russ

Paddy: I am not sure where that 18 inch measuement came from. Obviously, someone went over the plans and changed some things, I am not sure who. Best thing then is to go with the plans if that will help your comfort level. In that event, I would plane off that area of the frames next to the keel to get a straight area to lay your plank. I have never seen a plank bent or cupped that way. However, it is your model and you need to do what you think is best. Good luck with it. Russ

Why that wide? That is 18 inches at scale. I would think maybe something closer to 1/4" would be good. I would fair off that area of the frame where the plank goes into the rabbet if there is any small gap. There should not be, but try a 1/4" wide plank and see if it needs a little more trimming. Russ

The limber boards look okay. I do not think the end grain will be an issue. As for the garboard strake, why would you need to bend it? Russ

That looks good. I think reaming out the hole where the rudder post passes will cure that gap issue. Russ

Rusty: Very nice work. Congratulations on the finished model. Russ

Very good work on the gunport covers. They look just like Chuck's prototype. Russ

Bob: The guns looks very good. Nice work on the metal bits. Russ

This is an issue with woods like walnut and mahogony. You can ask them to replace it, but chances are the new material will have some of the same issues. A different wood would be my advice if you do not wish to use the supplied kit material. Russ

The only time that the face of the frame would not be perpendicular to the keel is in the case of a cant frame. These were used on real ships. You can check out some of the scratch builds here to see them in use. Ed Tosti's Naiad frigate build is an excellent example, but there are several others as well. Russ

Paddy: I would suggest going at with a sanding block and different grades of sandpaper. Begin with a coarse grade like 80 grit, then switch to 220 grit, and finish with maybe 400 grit or so. Do not overthink any of this. Trust your eyes, your fingers, and constantly check with a piece of planking to tell you when you have got it faired. So long as you take your time, it will be fine. Russ

These are mast hoops, sometimes referred to as sail hoops. Mast bands are metal bands that fit around the mast tightly and have eyes or lugs for attaching blocks etc. Using the term hoops should improve your search returns. Russ

Are you having a problem with the planking? Russ

Hmm. The beams were fastened down through the shelf upon which they sit. That would be the best place to pin them. Saves you the work of going through the frame. Russ

Pete: Why did you drill through the frames to hold the beams? Russ

Congratulations. It is a fine looking model. Great details, great color scheme, just excellent work. Russ

In my planking, I fair the hull first, then I take a strip of masking tape and lay it on a frame. I will do a separate piece of tape for each frame, so any frame will be good to start. I mark the upper edge of the sheer strake (maybe the wale on a larger ship) and the lower edge where the garboard strake fits into the keel rabbet. Once the extremities are marked, I take the tape off and lay it out on the bench flat. The space between the two marks is what must be filled with planking on that frame. Now, let us say I want 16 strakes of planking in the hull. I use a pair of proportional dividers to break the space on the tape into two equal parts. Once I have two equal parts, I break both parts into 8 parts. The proportional dividers will divide up to 10 increments. Once the 8 parts above and below that first break are marked, I have 16 equal parts marked on the tape. Now, I replace the tape on the frame, being careful to place it exactly where it was when I marked it the first time. I place it so that there is a little frame exposed so I can transfer the marks from the tape to the frame. I repeat this process for each frame, as well as the bow rabbet and again in the stern. Make sure you label each piece of tape. Once all the marks are on the model, I have width of each plank marked. Now I can spile the first plank, either at the sheer line or at the keel. Usually I begin at the sheer line. I use poster board to create the templates for my planks. If I am doing the forward most plank on the sheer line, I cut the poster board so that it slightly longer than the plank I am shaping and maybe twice as wide. I want to rough cut the poster board so that the bow end will be a rough fit. You can tape it into place on the model if that helps you. Spiling is nothing more than transferring a curved line from the model onto a piece of planking material. hold the poster board up to the sheer line and on the back side trace the line along the deck onto the poster board. That is the upper edge of the plank. I cut the poster board to that curve. Now I have the shape of the upper edge of the plank. I hold the poster board back in place and mark where the frames fall along its length. Next I measure the width of that plank using the marks I made earlier. I transfer those marks on to the poster board template where I marked the frame centers. Now I connect those marks and I cut the poster board to that line. That is the lower edge of the plank. I have a template for the plank. I can place that template onto a piece of wood and trace around the edges and then use a scalpel to cut the plank out. I cut leaving the pencil line so I can sand and fit the plank into its position on the hull. You can use the poster board template to get the shape of the upper edge of each plank in the hull. Just tape a poster board template on the frames below the plank above leaving some open space, maybe 1/4" or so between the lower edge of the preceding plank and your poster board template. Take a compass and run the metal point along the lower edge of the plank above and the pencil will mark that curve onto the poster board. You can place a mark at each frame location and that will be plenty. Connect your marks and cut the poster board to that curve. Check the fit against the lower edge of the plank. Once it is good, then mark your frame centers and measure the plank widths to get the lower edge of your new plank. I like to spile and taper every plank in the hull, but it will not always be necessary, depending on the hull form. Some planks will be mostly straight and can be gently teased into a subtle edge bent curve. Experience will tell you when to taper and when you can get away with a short cut. I hope this helps you. Russ

That looks fine. I do not see any big problems in fairing. Just go slow and always take off less than you think you should. Check with a sample plank as you go along, especially when you get close to having it completely faired. So long as the plank lays flat on the frames, you are good to go. Russ

The beams go all the way to the frame. There is no plank in between the end of the beam and the frame. The beams are attached to the beam shelf below. Russ

John: I have had that sort of humility lesson on too many occasions. Looking forward to some photos. Russ

The rudder and the pintles and gudgeons look pretty good. So long as it all fits properly on the model, it should be fine. Russ

POB refers to plank on bulkhead construction, as you see in many kits. Scratch builders also use POB construction. POF refers to plank on frame construction, such as you see in many scratch built models. There are a handful of kits that use POF construction, but it is seen in scratch built models mostly. Russ

The steps look very good. Nice work. Russ

The model looks like it is coming along really well. Nice work on the plankng. Russ

I would just measure off at 24 scale inches and draw single lines for the seams. At that scale, 1 1/2" = 1/128 of an inch. That difference will not be noticed. Russ

The stands that connect the model with the rock just look really fragile. Russ