NMBROOK

Hi All,
 
Well all the bulkheads are now glued in after checking each one was square the bulkhead former. The numerous bow and bulkhead fillers along with the stern half bulkheads were then scrapped to remove the char and glued in. I took a lot of care with the bow and stern pieces to try and make sure the alignments were correct. I then planked the three sub-gun deck platforms with the caulking simulated using a soft pencil. I tried to select basswood strips of the same color and texture as Chuck points out in his instructions, but a couple still seemed to come out darker once the wipe on poly dried. These platforms will be hardly visible in the final build, but I'll perhaps need to be a bit more selective down the road once I start planking the hull and main decks to get a consistent finish.
 
Thumbnails below...thanks for reading.
 
Cheers,
 
Nigel.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi All,
 
A little more progress over the past week. The 16 (!) bulkheads have been scraped clean of the top layer of laser char.  The char was very sticky and thick. I prefer to scrap using the back of a dull Xacto blade rather than sand to minimize the dust.  I left a thin char layer as recommended to help guide the fairing of the hull later in the build. Bulkhead and former slots needed a lot of filing to enable the them to engage evenly using just gentle finger pressure...initially the bulkheads would not slide into the former slots at all.
 
Images are below including the last one which is just for fun showing just how large this build is when compared to my Red Dragon!  The Dragon seemed pretty large when I was building her, but she is completely dwarfed by the Lady Confederacy. So...lots of fun to come....
 
Thanks again for all the kind comments, the likes and for just simply stopping by!
 
Cheers,
 
Nigel.
 

 

 

 

 

Hi All,
 
Thanks again for the kind comments and the likes.
 
Assembly of the bulkhead former, keel and stem has been completed which finishes Chapter One of the instructions.
 
Former was sanded to the thickness of the rabbet strip at the bow and stern following the provided bearding lines. Stem was then tapered to 1/8in thick where the figurehead will sit and was glued to the former after re-staining and a coat of protective poly.  Keel was assembled with the scarf joint being filed to fit in the same way as the bow and the false keel was added.  All keel parts were initially stained and poly'ed before assembly.  Scarf joint bolts were simulated using a #70 drill to make the 2 sets of 8 holes and the tips of toothpicks glued into the holes. The tips were then sawn off and sanded smooth before a light staining to darken the end grain and a final coat of wipe on poly.
 
Images below and next up is assembling the bulkheads and numerous filler pieces to start Chapter 2.
 
Cheers,
 
Nigel.
 

 

 

 

 

Hi All,
 
Firstly, thank you Don and Nick for stopping by and of course to all for the likes.  Nick, looking forward to seeing the start of your build....please start soon! 
 
So, some progress as the bulkhead former has been assembled. Took a few days to remove a slight warp in the pieces by dampening them and weighting them down on a flat board. The rabbet strip was glued to the center of the former after shaping it follow the bow shape using some light heat.
 
While the former was being flattened, the stem was assembled.  It took some time to remove the angles formed on the cut faces by the laser cutter so they would fit together evenly. Shaping was slowly done using needle files and often checking both sides for fit by holding them together flat on a glass plate. The 3rd image shows the pieces in a test fit. 
 
Following Chuck's instructions, I then stained all the pieces before gluing. I already had some Minmax Golden Pecan stain so tried a test piece after a light sanding to clean up the basswood surface. After 2 coats, with each left 15 mins before removing the excess, the basswood was a nice warm red/gold color. I hope you like it!  The last two pictures show the stem after staining and glueing along with my reference piece.  I plan to use this reference through the build to try and keep the color consistent.
 
Cheers,
 
Nigel.
 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 

Hi All,
 
Welcome to the start of my build log of the USF Confederacy from Model Ship Shipways as designed by Chuck Passaro.
 
Her full history has been summarized in Chuck’s fabulously detailed instructions which can be downloaded from the Model Shipways site.  Suffice it to say here that the Confederacy was an unlucky ship, surviving some actions, hurricanes and collisions before being captured by HMS Roebuck and Orpheus in April 1781 and taken into the British Navy as HMS Confederate.  However, while only 2 years old, inspections showed a great deal of rot, probably due to the use of green timber during her construction. She was then broken up, but her lines were at least preserved by the British Admirality. Below is a Revolutionary painting of the Confederacy from the Navy Art Gallery at the Washington Navy Yard. 
 

 
My impressions of the kit are very favorable. The kit arrived very well packaged with all items present. I’ve already mentioned the great instructions, but the plan sheets are also extremely clear. All the wooden parts are laser cut and the etched brass and cast metal parts are nicely detailed. I am perhaps fortunate as all the more fragile parts are intact, like the figurehead and ships wheels. Images of kit contents and parts are below. 
 

 

 

 

 

 
 
The Confederacy’s rigging plan has not survived, but I do plan to fully rig her following the plans by Crothers. The exception are the belaying points as Chuck has kindly warned me the Crothers belaying plan is incorrect. So, following his advice, I will be working out the belaying points using other contempory frigates as a guide.
 

 
This will be a long build and all advice and help will be most appreciated. I will certainly be referencing all the other great Confederacy build logs to help me along the way so my thanks in advance here! 
 
My dream for this build is to try and bring the Navy Art Gallery painting to life! I hope you find some time to stop by and enjoy this voyage with me!
 
Cheers,
 
Nigel.

Thanks to all guys .
Stern gradually begins to fill up. There remains to stick ships name and some moldings and the stern will be completely finished.

Stunning work Marsalv!!!!
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

Super crisp work Jason In my experience water brings the grain out far more than finish.I wipe down with white spirit to get a better idea but his still exaggerates things more.On the plus side white spirit will not raise the grain on a sanded surface,water does and invariably leads to more sanding.
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

Thank you Erik and WackoWolf.
Here are some next pictures.

Colorful jig.
 
This is to make the handrails. Instructions say to place indicated pieces of wood over the drawings, glue and when dry lift off.
 

 

 
Hm... everything seems to be so easy in the instructions LOL.
 
Like...
...step # 29: Now plank the hull.
...step # 30........
 
 
I'll let you know how this goes. This looks like a very delicate job. I am building the hand rails now, but will see later when during the build will install them on the ship.
 
Best regards to all and thanks for watching.
 
Ulises
 
 

Super crisp work Jason In my experience water brings the grain out far more than finish.I wipe down with white spirit to get a better idea but his still exaggerates things more.On the plus side white spirit will not raise the grain on a sanded surface,water does and invariably leads to more sanding.
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

Good afternoon everyone
Progress and a dry day to take her outside for the first time this year, main mast cathapins and futtock shrouds are now in place 

Thanks for the interest and encouragement Pat, Eamonn, Mobbsie, Tom and the likes.
 
Still here slowly cracking away at things.  Overall shot, with the unfinished boxwood and dampened to bring out the colour a bit...
 

 
One thing that becomes very apparent with a finish is the grain in the boxwood.  I've been trying to keep this 'harmonious' but its amazing how much the colour  and grain can vary in a way I hadn't really noticed on other models.  Not sure if my boxwood is just more grainy than average.  Anyway, think the finish I'll use will probably not highlight quite as much as dampening with water.
 

 
Even though I'm not following the exact planking pattern, I'm trying to apply the principles to get some practice.  I'm not darkening the plank edges, so they're hard to see.... .  This also explains why this is going so slowly.  Even around the sweep ports they have need to be built up and keyed in. (Don't know what this type of planking is called...anyone?)
 

 
One trick I found handy to get as straight an edge as possible on the recessed ports is to edge glue some strip together and shape off the model.  Seems to work nicely.
 

 
 
 

Thanks Nigel !  I've held on to her because Ive always loved this ship and have wanted to represent a vessel as it actually appeared.  So the thought of using some paints is fun - and this particular vessel lends itself to it.  My plan is to mimic the scheme of the model in the German museum as closely as possible - and using some weathering techniques Ive picked up over the years.  We will see - good to be back at modeling.  

Great to see you have resurrected your WVH build Chris .The period paint chart is very interesting.I too will have a similar exercise in the future on Nuestra Senora and was thinking of which shade of red and green to use on the stern,this chart will be most helpful,thank you.
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

Great to see you have resurrected your WVH build Chris .The period paint chart is very interesting.I too will have a similar exercise in the future on Nuestra Senora and was thinking of which shade of red and green to use on the stern,this chart will be most helpful,thank you.
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

Update - first thanks to all for looking in & your likes. I drilled out all the window sections of the quarter deck panels & filled them with some kristal klear window maker - all 108 of them. Needless to say my fingers are a little sore. Sorry I forgot to take some close ups of them. After gluing them in place I made an upper quarter deck support beam & glued in place. I had to make some short knees for it - full length beams would have been in the way of the gun carriages & their rigging.
 

 

 
Mark
 
 

Thank you Ulises,my old bookmark didn't work with the new format.I have redone it now  
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

Great work Ulises Sadly the link I gave you for the build on the Russian forum seems to have disappeared.They were doing some changes a couple of weeks ago,hopefully it will rematerialise in the future.
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

Thanks to all .
I continue with instalation of windows.

Sorry Folks for being away for sooo long .. has been a hectic few months (new job and a shiny new relationship too) but I am beginning to get the building Buzz back.. have a few days holidays due and plan to clean up my build room which is pretty much a disaster zone at the mo .. I even went so far as to order Birchwood Casey Brass Black and a cutting tool for my Dremel ..
 
All The Very Best Folks
 
Eamonn

Thank you Dirk.
Moldings and upper finishing of the gallery.

Thanks to all for nice comments .
Few last days I colored inside and outside of the hull. Now I am able to install prepared parts.

Hi Natan
you are off to a nice start.If I may offer some advice.As your planking is fairly thick,I would be tempted to allow it to dry in position overnight after soaking.If there is any moisture left in the wood from it's soak,the plank can shrink even more and you may end up with gaps appearing between the planks the day after.I know it is slow doing it that way,but you could always pin a few strips in place at once and let them dry together.
Kind Regards Nigel

Okay,I admit and apologize for what comes across as a 'knee jerk' response earlier.
 
Here is my take on things in greater depth.I do not deny having the ability to scarchbuild,in fact my frustration with drafting errors on Royal Williams sheer plan means that my first and probably only fully framed model will be that of la Renomee to the Ancre monograph.
 
My stance is this,I have spent over twenty five years making simple parts to complex assemblies in my day job,I want a release in my hobby.Scratchbuilding a ship,whilst requiring manual skills,is essentially being able to read drawing,manufacture these parts and then work on a sequence of assembly.Exactly the same as my day job.
 
Kitbashing presents a different set of problems to solve.This problem solving and also the use of artistic flair is the difference that attracts me.I say artistic flair as I now take historical accuracy with a pinch of salt in some respects.No kit is 100% accurate historically,this relieves the pressure to be committed to accuracy in my eyes.Following a monograph,you are bound to do everything by the book.No disrespect to the purists out there,but that is not for me.I would rather create a plausible artistic representation.
 
Now on to timber choice.There are a few builders who inspire me and I am in awe of their work.When I reached a certain level I realised the biggest thing that detracted away from my skills was the choice of timber.No matter what talent I possessed,my models would always look inferior due to the use of the kit supplied timber.I bit the bullet,dug deep into my pocket and chose to give boxwood and pear a go.Whilst these do cost serious amounts of money,not only do they add to the 'quality' appearance they make the work more pleasurable.Too many years of frustration trying to shape small details in walnut only to have a piece 'flake' off.
 
This is not a 'cheap' route to take.The current spend on timber for Mordaunt is equal to the cost of the kit,however,the build may take 3000 hours of mainly enjoyment,so the cost per hour equates to a negligible amount.
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel