Ryland Craze

Nice job on your deck.  The Winchelsea is bringing out the best of the builders.

Hi Joseph and welcome to Model Ship World.  It is nice to see another Virginian on this site.  The Hampton Roads Ship Model Society is close to you.  Check out their website by clicking on this link: HRSMS Website

Excellent, Richard. Looking forward to seeing your hull grow.

Thanks to all repliers, Mark especially. To answer questions about other tools I have, I have several hobby knives, several pliers and tweezers, lots of clamps, and a rotary tool. I hope to have something to show in a couple weeks!
 
@Chuck Seiler We've been here since 1607

EAST Virginia?  Did we get a new state when I wasn't looking?
 
-Does "Hobby knives" include an Exacto?  My #1 tool.  (I have graduated to scalpel, but you get the point).
-Dremel, my #2 tool
-Clamps...you can never have too many.  Check out the various build logs and buy the clamps as you need them.
-Patience.
-Alcohol-Isopropyl.  As Azzoun said, all models get screwed up.  Using alcohol to unglue the defective parts is invaluable.  ...and DO unglue the defective parts.  Trying to compensate for errors only make the errors worse.  Don't ask me how I know this.
-Dictionary of nautical swear words...for when you just spend 4 hours on a part only to drop it and not be able to find it.
-Have fun.  Ask question and don't be afraid to share your work.

Yeah, i have some advice.  Don't forget to have fun and don't be afraid to screw it up - all models get screwed up in one way or the other.  Just accept and enjoy!   

Welcome to MSW. It looks like you have a well laid out plan.

Hello Joseph, and a warm welcome to the forum from 'Down Under'.
 
Mark has given you some good advice there.  

Bow roller installed...
 

 
Ready for inwales and gunwales...
 

 
cutting inwale into the cheek pieces. 
 

 
completion of gunwhale. 
 

 
Ready for. Final sanding and beveling. 
 

 

 
Onward... 😎
 


Filled, Sanded and Painted Gunwales. 😎
 

Reading my MS instruction “book” very nicely detailed. Feels like I’m studying for a test. Very good background for the beginner (me) 😆
 
Starting with the mold. Much more precision required at this scale. Don’t get me wrong, I love it. 
 

Marked up the pieces... Wow! A lot of adjustments needed, Laser cuts not very accurate.

Stripped off some scribed decking material to use for filler where needed. 

Sanded where only slight trimming was needed.  Used my handy new balsa stripper where more trimming was need for that perfect fit. 

Glued up perfectly square and true. We will see how it dries. Beveled all edges where required prior to glueing. 

Next up Horses...

More Latter...

Just in from eBay, just snagged this kit NIB for $59.00. I have been chomping at the bit for something like this since I started seeing these kind of builds on MSW. 
 
Been working on the Charles W Morgan for a while now. This is a perfect follow up to that build. Can’t wait to get started so I have set up both the CWM and the Whaleboat on the bench for multitasking, keeps things interesting. 
 
Actually, the detail of this kit will help with finishing touches on the CWM. 
 

Very impressed with this kit. It’s my first build of the larger scale 1/16th. I have been working with Vintage kits around 1/96 scale. 

Instruction “book” and detailed parts look really good. Hope I can do this kit justice, it will be a step up for me in terms of skill sets. The micro carpentry just got more refined. Wish me luck and patients. 

Latter... 😎

Thanks Patrick: I should have known   
 
UPDATES
 
It feels like ages since Ive last posted on my Syren progress.   Aside from actually working on the model itself Ive been doing some background on miniature carving and sculpting to get some headway on the transom decorative work, and the figurehead.   Reviewing Chucks stuff here, as well as reading Bill Short's "Carving Ornamentation for Ship Models," both of which I found helpful.   Work is returning as COVID restrictions ease, so time is slipping away sadly..   back to my 2.5 hour commute and lots of reading time.  
 
I think Ill have a crack at both methods suggested in the Syren instructions.    Ive some Sculpy experience so Ill take a crack at that before trying the carving.   
 
I built a dummy stem and made some transom stencils to practice on...    Ill update as things move forward.  
 


 
 

Thanks, guys for the "likes"!
 
Here is where I am. I've got all the deck beams notched and have started installing them from aft forward. Because the beams sit in notches in the deck clamps, they can't move. Fitting the hanging and lodging knees is really finicky if you want a tight fit. I'll add the carlings and ledges and finish the deck up to the forward end of the mortar pit. That's where the hardest part of the deck starts: fitting the beam arms. I cut them generously and left them a bit thick. They are so long that I have to account for the deck camber.

Well, small update.  Putting the 2nd planking of walnut veneer planking on. Slow going. Have all the gun ports cut out now.
 

Frame Tests
 
So today I took a crack at cutting some frame components.   I am learning a lot...  namely, that I need to practice a lot.   I fixed the templates to the sheet with an Elmers glue stick to avoid deforming the paper and it seemed the more more easily reversible of the various options.   Im trying to fit the pieces between the grain with a mind towards paying careful attention to the most fore and aft frame faces in particular.   At the moment Im really just viewing this first frame assembly as a practice piece, and to work out a process and decide how I want the various tools I intend to use set up.   

 
I tested a few approaches and ultimately think the band saw was the right choice.  I was able to cut within about 1-2 mm without much trouble and only had two sacrifices to the bone pile.  The first set came out a little rough, but as I went I got much better.   
 
 

 
When I really nail down a process that seems more repeatable and less experimental, Ill be sure to detail it here.

Prep. 
 
This will be my first wholly scratch built project.   Im undertaking this in addition, and as as a distraction, from my longer-term project HMS Syren by Chuck Passaro and Model Shipways.   Ive spent quite a lot of time looking over the various build logs, both more recent and those recovered from pre-crash MSW.   I had initially wanted to experiment with the more rare woods, but after getting a sense for their availability and expense, I thought it better to stick to the more common woods for this first attempt.   While I would have liked to achieve the contrasts that other builders have achieved using more exotic woods, Im hoping to achieve something similar with some subtle staining.   We'll see how successful that turns out.
 
That said, Ill be using primarily Maple for the frames and deck framing and Cherry for the keel and keel components, planking and assorted deck fittings.   While some way off right now, Im also hoping to experiment with incorporating Walnut for traditionally darker features and possibly Wenge for the wales.     Ive made an initial purchase through Ocooch Hardwoods utilizing the timber plan originally provided by @ChadB from his gorgeous build. Aside from my making some species substitutions,  I found his plan to be immeasurably helpful in preparing my order and want to be sure he gets the credit that is due. Reading through the many later Triton builds, I think his contribution has been valuable to others as well.  
 
In addition to this other prep, Ive finally added three new titles to my library which have also been mentioned by many in the Triton cohort:
 
Dodds and Moore, "Building the Wooden Fighting Ship"
Frolich, "The Art of Ship Modeling"
Goodwin, "The Construction and Fitting of the English Man-Of-War, 1650 - 1830"
 
...as well, I have been intending to finally invest in Antscherl's "The Fully Framed Model" series.  
 
Day One.  
 
For the first stages of this build, Ive only ordered the Maple and Cherry, in a quantity that should take me through much of the construction phases of the build and with a healthy buffer for mistakes.  Ocooch does not supply wood pre-milled to the 5/16" thickness required for the Keel components, so after cutting them out from a sheet of 3/8" Cherry, I took them down with the Byrnes thickness sander.   I then took the Keel and milled out the rabbet using my Proxxon MF70 and the appropriate bit.   Sadly I was so focused on getting it right, that I neglected to stop and take a picture of this step (UPDATE: Photos added).  
 
Luckily, all went well here and Im excited to move on.  Im not fooling myself though, I know this step is really nothing compared to the challenge of building the frames and Ive got a lot to think about.  The next step is to prepare the building jig, which Im hoping to move onto in the next few days.   As this is a concurrent build I suspect progress will be slow, but Im looking forward to it:
 
 



 
 
 
 

Triton Hull part II:
 
Not much technically to update other than to say Ive finally finished reframing the hull.  Lots learned, so in the end Im happy to have gone through with it.   I did a few things differently which helped tremendously in time, cushion and level of frustration.   Namely, I waited to take down the material to the plan lines until after I had the entire frame built and I stopped trying to make treenails of the same diameter as the hole drilled, fit.  Taking them down one step made for a much better fit and a lot fewer broken pieces.   


Roughly faired, with keelson ready to go.  
 

 

Hi Joseph and welcome to Model Ship World.  It is nice to see another Virginian on this site.  The Hampton Roads Ship Model Society is close to you.  Check out their website by clicking on this link: HRSMS Website

It rained on Saturday and that gave me a little bit of time to spend on the McLaren.
Attention turned to finishing the engine/transaxle, then assembling and painting the chassis tub. It was first given a couple of coats of semi gloss black as a primer, then painted with a dull aluminum finish.
 

 
Will add more detail to the assembly as time allows this week.
 
Looking for scraps of decal to finish this car as the 1969 McLaren M8B of D. Hulme, the #5 car. 

Just pure selfishness's on my part.
 
#1, I had way too many of this car in my stash. #2, I knew that the chances of me getting to it anytime in the future were slim but i was still interested in it. Well the Team McLaren version anyway, (That by-the-way, I still have). #3 I had, and still have my doubts about my personal ability to make a good representation of this kit, I knew that it is a very  hard kit to build, and unless left open has some fit challenges with the body. 
 
So it was only logical to come up with the idea of supplying my excess stock to a few modelers that would possibly supply me with my 1960s McLaren fix by letting me look over their shoulder as it comes together!
 
My biggest hope is that you and Craig, along with the other followers here on the forum get as much enjoyment from the builds as I am in finally watching it happen.  

Accurate Miniatures put excellent molded detail into their kits, much higher quality than you will see in typical Revell or AMT kits. Because it has such good detail, decided to highlight it by giving the engine and transaxle assembly a dry brushing with neutral gray in order to bring out those molded in details. When it's all dry, will give everything a black wash to tone it down a bit. You can see the depth the dry brushing gives.
 

My friend Lou (Imagna) reached deep down into his collection of model race car kits and generously provided me with this beautiful Accurate Miniatures kit of the McLaren M8B CanAm Group 7 race car. There is at least one other modeler, Landlubber Mike, who will also eventually build this very same model in a build thread here on MSW. Mike gave me the go ahead to get started while he finishes tying up a few loose ends on build threads he currently has in progress. 
Without further delay, I got started on my kit tonight. It all starts with construction of the engine and transaxle assemblies.
 
First, here is the kit box/box art:
 

 
Here is the assembled engine with transaxle in bare plastic
 

 
Here is the assembled engine with transaxle painted in semi gloss black
 
 
 
 
I'm hoping Lou will chime in and provide some of his considerable knowledge about the history and highlights on this venerable vintage race car. He deserves the credit for making this build thread happen, as I may have never gotten my hands on one of these kits to build had it not been for Lou's generosity. The company who produced this kit has been out of business quite a few years now and these kits will soon be very hard to find without paying a large, premium price for one. Thanks Lou! Hope you enjoy the build and hope I can do it justice.

Added roll bar, oil coolers, front suspension, and dash/steering wheel components. Started painting the various red/blue anodized connections to various fuel and oil lines.
 

Having reviewed my attempt at my mainmast I decided that it wasn't good enough.
The method of connecting the two mast sections might be good enough for the excellent modellers at Jotika models or the Mr Longridge of "The Anatomy of Nelson's Ships" and Victory scratch-build models but, as suggested by Jason (Beef Wellington) and the method used by others,  I decided to purchase some new dowel and start again!!
 
Down to my local DIY shop and I rummaged through their 6mm dowelling before eventually finding a piece that was decent enough and wasn't bent by 20-30%!!
 
Back at the shipyard, I cut the mainmast to size (including the top section!! and started off cutting the square 4mm section with my baby plane and lots of sandpaper, but eventually I finished and after checking with my micrometre signed the work off.   
  

The plans from Mystic Seaport Museum are on their way, This is exciting.
 
Michael