bigcreekdad

I have been using INOX curved cuticle scissors. I'm very impressed. You get really close cuts on rigging lines, blocks, etc. However, I fly tie as well so might try the Stellar scissors. You can never have too many pairs of good scissors.

Some headway since last posting.Deck pretty much finished (other than anchors). Lower main and fore masts installed with first trestles, and onto the shrouds. Been studying the rigging plans, and have a headache.

I've always liked this ship. Looking forward to your build.

RPaul...Although Occre was very quick to send me (free) some parts I broke, I echo your thoughts about the kit, plans, and instruction quality. I'm building this ship now, and no way am I going to try to decipher how to rig the sails. I love the lines of this ship, but the love ends there.

The Chew grew on me. I wish there were more kits of NewEngland fishing vessels.

Superb!!

Nice job on the thinning. My first attempt at a build was the Phantom. I thinned too much, and ended up going right through it in many places later. Ended up as kindling for my wood stove. But a good learning experience.

More progress on deck work, especially the 2000 (or so it seemed) belaying pins. I did not use the kit supplied pins. Also, finished stropping the deadeyes, attaching chains, and mounting on railings. I'd be curious to hear thoughts on using the chain material....positive or negative. I'm likely going to paint them black as I don't care for even the light shine they give off. This ship comes with sails, which I don't intend to use. However, the rigging plans for the sails are pretty much overlaid with the running rigging...this is going to be a real best when I get that far trying to differentiate them.

Bob...love following this build. Wonderful job. I have to ask...there is a blue tint to your masts and spars. It's got to be the lighting, but I actually kinda liked it.

I like your progress. Well done. you may be satisfied with the deadeyes and strops as the one above, but if you want to se another option for these go to my build log of the Dos Amigos. I ended up buying annealed #24 wire and some bracelet making chain from a craft store to do mine. However, I had terrible (IMO) wire and strops supplied in the kit. Jotika's are much better. In any case, I'll keep following your fine build.

Thanks Popeye

Bob I realize your fine build is not complete, but I've wondered if you've given any thought to your next build. You've kinda set the bar for yourself ya know...LOL. John

Awesome...just awesome!

Thanks for the kind words Popeye. Went to the rigging plans and the kit deadeyes are accurate compared to the kit supplied ones. I'll stick with them. I really appreciate your thoughts. I am well aware the majority of builders on this site are beyond my skills ( I ain't whining BTW...I can likely out fish most of them...oops...hope that doesn't come back to haunt me). What I'm saying is that it's good to just get some advice, critical or otherwise, for many of us.

More progress. Much of the deck work finished. Aside from the hatch cross slats, the bell, the barrel, and a few parts of the pump are from kit supplied. Know I've said it before, but the wood in this kit, especially the laser pieces are, frankly, crap. Oh well, sometimes it's fun and accomplishing to make pieces yourself. I remade the rails for the belaying pins as the laser cut piece broke off on the first piece i was drilling an opening for the deadeyes in. I made new ones slightly thicker to add some strength. Great idea, and worked well, and then I dry fitted a kit supplied belaying pin and found it too short (8mm) . Ended up ordering some 12mm walnut pins from model expo (fast service I might add). The side rails for the chainplates and deadeyes were typical of the wood. It was quite thin, and after drilling the required openings I felt was got to be weak having much purchase on the planking with only glue. What was really needed was a few pins to go into the hull to add to the glue for purchase. However, the kit supplied laser parts were too thin. I made new ones, adding about 50% to the thickness out of cherry. This allowed me to drill holes and add some pins, which worked well. When I started on the chain plates and deadeyes, again, I found the kit material not to my liking.The wire to fasten around the deadeyes and attaching to the strops was pretty cheap, and the plates themselves I just didn't like (why am I so picky?). I went toYou Tube and found a vid of a guy using black 24 gauge annealed wired for enclosing the deadeyes, and chain used by jewelry makers. Looked interesting. A quick trip to Michaels Crafts and I had the wire and the chain. I had to make the rail opening a bit bigger, but I kinda like this approach. I've attached some pics and would appreciate any comments on them...good or bad. Finally, after mounting deadeyes on my first rail, it dawned on me that they looked kinda small for this model. It likely doesn't matter much, but I do have larger deadeyes....I've attached a pic of three deadeyes....the smaller is the kit supplied that I mounted. Any thoughts on these? While this build has been frustrating due to wood and parts quality, and mediocre instructions, it's been fun nonetheless.

I was going through T Warris' Corsair build log (really nice build so far) this morning. He was using a sealing iron to quickset his hull planking. I was wondering if anyone has ever used this tool for blank bending. Chuck's method of using a hair dryer to bend planks works very good, but might you be able to do the same thing a bit quicker with a sealing iron?

do a search...there will be several

I try (stress try) to use nose and mouth covering when sawing and sanding. I hook a Shop Vac hose up to my equipment. I'm just shy of 70, and my wind isn't what it used to be and I've always wondered if I am doing enough. I have a friend who has an entire outbuilding devoted to his wood pursuits, and he has a complete dust system. Obviously, I doubt if us part time modelers need such equipment, but I'm curious what others do.

I bought a 100 pack of #11 blades a couple years ago. I did not keep the outer package cover so I don't know the brand. They are plenty sharp when new, but dull quickly and the tips brea with ease. Is this just common, or are some better than others?

I built the Pickle last year. Instructions were an upgrade from Caldercraft's older selections. It was a very pleasurable build. It being a smaller craft, it does not have many carronades to rig, and has less complicated rigging than the Granado. Give it some thought. Another consideration is Caldercraft's Mortar Vessel Convulsion. Of my 4 completed builds to date, this was my favorite. Sadly, it was at my son's condo and it was dropped and the rear mast, spars, and rigging were badly damaged. It's on my bucket list to order new plans (pitched mine when build was complete...I'll never do that again) and fix her.

thanks Popeye

Finally finished with the hull and deck. Thinned done cherry to cover the unsightly false keel....a result of lousy kit wood and damage that I caused. Now ready for deck work. Did the cabin using the kit wood, but, again, didn't like it, so I will build that from scratch. With fishing season over, my progress should go much better.

awesome build!!

awesome job!!...looking forward to more progress.

I'm building Ochre's Dos Amigos and the instructions are in English...but they are pretty brief. Also, the visual directions are in color. You can contact Occre....they seem very customer friendly. I lost my parts list, and they responded to my request for another in a very timely manner.