radrick21

Working on the masts here.
 

 
Just put the dead-eyes in place and now have to urethane the masts. Then probably the biggest challenge of all - the rigging.
 

 
Well, here's my progress. The Mizzen shrouds, tackles and stay. Originally Posted: Tue May 15, 2012
 

 
 
 

Buildlog will follow.

So the stern has been an interesting experience.
 
I continued by planking the transom with basswood, marking each plank where the window openings are so that I could open them up when all the planks were in place.  I did not trace the windows based on the marks, but rather opened a narrow opening in the center of each, and then slowly opened them out until I was happy with the window fitment and alignment in each opening.

 
After joining MSW, I read in one of the threads about stuff that could be used to make window glass, and less than a week later I was in a hobby shop and saw a bottle, so I bought it.  I finally got to use it!

 
Works fantastic.  As I started to try to get the windows placed, I quickly realized that it was going to be a pain in the rear to get the windows in without accidentally pushing them too far in, as the nice window glass that was now in place prevented me from holding onto the inside frames with tweezers.  I cut off small bits of planking basswood and glued them into the top and bottom of the openings as window stops.  Looking back I wish I'd brought them out slightly as I think the windows might look better if they protruded from the transom slightly.  Oh well, next time!

 
I first tried to place the walnut planks in a single piece, and then cutting in the window openings, but after breaking the narrow parts repeatedly, I gave up and glued the windows in, and then placed short planking sections between them.  I am not really happy with some of the gaps I've left though.  Since I used CA to place these (in retrospect, I should not have done that) because of trying to maintain the slight arch, re-doing them would be quite difficult, so I left it and will think about how to address the gaps with some kind of filler later on.

 
Next I added walnut filler pieces on the stern end of the currently placed hull planks, and put the transom side fashion pieces on.

 
I then started working on the counter fashion pieces.  My first attempt didn't make me terribly happy, it just didn't look right to me.  It doesn't look all that bad in the picture now that I'm looking at it, but I tossed it.  The mark on the planking is where the top of the wale should be later.

 
My fashion pieces seemed too short compared to the plans and photo's I've looked at, and I think I figured out what is different about my stern (or at least part of it).  Somehow when I did the walnut planking on the counter, instead of grabbing another piece of .030 walnut, I picked up a full thickness walnut plank (about .048) which made the entire counter thicker than it should be, pushing the trailing edge of the fashion piece back a bit.  I figured I'd just go with it this way, since it really shouldn't affect anything except make my stern shaped slightly different.

 
For my first 'intentional' change to a model, I've decided to 'box' the transom by adding another 'fashion piece' (for lack of knowing what it should actually be called) at the top of the counter.  I had to soak this piece of walnut for about an hour, and then I sort of steamed it by placing it in the microwave for a minute wrapped in a wet washcloth.  It was still pretty hard to get to take the bend, but it didn't splinter at all, so I'll take it.

 
As part of my change to 'box' the transom, I intend to extend the black from the black strake to all the fashion pieces and the taff rail.  I decided to paint these pieces now, prior to adding all the other planking that will butt into them, and I started with primer.  I then started with the black.  I think I need to do some research on prepping wood for paint, because I'm really not happy with how the paint looks, it's very rough compared to most of the painted builds I've seen here.  The first coat of black didn't cover well at all.

 
I ended up with 4 coats of black.  Painting has never been a strength for me in modeling, and it showed as I managed to get paint where it shouldn't go in several places.  After the black had dried, I tried to clean up the areas where I got black on the planking, but I think I screwed up and exposed more primer and fashion piece wood than I cleaned up on the planks. 
 
Oops, hit post too soon, adding pictures.
 

 
I will revisit the stern later and clean up the fashion piece painting, as well as hopefully figure out a way to do something about the gaps around the windows.  I think I'll probably sand the fashion pieces all down smooth and try again.
 
For now though, I'm moving on, as I'm kind of tired of messing with the stern.

Mario, you made this small boat into a fascinating snapshot of the Bounty's everlasting mystique.  A gripping display.  Please don't ever take your log down!

Stunning.  Your son owes you big time!

Mario, this is beautiful. Fantastic details, all those small items I am out of words A+++
 
 
Børge

Whence last we left our Hero, he was searching for alchemical suppliers in order to acquire a blackening agent for metal pieces.  The answer came whilst searching thru Dan Vadas’ HMS Vulture build and learning that he uses Liver of Sulphur to blacken metal.
Further, this stuff was easy to purchase in Oz (just check out OverTheRainbow here) !!
 

 
“Verily doth this stuff stinketh unto thee highest heavens,” proclaimed CaptainSteve.

“But within a matter of minutes, me mast partners be suitably blackened !!”
 


 
Thus, finally, Our Hero couldst moveth onwards and upwards, and the installation of bench thwarts didst take place.
 



 
“Noteth that me thwarts they be positioned ‘neath the thwart-riser,” CaptainSteve didst helpfully pointeth out.  “’Twas not the way of the Plans, but methinks this doth looketh better,” he explained.
With the thwarts in place, our Hero didst use a strip of scrap to fashion some thwart-knees …
 

 
“There be more ‘ere than whats me will be needin’,” said CaptainSteve.
 

 
For now, these just be dry-fitted for demonstration purposes. What your Captain now wishes to know is … how shouldst these be coloured ??
They currently be the pale-white of untreated pine. On the one hand, I couldst stain ‘em the same colouring as the thwarts and risers. Probably best, what with this being just a work-boat …
But, I be sorely tempted to colour them the same blue-grey as was used to paint the interior o’ me Launch. ‘Twouldst make for a nice contrast, methinks.
What sayeth the Horde ??

Time for an update.
 
1. I did a little more work on the stern filler blocks.
 
2. I installed the keel, stem and stern post, all are made from walnut and pinned for strength.
 
3. The false deck was also added. All comments welcome.

I'm sure the suspense between posts was killing you.  Heh.
 
For the running rigging without sails, there is no plan in the kit, and not enough blocks to really do it right in a lot of areas (like the bowsprit done like the AVS).  I looked at all sorts of different schooner build photos that were done without rigging in the gallery, and just sort of winged it.
 
I posted earlier that I was short 3 single blocks.  Well, it turned out that I was actually not short 3, but only 1, and that one was a block that I dropped sometime last week, and I've never been able to find it.  The other two were attached to the booms where I actually should have installed double blocks.  Woops.  I cut off the singles and installed doubles in their place, leaving me only short the 1 block.  I sanded down a double block to single thickness, and unless you know which block to inspect up close, there is no way to tell, so success!
 
I also decided that the 'natural' seizing on all of the standing rigging just looked weird to me, so I changed it all to black.
 
After one marathon rigging session, I present to you.. 
 
The finished Carmen! 
 

 
I'm obviously not a photographer, nor do I have a 'real' camera.  Mixture of flash and no flash without great lighting.  I should try to take some better photo's outside at lunch tomorrow if the hurricane doesn't actually decide to hit us.

Hi.  You have a fascinating build there Brian. It'll make a really cool display for sure.  I'd like to offer you an interesting trick that might relate to your aft windows battle ( or anything where balance or alignment is sought).  A friend of mine is a sculptor, and he said that he pauses frequently to look at the piece in a large mirror.  Makes everything amiss reveal itself.  I used this method a lot back when I was oil painting and it saved me a lot of time!  I'll do that on my Willie when I get far enough for it to be useful.  Thanks a lot for your interest in my virgin build BTW!

I will not ad much comments to this topic, as the images already do say enough
 

 

 

 

 
 

Recently I have started the scratch building of the Dutch VOC Vessel Batavia, which shipwrecked on her maiden voyage on the 4th of june 1629 - near to the australian westcoast at morning reef near Beacon Island. If you do some research on the internet you will find a lot of information about the shipwrecking of the Batavia and all that happened afterwards...
 
As there is no wooden model kit for the Batavia I bought me the plans which where made on the Dutch shipyard "Bataviawerf" in Lelystad, Netherlands - and started the model from scratch. In this topic you'll find the pictures I made during the building proces - started beginning of december 2013 up until now. I'm about halfway building the Batavia.
 
I started with plywood and a jigsaw...
 

 
Keel and frames
 

 
same
 

 
First decks planked
 

 
Hull partly planked
 
 
 
 

2) Original work done in 1986/87

The frames on this kit are plywood so they were lightly sanded then stained in dark walnut before assembly to help conceal the laminations. I stole that idea from the picture on the box. There was no internet back then to learn about planking (I was using a state-of-the-art PC with dual floppies at work!) so the 16 page booklet "Planking Model Ships" by Richard Mansir was my guide. Once I started the single planking it became obvious that I really needed to get the edge joints beveled just right. I found it tricky to get the joints to look tight on both the outside and the inside. After one plank was installed and secured and the next one was spiled and bent, I slid a folded piece of 220 grit sandpaper back and forth between the 2 planks while holding the new plank against the previous one. Also shown in this picture, although it was done more recently, is the finish that I applied on the ramin wood parts. Because the wood is so light and porous it showed dirt (or walnut dust transferred from fingers) easily. The floor boards and centerboard case are sealed with clear (super-blonde) shellac. The thwart seats and oarlock bases are finished in garnet shellac.


 
My first screw-up was only ordering the 5mm wide walnut planking.The garboard planks would have been better if I had used 10mm planks for them. I first tried staining the little wedge shaped areas of the false keel that showed at each end but that looked like poop. Later I cut shallow pockets into the false keel and inlayed some wedge shaped pieces of walnut, but they are a lousy color match and are too light. I may try coloring them before I put a finish on. Another problem that has occurred over the years is that some of the walnut planks have shrunk or developed splits. I'll need to repair these before applying a finish too. The nails that came with the kit were really soft and even with pre-drilling, they bent too easily. I used stainless steel straight pins instead. Each one had to be clipped off which left a wedge shape tip which was carefully ground down as close to the planks as I dared with a Dremel grinding wheel. I then used a small drift punch to seat them flush and then finished with block sanding with a hard block. Stainless pins are a pain! The pins are staggered side-to-side on each plank per Mansir's book while still hitting the frames.
 



 
At the time the boat was set aside, the keel, prow and stern posts and floor boards were added but nothing else in the pictures were. 

i know the planking is not right,but, being the prime and only contractor on this build i took a few liberties, besides she's a work horse destined to ply the seven seas not sit on a mentle

It doesn't matter how long these things take. Labours of love take as long as they need to take.

only reason i can find for the main channel falling over the gun port is that dimensions taken of flat drawing dont compensate for the curvature of the hull,, just gonna have to run the chain above the gun port to the hull,,live and learn

mistakes have been made but for a first build i am very satisfied, wife thinks i have become posessed, maybe shes right,,already thinking of what to build next,,,,she came into the cave yesterday and observed " youre almost done"
 

thought i would include a couple pics of my first scratch build

last evening I was thinking about giving my friend Al a watercolour painting for all his help with launching Maria a month ago.
The universe works in mysterious ways and demonstrates abundance when one is open to it.
 
This morning my friend Al showed up with the following items and said do you want these.
 


 




 
He was clearing up the floor of his shop to make room for the boats he will be working on over the winter. he is not a wood worker and was given these by his brother in law a few years back and never used them.
 
It was such and easy answer. I do feel blessed this morning.
They will need a bit of cleaning but all work perfectly, the carbide router bits are virtually brand new. The lathe was set up as a sander so it will go back to being a wood lathe.
 
I need to rethink the size of the watercolour now.
 
Michael

One down. Was not as bad as I thought it would be. Lots of pins, alligator clamps as heat sinks and wet paper towels to keep other joints from coming apart as I soldered the newest ones.
 

 

The side sheeting has been added,
 

 
as has the bottom planking. The hull was removed from the mould and sanded.
 

 
The knight heads, knees and fwd strongback have been added also the batons.
 

 
Added the ribs and the after strongback, plus sone various details. Most of this will not be seen, but it is good practice.

I started this model back in April and have decided to share what I have done, so fa,r for coments and constructive remarks. I choose this model because it would allow me to practice some techniques that I wanted to learn before I return to my Charles Morgan. Also my deceased wife and I enjoyed a wonderful afternoon on on of these marvalous little boats before she passed. In particular this model has a lot of what most would call scaratch-building and there will be ample oppertunities for me to practice "ironwork" and silver soldering.
 

 
Building board with building moulds.
 

 
Keel assembly with rabbit
 

 
Transon added
 

 
and chin logs

Finished the wider and its deck house. Next up is the gantry!!
 

 

I will have to admit that when I selected this model I had no idea what I was getting into.  I thought it was principally a woodworking project.  Now I see it involves so much more.  I am happy I made the selection.  While sometimes frustrating.....I am really enjoying the process.