wyz

Nice work on the anchor Ed.  As always your instruction is first rate.  Thanks.

Tom

Hi Alexandru,

     What an extraordinary job you are doing on Victory; without question the best work I've ever seen for a model of this particular vessel.  Everything is so precise.  Like always, I will look forward to your next post.  Thanks for sharing.

Tom

Hi marsalv,

     It's always good when you make a post.  I look forward to seeing your cannons.  Even though you're new to turning I have faith your guns will be as nice as everything else you've done.  I can't envision you doing anything second rate...... that is unless you build one.  ;-)

Tom

Beautiful job Sal.  I'm happy for you that you received the People's Choice Award at the Northeast Ship Model Conference.  That's a nice feather in your cap!

Bob, it was a fun build to follow and you did such a nice job on it.  I look forward to Granado.

Tom

Glenn, you continue on with the build and the rest of us search for new ways to describe its beauty.  I think we may have the harder task.

Tom

Great job Bob!  You're in the home stretch now with the end in sight.  That has to make you feel good.  I too am interested in knowing what your next project will be.  Come on, give us a hint.  ;-)

Tom

     Mike, the model is coming along nicely.  Yes, ebony is a royal pain in the butt to use.  Not only is it brittle but the dust from it can cause real problems.  Many years back I needed some thin strakes from ebony wood.  I made them with my thickness sander.  Every time I went to put them on the hull they cracked.  Over and over I had to remake them.  Stupidly I wasn't wearing my dust mask and ended up breathing enough ebony dust that I started having respiratory problems.  I almost called 911.  Ebony looks really nice but it can be nasty to work with.  I ALWAYS use the mask now, for all woods.

Tom

Wow! You have simulated nail holes in the planks?  That's taking boat building to another level....the nth degree!  Johann, you truly are the consummate craftsman.

Tom

Toni,

     Yes, that kind of repetition is tedious and painfully boring but you really have to love the finished cannons.  I certainly do.

Tom

Hi Paul,

     The rudder assembly turned out real well.  Sweet looking!

Tom

G man, everything you do turns out beautiful.  I think you hit more home runs than Hank Aaron.

Tom

Don't try to meet any deadline.  Continue on at whatever pace is required to do the A1 job you are doing.  The model is gorgeous and is coming along nicely.   I'm looking forward to seeing more pics of the ship as you progress and your new shop when it's finished. 

     You can NEVER let your guard down when you're working in the shop.  Even work with seemingly innocuous tools, when you're not paying attention, can end up hurting you.  Last week when cutting some bolts to length with the Dremel tool I had a small piece of metal find its way into my eye,  even with me wearing eye protection.  I had to go to the emergency room to have an ophthamologist look at it.  The eye was very red and sore for almost a week.  Apparently safety glasses weren't enough and I should have been using goggles or the full face shield.  Lesson learned ....the hard way.  You were lucky, as the accident could have been much worse.  You still have ten fingers.... possibly one a little numb at the tip. 

Tom

Wow druxey, that faux burl veneer is really nice!  It sure fooled me.  How are you going to finish the surface?

Tom

Hi Mike,

     If your shop is in the corner of your living room how do you deal with the wood dust?  The fine stuff must go everywhere.  Do you have a tabletop air filter, or do you just vacuum and dust a lot? 

Tom

I love your progress Jerry.

Tom

Nice job on the cannon Toni.  Sweet looking!  It's an eye-catcher.

Tom

Mike, it's coming along nicely.

Tom

Hi Alexandru,

     While I've never been a big fan of HMS Victory models I can't help but follow your work on this one.  It's over-the-top nice,,,,, just gorgeous!  When you are finished with it I hope it ends up in a place where it can be viewed by lots of people.  Anything less would be a crime.  You are quite the craftsman, a true artist.  Thanks for sharing with us.

Tom

Alan, I'm happy to see you're under way with the build.... a nice start.   You certainly did all the prep work necessary for the project.  This is a build I will be following for sure.  Best wishes and keep those pictures coming!

Tom

     Thanks Ed for the suggestion to use the Microplane.  Should I ever do another bread and butter construction I will certainly keep that in mind.  That may be long time coming however because after this project I want to try my hand at doing a plank-on-frame model.

marsalv,

    Wow, that's a damn nice looking job you did on those partitions.  Just beautiful!  What were the two woods you used to build them?

Tom

Yes, doing the ratlines is one of model ship building's more painstaking tasks.  Fortunately you don't have a lot of them on Cheerful.  They look good Bob. Very nice!

Tom

Chuck,

     In my humble opinion the red trucks would look best.  The plain natural wood color looks too "visually obtrusive" contrasted with the red gun carriages.

Tom

      Nicely crafted boats Johann, just beautiful!

Tom