GuntherMT

Thanks again for the kind comments and likes folks.
 
Some more small progress:  
 
The thwarts have been built and fitted to the model, though not glued in yet. The cockpit seats have also been built, fitted and glued in place. I followed the example of Ryland and others in adding small tabs to the underside of the aft thwart and the aft end of the cockpit seats to provide additional landing places to help keep everything aligned. More work to do yet on the thwarts, and lots of painting in the cockpit…
 

Slow progress, but progress nonetheless. I have completed preparing and installing the risers. Using the heat/hair-dryer method to pre-bend the risers makes attaching them much easier.  I picked up a tip from a couple of other logs about using a small T-square jig to position the risers at the correct height at each frame. Rusty’s log is a good demonstration of this jig and its use, so I’ll not repeat it here. The method is also described and demonstrated quite nicely in the Queen Anne Barge instructions. Note for Chuck – it might be worth copying and pasting that section into the Longboat instruction manual next time you revise it. It’s a great tip/trick and worth repeating in both instruction manuals.
 

 
Onto the thwarts next...

Thank you for your kind comment Merriann and welcome to MSW. As Bob has said above, the most valuable tool in your toolbox will be your build log. I would encourage you to start one for your current build - it doesn't matter that you are already well into the build.
 
A small update...
 

Having decided to go ahead with the Naphthol Red colour, many very thin layers were applied to the top of the cap rail and the inboard sheer strake. Having not used this painting method before, I was somewhat apprehensive to begin with but quickly overcame that as I saw the colour building up with a very smooth finish, free of brush strokes. I lost track of the number of coats, but it was somewhere between 12 and 20-ish, with light sanding every third or fourth coat. Special thanks to Chuck and others who have described this painting method in some detail in various logs.
 
While waiting for the paint to dry, I prepared the molding strips. To create the profile, I used a set of profile scrapers that I purchased some time ago from Artesania Latina. They come in a set and cover a range of sizes of stock material and profile shapes. I found the 1.5 x 3mm fitted the supplied boxwood strip quite nicely and in no time at all produced the desired molding profile. Picture below shows the scraper and the end result.
 

 
Once the paint had dried, I applied the friezes along the sides and bow. I cheated a little here by printing them on sticky label paper on my laser printer so that I could just peel and stick. This worked well. The molding strips were then applied, the hull given another coat of WOP and the transom frieze applied. The only tricky bit here was choosing and then tailoring one of the five options to fit my transom. To assist in this, I used some tracing paper to trace the outline of my transom and then transfer this shape to the closest fitting of the supplied options. A little further trimming and a good fit with a relatively even border was achieved. That completes Chapter 3. Here are a few photos of the current state of play as I start work on the floorboards and platforms.
 

 

 

 
 
 

Thanks Rusty and Bob, and also all of the likes.
 
The new stock of monofilament fishing line has finally arrived, so I’ll now be able to complete the “nailing” of the hull. While I was waiting for the post to arrive, I went ahead and completed the bolsters and the thinning of the cap rail and frames. The bolsters were quite tricky, as anyone who has reached this point before me will attest. Chuck even went so far as to provide six blanks in the kit to make the two bolsters required – and it’s just as well that he did. I started on the starboard side and blew two attempts before getting the third to a point that I was satisfied with. The port side only took two attempts, so learning clearly took place! I even had one blank to spare!!!😁
 
Here’s what they looked like after I glued them in place initially.
 

 
 
I then realised that the lower edge should have been tapered/bevelled considerably, so was faced with the challenge of achieving this with the bolsters in situ. Fortunately, with the assistance of Mikhail’s wonderful micro chisels and some sandpaper, this actually turned out to be easier to achieve than I’d first expected. Here’s the subsequently modified bolsters.
 

 
 
With the bolsters in place, I was then able to go ahead and thin the cap rails. Using the technique described by Rusty in his log, I used a scrap of 1/32” material to guide the formation of the outboard edge to a uniform overhang, then using a pair of compasses marked a line 5/32” from the outboard edge to guide the thinning of the inboard side.
 

 
At this point, I had to wait for the fishing line to turn up before going further, so my final task here was to decide on the paint colour for the cap rail etc. I had remembered reading somewhere what brand/colour Chuck had used but couldn’t find it again, so I PM’d Chuck and asked him directly. Chuck said that he used the Winsor and Newton Galeria Acrylic range of paints and the colour was Crimson (for anyone else wondering). I also noted that some others had chosen slightly different variations. For example, someone (can’t remember who) used Cadmium Red. There is an art supply store nearby, so I popped out and bought some of the Galeria Acrylic Crimson, and some Cadmium Red (Winsor and Newton Professional Acrylic range). I also had a couple of other reds in my existing range, including Naphthol Red (medium hue) and Permanent Alizarin Crimson – both from the Winsor and Newton Artists’ Acrylic range. I then did some test swatches on some art paper for comparison. The results are below, and I’d appreciate any thoughts from others on my eventual choice. 
 
What I noticed straight away was that the Artists’ Acrylic / Professional Acrylic range behaved very differently from the Galeria range – they mixed with water on the wet palette in a very different way that is hard to describe, and also laid down on the surface material quite differently, going on with much more even coverage and also seeming to dry more quickly. I guess there’s a reason this range is double the cost of the Galeria range.
 
I quickly discarded both the Cadmium Red (too orange) and the Permanent Alizarin Crimson (too purple) from the choices and was left with the Crimson (Galeria) or the Naphthol Red (Artist’s Acrylic). The Naphthol Red appears slightly darker and more subdued than the Crimson and I think I like that colour tone slightly better, though it’s a very close race in my mind. Being much nicer to work with tipped the balance for me in the end, so my current choice is the Naphthol Red. I know that photography and computer monitors will impact the way things appear on screen, but I’d appreciate any thoughts on my colour choice.
 

 
Now I’m off to finish the “nailing” and prepare the inboard sheer strake…

The best laid plans....
 
Having intended to complete the monofilament nails prior to removing the hull from the build board, I found I only had enough monofilament to complete one side. Perhaps I drilled the holes waaaay to deep…. I thought I had previously tracked down some more monofilament but what I had in the drawer turned out to be a braided line and of no use at all. For some reason, black fishing line does not appear to be a popular choice in Australia as I could not find a single supplier of it within Australia. I did, however, manage to find a shop in New Zealand with an online presence, who happened to stock exactly the right stuff. I’ve ordered that, so hopefully I won’t be faced with the two-month delay I’ve been experiencing with other international orders lately.
 
So here’s where I got to before exhausting my kit supply:
 

 
A quick re-think of the strategy and I decided to go ahead and remove the hull form the build board. This I did following Chuck’s instructions and encountered no problems. Similarly, I removed the frame centres following the instructions and again encountered no problems.
 

 
Next up was to install the cap rail. The only issue I ran into here was that according to the instructions, I should have been left with a 1/16” gap between the upper strake of planking and the “ears” on the transom. For some reason my planking went all the way up to the ears on both sides. After fairing the sheer, I simply cut a notch out of the lower part of the ear to make room for the cap rail. The cap rail then went on easily. While I was fairing the sheer, I also did an initial clean-up of the frames – really just removing the laser char.
 

 
Ryland kindly gave me a tip to fit the pedestals to the hull at around this point as well, noting that this would be much easier at an early stage of the build – a point well made. So, I decided to make up the display base this weekend. I initially thought the substrate for the burl veneer was undersized, but after a quick PM exchange with Chuck realised that I was over-thinking things and there was no problem at all – in fact, it’s designed this way. Makes perfect sense when you actually put it together….
 
Anyway, here’s the display base completed with just one coat of satin WOP at the moment. Will apply further coats in due course. The pedestals have also been assembled and coated. I’ll fit them properly to the hull once the finish is dry.
 

 
I’m now officially past the point where I canned my first attempt. While this one is not perfect, it is so much better at this stage than the first one, that I’m really pleased I decided to bite the bullet and start over.
 
Next up will be the challenge of the bolsters…next weekend….

Planking has been completed. Although this was much easier using Chuck’s methods for bending and gluing, I still had some very minor “staircasing” at the bow, although this was nowhere near as bad as on my first attempt. Here is the first layer completed after an initial light sanding:
 

 

 
 
The whales were then added. I did these in reverse order, working down from the gunwhale in order to correct any minor misalignment at the bow. Following Chuck’s advice, I used a sharp chisel to pare down the forward end as it approached the rabbet. The aft end was simply sanded thinner for the last half inch or so. All of the holes have been drilled in preparation for the monofilament “nails”. I think I will complete this task and do a final sanding before removing the hull from the build board.
 

 

 

Thanks for the likes folks.
 
Bob - I did consider adding the monofilament as you suggested, but decided that might cause more headaches with handling the model while placing planks, so will defer that until the planking is all in place.
 
Minor update today. Planking progresses cautiously with the first four strakes now complete. Using Chuck’s methods for both bending and gluing is paying dividends. Nevertheless, I have not been afraid to debond planks that I have not been satisfied with. One plank came off three times before I was happy. The last plank on the starboard side (Plank #8 ) went on late one evening. I didn’t trim it because I wasn’t sure about it. Having slept on it overnight, it came off again the next day. I took some extra care with bending it to make it fit properly at the last frame and transom, then reglued. Was much happier with the result. So far the strakes are all aligning nicely port/starboard at both bow and stern. It’s not perfect – there are some very minor gaps along some seams, but overall I’m happy with progress so far: 
 

 

 
I'll be back when once the planking is complete...
 

The frames were glued in place per the instructions and left to cure for a few days. The frames were then gently faired using 240 grit sandpaper on a variety of foam backing blocks.
 

 
The hull was then lined off using tick strips and the bow/stern templates provided by Chuck to place a pencil mark on each frame with the exception of the first and last three frames. Thin strips of tape were then used to adjust the line.
 

 
The frames were then marked again along the edges of the tape, this time using a thin black pen. Once the tape was removed, the original pencil lines were erased to avoid confusion.
 

 
Then it was time to gird the loins and commence the planking. This time around, I decided to use Chuck’s method for bending planks, only instead of a hairdryer I used my Proxxon heat gun (on the low setting). I was pleasantly surprised at how easy this was to do compared to my previous method of using a small steam iron. I also followed Chuck’s advice and used CA glue for attaching the planks and again following his advice, just placing a small amount on each frame. I used a gel CA for this. I was again pleasantly surprised at how easy the process was compared to using PVA and trying to clamp things in place. OK Chuck, I’m a convert on using CA for planking!
 

 
I’ve decided to depart from the instructions slightly and follow the lead of some others by drilling holes for the “nails” as I go, rather than waiting until all planking is completed. Figure I might stand a reasonable chance of actually hitting the frames this way! I'll  be back when planking has progressed some more.

Grant's Medway Longboat Ver 2.0
 
At long last I have returned to this build, starting afresh. A few months of working on a completely different project, along with a little extra time for building, has allowed my mojo to return for this build. 
 
I again opted for the more complex keel design; however, my approach to the keel assembly this time was to use the Byrnes saw to hog out most of the waste and then fine tune with a miniature chisel and a sanding block. I then went ahead and glued the four additional 3/32” keel pieces following the advice in Chuck’s instructions again. I made a couple of 1/32” spacers, as others have done, to help centre the parts on the keel. I then marked the locations for the keel bolts from the plans, drilled using a #70 drill bit and inserted the provided 25lb monofilament fishing line to simulate the bolts. These were trimmed and sanded flush and the whole assemble given a coat of Wipe-on Poly. Finally, the transom piece was fitted, taking care not to repeat my mistake of the first time around! No in-progress pics of this work as it simply repeats work from earlier in the log. Here is the finished keel assembly.
 

 

 

 
 
 
The single frames were prepared as per Chuck’s instructions, with some packing tape and some reinforcing strips.
 

 
These were then test fit along with the keel in the building board.
 

 

 
 
 
The two additional bolsters were also added to the build board at the stern as per the instructions.
 

 
The double frames were then prepared following the instructions. The way Chuck has designed this kit makes this a particularly easy task.
 

 
The frames were then all test fit into both the build board and the keel slots. To adjust the fit in the build board required only a few light passes with some 240 grit sandpaper. The keel notches all needed a light pass with a file to provide a snug fit.
 

 
The frames are now ready for gluing.

Well, I have some bad news and some good news....
 
First the bad news. I went ahead and added the two extra strakes for the whales, and then removed the hull from the build board and cut it free from the frame supports as per Chuck's instructions. That part of the process all went according to plan and once again, Chuck's thoughtful and well executed design made this quite easy. Unfortunately, once the hull was free from all of the supports, I was able to see what a truly horrible job I had done with the planking. Being able to hold the hull up to the light, I was able to see a number of ugly gaps in the planking - this apart from the two bigger botches noted previously. I though about patching and then painting the lower half of the hull, but some of the gaps would still be visible. I ummed and ahhhed about this for a few days and then after a PM discussion with Chuck decided that I was never going to be happy with this. It was going to destroy my enthusiasm for the rest of the build. In the end, the decision was clear - it was time to terminate the build.
 
Now the good news. The hard part was making the decision to terminate. Having made that decision, I did not want to walk away from this project entirely. Again, in discussion with Chuck, I've decided to re-start the project from the beginning. I have ordered replacement parts for all of the keel, transom, frame, and planking parts - a total of 17 sheets! Chuck has already shipped those so it will only be a week or two before I can re-start the project, hopefully applying the lessons learnt to date.
 
On reflection, here are a few of my key observations/lessons. They may be Blinding Glimpses of the Obvious (BGOs), but might also help someone following along from falling into the same traps.
 
1. Take your time. Even though model time can be a rare commodity, resist the urge to rush ahead when you do finally get to the shipyard. Looking back over some of the excellent build examples already on this group project, there is a common theme of just how much time was spent in shaping the planks, even though they are pre-spiled for us. So, go slow to go fast!
 
2. Glue. I have previously resisted wherever possible using CA glue. I have a sensitivity to it (like many others) and can get flu-like symptoms from even the smallest exposure to it. However, the way this kit is designed, and the fragility of the parts, makes using PVA pretty much a non-starter. So, get the respirator mask out, check the filters are in date, and wear it - EVERY time! I suspect that dust from the AYC might have irritant properties as well, so again get the mask out and use it!
 
3. Glues ain't glues. Even once I switched to using CA glue, I was using what was purportedly a "thick" CA. It was still pretty runny. I ended up using some accelerator with it, which in turn tended to leave a white residue behind. When I glued the second layer of the whales, I used a CA gel glue that I found. So much easier!
 
4. Gluing technique. I had been (like many others I suspect) applying glue to not only the frames, but also along the plank edges. This was not only difficult, but extremely messy as well and took a lot of clean-up. I was surprised to read recently in someone else's log where Chuck said he doesn't glue along the edges - only on the frames. Of course, I couldn't find that post again, so I asked Chuck via PM and this is what he said (and I'm quoting verbatim here):
 
"I only glue a little spot to the frames.  I dont apply glue to the edges of the planks.  Just in case I have to remove it. Maybe once in a while after a plank is on and it pops above the adjacent plank a bit.....in that case I will just add a very tiny amount of CA to the edge that is popped above the adjacent plank.  Then I just push it down quickly flush and lightly sand it.  But that is only after the plank is glued in position.   It's a rare occurrence."
 
I have the glue side of things sorted - got the "good oil" on technique straight from the "horse's mouth"; found a decent CA gel; have the respirator and new filters.
 
To help with the first point, I've decided to run a parallel project. While this might slow down the overall completion of this kit even more, it will hopefully give me something else to work on while I am taking my time with this one. To that end, I will be starting a new log soon in the Shore Leave section as it's a non-ship build.
 
Rather than starting a new log for this build, I will continue this log once the new parts arrive in a week or two. I look forward to "resumption of play".

I quickly discovered that using PVA glue for this planking was going to be problematic in terms of clamping. Reluctantly, I started using CA glue and completed the first layer of planks. The next day, I started suffering flu-like symptoms. As I’d been wearing my respirator while using the CA, I wasn’t sure if this was a virus, or was in fact still a reaction to the glue. I checked the date I’d last changed the filters and let’s just say that I went straight out and bought some new ones! It has taken a couple of weeks to get over the resultant symptoms, and then of course the usual excuses that keep one away from the shipyard!
 
I was not terribly happy with the outcome of the planking. Despite Chuck’s best efforts to make this build fool proof, I managed to prove that it’s still possible to get it wrong! Although I did pre-bend and twist all of the strakes, I still managed to get a considerable “staircase” effect at the bow. I also ended up with dirty marks all over the hull as my fingers, graphite from the pencil “caulking”, and CA glue, combined to make quite a mess.
 
On the plus side, I found that taking the trouble to line off the hull iaw Chuck’s instructions was a big help in monitoring the evenness of the planking on each side. There was one strake that “got away” a bit, but I was able to correct that with the next strake. 
 
Today I finally got back to addressing that mess. I spent quite a lot of time sanding out the "staircase" as well as the other irregularities and the dirty marks. Overall, it has come up to an acceptable level, though not even in the same league as some of the other builds here. There was one place in particular where I had done such a bad job that when sanding I ended up with a hole in the planking. I made up a filler of sanding dust and PVA glue to patch the hole and fortunately both it and one other “untidy” patch will eventually be hidden by the frieze.
 
The hull is now ready for the additional layer of planks for the upper two strakes. That is going to have to wait for a couple of weeks as I’ll be away this week for work, and then taking a short trip up to Brisbane for my niece’s wedding. Will be nice to catch up with family for a few days.
 
Here’s a couple of shots of the planking as it stands today.
 

It has been six months since this log was last updated. It seems that the usual culprits of work, life and other projects and priorities have conspired against making progress. I did at last return to the build last weekend, although did not update progress as there was nothing really to show. The frames have been permanently attached to the keel, and then faired ready for planking. I then lined off the hull following Chuck's excellent instructions.
 

 
Planking commenced with the Garboard strake, per the instructions. A small travel iron was used to provide the twist and bend required for these strakes. I cut one of the aft sections too short and so had to cut a new plank – no problem thanks to the extra material provided and the laser cut outline providing the template for the new plank. Then, when attempting to place the second (forward) plank, I discovered I’d made the new aft one too narrow. Fortunately, I'd used PVA rather than CA (which I have an allergic reaction to), so out with the isopropyl alcohol and off it came. Third time is the charm as they say, and so it was. Both Garboard planks on both sides now fitted.
 


 
Hopefully it won't be another six months before the next update!
 
 

Thanks for all the likes folks. And for Popeye and Mark - I won't be adding a figure to this model, though I do appreciate your thoughts.
 
The Base was a little too shiny after the varnish, so I knocked it down a little with some 0000 steel wool and furniture wax. Here is the completed stand:
 

And here is the stand with the fuselage attached (note: I later replaced the steel phillips head screws with brass slotted screws, with slots aligned to the grain of the wood of course!):
 

 
Then it was simply a case of following the instruction sequence for attaching the wings and the tail section, along with the rigging. The instructions for this phase were particularly poor but we got there in the end. 
 
It was very difficult to photograph the completed model because of the wing-span, but here are a few overall shots:
 

 

 

 
And here are a few close-ups of various sections:
 
Top View:

 
Underneath:
 

 
And another from underneath:
 

 
Posting these last couple of photos showed me that one of the rigging lines had parted company with its pulley - that has now been rectified.
 
That completes the construction of the Da Vinci Flying Machine. One year and eight months in the making – would have been a lot less if procrastination and other priorities hadn’t interfered! For those who may be curious, the wing-span is 102 cm / 40 inches.
 
Now I can turn my attention to the next project(s)....
 
I will be starting on Chuck's Medway Longboat shortly, but I may also try to multi-task and start on one of my two Pocher car models. We'll have to see - there is still a bunch of 1:1 scale woodwork going on in the "big" workshop!
 
Thanks to all who have followed along with this build, for your support and encouragement. I hope you have enjoyed watching as much as I have enjoyed building this kit.

Couldn’t find the product Ekis recommended so used a bit of painted gauze with clear plastic.  Looks ok but the plastic is a bit too clear for glass of this time.  Still battling through the tiles.

Hi here is one my grandad completed I now have at home due to him sadly passing. What do you think? 

Primer applied.Took a lot !  

On the bulwarks you will see several cleats and a staghorn....
 
The cleats are self explanatory.   Laser cut cleats were cleaned of laser char and painted.   Then glued onto the bulwarks.  You can peg them with some 24 gauge wire for extra security.
 
There is one other feature on the bulwarks.  I believe its called a staghorn or basically its a fancier cleat with some sheaves.   Someone can correct me on the terminology as I seem to have a mind block as I am writing this.
 
These are also laser cut for you from boxwood.  They are quite small but add a nice detail seldom seen on most kits.  But they are used in a bunch of places.  But one is needed on the bulwarks on each side.

Basically the first thing you do is add the backing piece which will enclose the sheaves.  Those are laser etched as you can see above.  The the two "horns" (for lack of a better word) need to be shaped.   These are the ends which need to be shaped like a typical timberhead.  I used a #11 blade to do this.  A quick stop cut was used across the end to match the profile laser cut.  Then I sliced towards the stop cut on an angle to give the end some dimension on the front side.  Otherwise it would be flat ...you can see the front of the finished piece above.   Then I lightly chamfered the edge...again like you would do with a timberhead.
 
These were painted and glued on the bulwarks.  Just check the plans for their locations.   Its hard to see but below you can see one side of the bulwarks with some cleats and this "staghorn".
 

 
Now I should start making all of those eyebolts for the gun tackles.  Ugh!  But I think I am going to skip ahead and start making the cheeks on the starboard side.
 
If you recall I finished these on the port side already.   I dont feel like making eyebolts and split rings today.
 
Here is a shot of the cheeks and hair brackets on the port side.   Let me detail how they are made next.  Its quite a long process even with most parts laser cut for you.
 
 

You start with the hair brackets....
 
These are the pieces on the stem, while those on the hull above and below the hawse holes are the cheeks.
 
The hair brackets are laser cut for you.  The first thing you do is lightly sand the laser char on the face of the sheet before you remove any of the parts.  You can see in the photo that I tried something new.  Cheeks and headrails always look pretty crappy on kits so here goes nothing.  Hopefully a better result and not too difficult to build.
 
They are laser etched with a channel down the center of them.  Its not very deep but then it doesnt have to be.  In this channel will be a precision laser cut insert.   The hair brackets are 1/16" thick while the inserts are 1/32" thick.  Once the inserts are shaped and positioned, they will stand proud of the hair brackets.   To pull this off properly,   you must first sand all the laser char from the edges or sides of each hair bracket.  Then round off the outside edge.  Just knock off the hard edge as it doesnt need to be over-sanded.  Dont worry about touching the laser etched channel.  
 
Then carefully with a light touch sand the char from the edges of the inserts.  These are thin and fragile.  Then round off the edges of these along their entire length if that makes sense.  In the photo below you can see an extra set of pieces not touched....note the flat inserts etc.  But below that you can see the pieces all finished and being dry fit into the etched channels.  

To finish these up after you glue in the inserts,  add the tiny laser cut button to the scrolls.   These are 1/32" thick which are too thick.  So once glued into position you must sand them thinner until the look right.   They should be pretty thin.  Lastly, I applied some WOP and then glued the friezes on.   These are printed on regular paper like the other friezes.   I used a glue stick.   You can slide them around before they set.   Then take the point of a toothpick and lightly burnish or "tuck" the edges of the frieze along the edges so its nice and neat. 
 
Thats it for the hair brackets.   Tomorrow I will work on the cheeks and finish off all the other parts.   This is also the method or design concept I will use to make all the headrails.  You n see one test headrail in the same photo.  I have made about 10 test examples so far and it looking good if I can just choose the one I like best.   Each headrail is made up of between 5 or even ten pieces depending on which one I choose.  I do like this one for its simplicity.   But we wont need these until a lot later.   So now its onto the cheeks.
 

All of the elements come together well to create a pretty convincing execution.  Keep in mind this is what we are trying to replicate without having to carve these from scratch.
 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 

After the glu has cured I use 120 grit sandpaper wrapped around a round wood to sand and taper the inner side first. Using power tools (i.e. a dremel) might take off to much wood because the cherry wood is rather soft. So I can keep a better control doing this by hand.


 
I start with an rather wide angle to remove the laser char close to the tapering line.
 

 
Then the angle is adjusted to cover the whole surface. The tapering lines are already marked by laser. Half way done..
 


.. and the other side as well.
 

 
The last step is to remove the laser char from the steps that will later hold the planking. The steps have to be tapered too but all tapering lines are engraved by laser. I use different needle files, diamond-plated first for the burned surface and steel ones for finish. The finished frame will look like this. Another sanding can be done with 320 grit sandpaper to remove all remaining laser marks and char on the surface. The final adjustment for the steps will be done when all frames are permanently installed to the keel.
 

 
Meanwhile I have done 9 frames - about a quarter of all frames to be done. 
 

 
 

Thank you Yves. Construction of the frames continues. The frames at stern and stem require a lot of bevelling. I might show my way to build these. First I release all required parts of a single frame out of the sheet using my bandsaw to carefully cut the holding bridges. 
 

 

 

 
To avoid mixing the parts I use a little box to keep all frame parts together. 
 

 
Then I sand the heads of the parts prior to gluing them together because these areas are difficult to reach and sand later.


 
The frame is then glued together (frame 32 shown). I use a cork sheet and pins to secure the parts in place. 
 

My basic issue is your assertion  that modellers got things wrong because they had no experience of sailing vessels similar to the ones they were modelling, which  is a somewhat sweeping statement. In the case of the Longboat there were valid reasons why  they modelled it that way, other than ignorance.
 
On the wider subject of rigging it is true that certainly some mass produced kits have glaring errors that those new to rigging  may not spot, but there is no magic shortcut to the knowledge so fervently desired by those new to ship modelling.
 
 I have a huge collection of books on the subject, built up over many years, no one book covers all subjects or vessel types, but most derive from the works of David Steel who remains my  go to source for 18th/early 19th century methods.  His works are online and noobies could do worse than have a read of them. Realistically the best approach is to target your reference sources to the vessel type you are modelling, but this does incur extra costs.
 
There is one free source of valuable information - right here on MSW. Read thro' the logs of experienced builders doing the vessel type you are interested in, and learn the abc of the technical terms.
 
B.E.

I've seen some highly skilled modelers who are distinguished by their careful research nevertheless make glaring errors in a model, particularly in things like rigging, because they obviously have no experience sailing vessels similar to the one they are modeling.*)
 
 
 
The glaring error referred to by Bob, is something that has been discussed a lot on MSW., primarily if I recall correctly on Chuck’s Medway Longboat build.
 
 
To the modern eye certainly having the iron horse below the tiller looks distinctly odd, but we can’t get away from the fact that contemporary models and plans show it this way.
 

Notably the Longboat on the Medway model in the NMM.(1742)
 
There is also an 18thc draught of the masting and rigging of a 32’ Longboat showing the same arrangement.
 
So, the modern model-maker has a decision to make, to ignore historical evidence on the basis that it must be wrong, or go with the best evidence we have.
 
When I built the Model shipways Longboat, after much thought I also placed the horse below the tiller, but not in ignorance as suggested by Bob, but rather on the basis that people of the time had shown it that way.
 
Of course naysayers will say it’s probably a modern restoration error, but in the case of the Longboat, there is also the contemporary  draught.
 
B.E.

Transom Frame Prep
 
An upcoming, interesting, challenge is processing the outboard port and starboard Transom frames.  Each frame has a bevel on the deck and forward side.
 
First off the parts are marked: Inboard, Port/Starboard, deck edge and forward edge.
 
The issue is how to form the bevels given frames can’t be changed dimensionally and they are unique.  Failure means much wasted time making a replacement.
 
The first thought is cutting the frame bevels with the Byrnes saw and tilt table.  But the cut would have to be perfect - a little risky.  
 
Doing by hand is necessary.  So decided to use the table saw to make a form beveled on two sides.
 
Temporarily place the counter block and align with blocks.
 
Step 1: Measure the deck bevel angle with a protractor.
 
Step 2: Align the tilt table and make a cut on scrap.  Check the fit on the model.  Adjust the tilt table as necessary.  Make the cut on the form block.  Check the fit.
 
Step 3: Measure the frame bevel.  Repeat Step 2.
 
Step 4:  Clamp the frame to the form block and create the bevels on the frames with a file.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Thank you Bob and thank you to all the 'Likes'.
As my work on the Armed Virginia Sloop is finished, I will be able to focus on the Medway longboat again 🙂

Congratulations Jean-Paul, and well done!
 
I will have to make sure to find and follow your future projects. 
 
Happy New year!

The traveler is blocked by the tiller.  Jibing would be pretty exciting if removing and replacing the tiller became part of the process.    The tiller should probably be under the traveler.