donrobinson

Very nice looking build. Looking forward to seeing the eyes completed

Good start to a great kit, looking forward to seeing more

Looking very good, David. Keep up the good work

Mike: That's where I heard of the idea too but forgot to mention it, thanks for reminding me. If I remember right I ordered mine the very day B.E. mentioned it!!

Nils: Thank You for taking the time to stop in and for your gracious comment

Glad to have you as a sponsor and thanks, I think..........having you this little bit closer could be a further danger to my budget 

Excellent looking build Michael, your detailing is amazing.

Mike: The veneer saw is especially good in this application as it only cuts on the one side so it does not damage the bulkhead. I found this one on Amazon for around $30 Cdn. I think the beech is defiantly worth having in the workshop if anything for it's bending capabilities. This is maybe what you need for your Trajta

Mike: The filler block acts as a form for the planking then needs to be removed in order to plank the deck, Thanks for stopping by

David: You have it dead on David, it was balsa and I was very happy it was. It actually went fairly easy, had it been something like oak the whole ship may have ended in the trash  or on the shelf for a very long time.

OC: Thanks. I bought this set of chisels from Lee Valley some 30-35 years ago and up until now have rarely used them as I never took the time to sharpen them properly. I now know how to sharpen them, somewhat, and am enjoying using them now.

Mike: Thanks Mike. These kits are really full of surprises and innovations that makes them fun to build.

Bob: Sorry to hear that Bob, health is very important so look after that first. That is a great idea for the stern filler block and would have worked perfectly! A perfect example why, even if you are not going to build the Stefano, I still need you to keep watching and sharing your vast knowledge. Thanks and take care my friend.

To finish planking a hull is always a good feeling.

Doug: You will do just fine, it is not as hard as it looks a sharp chisel does help though. I'm looking forward to you catching up to me.

Ian: good to hear from you, I'm finally making a little progress and thanks for the kudos

Bob: Just a little nasty Bob, I do know when you get your kit you will make it look a lot easier and nicer!!!

H.H.: I 100% agree with you. The beech looked fine, I thought, before staining but with the stain it is not appealing what so ever. I will keep using it, if for anything, it"s bending capabilities. I am still very happy and surprised how it is so easily manipulated to shape, well worth keeping on the list of woods to use. 

Good morning all, thanks for the comments, likes and visits.

 Since my last post the hull planking has been completed. I stained and put a coat of wipe on poly on the starboard side to see how the beech would look, I'll let you be the judges. Next was removing the bulkhead extensions, cleaning up the freeboard(bulwarks), then carving out the stern area down to deck level. 

Here are the pictures:

Here is the beech stained and a coat of wipe on poly. I used a water based stain and only one coat of it. another coat may have improved the look or possibly a coat of sanding sealer. Overlooking the obvious glue stains you can see it does not take stain very evenly. My conclusion is that beech looks better without a stain, should be left clear or painted, which is coming up soon 

Removing the bulkhead extensions using a veneer saw. These came off quite easily and posed no problems, the veneer saw is defiantly the tool for this job.

About to start the removal of the stern filler block

Filler block removed, filler was later applied to floor and sides. The important part here is to maintain the curvature and rise of the deck, this simply done by laying a plank along the bulkhead tops and watching how it is lays. Much the same as you would do when fairing a hull.    

These last pictures are showing the cleaning of the freeboard, they will be eventually painted, and the fairing of the bulkhead tops. When fairing the bulkhead tops it is again important to maintain the curve and also to have a consistent height from the top of the bulkhead to the to of the freeboard.

That's all for now, next is the first layer of planking on the deck.

See You soon 

Thanks John, his eyes did light up when he first seen it

Hello Lawrence, here is a picture of the pens I used. I bought these at Michaels but I'm sure they are availible at any hobby store. It does not say what type of paint is used in the pens, they are not too expensive and really do a good job

Fine work Bob, those trucks really shine(look good)

I like the looks of it Elijah

Got this in my stash, so I will gladly follow along

Looks good Derek, congrats.

Thanks Danny

Hey Mike I sent you a pm.

Hi Mike, you got things rolling along pretty good. The floor you are about to build is raised so it will hide the notch and keel. The weather sucks, even though it is not cold to our standards when you are not used to temps like that it is cold.

The guns look very good, nice to see you back

Wonderful work, your attention to detail is blowing me away!!

Never noticed the number missing until now, sorry I can't help but I'll be watching for the answer

Hi Mike, thanks for your comment it's much appreciated. Below is a picture of Amati plates(left) and the MarisStella plates(right). As you can see the MarisStella ones are slightly larger but do have the rivets also. I'm thinking both plates should be much easier in the long run to install versus having to punch the rivets.

As you can see they are not quite as bright as the Amati ones, they have a little more weathered look which is fine with me

Well done Dave, your choice of woods is great