Chuck

Dont put so much pencil graphite on teh egde. You only need a light shading. If you want it darker......shade both edges of the joint. I notice that folks will really make it dark and heavy....no need to do that at all. Chuck

Fantastic work so far. Its really most important to just give it a try and stick with it. Many dont even try to line off the hull or shape their planks. Having tried it you are half way there. Its now only a matter of finding those little tricks and techniques that will work best for you personally. The principle is there and I am sure you will find your own process to do it. Mine is just one of many. I think you will have a new outlook on the planking process once this hull is planked. You will soon be telling yourself how ludicrous it is to double plank a hull. Why do the job twice? If you can just take your time and do it well the first time around. Chuck

It really turned out beautifully. I do hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. It was a fun project. Chuck

That cut out is for a window with simulated frames. It was my homage to David Antscherl after being inspired by his Resolution model. This one is actually done in all basswood. Here are some images of the prototype under construction.

You should keep those safety timbers on at all times...no reason to remove them until you are done planking above the wales....TRUST ME....you never know when your sleeve will get caught on one of them. Just having them in place keeps your loose clothes from catching on them. It also helps strengthen the whole thing when it comes time to flip the hull over from time to time. Nice work so far...

Try this site....Its the same blocks and deadeyes as Jerzy. By the way....Jerzy's site is now back up but nothing is in stock...maybe someone bought him out??? http://www.shipmodels.com.ua/eng/accessories/index.htm Chuck

Looks like a fantastic start although I know you have been a busy man with all of the planning and preparing up to this point. Chuck

Thats too bad....I know Sam worked really hard on that kit. I do hope that all of the issues get worked out soon. I would imagine it would stand a better chance if you folks with a kit would post this info on the Essex kit launch topic. I think Eric would likely see it more readily and see the need to make amends more timely.

Edge-bending VS. Regular bending as shown by Augie

Dont forget that below the wales you will need to bend those edge-wise first before putting them in that jig. Otherwise you will get a mess at the bow. Chuck

The run doesnt look too bad. Its just that the curve at the bow in your next few planks didnt curve enough to fit properly against the garboard. Here is a look at my hull and you can see the garboard is almost identical. You can see how different it looks once the boat is lipped right-side up too. That curve is not as drastic as you think. But it does take a lot of practice to make it bend like that. Because it does taper as well. When you are sanding in the taper you can create a more drastic curve than you attained with just bending. OR, If you are cutting those planks from a wider sheet...I would suggest using a stiff card as a test first. Once you have the shape that fits, simply trace it on the wood and cut it out. Chuck

Thanks guys. Right now only left handed...probably for the foreseeable future. I have too many other irons in the fire. Stern lantern will be available in just a few weeks. Brian...I will be adding the brown color first. But if you need or want the gray version instead. I can make up some to order for you separately. You just need to tell me what sizes and how many packs. As far as the cannon carriages are concerned, the best way to figure out the size is to download the PDf on the cannon page. Measure it because its to scale. It shows both sizes. Print it out on stiff card and place them on your model to see how they would fit before buying them. Its the only sure way to tell. Chuck

Thank you guys for the feedback. Especially all of you who contacted me offline to discuss this topic. I have now created some tests with a Brownish...very dark.....rope. After living with both the gray rope as posted in the first photo and the new dark brown below (bottom two photos). I think I now prefer this darker brown. Once again its darker than the photos show as I had to pump up the brightness so you could see the lay of the black rope. But I think this color is warmer and more akin to what I have seen on contemporary models although I change my mind a lot. I will start producing this dark brown Rope this weekend. Thank you very much guys...I couldnt do it without your input. And thank you to all the folks who sent me samples to look at as well. It is crazy to think how much thought there is in deciding what shade of brown or gray to use. Seems a bit anal but I guess we are all a bit crazy like that. The three images are of .045 rope by the way...1.14mm If you look at the close up of each rope coil you will see how amazing this cotton linen blend is. Absolutely no fuzz. Its amazing stuff. Chuck

There were many extras provided on the laser cut sheets. What happened to them all? I have no idea what a WP number is....but you can talk to Patricia at Model Expo to clarify what sheet they are on. They move the parts around after I give them the initial files so I cant really help you. If you were able to find them on the sheet just count them up and tell Expo it is the group of XX number of knees. But this all depends on if anyone down there knows what a "channel knee/standard" is or what a knee looks like. I dont think there are any model builders left down there so they get confused with the terms. Chuck

The lower decks arent really lighter. What I meant was that the decks in general were lighter than the hull planking and some prefer to make them that way. No distinction in the color between decks. But, mainly I wanted to suggest painting the sides of each bulkhead black opposite each other so they are more difficult to see when looking down the hatches. Otherwise they may be more noticeable. Nice work so far. Chuck

Very nice progress. That is a sharp looking longboat model. Paint work looks very clean. Well done!!

That looks good so far. The fillers are there to stop the false keel from twisting and bending. This is a very very long hull. The hull should be straightened in a jig and then the fillers applied. This will make it very rigid so you wont have to worry about any bending. You dont want the hull to be banana shaped. Before moving ahead any further. Check to see that it isnt twisted. Look at it from the extreme stern and bow. You can place braces on your jig to straighten the stem or stern if they are twisting one way or the other. Make the hull true and straight before placing those port frames in position. Chuck

Message in a model Stories from the Navy Room of the Rijksmuseum by Ab Hoving Distributed by: Sea Watch Books, LLC, Florence, Oregon www.seawatchbooks.com, seawatchbooks@gmail.com This book grabs your attention with a catchy title and a beautifully illustrated dust jacket, and never lets go! When you first open “Message in a Model”, your first impulse will be to thumb from page to page, studying the nearly 400 remarkable photos, stopping briefly to read a caption before going on. Only after completing your photographic tour through this book, will you start to read Ab Hoving’s many stories, which are truly intriguing. It starts in 1889 when the Dutch Department of Defense donated some 1400 models and maritime heirlooms to the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. A substantial number of the artifacts would remain in storage, unseen and unappreciated by the public. Not designed to last hundreds of years, many pieces would suffer from the ravages of time. Realizing that time was not on their side, the Rijksmuseum brought Ab Hoving onboard in 1989, as head of the Dutch History restoration workshop. For the next 23 years, Mr. Hoving would work with a small team of colleagues and volunteers, painstakingly bringing the collection back to it’s former glory. These efforts would culminate in the reopening of the Rijksmuseum in 2013. This would be the first time since 1927 that the public could visit the Navy Model Room. Along the way, Ab Hoving added to his knowledge of these artifacts, which he shared with visitors to the museum. It was during these tours that he noticed how the demeanor of the attendees changed from one of interested surprise to one of enthusiasm. It was this observation that would be the inspiration for this book. “Message in a Model” deals with 54 subjects that represent a wide range of artifacts, or artifact groups. With such a magnificent collection at his disposal, you would think that the majority of them are magnificent sailing ships, such as the example featured on the book jacket, and in the photo to the right. This is not the case. One particular model selected by the author is anything but magnificent. In fact, it is referred to as an enigma. This vessel actually existed, but what was its purpose? Hoving offers some compelling theories as to what it’s possible use may have been. He also gives reasons why this strange craft could have contributed to a war being declared! Many of the subjects chosen by Hoving involve technological innovation and inventions that were submitted to the Navy Board in the form of models. For numerous reasons provided by the author, many of these ideas never went any further. The motives may have included political jealousy, ambition, economics, a lack of understanding, or merely that some were ahead of their time. This brief review touches on only a few of the diverse subjects this remarkable book contains. They were chosen as a brief sampling of what awaits you inside “Message in a Model.” The lavish illustrations, coupled with Ab Hoving’s stories will entertain and intrigue you, while stimulating your imagination. This book is highly recommended. Reviewed by Bob Filipowski

Thanks Bob I have both of these books and really enjoyed the subject matter. The model that Gib made is beautiful to say the least. It would make a fine project should anyone love the subject of Yachts like I do. I highly recommend both volumes. Chuck

Very nice choice Ed. I may have some stuff laying around for the YA. I was planning on building her a few years back and was starting to compile some research. Should I find that info I will get it to you straight away. Looking forward to seeing this one take shape. Chuck

Thats what I was shooting for. The image of my rope is not a good photo...to bright. My gray charcoal looking rope is actually pretty darn close. I just cant take a picture of it to show. I will try wwhen I get back from vacation next week. Chuck

This would be ideal and I am working hard to get there. Contemporary rigging color...It is not very brown or too black. Its not too gray and somewhere in between. Chuck

Thanks guys...Chuck, I could absolutely make some. You just need to tell me what size you need when you get to that point. Then there are the folks who just use the tan color for everything. That looks good too. And here is an image recently I believe of the Frigate constitution. Its more gray than brown. I have been looking for a model done with brown standing rigging that is very dark but I havent seen too many. Most are jet black and that is tough to see the lay of the rope like it is shown below. It all quite confusing and hard to to choose. I cant wait to test out both on a model and see which I prefer. Chuck

Looking good Len. Tedious to rig those guns but it looks very good. Boy that is nice deck planking too. Look forward to seeing more. Chuck

Hello folks. As some of you know, I am supplying scale rope in tan and in black. I am not the biggest fan of using a deep black rope but I know many of you prefer it. When I ordered my Linen line to make up the rope I also ordered some of their dark Gray/Brown color. My original though was to also supply it in this color for folks like me who prefer a lighter shade for the standing rigging. It is easier to see the lay of the rope. Because it takes so much time to make it...I wanted ask everyone if there is indeed a large enough group that prefers the standing rigging as a dark gray or even deep brown. I prefer the grayish tone as shown. I figured I would ask before I spend too much time on it. Anyway...here is a photo of my gray/brown standing rigging next to my black and tan examples. Is this something that would be desired?? If not, I will just keep it for my own personal use. It is my opinion that the actual standing rigging was a dark charcoal color after being exposed to the elements and wasnt a deep black. The brown linen color is OK too but I dont like it as much so it is not pictured. Its just not dark enough for my taste and looks too even. The color is slightly darker than it appears in the photo...but I had to pump up the brightness or the black rope would have looked like a black shadow. I would appreciate your thoughts on the historical nature of the color of tarred rope as well as your impression of the rope shown. Spending a week stocking up on it when no one will want it would be a waste. Thanks in advance