rafine

Thanks, Ron.

Bob

Looking good, Augie. 

Bob

Looking great as usual, Rusty. Pretty soon, with all the progress on Triton, you're going to have to turn your attention to your other two projects.

Bob

Really nice work on those frames, Ben. I don't know how you guys can work on two or more models at once.

Bob

Thanks very much, guys. Your interest and encouragement are always appreciated.

Bob

Thanks Ben. Sorry, I must have missed your post.

Framing for the gun deck is now done except for cutting and fitting the hanging knees and making and fitting the pillars. None of the framing has been given any finish at this point. The gun deck framing, like the lower deck framing, was built entirely off the model. I am really happy with the method. The photos show the framing at various stages of completion. The last is with the framing temporarily in place on the model. 

I have now decided that I will do enough deck planking to allow for placement of guns on both sides. The waterways and deck planking will be done after the framing with knees and pillars is installed.

Bob

Really nicely done, Augie.

Bob

The bulwarks look great. I bought red heart to do my bulwarks after seeing you use it earlier.

Bob

One of my favorite Syrens, Thomas. Beautifully done.

Bob

Thanks, Aykutansin. Your interest is appreciated.

Bob

You're off to a nice start, Mark.

Bob

Thanks, Mark. Don't worry, I think that guy is looking for most of us.

Bob

Thanks so much, guys. You're all too kind.

Russ, I promise to plank more of the gun deck.

Bob

Prior to doing any planking of the lower deck, I planked the interior of the hull up through the gun deck clamps, including treenailing. This planking was all done in boxwood. I then did the waterway in boxwood and a fairly small section of the lower deck planking in holly. This planking was also treenailed. After the planking was done, I finished the hull and deck planking and the top of of the unplanked deck framing with Wipe-on Poly. I'm not sure whether i didn't do more deck planking because I was lazy or because I liked the look of the framing -- probably some of each.

Now it's on up to the gun deck.

Bob

Very nice looking work, Ben. I'm impressed that you can get the bamboo down to #20 on the draw plate. 

Bob

Thanks, Ben. I'm admiring your work on the Echo section.

Bob

Spectacular, Augie. With only weeks to go, it's almost time for "the model is done" remorse to start setting in. Hard to know whether pride, relief or sadness is the overriding emotion.

Bob

Apparently Rusty, we're good for each other.

Bob

Thanks, David.

Bob

Thanks, Russ, Ron and Rusty for the very kind words. Hopefully, the gun deck will  turn out as well as the lower.

Bob

Thanks very much guys. Your continuing interest is always appreciated.

Bob

Thanks, Grant. It's worked out better than I expected.

The lower deck framing is now complete and installed. I added the fourth beam and the beam arms, as well as their carlings and ledges. The bottom and sides of the assembly were finished with Wipe-on Poly. The top will be given the finish after a portion has been planked. I then installed the entire assembly permanently. Next, the hanging knees were cut from boxwood sheet, fitted, finished with Wipe-on Poly and installed. Lastly, the pillars were cut from boxwood strip, their corners chamfered, finished with Wipe-on Poly and then installed.

The next steps will be to plank a portion of the lower deck and to plank the interior from the lower deck to the gun deck clamps.

Bob

Beautifully done, Rusty. Seeing your great work continues to force me out of my comfort zone to try to reach the level that you achieve.

Bob

Many thanks, Ron and Joss. I had never tried it before, Joss, but I'm glad that I did. I don't know how it would work on a full hull model, but it's been good idea on the cross section.

Bob

Thanks, Rich, Russ and Mark for the very kind words.

So far so good, Russ. The short length of the cross section lends itself to doing it this way.

Rich, for my money there is no comparison between using boxwood (or pear or cherry or other hardwoods) and basswood. It is well worth the extra cost for the results that you will get and the aggravation that you will avoid. There are certainly people on this site who achieve great results with basswood, but I've been a convert for some time now. You're correct about the method I used to make the frames. I would think that doing it the other way would result in a great waste of expensive wood. Also in my case I cut everything by hand and it seemed much easier to cut smaller pieces rather than full frames.

Bob