Ryland Craze

Nice way to add stability to the clamping, I shall remember this one. great job on the planking and the present state looks really fine.
 
Michael

Hi Ryland
This is a part of the forum that I've never really looked at. Now I'm here I've found your log of your stunning longboat. A fascinating project and beautifully rendered by you - no surprise there! I'll keep following.

Just a couple of views of the bowsprit and jibboom.  Once again I started following the practicum, without thinking ahead!
 
The suggestion is to square off the deck end of the bowsprit, then worry about tapering it.  This is wrong, if, like me, you fasten the dowel in a drill to sand it down.  Taper it first then cut the deck end.
 
Ditto, of course, for any other items such as the mast and jibboom.
 
 

 
 

 
 
The red thing at the tip of the jibboom is just the head of a pin, put in to help me orient things while gluing.
 
At this stage these are not sealed, and I am still unsure what I will paint.
 
Cheers,
 
Brett

Finally got the cannons rigged.  Placed the bowsprit and it's hardware today.  Ready to start rigging!
 
Dave

You are the second person to ask me that....
 
The problem is that it would only be an estimate.  I wont know for sure until I actually build it.  I usually keep track of what I use and then add just a bit more to make the materials list.
 
So far I only have one 48" x 48" sheet of ply that is 1/4" thick and one 3" wide sheet of boxwood or whatever you prefer to use for teh keel and stem and rudder.  It should be 7/32" thick.
 
Other than that I haveent got a clue.  I would be afraid that after examining the plans carefully I might forget something....so keeping track as I work is usually foolproof.  But maybe I will give it a try this weekend.  But like I said...I may overlook something.  It will be real close though.
 
Thanks for the interest in the project.  If all goes according to plan the 3 sheets will be released around the new year but February at the latest.   I basically just want to plank it outboard to prove the hull design.    I also want to write the first few chapters so folks will have a guide.
 
Chuck

I enjoyed seeing the Plans at the conference Chuck, I'm sure it will be a very successful and beautiful build for anyone.
 
Ben

The flags and banners are hoisted and my Robert E. Lee is finished.
 

 

 

 

 

I decided to go with a single piece cap rail and used my two parts as a template to cut a new one.  
 

 
I used a drum attachment to trim down the bulk of the cap rail and then moved to a sanding stick and sharp xacto knife.  At the end of the day it's a hair larger then called for in the instructions but I think it looks ok.  I didn't trim down the frames deep enough to get to the measurements set by the instructions.
 


 
After finishing up the cap rail I set to the friezes using a spray adhesive (word of warning, that stuff is difficult to work with and not have your entire work area glued together)
 



 
None of the friezes for the transom fit so I trimmed it down with no white left and placed it
 

 
When i am doing the white on the edge of the cap rail and moulding I will also paint the edges of the transom around the rear frieze.
 
Adding the caprail, the friezes and the moulding underneath the frieze really adds a lot of character to the boat and this is turning into a great little build.
 
 

Today was filled with a trip to Michaels to pick up some brushes and acrylic paints.  Once back in the dockyard it was time for amateur painter hour.
 




 
The photos didn't come out that well but the red turned out exactly as I wanted.  Tomorrow will be attempting to start on the interior work with the flooring and the two platforms.

Not much to show for the last few weeks.  Last week was devoted to the NRG meeting.  It was great to put faces to some new names.  Hope to see you again next year in Mystic.
 
I started the planking below the wales.  The first 6 rows of planking are anchor stock and the rest is standard planking.  The first strake is 3" thick at the wale, tapering down to 2".  The rest of the strakes are 2" thick.  I laid the first row of strakes full thickness and then tapered the lower edge after the second row of planking was completed.  The extreme fore and aft planks are dropped.  I marked out the landing spots for the planks terminating at the counter to prevent any uneven plank widths.  Holly is a pleasure to work with for the hull planking.  Gentle curves can bent by hand.  The extreme bends require a 30 minute soak in water and are pinned in place with clamps and planking screws.  After they are completely dry, final shaping is done and the plank is glued in place with almost no pressure.  I like to rough sand the planks every few rows to check for any problems.  It is a lot easier to pop one or two problem planks now rather than several planks after the hull is completed.  
 
The wale has gotten scuffed with handling and sanding.  It will get a re-paint  after all the planking has been installed.
 

 

 

 

 
 

Finished thinning down the bulkheads.  I feel that I am working with an egg shell as the hull is very light.
 

Thanks Dave for your comment. I really like your work and you have a very interesting website.
 
I have been able to get in some more work on my Longboat. I thinned down the cap rails to approximately 3/32” wide. I really like the look of the thin cap rail. I painted them with Badger Model Flex Marine Colors Bulwarks Red. This paint lays down nicely and leaves no brush marks. I then made the risers. I used a balsa cutter that I got from Micro Mark to scribe the lines in the riser.
 
Next up is to make and install the floorboards. I plan on using BobF’s method as he described how to make them in his Longboat Build Log.
 
The picture has the Long boat sitting on a 3/8” thick mahogany base that I made last weekend. Tim Wood held a work session at his house in Virginia Beach for members of the Hampton Roads Ship Model Society. I brought my new Byrnes saw and between the saw and Tim’s wood working tools, the end result was a very nice base for my Longboat to be displayed on. Thank you Tim for hosting this event.
 

I have done a little more work on my Longboat.  I painted the frames and inboard planking using Badger Model Flex Marine Colors Bulwarks Red paint.  I like this paint and it left no brush marks.  A special thanks goes out to Kurt Van Dahm for recommending these paints.
 
I then cut out the cap rail from a sheet of boxwood.  I cut it over sized but made it fit at the stem and the transom.  This will allow me to thin it down once installed.  I glued one side on using rubber bands and wide sanding sticks to keep the cap rail at a 90 degree angle to the planking.  Once the glue set up I installed the other side using the same process.
 
Here is a picture of my process:
 

 
Here is a picture showing the over sized cap rails installed.  They will need to be thinned down to approximately 3/32".
 

Finished thinning down the bulkheads.  I feel that I am working with an egg shell as the hull is very light.
 

Thanks Chuck, Kurt and Al for your comments and to those that hit the "Like This" button.  This is a fun build and I am enjoying it much more since I have finished the planking.
 
I have managed to get some more work completed over the last several days. 
 
Using a #11 saw blade that I purchased from Micro Mark (#11Saw Blade) I gently cut the tabs holding the bulkheads.  I braced the center of the bulkhead using my thumb and put pressure on the side of the longboat using my forefinger. 
 

 
After the tabs were cut, I gently wiggled the bulkhead unti I felt it snap.  This was a very satisfying feeling.  The bulkhead felt like balsa wood after working with the boxwood planking.  After removing four or five bulkheads, the inside of this little model started looking like the inside of a full size boat.
 

 
And here is a picture of the Longboat with all of the bulkheads removed along with my X-Acto knife with the #11 saw blade.  This is a well designed kit and I like the way the bulkhead removal turns this kit from a plank on bulkhead model to a plank on frame model very easily.
 

 
I took this model to the Hampton Roads Ship Model Society meeting today and it drew a lot of attention from the members.  I hope I can find the time in the coming weeks to continue working on this build.  It is a lot of fun and a great diversion from my job.

Thanks Dave for your comment. I really like your work and you have a very interesting website.
 
I have been able to get in some more work on my Longboat. I thinned down the cap rails to approximately 3/32” wide. I really like the look of the thin cap rail. I painted them with Badger Model Flex Marine Colors Bulwarks Red. This paint lays down nicely and leaves no brush marks. I then made the risers. I used a balsa cutter that I got from Micro Mark to scribe the lines in the riser.
 
Next up is to make and install the floorboards. I plan on using BobF’s method as he described how to make them in his Longboat Build Log.
 
The picture has the Long boat sitting on a 3/8” thick mahogany base that I made last weekend. Tim Wood held a work session at his house in Virginia Beach for members of the Hampton Roads Ship Model Society. I brought my new Byrnes saw and between the saw and Tim’s wood working tools, the end result was a very nice base for my Longboat to be displayed on. Thank you Tim for hosting this event.
 

The planking redo is done!  While not at the level of some of the other fantastic builds I've seen on this site or the original I'm happy with it.... disclaimer this is the first time I've ever planked a build so I have nothing to base it on
 







 
Hopefully the sheer is a good form, I know I was a little too high on some of my bulkheads vs the plans but cutting the sheer plank down any more would have just looked wrong.  Any and all honest feed back is appreciated, specifically if what I did is going to screw me up further down the line and make some other portion of the build impossible.
 
 

It has come to pass that I am to join the august company of the scratch builders on this forum.  I stand in amazement of the skill and craftsmanship here.  Humbly I begin my maiden scratch building adventure.  Please give me truthful feedback on this adventure, I hope to improve my skills along the way.
 
This build is associated with the group build project of the Ship Model Society of New Jersey.  I have been keeping my eye on this project since I joined MSW, and I am very excited to participate.
 
First, let us see the beautiful timbering package from Hobby Mill:
 

 
Now on to the build! 
 
The first attempt on the keel ended in disaster.  This was owing to the fact that all of my workshop is packed up in boxes in up to three different locations at the moment, as I am in the middle of a move.  So I tried to start with as few tools as possible, a chisel, a hand saw and some files.  Unfortunately, the very first half lap joint ended in asymmetrical folly.  Luckily, the supplied wood provided almost three opportunities to create modern art from boxwood.  Rather than waste anymore of the precious stuff to cabin fever induced exuberance, I decided to hunt for my milling setup.  Once that was found, so also was symmetry in the lap joint.
 

 

 
Once the pieces were finished to a near Palladian symmetry, I used three layers of black tissue paper to simulate the tarred flannel.  After the glue dried, I placed the two keel pieces, glued together in a vice to set.  After removal from the vice, I trimmed the excess "flannel" with a new #11 blade.
 

 

 
Hopefully, I will be able to add another post tomorrow.
 
Best Regards,
 

Great Job Ryland!!!  Don't forget to bring it with you to the meeting Saturday!  
 
Tim

Thanks Dave for your comment. I really like your work and you have a very interesting website.
 
I have been able to get in some more work on my Longboat. I thinned down the cap rails to approximately 3/32” wide. I really like the look of the thin cap rail. I painted them with Badger Model Flex Marine Colors Bulwarks Red. This paint lays down nicely and leaves no brush marks. I then made the risers. I used a balsa cutter that I got from Micro Mark to scribe the lines in the riser.
 
Next up is to make and install the floorboards. I plan on using BobF’s method as he described how to make them in his Longboat Build Log.
 
The picture has the Long boat sitting on a 3/8” thick mahogany base that I made last weekend. Tim Wood held a work session at his house in Virginia Beach for members of the Hampton Roads Ship Model Society. I brought my new Byrnes saw and between the saw and Tim’s wood working tools, the end result was a very nice base for my Longboat to be displayed on. Thank you Tim for hosting this event.
 

I have done a little more work on my Longboat.  I painted the frames and inboard planking using Badger Model Flex Marine Colors Bulwarks Red paint.  I like this paint and it left no brush marks.  A special thanks goes out to Kurt Van Dahm for recommending these paints.
 
I then cut out the cap rail from a sheet of boxwood.  I cut it over sized but made it fit at the stem and the transom.  This will allow me to thin it down once installed.  I glued one side on using rubber bands and wide sanding sticks to keep the cap rail at a 90 degree angle to the planking.  Once the glue set up I installed the other side using the same process.
 
Here is a picture of my process:
 

 
Here is a picture showing the over sized cap rails installed.  They will need to be thinned down to approximately 3/32".
 

I'm not sure about your issues. I sanded back these extension parts to get a flow across the stern - a curve from side to side. This is not very apparent. My advice is to just work it to your satisfaction.

This will be my second Echo cross section. After raising all the frames on my earlier attempt I was not satisfied with the quality of my work and decided not to take it any further. The Echo makes a very nice looking model as is evidenced by build logs like Maury's and others and I contemplated a second effort.
 
I am a member of the Ship Model Society of New Jersey and I brought my Echo with me to a meeting after the last of the frames was raised. There was so much interest that the club voted to make it a "group project" where everyone builds their own version of the same model. 12 of us have signed on for this project. We placed a bulk order for wood with Jeff Hayes at Hobby Mill which arrived last month. We meet once a month to discuss progress and group problem solving. I hope others from the club will start build logs as well. Build logs help the builder and the modeling community so it is a win-win in my opinion.
 
I haven't started work yet but that should happen this weekend. The goal of this project is to build and fit out the model according to the plans posted by David and Greg. The first effort was a great learning experience and I'm sure this one will be as well. Can't wait to get started.

Thanks...
 
The shop will hopefully be cleaned after I get back from St Louis.   
 
Alistair,  I wont be distributing the DXF files.  That would just make it to easy for folks to duplicate everything and pirate the plans.  The plans will be sold in paper format only,  rolled and mailed in a tube.   As far as the laser cut parts go...I really want this to be a scratch project for folks and I dont see myself getting in the kit business.  As we were talking about earlier...Maybe the bulkheads but thats it think.   But who knows,  we shall see,  I hate to close the door on it all together.
 
I am however using the laser for most pieces of the prototype.  Its quicker and I consider it just another tool like a scroll saw.  Plus,  after what I paid for the laser, I might as well use it whenever I can. Having said that,   these pieces are easy enough to cut with a scroll saw.  Its a really basic design and a simple single masted cutter.  Its the perfect starter project for a first time scratch builder.  I have tried to keep it as accurate as possible and as you will see with the square tuck at the stern,  its the first POB cutter project that will show it correctly modeled.
 
So basically...the plans and a few other laser cut pieces will be made available but not a full kit.  No electronic files either.  Other than the monograph which will be free.  I think folks will enjoy building it.  I hope.
 
The treenails on the stem and keel are all done.  Tomorrow I will glue in the bulkheads and start on the gunport framing and bow fillers.
 
 

I also wanted to post some photos of the Rogers collection model.  I should have done so earlier on in this log.  It is identified as Cheerful but after much scrutiny it is not.  At least in my opinion.  The measurements on deck match but thats about it.  There are too many stunning discrepancies when compared to the original drafts.  But its very close.  It is a cutter of the same period and for research its very valuable.
 
The rigging is quite odd as well.  Nothing I have ever seen on a cutter of this period.  It is interesting to note that until recently this model was identified as an unknown cutter circa 1770's.  I am not sure who actually mis-identified it as Cheerful but it has changed at least three times in literature that refers to the Rogers collection.
 
Its a great model non-the-less.  What I was glad to see was it is not Clinker planked.    One of the reasons I chose this subject.  I also have many photos of the square tuck...note the vertical planking back there as opposed to the usual diagonal.   This is a detail that is also shown on the original draft.  Also note the gunnades on deck.  These are the carronades on carriages rather than sleds.   This model does not have long twelves at the bow which Cheerful did have.  Instead it has more gunnades.  Also note such peculiar things such as the aft most shroud being served but the fore shroud is not.  Go figure.
 
Any question and I would be glad to try and answer them.  I have tons of photos.   I also have some photos of the only sister....in this class,  Surly.  This is another contemporary model in a Canadian museum.  It shows this class after a major refit.  One that Cheerful never had because it had such a short life.
 
Chuck