thomaslambo

Hi Steve,
 
Wow, I just found your build log, all I can say is your attention to detail is amazing....the wood treatments, and other details like the anchor, rudder, coconuts....as well as the incredible "colouration" you did on the sails (not to mention the amazing display stand).
 
Logs like yours really help beginners like myself.....gives me inspiration to try and raise the bar.
 
Thanks for taking the time to maintain it.
 
Boyd

Next up, the lower deck planking and installation.
 
I planked all four of the bottom deck halves at the same time as I was on a roll and wanted to get that stage finished.
 
First I stained both sides of the false decks and then I painted the top side black to simulate tar (I looked at several methods of simulating tar and choose this one because I think it looks fairly good and it’s clean and easy to do).
 
I used a two-step shift of butts pattern for the lower decks.
 
I marked lines between the frames on the deck and proceeded to lay each plank row individually over the black painted surface.  After I glued each row of planks in place I carefully spaced the planks with the edge of the X-acto triangle square (.5mm gap), also using it to remove any excess glue that crept into the gap after I pressed the planks down.  Note; I used a small paint brush to apply the glue so I had complete control over the amount of glue on the plank.
 
After I completed each half and it had dried for a period of time I laid the deck (plank side down) on a piece of wax paper and placed a weight on top and let it sit overnight.
 
Then I laid each deck (plank side down) on a cutting mat and used X-acto knifes (with brand new blades) to carefully cut away the excess planking.
 
At that point I went on to simulating nail holes. I debated about dowels but felt that would be overkill for the lower decks and went with the pencil/sharpie technique.
 
However, I’ll definitely plan to use bamboo/wood dowels on the main deck and hull planking (really not a big fan of using the brass nails supplied with the kit for the hull planking).
 
The last bit of work on the decks was to put a couple coats of clear matte polyurethane finish on the decks.
 
Then I installed/glued the four half deck pieces onto the cross beams (Bow and Stern).
 
 

Thought it would be nice to show a pic of the tools used for the planking 
 

My plank cutting device and also the right side of the deck planked and the color of the stain on the bottom side of the decks
 

Initial planking complete on the right side of the Bow deck (note the X-acto square used for spacing)
 

Both Bow and Stern lower decks are now complete along with simulated nail holes
 

Bow lower deck installed
 
 
Stay tuned for the installation of the middle deck cross beam supports…...
   
 

Next up, the lower deck planking and installation.
 
I planked all four of the bottom deck halves at the same time as I was on a roll and wanted to get that stage finished.
 
First I stained both sides of the false decks and then I painted the top side black to simulate tar (I looked at several methods of simulating tar and choose this one because I think it looks fairly good and it’s clean and easy to do).
 
I used a two-step shift of butts pattern for the lower decks.
 
I marked lines between the frames on the deck and proceeded to lay each plank row individually over the black painted surface.  After I glued each row of planks in place I carefully spaced the planks with the edge of the X-acto triangle square (.5mm gap), also using it to remove any excess glue that crept into the gap after I pressed the planks down.  Note; I used a small paint brush to apply the glue so I had complete control over the amount of glue on the plank.
 
After I completed each half and it had dried for a period of time I laid the deck (plank side down) on a piece of wax paper and placed a weight on top and let it sit overnight.
 
Then I laid each deck (plank side down) on a cutting mat and used X-acto knifes (with brand new blades) to carefully cut away the excess planking.
 
At that point I went on to simulating nail holes. I debated about dowels but felt that would be overkill for the lower decks and went with the pencil/sharpie technique.
 
However, I’ll definitely plan to use bamboo/wood dowels on the main deck and hull planking (really not a big fan of using the brass nails supplied with the kit for the hull planking).
 
The last bit of work on the decks was to put a couple coats of clear matte polyurethane finish on the decks.
 
Then I installed/glued the four half deck pieces onto the cross beams (Bow and Stern).
 
 

Thought it would be nice to show a pic of the tools used for the planking 
 

My plank cutting device and also the right side of the deck planked and the color of the stain on the bottom side of the decks
 

Initial planking complete on the right side of the Bow deck (note the X-acto square used for spacing)
 

Both Bow and Stern lower decks are now complete along with simulated nail holes
 

Bow lower deck installed
 
 
Stay tuned for the installation of the middle deck cross beam supports…...
   
 

Next I assemble the keel and frames, and install the lower cross beam supports.
 
First, I included a few pictures of the instruction narratives, picture book and one of the part spec sheets so people can get a feel for what one has to work with when building this model (most instructions are fairly clear but a few seem to have lost something in the translation). 
 
However, between the above directions, the plan sheets, and closely reviewing a couple other AL Bounty build logs I’v been able to navigate the waters so far 
 
I glued in the fore and aft most frames (4 and 39) and their lower cross beams first to be able to use the middle deck as a template to check the alignment of the remaining frames (note; I also clamped a few middle level cross beam supports in to help further support the middle deck as I aligned and glued each of the frames). 
 
After I completed gluing frames 4 and 39 I installed the bow stiffeners and the stern fittings/stabilizers as it made sense to get that out of the way at this point.
 
Then I installed the fore, main and mizzen mast supports on the keel.
 
I then installed the rest of the bow and stern frames 5 – 10 and 33 – 38 on the keel using the same square and leveling technique used on the first two frames.
 
Lastly, I installed all the cross beam supports for the lower bow deck and the forward hold platform (bottom decks).
 
 
 

Here is a sample of a narrative, a picture from the book, and a spec part sheet.
 
 

Rear view of the aft most frame being glued in.
 
 

Side view of the aft most frame being glued in (combination of machinist blocks, a square and a level to align each frame).
 
 

Close up of the stern stiffeners 
 
 

Overhead view of the completed frame and keel with aft and bow stiffeners and stabilizers 
   

 
 

 
 
 
Stay tuned for planking the lower decks..... 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Hi Everyone,
 
This is my first build log so needless to say I’m looking forward to sharing my experience as well as getting some constructive feedback from some of the more experienced builders.
 
I choose the AL HMS Bounty kit because of the open hull design which I think will make a great display model.  Also, I enjoyed all the Mutiny on the Bounty films so that provided additional motivation.
 
I’ve spent time reading “The Armed Transport Bounty (The Anatomy)” which was recommended to me by one of the members (a great reference book for any Bounty model builder).
 
I plan to do extensive modifications to the kit (many based on The Anatomy book), adding many additional details as well as enhancing/upgrading existing ones.  I will also replace quite a bit of the supplied materials (e.g. Basswood and Walnut strips, Mast and Spar dowels, many deck furniture pieces, and most of the rigging lines/ropes, dead eyes, blocks, etc).  I will note these changes/additions as I move through each stage of the build.
 
Some might call this a "Kit Bash"....so call it what you will....  
 
 
 
A few details about this model:
 
Model: Artesania Latina HMS Bounty (AL22810)
Scale: 1:48
Length: 36.5 inches
Height: 27.75 inches
 
I included a token picture of the box and the contents. 
 
After a few hours of reading the instructions and checking inventory all the parts appear to be included (although I didn't pay much attention to the wood strips,dowels and rigging material as they will be replaced).  The quality of the materials and parts looks good to me (with a few minor exceptions) but what do I know.  And the laser cuts on the pre-cut parts look very clean and seem to fit nicely on a dry fit (e.g. keel, frames and ply decks).
                                                           
                                                           
 
                                                           
 
Pre-construction activity:
 
I believe in a solid foundation no matter what you’re building so I put together a build board first thing (as recommended in many build logs).
 
I took a piece of laminated shelving I had and fastened three clamps made from ply to hold the keel tightly in place along with a couple of “L” brackets to hold either end of the keel.  I’ll use weights and machinist blocks as I go along to support the keel and frames. 
 
I measured center on every frame and then checked each side to see if the height and width matched up.  Unfortunately, several measurements were off by a half to 1 millimeter on a few frames.  As such, I’ll definitely need to do some filing and shimming when the time comes.    
 
I also did a dry fit on the decks and they appear to fit quite nicely.
 
When dry assembling the keel and frames most of the joints were tight with the exception of a few which needed to be snugged up.  To get the frames nice and snug I used .5mm x 6mm shim pieces (.5 or less thickness x height of the notch on both sides to keep the frames centered).  
 
 
 

 
Build stand
 
 

 
Dry fit of frames and keel after I stained all the pieces (ended up using a Natural Walnut stain) 
 
 

 
Additional parts for the keel and frames were also stained

Next up, the lower deck planking and installation.
 
I planked all four of the bottom deck halves at the same time as I was on a roll and wanted to get that stage finished.
 
First I stained both sides of the false decks and then I painted the top side black to simulate tar (I looked at several methods of simulating tar and choose this one because I think it looks fairly good and it’s clean and easy to do).
 
I used a two-step shift of butts pattern for the lower decks.
 
I marked lines between the frames on the deck and proceeded to lay each plank row individually over the black painted surface.  After I glued each row of planks in place I carefully spaced the planks with the edge of the X-acto triangle square (.5mm gap), also using it to remove any excess glue that crept into the gap after I pressed the planks down.  Note; I used a small paint brush to apply the glue so I had complete control over the amount of glue on the plank.
 
After I completed each half and it had dried for a period of time I laid the deck (plank side down) on a piece of wax paper and placed a weight on top and let it sit overnight.
 
Then I laid each deck (plank side down) on a cutting mat and used X-acto knifes (with brand new blades) to carefully cut away the excess planking.
 
At that point I went on to simulating nail holes. I debated about dowels but felt that would be overkill for the lower decks and went with the pencil/sharpie technique.
 
However, I’ll definitely plan to use bamboo/wood dowels on the main deck and hull planking (really not a big fan of using the brass nails supplied with the kit for the hull planking).
 
The last bit of work on the decks was to put a couple coats of clear matte polyurethane finish on the decks.
 
Then I installed/glued the four half deck pieces onto the cross beams (Bow and Stern).
 
 

Thought it would be nice to show a pic of the tools used for the planking 
 

My plank cutting device and also the right side of the deck planked and the color of the stain on the bottom side of the decks
 

Initial planking complete on the right side of the Bow deck (note the X-acto square used for spacing)
 

Both Bow and Stern lower decks are now complete along with simulated nail holes
 

Bow lower deck installed
 
 
Stay tuned for the installation of the middle deck cross beam supports…...
   
 

Keith,
 
I read all your comments as well as Danny's and several others on Capt. Al's log, and paid close attention to that recommendation (I ordered .5 mm x 6mm walnut planks to veneer the ply edges).  I'm also going to veneer all the lower and middle deck edges as well.
 
Your model is a fine example for me to follow, and I appreciate you following the log as I have many questions and some ideas I'd really like your input on.
 
I'll be posting my lower deck planking tomorrow.
 
Thanks much for joining in and I look forward to your input.
 
Boyd

Keith,
 
I read all your comments as well as Danny's and several others on Capt. Al's log, and paid close attention to that recommendation (I ordered .5 mm x 6mm walnut planks to veneer the ply edges).  I'm also going to veneer all the lower and middle deck edges as well.
 
Your model is a fine example for me to follow, and I appreciate you following the log as I have many questions and some ideas I'd really like your input on.
 
I'll be posting my lower deck planking tomorrow.
 
Thanks much for joining in and I look forward to your input.
 
Boyd

Hi Matt,
 
Thanks for stopping in, and the kind words. I couldn't agree more about information being a great asset here.  Reading many logs made me comfortable both to build the Bounty and to start a build log. 
 
I notice you're building the Bounty Launch, at some point I plan to build it myself.
 
ttyl,
 
Boyd

Hi Brian,
 
Thanks for stopping in.  
 
I agree, having read over 100 build logs by now, I've come to realize that no matter how expert you become, there's always room for improvement.  
 
It takes extra effort to maintain a log but I think it's well worth the effort.
 
I'll be getting into the more creative areas soon.
 
ttyl,
 
Boyd

Next I assemble the keel and frames, and install the lower cross beam supports.
 
First, I included a few pictures of the instruction narratives, picture book and one of the part spec sheets so people can get a feel for what one has to work with when building this model (most instructions are fairly clear but a few seem to have lost something in the translation). 
 
However, between the above directions, the plan sheets, and closely reviewing a couple other AL Bounty build logs I’v been able to navigate the waters so far 
 
I glued in the fore and aft most frames (4 and 39) and their lower cross beams first to be able to use the middle deck as a template to check the alignment of the remaining frames (note; I also clamped a few middle level cross beam supports in to help further support the middle deck as I aligned and glued each of the frames). 
 
After I completed gluing frames 4 and 39 I installed the bow stiffeners and the stern fittings/stabilizers as it made sense to get that out of the way at this point.
 
Then I installed the fore, main and mizzen mast supports on the keel.
 
I then installed the rest of the bow and stern frames 5 – 10 and 33 – 38 on the keel using the same square and leveling technique used on the first two frames.
 
Lastly, I installed all the cross beam supports for the lower bow deck and the forward hold platform (bottom decks).
 
 
 

Here is a sample of a narrative, a picture from the book, and a spec part sheet.
 
 

Rear view of the aft most frame being glued in.
 
 

Side view of the aft most frame being glued in (combination of machinist blocks, a square and a level to align each frame).
 
 

Close up of the stern stiffeners 
 
 

Overhead view of the completed frame and keel with aft and bow stiffeners and stabilizers 
   

 
 

 
 
 
Stay tuned for planking the lower decks..... 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Hi Everyone,
 
This is my first build log so needless to say I’m looking forward to sharing my experience as well as getting some constructive feedback from some of the more experienced builders.
 
I choose the AL HMS Bounty kit because of the open hull design which I think will make a great display model.  Also, I enjoyed all the Mutiny on the Bounty films so that provided additional motivation.
 
I’ve spent time reading “The Armed Transport Bounty (The Anatomy)” which was recommended to me by one of the members (a great reference book for any Bounty model builder).
 
I plan to do extensive modifications to the kit (many based on The Anatomy book), adding many additional details as well as enhancing/upgrading existing ones.  I will also replace quite a bit of the supplied materials (e.g. Basswood and Walnut strips, Mast and Spar dowels, many deck furniture pieces, and most of the rigging lines/ropes, dead eyes, blocks, etc).  I will note these changes/additions as I move through each stage of the build.
 
Some might call this a "Kit Bash"....so call it what you will....  
 
 
 
A few details about this model:
 
Model: Artesania Latina HMS Bounty (AL22810)
Scale: 1:48
Length: 36.5 inches
Height: 27.75 inches
 
I included a token picture of the box and the contents. 
 
After a few hours of reading the instructions and checking inventory all the parts appear to be included (although I didn't pay much attention to the wood strips,dowels and rigging material as they will be replaced).  The quality of the materials and parts looks good to me (with a few minor exceptions) but what do I know.  And the laser cuts on the pre-cut parts look very clean and seem to fit nicely on a dry fit (e.g. keel, frames and ply decks).
                                                           
                                                           
 
                                                           
 
Pre-construction activity:
 
I believe in a solid foundation no matter what you’re building so I put together a build board first thing (as recommended in many build logs).
 
I took a piece of laminated shelving I had and fastened three clamps made from ply to hold the keel tightly in place along with a couple of “L” brackets to hold either end of the keel.  I’ll use weights and machinist blocks as I go along to support the keel and frames. 
 
I measured center on every frame and then checked each side to see if the height and width matched up.  Unfortunately, several measurements were off by a half to 1 millimeter on a few frames.  As such, I’ll definitely need to do some filing and shimming when the time comes.    
 
I also did a dry fit on the decks and they appear to fit quite nicely.
 
When dry assembling the keel and frames most of the joints were tight with the exception of a few which needed to be snugged up.  To get the frames nice and snug I used .5mm x 6mm shim pieces (.5 or less thickness x height of the notch on both sides to keep the frames centered).  
 
 
 

 
Build stand
 
 

 
Dry fit of frames and keel after I stained all the pieces (ended up using a Natural Walnut stain) 
 
 

 
Additional parts for the keel and frames were also stained

Hi Steve,
 
Wow, I just found your build log, all I can say is your attention to detail is amazing....the wood treatments, and other details like the anchor, rudder, coconuts....as well as the incredible "colouration" you did on the sails (not to mention the amazing display stand).
 
Logs like yours really help beginners like myself.....gives me inspiration to try and raise the bar.
 
Thanks for taking the time to maintain it.
 
Boyd

Next I assemble the keel and frames, and install the lower cross beam supports.
 
First, I included a few pictures of the instruction narratives, picture book and one of the part spec sheets so people can get a feel for what one has to work with when building this model (most instructions are fairly clear but a few seem to have lost something in the translation). 
 
However, between the above directions, the plan sheets, and closely reviewing a couple other AL Bounty build logs I’v been able to navigate the waters so far 
 
I glued in the fore and aft most frames (4 and 39) and their lower cross beams first to be able to use the middle deck as a template to check the alignment of the remaining frames (note; I also clamped a few middle level cross beam supports in to help further support the middle deck as I aligned and glued each of the frames). 
 
After I completed gluing frames 4 and 39 I installed the bow stiffeners and the stern fittings/stabilizers as it made sense to get that out of the way at this point.
 
Then I installed the fore, main and mizzen mast supports on the keel.
 
I then installed the rest of the bow and stern frames 5 – 10 and 33 – 38 on the keel using the same square and leveling technique used on the first two frames.
 
Lastly, I installed all the cross beam supports for the lower bow deck and the forward hold platform (bottom decks).
 
 
 

Here is a sample of a narrative, a picture from the book, and a spec part sheet.
 
 

Rear view of the aft most frame being glued in.
 
 

Side view of the aft most frame being glued in (combination of machinist blocks, a square and a level to align each frame).
 
 

Close up of the stern stiffeners 
 
 

Overhead view of the completed frame and keel with aft and bow stiffeners and stabilizers 
   

 
 

 
 
 
Stay tuned for planking the lower decks..... 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Next I assemble the keel and frames, and install the lower cross beam supports.
 
First, I included a few pictures of the instruction narratives, picture book and one of the part spec sheets so people can get a feel for what one has to work with when building this model (most instructions are fairly clear but a few seem to have lost something in the translation). 
 
However, between the above directions, the plan sheets, and closely reviewing a couple other AL Bounty build logs I’v been able to navigate the waters so far 
 
I glued in the fore and aft most frames (4 and 39) and their lower cross beams first to be able to use the middle deck as a template to check the alignment of the remaining frames (note; I also clamped a few middle level cross beam supports in to help further support the middle deck as I aligned and glued each of the frames). 
 
After I completed gluing frames 4 and 39 I installed the bow stiffeners and the stern fittings/stabilizers as it made sense to get that out of the way at this point.
 
Then I installed the fore, main and mizzen mast supports on the keel.
 
I then installed the rest of the bow and stern frames 5 – 10 and 33 – 38 on the keel using the same square and leveling technique used on the first two frames.
 
Lastly, I installed all the cross beam supports for the lower bow deck and the forward hold platform (bottom decks).
 
 
 

Here is a sample of a narrative, a picture from the book, and a spec part sheet.
 
 

Rear view of the aft most frame being glued in.
 
 

Side view of the aft most frame being glued in (combination of machinist blocks, a square and a level to align each frame).
 
 

Close up of the stern stiffeners 
 
 

Overhead view of the completed frame and keel with aft and bow stiffeners and stabilizers 
   

 
 

 
 
 
Stay tuned for planking the lower decks..... 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Hi Steve,
 
Wow, I just found your build log, all I can say is your attention to detail is amazing....the wood treatments, and other details like the anchor, rudder, coconuts....as well as the incredible "colouration" you did on the sails (not to mention the amazing display stand).
 
Logs like yours really help beginners like myself.....gives me inspiration to try and raise the bar.
 
Thanks for taking the time to maintain it.
 
Boyd

Hi Steve,
 
Wow, I just found your build log, all I can say is your attention to detail is amazing....the wood treatments, and other details like the anchor, rudder, coconuts....as well as the incredible "colouration" you did on the sails (not to mention the amazing display stand).
 
Logs like yours really help beginners like myself.....gives me inspiration to try and raise the bar.
 
Thanks for taking the time to maintain it.
 
Boyd

I got most of the answers to my questions from a couple of great books (The Armed Transport Bounty and Historic Ship Models).
 
So, I'm ready to start my build log and please feel free to stop in and offer advise.
 
Thanks,
 
Boyd
 
 

Hi Luca,
 
Just finished going through your thread, really fine job so far.  The Cutty Sark is one of my favorite ships and will be next on my list.  Looking forward to your next update and following your progress.
 
Cheers,
 
Boyd

Hi Ray,
 
I'm new to MSW and this build log.
 
I just finished taking a couple hours reviewing your log.  What an incredible two year journey you've been on constructing the Diana....really an outstanding build to be sure.
 
I can't thank you enough for taking the time to document at such a great level of detail....with both your informative narratives and simply top notch photography to go along with it   
 
Boyd

Hi Ray,
 
I'm new to MSW and this build log.
 
I just finished taking a couple hours reviewing your log.  What an incredible two year journey you've been on constructing the Diana....really an outstanding build to be sure.
 
I can't thank you enough for taking the time to document at such a great level of detail....with both your informative narratives and simply top notch photography to go along with it   
 
Boyd

Regarding your comment about the Byrnes draw plate: 
 
I just purchased the Byrnes draw plate and I totally agree that it needs larger holes for bringing down larger diameter material.  I also purchased bamboo skewers and was disappointed I couldn't use the draw plate (I don't have a small planner).  
 
However, with that said, it really is a great tool.
 
Thanks for the detailed build log....the ship is looking great, and I'm sure you'll get the transom issue solved with a little elbow grease   
 
Added this comment - see Pat's post below...thanks much for the advise on how to size down the skewers prior to using the draw plate 

Regarding your comment about the Byrnes draw plate: 
 
I just purchased the Byrnes draw plate and I totally agree that it needs larger holes for bringing down larger diameter material.  I also purchased bamboo skewers and was disappointed I couldn't use the draw plate (I don't have a small planner).  
 
However, with that said, it really is a great tool.
 
Thanks for the detailed build log....the ship is looking great, and I'm sure you'll get the transom issue solved with a little elbow grease   
 
Added this comment - see Pat's post below...thanks much for the advise on how to size down the skewers prior to using the draw plate 

Hi Dominic,
 
I’m new to this forum and model ship building but I've been building some sort of model for the better part of 45 years.
 
I’m reading many threads on this forum but paying particular attention to a few of my favorite ships; the HMS Victory, the HMS Bounty, the Cuddy Sark.
 
Build threads like yours are invaluable to beginners like myself so I really appreciate the time you take to maintain the posts.  
 
You have a great start on your HMS Victory.  I really like the technique you used for deck planking (the black paint on the false deck with spacing as well as the method you used to drill tree nail holes….very creative as well as efficient).
 
I look forward to following your progress.
 
Boyd T 

Hi Dominic,
 
I’m new to this forum and model ship building but I've been building some sort of model for the better part of 45 years.
 
I’m reading many threads on this forum but paying particular attention to a few of my favorite ships; the HMS Victory, the HMS Bounty, the Cuddy Sark.
 
Build threads like yours are invaluable to beginners like myself so I really appreciate the time you take to maintain the posts.  
 
You have a great start on your HMS Victory.  I really like the technique you used for deck planking (the black paint on the false deck with spacing as well as the method you used to drill tree nail holes….very creative as well as efficient).
 
I look forward to following your progress.
 
Boyd T