jml1083

Some close up images of rigging details from the  replica under sail......
 

I have been speaking to Peter Rindlisbacher who is an artist and model maker.  He is the builder and owner of the longboat replica in the photos I posted.  He has already given me some great insight about the rig.  He actually sails this thing and is very knowledgeable.  I believe he is also going to be the dinner speaker this year at the conference.  I have invited him to join our little group project as well.
 
Here are some additional photos of his longboat replica.
 




 
 

Continuing along....
 
For those familiar with this design concept from my Queen Anne Barge kit,  you will recognize the two-piece build board.  I have however, tried to make some improvements with each new project based on watching others build them.  In this case,  I have added some slots for bracing blocks.  Two for the transom and two for the bow/stem to stabilize them while planking.  These pieces can be seen below.  But do NOT glue them into the slots.  These will need to be removed at some point in the build.  It will be easier to remove the boat after planking without these in position.  They are a press fit.  If they are too snug....sand them a bit thinner because remember you will be removing them after a few planking strakes are completed.  So make sure they are loose enough for that.
 

There are two types of frames on contemporary models like this and the barge.  One piece frames and two piece frames.  Th etwo piece frames have floors and top timbers.  We will be doing the one piece frames first and there are 5 of them.  Another tip I was given by an individual can be seen below.  You can see thin strips of packaging tape along the inner cut line.  I used heavy and sticky packaging tape.  You can fold over the end to make a tab and place the tape so it spans across the seam.  This will give it added (temporary) strength while fairing and planking.  The tape is put on both sides.  The tabs will make it easier to remove the tape before breaking the inside of each frame free when it comes time to do so.
 

Then once this is finished you must test the frames in their slots on the build board.  They will be very snug by design initially.  You dont want these loose and falling out of the build board.  But you dont want them too tight either.  You want to be able to easily remove them at any time.  The best way to achieve the best fit is to sand the two tabs that fit into each slot just a little at a time until they are the perfect thickness.  You will know when they are good because they will be firmly seated and yet be somewhat easy to remove.  Be careful not to break the small tabs that hold the frame centers in the frames.  No need to clean any laser char.
 
In addition, test the fit of the bottom of the frame so it fits the same in its notch on the keel.  Not too tight and not too loose. The three single piece frames at the stern are shown below being test fit. and the two at the bow should be as well.  Dont glue these into the build board.  That would be a huge mistake.

 
With this completed, lets test the keel assembly on the build board atop the frames.  Carefully place the keel assembly into the stern half of the build board first.  This is a bit tricky if you havent done it before but once you do it a couple of times you figure out the little nuances.  Slip the stern post between the two braces first as you carefully guide the keel onto each frame.  Dont push to hard in each notch of the keel.  You have have tested and filed those so they slide into each notch easily but dont fall out because they are too loose. NOTE the two small additional braces waiting to be installed next.

The two transom blocks in the slots can be moved forward or aft so you can get a good fit against the transom.  Remember that they are not glued in.  The slots for them are longer than needed so they can be adjusted to best advantage.  But once in a good position, you can add the two smaller brace blocks.  These can and should be glued onto the build board. Use a little glue and push them into position against the transom.  But DONT glue them to the transom.  Just glue them to the build board.  These will stabilize the transom even more while planking.  Also use the laser etched lines on the build board to help make sure the transom is straight and not askew.  This method differs from the one I used on the barge kit but I think its an improvement.  Time will tell. 

Then repeat the test fitting of the keel in the bow half of the build board.  Do it the same way except there are no additional stabilizing blocks. These two will do the job and keep the stem from wandering while you add the first few strakes up there.  
 

How it all looks at this stage.   You will be removing and testing the keel many times before its time to glue the keel in position for good.  Now to do the two piece frames.  I also want to point out to those interested....look at the laser char edges of the frames.  You will see how they are not dark and black.  Yellow Cedar is very forgiving thanks to the oil present.   It doesnt effect the gluing either and I am using Titebond II for all my joints.  The build board is just basswood and you can see how dark that gets when laser cutting.   I find it very enjoyable to work in Cedar and removing the char is much easier in my opinion....as Cherry and Basswood burn like crazy.
 

This new larger longboat model will be build just like the Queen Anne Barge.  All parts whenever possible will be laser cut including the planking which will be pre-spiled.  Below is the plan in progress as compared to the actual contemporary model.
 

 
Below are the initial parts that make up the keel assembly.  There will be a more simplified version of the keel assembly and another that is lightly more chalenging.  As is done on the contemporary model, lap joints will be used to connect the stem and stern post to the keel.  The simplified version will just utilize a butt joint and laser cut scarph joint to attach the stem to the keel.  I have started building the simplified version first shown on top of the photo below.
 

Before removing the laser cut parts from the sheet, they were sanded down with 220 grit sandpaper on both sides to remove the char.  Its easier to do while they are still contained in the sheet.
 

Then the three main (5/32" thick) parts that comprise the stem, the keel and stern post were assembled.  I used yellow glue to assemble them prior to sanding the char from the edges of each piece.  In fact I purposely didnt remove it from the joints...they are laser cut fairly precise and fit together very well.  Using tite-bond works great and the joint is very strong as long as you let it fully dry.  Once dry I sanded the char from all of the edges and prepared to add the other (3/32" thick) cedar parts that make up the keel assembly.

These were treated the same way.  I didnt remove any char from the edges util after they were glued into position.  They are very delicate and it is safer and easier to do after they are glued into position.  These thinner pieces were centered along the keel leaving 1/32" on each side to form a rabbet or "lip" for the external planking.

Next up I added the transom...it has a laser etched groove down the inside to help position it properly.  It helps a lot but I was also very careful to also square up the transom properly in relation to the keel.
 

Thats it for now....I have one last part to add to this stem assembly before I start assembling the frames.  I will post that very soon.
 

This is the start of my build for the Medway Longboat.  There are two really special contemporary models in the NMM.  This is a totally revamped and completely new longboat project with actually little in common with my earlier design for Model Shipways.  It is based on an entirely different original draft and more closely resembles the contemporary models.  In fact its almost identical as far as I can tell.  It will be a true POF model with floors and top timbers.  This model will be made from Alaskan Yellow Cedar with boxwood accents and molding.  This model will be made both partially planked and fully planked eventually just like the two contemporary models.  The fully planked version will show all rigging and also sails.  Hopefully.
 
A little about the contemporary models shown below.
 
Scale 1:48. A contemporary full hull model of a ship's longboat, said to be from the 'Medway' (1742) (SLR0328), built plank on frame in the Navy Board style. The model is partially planked and equipped with a large windlass amidships for use when handling the anchors. It is mounted on its original veneered baseboard. Another model, SLR0330, shows the ‘Medway’ longboat rigged and fully planked. The longboat was generally the largest boat carried on board ship and could either be pulled or sailed. It was used for carrying personnel and stores as well as mooring and anchors work. When carried on board, the longboat was stowed in the waist between the fore and main masts lashed on the spare topmasts and spars. It was hoisted in and out by means of the large block and tackles rigged to the lower fore and main yards.
 


A contemporary full hull model of the 'Medway' (1742), shown below - 60-gun two-decker ship of the line
 

 

 

Thank you gentleman.  Planking continues.
 
I have completed 4 of the 9 strakes.  Each strake has two sections. A forward and an aft plank.  For the first 3 strakes working up from the keel, I started at the stern post and then added the bow section of the strake.  Each section is made a bit longer after adjusting the ends that tuck into the rabbet.  You need to cut the ends to length so they fall on a frame.  When placing the second plank in each strake, you must cut it to length so it butts into the first cleanly and tightly.  

But now that I am working on the fourth strake I have switched and start at the bow.  The aft section of planking can now be run off the transom and sanded flush later.  You might see in the photos that I have yet to sand the last section of the fourth strake on one side.  I will continue up to the shear in this fashion.  Only five more strakes to go.  But even when you havent planked in a year it does come back to you quickly and get easier with each strake.
 
Here are some photos of how it looks today.  These photos show the Alaskan Yellow cedar really well.  
 

This is a photo of the kit right out of the box. The cherry is beautiful and this will be a striking model when it is completed.
 

 
The top piece is the build board, also made out of cherry. It comes in two pieces with slots where each of the frames will be positioned. This type construction eliminates all of the added bracing people used to try and keep frames square when they build the Pinnace. This type build board keeps the frames square and level making construction that much easier. The location of each frame is labeled on the build board to reduce the chance of placing a frame in the wrong location.The large blocks to the left are feet that will be glued onto the build board to raise it off the workbench so the tops of the frames have clearance.
 
In the middle are the sheets that contain the floors and futtocks. In another post I'll go into detail about how these are assembled.
 
At the bottom of the photo are some of the thicker elements, also made of cherry and also laser cut.

The Keel
 
The first element I tackled is the keel which is made up of 8 laser cut pieces. Before removing them from the billets I sanded off the char that was left on the backside of the billet from the laser. There really wasn't a lot but it's easier to remove it from the faces before you remove it from the billet. Once that was done I liberated the pieces from the billets.
 
The keel has rabbets, which are nothing more than bevels, on the top side of the keel. The keel itself is 5/32" thick and the rabbets need to be 1/32" x 1/32". I cut a piece of 1/32" scrap and used it to trace a line on the sides and top of the keel which I then pared down using a #11 scalpel blade. On the curved stem I did the same thing using a scrap piece that had the correct curve traced from the stem. On the sides I used a compass with a very sharp pencil.
 

 
This photo shows the side of the keel with the rabbet line drawn. The top of the keel would look the same. This step is done after the various keel sections are glued together.
 

This is a shot of the curved 1/32" piece I used to trace the rabbet line on the stem. Just slide the piece into position and trace your line. Flip the stem over and trace the line on the other side.
 
 
 
 

This is Syren Ship Model's soon to be released kit. It is plank on frame and will be built admiralty style with frames showing. Chuck has come up with an ingenious way of constructing frames with floors and futtocks that uses laser cut parts. The kit uses cherry for most of the parts but some embellishments will be in boxwood.
 
This is a photo of a similar model from the National Maritime Museum

 

This is a photo of the kit right out of the box. The cherry is beautiful and this will be a striking model when it is completed.
 

 
The top piece is the build board, also made out of cherry. It comes in two pieces with slots where each of the frames will be positioned. This type construction eliminates all of the added bracing people used to try and keep frames square when they build the Pinnace. This type build board keeps the frames square and level making construction that much easier. The location of each frame is labeled on the build board to reduce the chance of placing a frame in the wrong location.The large blocks to the left are feet that will be glued onto the build board to raise it off the workbench so the tops of the frames have clearance.
 
In the middle are the sheets that contain the floors and futtocks. In another post I'll go into detail about how these are assembled.
 
At the bottom of the photo are some of the thicker elements, also made of cherry and also laser cut.

The Keel
 
The first element I tackled is the keel which is made up of 8 laser cut pieces. Before removing them from the billets I sanded off the char that was left on the backside of the billet from the laser. There really wasn't a lot but it's easier to remove it from the faces before you remove it from the billet. Once that was done I liberated the pieces from the billets.
 
The keel has rabbets, which are nothing more than bevels, on the top side of the keel. The keel itself is 5/32" thick and the rabbets need to be 1/32" x 1/32". I cut a piece of 1/32" scrap and used it to trace a line on the sides and top of the keel which I then pared down using a #11 scalpel blade. On the curved stem I did the same thing using a scrap piece that had the correct curve traced from the stem. On the sides I used a compass with a very sharp pencil.
 

 
This photo shows the side of the keel with the rabbet line drawn. The top of the keel would look the same. This step is done after the various keel sections are glued together.
 

This is a shot of the curved 1/32" piece I used to trace the rabbet line on the stem. Just slide the piece into position and trace your line. Flip the stem over and trace the line on the other side.
 
 
 
 

The Keel
 
The first element I tackled is the keel which is made up of 8 laser cut pieces. Before removing them from the billets I sanded off the char that was left on the backside of the billet from the laser. There really wasn't a lot but it's easier to remove it from the faces before you remove it from the billet. Once that was done I liberated the pieces from the billets.
 
The keel has rabbets, which are nothing more than bevels, on the top side of the keel. The keel itself is 5/32" thick and the rabbets need to be 1/32" x 1/32". I cut a piece of 1/32" scrap and used it to trace a line on the sides and top of the keel which I then pared down using a #11 scalpel blade. On the curved stem I did the same thing using a scrap piece that had the correct curve traced from the stem. On the sides I used a compass with a very sharp pencil.
 

 
This photo shows the side of the keel with the rabbet line drawn. The top of the keel would look the same. This step is done after the various keel sections are glued together.
 

This is a shot of the curved 1/32" piece I used to trace the rabbet line on the stem. Just slide the piece into position and trace your line. Flip the stem over and trace the line on the other side.
 
 
 
 

This is Syren Ship Model's soon to be released kit. It is plank on frame and will be built admiralty style with frames showing. Chuck has come up with an ingenious way of constructing frames with floors and futtocks that uses laser cut parts. The kit uses cherry for most of the parts but some embellishments will be in boxwood.
 
This is a photo of a similar model from the National Maritime Museum

 

This is a photo of the kit right out of the box. The cherry is beautiful and this will be a striking model when it is completed.
 

 
The top piece is the build board, also made out of cherry. It comes in two pieces with slots where each of the frames will be positioned. This type construction eliminates all of the added bracing people used to try and keep frames square when they build the Pinnace. This type build board keeps the frames square and level making construction that much easier. The location of each frame is labeled on the build board to reduce the chance of placing a frame in the wrong location.The large blocks to the left are feet that will be glued onto the build board to raise it off the workbench so the tops of the frames have clearance.
 
In the middle are the sheets that contain the floors and futtocks. In another post I'll go into detail about how these are assembled.
 
At the bottom of the photo are some of the thicker elements, also made of cherry and also laser cut.

Beautiful work Dave! I'll be following your progress.

Hi Roman. Many thanks for supporting our forum. I wish you much success!

Hi Roman. Many thanks for supporting our forum. I wish you much success!

Hi Roman. Many thanks for supporting our forum. I wish you much success!

Hi Roman. Many thanks for supporting our forum. I wish you much success!

Hi Roman. Many thanks for supporting our forum. I wish you much success!

Here is an unusual piece of Naval history.
 
I am a plank owner on the USS Cook DE-1083 (later FF-1083). The Cook was named for LCdr Wilmer Paul Cook, an A4E pilot from Attack Squadron 155 off the USS Coral Sea (CVA 43). He was shot down over North Vietnam on 22 December 1967. He was listed as Killed In Action / Body Not Recovered (KIA/BNR). He remained in that status until June 21, 1988 when the Vietnamese government returned his remains. His family requested that he be buried at sea and on November 27, 1989 his ashes were scattered at sea off the coast of San Diego, CA from the ship named in his honor.
 
It is believed this is the only case where a service member's remains were buried at sea from a ship named after him.
 

 
 

Here is an unusual piece of Naval history.
 
I am a plank owner on the USS Cook DE-1083 (later FF-1083). The Cook was named for LCdr Wilmer Paul Cook, an A4E pilot from Attack Squadron 155 off the USS Coral Sea (CVA 43). He was shot down over North Vietnam on 22 December 1967. He was listed as Killed In Action / Body Not Recovered (KIA/BNR). He remained in that status until June 21, 1988 when the Vietnamese government returned his remains. His family requested that he be buried at sea and on November 27, 1989 his ashes were scattered at sea off the coast of San Diego, CA from the ship named in his honor.
 
It is believed this is the only case where a service member's remains were buried at sea from a ship named after him.
 

 
 

Here is an unusual piece of Naval history.
 
I am a plank owner on the USS Cook DE-1083 (later FF-1083). The Cook was named for LCdr Wilmer Paul Cook, an A4E pilot from Attack Squadron 155 off the USS Coral Sea (CVA 43). He was shot down over North Vietnam on 22 December 1967. He was listed as Killed In Action / Body Not Recovered (KIA/BNR). He remained in that status until June 21, 1988 when the Vietnamese government returned his remains. His family requested that he be buried at sea and on November 27, 1989 his ashes were scattered at sea off the coast of San Diego, CA from the ship named in his honor.
 
It is believed this is the only case where a service member's remains were buried at sea from a ship named after him.
 

 
 

This is Syren Ship Model's soon to be released kit. It is plank on frame and will be built admiralty style with frames showing. Chuck has come up with an ingenious way of constructing frames with floors and futtocks that uses laser cut parts. The kit uses cherry for most of the parts but some embellishments will be in boxwood.
 
This is a photo of a similar model from the National Maritime Museum

 

The Keel
 
The first element I tackled is the keel which is made up of 8 laser cut pieces. Before removing them from the billets I sanded off the char that was left on the backside of the billet from the laser. There really wasn't a lot but it's easier to remove it from the faces before you remove it from the billet. Once that was done I liberated the pieces from the billets.
 
The keel has rabbets, which are nothing more than bevels, on the top side of the keel. The keel itself is 5/32" thick and the rabbets need to be 1/32" x 1/32". I cut a piece of 1/32" scrap and used it to trace a line on the sides and top of the keel which I then pared down using a #11 scalpel blade. On the curved stem I did the same thing using a scrap piece that had the correct curve traced from the stem. On the sides I used a compass with a very sharp pencil.
 

 
This photo shows the side of the keel with the rabbet line drawn. The top of the keel would look the same. This step is done after the various keel sections are glued together.
 

This is a shot of the curved 1/32" piece I used to trace the rabbet line on the stem. Just slide the piece into position and trace your line. Flip the stem over and trace the line on the other side.