
These are not nautical terms but animal terms.
I have found another one.....crowsfeet   
 
When we are talking about those crows feet I have make the one at the mizzenmast.
A very small update on this sunny day.
 
Sjors

Let me see.....
 
The main stay, preventer stay, for stay and preventer stay are done.
Mice's ( good ? ) are done and also make the snakes......
I don't know if the snakes are right but I'm happy with it so I keep it this way.
Tomorrow another day with another task......
 
Sjors

Here is a photo of my 1/4" and 1/2" version of the pinnace.  I have highlighted in blue on the smaller version to show the slight subtle "s" shape at the bow.  This is done to keep the caprail relatively flat at the stem.   
 
Chuck
 

very nicely done Jack.........gonna look totally dapper with a full set of sails      well done on the rigging as well!   brass rings as mast hoops......did they come in the kit?   Billing usually supplies those plastic ones.  super job!  

Small Update:
 
Added the Mainsail and Main Gaff topsail to model, spend several hours trying to determine where the Gaff topsail tack and sheet attached to the belay points - the rigging plans were very vague. Finally got it figured out and attached. Attached the boat rack and boat to deck. Rigged the anchor and chain and attached to capstan and into hole for chain locker.
 

Small Update:
 
Added the Mainsail and Main Gaff topsail to model, spend several hours trying to determine where the Gaff topsail tack and sheet attached to the belay points - the rigging plans were very vague. Finally got it figured out and attached. Attached the boat rack and boat to deck. Rigged the anchor and chain and attached to capstan and into hole for chain locker.
 

Looks awesome Jack, nicely done.

Small Update:
 
Added the Mainsail and Main Gaff topsail to model, spend several hours trying to determine where the Gaff topsail tack and sheet attached to the belay points - the rigging plans were very vague. Finally got it figured out and attached. Attached the boat rack and boat to deck. Rigged the anchor and chain and attached to capstan and into hole for chain locker.
 

Thanks Frank for the compliment and all who clicked the LIKE button.
 
Continuing on:
 
Finally completed all the masts, spars, booms, fishing poles, and the like. For the first time ever, AL shorted me material (I think). Since there is no itemized parts list (like some kits have) only the balloons with numbers which reference a parts list by number which in turn only gives the finished dimensions, I couldn't detect it till I got near the end.  The fishing poles are two parts and there are two of them. The parts lists calls out the longest piece as 335 mm in length, the actual plans measure 328 mm in length; however all I had left were 3 - pieces measuring 300 mm in length.  In an offline (PM) discussion with George (GLAKIE) we decided to substitute 1/8 inch dowels and use English Chestnut to try to match the walnut kit supplied dowels.  Found 4 ft lengths of 1/8 inch Poplar dowels in Lowes for 55 cents each - good !  Cut the 2 parts of each fishing pole to their respective lengths from the Poplar dowels and stained them as George suggested and it's a near perfect match. Thank you again, George for the suggestion.
 
The fishing poles are equipped with 2 mm rings lashed with rope to the poles at intervals along the length. The plans called for 0.015 mm thread for the lashings.  I decided the easiest way to lash them was to form a clove hitch thru the center of the rings such that the overlapping of the clove hitch occurred inside the ring; I followed this up by doing a half-hitch with one tail of the lashing above the ring and another half-hitch with the other tail belong the ring.  Worked pretty good and locked the ring in place. Sealed the ends with a drop of G-S Hypo Cement.
 
Completed spars, poles, etc
 

 
Fishing Poles

 
Remaining Spars and booms
 

 
Next up is attaching them and the sails to the model.

Update:
 
Moving on, I decided to skip the numbered steps and do things out of sequence. The small boat that sits above the deck was next - the parts list said it was wood preformed boat to be planked with 0.6 mm walnut/mahogany veneer - turns out the made some changes without updating the parts lists - the preformed boat is diecast white metal and quite heavy.  In 20-20 hindsight I should have grabbed the cans of model spray paint and just painted it but I followed the plans and planked it.  Had to used Medium gap filling CA. Photos follow :
 

 
Of course it also came with a pre-cast metal rudder assemby and the pivots were pre-cast on the boats stern so some of the wood trip, like the stern post, could not be added.
 
After completing the deck boat, I moved on to the hatches, which seemed like a simple task at first. But trying to read the "picture book" was challenging. After cutting out the 4 pieces that made up the front, back and sides, the challenge was to determine if the sides go inside the front and back strips or outside the front and back strips.  Well made a mistake twice and had to get out the isopropyl.  Also determining where to place the roof rail(s) was a fun challenge. Old eyes don't focus too well on picture that show the item at an angle rather than straight on.
 
Pictures of the finished hatches follow
 

 
Temporarily installed on the deck - not glued down
 

The sails were pre-sewn and included in the kit. I did not have to sew them myself. But thanks for the compliment anyway, Per.

Small Update:
 
Added the Mainsail and Main Gaff topsail to model, spend several hours trying to determine where the Gaff topsail tack and sheet attached to the belay points - the rigging plans were very vague. Finally got it figured out and attached. Attached the boat rack and boat to deck. Rigged the anchor and chain and attached to capstan and into hole for chain locker.
 

The sails were pre-sewn and included in the kit. I did not have to sew them myself. But thanks for the compliment anyway, Per.

Small Update:
 
Added the Mainsail and Main Gaff topsail to model, spend several hours trying to determine where the Gaff topsail tack and sheet attached to the belay points - the rigging plans were very vague. Finally got it figured out and attached. Attached the boat rack and boat to deck. Rigged the anchor and chain and attached to capstan and into hole for chain locker.