Canute

Bulls eye, sir. Part of the Federal or Union navy's riverine forces. Was active for just over 2 years.  Supposed to be a ram, but it was too slow.

And it's available as a 1:200 scale paper model, if you're so inclined.

Slog, you're absolutely correct on having the time to create. All we can do is try.

Oh yeah, it is a USS ship. Just not USS Lafayette. You're warm.

Matt, nice job! Those handles are outstanding.

I'm hoping to get back in the 'yard today, now that the final visitors have been well fed and sent home happy. You and the Cap'n have set high standards for us mere mortals.

Hey Slog,

Thanks for the info. Most of my current card endeavors are in American Civil War ironclads, although mostly research. So many ships, so little time...

I read catopower's post on Alert and decided to try it. How hard could it be.

Here's the next one:

Slog, as a retired aviator, my fondness for WWII ships gravitates to oddball aviation support ships. And the Japanese ships are the oddest, to my mind. I built the Chiyoda/Chitose class and hunted for the Nisshin kit, in plastic,with no luck. I was trying to remember what their configurations were in the bow area and vaguely remembered that Nisshin was unique, so I took a wag and wrote that down. Better to be lucky than good, some times.

IJNS Nisshin

Cap'n, some random thoughts from your third engine wiper. Matt's on the right track for ripped sails. From your earlier discussions, I suspect Bligh would not want the ripped sails staying in that condition for long. The sails  must have been patched in a place or three. Patches would be whatever cloth they may have scrounged. More than likely not sail colored cloth. A shirt or breeches, perhaps? I say put a patch or two on your sails.

And most definitely sun bleached. Think about how washed out/sun-faded cloth can get; but canvas sails would get faded by turning what color? Up here in the mountains, white cloth gets dingy grey and gets weak. But, we're cooler and wetter than the Southern Ocean. Would the canvas yellow?

Matt, I'm most definitely going slow with this. I double and triple checked that I wasn't fairing the first 3 molds, although I may have nicked #3 with a sander stick. #4 thru 15 molds are faired, but being an anal FWIC type, I keep re visiting the molds, running my thumb over them. Sort of fine tuning the fine tuning.   

I added the stem pieces and horses last night. I'm sanding the horses down slowly so that the transom will lay across all 3 parts in a line. It's not there yet. I toyed with taking a Dremel sander to it, but realized I might overdo it. Soo, slow and steady she goes. Patience, grasshopper.

I may just tape some coarser sand paper to a flat stick to speed this part up. Decisions, decisions.

Guys, both tool chests are outstanding. This apprentice "Chips" has at least two good role models here.

Matt is correct, I was attempting the Cap'n. If it needs explanation, then it wasn't done well.

Have a pleasant Boxing Day/St Stephen's Day, y'all!

Well, the braces set up nicely, so fairing commenced, from the middle outwards, checked frequently with a batten strip. Nice, smooth edges.    I attached the transom horses and stem supports (Butt joints, really). Today, I plan to attach the keel "clips" and work on the transom.

Arrr, nice work on the hardware, me buck-o! And the chest hath rope handles to boot.

Very weak imitation of Cap'n Steve's comments. Hope he doesn't mind.

Augie, thanks for the comment.

I've been collecting a number of stains and was planning on testing them all on the kit wood remnants. After reading through any number of the other build logs, I can see the wisdom of doing so. Helps to minimize surprises.

Should be installing the 1/8" braces today, too.

Bill, thanks for the explanation. When I get to the stage of building a Connie or any Mamoli kit, this will be very handy.

Have a Merry Christmas.

Captain Steve and Matt, thanks. I think I'll be adding the extra braces for the stem and stern mold frames. The rest of them  look solid enough  for the fairing. The glue on the mold frames is drying overnight. I'll probably add the bracing tomorrow, even though it is Christmas Eve. The Admiral is working the night shift, so I should be able to get some time in the 'yard.

I did the stem taper with the plan template, my dividers and a little contour template I cut out of the plan. I copied the appropriate section of the plan onto card stock; right above the cutout template was the dimensions and shape of the keel cross section. I marked out the stem with the template, marked the depth to be removed with my dividers and then slowly sanded the stem down, using the contour template to check my progress. The stem looks better than my picture shows.

My card stock templates: 

Tapered stem:

Thanks for the fairing tip; I would probably have started on it like eating corn on the cob, from one end.    And I already got some wax for the mold frames.

Thanks for looking.

Matt, check out the build logs, especially CaptainSteve's, for ideas. In this scale, you can run amok with details.

CaptainSteve, thanks. I'm cutting the 1/8" bracing to 1 1/32" lengths. I'll just chop off a few more to experiment.

Ship building sure does exercise the brain cells.

Mattie, I am in awe. Beeyootiful work!   And "junk in the trunk", eh? I can't wait.

ROFLMAO,Clare. The term "pinball wizard" also comes to mind.    And this is 1/96 scale? I am in awe.

Captain Steve, thanks for the like. Matt, thanks. Since you've done a couple of builds prior to this boat, you're "highly experienced."    This is build #1 for me.

I managed to get a little time in the 'yard to work on my rabbet, amongst all the holiday preps. Got that groove reoriented, but then I puzzled over how to sweeten up the surfaces of the rabbet. I have some thin, square sanding sticks that only have grit on 2 opposing sides, so I'm proceeding with "all due diligence" to make a nice smooth inside of the rabbet. I'd like my planks to nest into the keel nicely; no gaps to sink the boat.

Looking ahead to constructing the mold; did anyone add extra bracing on the mold to hold the frames perpendicular to the false keel or will the 1/8" x 1/8" braces be sufficient. As a model railroader, I tend to approach bracing with a "belt and suspender" mentality. No such thing as too much bracing; sort of like having too many clamps.

Thanks for looking.

Jonny, Merry Christmas to you and yours. Hope Santa treats you well.

The ship is looking good, mate!

Beats gnawing on them ala the beaver. But, not by much!

Blue Ensign and Mark, you're both quite right. We don't have perfect books, but the quest for that information you want, need and desire is a major part of the why we delve through them. So, some sources are better than others. Finding the nugget is a moment to savor.

As the poet sang "What a long, strange trip it's been..."

Finally, I cut the rabbet into the keel.

I cut it as a symmetrical groove, since the pictures I've been looking at all seemed to be configured so. But, while testing it with my trusty 1/16" scrap plank, I sensed that the rabbet should not be symmetrical. The plank edges should lay in the rabbet.

Here's the rabbet:

My tester:

Copied the stem tapering pattern onto some 90# card stock.

I also started fitting the molds. They're loose right now.

Looking at the transom board, what were they thinking when they lasered the label onto it? I think I'm going to thin it and lay some nice boards over it.

Lessons learned: Keep the cutting edges sharp. I love the nice, thin slice that sharp #17 blade can make for cutting rabbets.

More light in that dungeon of a work space - actually a corner of my utility room. These old eyes aren't Hawkeye anymore.

Thanks for stopping by.

Jonny, I like how you think.  

The Admiral only said she wanted the table available for yuletide festivities. She doesn't want you lock, stock and barrel, too. so, a give a little, get a little going on here. Keep brain somewhat engaged on ship building. Think happy thoughts.

Nice cutter! I would think as long as it was for personal use, you'd be OK, but see the lawyers/barristers if worried about the legalities.

Have a Merry Christmas and a Joyous New Year!