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The directions next call for the skinning of the central wing section, but I decided to slightly deviate from the suggested sequence. By assembling the entire wing skeleton first, I hope to produce some better seams between the center skins and outer wing skins.
 

Whoa! The Corel figurehead looks like their mold has been used a few too many times -- or maybe the mold maker was having a little of that Italian vino when he made it. 😬

The directions next call for the skinning of the central wing section, but I decided to slightly deviate from the suggested sequence. By assembling the entire wing skeleton first, I hope to produce some better seams between the center skins and outer wing skins.
 

The directions next call for the skinning of the central wing section, but I decided to slightly deviate from the suggested sequence. By assembling the entire wing skeleton first, I hope to produce some better seams between the center skins and outer wing skins.
 

The directions next call for the skinning of the central wing section, but I decided to slightly deviate from the suggested sequence. By assembling the entire wing skeleton first, I hope to produce some better seams between the center skins and outer wing skins.
 

I spent today finishing up the Phantom to how far I wanted to take it.  I decided to stop without installing any of the rigging for the sails.  I plan to start my next build (Vanguard Models Alert) next week, but also will be focusing a fair bit of time on the Winchelsea.
 
As a bit of a debrief.  I bought this kit on sale for $45 in 2004.  Just getting back into the hobby after quite a few years away, the last entry in my previous build log was dated November 29, 2009 (Travel for work is halting progress).  I figured this would be a pretty quick build to brush the rust off and I most definitely was not disapointed.  I could see myself building this kit again at some point in the future and feel if I spent just an extra 2 weeks
 
My general impression with the carved hull was that it was good, not great.  It appears to have been put together with two joined pieces of basswood that were of slightly different densities, so fairing the hull and carving the step below the caprail was very tricky.  The hull was also slightly undersized at a couple points.  Regardless, I was able clean it up pretty well, but I didn’t feel comfortable thinning the bulkwarks as much as necessary as I was very concerned damaging the hull, so the caprail is much wider than it should be.  I didn’t realize it at the time, but nearly every issue that I had built upon this and caused me a fair bit of frustration that could have been avoided if I had just gone for it and thinned them down to where they should have been.  I was thinking that in the future, alternatively I would remove all wood down to the deck and then notch and add the stanchions and plank.
 
I plan on taking some better photos as the running rigging is barely visible, but I was losing the light when I finished and the front porch was the only place with decent natural light, so these will do for the moment.
 



 
All kit rigging and blocks were replaced with parts from Syren.
 
Major Takeaways
Spend more time fairing the hull; at least another day.
Doublecheck the waterline at all the stations in case the marker rides a little high at some point.
Make an attempt at thinning the bulwarks all the way.  If it fails, cut them off, notch and install stanchions per the plans and plank.  This is my biggest mistake.
Install individual deck planks instead of sheets planking, with appropriately joggled waterways
Take the time to drill/carve out the cockpit.  At this scale, cut the grating from a thin sheet.  Drill and ream the grating squares with a needle file.  This is my biggest regret.
Construct all the deck furniture for fit before installing or drilling mast holes
Use 28 gauge wire for the deadeyes attached to the chainplates instead of thread.
Serve the standing rigging.
 
Paints Used
Black (Hull) - Vallejo Black Polyurethane Primer
Black (Metal) - Vallejo Black
Primer (Metal) - Reaper Brush On Primer
White - Vallejo Ivory
Brown - Vallejo Chocolate Brown
Stained Wood (Masts/Bowsprit/Boom/Gaffs) - Army Painter Soft Tone
Ships Wheel - Vallejo Desert Sand/Army Painter Soft Tone/Vallejo Black
 
Build Log by Day
8/11/20 - Flattened Keel.  Drew centering Lines.  Prepped for Fairing.  The keel is very wide with a wave around station 5.   The hull is 2 pieces of basswood of different densities.
8/12/20 - Faired Ship.  Stations 1-6,9 symmetrical. Small symmetry issues with 7,8 to keep in mind when coppering.  Sanded with 100/150/220 sandpaper.  Began 1/8”x1/32” step below caprail.
8/13/20 - Finished carving step below caprail. Constructed stem.  Installed Stern, Stem, Keel.  Sanded ship to 220.  Drew Waterline and painted the waterline white, First coat of Black primer above waterline, Constructed Rudder.  I would only prime just above the waterline in the future and wait until later in the build to finish painting
8/14/20 - Sanded and second coat of black paint, cut ~200 copper plates (3/16”x1/2”), Coppered bottom of keel, Drilled pilot holes for attaching to launching ways.
8/15/20 - Coppered ~75% of hull and rudder.  Coppering the hull worked best by progressively attaching the plates from the stern instead of just coppering a band at a time.
8/16/20 - Finished coppering Hull
8/17/20 - carved bulwarks aft of step to 3/32”.  I would do this prior to coppering in the future.
8/18/20 - Finished thinning bulwarks to around 1/16”, setup templates for decking.
8/19/20 - Installed Decking.  Fouled the aft deck a little bit caulked decking with pencil.  Added Satin varnish over deck/bulwarks.  Installed Waterways from manilla envelope.
8/20/20 - Drilled/cut/filed scuppers.  Painted/touched up exterior. Should have Installed the waterways after cutting scuppers to remove potential for damage
8/21/20 - Made mast jig at 7deg fore/9 deg aft for 3/32 bit (mast is 5/32).  Drilled holes for mast in deck.  Made 20 eyebolts of 28 gauge wire.  Finished 6 cleats for attachment to stanchions.  Built and fitted 3 pintles from strip brass.
8/22/20 - Installed stanchions, cleats and eyebolts.  Installed Rudder using manila envelope for gudgeons; in the future use wine bottle foil, cut slot for bowsprit
8/23/20 - Installed Caprail and painted Vallejo chocolate brown.  Drilled 1/16” holes for chainplates in caprail, drilled hawse holes
8/24/20 - Installed Splash Rail and Fairleads.  Constructed chainplates from strip brass.  Installed port chainplates.  Used 1/16” bit through caprail.  Used #70 drill for nail holes
8/25/20 - Installed starboard chainplates, Installed deadeyes on chainplates, installed belaying pins and eyebolts on caprail.  Used 24 gauge wire for belaying pins.
8/26/20 - Installed exterior eyebolts/straps for bowsprit, routed and finished display base from old piece of knot free pine
8/27/20 - Built launching ways, installed pins and mounted Phantom to launching ways
8/28/20 - Built and installed traveller, installed 1/8” single blocks for Boom in deck.
8/29/20 - Constructed Wheel house, aft companionway, bollards
8/30/20 - Installed Wheel House, Cockpit/Wheel, companionway, bollards, Stove/surrounding wires, drilled and positioned masts
8/31/20 - Installed Mast Coats (manila folder), Fife Rails, Pumps
9/01/20 - Constructed/installed skylight, fore deck companionway
9/02/20 - Installed ventilation pipe/cover, navigation lamps, anchor davits, fore deck bollards
9/03/20 - Installed anchor, constructed/installed winch bitt, shaped bowsprit
9/04/20 - Constructed bowsprit
9/05/20 - Installed gaskets on jackstays (28 gauge wire), stained bowsprit with army painter soft tone, installed bowsprit and inboard cleats,  installed gammoning strap (from brass strip), constructed 3 stretching screws from 28 gauge wire (3 turns of wire from each end for large, 2 turns for small)
9/06/20 - Rigged Bowsprit foot ropes, bobstay and guy, Finished Launching Ways and Mounted Ship to base, Shaped and stained Foremast
9/07/20 - Finished and installed foremast and top.  Used wine bottle foil to make iron bands.  Created mast hoops from thin paper bag rolled around dowel and sliced off strips.  Shaped and stained main mast.  Created boom rest from plastic in recycling
9/08/20,9/09/20 - Finished constructing and installed mainmast and top.  Installed throat halliard eyebolts in deck.
09/10/20 - Day off
09/11/20 - Installed fore stay, jib stay, triatic stay and mainmast stay.  Damaged bobstay and needed to replace.   Prepared lanyards for shrouds
9/12/20.- Installed Shrouds, Set deadeyes for foremast shrouds
9/13/20 - Set deadeyes for mainmast shrouds, Reeved and seized lanyards, installed foremast shroud pinrails, removed and reinstalled triatic stay and mainmast stay
9/14/20 - Installed Backstays and rope coils over tackles (replaced on 9/18)
9/15/20 - Constructed, stained and installed Main Boom.  Installed Topping Lift and Main Sheet Tackle, installed rope coil on topping lift tackle (replaced on 9/18)
9/16/20 - Constructed and stained Main and Fore gaff
9/17/20 - Installed Main Gaff, rigged topsail halliard, topsail sheet, peak halliard, main throat halliard and peak lines.
9/18/20 - Installed Foremast gaff, rigged peak halliard, throat halliard and peak lines.  Added all Rope Coils.
 
 

Have you tried using the forum's search feature? There are currently 21 topics with 'Royal Louis' in the title, mostly build logs, including the log you started in 2016. There was also the topic in which you posted the same question last Wednesday, but I've deleted that topic because it was posted in the wrong area.

Based on popular demand and multiple requests, a package of smaller door handles is now available.   This multi-pack gives you 30 each of the 3/16" tall handles and now 1/8" tall handles.
 
In addition ....a multi pack of smaller door hinges is also available.   You get 16 each of 1/8" and 3/16" tall Hinges.   In both styles....
 

 

Thank you Jason,  enjoy your Pinnace, it's a great little kit.
 
Post One Hundred and Sixty-one.
 
Building the 32’ Pinnace (Part four)
At this point I couldn’t resist the urge to see how the Pinnace would look onboard ‘Indy’.

4108

4112
Temporarily placed in the suggested position on the skid beams.

4113

4117
The kit provides a set of oars in laser cut Pear.
These benefit from a little fettlin’ beyond char removal.
The blades should be thinned down toward the outer end, and the shank rounded a little at the bottom third leaving the upper two thirds square to represent the loom.

4121

4123

4127

4128

4106

4109
I think a spot of woolding is up next.
 
B.E.
26/03/2024
 

Thanks Jim, Andrew and Simon.
 
The bulwarks are glued and fit well.

I’ve started planking, following the method in the instructions, tapering heavily at the bow. My planking skills are pretty poor and whilst the first three planks go on fine I’ve struggled with the compound curve on the fourth and fifth planks just forward of bulkhead 1. 
 
First three are fine…. 

On my build the curve just becomes too sharp and the edge bending causes the wood to snap. I’ve tried lots of different approaches such as soaking, soaking and then using an iron and jig (as demonstrated by Chuck), Amati bending tool, etc. but I just can’t get it around the curve without snapping. 
 
Planks four and five are much harder for me.

Clearly this is a limitation of my skills not the kit - any advice or recommendations would be hugely appreciated. 
 
The planks are a thick 1mm and even if not perfect I’m confident I can get a good base, even from broken planks with some filler and sanding. But it would be good to try and improve my skills so I can plank neater for the second planking (also painted so I can use filler and sanding liberally). 
 

Thanks 
 
Dan

I think I mucked up, I thought I was starting a Build Log, but it appears my first Post was in the "Introductions" folder.
So I will now try and start a Build Log here. And I'll start again.

Hello, my name is Wayne and this is my first Post here, I joined the group a couple of weeks ago.
I’m 74 and in Melbourne Australia and I’m currently building the Billings African Queen.
And this has been a quest of mine all my life, I saw the movie as a very young boy when my parents went to the Drive In Pictures, around 1953. And I have always remembered different scenes from the movie. So I have now finally got around to building it, and with live steam. And intend to have RC for the steering, I will just let the steam engine chug along. Yea being an open launch I don’t want to have servos etc spoiling the look of the model. I hope to hide a small servo for steering under the rear seat.
And the vacuum formed plastic hull will be water tight when on the water. But I’m thinking of planking over the hull, I hope that will be OK.
And I must say, the most important tip I picked up while researching the build was to leave the top extra mounding there, not cut it off until the hull internals and deck were completed.
I have the ‘Miniature Steam Models’ plant #4034 here to go into the boat. I must thank gjdale, (Grant) for guiding me to that plant, and it looks spot on for the Queen.
And MSM are in Melbourne too.
Just ordered 2 universals, 5 to 4mm, and a brass prop from ‘Float a Boat’, also in Melbourne, and they were very helpful. Will have to see if I use the Billings prop shaft or have to buy a longer one.
 
 

Sold to brunnels, enjoy!
Trying to figure out how to indicate this in the topic listing....

Thanks @Gahm, slow but steady.
 
Here's updated images and the booms are coming out! Still have a couple of more lines to install on the fore mast upper spars which will be done hopefully
today and can start making the custom size boom sails for each spar size to attach on the main mast booms. 
 
I won't present the construction details for the boom sails as it's the same procedure earlier in this blog when I built all the the other sails but will update when I have one section of booms completed. So figure a couple of weeks per side with sails made and rigged, this way I'll complete as I go and won't backtrack into the other booms.
 
Amazing as I have bought more Syren blocks to finish her out, somewhere around 225 blocks installed when she's totally completed. I think ..... lost count...... 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
Thanks again for stopping by and will have more updates in a couple of weeks. She has taken a tremendous amount of time installing the rigging as not to damage her anymore during installation. As you can see it has paid off and I am working at the same pace for the boom sails installation, so bear with me as this will also be slow because of the internal rigging placements and other lines to work around.
 
I did have a couple masts break on me again as I was gently tightening some rigging and a couple spar broke also, but the damage was repairable with added glue then sanding down for detailing processes. Touch up paint is also a item which will be done in the final touch's. 
 
The main bottom boom spars had to be moved also back about a inch as the sails and boom were going to have major conflicts with the back launch boats. They are glued, sanded and painted, complete. Ready for the boom sails and rigging. the Revell model doesn't match exactly up with B Jackets model prints was the reason for the discrepancy in placement and repair.
 
Thanks for all the likes and appreciation!
J11
 

 
 

Peak and Throat Halyards corrected. 
 

 

 
 

 
Lobster Trap and Buoy completed. 
 

 

 

 

 
Done… FINISHED. 😎
 
This has been a fun and interesting kit to build. Another vintage Maine model rescued and completed from the resale world. I brought her back to Maine we’re she should be. Cheers 🍻 

The Spray is finished!
 
Some mistakes and things I’ll do differently next time  it each boat is a leaning experience. Looking forward to my next build - Lobster Boat from Blue Jacket!

The finished product. It ain't perfect, but I have decided not to burn it.

John, Clare, Mike, Bob - thanks for the kind words.
 
As promised here are some more pictures of the completed Charles P. Notman.
 
If anyone wants a shot of something specific or info on what or how some feature was fabricated just reply and I will attempt to provide whatever I am able.

I have reached the point I am calling the model finished. At some point in the future I may add some detail such as tools, crates etc, but for now the basic build is completed and I am pleased. A few thoughts about the build:
 
The kit is my second build, my first was the New Bedford whaleboat from Model Expo which was a kit I bought many years ago and finally got around to building. This kit was also from Model Expo and a great improvement! The laser cut parts were far easier to work with and more precise than the die cut parts in my previous build. The photo etched parts were brilliant, very well done and required minimal work. The cast metal parts were clean and didn't require too much work prior to fitting and finishing. The wood strips were of good quality and no issues were found in terms of warping etc.. The Aluminum tubing and Brass wire were easy to use and appropriate for their intended use. Also included was a supply of brass pins and the included drill bits were a nice touch. The pins were perhaps a bit oversize so I filed done the heads as suggested when needed. Luckily I had a small supply of smaller pins that I also used in addition to those supplied. Also included was a supply of hexagonal plastic rod to make simulated bolt heads. The plans were very clear and well done, the directions a bit sparse but adequate, more photos would have helped but the great build logs on this site were relied upon heavily by me. The kit was very well packaged and no missing or shortage of material was encountered. My only quibble was the rigging material provided, it was quite shiny and didn't seem to be of best quality. I was spoiled as I had ordered line from Syren for my last build and there was no comparison. I used the supplied line to rig the smoke stack but used other material I had on hand for the rest of the model. I found the kit to be of high quality and was well pleased with it based upon my experience of one other build.
 
Construction was quite straight forward following the plans and instruction. All parts fit well and my only advice is check the vertical edges of the laser cut parts. Apparently the laser process causes a bit of a bevel on the edges, more pronounced on the thicker pieces so you should probably square them up before assembly. Almost all the wooden parts were glued using Titebond. I would occasional use CA for a difficult to hold or clamp part or a combination of Titebond and CA. I primarily used epoxy for the metal or wood to metal joints. I also used epoxy to mount the smoke stack as I thought it would be stronger. I reinforced a few joints with pins if it seemed appropriate.
 
In terms of painting and finishing I gave all wood parts an initial scraping or sanding and then applied a sanding sealer before final sanding and finish. As to the exterior hull prior to sanding I used cabinet scrapers to level them before sanding and was pleased with the result. I also used Elmer's wood filler on the hull and those wooden parts that were to simulate metal such as the boiler ends. I used Model Master enamel paints with the exception of the Grey areas where I used Tamyia Acrylic as I happened to have a bottle of a color I liked. I top coated all parts with lacquer for a bit of protection. I also primed all the metal parts prior to finish application. All painting was done by brush with the exception of a spray can of Testors Dullcote applied to the hull and interior areas. The natural wood areas were also finished with a sanding sealer, light sanding, stained with Minwax Gel stain and a clear coat.
 
The vast majority of the work was done with standard hand tool such as files, hobby knifes, clamps etc. as the only power tools I have are a Dremel tool, household power drill and I also used a small belt sander disguised as a knife sharpener to rough bevel the frames as outlined in an earlier post. I bought a few tools during the build and am well pleased with them. I had two pin vices that were a challenge, slipping bits etc. so I purchased a pair of Starrett pin vises, amazing how a simple, but well designed and manufactured tool can reduce frustration and make a mundane task enjoyable! I purchased a set of cabinet scrapers and was extremely pleased how nicely they worked to initially fair the hull. I also bought a sanding apparatus and it sure made squaring up parts easy. Another purchase was a detail sanding kit and very highly recommended. I had previously obtained a Veritas miniature block plane and has become a favorite tool.
 
I found this build very enjoyable for my level of non-expertise. Sufficiently challenging and with enough detail such as the engine, boiler, gun and torpedo to be a learning experience, but no complex and frustrating rigging to try your patience. I have probably bored the wonderful expert modelers on this site to tears with my long winded synopsis so apologies in advance!

Fittings 

 
Mast

 
Finished

 
 
 

 
It isn't perfect but I'm quite pleased with how it turned out.
 
Thanks for checking out the build! 

Mighty handsome.

The directions next call for the skinning of the central wing section, but I decided to slightly deviate from the suggested sequence. By assembling the entire wing skeleton first, I hope to produce some better seams between the center skins and outer wing skins.
 

I just finished the Portland .  Enjoy

The directions next call for the skinning of the central wing section, but I decided to slightly deviate from the suggested sequence. By assembling the entire wing skeleton first, I hope to produce some better seams between the center skins and outer wing skins.
 

Brief update for this morning -
Bill, if you use the 360 tour and go to the extreme forward starboard side of the roof of the deck house, you can just get a glimpse of the rod arrangement running along the roof. It appears to be a complicated set-up and pretty hard, if not impossible to model accurately at this scale, at least without a better reference. So I'm just representing it with a simple single rod.
I'm not going to add sails. I tend to prefer my models without them, but this model would be an ideal one to show furled ones on. Have you seen Tom Lauria's youtube video on making furled sails from silkspan? It's quite good.
 
I've been working on the lifeboats. I don't like the fact that they're plastic, yet at the same time, I don't really like the idea of building new ones either and I can't seem to locate cast ones that are quite right. So my solution is to use the plastic ones and show them with their canvas covers.
 
I use some sail material from another kit. I was hoping to leave them unpainted, but did paint them in the end, because they looks just a bit too dirty by the time I finished.
 
I first thought I could make each one from one piece of cloth, but soon realized that wouldn't work. The real ones, of course, are constructed out of several pieces, taking the shape into consideration. So, my solution was to use three pieces for each boat like this:
 


I simple glued the side pieces on first. I used white glue which holds quite well. I didn't want to use CA in case I had to remove the piece and start over. I don't think the plastic boat would stand up to the acetone. (It may not have stood up to alcohol any better, had I needed to start over, but I thought the odds were better.) As it turned out, I didn't need to start over.
 
This seems to work fairly well and with so little of the boat showing, it's hard to tell what it's made of.
 
Next, I'm going to attack the windlass.
 
Thanks for checking in.
David
 
 

⁰Thank you very much everyone for the likes and comments 😀  Well it seems like my head still not
in the game but fixing my mistakes is part of the fun .lol.
In my haste to get started on the ratlines, I am half way up the Mizzen mast 


When I reliesed that the shrouds were tied on wrong at the top. You guessed it, one cut with the scaple blade and she came down.I only wanted to cut one rope. So this is what I came up with, a rope ladder.lol looks fine to me. You can see why I stoped  the Pegasus build lol, rigging skills are not ready for it.
 Lol  Let's move on too the Main mast . At first glance I thought ok. But just noticed the channels are on backwards.  

The bigger end should be at the back I hope this doesn't make too much of a difference to the shrouds  and ratlines  we will see , it is to far along to turn back now. I will just have to mark it down as "on the next build I will do better".lol
I am going to add shear poles , The plan doesn't  call for them but I like the way  they  look  and it helps straighten things out as well. So I will lash this one on and do some more ratlines.  @Baker Patrick the song 99 ratlines on the wall  is on auto loop it goes on forever  and ever. Lol I can't stop signing it. And wonder how many crew members  hum this tune lol.
So lots of ratlines to do , I am in my happy place. Lol. Very glad there is no actual plan for the Mayflower because it could have been built this way lol but most likely NOT lol.       It's moving along well, tons of errors but live able.  It's all practice  now  and practice makes perfect  they say. Looks like I will need a lot more practice lol  😆 😂  
 
Bob M.