Cathead
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I agree that the directions are pretty difficult to follow regarding how to handle the complex planking around the counter, and none of the photos really capture it in progress. I had to study a lot of different images to even get as far as I have. -
It's been over a month since I updated this, so here's the current status. I'm 2/3 of the way through the lower planking (below the wale). I haven't been in the mood to make updates, partly because life has been stressful and distracting, and partly because I don't think plank-by-plank updates really add anything to what's already well documented for this project (and planking in general). I have mixed feelings about the results. I just haven't been able to make the planking runs as consistent in width as I'd like. Seems like a mental block or something. I know what I'm supposed to be achieving but there's a lot of variability that just seems to have crept in. I honestly think I did a better job planking my revenue cutter than here, where I'm paying more attention. Some of this may be due to working with the home-milled cherry, which has variable width and a fairly coarse grain, which sometimes makes precise cutting difficult. Here are two closer views of the bow and stern: You can really see the varying plank thicknesses that result from using the Byrnes saw but having no thickness sander. I intentionally milled my strips a bit thick to allow for final sanding, so I think this will look a lot better as a finished product than it does now. I haven't used a stealer at either bow or stern, even though I knew I was supposed to. Somehow it didn't develop naturally from the way my planks flowed. I see a lot of mistakes and problems overall, and plead (a) a relative lack of experience with this process and (b) a really distracting period in my life right now. Even when I sit down to work on this, my mind isn't really focused, so I'm just sort of drifting through this. I am learning some things, and I think the final product will be reasonably attractive. But I thought I would be doing a better job. Here's one more shot of the current hull. Four planks to go before the wale, and then things get a lot easier. Thanks for looking in.
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Following you over from your last build as well. I haven't built this kit but it seems most reasonable to follow the template. I also wonder if you're being confused by terminology. The word "keel" refers specifically to the timber along the bottom of the vessel; it has no vertical component. The part that doesn't match your template runs along what would be the sternpost (if this were a framed model), the structural piece rising up from the keel toward the transom. See the first diagram here for a good illustration of what the framed pieces would look like in this area, if the terminology remains confusing. So the directions do make sense in that you appear to need to remove material from the stern (not the keel), especially where the sternpost meets the transom (again thinking of where the real framing would be).
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Welcome! I'm also a model railroader who diverted into shipbuilding. You might enjoy this photo of my steamboat Bertrand at a mid-1800s railhead of the Hannibal & St. Joseph Railroad, on the Missouri River in northwest Missouri. If you're going to built Chaperon, I strongly recommend this additional guide written by Kurt Van Dahm, a director of the Nautical Research Guild and resident steamboat expert. It's got a ton of good details and suggestions that complement the kit instructions. The price is well worth it compared to the cost of the kit and the time you'll spend on it (especially the time you'll save avoiding mistakes!). There are also some very good build logs for the kit here on MSW that would be well worth reading through for insights and inspiration. I weather my steamboat models to the same extent I do railroad models: to look reasonably well-used but not decrepit. Many ship modelers don't weather because there's something particularly attractive about a pristine stand-alone model, but I think riverboats just don't look right if too crisp. Certainly if it's going on a model railroad layout, weathering makes sense. I primarily use pastels for light shadings of dirt, grime, rust, and so on. For example, here's my lightly weathered Arabia (another Missouri River steamer); not grimy, but not shiny either: I'd certainly encourage you to start a build log for your Chaperon here, as it'll be the best way to get advice and support as you dive in. It's a great choice of kit, really the only accurate riverboat kit available, and turns into a beautiful model. Good luck and I'll be there in your build log if you start it.
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I honestly don't know what to say re. the boiler deck. You have good arguments supporting either arrangement. The model looks lovely so far.
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This is a devastating story and loss, and I'm so appreciative that you were willing to share it. You certainly have the right to take a break from the model. My last project, a Viking ship, was in part dedicated to my father-in-law, an Old English scholar to whom I was very close. He, too, died (this past winter) before I could finish it, and never really got to appreciate even the build properly as his health and mind failed too rapidly once the project had begun. But I'm so glad I did finish it eventually, and now I think of him whenever I see it displayed in my home. It helps him be a part of my everyday life to see that ship there. So I hope you'll at least consider the suggestion of coming back to the model when you're ready, whenever that may be. In the meantime, I feel your loss as deeply as a stranger can, and hope you'll take care of yourself as you mourn. All I can ask is that you set the model aside, rather than enabling any possible urge to dispose of it. That way, it's there if you decide to return later.
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Good start! That's a neat way to simulate the original carved stem, I was scratching my head about how one would do that on my recent Viking build.
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Great improvement! More accurate, saves space, and looks better all around.
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That's a good method for simulating the real effect at a small scale. One note, especially if you're going to redo this anyway: model blocks should be oriented so that the hole is on the opposite end of the loop made by the string as it goes through the hole. In other words, you'll want to flip the blocks shown in your photo end-to-end. This is because, on real blocks, the line is going around a pulley in the center of the block, so it needs to pass over most of the block before going through the "hole". In even other words, the line should pass over most of the block before looping through the hole, not looping through the hole at the very tip of the block. Look really closely at the drawing you posted above and compare where the line passes through the real block compared to where it passes through on the model block you show above. This is always hard to explain in text, let me know if it makes sense. It's a really common thing to overlook and nothing to be ashamed of. As for manufacturers, certainly BlueJacket and Model Shipways tend to have clearer instructions. I've seen Vanguard and Caldercraft mentioned as well, though have never built a kit from them. There are lots of threads on kit/manufacturer reviews elsewhere on MSW that you can dive into. It's complex enough that any one person's opinion only counts for so much. Some manufacturers provide the instructions as a free digital file, which is especially good for evaluating a kit ahead of time.
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This is an especially common problem with kits produced by manufacturers for whom English is not a native language. Few bother to have their instructions checked for language or clarity. Even native-language instructions can have errors, but it's particularly prominent in "foreign" kits, although in fairness this varies quite a bit by manufacturer.
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The instructions are wrong: the cathead is, indeed, the wooden piece you've already installed. The other piece is meant to hold rigging; see this photo from another build log for this kit:
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Lots of good advice here. Another option is to consider a display cabinet instead of a case. One of these can store and display multiple models far more space-efficiently than several cases, which all need their own surface space, and they're more flexible if models come and go. One approach to the style generally called "curio cabinet" tends to have wide glass panes in front that are great for model display. Here's an example from a customer furniture maker here in Missouri (Ramer Brothers): While these aren't cheap, especially if you get a high-quality hardwood version, the equivalent of 3+ cases isn't cheap either. And while cases have few other uses beyond specific model displays, a curio cabinet can be resold or handed down through family for many different uses, making it a potentially better long-term investment. My wife and I recently agreed to invest in one of these for my growing model collection, rather than build a whole series of cases, because it'll be way more space- and resource-efficient while being a better long-term investment. Just a thought to consider.
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Is there a chance it'd work better to draw the eye on with something like colored pencil or fine pen? That inherently gives the painted-on look without any decal film, and also lets you work naturally with the planking and its seams, just like on a full-size vessel. Might be worth testing with some scrap wood. For example, on my recent Viking ship project, I found that colored pencils created a really nice coloration effect on the shields, far better than paint.
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I, too, use the poor man's lathe as Keith describes and it's great. One additional note, the drill's chuck can easily leave marks or other damage to the dowel, so it's important to leave extra length on whatever you're doing. So if you need a rounded mast 8" long, make sure you cut the piece, say, 8.5" long so that extra half goes in the drill and you can cut it off when you're done. Otherwise one end will be damaged and you'll be upset! (trust me)
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Though I have to say I'm glad there aren't hundreds of nuclear submarines sunk along US river systems...
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Fantastic! It’s been a pleasure following along. I think you’ll quite enjoy where this hobby takes you as you keep delving deeper.
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Welcome! You're off to a good start and I hope you'll keep sharing your progress.
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Looks beautiful. I think it's safe to say the Greeks knew about caulking, there's evidence of Bronze-age caulking even in the backwaters of Britain (using things like moss and wool if I remember correctly). Maybe not the Age of Sail kind, but there're lots of ways to do it, and you pretty much can't build a planked craft without it.
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Wish I had advice on the rigging. I've used clamps to help maintain tension, as it looks like you did, too.
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Since you mentioned it, the word you're seeking for "steering handle" is "tiller". Also, the mechanism for raising and lowering the anchor would be a "windlass". Nice work, the model's very attractive so far.
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I've been working on laying out planking belts and could use some advice. The instructions call for dividing the hull into three belts between the wale and the garboard strake, and here's my first attempt. Note that the strips make the central belt look narrower than it really is because I'm measuring from their lower edge (so the middle belt includes the strip's width). I've measured them and they're all three equal amidships. Stern: Bow: I've never done this before and am having difficulty envisioning what's correct, especially at the bow. My sense is that the run of the planking should look pretty horizontal when viewed from the side, no curving up or down as the hull changes shape. I'm having trouble comparing this with the images shown in the instructions and log. I'd be grateful for any advice from @tlevine or any other experienced folk. Thanks!
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