GuntherMT

I've had the exact same experience with ME.  No response to my issue and then a few days later a package shows up on the front doorstep with replacement parts.
 
If they could close up their communications gap issue, they would probably never get a complaint of any kind!

I've had the exact same experience with ME.  No response to my issue and then a few days later a package shows up on the front doorstep with replacement parts.
 
If they could close up their communications gap issue, they would probably never get a complaint of any kind!

OK, I just had the sheets for the pearwood laser cut version of the kit arrive, 14 separate laser cut sheets. I am just waiting for the photo etched parts to arrive, which is a little frustrating..
 
All parts, especially keel and bulkheads have a nice 'push fit'. I didn't sand the slight surface laser burn off because if I did, the parts could hardly been seen, the cutting is so fine.
 
The clear stand was CNC cut and covered in protective film, to be peeled off when ready for assembly, and have included the complete cannon compliment, all resin castings and perfectly formed and smooth - and to scale.
 
I will be getting 20 special Alert kits cut in the same manner with the new laser cut company and use pearwood with slightly altered designs and resin cast guns soon.
 
ETA - materials:
0.8mm birch ply
1mm, 1.5mm, 2mm, 3mm and 4mm pearwood (or basswood)
2mm and 3mm MDF
3mm Clear acetate

I said earlier that Model Expo always carries through on their replacement parts policy.  On an unrelated issue from another customer regarding parts replacements - for a many years old kit - the owner of Model Expo contacted me today to help him contact one of our MSW members that he had a problem contacting.  I was able to help him so he could contact the guy rather than waiting for the guy to wait a long time and then try to contact them again.   Was able to help him.  Just shows they do care and will do everything they can to get the parts to the customer.

The second planking belt, now completed, has proven to be the most difficult one to do so far. I'm told that the last two belts will be much easier to complete which is good news.
 
After seeing Chuck's taped off molding bands that run both through and above the gun ports, I was very curious as to how this would look on my ship. I wanted to know if the gun ports, fixed blocks and sheer were correct. Using measurements taken off the plan drawing I transferred the lower molding position onto the hull (turns out that the lower molding runs parallel to the wales). 1/8" tape was placed onto the hull to simulate the lower molding that runs through the gun ports. After eyeing the run from several positions I could see that some very slight tweaking was needed in order to establish a smooth run. Once satisfied, I added the simulated 3/32" upper molding which runs parallel to the lower molding. I was happy to see that both sides of the hull are almost identical with regard to gun port placement as well as sheer height and shape.


Mike

I rough cut dowels for the yards. Now I'll' shape them and fit them for rigging.

On whether stuff goes inside or outside of the backstays, I found that if I just checked clearances, everything fell into place.  If running it on one side would cause the ropes to interfere with each other, I'd just put it on the other side where it went without any interference.  I'm not sure of what specific lines you are working on, but the simple 'common sense' system based on how stuff fit is how I handled it.
 
Your build is coming along beautifully.  Sort of wish I'd thought to use hooks like you are using on my build now!

On whether stuff goes inside or outside of the backstays, I found that if I just checked clearances, everything fell into place.  If running it on one side would cause the ropes to interfere with each other, I'd just put it on the other side where it went without any interference.  I'm not sure of what specific lines you are working on, but the simple 'common sense' system based on how stuff fit is how I handled it.
 
Your build is coming along beautifully.  Sort of wish I'd thought to use hooks like you are using on my build now!

EDIT: Currently spoken for.
 
I bought these three kits many moons ago but now that I've dabbled in wooden ships I severely doubt these will see the light of day. I started the Cromwell (and used too much glue) but the other two are still sealed. I always wanted to build a really nice plastic model but c'est la vie. Anyhow if anyone wants these kits I will gladly send them for the price of shipping; I'm more than willing to ship it internationally but I can't see how that would make financial sense. 
 

I posted the pics of Arethusa because I thought they may be of interest to you guys on here. I do plan to develop this, and, as with a lot of future developments, I try and get as much information on each subject wherever and whenever I can. For Arethusa, it was a chance email to the museum that has the model, asking if I could have access to it. I was given a date and time to visit. I figured it would be a shame to keep the pics to myself.
 
I need to start small as the larger subjects cost a lot more to develop, although the smaller ones are not cheap to develop and get into production, not when ordering 100 sets of everything. More so for something like Speedy, which is a .'No holds barred' kit, with so many brass and copper PE sheets, resin cannon etc. If the smaller kits sell, I will be confident enough to move onto the bigger fish, and also invest in a proper laser machine which would give me a lot more freedom.
 
 

Thank You to all the 'Likes'.
This week I worked on the two yards.
I have the chance to found an excellent article written by Chuck Passaro on how to improve the details of the yards. This 6 pages article entitled 'Intermediate techniques for improving yard details' can be downloaded from the 'Club-resources' section of 'The Ship Model Society of Ney Jersey' web site. It is very informative and full of interesting techniques.



All the different elements were the painted black.


Time to work on the chain plates.
 
 

I've mounted the boom and gaff. Next I'll rig them. With my burned fingers and hands, my dexterity is poor and it takes me forever to do even the smallest thing. Oh well? 

This a picture of a park bench in my town that is the good tutorial for beginning plankers to see how to bevel their planks to fit the shape of the hull.

@SpyGlass: thank you very much.
 
Today I did more work on the standing rigging and installed the spreader yard horse. The upper part is served over its entire length. The shrouds are next, I consider that the hardest part of the rigging.

Started the standing rigging with the backstays. I‘m not sure if the gaff throat and peak halliards (I mean the part that goes down to the tackles) run inside or outside the backstays, the instructions and the plans give no hints. Any suggestions would be very helpful.  Fortunately I have used hooks to attach the blocks so I can change them if necessary.

Thank you very much. I made some more progress, starting to do some running rigging on gaff and boom. As Chuck Passaro said in the cheerful build log, it is easier to do this at this stage as all areas are still accessable. Used some hooks on the gaff, a nice little detail I saw in the cheerful log. The tackles are done but the belay points are not available yet so I have to wait with the last step. Did the heel lashing too, almost forgot that. Next will be doing the standing rigging ... next weekend.

Thank you very much John for the kind words. The bobstay and bowsprit shroud seizings were way to large so I decided to redo them. Now they look more scale. Next time I will use my serv-o-matic to do the seizing but I have to make myself a fixing tool first. I wanted to bring the footropes to shape with some diluted white glue but as I put the glue onto the cotton rope it suddenly started to shrink 😱. But in the end I managed to bring them back into the former shape by hanging some weight at it. That finishes the standing rigging on the bowsprit except for the heel lashing. I will do that tomorrow.

I used the same guns, but make sure you do some test fitting as they sit slightly higher than the kit guns, so I needed to make some tweaks to make them fit in the gunports properly.  
 
I changed them in two ways as needed.  I made the slots where the trunions sit slightly deeper, and I sanded the bottom of the trucks flat, which I found not to be noticeable when they are finally fixed to the deck as long as you don't overdo it.
 
After making the adjustments, the qoins had to be carefully adjusted before fixing in place to get the barrels to be not pointed down.
 
Looking great Jean-Paul.

I have just scanned some text from the book 'The Heavy Frigate' by Robert Gardiner. It was from this I got the info for the whereabouts of the model, and realised it's only 25 miles away from me!
 
ETA - The text states that the model is 48th scale, but it is in fact 1:64th.

Thanks to all the 'Likes'.
This week I worked on the gaff and the boom.

The parts highlighted in green on the plan will subsequently be painted black.

Inspired by Dubz's wonderful job on his HMS Sherbourne, I could not resist adding some details.



I will now start assembling the spreader and topsail yards before moving on the painting phase of all these elements.
 

Started to rig the bowsprit. The bobstay and the bowsprit shrouds were served via the serv-o-matic. Took some time til I got them done. Also installed the footropes, wil bring them to shape later. 

Counter point - there is plenty of evidence, and many current replica's that do not have the ratlines tarred.  I'd go with whichever looks best to your eye.
 
When I was in San Diego, there were six ships with rope rat-lines.  Four of them were not darkened (Pilgrim, Exy Johnson, Irving Johnson, San Salvador), and one of them was (the Surprise).  I don't recall on the Californian, and didn't get any proper photo's to reference.
 
Here is a shot of the ratlines on the Pilgrim:
 

 
Here is a shot of the ratlines on one of the Johnsons (they are basically identical sister-ships):
 

 
And the San Salvador:
 

 
I'm not sure how good of an example the Surprise is of blackened lines, as they had a real mishmash of blackened and unblackened lines all over the place.  Like here you can see the blackened ratlines, but also both blackened and natural lanyards between the deadeyes.
 

 
So yea.  Do whatever makes you happy for the ratlines.  

Here is the Excel list for those who cannot see the selection. Hope this is OK with Sam.
 
TYPE   TITLE             AUTHOR   CONDITION                                 ANATOMY OF THE SHIP                         W/J HC ANATOMY OF THE SHIP THE 74 GUN SHIP BELLONA       BRIAN LAVERY   VG $20.00   W/J HC ANATOMY OF THE SHIP HMS BEAGLE SURVEY SHIP EXTRORDINARY   KARL HEINZ MARQUARDT LN $50.00   W/J HC ANATOMY OF THE SHIP THE COLONIAL MERCHANTMAN SUSAN CONSTANT 1605 BRIAN LAVERY   G $10.00   W/J HC ANATOMY OF THE SHIP CAPTAIN COOK'S ENDEAVOR (REVISED EDITION)   KARL HEINZ MARQUARDT LN $45.00   W/J HC ANATOMY OF THE SHIP THE FRIGATE DIANA       DAVID WHITE   LN $35.00   W/J HC ANATOMY OF THE SHIP THE BOMB VESSEL GRANADO 1742     PETER GOODWIN   LN $35.00   W/J HC ANATOMY OF THE SHIP THE 24 GUN FRIGATE PANDORA (REVISED EDITION) JOHN MCKAY   LN $45.00   W/J HC ANATOMY OF THE SHIP THE 44 GUN FRIGATE CONSTITUTION (W/FOLDOUT) KARL HEINZ MARQUARDT LN $45.00                                 SHIP OR CLASS SPECIFIC                         W/J HC THE 74 - GUN SHIP VOL 4  (ENGLISH)         JEAN BOUDROIT   LN $75.00   PB THE 50 GUN SHIP (W/PLANS)           RIF WINFILED   VG $15.00   W/J HC PILOTS VOL. 1 PILOTS SCHOONERS OF NORTH AMERICA & GREAT BRITAIN  TOM CUNLIFFE   LN $45.00   W/J HC HOW TO MAKE CLIPPERSHIP MODELS         EDWARD HOBBS   F $10.00   W/J HC LEGACY OF A SHIP MODEL - EXAMINING HMS PRINCESS ROYAL 1773 (WDVD) ROB NAPIER   LN     W/J HC THE FRIGATES - AN ACCOUNT OF THE LIGHTER WARSHIPS OF THE NAPOLEANIC WARS       G $5.00   W/J HC THE CONSTRUCTION AND FITTING OF THE ENGLISH MAN OF WAR 1650-1850 PETER GOODWIN   F $20.00   W/J HC THE FRIGATE CONSTITUTION (AND OTHER HISTORIC SHIPS)     E ALEXANDER MAGOUN G $15.00   W/J HC SOVEREIGN OF THE SEAS            ANGUS KONSTAMM   LN $10.00   W/J HC THE BOUNTY             CAROLINE ALEXANDER  VG $10.00   W/J HC JOHN PAUL JONES AND THE BON HOMME RICHARD       JEAN BOUDROIT   LN $25.00   W/J HC THE LOG OF THE CUTTY SARK           BASIL LUBOCK   VG $20.00   HC THE SHIPS OF JOHN PAUL JONES         WILLIAM GILKERSON F $5.00                                 BUILDING /RIGGING                           PB SHIP MODELS HOW TO BUILD THEM         CHARLES DAVIS   LN $5.00   PB PERIOD SHIP MODELING           RK BATTSON   VG $5.00   PB SHIP MODEL BUILDING           GENE JOHNSON   LN $5.00   PB SHIP MODELING FROM SCRATCH         EDWIN LEAF   LN $5.00   PB THE BUILT UP SHIP MODEL           CHRALES DAVIS   LN $5.00   PB SHIP MODEL BUILDERS HANDBOOK          VINVENCIO LUSCI   F $5.00   PB BUILDING POF SHIP MODELS           RON MCCARTHY   LN $5.00   PB SHIP MODELING SIMPLIFIED           FRANK MASTINI   LN $5.00   PB SHIP MODELING FROM STEM TO STERN         MILTON ROTH   VG $5.00   PB PLANKING TECHNIQUES FOR SHIP MODEL BUILDERS       DONALD DRESSEL   LN $5.00   PB A SCRATCH MODELRS LOG           HENRY BRIDEN BRECKER VG $5.00   W/J HC MASTING AND RIGGING THE CLIPPER SHIP & OCEAN CARRIER     HOWARD UNDERHILL F $5.00   PB  THOSE VULGAR TUBES           JOE SIMMONS   VG $10.00   PB SHIP CARVERS OF NORTH AMERICA         MV BREWININ   F $5.00   W/J HC SHIPS OF THE CIVAL WAR           KEVIN DOUGHERTY   VG $5.00   W/J HC SHIPS IN MINIATURE A NEW MANUAL FOR MODEL MAKERS     LLYOD MCCAFFERY   VG $10.00   PB ARCHITECTURA NAVALIS MERCATORIA         FREDRIK HENRIK CHAPMAN G $5.00   W/J HC DEANES DOCTRINE OF NAVAL ARCHITECTURE       BRIAN LAVERY   G $30.00                                 GENERAL INFORMATION                          W/J HC A SIGNAL VICTORY - THE LAKE ERIE CAMPAIGN 1812-1813     DAVID CURTIS SKAGGS LN $5.00   PB THE MARINE ART OF GEOFF HUNT         GEOFF HUNT   LN $15.00   PB SHIP MODELS OF THE THOMSON COLLECTION AT THE ART GALL;ERY OF TORONTO       LN $5.00   W/J HC 17TH AND 18TH CENTURY SHIP MODELS FROM THE KRIEGSTON COLLECTION       LN $35.00   PB PHOTO-ETCHING FOR MODELERS          BRIAN KING   LN $10.00   HC (LIBRARY) NELSON AND THE AGE OF FIGHTING SAIL         OLIVER WARNER   F $5.00   W/J HC THE VISUAL DICTIONARY OF SHIPS AND SAILING             G $5.00   W/J HC A PICTORIAL TREASURY OF THE MARITIME MUSEUMS OF THE WORLD   BRANDT AYMAR   F $5.00   W/J HC (LIBRARY) SHIPS AND SEAMEN OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION     JACK COGGINS   G $5.00   PB SHIP MODELERS SHOP NOTES VOLUME #1         MERRIT EDISON   G $5.00   PB SHIP MODELERS SHOP NOTES VOLUME #2         MERRIT EDISON   LN $5.00   SPRAL BOUND USS CONSTITUTION 1812-1815 BICENTENIAL EDITION (BLUE JACKET INSTRUCTION MANUAL) LAURENCE ARNOT   VG $10.00   BINDER HMS VICTORY  HOW TO BUILD A MASTERPIECE IN 1:96 SCALE      GENE MCCLURE   G $20.00   SPRAL BOUND SMITSONIAN INSTITUTION OF AMERICAN HISTORY MARITIME COLLECTION OF SHIP PLANS 1939-1970   G $5.00   SPRAL BOUND SMITHSONIAM INSTITUTION SHIP PLAN LIST COLLECTION OF WARSHIP PLANS       G $5.00   HC SCALE MODELS OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY        HENRY CULVER   G $50.00   HC TIME LIFE SERIES - THE SEAFARERS   (ENTIRE SERIES 22 VOLUMES)         G $35.00                                 HC & PB MODEL SHIPWRIGHT (ENTIRE PUBLICATION RUN 144 VOLUMES)         G - LN $350.00                                 PLANS USS CONSTITUTION  C.1940 AJ FISCHER MODEL CORP. FROM 1927 RECONSTRUCTION 4 SHEETS     F $10.00                                                              

An early present in the mail today!  Thanks MarisStella (Zoran)

Thanks Jim.
 
All versions of Speedy will be released together. Manual is taking longer than I anticipated (due mainly to day job and lack of time), so no end of this month release, but probably early-mid November