Thistle17

A vice I will admit to is tools. I find myself asking "do I really need another tool" and often the answer is yes "I guess". Anyway for what it is worth I bought this Woodpeckers pocket square which is primarily intended to gauge the trueness of the business end of woodworking chisels. Obviously it is one of those tools one uses in the workshop less than often so it has wandered into my modeling tool chest. I have found it to be just the right size for a number of build applications. Here is another I found. I am installing the bulkheads from the middle out to stem and stern so it just requires the removal of the nearest neighbor to fit. The reliefs in each arm of the square allow me to use some of the clamps with lesser throat and it does wonders to square up the bulkhead while glue dries. Albeit a bit pricey it seems to do the job. Joe

Thanks Chuck it feels good to be moving along albeit at a snail's pace. Again this is not a race but a journey. I am determined to get this right! Everyone on this forum whom has shared makes the journey so much more pleasurable. Joe

Another milestone of sorts (at least for me given all the other things swirling around in my life). All of the bulkheads have been dry fitted on the former. It did take more fine tuning of the bulkhead slots as they were a bit undersized and I was looking for a slip fit. As I have learned in the past if this fit is not deliberate the bulkheads tend to twist about the keel center line which in turn leads to further difficulties when installing the gun port timbers. In addition I would comment on the building board. I was intrigued by a group members approach to the build platform. I adopted Rusty J's method of the build board as I felt it served my needs better. I rebuilt the right angle supports a bit longer so that they could be clamped with my clamp stock. These supports are only used on the starboard side and the clamps ensure the assembly verticality (they needed some shim build out to achieve this). Thanks for the tip Rusty! As I glue these in, starting amid ships, I will turn my attention back to Cheerful inboard/deck detail while the glue dries. This model has had little attention since the Spring and is begging for forward movement. I will now proceed to where many of you have already gone. You all are an inspiration to me. Joe

John I returned the instructions to the client. They were of some help but mostly for the parts identity. I may be able to get you some copy of the English instructions if she has not placed them at their retreat home. PM me with an address (email or otherwise) and I will try and get them. Joe

Thank you Mike I am going to give Cheerful (and Winchelsea when the time comes) another try using your approach. Joe

Mike your work is inspirational and I have to say you set a high bar. When you get to form the moldings can you give some "how to information" to those of us who could use some coaching. I tried it for my Cheerful by filing some 1/16 brass sheet with a bevel on one side so as to form a knife edge. I wasn't too happy about the result: (1) the boxwood profile shape was not crisp no matter at what angle I held the scrapper at at and (2) when applied to the 1/16 wide stock it had a tendency to wander off the center line. As a result the hull has yet to be dressed out. I anticipate the same result on the Winne without some guidance. Joe

Finally I am have been able to start this project with the focus and attention it is going to need. If you follow the scratch build forums I am also involved in building the Viet Nam era River Patrol Boat for the museum where we hold meetings. That project even with good drawings and photos has no guidance other than our combined sense of how to build it. I liken it to building "in the air" as one might build a tree house. In contrast this project is exacting and so well documented that one has to respect each and every step of the build. I did not purchase the bulkhead sub kit but started from the raw Lite ply. I assembled the former sections on a 1/2 plate glass that is longer than the former full length to ensure I got the truest assembly. Because of the quality of the ply it still had a slight cup. The bow section even had a bit of cup at its upper reach hence the "strong-back" temporarily clamped across the body. This turned out to be a convenient location to add a clamp across the midsection of the stem which was sanded to conform as best as I could get it. Still I could perceive a very slight separation once fitted to the former. And as most of you know PVA glue is strongest when the wood surfaces are in good contact. Joe

Exceptional weather here in upstate New York. I mowed the lawn Sunday and snow-blowed the driveway on Tuesday after an 11 inch snowfall! The only good thing I can say about the weather is it drove us inside for the remainder of the week and Jim, a fellow group member and I were able to install the remainder of the internal rail works and the bulkhead for the helm today. We will trial fit the helm this week hopefully as that has been prepared off site by another group member. I must say without Jim's engineering support in terms of drawings and cataloging of all archival pictures we would not have had a relatively smooth go at this project. Jim comes naturally to this role as he is an ex Navy officer that had oversight responsibility for nuclear power plants on some naval vessels. Beyond the helm work to be addressed we will now begin the process of infill for the true decking that runs from the bow towards the air intakes. This will include the forward deck skin and the forward gun turret deck frame out and top sides. The turret is to be farmed out to yet another group member. For those that might be visiting for the first time the model is just about 55 inches long. Don't be too critical of the overloaded work bench behind the model as this should be cleaned up before Thanksgiving. The table that the model sits on will hopefully have wheels before too long and this will enable parking it out of the way when other house projects take hold. I have a question to ask. We are using Rage Easy Sand at the moment for infill. You will also note we are using spackle compound (sparingly as it were) as well. I for one am not fond of the latter becuase of its long term durability. The Rage is much stronger but it tends to set up a bit too fast (it is a 2 part compound) to achieve really satisfying results such as fillet radii without a lot of careful and long sanding. Anyone got some other ideas for a glazing compound? Joe

Rusty have you determined where bulkheads #29 fit into the stern construction? Joe

One word....exquisite! Joe

If truth be told there was likely a smarter way to incorporate the upper rail as described previously. Note the grid work added to the sub deck to raise the actual deck to its proper height forward of the helm. The rail that will not be evident inboard need only have been beveled where it is visible and a good deal of the inboard shaping would have been unnecessary. One lives and learns. In any event the grid work will be skinned over and faired into the visible rail assembly. Another observation we made today is that the bow section of the rail has a slight rake outboard when we inspect the supplied photos given to us by the Patriots Point folk. That too is on the schedule to be modified prior to attachment of the bumper strip. Also the air intake covers have been attached and the "rail" that advances forward from the covers is being integrated. It will terminate upon the rear members of the "grid work". That will be depicted in the next post. Joe

I will not clutter the forum with another rendition of bulkhead machining and keel build. Rather I will post the assembled skeletal structure and take it from there. Sufficient it to say that all bulkheads are machined as well as the false keel/former. As I assemble the Alaskan Yellow Cedar for the former supports I am forewarned that the laser char is going to be a problem in terms of keeping components clean. A good clean eraser doesn't really do it. I have had to sand them with 600 grit paper. I think I read or heard somewhere that a measure of control of the char is to give the AYC a surface coat of shellac or wiping varnish diluted. Any thoughts out there would be appreciated. Joe

Inspirational Bob! I just managed to get all my bulkheads completed yesterday and I have yet to build my build platform! So it seems "I have miles to go before I sleep". I will be tuning in to you for inspiration and guidance. Don't lose me in the dust! Joe

Thank you both for your input. It appears I have over thought the method. I know I have said this before but I have to say it again. The information sharing of this forum is amazing! Joe

OK Chuck I have a question. In planking the bow of Cheerful I found that some of the planks fit into the rabbet were less than perfect. Most ended up sprung against the stem member but a few had drifted away from that tight condition. Here is how I was planking the bow: 1. slight bevel on the fore end of the plank on the underside of the plank 2. plank end tapered to the stem angle 2. heat bent around a canister cap with a radius slightly tighter than the bow radius. 3. theoretically the tighter radius when glued in forced the plank up tight against the stem Should I have skipped step one? Joe

Weather in upstate New York has been superb for the opening of the fall season so it has been hard to get back to the shop and work on the PBR. We forced the situation today though. Most of the work has been focused on shaping the "rail" that surrounds the bow to about 2/3 of the vessel. As stated earlier it starts out at 1" at the bow tapering to 0" at the mid point of the engine covers. I resorted to using my hand power planer to achieve the appropriate taper of the rail after marking off the taper using battens. I then smoothed the outside face roughly on my oscillating sander table and then used hand sanding to gain a satisfying contour. The inside was another matter. It has a taper from top side to its bottom. The complication is the taper is not uniform. Topside thickness was outlined using a template. Bottom side was also defined by its sister template. Using a spoke shave the inside taper was roughed out, moved to the oscillating sander and finally hand sanded close to finish dimension. Some Easy Sand was applied to void areas but for the most part it is ready for finish sanding, final fitting and install. As it turns out this depiction doesn't really show the taper well. Hopefully one gets the idea though. Joe

Good idea Rusty on weighting them down. My environment is a bit more humid and I have even got in the habit of covering the work in progress with plastic sheeting. Those scroll saw blades do a great job by the way! Question: I believe you said you were using Birch ply is that correct. Is it Baltic Birch? Joe

My progress reminds me of the sprinter who is the last off the blocks when the gun goes off. I finally received my 1/4 ply from National Balsa. It got lost in the delivery cycle but ultimately showed up at my door. I ordered 10 sheets and oddly they sent 12. It is all shrink wrapped so a quality inspection will soon be made. I guess they know I am prone to mistakes. Fabrication of the bulkheads should begin very soon. My race metaphor is how I feel right now but I do understand this is not a race to the finish! Joe

Your model build is a joy to follow. I cut my teeth on the Bluenose from AJ Fisher sometime ago. Shaping the hull with carving tools etc was wonderfully satisfying. I have been drawn into the world of plank on bulkhead and while some find it very much to their liking I can't say I do. I find myself wanting to get onto the detail of the model but plodding along on the planking. Redjacket is a beauty and your progress reminds of the merits of solid hulls. Sitting on my shelf is The Flying Cloud from your namesake just waiting for my attention. You inspire me. Joe PS The vintage of the Flying Cloud if I am correct has the lead alloy fittings. Any suggestions?

Mike you set a high water mark in terms of execution! Always a treat to witness your progress. Above you reference a dowel use in the counter. Are you using it to contour the plank along its length in this are? Can you explain it a bit more please? Joe

Well here it is September and it has been over a month of no postings. Summer's end whizzed right past and I have to report that we had a somewhat uneventful build with the exception of the beautiful metal work by one of our members in his execution of the aft gun tripod. His replication is in brass and silver soldered joinery. Darkening was somewhat problematical for him as even though his work was well cleaned it did not take the darkening solution method well. He ultimately resorted to painting. He has yet to add the final gun support and armor shield but one should be confident that the end result will be nothing but spectacular. Obviously that is it in the 2nd attachment. The PBR itself has had some build up in the aft section with the addition of the air intakes, the engine hatches and build up of the bow and fore rails atop. They await planning and shaping from the bow to station 11 (i.e. 1inch high to deck height respectively). The open area, mid deck, is reserved for the forward gun tub which has been assigned to another group member. Joe

I have adapted Chuck's methodology for my planking practice. I rate myself as still a novice but this technique has immensely improved my results. To help with the tapering I have adopted using a Lee Valley miniature low angle block plane to approach the width line and then finish off with the sanding stick. I made a fairly long hand held clamping vice out of 2 pieces of maple about 16 inches long. One has a kerf cut in with a shallow depth that the plank sits in. The kerf width is a shade under the plank thickness. The two beams are held together with wing nuts and screws and securely clamp the plank. This jig facilitates holding the plank firmly when running the block plane for the taper. For me it is just a time saver. Joe

It is going to be a slow start up for me but nonetheless a startup. Drawings and hull templates printed out last week as I have decided to fabricate the bulkheads and false keel parts. And as luck will have I will travel in the very near future very close to National Balsa so I will be picking up the material needed. Haven't quite decided if I will opt for the Birch false keel quite yet but will by then. Totally conflicted by my other projects staring me in the face and pushing hard to get them cleaned up to concentrate on this captivating project. Chuck those drawings are a work of art in themselves. Joe

The enthusiasm for the project is not surprisingly, amazing. Definitely a worthy project and one well worth the effort Bob. Essex will have to wait. I for one will follow your journey. Joe