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Jetwrench

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Everything posted by Jetwrench

  1. Bob, Wonderful work!! All here can see it's a labor of love for you and it shows. I just blew two days of my vacation reading this log, all 73 pages of it. Thanks alot! As for your issue with the figurehead(I'll say it, avoidance), have you considered a modern high tech solution? 3D printing. You could have the one supplied with the kit scaled down, or find a design of your choice and have that produced for you in the scale you are looking for. I immediately had this thought while reading your posts. Food for thought. Build on! John
  2. toms10, Having almost finished this kit, here's some things I've learned. I was new to this hobby as well when I started it so I hope this helps. The wood supplied in my kit was ample enough to make any part I needed however I did use some of the scrap pieces to remake a few parts, so don't throw away anything until you have completed all the woodwork. I still have planking strips left over so that was not an issue. One issue I had was bending the stern plywood piece as it does not like to bend to that degree. I scrapped that part and made the stern by stacking strips of planking bent to shape and edge glued, building up to the correct height. After the double planking and adding the rail, it is quite strong. As for the holes for the masts, Mark is correct about drilling after decking. It's your test of courage! Measure three times, drill once. As for the belaying pin rails, make sure you check out all the pictures and drawings including the rigging drawings to be sure you have them the correct length, in the correct position and they have the proper # of holes. Don't ask me how I know this. ALSO, if you have not already read somewhere, decide how you want to mount the finished model and if that is to use pedestals, position and drill the hull for them very early on in the construction. Another don't ask. The aft cabin windows are cast metal and are flat, yet the stern is a compound curve. I've yet to figure this out since the windows will not bend to match the surface of the hull and I have been working on a solution. I'm currently trying to remake them in something that will work but have not solved this yet. Wood may be the way I'll have to go, but I'm still experimenting with molds and casting. If you want to add sails, start that proccess way before the instructions say to. There are threads here to guide you through that and it will make all the difference. I first planned to add sails and have since ruled that out because of the progress I had already made. If you don't want sails, the kit is not showing the upper yards in the proper position on the masts to be technically correct, so keep that in mind. Take the rigging line in the kit and put it on the shelf. Find replacement line for the different sizes on-line and get plenty of it. I ran out of one size and it stalled me for weeks. Line is cheap and some of the stuff you can buy is better quality and easy to get more of. Wax your lines before installing and learn how to seize lines. Don't ask why. The more threads I read here, the more I learn what I didn't do right and also what I did right and didn't know it so keep reading and ask questions. Consider yourself lucky to have this resource that I did not at the time. Use it. And get some more bubble wrap. Just some of what I recall off the top of my head. Hope it helps. John
  3. Jason, those should work. My kit had 8mm wood pins as well, but it appears AL only offers 4mm/6mm/10mm pins for sale. Strange that they put 8mm pins in the kit but don't sell them.
  4. Hey anyone else working on this kit: how do you keep from going insane? Jason, you will go insane so just roll with it. Two beers and a nap on that couch will reset you. Ask me how I know. BTW, which rigging line are you using? Kit supplied or...? John
  5. I use Bob's lathe and file method. I first tried the sandpaper method but found out it would not keep the dowel round as I sanded as material was removed faster in the plain grain areas than the quarter grain areas. The file helped me control that. I used fine sand paper glued to a tounge depresser to finish it off. I did the step-downed section of the tips by hand since the wood is too thin to keep from breaking in the lathe.(Ask me how I know).
  6. Jason, Interesting how you rigged the anchors. I would not have thought of that. And as for rigging in general, I'm in the same boat as you. It is a skill to get it right and I need alot more practice. Keep going! Jet
  7. Mat, I'm just at the end of building that kit and it's been years since I began construction, so I'll try and tell you what I can recall. Keep in mind I am also a novice(at best) to this sport. Read all the instructions, look at all the photos and drawings before you begin. Some things need to be done in a different order than the kit outlines. If you want sails on it, that process needs to begin sooner in the rigging section. As Tom said, finish the lower gun deck completely before you cover it up with the upper decks, so that will mean skipping over to the carraige buildup. Some of the pieces, such as the head cap for the small masts aren't the correct size. The head cap is drilled too large for the mast and you will need to make your own if you want it to fit correctly. This is just one of the things you will come across. Others will arrise but they are not hard to correct. One issue I still have is the aft cabin windows. The ones supplied in the kit are flat pot metal and they are supposed to be mounted on a curved surface. I,m considering making them out of wood. I would suggest buying rigging line from another source and not use the supplied line. I had an issue with running out of one size and could not find more to continue the build. You can find good line from many sources in quantity and it will never be an issue. Hey Mark! What's that site? Oh, here it is:http://www.syrenshipmodelcompany.com/miniature-rope.php Just some thoughts, Mat. If I think of more I'll get back to you. John
  8. Jason, nice work! I found using the Dremel for drilling the brass fairly easy. I first made a set point in the brass with a sharp pin such as a push pin using a light tap. Doing this on a hard flat surface keeps the brass from deforming. The set point keeps the bit from walking and the Dremel set at its slowest speed makes for fast, uniform holes in no time. Drilling on top of a piece of scrap wood and holding each piece firm, it was the least of my problems with brass fittings. I find it interesting that you are installing the masts in sections. I completely assembled my masts on the bench before I installed them on the hull. I guess I thought I could be sure that each mast was straight and true using the drawing as my guide. Is there a specific reason you are installing them in sections or is it just a different way to approach this step of the build?
  9. That is just one of many places I looked for more line in the color and size I needed. No luck for me and the frustration continued.
  10. Jason, Nice job so far, and you are flying through this kit. I am in building this same kit and many of the issues you have had so far are all too familiar. Getting that wood to cooperate is always a battle. I was soaking and heating all the time. Might I suggest not using the line supplied in the kit once you are ready to begin rigging the masts and sails. There wasn't enough in the kit. I ran out of .250mm brown thread and it stalled my project for weeks because I could not find more. Nothing else out there was going to match the color. It was only after I found this site and asked the members if someone had it, mtaylor came through for me and sent some more my way. If I had to do it over, I'd source some thread that I could buy all the time any time and use it instead. Save yourself a headache. I painted my upper hull with the black and white like the kit, so I think a black thread would look good. Your call. John
  11. Mod Mark, I just got your package today. It saddens me to say that after searching for this rigging thread for 5-6 weeks with no luck and hoping you would have it, I have come to this conclusion... / / / / / / / / / / / / / / I'M AN IDIOT FOR NOT CHECKING HERE FIRST!!! JACKPOT!!! Mark, You made my day! Really! If I can be of help to you or another member here, please let me know. THANK YOU SO MUCH! John
  12. Mark, PM sent and thanks! Keep in mind I have already completed most of the fixed rigging using the brown thread supplied in the kit. My big issue is getting more .25mm thread that will match. Gary, Thanks for the link. I checked over that site and couldn't find the correct line that I'm looking for. It seems to be the theme with this stuff. I've gone as far as contacting Artesania Latina directly through their web site and am still waiting for a definite answer from them. Every site I look on has everything BUT what I need. As for a build log, I would have to begin at the point I'm at now which is a completed hull, masts set, all but one yard set and most of the fixed rigging completed. I don't know how much help that will be for someone just beginning the build. Add to that that this is only my second project so I'm just a beginner trying to make it look good and not so technically correct. I do enjoy it though, as I'm sure you all do as well. Build on! John
  13. I need more .25mm brown cotton thread rigging line for a Artesania Latina US Constellation kit i'm trying to finish. It's an older kit(10+yrs) but I believe the thread hasn't changed. I bought some from a source in the UK but when it arrived it was obviously not what the packaging said it was. It is actually .15mm(too smal) and I'm having a hard time finding the correct line. Does anyone out there have some of this that they are willing to sell and ship to the USA? Any help is appreciated as this has my project on hold until I can get more. John
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