Remcohe

Well, as you can see in the picture below, I have made a start to modify the gunport lids on the starboard side.  Actually, all of them are now removed and the lids are already cleaned.  What bothers me is that the two-part epoxy cement does not hold worth a tinkers #&%^ !  As mentioned a few posts ago even CA doesn't hold worth a tinkers #&%^.  I wish I have some of Boeing's or Douglas' structural adhesive.  With that stuff you can actually glue an airplane together without rivets.
 
But, beggars can't be choosers and I'll have use the two-part epoxy stuff.  I woder how "liquid nails" would work.  You know the stuff home builders use?  Hmmmmmm - - - testing time, provided te tube I have is still workable.
 
Okay, tomorrow I'll start making the parts for the gudgeons and pintles.   I'm still asking myself why I'm doing this - - - making the lids movable but the cannons are secured to the deck and can't even close the ports.  
 
Will let yuns know how things are working out.
 

 
Cheers, 

Just re-do it Piet
 
Remco

Just re-do it Piet
 
Remco

Just re-do it Piet
 
Remco

Thanks Frank for your very kind comment and thanks to all for the likes, it's all very much appreciated.
 
Well, I turned the ship around on the bench and without any mishaps too.  Looked at the gunport hinges and yes, they are kinda big but not bad looking.  Doubt krept in whether to yank tem off or leave well enough alone.  Oh well, I guess I'll have to bite the bullet and make new 0.5 mm hinges.  Not looking forward to it.
 
I'll cement the upper deck gun hardware in the bulwark first on the port side.  I couldn't get to them before but now that the ship is turned around they are easily accessible.
 
Cheers,

Just a minor update.  I finally got the last troublesome gunport lid installed and working.  it took three tries and also had to repair some collateral damage but it's looking okay for me.  
Recently I read a something about all gunport lids should be shown open and all at the same angle.  Reason being esthetics and when the ship comes into the harbor it is made "ship-shape."  This may be true for navy ships that come into harbor but my model is an armed merchant ship at sea.  This model will have a series of sails set as if at sea thus my lids will be set at random angels.  It would defeat the purpose of making the lids workable in the first palace.  
 
I have also continued my work on making the pulley blocks.  I have now about 40 single sheaf blocks and 32 double sheaf blocks.  I need 32 of each and theoretically I could commence mounting and rigging the canons.  However, I looked at eight of the double sheaf blocks and found them too large.  I'll he to remake them to suit my likes.  There may also be a few of the single sheaf blocks to be remade.  
 
I am now ready to turn the ship around so I can work on the starboard side reworking the gunport lid hinges and replace them with the 0.5 mm ones.  When looking at Chris Linden's Vriesland model the hinges on that model are also quite hefty and match the ones I originally made for the Surabaya.  Am I tempted to leave well enough alone?  Yup - - - I'm just a stubborn old Dutchman and now I must the starboard side the same, for esthetic purposes.  Glutton for punishment   Oh well, it's only time of which I have plenty off.
 
Cheers,

I was literally shaking my head when I saw the brass pins. Your metalworking is out of this world. You must have a microscope attachment on your lathe ;-)
 
Remco

The new pump well. Not much different from the old one but the stanchions and the louvres are a little less wide than the old one. It looks more delicate. I also enhanced the joints on the door to show the individual planks.
 

 
Remco

Slowly progressing.
 
Some special knees half way down the hull
 

 
And the progress to date
 

 
The pump well I had made years ago got a bit beaten up in storage. As I also was not very happy with some of the dimension of the stock I used I decided to make a new one. 
 

 
I made a jig to make accurate cuts for the dado's on the stanchions, it's hard to see but at the far side where the blade cuts is a thin strip of wood the width of the blade to mak each cut at the same distance.
 

 
The finished stanchions, the vertical dado's were milled.
 

 
Remco

Thanks all for your kind comments. Greg the pillars were cut freehand and with the help of a piece of paper with the cross slide settings written down.
 
More beams, knees and now its also time to add the hammock battens. They are fragile once glued in place and easily knocked off (yes I tried it...)
 

 

 

 
Remco

I finished the final bonding of the beams

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you all for your feedback. 
 
Here is another update.

Bob, the work is well worth the effort. I can almost feel your cramped hand :-)
 
Remco

I was literally shaking my head when I saw the brass pins. Your metalworking is out of this world. You must have a microscope attachment on your lathe ;-)
 
Remco

I was literally shaking my head when I saw the brass pins. Your metalworking is out of this world. You must have a microscope attachment on your lathe ;-)
 
Remco

I was literally shaking my head when I saw the brass pins. Your metalworking is out of this world. You must have a microscope attachment on your lathe ;-)
 
Remco

Bob, the work is well worth the effort. I can almost feel your cramped hand :-)
 
Remco

Bob, the work is well worth the effort. I can almost feel your cramped hand :-)
 
Remco

Lower hull planking on the starboard side is now finished. This involved drilling and filling over 1300 holes for the simulated treenails, final sanding with multiple grades of sandpaper and a coat of Wipe-on Poly to seal and protect the work. Although my hand seems to be permanently cramped into the position of gripping the pin vise drill  , I am generally pleased with the result.
 
Now, it's on to the port side to do it all over again by adding and finishing the lower planking there.
 
Bob

I was literally shaking my head when I saw the brass pins. Your metalworking is out of this world. You must have a microscope attachment on your lathe ;-)
 
Remco

I was literally shaking my head when I saw the brass pins. Your metalworking is out of this world. You must have a microscope attachment on your lathe ;-)
 
Remco

Hello there,
thanks for the nice comments. That makes me happy.
Original the tholes were made of wrought iron. For the model
I made this in brass.
The last picture shows the sloop in its future position.

 

Slowly progressing.
 
Some special knees half way down the hull
 

 
And the progress to date
 

 
The pump well I had made years ago got a bit beaten up in storage. As I also was not very happy with some of the dimension of the stock I used I decided to make a new one. 
 

 
I made a jig to make accurate cuts for the dado's on the stanchions, it's hard to see but at the far side where the blade cuts is a thin strip of wood the width of the blade to mak each cut at the same distance.
 

 
The finished stanchions, the vertical dado's were milled.
 

 
Remco

The new pump well. Not much different from the old one but the stanchions and the louvres are a little less wide than the old one. It looks more delicate. I also enhanced the joints on the door to show the individual planks.
 

 
Remco

Thank you all for your kind words and likes.
 
Work is progressing and more knees, hanging knees, carlings and ledges are added. 
 
I also forgot to install a pillar in front of the fore mast , but that was taken care of.
 

 

 
The last opportunity to take a look at the sail room before its permanently installed in the hull
 

 
Some of the knees with mortices cut
 

 
The state of the upper deck to date
 

 

 

 
 
The next weeks will be more of the same... with the addition of installing hammock battens as I work my way across the deck
 
Remco