Ryland Craze

Second attempt, using a Unimation disc sander. Much better.

 

Outstanding Nic! Building something that has special meaning for someone is very heartwarming!
 
Best Regards …. Rick

Quick update - the Santa Maria won 1st place in its category, and also best ship of all 3 ship categories.

the rings are made in the usual manner.  Wrapped around a 47 drill bit and parted with a razor saw. The bent wire is much lighter and thinner gauge.  In my case here…24 gauge for the split rings and 28 gauge for the codder pin bent and inserted into the deck.

I am not really sure but would guess that it was one of the hatches as well.  If I was going to show that detail I would have one of the coverboards removed and the anchor cable passing through it.  My guess would be the forward cover board of the forward hatch.  But I am no expert in that area.  Honestly I would need to do a lot more digging.  

Here’s this morning’s efforts. I added the bottom of the keel, but first had to make the angle cut. To make the cut more accurate, I drew a line on the plan extending the required angle. Then placed the wood over the line.  Next, using your favorite cutting utensil score the wood using the lines on each side as a guide. After that, use a machinist square to draw a line across the wood. Now you have a guide for a straight cut. I used a new razor blade to make the cut and only needed a quick touch with sandpaper to make a perfect cut. Next, I used that cut to set the angle on my Byrnes disk sander for the mating part. All parts lined up perfectly for gluing in place.
 
Best Regards …. Rick

Another Flirt???
Yes another one 😉
Well I hope at least... I wanted a good quality kit, not too big and enough of a challenge and after having read so many good things about Vanguard Models I just thought a Flirt would be perfect 🙂
It arrived today and when I opened it and saw the super quality parts and wood I couldn't help myself and started immediately.
The first steps went so easily, it all fitted perfectly together, a bit like a Tamiya kit (I mean that as a compliment 😉 )
I will try to do exactly what Chris tells me to, I am sure he knows better than me. Well mostly, my ocd obliged me to make the captain's cabin door shut...
A few quick pics with my phone, I'll grab my Nikon another day if building goes well.
 
 

Anchors done (only 2) and all the rigging done too!
That concludes this adventure 🙂
It was a great kit to make, very diverse, high quality, I enjoyed every minute of it. I am also quite pleased with the result, it's not perfect I know and I have some points to improve for the next ship. 
What I really need to tell myself more often is not to hurry and go slowly. It doesn't matter if the build takes 2 weeks more, but taking your time greatly improves quality and reduces frustration imo.
 
Some pictures then...
 
 

That's actually quite lenient for a kit like that. 
 
I've had deliveries from the US...one of them only $30 plus delivery, and I had to pay £25 fees!

New Sphinx kit has been delayed again - now $45.67 is customs duty is due "at delivery". I tried paying UPS on-line but that did not work for some reason so they will attempt delivery again on Monday - I will be sure to stay home Monday!
 
Anyway I have been working Saucy Jack and some of the other pieces of the Sphinx.
 
Here are the upper and lower capstans and the rudder (as far as I can go I think without the hull) joining the other pieces in the "to be installed someday" box.

Frame Preparation
 
The next step is removing of the char on the frame parts. The layer of char on those parts is quite thick and cleaning them up requires a fair bit of work.  The photo below shows the tools and equipment I used for this task. Char from the hull (concave) side of the frame can be removed using sand paper.  First using standard woodworking 400 grit sand paper and then finishing with waterproof automotive 400-600 abrasive paper.  I find the later works very well. Since it is black, every sanding stroke is clearly seen so it is easy to move your part around to clean areas at every stroke (sanding over a dirty section of the sand paper just imbed the char within the wood fibers).  Once the sand paper sheet is saturated with char, it can easily be cleaned by soaking in water, dried and reused.  For the  inside of the frames (convex regions) I first used Lee Valley's mini scrappers. Most of the char can be remove this way.  A clean surface is achieved with further sanding with sanding sticks of diamond needle files. I use a crepe block to frequently clean the sticks and files from accumulated char.  Otherwise the char removed is simply moved around.  With the same idea in mind, it is a good idea to keep your working area clean by frequent wiping/vacuuming.  All this is done wearing a N95 mask (a must) and optional nitrile gloves. 

Frame preparation is a slow process.  It took me about three weeks to complete the square frames.  By the end, I could complete one frame in about one hour.  

Once the char removed, I also sanded the frame sides to remove any residual char. An example of a completed frame (10f) is shown here.   Note the misplaced notch in one of the parts (lower right hand corner) for this particular frame.  This is the only part that shows such anomaly.  Hard to understand how this could happen in the production process. If others see the same it could indicate a mistake in the drawing file used with the laser cutter. 
 
The next step is the frame assembly. At this point I am wondering whether or not WOP should be applied to the sides prior to assembly?  It is not clear to me how the frame sides can be finished once assembled (how to deal with the various steps when scrubbing with a steel wool) or installed on the keel (limited access).  I welcome suggestions. I am also trying to devise a method to keep joints as tight as possible and minimize skewedness of assembled frames.  The photo below shows all the frame parts s in individual ziplock bags ready for assembly. 
 

 
 

A first class base is nothing more than this fabulous build deserves. You have certainly done this kit justice. Thank you for sharing your efforts.
 
Paul
 
 

Thank you Jim...
 
I have completed all of the hatches, gratings and partners to be placed on deck.  You have seen how the gratings were made.  The two hatches are pretty similar.  The only difference is they have cover boards rather than gratings within in the coamings.
 
 The photo below shows the laser cut coamings assembled.  There is no need to remove the laser char from the lap joints at the corners.  In fact it probably isnt a good idea at all.  They are precision cut so you end up with a perfectly squared up coaming the correct size.  You can and should sand both sides of the sheet before removing these laser cut parts to clean the char from those sides.  Just glue them up using the same right angle jig provided earlier.   Then sand the char off the top of the completed coaming being careful to keep the round-up consistent. 
 
You can see the smaller hatch completed.  The larger one shows the three cover boards also laser cut waiting to be glued into position.  But this you will also note the ledge created on the inside of the coaming that the cover boards will sit into.  These are laser cut for you and can be glued on the port and starboard insides of the coaming.
 

This photo shows the three coverboards in the coaming.  They are pretty thick, but only so they are flush with the center of the coaming to allow for the round-up.   The round-up along the sides of the coverboards should be sanded flush to the top edge of the coamings along the P & S sides.  I know some folks like to show one or two coverboards off the coaming.  You can do this if you want to.  But then you should sand that roundup into the bottom of the coverboards as well.   But I will show them all in place like the contemporary model.
 

To finish off the hatches...round off the corners using the right angle jig like you did for the gratings.   Trim them down to the top of the deck planking.   The bolts were added using black fishing line in the same way.   The iron ring for handles were made just like those on the lower platforms.  Exactly the same.
 

Also shown in the photo above are the mast and capstan partners.   These are completely laser cut for you.  They have etched lines to show the separate sections.   All you have to do is sand them clean and round off the corners as described earlier for the capstan partners only.  Soften the top edges as well.  Add the fishing line bolts and the eye bolts on the main mast partners.  Now some of these can be glued onto the model.  They are all ready to go so you can start planking the decks.
 
BUT there are a some like the main mast partners and capstan partners that need some extra work.   I will describe that next.   For example the elm pump tubes below the main mast partners and the capstan drum as well.
 
More to follow...but here is a photo with the all of the hatches, coamings and partners simply test positioned on the model.  They are not glued into position yet.   I did however glue the smaller grating and coaming on the forecastle deck in permanently....those are all finished up.  Its getting there!!!
 

HI!
I'm Massimo, I'm Italian, living and working in China since 20 years,  after few  month since my subscribe I decided to introduce my self:
 a couple of year ago I was building a model of Russian Frigate "Pallada" in POB,with  bad result  I decided to put it on hold, for sure I'll start over again ,moreover I  studied and read more about ship model and styles, and here I found out so many helpful topics and professionals ship builders.
pretty soon I'll start to open a topic on new model in admiralty style.
stay tuned.
 
 Max  

Channels and Gangways
 
An update as I near the end of chapter 11:

My friend is making a stand for me. He’s an artist, he selected this particular wood piece of Wenge because the model will appear it’s  ‘breaking the water.’  This is not something I’d ever thought of, but pretty cool. The color of the Wenge with its  elm inlay, especially once finish is applied, is a nice accent to the model. Good to have artist friends with big tools.


The channels are complete port and starboard. The stress of cutting away mounting and cutting into friezes to fit the curved ends of the channels is behind me. 
 
I’m happy with the ebony wood dye used on the deadeyes with its result of the boxwood texture showing through. They stand out in their own right and are a nice compliment to the rest of the model.

I have completed the gangways, as did Chuck I elected to position the knees after attaching the long gang board. I was concerned about midshipmen falling overboard but having just received the latest Sea Watch Rodgers collection of 5th rates (given my Not vast nautical knowledge). I saw ropes and posts were mounted along the rail. Not something I’d want seen on our Admiralty board model, but I feel better about the midshipmen now. 

The newel posts and their fancy rail are yet another signature element of the model. For a level fit to match up to the newel post my lower rail is mounted to the breast rail post rather than its rail, plus I like the look. As Chuck notes, getting the post level on multiple planes, especially given the platform follows the sheer and camber of the deck, took some patience and a jig or two.

A major milestone: With the addition of the ladders and installing the elm tree pumps I completed more than a year ago my Winchelsea is complete between the bulwarks (short of my gluing on the remainder of the guns).
 
Work continues. Thanks for stopping by.

Photo time

Nice kit! 

Syren Ship Models...the ultimate kit with spare parts. What a fantastic idea, Chuck.
 
Yves

Nice save....I have a bit of room on that sheet so I have added a second pair of those parts 9 & 10 just in case.   Best to have a back up...   I am watching the current builds closely so I can add extra back up pieces based on which ones might need it if room on the sheet allows.  

When it comes to scrap wood, I very rarely throw it away, especially AYC. Digging around in the scrap box I found a perfect piece. It only took about 1/2 hour to make a replacement, now to continue with the build. The swear jar is happy as is the scrap bin, it got the messed up part. 
 
Best Regards …. Rick

This morning marks my first contribution to the swear jar. I was trying to fit the stepped part of the keel and guess I didn’t have enough coffee or sleep and really butchered the part. Being this joint is visible, a new part will need to be made.
 
 Best Regards …. Rick

Nice fix, one of the great things about wood is there is almost always a way to fix just about any problem if you are willing to put in the time.

Been a while since my last update, my apologies if this post becomes too long.

The main cause of my delay was a self-inflicted problem.

The instructions tell us to make sure the eyebolt openings in the spirketting patterns line up with those in the inner bulkheads (parts 32 and 33, L & R).
Thing is, these parts fit the hull very nicely, and I didn't think about the holes until it was too late.

This left me with eyebolt holes very much out of line.

 
Sorting that out involved several iterations of filling holes and using a jig to line up and drill new holes.
This is, essentially, the jig I wound up with; a simpler style would be better.

 
Holes are now drilled, gun wales and rails have been added, along with a small colour change.

 
The starboard looks fine, but I have some fettling to do port stern timer (sp?)

 

Oh, and that starboard bulkead, at the bow, is now filled.

 
Don't think I'll try to correct that colour, it takes some looking to see the issue.

Deck and inner bulwarks are now on:


 

 
The missing numeral disappeared when I dropped the hull - at least there were no masts or spars to break.

Sherbourne now has outer bulwarks and some paint.

 
I have an alignment issue with the starboard bulwark at the bow:

Need to think about a solution to that.


A question.
I'm thinking about adding sails.
Is there any guidance for adding sails to an 18C cutter?

FWIW, the kit has three yards on the mast, main and driver booms for the gaff, and a retractable bowsprit.