Salty Sea Dog

Arr de darr Cap'n! Just got done reading your log from the start and have really enjoyed it. Are you able to still eat pizza left handed?
I am looking into the proper scale of bailing buckets too and will be interested to see what you discover. Hope you mend quickly!
Best wishes

Arr de darr Cap'n! Just got done reading your log from the start and have really enjoyed it. Are you able to still eat pizza left handed?
I am looking into the proper scale of bailing buckets too and will be interested to see what you discover. Hope you mend quickly!
Best wishes

Whilst awaiting table-saws and blackening agents and the like, our Hero hath turned his attentions to other matters, such as making the Carpenter’s Toolbox.
 
"The job not be finished yet," said CaptainSteve, "but here be a few pics for ye."
 


 
It seems our Hero was greatly inspired by Capt RatFink's work, and has vowed to also create an open tool-box.
 


 
O'course, an open tool-box be meaning the need for tools to be going in that tool-box. Firstly (and stolen shamelessly from RatFink's build), a rack for storing chisels.

 
To date, a wooden mallet, a saw and an axe have been created ... 

... with a brace 'n' bit drill in the works ...

Excuse me, but would you mind cancelling your house move and continue building your Bounty Launch? 
 
I think it is just a little selfish of you considering I was enjoying reading your log so much but I guess I can be patient if you think your whole life is more important than entertaining me ...
 
(All the best with your move!)

"A-trennelling we will go ... a-trennelling we will go. 
Trennelling ... trennelling ... trennelling ... trennelling ...
Life is but a dream !!"
 
CaptainSteve's already tenuous grasp upon sanity hath been sorely tested these past two weeks. For he hath been occupying every erstwhile free moment in cutting many a toothpick into even smaller pieces ...
 

 
Thence he didst taketh up his drill and madeth verily great numbers of tiny, tiny holes in which to place these pieces ...
 

 
And, thencewise, whereupon that was doneth, he didst commenceth the whole process over again ... and again ... and again. All the while singing the refrain at the top untoest his self.
 


 
But, just when it didst seemeth darkest, just when it wouldst appeareth that our hero's grasp on reality musteth surely fail, he was able to discovereth his Inner Porcupine !!
 

 
Whereupon, finally seeing light at the end of the trennel tunnel, he didst taketh up the Fearsome Clippers of Toe-Nail Destruction to trim that Porcupine ...
 




 
 
"They be subtle," our Hero didst sayeth. "But the detail be there ... and it be good, methinks !!"
 
At this stage, it twouldst be pertinent to point out that nobody has informed CaptainSteve just yet that the outer hull couldst beeth in need of a good trennelling, as well.
For the sake of our Hero's sanity, let's just keep that matter betwixt our own selves, for the time being !!!

CaptainSteve, very nice quarterdeck! Thou hast quite the talent for this hobby.

Whence last we didst leave our Hero, CaptainSteve be just in the process of finishing installing the last of the floorboards. It hadst been his intention to distress and fadeth the colouration of these. As hast been written afore, Bligh and company didst findeth it most necessary to bail constantly.
 
"I doest wisheth to show further the extremes of the Journey undertaken by Bligh and Co," he didst state.
 

 
"They be most distressed now," he added. "And much water-damage be evident."
 
Our Hero then didst turneth his gaze astern, his intention being to next worketh upon the Quarterdeck. As others who hadst goneth before him had done, he hadst intended to constructeth the Quarterdeck arrangement directly onto the Plans. But, Lo, he was to findeth minor vagaries and variations betwixt a tracing he didst maketh and this Launch itself !!
 
"Arrrgeth!! I shalt noteth be beaten so easily," he didst declare.
 
Thusly, adopting Plan B, CaptainSteve tooketh the very last remaining pieces of Cherrywood and didst begineth working out an erstwhile solution to this problem. Firsteth, he didst install some of the pieces as guides for the placement of the Deck, which was yet to come ...
 

 
... and, thence, didst he use the last pieces as a frame for the now-distressed planks to maketh up the Deck.
 

 
Having thus achievedeth some level of success in this matter, he then didst turneth his attentions again unto matters of colouration. 
 
"As the Quarterdeck doth lieth at an angle, I wouldst fadeth the lower portion of the planking, showing further the trials and tribulations that Bligh didst meeteth with," CaptainSteve didst endeavour to explaineth.
 

 
"But I must maketh a hatchway," our Hero proclaimed. "For how else couldst Bligh hideth the Rum, as indeedeth he must."
 
And so he didst, adding a small rope loop to alloweth for the opening of the hatch ...
 

 
Surveying his work, CaptainSteve doth feeleth that the hatch doest lack for hinges. But this be a matter for another day ...

Just a few pics to show where I'm up to at the moment ...
 
Firstly, the water-damaged floor-planks laid out prior to installation:
 

 
.... and how they look so far ...
 


 
 

Despite a long absence, it can be reported that CaptainSteve hath not shirked hardship and misfortune. Nor hath he been vanquished by that most persistent of his foes, Stoopidity.
Indeedeth, he hath rallied this past fortnight; and he hath thrown himself, time and again, into the planking melee. One by one, they didst fall to his unceasing onslaught. Until, finally, but two didst remain – the Shutter Planks.
 
“They be over-sized,” didst Bob the Builder write. “You shalt cutteth them to fit.”
“Hah!!” our hero snorted, in reply.
“Surely, you jest !! They be too small, and the gap doest be humungous !!
Indeeth Bob, I doest herewith removeth thee from my Christmas Card list!!”
 
For, verily, and to his dismay, CaptainSteve didst findeth that, for him at leasteth, a large gap was to remain. Much wailing and gnashing of teeth didst ensue.
 


 
Thusly, our hero didst embarketh forth to maketh his very own Shutter Planks – one Port and one Starboard.
“Methinks that stealers shalt also be required,” he didst declare.
 


 
Indeedeth, our Hero didst need to trieth many a time ‘ere satisfaction were to be attained. Verily, at one point, the four planks from the gap to the Sheer didst popeth out from the Rabbet !!
(And, Oh My, didst much wailing and gnashing of teeth and uttering of Ye Olde sailing language ensue on THAT day !!!)
But, finally, he didst meeteth with success.
 


 
But he didst not rest upon his laurels. Casting his one good eye over the planking, CaptainSteve realized that something was missing.
 
“But something be missing," sayeth he. "'Tis good, but a final touch be required."
Thusly, didst he turneth his attentions unto the transom, whereupon he didst cuteth planks to fit, distressing each in turn. Then, to capeth things off, a Docker Plank was madeth.
 


 
 
Some trimming, a final touch-up of the painting, and with that, the planking was done!!
 
 

That would be a "Captain's Perogative" I think! 
 
Wow, lucky you got  your bars just in time to save any embarrassment!  Congrats!

Arrrgeth !!
It would appear that the party responsible for the uncooperative plank was NOT the Bermuda Triangle, after all.
New evidence has come to light in the matter and it now seems likely that it was [shock][horror] someone in this very room !!
 
However, we may never know the identity of the true culprit. Indeed, he (or she) has most likely made good his (or her) escape by now anyway.
 
So there really is no point in trying to attribute blame ... is there ??
Precisely !!
I think it best to just leave the matter at that and get on with the planking.
 

Alde (and Mark), I should mention that I discovered this plank being wrong about four days back. Whilst doing a test-fit, this was what led me to discover that I had distressed the incorrect side of some of my planks. If reversed, this particular plank would fit in place on the PORT side - except for the curve now in it - but not on the STARBOARD side.
 
As it is nearly 6am, and I have been pondering this problem for the past 3 hours, the only plausible explanation that I can reach is that, somehow, the Bermuda Triangle has re-positioned itself directly over my work-table !!
 
PS: Woo-hoo ... CaptainSteve has just been promoted to Captain !!
"Looketh !! I have me bars !!", he announced, joyfully.

Following on from his Battles against the Frames, our hero didst take pause awhile to consider the issues of colouration.
“Enough dallying about,” the Horde cried. “Get on with it !!”
 
“Arrr … “, CaptainSteve was heard to reply. “One canst procrastinate but for so long.”
(Actually, by definition, one canst procrastinate for as long as one bloody well wants - indeed, the longer the better).
 
But, as he doth intend to get this thing done and move on with his USS Constitution build, then it didst finally becometh necessary to drawest the line somewhere. And so, with the weekend upon him ‘twas time to move onwards. For, as has been foretold, There Shall Be Planking …
 
Thusly, the planks making up Belt C, as well as the first of Belt B, were subjected to “water-boarding” last eventide in order to convince them to bend to CaptainSteve’s will. The same fate was meted out also unto the Sheer planks.
As the bottom section of the Launch (to the waterline) willst be made white, then there be no need for worryin’ with any graining on the lower planks which doeth makest Belt C. It shouldst be realised that the waterline will no doubt extend upwards to the second plank in Belt B, but this problem shalt be dealt with at a later stage.
 
Whereupon their punishment was served, the two Sheer planks were dry-fitted upon the rack then hued in purple. Indeed, ‘tis a tint which hath been labelled – sorry, Keith – Docker Purple. For the future Master of this craft, CaptainAndrew, wouldst be a fan of the Fremantle Football Club.
 
“A nice trim they shalt make !!” proclaimethed CaptainSteve.
 

 
A different fate was dealt unto the planks making up the remainder of Belt B, as well as those which shalt maketh Belt A. For their crimes, water-boarding wilt also be in their future. But firstly, they didst meet with the knife … and the pencil … and the steel-wool grinding-wheel thingy of our hero’s Dremel tool.
 
Most verily, this was a laborious endeavour which tooketh many, many hours. Once done, and after applying a concoction of his own making (Old Baltic 5 parts to Golden Teak 3 parts), they looketh like this:
 

As of this very moment in time, the planks Garboard hath been dry-fitted. On the morrow, the Sheer shalt be affixed …
 
FOOTNOTE:  CaptainSteve wishes it to be known throughout the land that he hast ceased worrying as to whether he doth possesseth enough of the woods from the cherry tree to maketh the cant and ‘tween frames.
 
“For in this matter, I wilt be considering following in the footsteps of the One known as Meredith. Indeedeth, and verily, this day I didst purchase a hue of Blue-Grey and doth intendeth to useth it for the interior planking and framing.
 
‘Twill be the better to allow the various fittings, fixings, fruits and equipment to stand-eth out,” he didst declar-eth.

I bet you spent more than you intended!  Around $50?   Although it is cheating going at night so you don't have to buy a sausage haha.
 
I am sure you will make the right decision on your colouring.  If I had to choose though, (from reading every Bounty Launch log I could find) I do agree with you and just a smidge lighter might be what you are after and I am guessing the 8:3 ratio might do the trick.  But please remember that computer screens display things differently so you are the best judge of all!

I've been procrastinating severely over the last few days as I ponder the problem of precisely what wood stain I would like to apply to my Launch's planks. I intend to have the staining done BEFORE actually beginning the planking stage of this build.
 
A trip to my local Bunnings store this evening saw me stock up on a few different tints to play with. Unfortunately, they did not have the White Japan stain with which I had hoped to tone down the tan-hued Old Baltic. Nor could I locate the Minimax Weathered Oak.
 
Essentially, these are the ones I came home with:
 

 
From left-to-right, these are: Old Baltic, Golden Teak and Oak.
 
I played around with a few variations, none of which I was completely satisfied with.
 
Now, I'm aware that I had previously discarded the idea of weathering/graining my planks. This was primarily because I wasn't sure I could achieve this with any degree of satisfaction.
Then I came up with an idea. I broke off another piece from the plank template to use as a test. This I "scratched up" with some random lengthwise cuts using my razor knife. Using a HB lead pencil, the test plank was coloured in. Then a pencil eraser was used to remove most of the pencil, leaving just the cuts filled with lead.
A concoction of 4 parts Old Baltic and 1 part Golden Teak (4:1) was then mixed up and applied to my test plank.
Here's the result:
 

 
What do you think ?? A little extra of the Golden Teak, perhaps (5:2, 8:3) ?? 
I do still want to add tree-nailing to this build, so they must be able to show up against my planks.

The battle of Cherrywood Framing was fought to a decisive end last eventide, with the Twelve finally being vanquished and bending to CaptainSteve's will.
 



 
Twas a hard-fought battle, and many occasions came whence our hero didst strongly consider a Viking funeral:
 

 
('Tis a large match-stick which ye shouldst note was used to affixeth the stem piece to the bow alignment blocks.)
 
As has been written by many of the heroes who have come a-fore, skeletons aplenty didst plague our brave adventurer. Indeed, so many of these undead beings haunt CaptainSteve's boneyard that he ponders whether or not enough material remains to battle the Cant and 'tween Frames which the Plans have prophesied.
 

 
"'Twouldst be a close thing," he was heard to say, forlornly.
 
As sucheth, our gallant hero is currently considering whether or not to form an alliance with strips of the Sapelli tree, salvaged from past battles.
"Two millimetres in width, they are. In depth, they be the same. Of dark reddish-brown they be in hue."
 
Were CaptainSteve to take this path, then 'twouldst be necessary to dye the fruit of the Cherrywood tree already affixed. Verily, he is most in favour of a Walnut dye, as the planking shalt be of Ye Olde Baltic.
 
"Wouldst make a nice contrast, methinks," he declared.
"What sayeth thee ??" he asked of the assembled horde.

Alde,
Permit me to ask you this:
Were you to spend some 6 weeks in a tiny life-boat with 18 Englishmen in the days before under-arm deodorants were invented, during tropical, late-winter/post-monsoonal weather, don't you think that you would have appreciated just ONE scented candle ??
 
 
Hexie,
Yes they do ... but my local store was out of that variety.
 
Arr ...

You will be pleased to learn that CaptainSteve has mostly recovered from the injuries inflicted upon him by the evil pizza delivery company of the previous week (at least, he is fairly sure his misfortune was due to the pizza !!).
 
Fortified against further attacks by renewing the alliance with his friend, Jack Daniels, he has vowed to continue forward with his mission.
In his quest to bring the Holy Grail of SawDust unto the assembled crowd, he hast taken upon himself the twin tasks of tapering of the Stem piece, as well as the fairing of the many mould formers.
 


 
“All is now faired in Love and Boat-Building !!”, he did declare.
(And with that, CaptainSteve didst offer up his gratitude to the One known as Alde, for twas his suggestion.)
 
Thusly, with these battles now behind him, our hero was able, finally, to present the precious Vials of SawDust unto the slavering masses.

 
“Not before Time !!” didst the horde mumble.
 
But then they were heard to add, “Is that all ??”
“Nay !!” he didst reply, “For I have also dealt a savage blow unto future mis-alignment by a-fixing the Sheer Tabs to their rightful places upon the moulds.”

 
“Indeed, whatsomore, I have unto the moulds added many temporary tabs of my own making, the better to fortify the positioning of the cherrywood frames which the Plans have long foretold must come.”
 
Further, to assist with that which still faces him, CaptainSteve applied wax of the purple scented candle unto the edges of the mould formers, declaring:
“This be to allow the frames an easy departure from the formers, also as foretold by the Plans, whence the time doth cometh.”

 
Having thus done as much as he could, he thence didst state:
“I must rest !! The better to allow construction of the Building Jig on the morrow.”
 
"But, first, a gift ... brought to me across the oceans from the faraway land of Tasmania."

 
“’Tis called Tasmanian Blackwood - veneers from my Father.  For I feel these could be used to make most excellent thwarts and trims for my Launch !!”, was his parting comment.
 
And, with that, CaptainSteve didst retire for the even-tide.

The photos for Manitowoc 2013 were on my desk top I found the photos
David B

As I still have to finish off the ship-boats for my Constitution, I will leave you with the mandatory box pictures:
 
 

This past week, Our Hero hath continued to work on the various detail items to be included.
And here, he hath madeth a list:

 
Indeed, just this very day he didst PhotoShop a tick unto the top o' the list upon his return from the faraway land of Nippon where he didst journey to learn the ancient secrets of sword forging.
 
“I shalt not repeateth myself here,” CaptainSteve was heard to mutter. “For I hath detailed in the Kit-Basher’s forum me method fer making these."
So, please, clicketh here to check it out.
 
Now, as we know, Mr Bligh was not the most personable of people. Indeed, ‘tis known that even amongst the loyalists in the Launch with him, only a handful of men could be relied upon. Thusly, Our Hero hast reasoned that Bligh would’ve been certain to keep all the weapons onboard within easy reach.
 
“Hence I shalt most probably be placing the four cutlasses (and two native spears) that hath been documented up Bligh’s end of the Launch,” CaptainSteve didst explain.
 
Re-visiting the tool-chest, for now, three of the cutlasses have been lazily placed inside.
 
“Thee final one couldst well be chopped into the edge of one of the rear benches,” our Hero didst suggest. “Mayhaps next to where ol’ Bligh hisself be sitting.”

Greetings all,
 
My first foray into building a wooden vessel is this gem. I've been lurking a little while, as I've been evaluating my tool chest and selecting this build. Over the years, I've done any number of wooden structures and car kits, as a model railroader. Thought I should learn how to twist straight boards into boats aka planking.
 
In my prior endeavors, we sealed and stained before we put any glue on any surfaces. Plus we had to fight warping wood ( due to using water based paints) with extra bracing. Should I treat the wood before any construction? Since this is primarily a basswood boat, should I apply some MinWax preconditioner? How about the cherry frames? Since I'll have to soak these to bend them, I suspect they get taken care of after the boat come off the mold.
 
A few of the obligatory pix are attached:
 
Kit box

Some of the wood

The pepper wreck is a very interesting and worthwhile resource, but it has to be remembered that it's about 100 years later than the ship you're planning to model, and there were quite a few changes in ship design over that period.
 
There's some good info on Portuguese naus (carracks) at http://nautarch.tamu.edu/shiplab/indianau02iconography.htm and http://nautarch.tamu.edu/shiplab/00-pdf/Castro%202009%20-%20PepperWreckSails.pdf, including some good stuff on the Pepper wreck itself.
 
Steven

This week has been dedicated to the construction of accessories fo the deck.
Specifically: "boring accessories"!
I made 12 kevels, each composed by three pieces, as can be seen in the photos and later I painted them with light walnut colour;
I made all the customised blocks needed for the standing rigging of the foremast (in the photos can be seen before and after the treating with dark walnut color).
I made the "multiple blocks" (I don't know the english term ) for the halyard of the lateen sail of the foremast.
I made 10 bitts for the bow section.
I made minor accessories related to the main-mast, too.
In addition I made all the holes needed for attaching to the ship the rigging of all the cannons.
I finally installed the foremast and its "lantern" or "calcese" or....(it is called in many ways), painted black.
So, really, it has been a very very boring week!
 
But the pain it is still not ended.
Before proceeding further I need to prepare and attach all the rigging of the cannons, otherwise I have no idea of the available space for placing the other "materials" on the deck.
Unfortunately, working without a commercial drawing force me to give priority to some boring steps.
So the next week will still be a boring one....

5) Prepping the hull for finish
 
The gaps and splits in the walnut planking that had occurred over the years due to dryness and wood shrinkage (shown in the earlier photos) were repaired with sawdust and thinned white glue and sanded. The triangular garboard fillers at the ends of the keel were stained for a better color match.
 

 

 
Then the fun part. Lemon oil was applied to all the bare wood. Instant magic! I just love the look of oiled wood. The main thing was to NOT use an oil with wax or silicone in it as that could interfere with my plans for a shellac top coat.
 

 
The exterior was rubbed down with a few applications of oil and the interior was oiled using a brush. The previously shellacked floorboards and seats were unaffected and any stray oil was wiped off of them.
 

 

 

 
This will need to sit for a few days before I apply a thinned out shellac wash coat to seal it.