rafine

Thanks so much Tim, Ben and Nigel. 

Sorry Nigel, I haven't tried the Birchwood Casey on any soldered parts and have no idea how, or if, it works on them.

Bob

In my last update, I had made and fitted, but not installed, the main jeer bitts. They are now mounted. I have also made and mounted the main topsail sheet bitts. The other new items are the forward cranks for the chain pumps and their supports. As with the other deck fittings, the wood parts are boxwood . The cranks are blackened brass wire and the belaying pins in the bitts are blackened brass parts. As with the aft cranks, I chose to simplify them by merely bending the wire, rather than attempting a multi part assembly at this scale.

I'm now working on the next batch of guns.

Bob

Thanks so much Wes and Jason

Bob

A superb piece of work Thomas. Your carving skill is really impressive.

Bob

Nigel, you guys don't know what you're missing. Golf provides enough aggravation to make any difficulties encountered in ship modeling seem very easy.

Bob

Many thanks Rusty. There are certainly times when I wish it were the scale of your bomb vessel cross-section .

Bob

Thanks so much Thomas.

Bob

I like your slip Patrick. It looks like you're off to a really solid start. I'm not a fisherman, so no comment on the swim baits ( whatever they are).

Bob

Thanks for looking in Chuck. Two things on the deck camber: First, using the kit bulkheads, the gun deck is dead flat. Any noticeable camber on the quarter and forecastle decks looks odd. Second, reference to the section drawings in AOTS Essex (there are no section drawings in the kit plans), shows that at small scale the camber is barely visible without use of a straight edge. My choice was to keep the upper decks consistent with the gun deck. 

With regard to the kit deck fittings, I really can't comment because I have scratch built them from boxwood. BTW, I have enjoyed using your blocks and rigging line in doing the gun rigging and expect to use them for all the rigging.

Although we retirees get a lot of modeling time in, I'm afraid that "almost done" isn't quite the case. I expect a few months more on the hull, and then there will be the masting and rigging.

Bob

Thanks so much Mark for your very generous comments. BTW, no matter how long we do this, we all still have a lot to learn.

Bob

Thanks so much Grant. Always appreciated.

Bob

Thanks very much Michael.

Bob

Thanks so much Patrick, Nigel, Joe and Augie. It will be my pleasure if this log proves useful to future builders.

Bob

I was about to complete the quarterdeck framing when I realized that I had forgotten to do the elm tree pumps, which had to go in before the deck framing. Whew.

The pumps were made up from boxwood strip and a tiny bit of wire. The body of the pumps are  square strip, sanded eight sided and drilled out at the top and for the drain. I also made up the main jeer bitts and drilled their mounting holes before in stalling the deck framing. They have not been installed yet.

The remaining deck framing was done like the previous sections with the beams, carlings, ledges, lodging knees and hanging knees.

The next items will be the main topsail sheet bitts and the completion of the chain pump cranks and supports.

Bob

That's a great looking stove Nils.

Bob

Thanks so much Grant, Ben, Michael, Nils, Rusty, B.E. and Antony For your continuing interest, kind words and encouragement, and thanks again to the "likes".

I don't know the answer B.E., but it would seem to make sense.

Bob

Thanks very much Al.

Bob

Thanks Patrick, Tim and the "likes".

Patrick, the planks are 1/32" x 1/16" -- in fact thinner than the edge of the penny.

Tim, the pump dales are shown in the kit plans and instructions, but mine were made from boxwood.

Bob

I am really impressed Grant. The boat framing at this scale is terrific.

Bob

Thanks Terry. I'm afraid that the only thing I could teach is to grow older, have more time for modeling and substitute more patience and perseverance for diminishing physical capabilities.

Sam, it's good to hear from you. It's been a while and I was getting a little concerned about you.

I've now made and installed the chain pumps, their aft cranks and crank supports and the pump dales. The pumps were made using the kit laser cut pieces as forms for boxwood planking. The cranks are blackened brass wire and are simplified due to their small size. The forward cranks and supports will be added as I move forward on the gun deck. I am in the process of making the remaining quarterdeck framing and the main jeer bitts.

Bob

Looking really good Michael.

Bob

Looking really good Rusty. I can't wait to see the planking.

Bob

I have used 1/16" thick holly planking without any sagging or other problems. There seem to be enough bulkheads to make that work, provided that all of the plank joints fall on the bulkheads. 

Bob

Thanks so much Rich, Thomas and Sjors. You guys are much too kind.

Bob

Many thanks Rusty and Michael.

Bob