CharlieZardoz

While on vacation I took a trip to The Book Scout in Greenport LI.  Any of you who might be familiar this is one of the few places I know that still has ship books and was the place I got my Chapelle books from as a kid. He still had a nice collection and was happy to see the old place was still around.  Here's what I picked up

Another step was to cut the deck diagram out of the copy of the plans and make templates like so.  I used the leftover cardboard from the template sheets and glued them using rubber cement making these deck templates thicker so they wouldn't bend. As you can see lined up on the model itself there is still a lot of wood that needs to be removed from the front stern and sides.

A quick note on template #9 I can to realize that when I altered the template to match the plan the template may have actually been correct.  Since I'm not 100% sure either way, using the template cuttings I redid this template to have as an alternate like so and will figure out which works best as the fairing begins. Another reason why you should never throw anything away when modeling

Next up was to create some sanding sticks for fairing the hull.  Using Dan's method I went to a hardware store to get the appropriate wood piece then wrap some sandpaper around like so. This gives you a straight edge and curved with which to sand the hull.

Greetings everyone! Just a few quick updates to show what I've been up to.  Was on vacation last week so progress has been a bit slow.

First order of business has been to construct a base to put Sultana on which includes measurements etc.  This is where utilizing the plans comes in handy as you can see.

Got ya! Will see what I can put together

Next step is to carve the hull.  Am I up to the task? Stay tuned folks....

Here are the side templates.  I'm not sure if I am lining them up correctly since the center lines and rabbet lines do not match the plan so I redrew the lines accordingly.  Template 4 was modified with tape a bit to get the right shape. If anyone who has worked on Sultana before sees me doing something wrong please let me know

Well for now I've modified the original templates (since working with styrene got a bit fustrating), however I plan on giving them so added support so they don't bend.  Here's the bottom templates with my modifications.  I think they look a lot better now 

So by rabbet you mean it should be cut to the top line to allow for planking?  The templates look like they were cut to fit the bottom line so should I modify them to fit the top line?

You can see the offset between the lines and numbers with these pics which I am going to modify by pen and cut to the shape of the plans.  Am I holding them to the plans correctly? I am wondering if they need to be exact with the outer or inner lines of the -uh "rabbet"?

Also I attempted a few times to photocopy the plans and for some reason they either came out slightly too small or too big and I know they need to be perfect to avoid mistakes.  If I cut up the original plans is having a copy slightly off size to work from going to cause me problems in the long run? Or maybe should I just contact ME and order a second set?

I cut out the little paper frames as so and as confirmed by Chuck in the practicum they don't match the actual plans.  Based on this I'm wondering if what I need to do is cut the plans up and make templates from the decks etc to better shape hull as well as the paper frames. 

Below is the carving process to remove the bulwarks. I mainly did this using basic woodcarving tools (though tried the dremel a bit but didn't really need it). The hull still needs a little work by the fore and quarter deck areas. Should I use a small saw to make them even?

Greetings everyone! After a brief hiatus I am back and ready to show what I have done so far on Model Shipways 1:64 scale Sultana.  It isn't much yet but I've been in between a lot of things especially work in Real Estate which is super busy these days.  I've already encountered a few issues with the build and any assistance on these matters (which were discussed in the practicum) would be greatly appreciated.

First below you see the untouched solid hull before carving and my tiny cramped work space

Charlie

Cool Ill pick it up then, relatively cheap just wasn't sure if it was something I could just fashion myself easily. Amati seems to have some nice tool like the keel holder

Hi all! As I'm picking up various tools and supplies I keep running into the water line marker and was wondering if it really serves a purpose or is it one of those loom-A-line type tools that really don't work or are necessary.  Thanks!

Charlie

Maybe Tanganyika/Anigre?

Hull is pre-formed so should be simple enough, could get it done for valentines

Model Shipways has the Bluenose, Mantua has the Britannia Royal yacht, Amati has Endeavor, Corel has the Corsaro 2 all at around 32"  Your best bet is to go on www.agesofsail.com type in yacht and show the misses the list as that is pretty much the options for yachts as far as I know of.  Also there are Bark's like Gorch Fock and Eagle out there which are kinda modernish?

I'm sure they are as they just added a link for trumpeter models which is currently empty.  Should be interesting to see how their new site progresses.

The larger Bounty kit's I believe are from Artesania Latina and Constructo though I wouldn't recommend those companies if you want "clear" instructions.  Constitution would be the simpliest of the kits you mentioned since both Confederacy and Vanguard will have lots of carving/detailing type work(some photo etched).  There is the clipper Jefferson Davis by Blue Jacket at 35.5" clipper Harvey (again by Artesania Latina but simple in comparison) at 36" or a bigger kit would be the HMS Warrior by Billing Boats that's 57.5" also you have non-warships like Flying Fish 36" or Cuttysark by either sergal or mantura at 45" which might also fit the under one year time frame you are looking for.  Keep to kits with one or two decks tops and marginal stern detailing in my humble opinion.

Chuck's practicum for Syren is top notch, you also have excellent builders on this site like Dubz and Thomas Gahm among others who post a lot of pics in their Syren build logs that you can use for how-to assistance. 

Maybe a brig/sloop like MS's Niagara, Syren or Jotika's HMS Cruiser/Snake?  Don't have to worry about any complicated stern stuff

What a great looking Essex! One of the best I've ever seen

Drat! I knew I should have downloaded all those practicums when I had the chance, got most of them though, worth their weight in gold