trippwj

This build log will detail the construction of the Model Shipways kit USF Confederacy (scale 1:64) designed by Chuck Passaro.
 
The brief history of this 36 gun American Continental Navy Frigate is presented in some detail in the full-color, 170 page instruction manual and is available at Model Expo online. 
 
The model will be constructed in the 'Admiralty' configuration (without full rigging) and shall have an overall length of 35".
 
Although actual construction will not begin until about 9/1/2013, I have opened the kit and will provide here my overall impression of the contents and some photos to show 'WHAT'S IN THE BOX'.
 
The inventory of the kit has been completed and all listed items were provided.  No, I did not count the 300 eyebolts.  The well-drawn plans comprise 5 sheets.  As model ship manufacturers have not embraced the concept of rolled plans, they come folded and required a bit of steam ironing to be rendered suitably flat for my taste.  As mentioned, the color manual is up to Chuck's usual standard and shall become my bible for the immediate future:
 

 
The kit contains 23 laser cut sheets varying in thicknesses from 1/32 to 1/4" :
 

 
The strip wood and dowels were supplied bundled so sorting was effortless.  The quality of the wood is not bad.  I am considering replacing some of the basswood strips but need some time to figure that out:
 

 
An extensive amount of photoetched parts are supplied:
 

 
Blocks, deadeyes, cleats, stanchions and parts including anchors:
 

 
Figurehead, cannon and some stern decorations --- all brittania metal.  Although some previous logs have felt these fittings were substandard, my opinion is that they can actually be used successfully.  However, as Chuck offers some after market upgrades through his Syren Model Ship Company, I opted for upgrades of the figurehead and cannon:
 

 
I shall provide a side-by-side comparison of the kit supplied vs. custom parts when the new ones are received.
 
It is now time to do some reading and perusing of the plans to get my head around this new lady.  I am hoping to improve on the skills developed during my recently completed Syren project.  As usual, I'll be keeping a log of time spent for those who might be interested.  All I can promise is to try my best and produce something worthy to stand with the other fine Confederacy kits already (or soon to be) underway.
 
Everyone is invited to join in and comments and critique are welcome.    WELCOME ABOARD TO ALL!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Slow and steady, Sjors...slow and steady!  Boredom is your friend when recovering - just not a long term friendship! 
 
Glad to hear you are fever free today and that you are following orders from Anja!
 
Here is a small picture to brighten your day.  This is the cooking hearth at a local Bed & Breakfast.  Ro (my Admiral) wants me to install one like this in our house....
 

Looks nice!  Did your designer specify a shade of black?????
 
:P :P
 
I had the opportunity to stop at Bluejacket yesterday wile dropping my grandson off at his house.  Next time, I will bring a camera!  Great people, nice set up with most of thier kits built and on display.  Could have spent hours there, but had too many errands to run.  The upside is that both son and grandson perked up looking at the ships - both are starting to ponder the possibilities!  The Admiral is also very interested and may tackle one of the kits on the shelf to see how it goes.
 
Again, nice work, and good luck with the next design decisions!

Slow and steady, Sjors...slow and steady!  Boredom is your friend when recovering - just not a long term friendship! 
 
Glad to hear you are fever free today and that you are following orders from Anja!
 
Here is a small picture to brighten your day.  This is the cooking hearth at a local Bed & Breakfast.  Ro (my Admiral) wants me to install one like this in our house....
 

Looks nice!  Did your designer specify a shade of black?????
 
:P :P
 
I had the opportunity to stop at Bluejacket yesterday wile dropping my grandson off at his house.  Next time, I will bring a camera!  Great people, nice set up with most of thier kits built and on display.  Could have spent hours there, but had too many errands to run.  The upside is that both son and grandson perked up looking at the ships - both are starting to ponder the possibilities!  The Admiral is also very interested and may tackle one of the kits on the shelf to see how it goes.
 
Again, nice work, and good luck with the next design decisions!

Slow and steady, Sjors...slow and steady!  Boredom is your friend when recovering - just not a long term friendship! 
 
Glad to hear you are fever free today and that you are following orders from Anja!
 
Here is a small picture to brighten your day.  This is the cooking hearth at a local Bed & Breakfast.  Ro (my Admiral) wants me to install one like this in our house....
 

Looks nice!  Did your designer specify a shade of black?????
 
:P :P
 
I had the opportunity to stop at Bluejacket yesterday wile dropping my grandson off at his house.  Next time, I will bring a camera!  Great people, nice set up with most of thier kits built and on display.  Could have spent hours there, but had too many errands to run.  The upside is that both son and grandson perked up looking at the ships - both are starting to ponder the possibilities!  The Admiral is also very interested and may tackle one of the kits on the shelf to see how it goes.
 
Again, nice work, and good luck with the next design decisions!

It seems that this summer has been more busy than usual, which means the shipyard has been fairly quiet.
Thought I'd include a couple of pictures of our garden bounty. The cherry tomato plants, that I'm standing behind, went a little crazy this year. I'm 5'7" and they are a couple of feet above my head!
 

 

 
I have a small update as well:
 
The upper portion of the second planking is complete. I've made and installed the support beams and columns for the fore deck, and the second planking is done on the lower section of the stern - not sure of the name of this part - it's the thick section below the lower gallery.
 
I salvaged a beautiful block of cherry wood from the wood pile and have been drying it now for a couple of months. I'm thinking of using it for the deck furniture etc.......but first, the rest of the planking.
 

 

 

 

Slow and steady, Sjors...slow and steady!  Boredom is your friend when recovering - just not a long term friendship! 
 
Glad to hear you are fever free today and that you are following orders from Anja!
 
Here is a small picture to brighten your day.  This is the cooking hearth at a local Bed & Breakfast.  Ro (my Admiral) wants me to install one like this in our house....
 

Looks nice!  Did your designer specify a shade of black?????
 
:P :P
 
I had the opportunity to stop at Bluejacket yesterday wile dropping my grandson off at his house.  Next time, I will bring a camera!  Great people, nice set up with most of thier kits built and on display.  Could have spent hours there, but had too many errands to run.  The upside is that both son and grandson perked up looking at the ships - both are starting to ponder the possibilities!  The Admiral is also very interested and may tackle one of the kits on the shelf to see how it goes.
 
Again, nice work, and good luck with the next design decisions!

Hi folks,
 
Well since my last post much has happened. I have had serious technical, construction and philosophical discussions with JMaitri (Jay) regrading where to take BOUNTY. Also a lot of soul searching on my part as I really don't have a great amount of interest in BOUNTY - but being the glutton for punishment that I am and not shying away from a challenge - here we go!
 
Jay and I have gone back and forth regarding getting the scale correct (as much as possible) and I have gone so far as to work on the NMM plans as well as conduct some additional BOUNTY research I promised myself I wouldn't do (for time considerations). 
 
There were a number of discrepancies between the AOS book and the Mamoli plans (not surprising) but the differences were significant enough for me to go the additional research route as well.
 
Here's what I'm now doing in my "re-fit"
 
I have stripped the hull down to the skin. I'll build the bulwarks back up to correct height (they were low and uneven) The deck was single sheet (although nicely done in scale) it was de-laminating from the false deck. I will replace with strip decking,  this will also allow me to lower the Bow which is about 10" high in scale due to higher bulkhead arms. The original builder attempted to 2nd plank just below the LWL and copper over this. It didn't work out so well so I'll finish planking below and re-copper with tape plates in scale. The deck fittings will be addressed as they come into play. The masts and yards are accurate to the AOS and not to badly done. They lack a little detail and finesse so I'll keep and touch up. The one launch at present will serve as the "famous" 23' launch Bligh was set off in. It's pretty accurate in scale and not too poorly done. I'll repaint though. I'll also add in a 20' cutter. NO SAILS!!!!! (had to add that in)
 
I'd like to thank Jay publicaly for his help and humor.  Being able to "talk" with everyone is what makes MSW so great!
 
Sam
 
 

Looks nice!  Did your designer specify a shade of black?????
 
:P :P
 
I had the opportunity to stop at Bluejacket yesterday wile dropping my grandson off at his house.  Next time, I will bring a camera!  Great people, nice set up with most of thier kits built and on display.  Could have spent hours there, but had too many errands to run.  The upside is that both son and grandson perked up looking at the ships - both are starting to ponder the possibilities!  The Admiral is also very interested and may tackle one of the kits on the shelf to see how it goes.
 
Again, nice work, and good luck with the next design decisions!

Hello folks.
 
As some of you know,  I am supplying scale rope in tan and in black.  I am not the biggest fan of using a deep black rope but I know many of you prefer it.   When I ordered my Linen line to make up the rope I also ordered some of their dark Gray/Brown color.   My original though was to also supply it in this color for folks like me who prefer a lighter shade for the standing rigging.  It is easier to see the lay of the rope.  Because it takes so much time to make it...I wanted ask everyone if there is indeed a large enough group that prefers the standing rigging as a dark gray or even deep brown.  I prefer the grayish tone as shown.  I figured I would ask before I spend too much time on it.
 
Anyway...here is a photo of my gray/brown standing rigging next to my black and tan examples.
 
Is this something that would be desired??   If not,  I will just keep it for my own personal use.  It is my opinion that the actual standing rigging was a dark charcoal color after being exposed to the elements and wasnt a deep black.   The brown linen color is OK too but I dont like it as much so it is not pictured.  Its just not dark enough for my taste and looks too even.  The color is slightly darker than it appears in the photo...but I had to pump up the brightness or the black rope would have looked like a black shadow.  I would appreciate  your thoughts on the historical nature of the color of tarred rope as well as your impression of the rope shown.  Spending a week stocking up on it when no one will want it would be a waste.  Thanks in advance   
 

 

This would be ideal and I am working hard to get there.   Contemporary rigging color...It is not very brown or too black.   Its not too gray and somewhere in between.
 
Chuck
 

Hi Mick, John and Augie,
 
@ Mick,
 
I know how tiny those samson post are.
I just make a few of them…...
When you know your limits, that's a good thing.
Don't go over it then !
I will not do that also……( try to )
 
@ John,
 
Thanks my friend.
 
Every picture will be a big help     
I never see New York in real life so any picture of that is welcome.
 
@ Augie,
 
Thank you for 5 more minutes…….
Anja told me I can go a little longer because this is the first day in 2 weeks that I have no fever !
The medication helps finally !!!!!!!
But the workshop is still closed….orders from Anja and Mobbsie….so no ratlines for a while   
But I'm on the way back !
 

Thanks all,
 
I'll do my best to follow up the orders of my Admiral 
Everyday is a little step forwards….
It don't go fast but it is going…...
This also helps.
Almost done my 10 minutes on the pc 
 

Ok so I thought I would show my new work area (even though its pretty similar to the old one lol)

 
And I was thinking one wall hunter green (the one I face) and the others a lighter either sea pearl or perhaps sage)

 
Just keeping everyone updated lol not relevant but that does not matter lol :)

Once again I am amazed and happy at the tips I get from this great group. Thank you everyone. And sjors could I not use one of the glued on clothespins as a stand? Lol :)

I took a bit of time and drove the nails deeper and I will fill them so no filing off the heads and they will not poke out.....I know I know .........I was given great advice to remove them all but I drove some too deep for that and was afraid of the collateral damage from trying to dig them all out....
 
Ok on to the advice and guidance I hope to receive........ Ok so I will not use the nails ( much to my wife's delight since no more banging ) so I made up these clamps from clothespins.......
 
And I think I will use them this way...

 
So my question is if I do this will I not end up glueing my clamps to ship at the same time I glue the strakes??
 
Sorry for getting right back into it....I will try to socialize more now that were almost settled in ........I hope lol...

Ok I am all moved and have a place for ship building so give me a few more months to catch up on everyone's log..........

Not much progress to report, but I think I know how I am going to handle the repair.
 
As you can see below, the jibboom has broken off cleanly at the mast cap. 
 

 
As a result, all of the fore stays etc. are now rather slack.
 

 
I am going to replace the jibboom and all of the fore stays - a couple were not particularly great anyway.  When i do that, I should be able to get a nice uniform tension on them all, and also increase slightly the tension on the back stays (rear most shrouds?)

Not much progress to report, but I think I know how I am going to handle the repair.
 
As you can see below, the jibboom has broken off cleanly at the mast cap. 
 

 
As a result, all of the fore stays etc. are now rather slack.
 

 
I am going to replace the jibboom and all of the fore stays - a couple were not particularly great anyway.  When i do that, I should be able to get a nice uniform tension on them all, and also increase slightly the tension on the back stays (rear most shrouds?)

Somehow, Tony, I suspect the result is far more satisfying than you indicate!  If it is at all close to what you have done thus far, it will look great!
 
It was a pleasure "meeting" your Granddaughter the other day - she is a cutie!

Great to see her in her final home port Augie. Like the others, I have enjoyed the ride and learned a few things along the way, as well as having a LOT of laughs. I look forward to joining the gallery on your Confed build.
 
.....and I note that we exceeded the "100-page" target by more than 10%. I guess that makes us collectively a bunch of over-achievers!

SSSHHHH!!!  Please do not distract Commodore Augie - this installation and move takes delicate coordination and precise timing.  Last thing we want is a picture of broken glass on the stairs to the new berth!!!!!