David Lester

I've just started the second planking. I have the stern area done. So far, so good. This wood is very nice to work with. That's all for now. I'm afraid it's back to raking leaves. We are knee deep in maple leaves. However, there are still plenty more to come down which always presents a challenge. There's always a very small window between the last leaf falling and the first snow. At this point it's just a matter of volume reduction. Thanks for checking in. David

I'm working away at the second planking layer. There is a lot of ground to cover with this one! On my Speedy, I didn't bother to lay out belts for the planking. Its hull is quite small and it didn't seem essential to me. On this one however, because it's so large, I think it is necessary. I wanted to try using a planking fan this time and it works amazingly well. I like because it is a very elegant solution - it's simple, low tech and works so effectively. (And it's a lot less expensive than a set of proportional dividers.) I downloaded a template from the forum. Here is my progress so far. Thanks for looking in! David

Hi Allan, I'm not sure I understand your question. I think I'm reading the plans correctly, but maybe I'm missing something. At the moment all of the gunport linings are flush with the first layer of planking. It appears to me, if I'm reading the plans correctly, that for the ports with lids, the second layer of planking should be cut shy of the edge of the linings by 1 mm or 3/64" on all four sides. This leaves a "recess" or a lip on all four sides that is the depth of the second planking and the width of the lining - both are about 1 mm or 3/64" It appears to me that the lid is simply placed against the upper lip. And, of course, for the ports that have no lids, the second layer of planking is made flush with the inner edges of the linings. Do I have this right, or am I missing something. Thanks, David

I mentioned in another post that a nearby fellow model builder asked me if I'd like to take on a partially built Agamemnon that his late father had started, but was unable to complete. I am happy to be the recipient of such a great kit. All the work that has been done on it is first rate, so it's just a matter of moving forward; nothing to be re-done. I'm really honoured that Peter Rumgay, a very skilled modeller, has entrusted me with his dad's unfinished project. I going to work on this kit simultaneously with my Speedy project. I've never worked on more than one project at a time before, and so far I'm enjoying the process. The key for me was getting properly set up and slightly changing my modus operandi. In the past, (mostly through laziness) I usually had too much stuff piled on my workbench, so it looked like a hoarder's workbench, sometimes to the point of leaving only the tiniest workspace. That just wouldn't work this time, so I have cleared it completely. Fortunately I have a lot of room in my shop so I set up two separate tables, apart from my workbench, and have one table dedicated to each kit, including plans and all parts. and just move over from the table the immediate things I need at any given time and then move them back. This makes it very easy to switch projects and keep everything organized. I should have been this organized all along. Here's the model as I received it. It would appear that the first order of business for me is the second layer of planking and I've made a start. I'm thankful for the other Agamemnon builders on the forum. I've been studying their build logs and I know I'll be turning to them again and again as I work through this very large undertaking. David

Here's the little jig I made to hold the 1mm planking. The two strips in the foreground are 1/8" high and the two behind are 1/16" high. David

I have a soft spot in my heart for this kit because it was my first build and my introduction to this great hobby. I think it is one of the best introductory models there is. Pretty much everything you will encounter in larger and/or more complex models is here, just smaller and simpler. ie double planking but not too big a hull, cannons to rig, but only a few; rigging, including yards and ratlines, but not too much with only one mast, etc. etc. I used Bob Hunt's practicum for this model too, and I found it to be invaluable. Of all his practicums, this one is by far the best and should be of real help to you. With this model, along with the longboat under your belt, you will be well launched. David

Bob - I found that holding the plank on its edge worked just fine for the first layer of planking (1.5mm) but wasn't sure it would work as well for thinner material. I haven't started the second layer yet, but I experimented with some 1mm planking and it is in fact too wobbly. So, I've built a jig that solves the problem. I don't have a picture of it, but I'll get one tomorrow and post it. I just glued four strips onto a scrap piece of 1x2. Two of the strips are 1/8" x 1/4" and they're glued wide side down and 1mm apart. The other two are 1/16" x 1/4" and they're glued down the same way, 1mm apart. They hold the planking strip perfectly. I start with the 1/8" and then move to the 1/16" as I remove more material. Kev - your system sounds like it would work well. If you're thinking of the Speedy as your next kit, I would recommend it highly. I'm not too far along yet, but so far, it is an absolute pleasure to work on. David

A little more progress on Speedy - I have finished the first layer of planking. This is not a difficult hull to plank and the whole process went smoothly. I chose not to line off the hull, creating belts. The instructions didn't indicate that this was necessary and I decided since it is a small hull, I shouldn't have any problems if I didn't do it. So I just eyeballed the amount of tapering for each plank at the bow, taking off just about half or slightly less and planning to address any issues once I got to the bottom. I worked straight down, but installed the garboard before added the final two planks above it. There really were no problems to speak of, just a matter of fitting the last plank against the garboard. I used my new little Lee Valley plane to taper the planks and I found it to be very effective and pleasant to use. (which I'm relieved to discover, since it was about the same price as a used Hyundai!) I can never seem to hold a ruler firmly in place when using a knife. This way, you just hold the plank on its edge and run the plane along it. It works really well and you have quite a bit of control. I didn't ruined a single plank this time, which is not typically the case for me with a knife and ruler. Having really only built Model Shipways kits before, I am used to drawing the bearding line and reducing the centre keel before adding the planking. This kit doesn't include that step, but rather asks you to simply apply the planking first and then sand the stern area to a very thin width afterwards. I wasn't sure how easy a task this would be to do, but it proved to be easier than I anticipated and I think I have an acceptable result. I know it looks rough in the picture, but that's only because of the the contrast in colours. It's actually very smooth where the planks feather out. I think this is the first hull I've planked where I don't need a gallon of filler (and I'm talking imperial gallons!) I will use some though, just to even out a couple of spots, but I think it will need only a minimal amount. And that's it for now. Thanks again for comments, likes etc. David

Thanks Derek, I've coloured the upper deck already and I'm quite a bit happier with it than the lower deck (which was the sacrificial trial case.) The upper is more gray, less yellow. A very light sanding lets some of the wood show through and I think it's a good natural look. It will make its appearance in due course. Thanks again, David

I am determined to improve my planking skills with this build, so have been trying a couple of experiments with the first layer. I tried my hand at two of Chuck's suggestions - the first was spiling and the second edge bending with an iron. The spiling works well in that it certainly solves the problem of the planks tending to "step" at the bow. However, it presents its own set of challenges and it needs some wider stock to work with. I tried one spiled plank on the port side, but no need for a picture of it - it's a bit rough and once you see it, you won't be able to "un-see" it. I don't want to ruin anyone's day. However, the iron method works really well and is pretty much foolproof. I bought a cheap iron ($21.99) and set up an ironing station. The hold-down is important, because without it, it's still possible for the plank to "buckle." With the hold-down, it works very smoothly. And here is the plank in position - I am now a convert to this method. I'm expecting it to be especially helpful for the second layer. In the past I have sometimes found the second layer more difficult and frustrating because if the plank doesn't lay perfectly flat, the glue doesn't hold and sanding results in gaps. I think this is going to improve things for me considerably. Thanks for checking in. David

I've made a little more progress on the Speedy. It is impossible to overstate how perfectly the pieces fit together and what a pleasure they are to work with. I added the upper sub-deck which popped into place beautifully. Fairing the hull seemed a relatively easy chore. The mdf is a lot nicer to work with than plywood and with the lower deck and upper sub-deck in place, which essentially serve as guides, it was hard to go too far wrong. I did get a little over zealous on the the second to last bullkhead when I pre-sanded it before its installation. I had to fix it with a thin strip. The gunport strips were causing me a lot of anxiety, because I knew that they can be a bit tricky and I've never built a model that uses them before. However, the job wasn't too bad and again, I think it is because they are so perfectly designed and cut to fit. Like almost everyone else, I had a small bit of wrinkling with the bow sections, but nothing that can't be easily fixed with some sanding. The two sides meet up really well with the the two stern pieces. I needed a very small amount of sanding on the port side and just a tad more sanding on the starboard, side. Gunport strips installed - First strip of planking added - You can see the two spots where there was a little wrinkling and I've done some "experimental" sanding. It isn't fully sanded at this point, of course, but I just wanted to discover if it could be easily sanded out and I believe it can be. I have a new tool - a miniature block plane from Lee Valley. It's hard to tell from the picture, but this thing is small; just 2 1/2" long and 3/4" wide. I intend to use it to taper planks and to bevel their inner edges. I used it on the one plank I've installed so far and it worked very nicely; especially for beveling the edge. That's my update for now. Thanks for looking in, comments, and "likes." David

Also, I forgot to mention in my last posting - have you found this website: suburbanshipmodeler.com? You mentioned that you want to add sails and that Bob Hunt's practicum doesn't address the sails. The guy on this website built a Bluenose with sails and gives quite good instructions. You might find it helpful. David

That's a very cool solution for the dories, Derek. I found them to be a royal pain to do. In the end, they were acceptable (just) but I didn't enjoy building them. These look like they will work really well and save you a great deal of frustration. David

Good Morning, It's been a while since I have been active in the forum, but that doesn't mean I haven't been active in my workshop. I have just finished my second Bluenose model, this one for my daughter. I didn't do a build log for it as it would be virtually identical to my first one. I ordered and receive the Speedy for my next project, but it no sooner arrived that I got a call from my near-by fellow ship modeller, Peter, who asked me if I would like to take on an Agamemnon. It had been his late father's who had started it, but been unable to finish it. Peter already had other things on his model-building plate, and since this particular type and era of vessel is not his chief area of interest, he thought it might appeal to me. He was right, however it is a pretty daunting project. The first planking is finished, the gunports are framed, the framework for the stern installed and the lower deck is planked. Everything to this point is beautifully done; I hope it isn't downhill from here. I will soon start a separate build log for this project. For the first time ever, I have two projects at once. I think I may work on them simultaneously. The idea of being able to move back and forth as the spirit moves me has some appeal. So with all that preamble over, here is my work on the Speedy so far. I have to admit that I am approaching this build log with a great deal of trepidation. There is some pretty impressive work out there and the bar has been set very high. I almost can't believe how precisely the parts have been cut - they fit together perfectly. I did a little pre-beveling on the first and last bulkheads. Notwithstanding the shiny bright finish on the deck of my Bluenose, for these naval vessels, I always prefer a grey finish. I've noticed that not too many others finish their decks that way, but I tend to like them. I wasn't sure how it would work on the etched deck of this model, but fortunately I was able to experiment on the lower deck which is almost completely unseen. I use artists' acrylic paint and make a very thin wash of gray, tempered with some yellow and/or brown. It worked quite well with this etched deck. The lines between the planks show up just the right amount. In a few spots the wash had overfilled the lines, so I ran a razor blade along them very lightly and it worked beautifully. I think I have just a bit too much yellow in my gray mix on this lower deck. For the upper deck, I'll make the colour just a bit grayer. It was great having this "practice" deck to work on. That's it for now. Thanks, David

Hey Peter. Welcome! It's great to have you aboard. Please share pictures of your models, I know everyone will love them. (Peter and I live only about five miles apart. I have seen his models and they are very impressive and quite unlike many of the others on this forum.) David

Hi Derek, Glad to see you're back at your Bluenose. You mentioned that you're not a fan of painting, but you're right that it's pretty much essential for this hull. The white stripe that separates the red from the black is relatively easy to do. I just used 1/16" masking tape and it was straightforward. However the upper yellow stripe is actually quite tricky, but I think it's important to the look of the hull. If I'm not being too forward, I thought I would give you a heads up on it and how I approached the challenge.The problem is the fact that it goes immediately above the scuppers. There's plenty of room for it towards the bow, but towards the stern where the suppers are higher, there is very little room for it, and it can't spill onto the plank above as that plank is recessed. On the real vessel, the yellow stripe is actually a groove and it's very narrow. There just isn't enough room to create a neat and tidy groove especially in basswood, so it really needs to be applied to the surface. I'm currently building my second Bluenose model. I'm not doing a build log for the second one, as it would be a near carbon copy of the first, but I did handle the yellow stripe differently in each case and I think both results are acceptable. The first time around, I didn't have any really narrow masking tape, but I had a lot of Evergreen vinyl strips kicking around, so I painted one yellow and glued it on. It's very narrow and while it actually sits proud of the hull surface, it's so minimal that it's really undetectable. The vinyl strip is .01" x .03" and I think it's pretty close to the right width. This time around, I didn't have any vinyl strips of the right size, but I did find find 1mm Tamiya tape. It's just a bit wider than the .03" vinyl strip, but it seems to be acceptable too. I think anything wider than 1mm is going to be very difficult to fit on that plank and I think it will begin to look too wide relative to the real Bluenose. Overall, I'd say that the masking tape version is the easier one to do and probably the better solution, but at 1mm in width it just barely fits in. The other annoying problem is the colour of the tape which almost perfectly matches the yellow paint. It was hard knowing if I was placing the tape straight or wavy; there was almost no contrast. Anyway, not sure if that's at helpful to you or not, but I hope it's of some value. BTW I found the 1mm tape at Sunward Hobbies. I don't recall seeing it anywhere else. I'm enjoying your build log. David

Tom - sorry, I just came across your posts now. Not sure how I missed them. Thank you so much for your kind words. It seems to me that the blocks are an especially important feature on this model and I think an upgrade to Syren and BlueJacket is well worth it. Be sure to check out Tom Lauria on Youtube; he has some thoughts and tweaking the blocks which are interesting. Even if you don't do everything that Tom Lauria does, the BlueJacket ones will still need a bit of work in some cases. The beckets on the internally stropped blocks sometimes need drilling out, and they usually need a bit of filing, but they look and work great. I've built a number of models now and the CWM was my favourite one to do - it's challenging, but not frustrating because the kit is well designed and it goes together well. The detail is amazing and so far as I can tell, it's very accurate. At least it seems to match the pictures of the real vessel very closely. I'm sure you must be enjoying it too. Jared - thanks very much. I really appreciate it. David

Well, you're doing a lot better than I did. You're finding it simply the hardest kit you've ever built. I found it to be quite literally impossible! It's looking pretty good to me and congratulations on persevering. David

I'm not sure if others have gone through anything like this or not, but for some time now, I've been feeling very dissatisfied with my ship modelling. Although I have quite a few models under my belt, it seems that my skill level has not been improving and it was getting me down.... then I came across Derek's (Delf) build log for his Speedy and I have found just the inspiration I needed. I attribute my recent malaise to two things: the first has been laziness and not really paying attention to what I was doing, especially with rigging and seizing in particular. I was just quickly wrapping the seizing around the line in a haphazard manner, bunching it up against the block and then gluing it with too much glue. Then the block would often not hang naturally. Also, I could never get the thread ends cut close enough, so there were always two tiny tails sticking out from each one. Thanks to Derek, I can now see how with just a bit more care and attention, I can get beautiful seizings. And since, as we all know, the only thing that really separates any of us from true craftsmanship is another tool, I went on a shopping spree. I bought a pair of cuticle nippers, which are easily the very best tool for trimming the threads that I have come across, a Quadhands to replace the little so called "helping hand" (which was anything but) that I was using, some fly tying thread and as a special treat, a Serv-o-matic. I have been practicing tying seizings and am now getting results as good as Derek's. It's so energizing to find an area that I can improve significantly and doing so easily falls within my ability. My Serv-o-matic hasn't arrived yet, but I'm looking forward to using it too. I know I will never be a great hull planker. In fact, my skills in that department are closer to those of a drywaller than a modeller, (although I have never resorted to taping the joints,😄) and I'm just going to have to live with that. The second thing I needed to shake up was my model selections. I am quite fond of Model Shipways kits and have developed a comfort level with them. As a result, I have built them almost exclusively - in fact all of my models with the exception of one Mamoli have been MS. And my bad experience with the Ontario last year also made me more wary of other manufacturers. But I have been in rut. Most of the MS kits are built the same way and despite different subjects, it has felt like the same build over and over again. So, again thanks to Derek, as well as many other enthusiastic reviews, I have bought Vanguard's Speedy which arrived the other day and I am now eager to get going. I have spent some time on the plans and what a treat to have a rigging plan that can be deciphered and for which you don't need second sight to interpret. I have been trying to unload some of my finished models on family members. The only one my daughter would agree to take is my Bluenose, which unfortunately is the model I most want to keep. So I found myself agreeing to build a second one for her, which doesn't exactly address the problem I was trying to solve in the first place. Oh well. So I have it to finish up, then on to my Speedy. I'm very grateful for the inspiration I find at MSW! David

Good Morning, You are not alone in finding this kit to be a real challenge. I'm sure by now you've seen my abortive build log and how I ended up abandoning this project. While I look forward to some challenge in every project, I found the tsunami of problems this one presented to be both perplexing and overwhelming. You've identified a few already. I don't mean to be too discouraging, but there are many more to come. It sounds as though you have some experience, so with any luck you'll be able to overcome the inherent problems. I sincerely wish you every success and I will be following with interest to see how you solve the various issues! All the best, David

Thanks for the feedback guys. I think I have a clear idea of how to proceed now. David

I may be straining the premise that there is no such thing as a stupid question, but here goes anyway. I am thinking about "upping my game" by adding serving to the stays and shrouds on my next, but yet to be determined model. My question relates to seizing the shrouds at the mast top. It has always been my practice to double the shroud line over, place it in my helping hands and tie the seizing somewhere near, but not necessarily at the loop. Then place the loop over the mast top and slide the seizing up snug to the mast. I imagine that it would be all but impossible to slide the seizing over a served line. If I'm wrong on that notion and it is possible to slide the seizing, then I can't foresee an issue. However, if that is in fact the case, what is a good method to locate the seizing in exactly the right spot without sliding it? Would I place the loop over the mast top, perhaps clamp the lines together at a snug point, remove the clamped line from the mast and then add the seizing at the point where I placed the clamp? Or is there some other obvious approach that is staring me in the face and I just can't see it. Many thanks and all thoughts are most welcome. David

I am always leery of wooden belaying pins; in my experience they are almost always too heavy and in one of my models it wouldn't even have been possible to fit them all in, let alone have them look right. I tried some of the wooden pins that come from one of the Russian companies ( I don't recall which one.) They were exquisite - very fine but utterly useless. They were so fine that they couldn't withstand even the gentlest wrapping of the line around them. They just snapped off. So I have committed to using only brass pins. They at least approximate the right proportions and are reliably robust. I have noticed that pins on real ships often have a grayed out colour, so I always paint mine with Tamiya XF55 Deck Tan, which is a terrific beigey-gray colour. As for Cast Your Anchor, I believe they are still in business, but buying from them is not a great experience. You will get an automated response by email when you place the order, but you will never receive any further communication from them. They will charge your visa account the minute they receive the order and not wait until they ship it. You will never know when (or if) the order is shipped. If they do fill the order, it will take many weeks to arrive. I've only used them twice and I did ultimately receive the orders after several weeks, but I have heard of others who have not. If you email them, they will not respond and if you phone they don't answer the phone and you can't leave a message because the voice mailbox is always full. I would like to do business with them, as they seem to have a good inventory, and they're just a short distance away from me, but they're just so frustrating to deal with that I've given up. There are plenty of suppliers out there who are all great to deal with, so there's no need for an unpleasant experience. David

Hi Tom, Thank you very much for your kind words. In my opinion, the CWM is a superb kit and so far as I can tell, the plans are very accurate. It was my favourite kit to build. I'm sure you're going to enjoy it too. If you haven't already done so, be sure to look at www.charleswmorganmodel.com. If I remember right, the builder's name is John and he has shared dozens of pictures of the real CWM which are very helpful for clarifying details. And be sure to look at this article https://thenrg.org/resources/Documents/articles/BuildingGuidefForATryworks.pdf which is really a good one. I think it was the same writer who also had a great tip for building the seven whaling boats. The exteriors are easy to shape, but the interiors can be very difficult to do. The suggestion was to glue up the layers of the boats, then cut them in half lengthwise. It's then much easier to carve the interiors. When you've done that simply glue them back together and carry on shaping the exteriors and adding the finishing details. I love this solution because it is so counter-intuitive but it works like a charm. I have a few models under my belt now, but displaying them is getting to be quite a problem, so I'm trying to find homes for them. The CWM now lives at my son's house and my grandson now has my Rattlesnake displayed in his room along with his Lego collection. My last (completed) model was the Model Shipways Bluenose, which is another great kit and my daughter has expressed an interest in having it. The problem is, it's one that I really don't want to give up, so my next project will be a second one. I have ordered it and will be starting as soon as it arrives. It's a popular kit and is frequently out of stock at Model Expo, but I found one at Cornwall Model Boats. I can't believe that I will be building the same kit for a second time, but that's the way it's turning out. Thanks again, and best of luck with your CWM. David

Sad news - this is my last update for this model. I am afraid that I have abandoned this build. It may be my lack of skill, but I simply cannot make this kit come together. I know that Maris Stella has a good reputation so I don't want to be unfair. Perhaps a more skilled and more patient modeler than me could achieve success, but I have been having so much difficulty that it has ceased to be a pleasure for me. So, I've decided that life is too short and I'm letting it go. I put the guns and carriages together and gave them to my grandson, who is delighted with them - the most expensive set of toy cannons any five year old has ever received! I'm really sorry to post this, but I don't like unfinished build logs and I wanted to bring this one to a conclusion, even though it's not a very happy conclusion. Thanks very much for your 'likes' and interest in this build, and sorry to bring it to a premature end. David