Keith_W

Thanks for the remarks and the likes, everyone.
 
Vince, I will be adding a double layer of first planking above the main deck level - AFTER I cut the gunports out. I wasn't too sure how rigid the structure would be after doing that - rather than risk it, I thought I would complete the first planking below the waterline first. There is after all, no disadvantage in doing that. I'm not even worried that I will scuff up the planks and make them ugly, because any scuff marks, or even deep gouges, will be repaired and hidden by white paint.
 
Thanks Pat, but I think that you have seen the basic skeleton at a meet a few months back. I have completed a bit more of the first planking now. All I can say is that the pear is a real pleasure to use, a really nice upgrade over the kit supplied wood.
 
I have also been thinking of how to make the stanchions for the staircase and the rear railings. Commercial stanchions are much too thick and seem out of scale, so I have been trying to turn my own. Toothpicks make awful looking stanchions, the wood flakes off too easily and my hit rate is very low. Bamboo picks are even worse - I think they are only good for making treenails. And it's not easy finding Boxwood dowels ... how I wish I ordered some when I bought my planks off Jeff! I have tried making them out of Sculpey and I don't like the results - too inconsistent. I have tried threading beads and painting over them with liquid Sculpey but they look silly. Now I am thinking of 3D printing them (hence my other thread). We'll see.

That's OK Brian, I know that you and others think that my assessment of this kit is overly harsh, and that I am being too critical - but I think it is important to point out where the pitfalls are for people who will follow. To me, I have always found the most helpful build logs are those which clearly point out "Beware of this! Don't make the same mistake as me!". If it wasn't for other build logs which have clearly identified problems and workarounds, my build would be even more sloppy than it already is!

Planking down to the keel is now completed. I have also cut out the second row of gunports. Here she is, all sanded down and ready to go ... while I ponder what to do next.
 

 

 

 
My ambition when I started out was to use no filler. Sad to say, I had to resort to the dreadful stuff. At least I didn't have to use much of it! Yes, I know it will be hidden by the second planking, but it would have given me a lot of satisfaction if I did not have to use any of it.

Just a little update to remind you that i'm still beavering away at this little boat. Not much to say except that first planking is almost finished up to the level of the second deck!
 

 

 

Hi Bootes, to be honest I have been assisted greatly by following other build logs here and by the availability of the "interpretive info" on Euromodel's website that I linked to in my first post. This is quite an enjoyable build, but I am learning that a Euromodel kit is not quite the same as a kit from Amati or Model Shipways. It is a kit in name only, in that you are theoretically supplied with enough material to build a boat. However, if you hang around this forum for too long, your expectations of how a boat should be built becomes quite high - which means a lot of scratchbuilding and modifications.
 
The presence of the LED's in the rear indicates that I am planning to discard the kit windows, which are supplied as solid chunks of metal. I have had sleepless nights wondering how on earth I am going to make those. We shall see!
 
As for the flickering LED's, thank you for suggesting the modules on eBay in the other thread. To install those, I would have to undo some work I have already done, but that's OK. I would install the flickering LED modules inside the ship and power them through the support stands. I will have to think hard about where i'm going to put them though - because the second deck has already been installed, access to the first deck is permanently sealed - which means that options for placement becomes very limited!

Planking continues. The lower deck gunports have been cut out and the dummy gun supports have been installed. The lower deck has been painted black.

Time for an update, as well as a few other notes on building this magnificent ship.
 

 
The bow filler blocks were a real pain to fabricate. To help get the correct contour, I photocopied the plans and cut out guides to check the shape at different levels. It really helps that Euromodel's plans are so detailed - by far the best I have ever seen. It more than makes up for the scanty instructions.
 

 
Completed bow filler block (left). The one on the right was roughly shaped with a belt sander.
 

 
I used my Proxxon MF70 mill to shape the keel so that they fit together.
 

 
Start of planking! I decided to start at the lower gun deck and go both upwards and downwards. As you can see I managed to get a really tight bend at the stern.
 

 
The bow, with the bow filler blocks installed. The plans are rather sketchy regarding how they should be placed, but it made sense to bring them up to the level of the main deck. If you do so, there will be a gap in the middle because the false keel does not rise high enough. I installed a block (arrowed) to help support the main deck which will be installed later.
 

 
I then started tracing the gunport pattern out onto some tracing paper.
 

 
Note that there are FOUR different sizes of gunports. Interestingly, none of the other build logs mention this. Pete's Interpretive Info on the Euromodel website suggests that only TWO different gunport sizes are present (14mm x 14mm, and 13mm x 13mm). The gunport sizes I measured out were:
 
14mm x 13mm <-- lower gun deck
13mm x 12mm <-- middle gun deck
11mm x 10mm <-- main deck
9mm x 9mm <-- hindcastle
 
Perhaps Pete would like to check his plans (I used Plan sheet #7) and amend his I-I accordingly?
 

 
I have now installed five planks on the lower gun deck, all without tapering. This weekend I will cut out the gunports.
 

 
I also took some measurements of the bulkheads below the lower gun deck - these will all have to be tapered.I used these measurements to calculate how wide each plank should be at each bulkhead. Disappointingly, the lower graph (a graphical representation of the shape of the plank) suggests that shaping these planks won't be so easy!

This past week, Our Hero be working his way thru the list he didst draw-up of the detail items to be a-going into his Launch.
“There be precious little to be a-telling ye about,” CaptainSteve did begineth. “This past seven-day, I be mocking up some buckets and piggins.”
 
Indeedeth, the info provided by Buck as a reference was most goodly and of great help. However, CaptainSteve’s buckets be bearin’ only a passing similarity to Googled images.
 
“I … err … that is, I was a-tryin’ to make ‘em appear battered and beaten,” he stammered. “Yea !! Verily, that be it. I was a-tryin' to be making 'em look weathered !!”
 
Arrr. Indeedeth, CaptainSteve.
 
The bases haveth been sliced from a spare piece of 10mm dowel. The edges o’ each Our Hero didst file to maketh the angle for the sides.

 
“I didst cutteth a great number of slats, and thence taper and spileth each …” he continued.

 
The slats were laideth out upon masking tape …

 
… and thence folded into a circle, using the end of a pen to help formeth the shape.

(A white colouration in the bottom o' me buckets doth giveth away me secret: a generous drop of PVA after the circular base hath been fitted doth hold all in place.)
 
“Thinly sliced strips o’ masking tape (painted black), and rope handles I didst addeth to me buckets,” Our Hero didst explaineth. 

 
And, finally, The List as it currently stands …

Yup, spray cans are great for applying large coats of paint. Here's a tip: immerse your spray cans in hot water for 10 minutes before using them. This causes the pressure in the cans to build up, so the spray that you get is finer. If you let your cans get cold / or let the pressure go down, the paint comes out in droplets and causes a blotchy effect. 

Matter of taste. Some people say flat. Some say satin. 

I have finished 4 of my last ships in satin, the last was finished in tung oil - which is only a tiny bit more satin than flat. 

Yup, spray cans are great for applying large coats of paint. Here's a tip: immerse your spray cans in hot water for 10 minutes before using them. This causes the pressure in the cans to build up, so the spray that you get is finer. If you let your cans get cold / or let the pressure go down, the paint comes out in droplets and causes a blotchy effect. 

Hi Bigcreekdad, I am guessing that you have your strip against the fence - as you advance your plank, the strip gets stuck between the saw and the fence? The solution is to have the wide part of your plank against the fence so that the ripped strip falls freely away (i.e. the opposite of what you are doing). This is Bill Sorensen's table saw guide: 
 
http://modelshipworldforum.com/resources/MillingScaleLumberRev-01%20(1).pdf
 
He describes your problem and a work-around on page 13. On page 17-20 there is another example of how to rip thin strips without experiencing the problem you describe. 

Yup, spray cans are great for applying large coats of paint. Here's a tip: immerse your spray cans in hot water for 10 minutes before using them. This causes the pressure in the cans to build up, so the spray that you get is finer. If you let your cans get cold / or let the pressure go down, the paint comes out in droplets and causes a blotchy effect. 

Yup, spray cans are great for applying large coats of paint. Here's a tip: immerse your spray cans in hot water for 10 minutes before using them. This causes the pressure in the cans to build up, so the spray that you get is finer. If you let your cans get cold / or let the pressure go down, the paint comes out in droplets and causes a blotchy effect. 

In my recent trip to the UK I stumbled across this. This is what I love about London - so much history, and the possibility you might happen upon somewhere where famous feet have trodden on!


 
Looks like you will need to put a flatscreen TV and a reading lamp on your Bounty Launch, Cap'n!

Hi All
 
Just a little update ha ha.
 
I have started gluing the dummy cannon supports in on the lower deck.
 
To get the distance from the inside of the hull planking.
I made a little template ( ok it's not that good but it will do ha ha ) .
 
I cut a square out and the part that is nearest the hull planking is the line that will be the back of the cannon dummy support blocks.
 
I just put a pencil line along that edge and glued the block on that line.
 
Denis.

Thanks Buck, I just might have to copy your compass.
 
Just a few quick pics of my Turks head.

Well I finally got one of the oars done, nine to go. It took awhile to come up with a design for the whipping.
 
I picked a spiral hitch(also called French whip) with a 3 pass/5 bight Turks Head for the decorative ends. In real life these knots are fairly easy, but making them to this scale was a challenge. I made jig for starting the first pass of the Turks head that's an inch square. It was then transferred to the oar, tighten knot, and finished it with 2 more passes.

So after 3 months- maybe 4, the stirrups and footropes are finally finished.  I realized I've been working on these yards for over a year.  It took longer to make and outfit these yards than it took to assemble the frame and plank the hull!  Crazy.  Oh well.
 
Here are the fore yards with stirrups and footropes

 
The main yards.  The attached tags have the name of the yard. I'm getting old and can't tell the difference sometimes, especially since many of the fore and main yards have the same dimensions

 
finally the mizzen

 
Here's my high tech storage apparatus.  I spent quite a bit of time building this to protect the yards and the footropes. 

In my recent trip to the UK I stumbled across this. This is what I love about London - so much history, and the possibility you might happen upon somewhere where famous feet have trodden on!


 
Looks like you will need to put a flatscreen TV and a reading lamp on your Bounty Launch, Cap'n!

In my recent trip to the UK I stumbled across this. This is what I love about London - so much history, and the possibility you might happen upon somewhere where famous feet have trodden on!


 
Looks like you will need to put a flatscreen TV and a reading lamp on your Bounty Launch, Cap'n!

In my recent trip to the UK I stumbled across this. This is what I love about London - so much history, and the possibility you might happen upon somewhere where famous feet have trodden on!


 
Looks like you will need to put a flatscreen TV and a reading lamp on your Bounty Launch, Cap'n!

Given that I paid for my DVD, I feel no guilt grabbing all the videos from that site. I recommend "Save From Net": 
 
http://en.savefrom.net/user.php
 
Some of you may be wondering about the legitimacy of this browser extension. Well, I did a google search for it and it appears to be clean. It also got past my virus and malware scanner on my PC. Just a note - it does not appear to work with versions of Chrome above v35. I used Firefox to grab the videos. 

Given that I paid for my DVD, I feel no guilt grabbing all the videos from that site. I recommend "Save From Net": 
 
http://en.savefrom.net/user.php
 
Some of you may be wondering about the legitimacy of this browser extension. Well, I did a google search for it and it appears to be clean. It also got past my virus and malware scanner on my PC. Just a note - it does not appear to work with versions of Chrome above v35. I used Firefox to grab the videos. 

I've collated all the 77 videos available on YouTube of the Australians' visit to Dr. Mike. The complete list (with the  titles in Russian) is at
 
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5wX2_PJGI8sxN_zzXNTWaZ9qi-U_9Zp7
 
I've used Google translate to compile the list in English with links but I find I can't paste the sheet without losing the formatting, and I don't seem to be permitted to attach Word or Excel files. So if anyone wants this list, you can download either the Excel or Word files from DropBox at
 
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/rx2ygepydpn2kja/AAD5j9X6QiKpQp_MhWU4Fcxla?dl=0
 
 
Tony