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Cathead

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Everything posted by Cathead

  1. Cathead
    So I apologize if I've missed something, but I have a couple problems/questions: 1) When I set up a custom stream for Content I've Posted In (which is how I track things), it's showing every new comment in any topic as a separate line. So, for example, it might separately show three new comments in Them Old Jokes before showing a new comment in another topic. Before all these changes, the system just showed me which topics had new content, not every single element of that content. The new way is a pain, because I have to scroll through lots of individual comment listings to check each topic. I used to just be able to see a list of topics that had new content, and click the icon to be taken to the first unread post. How can I now tell it I want to see topics, not comments? 2) Having set up a custom stream as described above, it's still buried under two menus levels. I have to mouse over Activity, mouse down over 4 stream types I don't use, then click on (not just mouse over) My Activity Streams, then once again mouse over the same list of 4 stream types I don't use that are already shown in the first menu, and only then click on my custom stream. This is honestly quite a pain; isn't there a way to customize these menus to simply put the streams we actually want to use in the upper-most menu where we can easily click on them?
  2. Cathead
    Well, that figures. When I first saw your username, I just figured you were an especially Anglophile Canadian.
  3. Cathead
    FYI, most Americans won't get that joke. Here, they call that confinement or feedlot; battery is primarily a European term. I didn't realize it was used in Canada, but it shouldn't surprise me. Great pun, anyway.
  4. Cathead
    That's really nice. The low-key, understated lighting effect is well-done and just the right approach, in my opinion. Excellent work.
  5. Cathead
    This has been so neat to follow. Wish it wasn't such a long flight to come see her! Fantastic work on a really interesting prototype; I learned a lot from following this log and appreciate your work and writing.
  6. Cathead
    This has been such an inspiring project to follow, both for its backstory and the quality of its craftsmanship. I didn't know Augie, I'm too new on this forum, but after following this project I will always hold a memory of someone so respected by his peers that this project became a reality. And I have immense respect for a builder who takes on such a responsibility, and does such a memorable job. Thank you for this.
  7. Cathead
    I've only ever used the stuff supplied by BlueJacket, but it's worked very well for me. Also, I've found that metal parts actually take paint better after blackening; the process seems to roughen the surface slightly and the paint adheres better. But take all that as a grain of salt; I'm not that experienced with a wide variety of solutions and paint brands; I hope others chime in as well to give you broader advice. Make sure you order brass black rather than pewter black.
  8. Cathead
    Personally, I'd use a blackening solution. Holds better and looks nicer.
  9. Cathead
    Thanks for the input, Frankie. I'm working on putting together a new standing rigging plan and will post a draft when I do.
  10. Cathead
    Hmm, lots to think about. Both those images are quite different from what the kit suggests (no surprise there). I'm going to have to digest this. Unfortunately, I'm far enough along to make serious redos an interesting proposition. I just didn't think to pre-consult the rigging plan when I was building the hull and attaching the channels. Another reference I should have mentioned is this drawing of USRC Louisiana, about the closest prototype to this kit, by Dr. John Tilley. It shows two shrouds forward and one aft, with ratlines forward. It also shows two stays running from the topmast down to blocks on the deck. This arrangement seems sensible to me. By the way, another question: in a vessel like this, are the two masts considered fore and main, or main and mizzen?
  11. Cathead
    jwiley, this particular model has a square course and topsail on the mainmast along with a fore-and-aft mainsail; the mizzen has just the fore-and-aft sail although it also has a fore-and-aft topsail which I don't know the exact name for. See the image in the first post of my build log for the kit's intended sail plan. It makes sense that ratlines would be most necessary on masts with square sails; I still can't understand the purpose of the pseudo-stays run through blocks (the red and blue lines above).
  12. Cathead
    I'm struggling with a rigging question for my current built, the Corel Ranger, which is a fictional version of a US Revenue Schooner from around 1820. The plans for the standing rigging show only one normal shroud per mast (per side), with no allowance for ratlines. Then it shows two other lines from the top of the mast, through the crosstrees, down to blocks along the rail and deck, which appear to serve as shrouds but are not listed as such and don't use deadeyes or blackened lines. My confusion is twofold: One, what are these other lines for, as they don't appear to be operational (don't attach to any sails, yards, gaffs, etc) but aren't treated as standing rigging either. Two, with only one shroud per mast and no ratlines, how would sailors reach the crosstrees and the upper yards/gaffs for handling the topsails and any other repairs? One respondent in my build log suggested a bosun's chair, which might make sense for occasional access, but the crew would have to get up there quickly and commonly in normal sailing operations. Below is my attempt to diagram the situation. Most of the contemporary images I can find show these schooners with two or three shrouds per mast (per side) with ratlines, as I would expect. So is the kit just full of guano when it comes to this rigging plan, or is there a reason to do it this way? I would greatly appreciate any advice.
  13. Cathead
    It'd be most realistic, and unique, to present it unrigged and lashed down as it really would be on the deck, especially given the way you've built the stand. I like that idea as a creative approach to a common model. But of course presenting it fully or partially rigged has a lot of visual appeal, and few people will care that you have it displayed on a "deck" while still rigged.
  14. Cathead
    Nicely done, it really captures the ambience of these vessels.
  15. Cathead
    I had the same problem, not thinking I could drill into the brass strips. Using eyebolts is a great solution, wish I'd thought of it!
  16. Cathead
    I'd say finish the base to match the wood in the model; otherwise the raw wood just looks unfinished and clashes a bit. The model looks very nice.
  17. Cathead
    I think Brian's suggestion is good (sails on and oars drawn in). Besides, unless you're carving a full crew as well, it's clearly a display model rather than a "life-like pose", so you're allowed some leeway to display features as you see fit.
  18. Cathead
    I think it's a Canadian conspiracy to make US boats look sloppy.
  19. Cathead
    Thanks, Rob! I've been thinking about writing up a separate topic on step-by-step making these sails my way, maybe I should get in gear on that. I haven't seen much else about paper sails on MSW. I haven't dyed paper sails; I'd be worried about the dye dissolving the glue I use to assemble them. Was that not an issue for you, or did you only use one-piece sails?
  20. Cathead
    Yeah, Mike, if you'd just done a regular sloppy job planking you'd have been fine!
  21. Cathead
    That's the best-lit outhouse ever! Nice work, this will look fantastic when it's finished (not that it doesn't now).
  22. Cathead
    One thing I didn't consider/notice until it was too late on my Corel Ranger, was that the kit doesn't allow for any drainage from the deck through the bulwarks (can't think of the right term). As built, it would swamp in no time. But it went over my head, and now I can't easily fix it. Oh well. Since you're not that far yet, sure seems worth considering how to add proper drainage. On the carronades, one thing I'd suggest it thinking through how long you want the elevation screw to be. The one Corel provides (shown in the plans) doesn't seem long enough to allow the full range of elevation/depression that you'd want. They also designed the carriage poorly, so that the screw can't be vertical while fitting into its socket on the slide and through the carronade itself. Sloppy.
  23. Cathead
    The suggestions from Dicas make a lot of sense to me. I've used one-side files to great effect before.
  24. Cathead
    Great photo, Len, certainly shows that you're right and Chaperon was laid out the way you showed. I was going to suggest that the doors on the corners were to avoid having to squeeze between the chimneys to get in, since the front cabin wall is so close there, but as the staircase from the main deck goes right there, and there appear to be two doors right in front as well (judging from the photos on M-E's site), I don't know.
  25. Cathead
    Kurt would have the best idea of Chaperon's interior, however on earlier boats the "rooms" were actually quite narrow and small; much of the interior was taken up by a wider parlor, wide enough for dining tables and the like. So your proposed interior hallway would be quite a bit too narrow. But again I don't know how Chaperon was set up.

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