David Lester

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
 
 
 
 
 

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
 
 
 
 
 

Starboard planking
 
Thanks as always for the supportive comments and likes.
 
Here's the starboard planking finished:
 





I've applied no finish yet, just wiped her over with white spirit to remove the dust.
 
I covered the methods I used when I described planking the port side. However there are a few points of detail I ought to mention.
 
In each strake I fitted the planks at the stem and stern first then finished with one or two planks in the middle. Getting the planks shaped properly at either end of the ship is much trickier so it makes sense to get these right first. I believe the last plank fitted in a strake was known as the "shutter" plank. Here's the gap waiting for the very last shutter plank on the starboard side:

The Duchess's hull calls for some very tight curves, and I previously mentioned using my electric plank bender to achieve some of these. On a whim, I thought I'd also try a tool I bought when I first started ship modelling - the Amati plank nipper. I very quickly stopped using it when I found it left obvious marks on the good side of planks, and produced a series of straight line segments rather than a smooth curve in the wood. It's been languishing in the bottom of a drawer ever since. To my surprise I found it worked well with the thicker, better quality 1mm boxwood in this kit. Using the nipper first to start a bend, it was subsequently much easier to impart a tight bend with the electric tool:

On one particularly awkward plank I found I'd left a narrow gap against part of the preceding strake, a gap that couldn't be closed by further edge bending. Rather than PVA and sawdust, I tried using a thin shaving produced with a little Veritas block plane. I glued it to the edge of the plank, trimmed it and fitted the plank as normal.
 
A prize to the first person that spots it!

I should point out that I staged this photo with a spare piece of plank after the event as I didn't shoot it at the time. In reality I had to use a double thickness of shavings to fill the gap.
 
The last point I wanted to mention was the rabbet. This is one of many clever design elements in this kit, producing a neat finish at the stem by hiding the ends of the planks. However it's important to be aware that the planks are likely to be slightly thinner than the rabbet, which means that if you glue the ends down tight against the first planking, you're liable to see a gap between the planks and the stem. It's better to leave a slight 'spring' in the ends of the planks at the bows and, assuming you're using CA like me, to avoid pressing your fingers against the first few millimetres. This will allow the plank to press up against the top edge of the rabbet, eliminating any potential gap.
 
And I still don't know whether or not I'm going to paint the darn thing! 
 
Derek
 

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
 
 
 
 
 

Alan, according to the library's web site they use PLA plastic filament (Polylactic Acid).  It's quite rigid.  The detail wasn't too bad and was good enough for what I needed.  As a side note, I broke down and bought a 3D printer.  I ended up buying the Creality Ender 3 2V.  I looked at resin printers but figured I would get more use out of a filament printer as I wanted it for a lot more than just modelling.  Plus I don't have to deal with possibly dangerous chemicals.  We'll have to talk some day soon so I can see what your 3D printing experience has been like and perhaps compare notes.  Luckily, our IT department at work has a printer and has offered to help me plus there is a lady at work who uses one extensively in a side business she has and has also offered to help me.
 
David, I happened upon the library's website and noticed they did 3D printing so I thought it might be a good solution.  Like you, I hated trying to put the dories together and eventually I gave up with a pile of scrap.  I wasn't going to add the dories to the Bluenose until I saw the library's site.  I found a file on Thingiverse which I rescaled and emailed to the library.  I had no idea if I was sending them the correct file or if the scale would show up correctly or if I nested the duplicates properly.  I talked with one librarian who runs the printer and she looked at everything I sent her and told me it was fine.  I was happy with the results. 
 
I had a quick look at the website you suggested and will definitely be spending more time there, not just for the sails but for other build aspects as well.  As far as sails go, I met up with Alan a few weeks ago and he was showing me a sail he made with silk span and I was very impressed with the results.  So I'll be experimenting with it as well.  So many options.
 
John, I'll be happy to help as much as I can as I'm sure anyone on MSW would.  However, I'm a beginner and am learning as I go as this is only the second build I've done.

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

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
 
 
 
 

Hello there:
 
Work on Bluenose has slowed as I've had to reduce my modelling hours to Saturday mornings - October-December is a very busy time at work and home so I'm feeling like a very dull boy indeed with all work and no play....
 
In spite of this I've managed over the last couple of weeks to plank the main deck. The joggling of the deck planks adds a significant amount of time to the process, and I'm not sure about the results - from a distance they're adequate and (judging by the photos below) my camera lens is extremely forgiving. But like everything in modelling it's about practice and getting a better feel for things with each attempt. And once all the deck furniture and fittings are added later things will blend in.
 
The quarterdeck planking is not laid parallel to the centre line like the main deck planking - it curves more or less in line with the tapering of the deck towards the stern. This will no doubt take longer even than the main deck, but I won't have a chance to start on this until next weekend, unless by some chance I can carve out some modelling time tomorrow. In any case, slow and steady.....
 
Enjoy
hamilton
 

Sanding and filling done!  I don't know how many times in need to learn this lesson:  Less filler is better than more.  Doesn't matter if it's drywall, Bondo or wood filler I always seem to use too much, then spending a delightful afternoon sanding!
 

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
 
 
 
 

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
 
 
 
 

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
 
 
 
 

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
 
 
 
 

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
 
 
 
 

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
 
 
 
 

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
 
 
 
 

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

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

Upper Hull and Stern
 
I’ve made some progress on the upper hull, largely completing it and the stern.
 

 
Sometimes creation begins with destruction - I’m not sure it its essential but I usually “etch” a surface before gluing something to it as I’ve done here on the hawser holes (is that the marine name, sounds wrong 😄 and the first phase of the stem decoration. I also etch the mounting side of what’s being attached, in the recesses of my mind I see the glue adhering better. Maybe not… At any rate I’m careful to contain my knife attack to what will be covered.
 

 
The instructions show these stem decorations as natural, I elected to paint them yellow ochre since I’ve painted the stem black. The engraving is very nice, but that means the paint has to be thin to not fill and cover the engraving….ask me how I know that…. I did encounter a small problem here. The decoration covered the slot for wrapping of the bowsprit, I had to enlarge/lower the slot with a file. It’s a good thing I caught it or it would have been 90% covered and very difficult to correct. I always assume these things are my fault and not a design issue - I had so many issues with the stem why not one more. This is also a good time to check the three small slots along the top of the stem. There are three brass pieces that slide through these slots, not just fit into but slide through to the middle of each. It’s a great design idea, but here again I had to enlarge the slots, mostly to remove excess paint.
 

 
The temptation is to drill the hawser holes (there’s that name again, it can’t be right) straight through as they lie. However they need to instead be straight with the run of the deck since the hawsers feed along the deck to the hold. I go slow with these, a great opportunity to split some wood. First a pilot hole with a small bit, then a larger one and gently finishing with a round file. The tape on the inside helps prevent splintering.
 

 
Sometimes the best jigs are the simplest one. To mark the paint line for the upper hull I just edge glued a 5mm scrap to another one in an L shape. It needs to be short since the deck curves. I just ran it along the cap rail marking with pencil (lightly so not to dent the wood) below then came back and ran Tamiya tape along that dashed pencil line. Before doing that I lightly sanded above the wales with 400 grit.
 

 
This Cerulean Blue is the color I hope to use on Winchelsea and at any rate is a pretty color. I mix the tube with distilled water until I get the consistency I’m looking for and paint away with my brush.
 

 
And end up with this.
 

 
Ok, before I go any further, it’s time to confess. I have purchased an airbrush and compressor. My thanks to @James H who provided gracious and expert advice on what to get. I ended up with an Iwata Eclipse along with this basic compressor (which came with some cheap airbrushes, but I’m an all in kind of guy). I still prefer a brush for most things but there is stuff I think the airbrush will prove helpful, like gun carriages and priming PE for example (when I don’t instead blacken it). First up were the long trim pieces and the cap rails for the hull (I’m not brave enough to paint anything on the ship, it has to be done off to the side). No judgements please, I’m on a beginner’s learning curve.
 

 
Here I went off book. I decided I wanted a simpler look that highlighted the pretty blue/black/boxwood/white combination. Plus I really don’t like swivel guns, I think they detract from the elegance of the hull and make it instead look busy. Of course I now lose the historical accuracy merit badge. So if I wasn’t going to mount swivel guns why include the swivel gun mounts. Instead I scraped a simple molding into a slightly larger boxwood strip and ran it along the bottom edge of the blue paint. I always run these things as one piece then come back and trim out the gun ports. I’m sure there are other ways to do this, but I prefer to use a really sharp #11 Excel blade. The #11 scalpel may be sharper, but it is way to flimsy for this onion peeling approach to trimming. I score it top and bottom at the edges of the port and peel it back from both bottom and top to prevent splitting - going slow is essential and not something to do after too much coffee, too much scotch, or while watching the Cowboys beat Philadelphia.
 

 
In the 'always plan ahead' mode it was time to take a look at the stern. I wanted the blue trim to match up with the trim on the transom, separated by a black trim piece. It was also easier to mark and cut the side trim piece to match up to the boom crutches rather than trying to cut it away later (this applies if using the kit supplied hull trim as well).
 

 
I spent a lot of time fitting the boom crutches, I wanted to turn them in a little bit (not thick enough to turn in enough) and match them up to the counter fashion piece for a contiguous flow. That meant both thinning them and matching up angles. Having done one the often more challenging task is to make the second one a mirror identical.
 

 
Care is required to ensure they both wind up the same height above the cap rail. (the tiller is temporarily mounted, I see in the photo it isn’t straight, and I leaned up that paint in the corner later).
 

 
A quick trip to the plank bending station to iron a curve into the transom top rail. It took a bit of fettling (my favorite English word) to get a good fit between it and the crutches, including a little beveling.
 

 

 
With that the stern is complete. I added a couple of bolts to the crutches for no particular reason by drilling holes, inserting 24 gauge black wire, then cutting it off to stand a little proud before I installed the crutches and before I painted them. (rudder is temporary and not pushed in tight). There are a series of 1mm holes drilled in the hull for future rigging as per the plans. I always check the plans for anything I can do earlier because its generally easier to do earlier.
 

 
I added the mounting ladder, stopping short of the layout shown on the plans. I didn’t necessarily want a rainbow of painted rungs with a blue one at top - and Admiral Cochrane on his visit to Flirt didn’t seem to need it to climb aboard. Lot of dust on that bottom rung, sorry Admiral we’ll get right on that.
 

 
With that the exterior of the hull (minus the bow, that’s next) is largely complete. I’m happy with the paint lines (all by brush except trim). With the blue trim, black molding, and red lined gun ports I spent a lot, a lot of time going back and forth with a 10/0 Shader touching up and touching up again. I try to tell myself to move away from the paint jars, then immediately find something else to touch up. When I get to the 20/0 shader its really time to stop, and then….
 
Thanks as for your time spent to visit my log, the likes and the comments are always appreciated.

Hull planking on Boat 15 finally finishes. Next job would be fitting the rubbing strakes and capping to the gunwale. Also some filling and trimming job is needed on the stempost and breasthook(shape needs to be corrected).
     Some water decals for the boat plaques arrived today. The original photo eched parts supplied in the Artesania Latina kit is placed bellow it for comparison. One could easily notice that the AL plaques are all hopelessly overscaled.

Getting close to finishing the deck furniture.  The hoisting engine box is almost completed.  I just have to add the clutch cover box. I will build this bit out of a solid piece of wood.  I've glued up some wood and am waiting for it to dry prior to completing that part.
 

 

 
I glued up the arms of the jumbo boom crutch.  
 

 
Finally this afternoon I completed the samson post, bowsprit bits and platform
 

 
I'm hoping to be in position next week to break out the air brush.  I want to paint the deck furniture and the main rail.  Hopefully after that I will be in a position to finish the monkey rail and permanently install the deck furniture.

Well, if I had the decision to make all over again, I'm not sure I wouldn't just go with the laser etched deck that came with the kit, and save myself some trouble. But at least it's done now and I can move on to another step. (And then come back to the deck to do a little more touch up after I've got some emotional distance from it...) 
 
Deck planking in basswood, varnished in Minwax water based Polycrylic - which is actually rather glossier than you can see in these photos. 
 
Next up: planking the inside bulwarks.