bdgiantman2

You are the first builder on this project including the shot racks, they look great on your model. Did you use bearing balls for the cannon shot? You have done a great job on your Winnie model.

I used to live in San Diego, I was in East Central San Diego -- the La Mesa and El Cajon areas. An uncle lives in the Escondido area. While I was in San Diego I used to be with the San Diego Maritime Museum. the model shop was always my favorite part. The club at the San Diego Maritime Museum is good if you want to drive there, have meetings on Tuesday nights. Long Beach has a good model club if you want to drive up there also.

Welcome to this group, sir, and thank you for your service. Which part of Southern California are you from if I may ask?

Is there a reason that the swivel guns have a more rustic/aged look compared to the main long guns? I can only assume the crack gun crew you have was polishing the main battery and haven't gotten to the swivel guns yet with the polish and grease.

Great model progress and very high quality skills as usual. I am assuming that this room that you showed us today is going to be the pump room. What advise would you suggest for someone like me new to using chisels for modeling?? Thank you so much. Brian D.

Hello Friends, and Happy Easter/Resurrection Sunday to all of you. I am finally able to post again on my blog. After a rollercoaster employment situation since the end of last year, I am back on my feet with steady income and been able to splurge a little too. I am back to the Eagle. So I have been working slower than evolution it feels on the rib sections of the Eagle. I have made the first ribs of the model, it turns out joint Frames 7-8 and not X as had originally thought it was. Placing the frame on the model I see that I need to do more trimming both inside and outside. It was the inside part giving me the most trouble. Also apparently the rib is too thick even though I am using 3/16 thick boards as drawings indicate. In trying to get the insides of the ribs better I have found two issues. First I rigged one of my Dremel units to a router tabletop and tried using it as a spindle sander. Took too little off and wasn't effective. I knew would need something bigger with more bite to it. So after researching I bought a Wen Spindle sander with an angled top. It arrived today and I eagerly tested it. This machine is a BEAST!! Made substantial progress compared to the Dremel, going to need to trim more with scroll saw first and get closer before I use the Spindle sander again -- I left too much meat on the bones. Also in the meantime I have been construction of several futtock pieces that have yet to have rest of frames glued on. And following some ideas from the Winnie projects, I have ordered some supplies from CraftySailor which should be arriving next week.

The galley stove turned out great, Mark. Your model of Sphinx is looking great.

I personally like the contrasting color of the deadeyes to the rest of the hull, I don't even see the deadeyes unless looking really close to the model. Looking great

Very nicely built stove. Now it just needs a tea kettle hanging on one of the inside brackets and some chickens roasting on the spit

Brian, your image provided very accurately describes what I was trying to say in my last post to you, except you have wood panels on the outside edges of the hammock storage compared to a clothe covering on outside of hammock storage. I didn't think to have a support beam under the iron stanchions though, that would brilliantly solve the problem. Great job and go for it! Brian D.

From the pictures you have provided of the hammock nets, I would almost just suggest the hammock nets the sailing ships used throughout the half a century earlier. The only problem would be that I don't see a secure enough place to fasten the metal parts to on the deck being right on the edge. Would help by having tall posts for sure which would help in some ways. Guessing those posts to be 8ft to 10ft tall. The part I find interesting is how the nets are covered with strips of clothe or canvas about a foot wide using the crew as a scale. Its like they used sliced sails to make the hammock nets.

Great work to you and the cats, Jorge. Your model is looking amazing.

Awesome news that your sight has been corrected/improved. Glad to be hearing this.

Sneaky!! I am definitely copying this idea when I get to this stage. Great job on your model.

I enjoyed following this build, the Snowberry turned out great. You did a great job mixing the wood decking and metal (plastic) decking. Congrats on completing this ship model.

Ken, great job on this model you have been building. I personally like the furled sails most, and am wanting to do this on my current build when I get to that stage way later. Looks very accurate what you have done. I am wondering though where the flag would be placed now? Most likely would be a pole in the stern somewhere it would seem to me...... Brian D

I really like that special jig you made to help hold the masts during basic rigging procedures before being attached to the ship. Going to have to copy this idea when I finally get to that stage on my model. Your Niagara is looking really good.

A snow day here in Denver, so am spending some time doing ship building. Yesterday we had nice weather, so I took the time to cut out the remaining keel pieces of the bow. These are in Boxwood like the rest of the keel. I did not take any pictures of the loose pieces, unfortunately. Then last night I started gluing some of the pieces together, and then attached those to the rest of the keel. There are still two more parts to glue on. This is how she sits right now. The rib you see is Frame X and is not attached but just sitting in the jig, further aft of where supposed to be. Also the Transom piece sitting above the sternpost is not glued down yet. But I may be attaching two of the taffrail pieces in the near future. I am waiting on that transom piece until after I can get the rabbet made in about two weeks. Earlier this month I was browsing around on YouTube and happened upon a fascinating documentary about The War of 1812. During the documentary, the narrator was sharing excerpts written by Theodore Roosevelt (pre-presidency, as he was only 23 at the time), who was a history buff especially concerning this war and wrote a book about it still in publication and use today. Roosevelt wrote, "It will always be a source of surprise that the American public should have so glorified Perry's victory over an inferior force, and have paid comparatively little attention to McDonough's victory, which really was won against decided odds in ships, men, and metal.... Lake Erie teaches us the advantage of of having the odds on our side; Lake Champlain, that, even if they are not, skill can counteract them."

Nice job on this model, that cannon came out good. That is gonna be one BIG BOOOM!

You probably have already seen this, I personally have no clue how accurate this is, but this came up on my Pinterest feed if you are interested. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/410460953556550451/ I have been enjoying following your progress on this model, doing a great job. Brian D.

Today we have great weather in Denver, so I happily brought out the scroll-saw and was able to do the rough cutout of first rib for Eagle. The Yellow Alaska Cedar is fun to cut on the scroll-saw. A picture of the rib by itself on a table, and another sitting in the building jig. It still is not fitting right in the space for it, I have more sanding to do to make it fit right.

Between working and doing a lot of research, I have been able to make small amounts of progress on Eagle's construction. Last night I finished the assembly of the first rib of the hull. Naturally, Frame X being the easiest to make. It came out looking rougher than I would like, but for the first rib I know it will be a learning experience. Already have realized two things: first of all, building each layer of ribbing individually (gluing the two halves together after all parts have been assembled together -- and I think Gene was mentioning about this in his own practicum 😧); and that I need to make cleaner cuts as well as tighter joints while gluing. Crazy cold weather hampering being able to bring the power saws outside to use on my small patio right now. Not sure I am wanting to use them indoors, especially over carpeted areas knowing that sawdust will be flying. I live in a condo community, on the second level of my building which is three stories tall. Appreciating all the likes and feedback. Brian D

The printed model of Snowberry is looking great, Yves. You are doing a good job on this ship. I have to admit that I am somewhat disappointed that a model of this size isn't showing some kind of actual engine, since she was most likely diesel powered. I have seen truck engines in larger scales but these will be too modern. Would be cool though if you were able to show some of those vent doors open over the engine department open like in that last photo you have in Post 254. Keep up this great model. Brian D.

The truth of the matter, honestly, is that after I have made my own scale pieces and seeing how small they really are, it highlights all the more just how great a feat it was making all those tiny metal parts and to do so with such accuracy is completely amazing

Thank you, Mark. I appreciate, buddy. I am learning a lot from this forum, you all are a library on here.