Chuck

Well.....that would probably be right on the line of of copyright issues.... BUT, if you guys can wait a bit, I plan on coming out with a 1/2" scale version of a longboat kit that is a bit more advanced. The shallop is being done first however. It will be framed similar but with both futtocks and floors like a contemporary model. Plus after learning a bit more and tweaking the design concept somewhat, many other improvements were made. Its basically taking the design concept to the next level.

Indeed that is awful laser cutting. With Basswood the kerf should be very very thin......not much power is needed to cut through that stuff as it is only 1/16" thick. Too bad.

Yes....she will basically be just like the contemporary model pictured. Chuck

Thank you....Hopefully I will be able to show the larger barge in progress very soon....it is very similar but with more decoration. And its much larger. This one will be fully framed...you can see the keel assembly as compared to the Cheerful model.

It's looking fantastic Greg...You have been making a lot of progress. Good to see updates again. How about an overall shot of the hull. I would love to see her lines and sheer? Chuck

Very nicely done.

I just use a drop of glue....on both rear trucks. Nothing fancy. I dont pin them in position. If they ever come loose it woulnt be hard to re-position them.

No I dont bother with that. The split is really tight. You cant really see the seam so I dont bother with that. I never apply so much tension on them that they would open up. Chuck

That is really wonderful work Ryland. Very precise

Beautiful!!!

The lady Nelson kit is very poorly designed. The bulkheads are so far apart that it will be impossible to properly spile using the tape method. Unless of course you fill the gaps between the bulkheads with filler blocks and fair them to shape first. For such a small model there should have been no reason at all why they couldnt place more bulkheads on that model. You couldnt even use a compass. So you dont get discouraged and give up on trying the proper method for planking....... You could just plank the first layer any way you can hoping it will turn out smooth and not faceted.....but my recommendation is to fill up those gaps between bulkheads even if you just use some soft balsawood. Then fair the hull smooth so you have a solid foundation to line off your hull and spile. If you look at even how the dreaded gunport template sits against the frames as designed...you are starting the process with a bad foundation to build upon. I wouldnt even try it.

Thank You very much. The pumps have been completed. You can see that I decided to paint them red. Most people leave them natural but I figured I would go all in with the painted look. The same is true for the pump handles and bracket. These were made of either wood or metal. Because most folks leave these natural I figured I would paint them black and make them look like metal. This is how they were treated on the contemporary model of Surly. All of the pieces were painted before assembly. Then I used some heavy paper to make the reinforcing band. Those who have these plans will also notice that I have only used one band. Yet on the plans there are two. I have once again seen so many variations of elm tree pumps I figured I would show it both ways. Those building Cheerful can decide which they prefer. 1. transfer the 7/10/7 template lines to each side of the 3/16" square pump tube. Carefully file the tube to an Octagon using the lines as a guide. Drill and bore out the top of the tube to a depth of about 3/8". Carefully use a bit that will leave the pump tube walls not too heavy. 2. File and shape the bracket for the handle. The part that sits against the pump tube is tapered thinner so it fits on one facet of the octagon. Use a slotting needle file 1/32" thin or less to file the slot in the top to a forked shape. This will accept the handle. 3. Place a 1/16" x 1/16" strip in a dremel to round it off. Using an emery board this takes only a minute. This will become your pump spout. Drill a hole into the end before parting off a 5/64" long spout. Glue it to the pump tube. All pieces can be painted first. 4. Using some card stock strips wrap it around the tube as shown on the plan to simulate the metal reinforcement band. One ore two is fine. The top band should be carefully placed so the notch in the bracket accepts it at the the right height on the tube. So measure its location from the plan. 5. Glue the bracket into position. 6. Insert a length of 24 gauge black wire into the hole on the end of the handle. Like an eyebolt. Insert the end of this long wire into a pre-drilled hole in the bore of the pump tube. Adjust the length of the wire until the other pivot-hole in the handle site in the bracket nicely. The handle should be in the downward position to be correct. 7. Finally insert a small length of 28 gauge black wire into the bracket hole and through the handle to lock it in position. Snip it off on both sides so it stand proud of the bracket's surface just a little bit. Now its time to start on the winch!!!

Thank you very much!!! I have started on the pumps today. Basically I started with a 3/16" square and used the 7/10/7 ratio to convert it to an octagon. You can see how I carefully marked the blank and then filed the piece to shape. The end was drilled out afterwards. I also laser cut the handle from 1/64" thick boxwood. The handle bracket was made from 3/32" thick stock. The bracket was tapered where it attaches to the pump tube. Then it was notched out with a fine file to make it look like a fork. The handle will fit into this. But first I must paint the pieces and then assemble them. Maybe tomorrow. Chuck

Thanks Greg The lathe is still packed up in a box. Whenever I think I need it, I am too lazy to set it up and read the instructions. Its faster and easier for me to just use the needle file and emery board. One of these days I will get around to unboxing that thing to try it out.

Time machine... Thanks for the kind words guys

Just a small update even though I have been working on her steady. The guns on the starboard side are completed. The deck rings for the inhaul tackles were added as well. Then I made the galley stack. This was pretty straight forward.....four thin pieces glued together. Measurements were taken from the plans. When it was all glued up I sanded the four sides even more to thin it down a great deal. The thickness of the walls were needed to look like metal so the thinner the better. It was painted black and then treated so the finish looked like the cannon. Hopefully it looks different than the wood parts painted black. Finally I made the mast coat. It is a bit of self indulgence. I realize it wouldnt look like this in actuality but many times they are shaped like this on contemporary models. I prefer it over seeing those pie-shaped wedges. I think that looks very clunky. You can see in the photo how it looked before and after. It started out as a plain washer of boxwood. The I shaped it by hand with the two files and emery board. Next up is the pumps and winch....

That is really looking good. Glad to see you back at the bench. See you in a few weeks!!!!

Yes indeed. Those batten strips need to be a "press-fit" into the grating. Not too loose and not too tight. In order to get it just right because the tolerences are so tight. Just run the battens through some sand paper. Just once or twice and try it again. You will know when its right. It will fit really nice. Dont ever force it because of impatience. AND this is what holds the grates together although I would still apply a wash of diluted yellow glue. these parts are made just a hair larger or within a close tolerance to what is needed. It would have been far worse to make them even a hair smaller than needed and loose. Even though this would make assembly easier, it would not achieve the same result. Pulling the battens through some fine sandpaper is a piece of cake. The results are well worth the effort. This would also be true if you were making them from scratch. Chuck

I find it easier to construct the gratings first...then build the coamings around them. This way you get a nice tight fit with them. No open holes along the sides and certainly no spaces. If you are also creating the grating with a camber as it should have, then when you build the coaming around it, you will have an easier time matching it. If after you are done the completed hatch is slightly larger or smaller than your plans it wont be noticeable yet you will have a really tight and beautifully made hatch.

That willmake an excellent workshop. You are doing some great work on Cheerful. I am sure you will be up and running very soon.

Yes indeed......

Well done and its great to see you working on her again Russ.

Basically to harden the rope.... Before you remove the rope from both sides of the rope walk, After cutting one side only, you stretch the rope. Dont tug it back and forth. Just give it a gradual gentle pull until it stretches no further. Then hold it there for a few minutes or clamp it there. Do this while you still have control of the rope. If you just cut it free willy-nilly from both ends, and you havent achieved balance from the opposing tensions it will unravel and snake up and get tangled. I am sure this is familiar to many. So this is the opportunity to control the rope as it is still attached to one side of the rope walk. Gradually let it unwind until it no longer untwists. This is the point where you have achieved balance in the opposing tensions. It should hang very nicely. The opposing tension is what keeps the rope together....twisting all three strands in one direction individually firstvand then twisting all of those strands together in the opposite direction. Its hard to achieve perfect balance. But if you can keep the rope in control after cutting one side free as you let it naturally untwist into balance......you are ready to harden the rope. Hope that makes sense. I harden the rope by gently stretching and holding it there. When you eventually cut the rope completely free....no twisting and unraveling or snaking together in a tangled mess. If after you do this, you examine your rope and it is laid up to loosely...it just means you havent put enough initial twists in the individual strands. You didnt build up enough energy and tension so it keeps from unwinding to a loose lay. So the next rope you make should have more tension built up initially in the individual strands . Its trial and error until you discover the proper recipe. But once you do...you can make perfect rope every time..... and very consistently. Again..this is very hard t do on one of those self-contained automated planetary machines. Finding that balance in tension and hardening is tougher.

That would actually be a great idea.......use the thicker stuff first. That is how I taught my son to make rope. He kept breaking the smaller lines until he got used to it. Actually I was thinking of making a video...just have to convince my kids to shoot the video. Ultimately I would like to offer my new rope walk to the masses some day....but there is a learning curve and you must get the feel for it. The "feel" has a lot to do with it. Something I think only a video could most easily convey. I cant even get them to take out the garbage so its just one of those things on the "to-do List". Chuck

Thats the issue...I usually just tie it to the three/four hooks of my rope walk and spin it in the opposite direction. It unlays and then after that it lays up in the other direction. Just like that I now have left handed thread to make my right handed rope. All in one step. As it unlays initially.... the rope walk end is actually walked back...or the gap between the two actually gets wider. Before closing up again as it begins to twist in the other direction and tighten. I dont do it ahead of time as you mentioned. But I suppose you would have to in order to wound it up on those spools for the machine. The mono thread comes in limited colors....I really dont use it for my rope. I just know its out there. DMC is the ultimate best stuff readily available for rope making. The only draw back is that it has to be dyed. I used it initially before deciding that I didnt have the time to dye all of the rope I sold. It is all right handed. If I wasnt selling 1000's of feet of rope each month I would still be using it. It great stuff and I never minded dyeing it for just my own use. Rit dye is what I used. It comes in many colors...great stuff. Both lefty and righty ropes.