Chuck

Elmers....wood filler

You need to trace them ina vector program like Corel Draw which is what I use. You just cant scan them etc. You need to use a drawing program or Cad program which when finished has vector lines. Those vector drawings are then saved as DFX files and sent to the laser cutter. But when you are tracing them and developing the part templates you must compensate for the kerf of the laser and char after its removed so once sanded the part is the correct size. So in most cases you are drafting slightly oversized. Most laser cutter companies like Boss laser have tutorials on their sites and so does Epilog. They wont teach you corel draw but what they have is quite useful.

There will be a total of 20 frames in this cross section. It is a pretty robust section of the hull. Eleven of those frames are plain square frames, style one construction. There will be five frames with shifted or bent top timbers...Style 2. And finally four broken frames where the ports will be located.....style three. Style 3 is shown below. The concept seemed to work just fine. You can see I didnt even finish sanding the inside of the frame or apply any finish to it yet. I was just testing the concept. Once the port sill and lintel are added the safety tabs on the inside of the hull can be cut away. I dont think it will be too hard to do but given the tight space maybe but this will be better determined once I get that far. Now that the three styles of frames have been tested and approved....I can slowly move forward with drafting the remaining 17 frames. Its just busy work at this point. Having said that, this initial prototype will now be discarded and I will begin again with a new one after making a few minor tweaks. And this is how I design and bring a new project forward. This next rendition should be the final for all the framing so I will not be making yet a fourth iteration. In the meantime...have a look at one of Dennis' wonderful renderings of this cross section. This time with a lot more trimmings and you can see what the final will look like. Why build one when these renderings look so real???? Makes my actual wood version look kind of boring!!!

Thank you and enjoy the ropewalk....I was playing with mine today also, LOL.

Its not really the case. The Winnie is already designed and finished. Its all about just building it now with maybe some minor tweaks. No heavy lifting needed. This one on the other hand is such a new concept for me since I never built a fully framed anything. I could have gone the same easy route that most go and just do a hahn style project but that is nothing new at all. So the brain challenge drafting and designing these elements as developed by David Antscherl is just as much fun as building the Winnie. I am very grateful that it isnt the full hull. Once I finalize the three slightly different frame design concepts for these three different styles of frame I will be in good shape. Then its just rinse and repeat......and I only have one more left to tinker with...... Today at my shop the guys all came over and I handed out some laser cut frames to them so they can build them at home. You missed that today but next time you come I will give you a few. Its great having a bunch of testors ready and available so I can watch them assemble my crazy contraptions while I observe any problem areas that might prop up. So far so good. I believe Larry will be building this prototype alongside me and I will be getting him started in a couple of weeks......its a huge help with the entire process and fun for me to watch. Mike brought his Winnie too!!! Which looks great.

There will be three different types of frames. All with slight variations of my frame design concept. You have seen the first which is the typical square frame. This second type which are are only four or 5 have shifted top timbers....or bent top timbers. It is built very similar to the last frame I described and will be described in full in the instructions. It is shown below with the bent top timber. The other thing you might notice in this photo is the laser etched notches on the frame for the port sill and lintel framing. This should make adding the port sills easier although if you would like to, you can adjust the notch shape so it looks more like the traditional fish tail shape you see and expect. It all depends on how much realism you want to add depending on your experience. The other interesting pieces are the two notched registration strips that will span across the top of all the frames. I didnt see this on other fully framed projects and I thought it would be a nice addition. This is going to be very different than the stylized framing ala Hahn. The third and final frame style will be those that are broken with a space to accommodate the gun ports. I will be designing it so they can remain in one piece until after you insert the port sills and lintels. This will make more sense after I show pictures. This last version of my frame concept will be up next so I want to finalize the testing and get it done soon. You can see the bent frames and "broken or split" frames in this 3 d rendering. I am working from aft towards the bow so the next two frames will be those broken frames to accommodate the gun ports Chuck

I forgot to mention that and wasnt about to take another video. But its not for the ends. Its for when you do larger ropes. Like the 2mm stuff. It may have more of a tendency to unwind slightly. So instead of just running some water down the rope after its laid up....I like to make a weak and very thin solution. I mix some white glue or even titebond in the cup of water....its still very watery and then run that over the rope. Once dry....no worries about unraveling.

Nicely done Mike. Chuck

Not until next week.

Ah but that is the half hull.....not one of the other three full models. The crazy thing about these three models is that none of them even match in size or scale or shape. They are all slightly different so its pot luck if they any one particular set of lines will be considered correct. But at least I will be able to say it was from one of them. Either way I will create a kit of a boeier and do have some time to wait as I am still working on the other two projects. But this is my back up boeier pictured below for any such kit should the Czar model info not make its way to me when I am ready to start.

I already checked out your log actually.....it is exactly the way I am thinking it will go. But like my mini kit for the cheerful pumps. Folks will still need to form the eight sides from square stock using a 7-10-7 template. But that is something everyone should learn to do at some point anyway.

I have already actually built the model pictured above......but I just built it in my head. Every step....by step. I know exactly what the pieces will look like and how all of that trim and molding will be added, etc. Its not very difficult at all. The hardest part of that project is convincing ANY one of the folks who can get the lines off the original contemporary models to do so. Any one of the three contemporary models will do. Or to even share the findings some of them already have. Its the toughest thing I have ever had to try and do. Its like these folks in that part of the world think they are keeping a secret cure for cancer or something. They are just very hesitant to share primary and secondary source information. Its very off-putting. I have never had this experience with any other museum, author or knowledgeable historian or scholar on the subject. I could get state secrets easier than it has been trying to get info on this boeier. It may be the thing that kills this project before it has a chance of getting out of my head and onto the workbench. Its probably why no really good kits or projects exists for these boats. Everything is "need to know" and "I am not sure I want to share" type of stuff. Its very unfortunate. And I am actually willing to pay for the info....if they wait too long I am sure some other not-so-ethical group will try and find a way to steal it though. So hopefully they wont hold out too much longer.

Looks good....but check those plans....the rabbet strip doesnt extend that far aft....

That Echo Cross section and how it is presented is exactly how I plan on presenting the Pegasus kit. Literally the same. One side planked and one side open framed.....Its beautiful. Chuck

I am not saying everyone is cheap or even mean to suggest Ives is. Please dont get the wrong idea. I Just want to point that out right away. His last two suggestions were just a good point to mention that things are getting a bit crazy and overwhelming with the wish lists. I got this covered. The kit will be a very nice project that is affordable and very easily upgraded. Mostly each builder will be able to do so with the tons and tons of info out there on Pegasus. Sure it would be much easier for most if I was able to do the extra work and put it all in the box...but then you will probably be looking at a $350-$375 cross section kit...rather than $225. Which w0uld not be an issue for some of you but most would just say no way....and I would not sell many kits. But let me work on the "base" version first and I can always add other features once it is all done....for an extra price of course. But I can tell you for sure that I wont be plating the kit or doing any masting and rigging. I am sure you guys can cover that aspect and do a fantastic job of it on your own. In fact I learned a lot about the market with the Cheerful and Barge kits. So many people want so many different things its not possible that a kit that comes in a single box will satisfy everyone. So like the Cheerful, I am thinking about oferring this Cross section in installments. - Base starter package with all framing parts and keel with build board - Exterior details package - planking and details -Interior details package - deck framing and fittings -adition one-off extra upgrades - to come much later This way it will be possible for even just a small price that someone could buy the framing and just bash/scratch build everything else. And it would be in everyones budget hopefully. I am also considering breaking down the Barge kit into two or three installments for the same reason. But for now I will keep it as is. I really want to try and make this so you guys have the most options and wont balk at the price tag. I am not calling anyone in particular cheap....but just as an example...I have guys asking me if they can just buy 6 feet of rope or just five 1/4" single blocks so they dont have to spring for an entire package. Its really crazy. Because after cutting them a six feet portion I would be able to somehow sell the remaining 14' in my scratch and dent section. I am surprised every day by the unusual requests and most are aimed at finding a way to save a few bucks. I get it...things are tough for some folks. I am not trying to minimize this. I am trying really hard to think outside the box within reason because you guys would be amazed how much this matters and the large number of requests I get. But I just cant sell you five blocks at .40 cents each and mail them in a regular envelope with a 50 cent stamp so you wont have to pay the regular shipping.

Yes it was but, dont relate this to what your traditional kit might look like. There are dozens of people asking for dozens of things....and the kit can not be everything for everyone. Its kind of funny actually. Who wants holly...who wants masts and rigging...who wants copper plates...Pump details...a boxwood option....the list is endless. The beauty of the hobby is that any of you can very easily bash a kit like this to include copper plating. Or buy a few sheets of Holly to plank it with, or whatever else. What you guys dont realize is that with every upgrade it will add $$$ to the cost of a kit. For example, many have balked at the price I am charging for the barge. They dont understand how its different than other kits and what it takes to MFG it. I would like to keep this kit reasonably priced for the majority of builders...and not push this into the realm of where only 15% of the market will be willing to buy it or could afford it. I am shooting for the $225-$250 range....but you guys can bash it easily enough. I really dont mean to sound harsh but I wanted to let you know its a bit overwhelming and if you guys look back on the shear number of requests...thats a lot of upgrades and work for what most wouldnt want to pay more than five bucks extra for. Overwhelmed in New Jersey......

longboatfreizes.pdf

Pretty much from scratch...but it was really good to have David's drafting on the parts first. That saved lots of time although I basically had to redo them to add the kit features you see. On projects like the Winnie, you basically start with the original drafts...import them into Corel draw and start designing....just like if you put a piece of tracing paper over a paper copy of the draft and used a pencil. I am just using a mouse instead. Makes erasing mistakes a lot easier.

Its actually David's drafting and much of the original drafts are also used. But yes that would in my opinion be a very boring topic. But thats just me. Its just a lot of trial and error and computer drafting in Corel Draw. I usually try many iterations of any given feature before going with it. These frames concepts went through dozens of tweaks and redesigns before I arrived at what you see in the photos. The keel parts were about half a dozen different designs. Most of those tries end up in the trash....lots of waste wood. And it feels a lot like this after each and every failure....

Consider the flood of Chinese and Russian POF kits on the market right now. They all use stylized framing ala "Hahn" method. Its very stylized and tedious to put together. Most are pirated. Others are just plain bad attempts at POF. This will be my answer to a flooded market of those, by kicking it up a notch and showing some real (almost) framing concepts in a kit form. And hopefully not tedious and annoying to build. Not that the Asian kit obsessed will ever acknowledge anything other than the .....well you know. But the next logical progression would be to take this design concept further and do a full hull. But not likely by me anytime soon.

Thank you guys. I wanted to show the test set up with one of the actual cherry frames in position. This will be an actual frame I use on the model as opposed to the other tests I posted. This final version is slightly different in that it is done with chocks. You can see the chock between the futtock and toptimber . Its is not an actual chock but it is impossible to tell the difference. I just used a laser etched line to complete the appearance of a chock and it only shows on one side of the frame. This is important for the outside frames because it completes the look of actual framing practices. But the other side just shows the simple scarf joint. The frames will be so close together that you wont be able to see that. To complete the simulation, I just drew a line with a very sharp pencil along the inboard edge of the frame. This will have to be redone once the inboard frames are faired but you can see how nice it looks. It will make the open framed port side look really authentic. Especially after treenailing is done. If you really wanted to, you could complete the illusion on the other side of each frame with a pencil...but seriously it would be impossible to see.

Yes, but that particular frame is but its just for a test fitting. I will be using Cherry for the frames too eventually. I just needed to check the fit and size of the notches on the workbench so I can replicate it across all of the remaining frames as I draft them. So building will slow considerably on this one now. Chuck

Prototyping the keel parts. These are all in cherry. I have laser cut the false keel, keel, and rising wood. They have holes in them for the screws that will hold it to the baseboard which are also laser cut. Note the hex holes for the captive nuts laser cut into the rising wood. The rising wood is also pre-notched to position the frames. One of my test frames is being tested for its fit and it all seems good. All of the layers for the keel assembly were laser cut somewhat wider than needed so there would be plenty of meat left on the parts. This extra meat will allow someone to vigorously sand the laser char from the edges AFTER assembly without worrying that you will sand too much off which would then cause a problem. You can get these pieces nice and clean as you can see by the keel that I finished. I havent cut the rabbet yet but that is coming next. I am laser cutting a tool that will hopefully help make creating the rabbet a lot easier. I am going to build this one in Cherry. Now that all of the notches and holes have been squared away as far as drafting is concerned...I can move forward with drafting the remaining 18 frames. That will be a slow process. Chuck

That is about 6 months supply maybe. Maybe 7.

FYI...The reason for the alternative woods is two-fold. First to make these projects affordable and Boxwood and pear are very expensive. In addition, I am not sure you guys are aware of this yet, but you will be soon. The price for C.Boxwood has increased 75-100% over the last two-three months. There are very few places in the US right now where you can get really nice stuff without grain that is creamy and wonderful. At least not in the large sizes that I need. The current costs for this stuff is now $40 and up per BF. I was getting it for almost half that price six months ago. Just got what is probably my last shipment of awesome looking boxwood this morning at that price before I have to either raise my prices or start thinking about a different wood overall. When your wood guys run out of their pile....they will be very shocked to learn about the increase. And will probably pass that on to you. So my advice....if you use boxwood a lot, buy all you can over the next few months from where ever you can find it. You are looking at really nice boxwood boards that are 3+" thick, 5-5 1/2" wide and 30" long. If you knew how much this stack of wood cost you wouldnt believe it. I am looking to buy another batch within the next few weeks to try and hoard it at the lower prices where ever I can find it. Gilmer now charges the lowest at $40 per BF. Other sources have garbage boxwood or its even more money with boards half the thickness and width. This is also the reason guys why my block inventory has been in bad shape. I was waiting on this nice stack of wood. Once I find time to mill it up I will get right on restocking the sizes of blocks I am out of. Chuck