bdgiantman2

And then there was six of them.... 30 something more to go!!
as soon as I get six completed on the port side I plan to take a gun break and start my long awaited chapter 7 and also pick up and finish my lighting project, now that I can hang the individual lanterns.

Still moving forward.🔻

Just hanging for now🔻

Channel supports🔻

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 

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 

The oar port lid has been installed.  The hinge is flattened copper wire and the knuckle is brass rod.  My metal skills are insufficient to build a functional hinge this tiny, so the lid is glued in place.  Although the plan shows two fenders, I only had room for one.  I must have made a measurement error at the beginning of the build and I refuse to start over!  The outer face of the fender is carved with a scraper and bolted to the hull.  I had to make five scraper shapes for the various fittings seen in the picture.  The steps were made in one long strip which was cut to length and the side curves were made with a U-chisel and files.  Aft of the gunport are the holes for the pins which will attach to the channel.

With the straps comlpeted for the channels first it was time for deadeyes and chainplates. The deadeyes are made in the usual way.  These are the three layer deadeyes.   I started by making all of the 5mm deadeyes first.  There are instructions for assembly and tumbling on my website already.  I will add however that I tumbled them with 400 grit sandpaper.  Dont be afraid to tumble them for a while so they get good and rounded off while removing the laser char.   I do this on the highest speed on my hand drill.
 
Then I used the acrylic strops to strop them all after I dyed them brown.   See below.  The strops can be flexed with your fingers around the deadeyes.  You need to get a knack for it but once you do its easy.  Should you break any strops its no big deal, there are plenty of extras on the sheet.  Yes I did sand the sheet of strops as described earlier and weathered them before placing them on the deadeyes.  I show a natural deadeye so you can see both.  My wife says I need to try new things....so this is the first time I have ever dyed my deadeyes and gone brown.  I like it but yes it was a difficult choice to make.
 

 
Once stropped, I placed all the 5mm deadeyes along the channels.  Just slide them into the slots where they go.  There are 5mm deadeyes and 6mm deadeyes.  I am starting with the 5mm first.  You can see them all along the channel waiting for the chainplates.

The chainplates are all different sizes depending on which deadeyes they are used on.   I am methodically completing the chainplates based on size.  The acrylic chainplates are also cut on individual little sheets by size to make life easier as well.
 
All of the chainplates for the deadeyes on the stools will be done first.  They are the smallest links.  Take a look at the photo below which shows the two sheets with the smaller parts for the stool chainplates.  There is a sheet with the center links and one of the lower link that terminates with an eye on the bottom.  This is where you will nail it to the hull with little brass pins.  Pins Not included.  You can buy them easy enough by the hundred.
 

There are two lengths of the center link.  The shortest are for the mizzen stool.   But the bottom links are all the same size for all of the stools.
Start by sanding and weathering the sheets on both sides again.....this will be done for all of them.  Then take the center links and cut one side with a sharp blade as shown.  This is how you will get it onto the lower link and onto the deadeye strop.  I could have laser cut these but then the kerf of the cut would prevent it from closing entirely.  By cutting one side with a blade like this they will close up and you will never ever see the seam.
 
Then take the lower link and bend the bottom slightly.  NOT a huge amount.  Its about a 45 degree bend.  Use a needle nose plier like I showed earlier for the straps.   Heat the tip with a candle flame and use it to help bend the bottom eye as shown.  If you try and do this cold you may break the lower link.  If you use heat you wont break any.  And dont worry there are plenty of extras.
 
Then combine the center and lower links so we can add them to the deadeyes on the stools.  The seam of the center link is positioned so its the back side of the link when placed on the model.   
 

In the photo above you can see all of the chainplates completed for the stools.    But you can also see that I completed them for the mizzen channel as well.   The plates for the mizzen channel and the the other channels where 5mm deadeyes are being used are slightly longer than those used on the stools.   But the process is exactly the same.  Here is a photo of the laser cut chainplates for the deadeyes on the channels.  So you know what to look for.  You can see how the seam on the split center link is nearly invisible after slipping it onto the lower link.

If you look at the photo again showing the chainplates completed on the hull for these 5mm deadeyes you will notice that only the ones on the mizzen channel are completed and nailed with little brass pins.   The two on the main channel and the one on the fore channel are just dangling.  I have not nailed them in place permanently yet.  I am waiting until after I make the 6mm deadeyes and all of them are hanging on the main and fore channels.  I like to wait so I can better establish the correct angles for the chainplates.  You can take these directly from the plans.
 
One last note....many of you may feel that these links are too delicate.  You might think that they would never hold if you decided to rig the model.  That is the farthest thing from the truth.  You would not believe how strong they are.   If you are worried about the seam in the center link...you should be.  But alas, should you really want to "solder" the seam closed you absolutely could.  But you must use a special glue for acrylic.  Its the same stuff they use when gluing the display cases together with acrylic sheets.  Incredibly strong stuff and thin like water.   Just take a drop on a toothpick and simply touch the seam if you can see it on the center link.  And thats it.  It will wick into the seam and you are done.  Dont touch it.   It will take some time but it literally melts a small amount of the plastic and once it sets it is once again an unbroken link.  It will be extra strong now.   But not too much of the glue.   
 
Because we are not rigging the model anyway that is just not needed.   But go ahead and give the deadeyes a good tug on the channels and you will see how sturdy and solid they remain in the slots with little movement.  Its a beautiful thing.
 
Next up are the 6mm deadeyes....this went very quickly without having to bend the wire to make these....it took just a couple of hours to do the 5mm deadeyes once they were dyed.
 
So hopefully the next update will be soon and these will all be done.

So I decided to add a figure to the wheel, the captain in the rear is still undecided🔻

 
Another angle 🔻
 
I decided to go with this configuration on the chain pumps, added the Stanchions on the companionway 🔻
 
and as always, it sure looks better in the real world at distance. Not so much with these High Def Cameras, 😉
 
 

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

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

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

Thanks Ben
 
I am looking forward to seeing some progress on yours too.  You are finally getting to the fun parts.
 
Anyway...
 
Just a few quick photos.  I finished making and installing all the channels and the stools.   I also had time to play around with making the brackets/straps which you can see on the channels.   Most kits will just glue some eyebolts into the top of the channel.  They are actually brackets.  The top protruding through the channel has an eye on the end which the rigging hooks to.   But their are some ways to simplify these.  I will detail them soon.

These straps are just made from 1/16" wide x 1/64" thick brass strips.  They are simplified a great deal compared to those used on the actual contemporary model.  I have just made two so far and will take many more photos of the step by step.
 
In addition we will be using two sizes of deadeyes.   6mm and 5mm deadeyes.   I have made a few of them and tested my process on the mizzen stool.  That uses a 5mm deadeye.   I made up some chainplates quickly for it just to see how one would look.  The chainplate links are made from 22 gauge black wire.   
 
These deadeyes are my three layer min-kits.  I like them much more than any others I have seen available.  But everyone can buy them based on your preferences.  I know a lot of you prefer not to assemble the deadeyes in favor of those that are ready made.  I am biased however and just like these better.
 


 
 

Sure. I added the condenser too. You can see the drain cocks underneath.
 

 
And here is a shot from above, for completeness.
 

 
 

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

Last Night I presented the completed model of the Providence to my ship model club.  The updates I made since my last posting were to add the ensign on a staff, and to rig the ship's boat from davits at the stern.  The ensign is a variation of the Grand Union Flag that was in use by both the army and navy from 1775 to 1777.  I chose the variant with red, white and blue stripes as seen on the 1777 Holman painting (see my first post).  The ship's boat rigging was simple; and I am hanging the boat so it will be in the water.  There is a knotted line for the crew to access the boat without the need to raise it.
 
      
 
Thanks to all who followed this build and I hope to have another build log started soon.

Keith, they are really neat machines and easy to use. She had been wanting one for a few years so I finally broke down and got it for her. Good decision on my part. I never figured that I would find a use for it.
 
As for my tidy workspace, I try to make it a habit of clearing a small area when I take pictures and since they are such large files, I generally crop out some of the picture to get it to a size that will upload to MSW.
 
If you truly want to see what my work space looks like while I work, here you go.

 
Hopefully it doesn't scare you too much.
 
-Brian

Hi All
 
I've now started the ceiling planking - its taken me a while to get started as I haven't done this before.  I thought that I would be able to apply a similar system that we use on the outside of the hull by marking out bands etc but I found that I couldn't do this.  The reason being the way the planks run up the inside of the stem and stern I just couldn't figure out a way of marking them out accurately.
 
I also do not have a flat plan of the planks so the drawings need interpreting which takes me a while to understand.  So in the end I thought the best thing to do was to use a mix of the drawings and apply similar rules to the planking such as only tapering to half of the planks width.  I also thought it best not to start running up the stem too quickly that we also apply on the outside.
 
So boringly 🤣  I've managed the first two strakes - sorry for my snails pace.  I really wanted to get these right as hopefully the rest will then follow.  One of them moved slightly at the stern whilst drying so I had to use some PVA coloured with graphite to fill the gap.  It doesn't look too bad for a first attempt and I know that I will improve as I work my up inside the hull.
 
There's a few pictures below of where I am now and how I make my planks.  I mark out the tapers and then plane them in my plank vice before clamping them together to ensure they are a mirror image of each other.  Next I edge bend them which makes for a good fit and only minor clamping.  The making of the planks is easy but working out the shape is hard.
 
I'll post an update in a few weekends once I've got up to the seven strakes that I intend to fit at this stage.
 
Cheers Mark
 
 
 

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.

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.

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.

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.

Making the cannon and carriages is what I have often gone to while the glue dries.   Knees may require a bit of field fitting so should wait.  The spacing between deck beams may vary so the horizontal knees will vary in their fore and aft length.  The vertical knees will vary with the lay of the inside planking, plus some are canted.  For vertical knees at least, it is often a good idea to made card templates to get a perfect fit, then use the template as your guide for cutting out the knee itself.    

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.

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.