Chuck

I added the first two strakes below the wales. This was to get the drop plank out of the way. The drop plank was shaped from a piece of card stock first just to get the hang of it. After I was satisfied that it fit OK I cut the real ones from wide stock the same thickness as the planking. They were pre shaped as you can see. You can also see my pencil on the edge to simulate the tarred seams. Now I will line off the remainder of the hull into two belts and finish the planking. I also painted the first of many layers of red paint on the counter at the stern. Chuck

Yes it works...I basically do the same thing with a hair dryer.

Thank you I do have more images though.......and a couple of contemporary drafts. But yes it was done both ways.

Thanks... No its correct....there was never a one size fits all for these things. Some had alternating holes and others had them as I have designed it. And as Jan points out, there is the example above from the NMM. I have also seen other contemporary models that show them like this too. There was always some variation on the same. The good news is...should you decide to build her, you could absolutely change it to what you believe is correct. That is why it wont be a kit but released as a scratch project. I am 100% confident that the Windlass is correctly designed and portrayed. Not that there arent other configurations that would work as well. Chuck

Thanks, I used a hair dryer and slowly bent it to the desired shape while heating it up. The hair dryer was on the highest the hottest setting. Chuck

Thanks..... That is still the plan. As soon as I complete the exterior planking with the square tuck and write the first few chapters of the monograph (which will be posted on my site as a free download) the plans will be released.

Well that is very interesting. Thank you Sjors. I have printed it and will stick the printout in the model so when I am ready to restore her I at least have a starting point. Here is the model in question by the way. I havent had time to give it a thorough researching yet. That is a big help. The name on the back is "Margareta" or "St. Margarethen" Chuck

I use a nail clipper. Gives a nice crisp snip and doesnt make the edges of the rope ragged. Both cutting edges are flush so you can get close in on a know or anything you want to cut. Buy a good pair though....cheap ones wont work as well.

Thats exactly how its working...I have my club meeting tonight so no work getting done at all. Plus I have to get some stuff ready for Thanksgiving at my place this year. Yikes.

Its been so long I am not entirely sure. Tough to remember every last detail. Best to be safe and move it down by at least 1/32" do give you a bit of wiggle room. Chuck

Fine run to that plank...dont forget to measure up from the top of that plank at the bow to make sure that you have enough room for all of the strakes along the stem. I see many builds that curve the initial plank to high up on the stem and it causes issues later.

Thanks George....No kit but definitely some other parts....see this post in the build log. But I havent ruled it out entirely. I Never say never. http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/8131-hm-cutter-cheerful-1806-148-scale-by-chuck/?p=244654

I was able to shape the fashion pieces today. They are will be in one piece with the boom crutch added separately later. The boom crutches wont be added until the cap rail is added way down the road. For now I just left them extra long so I can file them back to where I want them. You can see in the photo how the bottom fashion piece was bent using heat.....no water or soaking. The top one is the flat 1/16" thick piece which has not been bent yet. Once these were glued on the model, the second layer of the wales (two strakes) were added and painted. I still have to paint them on the other side. After thats done I will treenail above the wales. That will be easier to do before I add the fancy molding along the sides of the hull per the plan. Notice how the fashion piece covers the end grain of the planks on the stern transom. When the stern is all done there shouldnt be any end-grain exposed for any of the planking. The fashion piece and square tuck protect them from the elements.

These were actually either centered as you have shown or there were two P & S. Here is a detail from the Cheerful draft. They were actually angled to match the angle of the boom rather than facing straight ahead. They were an extension above the fashion pieces.

That look like a very well constructed skeleton. Its looking faired and true. Well done!!

Thats not entirely true....if everyone thought I was nuts or off-base I wouldnt have. Based on the even mix of opinions though, I feel comfortable that folks wont say "what was he thinking". So black and red it is.....the comments are a huge help actually. I am hopefully going to get the fashion pieces made and installed today and then the final layer of wales. Chuck

Dictionary of British Naval Battles By John D. Grainger Woodbridge, Suffolk: The Boydell Press, 2012 6-1/2” x 9-1/2”, hardcover, xiv + 588 pages Maps, glossary, bibliography, index. $90.00 ISBN: 9781843837046 John D. Grainger has presented readers with a thorough and accessible reference source on British naval encounters in his book, Dictionary of British Naval Battles. Focusing on British naval encounters from the Middle Ages through modern day, Grainger offers a new resource for naval historians and those with a casual interest in naval warfare alike. Addressing not only on the major battles of British naval history but on small naval encounters as well, Grainger offers an interpretation of Britain’s naval prowess rarely covered in other accounts. In doing so, Grainger presents the development of a diverse and influential naval force that became the dominant power on the sea throughout much of history. Grainger’s central objective is to demonstrate the breadth and multiplicity of British naval power throughout British history. Highlighting the widespread influence of Britain across the globe and its use of naval power to obtain this supremacy, Grainger aptly portrays the British navy as an active and disseminated entity almost continuously utilized. Using largely secondary sources, Grainger discusses each naval encounter in a clear and concise manor, detailing the vessels involved and their outfits, in addition to discussing the details of each event. Grainger organizes his work by naval vessel and individual battle, allowing him to discuss even small naval encounters largely overlooked in many British naval histories. Grainger begins his work discussing the meaning of the expressions “British”, “naval” and “dictionary”, effectively describing his definitions for the words as they pertain to the topics included in his work. Maintaining that “British” must include any navy under British rule, in one volume, Grainger effectively is able to discuss naval encounters ranging from the northern Irish attack on the Hebrides in 580 AD to Britain’s naval endeavors in the Persian Gulf. Focusing on each naval battle in turn, Grainger maintains a level of detail in each entry that surpasses many other works of the same nature. Grainger has produced detailed and well-crafted entries on a wide range of British naval topics, spanning from the medieval period to modern day. While his research is comprehensive, his scope remains very large, which at times can seem overwhelming. Though his general outline takes a logical and systematic approach, the wide range of topics covered has the potential to lose a reader. At times, the chronology of events is lost due to the alphabetical organization of the work, taking away from a more liminal understanding of Britain’s naval history. Despite this, Grainger clearly addresses his organizational technique in his introduction, and provides readers with additional references at the end of each entry for those interested in learning more about specific topics. Overall, Grainger has produced a well-researched and skillfully written addition to the canon of British naval history. Grainger has developed a valuable source of knowledge on British naval events, effectively producing an important reference source on British vessels, battles, and naval warfare. Caitlin Zant East Carolina University

Well done...It is looking really good. Chuck

Natural is the safe way to go. I think I am a bit more adventurous than that. So I will go with the Surly color scheme. It will be interesting to see a few more with different paint schemes should any of you decide to build her as well. Thats the fun part of this hobby. But who knows, I could change my mind tomorrow.

That looks very good Rusty. As fine as any planking job that I have seen. I applaud your willingness to try the proper planking techniques of spiling and such. Its different than just force bending and may take more time but once you start, its something you will just continue to do. Well done!!! Chuck

I am actually leaning towards the Surly paint scheme. Black caprail and black sheer strip, with red bulwarks and red counter. But that can change, This is always a struggle for me to decide. Chuck

Almost forgot.....looking for some second opinions. I am thinking about painting the lower counter and leaving the transom natural. Like the Surly contemporary model. What do you think? Maybe blue....but not this bright. Is it too much? Maybe leave it all natural back there? You will also note how the Surly had the bulwarks cut down which is why the transom is a funky shape. This was done during a refit long after the Cheerful was already gone. Cheerful didnt last too long. Maybe I will switch and call her the Surly....I am not feeling too cheerful today.. Chuck

Got the counter and the transom planked. You may notice that I thinned down the outside stern frames considerably before planking the stern. The first photo shows how thick they were before it was planked. After the sides of the hull were planked the outside stern frames were strong enough to handle the thinning down. It makes the model more historically correct. The inboard side of the stern and counter will not be planked so I wanted to make sure it looked as authentic as possible. That of course means that I must really clean up the inboard side between the stern frames carefully to prepare it for painting. I will fill any cracks and sand it smooth and do lots of surface prep. Now I can have some fun. Its time to put the fashion pieces on and the wales and fancy trim. This is the step that will make it really come together. Chuck

It would be tough to get pieces large enough if you are building in a larger scale. But I have used hard maple from Home Depot or lowes that was 1/4" thick. It worked fantastic. The stuff is rock hard though so be prepared to sand and sand....its tough to cut as well as the blades will get dull quickly. Chuck

Funny....Yes, I introduced my son to binge watching the X Files from start to finish on Netflix. He bought me that poster as a thank you. It was a blast watching it with him. Big Sci-fi buff. Chuck