Chuck

Here is a little more progress. Got some time to work on some deck fixtures. There is still a good deal more fitting to be done. The corner joints on the hatch coamings still need some cleaning up and the coamings need to have their bottom edges cambered to match the deck.
 
Russ
 
 

As I had very limited time for ship model building during the last few weeks I turned to the gratings as an easy target for fast visible results . Image 1 shows the openings which will receive the anchor cables,  images 2 and 3 depict the building of one of the gratings, image 4 shows the shot racks, and in images 5 through 7 the gratings and shot racks mounted on the Syren can be seen.
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Once you get into a groove with this you will never go back to planking any other way!!!   Enjoy the process. 

That would not be the best thing to do.   In fact there are other words to describe wanting to even consider it.  Wait a few days and get a new one.  PLEASE 
 
A few dollars and a few days vs.  .......a few fingers or your eyesight or worse.

That would not be the best thing to do.   In fact there are other words to describe wanting to even consider it.  Wait a few days and get a new one.  PLEASE 
 
A few dollars and a few days vs.  .......a few fingers or your eyesight or worse.

That would not be the best thing to do.   In fact there are other words to describe wanting to even consider it.  Wait a few days and get a new one.  PLEASE 
 
A few dollars and a few days vs.  .......a few fingers or your eyesight or worse.

That would not be the best thing to do.   In fact there are other words to describe wanting to even consider it.  Wait a few days and get a new one.  PLEASE 
 
A few dollars and a few days vs.  .......a few fingers or your eyesight or worse.

Remember....you dont have to assemble the deadeyes one at a time.  They were made and aligned as a group. No pins needed.  Although your method keeps the holes from clogging wwith glue.   Very nice touch.  You can glue the three layers of each sprue together and just use the surrounding bounding box as a guide to line them up.  You actually made it ten times harder than it needed to be even though they look great.  Or at least it looks like it took a long time doing it one at a time.  It is also a good idea to file down those tabs on the deadeyes before you throw them into the tumbler.  It makes them keep their shape better and it wont take as long in the tumbler is is a very violent process.   It only takes a few seconds with a file before you throw them into the tumbler.   
 

 
Gluing up a whole row at one time with all three layers.
 

 
Three layers all glued together
 

 
Use a snippers to cut them free.
 

 
Tumble them up....remember to modify the tumbler and NOT use the stiff wood flaps.   Just add three sheets of sandpaper...220 grit to each side of the spindle to make a flap wheel.  The three sheets of sandpaper are not glued together...they are left lose which make the flap wheel more stiff without obliterating your deadeyes and blocks.  It works better like this in my opinion.  Dont forget the read through the full set of instructions.  I have also stopped making them with 13 deadeyes in a row as there were too many to glue up easily within a reasonable time frame...so instead I have cut them down to seven in each sprue...as its more manageable.   I include four in a pack which actually gives you more deadeyes.   Let me know if you have any questions at all.
 
Download it here.
 

 
 
I am glad you are having fun with it.  They do look good.       
 
And remember...DON'T TUMBLE THE FIDDLE BLOCKS...they are not round but soon will be if you use the tumbler.  Those must be shaped by hand.  AND those are meant to be assembled one at a time and not in a strip of six as stated in the instructions.
 
Chuck

Well,  my goal was to start rigging this week, however the set back on waiting for a few loose end parts and my approaching vacation this weekend will push rigging off to a start time of next week when I return.  Taking the wife and brother down to Hershey Park in PA tomorrow night and I don't think they will be too keen on me packing my ship and materials and working on it in the hotel - although it is very tempting!!
 
So,  got my parts and finished up all the little loose ends. 
 
Finished the pin rails;  pretty straightforward really just basswood and golden oak to blend it all together.
Put the "hinges" on the gun lids;  just used some pactra black trim tape. Cut it to size and stuck them on!
Then sprayed the whole thing down with a couple coats of sealer to bring out some of the colors and deepen the stain a bit and that is where she will remain until Next week.
 
So, as I head off to finish up some other work and tasks I need to wrap up before tomorrow night i will leave some pics of where she sits today, the hull for the most part finished and now waiting for some masts and rope!  Then it will be to attach the anchors, the flower the rear pole and mount on the base and wallah!
 

 

 

 

 

 
Until later all!
 
Enjoy and happy modeling!!
 
 
 
 
 
 

Once you get into a groove with this you will never go back to planking any other way!!!   Enjoy the process. 

Remember....you dont have to assemble the deadeyes one at a time.  They were made and aligned as a group. No pins needed.  Although your method keeps the holes from clogging wwith glue.   Very nice touch.  You can glue the three layers of each sprue together and just use the surrounding bounding box as a guide to line them up.  You actually made it ten times harder than it needed to be even though they look great.  Or at least it looks like it took a long time doing it one at a time.  It is also a good idea to file down those tabs on the deadeyes before you throw them into the tumbler.  It makes them keep their shape better and it wont take as long in the tumbler is is a very violent process.   It only takes a few seconds with a file before you throw them into the tumbler.   
 

 
Gluing up a whole row at one time with all three layers.
 

 
Three layers all glued together
 

 
Use a snippers to cut them free.
 

 
Tumble them up....remember to modify the tumbler and NOT use the stiff wood flaps.   Just add three sheets of sandpaper...220 grit to each side of the spindle to make a flap wheel.  The three sheets of sandpaper are not glued together...they are left lose which make the flap wheel more stiff without obliterating your deadeyes and blocks.  It works better like this in my opinion.  Dont forget the read through the full set of instructions.  I have also stopped making them with 13 deadeyes in a row as there were too many to glue up easily within a reasonable time frame...so instead I have cut them down to seven in each sprue...as its more manageable.   I include four in a pack which actually gives you more deadeyes.   Let me know if you have any questions at all.
 
Download it here.
 

 
 
I am glad you are having fun with it.  They do look good.       
 
And remember...DON'T TUMBLE THE FIDDLE BLOCKS...they are not round but soon will be if you use the tumbler.  Those must be shaped by hand.  AND those are meant to be assembled one at a time and not in a strip of six as stated in the instructions.
 
Chuck

Hi All,
 
Well in case you didn't notice I've been AWOL for a while now. August and the first week of September is really busy at work. 80 hours work weeks with no days off blah, blah blah. Boy that was no fun. I used to be able to do it no problem but now it kicks my butt. So it was work, sleep, dream of working on the Winnie and then back to work.  Once that was over  it was another week or so to catch up around the house with all the things that needed my attention.
 
So I've now looked at MSW and found 11 unread pages in the Kit Build Logs and 4 pages in the Scratch Build Logs. Not to mention, oops I just did, all the other topics!
 
So to all my friends out there I'm sorry I missed posting to your logs for the past 6 weeks and it may take another 6 weeks just to catch up.
 
Now that I've got my whining out of the way here is where I'm at.
 
I have not completed marking all of the bulkheads with the plank locations. That was over 1400 little pencil marks. I'm seeing little dashes in my sleep know.
 

 
I've now started on the planking and here you see my first attempt at spiling a plank. You can see the curve compared to a piece of strip wood.
 

 
 
Well I've now started the planking and will let you know how it goes.

u the MAN chuck,,,not building a museum piece just want it to look right,,,thanks chuck

got away from the missus long enough to trial fit some pieces

Dont be afraid to sand the heck out of it.   You can sand all of that off and restain it.   The planks are thick enough.   Try t again but make sure you use a mixture of more natural stain vs golden oak.  I would start with something like a 20 % stain mixture to 80% natural.   See what happens.    You can remove that stained layer if you just sand it off.   Then sand it with a very fine 400 - 600 wet dry paper.   Then apply the stain mixture.
 
Chuck

Dont be afraid to sand the heck out of it.   You can sand all of that off and restain it.   The planks are thick enough.   Try t again but make sure you use a mixture of more natural stain vs golden oak.  I would start with something like a 20 % stain mixture to 80% natural.   See what happens.    You can remove that stained layer if you just sand it off.   Then sand it with a very fine 400 - 600 wet dry paper.   Then apply the stain mixture.
 
Chuck

Just checking in as we get get closer to the conference.....There is still plenty of time time to sign up.   There will be plenty of vendors there (I will be one of them),  great speakers and a riverboat cruise.   Its always a great time.  So if you are considering going please sign up to meet us all there.  I am sure there will be quite a few folks from MSW there.   Its a fantastic opportunity to meet them in person.
 
I am also bringing my wife and son to the conference to help me work the vendor table while I do my workshop on ropemaking.  I am looking forward to it and hope to see you all there.         
 
Chuck

Just checking in as we get get closer to the conference.....There is still plenty of time time to sign up.   There will be plenty of vendors there (I will be one of them),  great speakers and a riverboat cruise.   Its always a great time.  So if you are considering going please sign up to meet us all there.  I am sure there will be quite a few folks from MSW there.   Its a fantastic opportunity to meet them in person.
 
I am also bringing my wife and son to the conference to help me work the vendor table while I do my workshop on ropemaking.  I am looking forward to it and hope to see you all there.         
 
Chuck

Just checking in as we get get closer to the conference.....There is still plenty of time time to sign up.   There will be plenty of vendors there (I will be one of them),  great speakers and a riverboat cruise.   Its always a great time.  So if you are considering going please sign up to meet us all there.  I am sure there will be quite a few folks from MSW there.   Its a fantastic opportunity to meet them in person.
 
I am also bringing my wife and son to the conference to help me work the vendor table while I do my workshop on ropemaking.  I am looking forward to it and hope to see you all there.         
 
Chuck

Remember....you dont have to assemble the deadeyes one at a time.  They were made and aligned as a group. No pins needed.  Although your method keeps the holes from clogging wwith glue.   Very nice touch.  You can glue the three layers of each sprue together and just use the surrounding bounding box as a guide to line them up.  You actually made it ten times harder than it needed to be even though they look great.  Or at least it looks like it took a long time doing it one at a time.  It is also a good idea to file down those tabs on the deadeyes before you throw them into the tumbler.  It makes them keep their shape better and it wont take as long in the tumbler is is a very violent process.   It only takes a few seconds with a file before you throw them into the tumbler.   
 

 
Gluing up a whole row at one time with all three layers.
 

 
Three layers all glued together
 

 
Use a snippers to cut them free.
 

 
Tumble them up....remember to modify the tumbler and NOT use the stiff wood flaps.   Just add three sheets of sandpaper...220 grit to each side of the spindle to make a flap wheel.  The three sheets of sandpaper are not glued together...they are left lose which make the flap wheel more stiff without obliterating your deadeyes and blocks.  It works better like this in my opinion.  Dont forget the read through the full set of instructions.  I have also stopped making them with 13 deadeyes in a row as there were too many to glue up easily within a reasonable time frame...so instead I have cut them down to seven in each sprue...as its more manageable.   I include four in a pack which actually gives you more deadeyes.   Let me know if you have any questions at all.
 
Download it here.
 

 
 
I am glad you are having fun with it.  They do look good.       
 
And remember...DON'T TUMBLE THE FIDDLE BLOCKS...they are not round but soon will be if you use the tumbler.  Those must be shaped by hand.  AND those are meant to be assembled one at a time and not in a strip of six as stated in the instructions.
 
Chuck

Another good weekend at the bench!
 
My goal was to get in a spot to start the masts and rigging this coming week and I am just about there.   I did get into a bit of a groove again,  between football and building, time just moved along and I didn't get pics along the way as much as I wanted.
 
I do have to get better at that,  am trying to at least.
 
This weekends updates are all around rounding out the ship.
 
First the channels were painted, installed and knees added.  These, once in, really made the nearing of the end real to me - very exciting.  Odd how just a small thing can do that, but very cool!
 

 
 
Using some pear in order to continue the scheme of using peaer for accents and trim work I created the frame for the beakhead grating and some replacement grating I had to order from MS to finish up the kit.
 

 
And then very simply glued that in to place, added the walkway planks and pin rail with belaying pins and wallah!  The interior of the beakhead is complete!!
 

 
Then finished up the trim on the outside of the beakhead!  Again just went with the kit scheme to keep it simple.   ON the fence about the beakhead yellow decorations, may just leave them off - still undecided.
 

 
And here we have her, the mayflower - 99% ready to begin the masts and rigging.   I still have some minor bits and pieces to finish up before then, a couple of pin rails to add now that I have the extra belaying pins as well as replacing the railing on the poop deck (it snapped off ).   Once I get those all in place I am going to give it a once over with a nice semi gloss spray.   All I have is testors lacquer, which typically is not good to use over acrylics.  I think I need to go find some acrylic based tomorrow in anticipation!
 
Anyway, once it is sprayed with a couple of coats to even out the colors and sheen,  I will be on to the masts and rigging!!!  (even the ratlines ... )
 

 
 
So here she sits currently - ready for her touchups, dotting of the I's crossing of the T's and a nice shiny coat!
 

 

 
 
Until later... enjoy!

Remember....you dont have to assemble the deadeyes one at a time.  They were made and aligned as a group. No pins needed.  Although your method keeps the holes from clogging wwith glue.   Very nice touch.  You can glue the three layers of each sprue together and just use the surrounding bounding box as a guide to line them up.  You actually made it ten times harder than it needed to be even though they look great.  Or at least it looks like it took a long time doing it one at a time.  It is also a good idea to file down those tabs on the deadeyes before you throw them into the tumbler.  It makes them keep their shape better and it wont take as long in the tumbler is is a very violent process.   It only takes a few seconds with a file before you throw them into the tumbler.   
 

 
Gluing up a whole row at one time with all three layers.
 

 
Three layers all glued together
 

 
Use a snippers to cut them free.
 

 
Tumble them up....remember to modify the tumbler and NOT use the stiff wood flaps.   Just add three sheets of sandpaper...220 grit to each side of the spindle to make a flap wheel.  The three sheets of sandpaper are not glued together...they are left lose which make the flap wheel more stiff without obliterating your deadeyes and blocks.  It works better like this in my opinion.  Dont forget the read through the full set of instructions.  I have also stopped making them with 13 deadeyes in a row as there were too many to glue up easily within a reasonable time frame...so instead I have cut them down to seven in each sprue...as its more manageable.   I include four in a pack which actually gives you more deadeyes.   Let me know if you have any questions at all.
 
Download it here.
 

 
 
I am glad you are having fun with it.  They do look good.       
 
And remember...DON'T TUMBLE THE FIDDLE BLOCKS...they are not round but soon will be if you use the tumbler.  Those must be shaped by hand.  AND those are meant to be assembled one at a time and not in a strip of six as stated in the instructions.
 
Chuck

My finished Longboat, a very rewarding and humbling experience.
 
A big thank you to everyone for all your support over the past eight months. You have kept me going when I was seriously in doubt. I know that this wonderful group of people here on MSW will help me to move forward and I look forward to sharing thoughts and ideas with other members in the future.
 
Now, if I could only decide on what to build next?
 

 

 

 
 
 

Just checking in as we get get closer to the conference.....There is still plenty of time time to sign up.   There will be plenty of vendors there (I will be one of them),  great speakers and a riverboat cruise.   Its always a great time.  So if you are considering going please sign up to meet us all there.  I am sure there will be quite a few folks from MSW there.   Its a fantastic opportunity to meet them in person.
 
I am also bringing my wife and son to the conference to help me work the vendor table while I do my workshop on ropemaking.  I am looking forward to it and hope to see you all there.         
 
Chuck

Okay Folks,   back for some more fun and excitement in the land of mayflower construction!
 
Tonight, the goal was to continue deck items in order to be ready for rigging adventures this weekend/next week,  so tonight was knights and pumps.    In reviewing this all I can see I forgot something - but if nobody notices I will just sneak it in there and none will be the wiser =).
 
Anyway,  to make up the pumps here is the route I took for those who may be intersted.
 
First, I am really not adept and handling and working with the small parts and pieces yet, so trying to cut the cylynders and wall them up was really giving me pain.  So, I tried a different approach.   It took a dowel and cut it down some , about 5 inches or so I then took some narrow strips and cut them to about 3 inches and wrapped the dowel in them.   This is what would be the cylynder blank.   The idea is to cut the section I need for the cylynder and if something happesn I have more material already done up to try again.   This time around I didn't need it however.
 
Anywho =)
 
The Blank was then taped up to allow for drying.
 

 

 
Once that was dried I had some gaps between the planked wall so using some hobby light i filled it all in, this would smooth out the transitions as well as stain a hair darker than the wood and look like caulking/sealing material (i hoped).
 

 
Cleaned up the blank,  removing filler material from the faces of the planks and cleaning up any errant glue that may be on there.  I just used a small cotton pad and some alchohol and wiped it all down.  Works like a champ!
 

 
Then I went ahead and measured the lenght of the cylinders I needed for the pumps.   I taped them up at the cut marks in order to hold the unit together when the saw hit it and didn't vibrate loose or splinter.  There are three cut marks,  the first is to trim the end flush, the second two are the breakpoints for the cylinders.
 

 
Using my handy dandy Microlux cut off saw I cut them cylinders nice and neat!
 

 

 
Going by CHucks instructions I grabbed the proper wood in accordance with the booklet and cut, shaped and carved the handles and drilled holes into the cylinders.
 

 
I took some Tamiya masking tape (yellow),  sharpied it black and trimmed it to size to use as the bands on the pumps.  Assembled them all up and whalla - finally I have some pumps!!
 

 
I got them installed on the deck and all is good with the world!!  (also got a knight on there as well)
 

 
 
My HUGE apologies for any grevious spelling or grammar mistakes throughout this,  it is a little late - been at this most of the evening and wanted to get this update in before i retired for the evening.
 
Am very much on a mission here so I am sensing some late nights in my future =)
 
 
Thanks all for stopping in!