zoly99sask

You are right Brian!  When I measured the footprint I measured between the top timbers.  The tumblehome gave the smaller measurement.  The beam is really 16-3/4".  It will be a big model!  The Admiral would probably not agree about me being a "twig".

I've glued up 5 of the 9 frames and I'm noticing some "tolerance creep".  When I enlarge the frame parts to 200%, the lines outlining the parts get some real thickness to them:  1/32" - 3/64").  This is especially a problem where the frames butt each other.  They need to be accurate or the frame doesn't match the plans, and things like gun port lintels and sills are thrown off.  I've already noticed some slight inconsistencies as I glue up the frames.  They are not matching 100% and on both sides of the frame. The errors are small...in the range of 1/32", but they are there.   Hopefully I can figure out a fix when the time comes.  Very thin shims will likely be the answer for any frame component too short at the top timbers, with trimming if they are slightly long.  This problem is a function of the large scale of the model (1/24).  Has anyone else encountered this problem?

Started copper - just pics tonight. Don't know if I like it or not. Still has to be sealed which will knock brightness off of it.
 
Details tomorrow.
 
Opinions?
 
Suggestions? (giving up boats is not an option - LOL!)
 
Thanks - Sam

The starboard side is now completed. 
 
After finish sanding, painting and sealing the ends of the planks (which in the previous post) had been left long were cut and sanded flush with the bulkhead face. This was done to ensure that none of the paint would get on the surface of the bulkhead (frame) which will be left with a natural finish.
 
I'm now working on (deciding) the next steps in the process of my build.
 
I'm drawing some of the detail items inboard and experimenting with copper nail patterns. I've just purchased a set of ponce wheels and am considering using them to simulate nail heds as opposed to the previous (I've followed) "press" method of a small block with pins/nails filed off and pressed onto copper tape.
 
Stay tuned.............

The starboard side is (rough) planked up to the bottom of the rail. 
 
It bears noting that even though pre-sanded, the commercially obtained basswood strips' thickness is inconsistant. They will be sanded progressively until a uniform and smooth surface is achieved. This will involve going thorugh about 4 - 5 grit levels to remove material and return an acceptable surface for finishing.
 
The gunport stripe and wales were finished in the same manner as the port side. The anchor stock planking joints once painted are passingly visable. Anything heavier would be structurally threatening to the ship!
 
Sam

The next step(s) on the port side is the run up of planking from the gun port stripe to the underside of the rail. This was accomplished in three steps;
 
First, four  3/64" x 1/16" strips were placed above the stripe arriving at the bottom of the spar deck gun ports.
 
Second, an assembly of 2 each  1/8" x 1/16" and 3/64 x 1/16" strips were glued together and then measured individually to fit between the gun port opennings. I find this easier than measuring and setting each individualy.
 
Third, two 3/64" stips were glued up to the unserside of the rail.
 
They will be cut/sanded to length, progressively sanded smooth and then finished with several coats of thinned paint and wipe on poly.
 
Next - repeat all planking above the wales on the starboard side................

This just be a brief update fer now … jus’ to be proving that reports of my demise have been greatly exaggerated. Work has progressed in CaptainSteve’s shipyard o’er the past few weekends, despite him havin’ not a lot to show fer it.
 
First up, Our Hero has managed to finish his bow framing …

 
But it were to be upon turning his attentions stern-wards that CaptainSteve didst come-eth unstuck.
 
“Me main problem,” Our Hero were to begineth, “were in not bein’ able to visualize the filler blocks properly in all three dimensions.”
The first set which Our Hero were to be happy with didst verily look most good … but be totally unsuited to the stern o’ this ship.
 
“These were the MK II version … “ CaptainSteve didst mutter-eth under his breath, “in a long line o’ failures. Ye can see that I be takin' too much off where the red arrows be.”

 
Essentially, what he didst end-eth up doin’ were to be marking precisely where the rabbet line wouldst be-eth …. and thence Dremelling everything else into sawdust. Then didst follow some light sanding with ever-reducing grit sizes, until he were to be satisfied wi' the shape o' Connie's derriere.
 
"I be a-modelling this stage with a vision in mind ... clothed in a tight pair o' Levi Strauss jeans."
 
Finally, Our Hero didst push-eth his chair back from the work-bench, wipe-eth his brow, and declare-eth, “The MK XVII version ‘ere doth look to be keepers.”

“A’ first,” Our Hero began-eth, “I didst contemplate tearing out the entire gallery section and re-making me counter piece, fer it be mis-shapened, and doth lack-eth in length.”

 
But, upon further reflection, he didst decide-eth that he couldst merely build-eth up the errant counter piece with added scrap strips of wood.

 
“After all, this be only the framing and none shall be visible once the planking be on. At this point, I jus’ be needing to get the shapeliness a-right,” Our Hero self-justified.

 
Those wi’ a keen eye may have noticed that CaptainSteve has improved his photography skills … somewhat.
“I be getting meself a new camera,” he bragged. “It be just a Nikon Coolpix, but it come-eth with a new tripod, so I be a-hopin’ that future pics will be more better.”
Do you mean ‘in focus’, CaptainSteve ??
“Err … that, too”, he stammered.
 
At least it appears to have motivated Our Hero to return to his workshop.
 
To start this latest re-do, CaptainSteve did something radical and didst draw-eth up some plans to aide him.

 
As before, Our Hero didst use the stern frame templates from his kit as a stencil. But this time, he hath elected to make separate pieces for the uprights and horizontal cross-beams.
“It be much easier,” he explained, “fer me to cut (and re-cut, and re-re-cut) these pieces in this manner.”

 
“Look-eth !! A-ready,” he declared, perhaps a little too smugly, “I be needing to re-make one of the upright stern timbers.”

 
For each timber upright, CaptainSteve grooved a precisely measured groove in the base. Each, in turn, were set to 40, 80 or 120. In this manner, he hoped to position each timber/window frame properly.
“To be a-makin’ this easier on meself,” he began, “I took-eth me blade to some Lego blocks and didst slash-eth most precise angles unto each.”

"These be me tools fer setting the angles properly."
 
But, eventually, Our Hero had a full set of timbers …

[NOTE: For those lacking in sense and wishing to follow in Our Hero’s footsteps in this manner, it should be noted that he didst mark the top of the “knuckle” on each timber upright, and use-eth this as a reference.]
 
Meanwhile, he took another piece of scrap and didst cut-eth a collar-piece …

Here, the base-plank has been clamped to the back of the collar-piece for shaping.
 
“Again, I be utilising the kit templates …”

 
“This ‘ere pic,” CaptainSteve droned on, “also shows a base-plank (having been soaked, heated and curved) to which me angled uprights shall be positioned and fitted …”

 
[NOTE: The attached frame in the above pic is positioned the wrong way around. It is for demonstration purposes only, to show how the uprights are angled and fitted to the base-plank.]
 
“Next up,” Our Hero were to continue, “I didst finish me scantlings fer the gallery framing.”

 
Looking closely (“Ye may be needin’ to squint.”), CaptainSteve has finished the uprights, the base- and collar-planks, as well as the roof beams.
“Two o’ these,” he were to helpfully point-eth out, “I didst groove-eth and drill to later take the lights and wiring.”

“An’ two others,” he were to continue, “have been grooved to take the side gallery ‘walls’.”
 
And so, with the frame pieces complete, Our Hero took to construction …
“No need fer long-winded explanations,” he went on to explain, “me pictures be speaking fer themselves, I hope-eth.”

 
Next, CaptainSteve did notch-eth out his collar-plank.

 
“This piece be locking me frames into place,” he didst add-eth, “locking them firmly in place at the required angles.”
It will also provide a seating for the ends of the cabin roof beams … once the lighting has been done.
 
“Patience patience,” CaptainSteve were to huff, somewhat exasperated, “I be getting’ to them. Just how much do ye be a-wantin’ from one update ??”
 
In closing, Our Hero’s final duty for this weekend were to be adding some extra wood to the outer footings (Frames 6 and 7).
“I be deliberately adding to the footings when I didst cut these,” he complained. “But, alas, ‘twere not enough.”

 
Once the glue has dried, Our Hero will shape the footings to his satisfaction, but he be tired now and in need of a nap.
 
"Just 'cause I be knowin' you lot thrive on pictures," said CaptainSteve, wind-ething up, "here be some last-minute pics showing the framing loosely positioned in place."

That now brings us to the “tribulations” section o’ this series of postings …
 
“Arr !! Indeed-eth it does !!” noted CaptainSteve, forlornly. For, twouldst seem-eth that, upon final inspection, one o’ the stern timbers were to be out of alignment.”

 
Further, and far worse, whereby Our Hero didst e’er so lightly attempt to correct this piece, tragedy were to strike … and it didst break-eth !!!

“And it be a corner timber, as well !! Thusly, I beseech-eth, o’ Ye o' the Horde,” he were to implore-eth. “Wouldst I be able to re-attach the piece ??”
 
As of this past even-tide, CaptainSteve hath re-glued the broken timber upright …
“But,” he sighed, most heavily, “I be left a-wondering, will this be structurally sound ??”
 
Given that it is a corner upright, couldst he drill-eth a hole, and mayhaps use a small piece of wire – a piece from a staple, mayhaps – as an anchor, to re-affix-eth the errant timber upright ??

“Now, those wi’ a keen eye,” CaptainSteve were to continue, “may ha’ noticed above that there still be two o’ the stern timbers yet to be fitted.”
This be because, as previously mentioned, he doth plan on adding LED lights to this build.
 
These timbers have been drilled for the LEDs …

 
… and grooved to take-eth the wiring for same …

 
“A’ready,” Our Hero began-eth, “the wiring plug hath been fitted to me keel, and wiring stubs hath been brought inside.”

 
Unfortunately, that be close to the limits o’ CaptainSteve’s electrical know-how. Fortunately, he doth know-eth of a colleague much skilled in the (un)dark arts.
“As such,” he went-eth on, “I be leavin’ this update here for now. But a-fore we get into matters of Electrification, an anecdote …”
 
Indeed-eth, CaptainSteve doth recall-eth an incident from his own Youth, whereby he were to discover-eth for his ownself the basic principles o’ the process o’ Electrification.
 
“T’was Christmas time o’ that year”, he were to begin-eth. “And I be but ten years o’ age. Me brother, CaptainDennis (fer whom this ‘ere build be intended), were but 16 months younger ‘an me ownself.”
 
“Indeed-eth,” Our Hero were to explain, “he remain-eth so, to this very Day !!”
Ahem …
 
To cut a long an’ rambling story short, Our Hero and his brother had managed to con their beloved parents into a deal whereby these two schemers would receive the super-duper-all-extras-included-bestest-deal-on-the-planet-ever-Mum-and-Dad-honest-to-God-electric-race-car-track-set as a combined Xmas AND next birthday present for the both of them.
 
(Regular fans may wish to take-eth note o’ CaptainSteve’s choice o’ terminology here: specifically, "a combined ... present” and, " ... for the both of them".)
‘Scuse me ?? Betwixt two brothers, you say, CaptainSteve ??
Surely this could lead to nothing but co-operation and an out-pouring of filial love.
 
All were goodly up until the time whence we didst taketh to re-designing the track lay-out. Something went awry, and one car didst becometh stationary and most uncompetitive !!
 
Reasoning, even at this tender age, that there be no mains power, Our Hero decides to test the voltage … by applying his tongue across the metal bits of a section of track.
 
Crouched o’er the track and with his tongue in contact with the rails of the track, he signals to his beloved younger brother:
“Juth a wee bid, bruvva-deareth”, he were to utter.
 
“What ??” asked his beloved younger brother, as he plunged the plunger on the controller to its’ full-plungeable depth.
 
“GAAAAAAAAAAahhhhhhh !!” were CaptainSteve heard to reply-eth.

There hath been troubles, triumphs and tribulation a-plenty in CaptainSteve’s modellin’ room o’er these past few weeks ...
 
Now, despite being greatly enthused and inspired as he was by works of magnificence such as those from Doris … and Siggi … and so many, many others, CaptainSteve doth wish-eth to note that he hath always intended fer the stern quarters interior detailin’ to be viewed at “galloping horse” speeds.
 
“Or faster, if possible !!”, he were to interject.  
 
“Forsooth,” he were to open with. “I didst maketh plans and all …”

 
For, verily, from whence Our Hero didst first plan to display some sort of furniture in the Great Cabin region, he didst intend-eth plan to utilise the veneers of Tasmanian Blackwood for the interior panelling…

 
“It be a beautiful wood, don’t it ??” he enquired of the horde.
 
The problem, and the part that he forgot to be mentioning, is that it also be an extremely close-grained hardwood, thusly making it most difficult to work with …
“But it also be a right PITA to work-eth with, and prone to much splinterin’ and shatterin’ !!”, Our Hero were to declare-eth.
 
“Whilst I were not to keep many pictures o’ me failings,” he stammered weakly, by way of explanation, “I didst try to simulate the panelling with me Proxxon mill.”

 
Eventually, CaptainSteve did constructeth a board-room table from a small piece of the Blackwood …

 
CaptainSteve explains: “In the instance o’ the first, I be a-planning on adding false doors at the back of Bulkhead R …”

 
“… as well-eth, there wouldst be doors leading to each o’ the side galleries.”

 
“In addition, I didst also paint-eth some wall-paintings …”
If truth be known, Our Hero didst merely build-eth a frame, some 3mm square, and didst glue-eth such to a postage stamp. All that remained was a quick trim.

“Arr !!” he were to mumble, sheepishly. “I be found out. I didst think-eth that, at a ‘galloping horse viewing distance’ mayhaps no-one wouldst notice.”

 
Here be pictures ….

 
“Ye may note,” CaptainSteve noted, “that the lounge be just a piece of doll-house furniture which I were to ha’ a-layin’ about the place.”

 
Our Hero intends to be a-leavin’ the doors sittin’ ajar …
“It be the better fer allowing me lighting to be visible through the side gallery windows.”

 
As a final touch, he didst make-eth up a pair of map scrolls …
“These, I be just sitting lazily upon me Blackwood Captain's table,” he explained.

 
“By the by … “, CaptainSteve were to cry-eth out !! “I didst modify the angle o’ me window frames e’er so slightly.”
 
Upon checking the pictures in AOTS more closely, Our Hero didst find-eth that the angles of the window frames are, more accurately: 3.50, 70 and 10.50. As such, new templates were cut from scrap card pieces.

“In truth,” he were to explain-eth, pointing to the above picture, “I didst decideth to go instead with angles of 40, 80 and 120.”
 
CaptainSteve be thinkin’ that these settings be more aesthetically pleasing …
 
What say-eth the Horde ??

It's nice to see you back in your Triton shipyard

I laid out the futtocks for frame #1 on the billets.  There are 11 parts per double frame and 9 frames in all.  I'll glue up frame #1 today and cut out frame #2 also.

Thanks, Eddie.
 
Milestone!  The first frame is glued up.  I'll finish all nine before rough sanding them.

you've made some stellar progress!   look'in good Sjors!  

After the nice word that I received after the fix it's time for an update.
I places all the gratings ,railings, paintwork that has to be done.
Cleaning a little bit .
So we are on track again.
And I have put 12 eyebolts with rings on the hull.
I don't know the purpose of that but it looks nice 
 
Sjors
 
 

The jig is needed no more. It did what it had to do: 200 notches.
The idea was not to have to turn the handle of the milling machine because after a couple thousand turns of this small handle, it hurts the wrist.

Looking good, keep the pictures coming

One of the first steps of construction was to plank the main deck and line up the lower gun ports.
The bulkheads had notches cut out for little flanges on the cast white metal gun ports to slot into.
I was lucky enough that all the notches on the bulkheads lined up perfectly. 
The instructions stated that the gunports be lined up and supported by a plank top and bottom. 
The cannons are purely just for lining up purposes and are dry fitted. 

She is a good looking ship indeed. I do like the green clinker type planking around the upper gunports and I like the stern decorative peices. The covered balconies on port and starboard of the stern also have an appealing touch.

The second photo shows the beginning of the stern gallery formations. It was later found out that the thin plywood on the top had to be bent in a downwards fashion. Lots of cutting and filing to get this part right.

Once I was sure all the bulkheads had been faired I painted the inside of the lower gun ports Matt black and procceded to plank from the gunports to the to of the bulwarks. Cutting short links to fill inbetween the gun ports. 

Glad you straightened me out. I didn't realize that was a drilled out rod. Probably even better. It would have been difficult to find various sizes of tubing.

Zoltan: Thanks, I'm just passing on a idea that I found here on MSW
 
E.J.: No problem, it really is a good little jig and it also works for making hinges

Thanks for that tutorial Don. Very helpful.
 
Ian