David Lester

1/16" x 1/2" basswood strips won't be too hard to find, they have them at MicroMark as well as at Model Expo for example.  3/64" stock can be harder to find, however I believe they have it (as well as 1/16" x 1/2") at minaturemarketplace.com which specializes in doll house supplies. Hopefully that's of some help.
David

1/16" x 1/2" basswood strips won't be too hard to find, they have them at MicroMark as well as at Model Expo for example.  3/64" stock can be harder to find, however I believe they have it (as well as 1/16" x 1/2") at minaturemarketplace.com which specializes in doll house supplies. Hopefully that's of some help.
David

1/16" x 1/2" basswood strips won't be too hard to find, they have them at MicroMark as well as at Model Expo for example.  3/64" stock can be harder to find, however I believe they have it (as well as 1/16" x 1/2") at minaturemarketplace.com which specializes in doll house supplies. Hopefully that's of some help.
David

I am way overdue an update, although it doesn't look like I did much.  First off I had to fair the bulkheads and it seemed like every other one needed shimming.  I kept laying a batten longwise and comparing, trying for a smooth rounded "bulge" as opposed to the accordian-like ripple I started with.
 

 
I had to finally stop fairing before I sanded away the entire model.  Next up was the framing for the stern transom.  Oddly enough in the practicum Mr Hunt did taper the 2 innermost stern frames; luckily this was noticed and addressed  by enough MSW buildlogs that I remembered.
 

 
I made a spacer the size of the window frames and used it to keep the stern frames the same distance apart.
 

 
After adding the stern frames I the upper wing transoms and the lower filler blocks, along with whatever the blocks of wood on the sides of the transom are called. 
 

 
Then I carved and sanded the transom/counter area so it was round from the side view, and flushed the side transom blocks trying to keep a nice sweep by laying my batten along the sides.
 

 
Finally I added the window header and sills.  Something about the parallelogram windows placed on an upward curve has always looked off to me.  The windows supplied by the kit are slightly different; the inside ones seem to have more of a tilt than the outside ones.  I am going to try and scratch my windows as the kit ones look chunky to me, and I'm sure there will be some adjustment in placement, but that is Future Cisco's problem.
 

 
And thats it for tonight! 
 
May your holidays be full of comforting family drama and no real drama.  Cisco
 
 

Thanks for the comments guys!
Derek, I'm a big fan of shellac, especially orange (or amber.) On very pale wood like basswood or birch dowels it gives a really good even colour if I'm looking for a natural finish - a little richer than with just polyurethane, with none of the problems of trying to get an even colour with stain and it tones down to just the right degree of sheen.
 
I always have a canister of compressed air handy. It's great for removing all dust and debris as I work. I don't think I have any little bits of steel wool hanging on.
Thanks again,
David

Bits & pieces
 
 
Thanks for the likes and supportive comments. I've finally made my mind up not to paint the hull white, so instead of struggling to get the waterline right I decided to amuse myself with a couple of odd jobs.
 
First, I had a go at the stern decoration. I'd seen and admired this in other people's logs and the prototype, and when I came to examine the resin casting closely I was struck again by how finely detailed and well produced it is. I dug out my smallest brush and held my breath for about two hours whilst I produced the following:

I followed the kit instructions on dipping the casting in hot water to soften it before moulding it to the curve of the stern, and on the painting technique. Humbrol #25 acrylic blue went on first, followed by Vallejo #793 Rich Gold thinned with a drop of isopropyl alcohol then sealed with Vallejo matt acrylic varnish.
 
Then it was on to the photo-etch decorations. The instructions suggest priming these in white then applying gold where appropriate. However I'd found a product called Metal Prep 4k by Vantage Modelling Solutions (VMS) that claims to prepare PE for painting more effectively than traditional primers and etchers, and to be more resistant to damage after painting. I gave it a go on four sheets of photoetch (degreasing first with acetone) and it seemed to provide a good base for the white and gold top coats. After applying the latter I was fed up with cleaning my airbrush so I painted on the matt varnish sealing coat with a brush. It remains to be seen how well this finish stands up to handling and fitting to the hull.
 
Again, I was struck by the incredible quality and detail in the photo-etch. 
 

 
Finally I had an enjoyable 30 minutes assembling the curved staircase. In previous models I've made my own stairs and ladders as kit offerings were invariably the wrong scale and too chunky. However with Speedy and now with Duchess Chris Watton has ensured that all the fittings are to scale. 
 
Although the staircase will be largely hidden in the final model, I wanted to clean it up properly for my own satisfaction, sanding off the char, smoothing the upper surfaces and gently rounding the noses of the treads. Obviously James didn't need to go to these lengths for the prototype, but it's worth showing the difference this preparation makes:
 

 
Next I'm planning to experiment with different glazing options before I fit the window frames and continue with the decoration.
 
Derek

Thanks for the comments guys!
Derek, I'm a big fan of shellac, especially orange (or amber.) On very pale wood like basswood or birch dowels it gives a really good even colour if I'm looking for a natural finish - a little richer than with just polyurethane, with none of the problems of trying to get an even colour with stain and it tones down to just the right degree of sheen.
 
I always have a canister of compressed air handy. It's great for removing all dust and debris as I work. I don't think I have any little bits of steel wool hanging on.
Thanks again,
David

Hello All,
I've finished the upper planking and wales and everything has gone without  problems.
 
I was worried about cutting around the gun ports, and was all but certain that I'd need more than one attempt to get it right, but I was actually able to get an acceptable result on my first try.
 
Here is the port planking done, before cutting out the gun ports and sweeps -
 

 
And here is the end result with a finish applied. I debated what to do with the finish. The instructions refer to matte varnish, which I assume is intended for this planking. However, I thought I might like a little bit of sheen so I used shellac. I find that even satin polyurethane tends to be too shiny, but shellac, when rubbed down with steel wool and then burnished with a paper towel gives a very gentle sheen -
 

 
I used some masking tape to mark the location of the wales. I used thick CA glue to attach it and it went on (and stayed on!) quite easily -
 

 

 
And now, I think I'm ready to begin applying the copper plates -
 

 

 
Speedy is proving to be a very satisfying project and I'm enjoying every minute of it.
 
Thanks again for checking in.
David

Hello - just a quick update on progress. Have finished stern counter. Decided to cut the pieces exact around window area so to minimise sanding as the area around on the inside had been painted in the red.
 

 
 
 
The 'master plank' on both sides laid as instructed. Looks a bit wavy to me - maybe did not fit the Bulwark Patterns too well.

 
 
 
 
I may be some time - the dreaded 2nd planking now has to be done....
 
Regards
 
Doug

Hello All,
I've finished the upper planking and wales and everything has gone without  problems.
 
I was worried about cutting around the gun ports, and was all but certain that I'd need more than one attempt to get it right, but I was actually able to get an acceptable result on my first try.
 
Here is the port planking done, before cutting out the gun ports and sweeps -
 

 
And here is the end result with a finish applied. I debated what to do with the finish. The instructions refer to matte varnish, which I assume is intended for this planking. However, I thought I might like a little bit of sheen so I used shellac. I find that even satin polyurethane tends to be too shiny, but shellac, when rubbed down with steel wool and then burnished with a paper towel gives a very gentle sheen -
 

 
I used some masking tape to mark the location of the wales. I used thick CA glue to attach it and it went on (and stayed on!) quite easily -
 

 

 
And now, I think I'm ready to begin applying the copper plates -
 

 

 
Speedy is proving to be a very satisfying project and I'm enjoying every minute of it.
 
Thanks again for checking in.
David

Hello All,
I've finished the upper planking and wales and everything has gone without  problems.
 
I was worried about cutting around the gun ports, and was all but certain that I'd need more than one attempt to get it right, but I was actually able to get an acceptable result on my first try.
 
Here is the port planking done, before cutting out the gun ports and sweeps -
 

 
And here is the end result with a finish applied. I debated what to do with the finish. The instructions refer to matte varnish, which I assume is intended for this planking. However, I thought I might like a little bit of sheen so I used shellac. I find that even satin polyurethane tends to be too shiny, but shellac, when rubbed down with steel wool and then burnished with a paper towel gives a very gentle sheen -
 

 
I used some masking tape to mark the location of the wales. I used thick CA glue to attach it and it went on (and stayed on!) quite easily -
 

 

 
And now, I think I'm ready to begin applying the copper plates -
 

 

 
Speedy is proving to be a very satisfying project and I'm enjoying every minute of it.
 
Thanks again for checking in.
David

Hello All,
I've finished the upper planking and wales and everything has gone without  problems.
 
I was worried about cutting around the gun ports, and was all but certain that I'd need more than one attempt to get it right, but I was actually able to get an acceptable result on my first try.
 
Here is the port planking done, before cutting out the gun ports and sweeps -
 

 
And here is the end result with a finish applied. I debated what to do with the finish. The instructions refer to matte varnish, which I assume is intended for this planking. However, I thought I might like a little bit of sheen so I used shellac. I find that even satin polyurethane tends to be too shiny, but shellac, when rubbed down with steel wool and then burnished with a paper towel gives a very gentle sheen -
 

 
I used some masking tape to mark the location of the wales. I used thick CA glue to attach it and it went on (and stayed on!) quite easily -
 

 

 
And now, I think I'm ready to begin applying the copper plates -
 

 

 
Speedy is proving to be a very satisfying project and I'm enjoying every minute of it.
 
Thanks again for checking in.
David

Hello All,
I've finished the upper planking and wales and everything has gone without  problems.
 
I was worried about cutting around the gun ports, and was all but certain that I'd need more than one attempt to get it right, but I was actually able to get an acceptable result on my first try.
 
Here is the port planking done, before cutting out the gun ports and sweeps -
 

 
And here is the end result with a finish applied. I debated what to do with the finish. The instructions refer to matte varnish, which I assume is intended for this planking. However, I thought I might like a little bit of sheen so I used shellac. I find that even satin polyurethane tends to be too shiny, but shellac, when rubbed down with steel wool and then burnished with a paper towel gives a very gentle sheen -
 

 
I used some masking tape to mark the location of the wales. I used thick CA glue to attach it and it went on (and stayed on!) quite easily -
 

 

 
And now, I think I'm ready to begin applying the copper plates -
 

 

 
Speedy is proving to be a very satisfying project and I'm enjoying every minute of it.
 
Thanks again for checking in.
David

In order to make the chainplates I needed to form a tight loop on the top end, drill two 1/32 holes in each one and cut them to the proper length.
Since I had to make 16 of the larger chainplates and 4 of the smaller ones, I decided to make a simple jig that would make the job of forming a small, tight loop easier.
I decided to bend each chainplate around a piece of 1/32 inch, round brass stock. So I cut a 1/32 slot into a 1/8th piece of basswood and then cut that piece in half and set those 2 pieces apart, the same distance as the width of the chainplate material which came with the kit. These 2 pieces were glued to a scrap piece of cherrywood.
 

 
I then glued a thin piece of wood over the top of the 1/32 round stock. This allowed me to slide a piece of the flat brass stock under the 1/32 round stock and bend it up and over the round stock. Keeping the bend to a bit less than 180 degrees, I could then slide the brass piece out the top.
 

 
Using a scrap piece of 1/32 round brass stock and smooth jaw duck bill pliers, I completed the bend.
 

 

 
In order to get uniformity in the location of the mounting holes in the chainplates and the proper length of them all, I took a page from Suburban Ship Modeler and built another jig. After some careful measuring of where the holes should be and the proper length, I drew vertical lines to make sure the chainplates would be mounted straight. Then drew 4 horizontal lines, 1 for the top of the loop, 2 for the hole locations and one for the length. Then glued a thin piece of basswood along the top line. I added 2 strips of double stick tape to hold the chainplates in place.
 

 
Then mounted the chainplates to the jig
 

 
 
After squaring the jig in the mill, I used the X-Y table to make adjustments as I drilled all the 1/32nd inch holes.
 

 

 
I then used a cutoff wheel in a rotary tool to trim each chainplate to the proper length.
 

 
After a cleanup, I blackened the chainplates
 

 
While the double stick tape worked in this process, it didn’t really hold the chainplates rock solid, still allowing very slight movement. This wasn’t going to work for the 4 thinner / shorter chainplates which required smaller, 1/64th holes. So, after sanding off the guide lines used for the larger chainplates and drawing new ones for the smaller chainplates, I tacked them in place with gel CA before drilling them. Then used acetone to loosen and clean them before blackening. The CA held them rock solid.
 
Now its on to building the deadeyes.

I've spent some time printing new dories for the Bluenose along with some crates and barrels to add to the deck.
 
The dories I had printed at my local library were a little on the large side and had a lot of supports added.  I found that, because of the relatively small size, they didn't need any supports therefore didn't need any cleaning up.  Of course they will still need to be painted and have some details added but it's a good start.
 

 
 

Painting my models is always one of the aspects I enjoy the most, but I have always been plagued by two persistent problems -
 
The first is I can never seem to find the right brush for very small detail work and the second is I can never seem to maintain a brush for any length of time. I believe I have found solutions to both problems. This will no doubt be old news to many of you, especially if you're also artists or painters, but it's a revelation to me.
 
First problem - finding a suitable small brush for detail work.
It seems that when I buy even the very smallest brushes, I still can't control them easily and often they still deliver too much paint. A little research online suggested that I have been using the wrong brush. Most of these small brushes that are readily available are called "round", but what I learned is that there is another brush called a "spotter." These are also round, but they have much shorter bristles. That makes them stiffer and as a result, it increases the control considerably. I discovered that not every art supply source sells them, and surprisingly, some had not even heard of them, but I did find some and I bought four sizes (l to r - 20/0, 5/0, 3/0, 0 - very small to small.)

 

 
They come in both straight and angled. I decided to try both and have been experimenting with them. So far, I prefer the straight, but I know the angled ones are going to come in handy in actual practice. (I've painted many hot water rads over the years and know how helpful an angled rad brush can be.)
 
Second problem - cleaning and maintaining brushes.
I have always found it hard to maintain my brushes. It seems no matter how careful I am, (which admittedly, is not always all that careful) they still end up looking like this in very short order.

 
That brush started out as a beautiful fine round tip and now it's virtually useless.
 
I discovered a product called Masters Brush Cleaner and Preserver and I think it's going to be a game changer.
 

 
You clean most of the paint out of the brush in water (or solvent for oil)  and then rub it into the Masters. You can rinse and repeat as necessary. When the brush is thoroughly clean, you can leave some of the "soap" on the brush which will help to maintain its shape.
 

 
Here is the same brush again.
 

 
The hint of red that was still at the base of the brush is now gone, and it is somewhat restored to its original shape. In truth I fear this particular brush may be too far gone to be restored completely, but leaving the coat of soap on it will cause it to retain its shape and  is sure to make it still usable.
 
If I care for my brushes this way right from the start I don't think I will have many problems with them again.
 

 
For example, I have been practicing with these new brush extensively using both black and red paint and there is no trace of either near the ferule. (That's not black paint you see closer to the tip, it's just variations in the colour of the bristles) and the shape is as good as when I started.  The seller calls the bristles on these brushes "synthetic sable."
 
There are dozens of videos on Youtube demonstrating the use of Masters, which I found to be helpful.
 
As I say, this all might be old news to many of you, but it's new to me and I believe it's going to be so helpful, that I thought I would share it.
 
David
 
 
 
 

Hello All,
I've finished the upper planking and wales and everything has gone without  problems.
 
I was worried about cutting around the gun ports, and was all but certain that I'd need more than one attempt to get it right, but I was actually able to get an acceptable result on my first try.
 
Here is the port planking done, before cutting out the gun ports and sweeps -
 

 
And here is the end result with a finish applied. I debated what to do with the finish. The instructions refer to matte varnish, which I assume is intended for this planking. However, I thought I might like a little bit of sheen so I used shellac. I find that even satin polyurethane tends to be too shiny, but shellac, when rubbed down with steel wool and then burnished with a paper towel gives a very gentle sheen -
 

 
I used some masking tape to mark the location of the wales. I used thick CA glue to attach it and it went on (and stayed on!) quite easily -
 

 

 
And now, I think I'm ready to begin applying the copper plates -
 

 

 
Speedy is proving to be a very satisfying project and I'm enjoying every minute of it.
 
Thanks again for checking in.
David

I've spent the last little while working on the bulwarks.
 
The first job is to remove the bulkhead extensions. This was quite easy to do; most of them just popped off -

 
 

 
Bow and stern areas painted. I'm using Admiraly Red Ochre -

 

 
Fitting the deck. It fit perfectly and didn't need any fine tuning at all -

 
The first plank -

 
The rest of the planking - The kit calls for the same 1x4 mm pear as is used for the hull planking, but I opted to just use some basswood I had in my stash. I'm afraid I might run out of the pear when I plank the outer hull around the gun ports. Planking above the wales and cutting around the gun ports is a really critical part of the build and it's very unforgiving. The odds of my having to do one or more "do overs" before I get an acceptable result are pretty high and I really don't want to run myself short of the pear because of that, so I can see no downside to using this basswood for the bulkwarks.
 
As it turns out, cutting around the ports for the bulwarks went without any problems, so that bodes well for the outer planking. I hope it goes as smoothly.

 
 
Drilling the holes for the guns and cleats - There are many ingenious design elements to this kit and this is certainly one of them. The places to drill are marked on the outside. They can be located perfectly and are a lot easier to drill from the outside than they are from the inside. The only caveat is to be sure not to allow any tear-out. I placed a piece of masking tape on the inside, and while it doesn't show it in the picture, I also held my finger behind the spot where the drill would emerge. (didn't hurt too much!)


Sanded and ready to be painted -

 
Finished bulwarks -

 
And now with some trepidation, (but plenty of pear), it's on to the outer planking.
 
Thanks,
David

Hello All,
I've finished the upper planking and wales and everything has gone without  problems.
 
I was worried about cutting around the gun ports, and was all but certain that I'd need more than one attempt to get it right, but I was actually able to get an acceptable result on my first try.
 
Here is the port planking done, before cutting out the gun ports and sweeps -
 

 
And here is the end result with a finish applied. I debated what to do with the finish. The instructions refer to matte varnish, which I assume is intended for this planking. However, I thought I might like a little bit of sheen so I used shellac. I find that even satin polyurethane tends to be too shiny, but shellac, when rubbed down with steel wool and then burnished with a paper towel gives a very gentle sheen -
 

 
I used some masking tape to mark the location of the wales. I used thick CA glue to attach it and it went on (and stayed on!) quite easily -
 

 

 
And now, I think I'm ready to begin applying the copper plates -
 

 

 
Speedy is proving to be a very satisfying project and I'm enjoying every minute of it.
 
Thanks again for checking in.
David

Hello All,
Brief update today -
I have now finished the second planking on the lower hull, both sides. Next is planking from the wales up which requires cutting around the gun ports, It will be a bit slower job, but more interesting.
 
 

 

 
Thanks for looking in.
David
 

Whale boat progress. 

Hello All,
Brief update today -
I have now finished the second planking on the lower hull, both sides. Next is planking from the wales up which requires cutting around the gun ports, It will be a bit slower job, but more interesting.
 
 

 

 
Thanks for looking in.
David
 

Attached are a set of completed photos.   Clearly my photography skills are lacking.   Some day I may ask a friend to take some better pictures but for now this is it.  suggestions welcome.
 
now off to a new build of the Flying Fish
 

Hello All,
Brief update today -
I have now finished the second planking on the lower hull, both sides. Next is planking from the wales up which requires cutting around the gun ports, It will be a bit slower job, but more interesting.
 
 

 

 
Thanks for looking in.
David
 

Hello All,
Brief update today -
I have now finished the second planking on the lower hull, both sides. Next is planking from the wales up which requires cutting around the gun ports, It will be a bit slower job, but more interesting.
 
 

 

 
Thanks for looking in.
David