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JSGerson

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  1. JSGerson
    Aft Side Windows Again the side view template was used to locate the aft windows on each side of the model. Small pilot holes were drilled and then expanded and finally cut and filed to shape. Four pieces of boxwood was used to create the window frame and glued on the inside wall. At this point they exactly like gunports. Bowsprit Hole It was at this point that the practicum instructed how to remove the keel extension in the bow that was done earlier. The one thing that hadn’t been done was to create the hole for the bowsprit. This was now done. Fine tuning this opening will be done latter. This ends Chapter 2
  2. JSGerson
    Planking above the Main Rail One row of planking was added above the Main Rail aft of the center three gunports and also forward of them. Another railing was then installed aft over the last row but this time it’s made of swiss pearwood. Finally the last four rows of swiss pearwood planking were added aft; and it was time to treenail again.
  3. JSGerson
    The trick is to keep the razor blade 90º to the stock as it is repeatedly drawn the cut profile until the desired molding is complete. This is not easy. Once done, you can’t sand it smooth or you wipe out the molding. I was somewhat successful having never done it before. The molding wasn’t as sharp as I would have like it, but I was afraid I might break it if I continued. It was then installed. Sorry no pictures at this stage.
  4. JSGerson
    The Main Rail The mail rail is a molded holly strip that is light in color and is added before the remaining planking is completed. Making the molded profile was a completely new technique to me. After purchasing some “super thin separating cutting discs” from a company called International Inc., a profile of the molding is cut into a razor blade The width of the profile must be the same as the stock piece of wood that is to be drawn through it.
  5. JSGerson
    Stern Transom Planking Because the ends of the stern planking need to be covered by the side planning, the stern planking was started at this point. Once more I was reminded that something was amiss because in the practicum, only one row of planking was needed to reach the bottom of the window opening. In my model it required two. As the successive rows were added on, the window openings were carved out. The second picture was taken before I had sanded and cleaned up the flaws so it looks a bit rough.
  6. JSGerson
    Following the instructions of the practicum, I installed the tree nails using Minwax Wipeon Poly as the adhesive. This is the same coating used to finish the wood surface of the boat. The excess bamboo is cut off and sanded flush leaving no glue marks. I prefer that the treenails have a low contrast rather high one as seen in some other models because I feel it looks more realistic. The picture below shows the bamboo “glued in” but not trimmed and sanded.
  7. JSGerson
    I found that as I got down to the smaller sizes the holes were not consistently progressive in getter smaller. I had difficulty creating the tree nails. After struggling for a while I discovered that Byrnes Machines also sold draw plates and knowing there fine workmanship from previous purchases, I bought theirs. It worked like a charm as expected.
  8. JSGerson
    I split the bamboo skewer into 4 pieces and then drew them through smaller and smaller holes to get to the called for .026” diameter
  9. JSGerson
    Tree Nails The practicum gave the option of installing tree nails. Obviously these ships didn’t use nails because they would just rust away and the ship would fall apart in no time. They used wood plugs or tree nails. In for a penny, in for a pound, I didn’t hesitate to incorporate them into my model. The practicum stated that they could be made from bamboo (which I got at the grocery store as bamboo skewers) and a draw plate which could be purchase at either Model Expo or Micro Mark. I bought the one from Model Expo because it had more holes. Note the other plate in the picture is a drill sizer plate
  10. JSGerson
    Oar Sweeps Once more the side view template comes into use to transfer the oar sweeps with pencil. Small holes were drilled, expanded, and filed to size. The oar sweep frame was then constructed off the model and installed The top sills of the gunports were installed next
  11. JSGerson
    More pictures of the gunport planking
  12. JSGerson
    In constructing the gunports it was necessary to remove part of the kit bulkheads. Eventually all expose kit bulkheads would be removed. Although the practicum did not call for it at this point (it would a few steps later), the keel extension in the bow was removed and replaced with other pieces as instructed by the practicum.
  13. JSGerson
    In ensure that the bottom of the gunport was at the proper height off the deck, I made a template of the cannon and used it to measure the top of the sill.
  14. JSGerson
    Because some of the gunports have lids and others don’t, a lip had to be constructed around the openings for those that did. Here is a picture from the practicum as I do not have a picture that depicts it.
  15. JSGerson
    In this instance the alignment used the kit bullheads. If they were off… ripples and ripple effect.
  16. JSGerson
    The practicum implies that all of the gunport openings be cut out at this point. Then a sill added to the interior base of each opening. And finally false ribs are added to each side of the gunport. Not trusting myself, I did it this way but one opening was completed at a time. The false ribs templates are again created from the Hahn plans, but what I did not fully comprehend about the Hahn plans was that they were designed to used to build the model with the Mr. Hahn’s method of construction. Therefore the ribs shown in the plan have extension on them to fit onto a construction jig. Once removed from the jig, the frames are cut to size. The practicum instructs you to construct the false ribs by using portions of the full rib. If I were to do it over again, I would have left the extension on and used them for lining and adjusting of all the false ribs during installation. Then I would have cut them off.
  17. JSGerson
    The template then was laid across the second row of planking above the wale to mark each gunport with pencil
  18. JSGerson
    Gunport Planking The planking above and below the wale is single planking and therefore simulating actual planking. To do this the planks are cut to a scale for 24’ – 30’ lengths. The butts of adjacent rows are at least 5’ apart. Two rows above the wale are installed and sanded flush with the wale. Sorry, no photos at this stage. The template that was used to establish the wale line now has the gun port opening cut out
  19. JSGerson
    Counter Planking Using boxwood with the side blacked with artist chalk to simulate caulking, the first plank was laid at the bottom of the transom. The rest were installed to the bottom of the wale. This was my first inkling that something was amiss. In the practicum it took 5 planks to accomplish to this task. My model only needed 4 planks. It was too late now, so I pushed on knowing trouble was coming (the ripple effect).
  20. JSGerson
    This repeated again for a second strip below the first. Here you will notice my lack of experience in preparing the stern for the planking. There is a gap near the stern between the hull surface and the planking. As far as I know it didn’t affect the model.
  21. JSGerson
    Because the wale is thicker than the rest of the planking, the wale is double planked. The first layer is basswood and the second ebony. My wood package did not come with ebony, but walnut which I had to paint black. This first planking will obviously not be seen so the practicum has it applied as one piece. After it was fitted and beveled to fit in the bow rabbet joint, it was glued down working my way back to the stern.
  22. JSGerson
    CHAPTER 2 – The Upper Hull, Scratchbuilt Upper Planking The wales Mr. Hunt addresses and emphasizes the key in model ship construction is that everything is dependent and related to each other. It’s the ripple effect. You do things right, and things go easier; you do them poorly, not so well. I did not realize at the time, how I would learn the truth of that. With that said, I started my first real planking process. The practicum starts at the wales. Using the Hahn profile drawing, I cut out drawing and pasted it to card stock – office file folder. Following the instructions of the practicum, the template was located and placed on the model careful to keep it flat. That meant to NOT wrap it around the hull. The 2D image on the template was what one would see looking from the side, not the actual 3D shape. I had this problem earlier with the transom window openings. The wale line was then marked in pencil on the hull. This was repeated on the port side with the template reversed.
  23. JSGerson
    This concludes Chapter 1 of the practicum. I am presently working my way through Chapter 8 of 9 with an additional couple of chapters for the rigging. As soon as I write up Chapter 2, I will post it
  24. JSGerson
    Using a piece of 7/16” x 1/32” swiss pear you are instructed to create a cap that goes across the top of the interior timbers which I did. It was to be trimmed at a later time. I was never really content with this but kept it on until it was inadvertently knocked off. I didn’t bother to put it on again till I felt I needed it.
  25. JSGerson
    Now I glued the transom to the stern. As I mentioned earlier I ran into a problem later on when I was determining where the rudder stem came through the decks. I’m not sure, but this is where I may have made my mistake and given the transom an improper angle thus shortening the deck. By the time I realized it, I had to make some compromises which I will discuss then.

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