jbshan

I'm interested to hear what the more experienced people have to say, but if it were me, I'd probably plank the whole thing, and then glue stuff on top. That being said, the placement of the deck structures may well affect on how you plank the deck. For example, you may be planning for a certain plank pattern, but if there are two deck structures kind of close together, it seems that the right thing to do is to use whole planks between them (even if that disrupts the plank pattern.) So, if you want to take that detail into consideration, it may well make sense to put down the structures first, and plank around them. (I think that you need to use the scale of the model to figure out how long the longest planks can practically be first, and if the spacing between deck structures is less than that, you should use whole planks between them.)

I'm not sure if it represents a change or I just annoyed them 

"Mom, what's a magazine?"

Perhaps better to put a dehumidifier in the room with your models, if you're lucky enough to be able to have them all in one place.  If you're in a constant rainy region, however, that might not be helpful.

Brian,
 
They're really only a temporary type of product used during storing or shipping.  The problem I can see is getting them out to bake any collected humidity which should be done periodically.  Maybe hidden discretely in a display case might be better.   I'm also not sure if they would draw the moisture out of the wood and cause premature aging.    

It is also one of those details that, if done incorrectly, only shows up the builders unknowingness of his subject, like many treenailers or model sailmakers.  Subtle, unobtrusive and delicate are almost always the watchwords of the day.

It is also one of those details that, if done incorrectly, only shows up the builders unknowingness of his subject, like many treenailers or model sailmakers.  Subtle, unobtrusive and delicate are almost always the watchwords of the day.

It is also one of those details that, if done incorrectly, only shows up the builders unknowingness of his subject, like many treenailers or model sailmakers.  Subtle, unobtrusive and delicate are almost always the watchwords of the day.

It is also one of those details that, if done incorrectly, only shows up the builders unknowingness of his subject, like many treenailers or model sailmakers.  Subtle, unobtrusive and delicate are almost always the watchwords of the day.

It is also one of those details that, if done incorrectly, only shows up the builders unknowingness of his subject, like many treenailers or model sailmakers.  Subtle, unobtrusive and delicate are almost always the watchwords of the day.

Your build log at http://www.niagaramodel.com is one of the most thorough I have seen.  I hope you will show your progress warts and all, as there are some tricky bits to this kit which are so much easier to explain with the kit in front of you.  It (the log) should be a great help to anyone attempting this model.  Unless one is a master builder with several others under the belt this kit will stretch the mind, and as you reach those tricky bits and solve them you will be doing a service to those following in your wake.

It is also one of those details that, if done incorrectly, only shows up the builders unknowingness of his subject, like many treenailers or model sailmakers.  Subtle, unobtrusive and delicate are almost always the watchwords of the day.

It is also one of those details that, if done incorrectly, only shows up the builders unknowingness of his subject, like many treenailers or model sailmakers.  Subtle, unobtrusive and delicate are almost always the watchwords of the day.

Many are a form of Quaker, or dummy. The ports being just cavities with the Quaker in place, some models have model guns in place. You will find a wide spectrum of materials and numerous rigging arrays. The answer for this one is, it depends, it depends on the modeler, his skills, available materials and the modelers wishes.
jud

Not convinced yet but thought I'd put this out here.
 
I followed the same process as the first application but this time I limited the field to two lines of nails and was much lighter with the pressure I applied when working the wheels.
 
The pics are (obviously) before and after dull coat. There are a couple of spots that have to be touched again with the dull coat but I wanted to wait to allow the first coat to fully dry before I touch-up.
 
Sam

I haven't done any of this, so use grain of salt, please.
Harder surface under copper when pouncing so less pronounced dimple.
Work from front, so it's an actual dimple, not a bump when applied to hull.
Burnishing with a tool shaped like the back of a spoon might give you the smoother look you are after.
I suspect a pinkish color because of the constant abrasion of traveling through the water, but dull, not shiny.  Your pic of the copper after a dull coat is getting close.
When you get to that point, consider veneer stock for the ends.  I finished a couple of sectional display mounts for ship's guns that way.

Always trying to save work for somebody else, that's me.

Always trying to save work for somebody else, that's me.

Here's a view into the waist with qtrdeck ladders, boarding ladders, pumps and companionway, also the sternsheets of the boat.
 

I don't have construction pics of this one.  The instructions called for a companionway only half the depth of this one.  It didn't look workable so I made mine bigger.  The door panels are made of tanganyika, 1/64", just something I had around, as is the rest of it, just scrap wood.  The top would fold back to allow access, then you would open a door, steps down to the cabin inside.
This structure is only set in.  To take it out you lift off the head coaming allowing it to slide forward and unlock.  Then you can lift the whole thing out.
The bulkhead I set off with the front edge of the quarterdeck 'beam' and planked below that.  The qtr deck hangs over the beam and the bulkhead is set back from that, for drainage.
There are now steps either side down into the waist and a railing across the top, so you could run across without falling onto the main deck.  The binnacle is just abaft the companionway, and tiller abaft that on the qtrdeck and I thought access across might be desirable.
 

A couple of pics of details:
 
The binnacle with the tin captain:

 
A view of the aft of the deck with tiller, binnacle, companionway, quarterdeck and waist ladders and the elm tree pumps:

 
The bows with bowsprit, jibboom, spritsail yard and anchors with cables;

 

I'm getting a bit out of sequence now, but this is another item of deck machinery that I can cover fairly concisely.
Windlass:
The basic design I got out of John Harland's small book, 'Capstans and Windlasses', I think, at least there is a similar one in there.

The barrel is made from four pieces of maple glued up to get the required diameter.  This helps keep it straight and stronger, also less likely to split.  It's all octagonal, with a straight section in the middle and tapering toward the ends.  Notches for the pawls are cut with a tiny chisel (homemade) at the end of the straight section, and sockets for pulling bars from there out.  Where the barrel passes the riding bitts is a narrow section acting as bearings in sockets cut in the bitts and the clamp.

In this front view you can see the standards clearly, both those on the riding bitts and the larger ones on the bitts that hold the heel of the bowsprit.  Between the bowsprit bitts and the barrel of the windlass are two more posts, these have the pawls in their after face.  With the pawls working, you would pull down and aft on a bar, pulling in the cable.  Loosen up tension on the bar and the pawl slips down keeping the barrel from freewheeling backwards.  There is one more crossbar, it will have belaying points for the headsail halyards, etc.

Back to an after view, you can see the pawls in their final form and the thumb cleats atop the riding bitts.  The cable would be permanently wound around here, lashed up off the barrel in a large circle when not riding to anchor.  Stoppers would do much of the work of holding the cable when anchored.  The gun is there to check clearances.  The pins used for dry fitting will be smaller headed and blackened in final assembly.
You can see a mockup bowsprit stub in place.  This will have small foredeck platforms P&S to access swivels located over the rail here.  You can also see the timberheads and how they insert into the structure.  There will be more on those perhaps later.

If the hammocks stick up too far and get in the way, you could lay them on a slant.

As you say, off the top of the head without doing any research, old muzzle loader about 1200 fps, no matter the caliber.  Larger ball needs larger charge, but result in fps stays about the same.

I try to keep in mind the atmospheric diminishing of contrast.  If you stand back a couple of feet from the model, that's 30 yards back, real life, and the 1/8" seams won't be nearly as apparent, plus I think stark dark seams are distracting.  I prefer them a bit more subtle, both in shade of darkness and in consistency.  A lighter somewhat irregular look is more to my taste.  I think there are one of two deck pics in my log page.  Follow the link in my signature.
Having said all that, I'm nearly at the point where I'll find out how grey paper in the seams looks at 1/2" scale, on my Philadelphia model.  Again, I went for less-than-black, but I fear it will get more prominent if I stain things as I probably should.