JeffT

Hello nehemiah, and a warm welcome from the UK.
Glad to have you aboard. Mark has given good advice, and it applies to all the steps you will face when building: no matter what you come up against, someone has done it before, maybe they posted it in a build log 😇 with a few tricks to help the next builder.
 
Bruce
 
 

Welcome to MSW, Nehemiah.  To answer your question, the basic rule of thumb for learning rigging is a) Use our logs as resource as many builders go into detail on the rigging.  The bigger rule of thumb is start with no mast, then 1 mast, then 2 two before tackling 3 masts.   Each one will build on the previous.   As you build, you will get better in all areas.   So, relax, have some fun building.   

Hi everyone,
 
Just started model building last year in attempt to stay sane while working from home. It's worked (for the most part). :)
 
I have completed the Grand Banks Dory from Model Shipways, got about 65% through the Model Shipways Longboat (1:48 scale) until quitting b/c too small for me to get decent results. Finished the 1:24 Model Shipways longboat and I am now close to finishing the Vanguard Fifie (everything except the sails are completed).
 
REALLY enjoyed building the Fifie but now looking for a new vessel to order and not really sure which way to go. I have a question about the natural learning progression. I would like to get better at rigging but not sure which vessels are a bridge too far after only completing simpler rigging on Fifie. I'm decent with the planking but that also needs some work.
 
Was looking at the Master Korabel Schooner Polotsk, Vanguard HMS Flirt, or the Amati HMS Granado. Interested if anyone has thoughts about which would be the "easiest" rigging for next step in learning (keeping in mind the quality of the instruction booklet)? Any recommendations for kits other than those three would also be greatly appreciated.
 
Anyways, thanks for the site and all the awesome build logs and other information!

Welcome to MSW 

Welcome to MSW 

Jean Pierre; welcome to MSW. It’s a great Forum with a broad array of modelers from beginners who never cut a piece of wood to true master modelers all ready to help each other. Your illustrations are excellent and display your talent. 
 
if you want to try building a boat or ship just post a  note on the Forum asking for suggestions. There are many kits designed for individuals who have never built any type of model.
 
Again, welcome aboard. Stay Safe...Moab

Welcome to Model Ship World Jean Pierre.  It looks like the use of CAD is another highly useful tool in a ship modelers tool box.  I am looking forward to your designs and its applications in modeling.

Jean Pierre, welcome to MSW. Glad to have you aboard. 

Jean Pierre,
Welcome. Looking at some of the accomplishments here can be a little intimidating. But there are all levels of talent (just look at my stuff). If you participate here, you'll find that your talents will improve and that the members are most encouraging and helpful.
Tom

Hello Jean Pierre and a warm welcome to MSW from the UK.
Very impressive skills, I am sure your work will raise many questions!
 
Bruce

Greetings to all,
 
A member introduced me to the MSW site which interested me a lot and under which I was able to see very beautiful things.
 
I am a retired computer systems engineer-developer since 1995 from the Eurocopter France Company, currently EADS Helicopters.
 
I have always been interested in model making without being a very great practitioner and, currently, I model a sailboat and a motor glider under DELFTship to build in cardboard after having tried unsuccessfully to do it under FreeCAD.
 

La pinque marseillaise
http://jeanpierre.rousset.free.fr/Modelisme/M_Decoration/bateaux/Pinque/Documentation/La_pinque_la_Fileuse.html
 

Le Fournier RF4-D (also modeled with OpenSCAD)
http://jeanpierre.rousset.free.fr/Informatique/Applications/DELFTship/Fournier_FR4-D/Documentation/images/RF4-D_complet.jpg
 
Of course, a few years ago, I tried the 3D modeler Blender to design a Provençal clock to be made also in cardboard without having been able to put my project into execution despite some preliminary tests which were moreover only moderately encouraging.
 

L'horloge provençale
http://jeanpierre.rousset.free.fr/Modelisme/M_Decoration/divers/horloge/horloge_carton/Blender/index.html
 
I did not persevere with Blender because I find it not at all intuitive. As I stay quite a long time without using it, I have to reform myself each time which is quite painful.
 
So I remodeled this clock with FreeCAD :
 

http://jeanpierre.rousset.free.fr/Modelisme/M_Decoration/divers/horloge/horloge_carton/FreeCAD/Documentation/Virtualisation/index.html
 
Currently, I am preparing the construction plans for the sailboat and the motor glider with the software 'NanoCAD'. In the end, I am not sure that I am up to what I have seen on this forum and hope to be able to show some achievements with the indulgence of the artists that we meet here.
 
Best regards
Jean Pierre

The gallows are now completed....they are basically the same as the main jeer bitts.  The uprights are a little shorter to accommodate the top of the gallows which has that shape you are all familiar with.  The height of the gallows is equal to the top of the breast beam.  It is also  only temporarily in position.   I will be starting to build the chain pumps next which will allow me the ability to tweak all of their positions to align the crank handles and permanently install them.  You can see I removed that second beam as it will only make tweaking all their positions trickier.   That was just resting on the deck clamp as well.  Any questions.
 

I thought I'd do another quick update as I've managed to put a little colour on things.
 
Before paint, all the areas which would be under colour were first brushed with a little polyurethane varnish to prevent the paint soaking into the timber and looking grainy. For paint, I've used Humbrol 25 Flat Blue and Vallejo Flat Red. These are just brushed on by hand. I've purposely gone a little into the rail area so I know there won't be any areas I need to later touch up. You will still notice some areas where the channels will be fitted. I just want a solid wood - wood connection with no varnish in there.
 

 
 
The rails are now added to the sides, making things look a little tidier. The sections over the cannon ports are part cut through with the laser, so I just snip them out.



 
 
Fenders fitted:

 
 
The last thing I've done is to get some paint on the quarter galleries and stern, prior to be doing the decoration within the next week. My next update should see things looking quite different.


 
 
Until then...
 
 
 

Tapering a Plank

This plank runs from bulkheads H to D and is tapered in width from F @1/8” to D @ 3/32”.
 
The first picture shows a plank, marked with dots, indicating required width, at bulkheads F, E, and D locations, using the proportional dividers (search this site for purpose and use info), on the hand plane bed, setup with a vice.  Wale consist of 7 strakes so dividers set to 7.
 
Use the plane to remove the waste material under the dots.  Small shavings can easily be removed.  Hold the plank in a way that maintains a right angle to the bed.  Picture 2 shows the result.
 
Picture 3 shows the tools used to cleanup and smooth taper.  Test fit the plank on the model.
 
Picture 4 shows the plank installed.  Note, next plank from bulkhead D to the bow, is not tapered.  Will rip stock to 3/32” wide.
 
Completed this plank in less than 10 minutes.
 
 
 
 

Just a quick update (no pics). I've had to remake just about every plank from the 4th row on so its been taking a while. This is something new to me so I'm pretty much struggling my way through it. I've got a pile of scrapped plank attempts higher than Mount Everest. I've had to make each plank template at least 10 times before getting one template that I'm happy with, thats no joke. No two are alike. I'm using Chucks method and the results have been all over the place. I'll get it down eventually I guess. I think my current record for one plank is 8 tries. I've got 6 rows done so I'm getting there.

Moving right along.....or forward so to speak
 
You saw me build the capstan and I am using the red one....all I had to do was really make the two pawls.  I just used a strip of 3/64 x 3/64 boxwood.  I cut them to length.....shaped them as shown.   The arse end being rounded off.  I drilled a hole through that end so I could insert some black fishing line to simulate the bolt or pin on the pawl.  Painted them black with some weathering powder and glued them on.  Notice how I sanded the back of each pawl thinner so the part that engages the capstan is thicker.  Dont mind all the dust!!!

 
Then I continued forward adding beams ....lodging knees and hanging knees...
 
UNTIL I reached the area you see below.   The beam is permanently installed.  But the two columns are not.   These are just temporarily positioned.  Do not glue these two columns in yet.   Note how they were morticed into the coaming.   These two columns will need to be lined up perfectly with the Main jeer bits......and gallows.  The crank handle for the chain pumps will run through all of these elements and the need to be positioned only after the chain pumps are made.   That will come soon.   So just position them like this without glue.   

 
 
In fact....the next two (the last two) deck beams wont be added permanently yet either.   They will not be glued into position until after we have the chain pumps all finished and those crank handles installed.  But you will be testing with them while you build those elements...
 
For example....time to make the Main jeer bitts.   These actually sit directly under the forward most deck beam or breast beam.
 
They are laser cut and just like the columns, the uprights are etched on both sides for reference.   These are boxwood as well.   You will notice some heavy char on the sides of these because they are very thick at 3/16" thick.   Rather than just sand or file off the char from the sides of these, I scraped the char off first.   I used a number 11 blade.  That should remove most of it so whatever remains can be cleanly and easily sanded away.   Boxwood in this thickness requires much more laser power to cut through and thus more charring.   
 
Notice how the front and back of the uprights are flat without any dimension.  You have etched reference lines but you must still use some blades, chisels, files or whatever you are comfortable with....to mimic the profile laser cut on both sides.    These take some time to shape and do properly but they arent difficult.   As you can see they clean up beautifully and make some really nice jeer bits.  The two sheaves are all laser cut for you on both sides.....how nice is that???  You could round off the sheaves if you like for extra credit.
 

The jeer bitts were painted red and positioned beneath the Breast beam or that first qdeck beam.    Nothing is glued in yet....these are just tests in preparation for completing the chain pumps.  It rests right against the coaming behind it.   The cross beam is on the aft side.  But I will mention....
 
This is important,  the Breast beam is actually wider than all of the other deck beams.   Its 3/16" wide.   In addition, you must scrape a decorative molding and glue it the fore side of this beam.   The molding was scraped from a 3/32" x 1/32" boxwood strip.  Deck planking and margin planks will over hang this breast beam and look very nice.  I dont know if you can see or make out the molding on the beam.   But the jeer bitts are tested under it.   It is starting to look good now that more fittings are being added.   Next up the gallows which is almost the same as the jeer bitts but has a fancy top.  It is positioned just forward of the main mast.  Thats next!!!

A little farther away to see more of the hull at this stage....remember those two remaining deck beams are NOT glued in yet......
 

And farther away still as the fittings continue to be added...

 
 
 

Welcome and beautiful model 

Just a quick update (no pics). I've had to remake just about every plank from the 4th row on so its been taking a while. This is something new to me so I'm pretty much struggling my way through it. I've got a pile of scrapped plank attempts higher than Mount Everest. I've had to make each plank template at least 10 times before getting one template that I'm happy with, thats no joke. No two are alike. I'm using Chucks method and the results have been all over the place. I'll get it down eventually I guess. I think my current record for one plank is 8 tries. I've got 6 rows done so I'm getting there.

Just a quick update (no pics). I've had to remake just about every plank from the 4th row on so its been taking a while. This is something new to me so I'm pretty much struggling my way through it. I've got a pile of scrapped plank attempts higher than Mount Everest. I've had to make each plank template at least 10 times before getting one template that I'm happy with, thats no joke. No two are alike. I'm using Chucks method and the results have been all over the place. I'll get it down eventually I guess. I think my current record for one plank is 8 tries. I've got 6 rows done so I'm getting there.

Welcome and beautiful model 

Welcome and beautiful model 

Just a quick update (no pics). I've had to remake just about every plank from the 4th row on so its been taking a while. This is something new to me so I'm pretty much struggling my way through it. I've got a pile of scrapped plank attempts higher than Mount Everest. I've had to make each plank template at least 10 times before getting one template that I'm happy with, thats no joke. No two are alike. I'm using Chucks method and the results have been all over the place. I'll get it down eventually I guess. I think my current record for one plank is 8 tries. I've got 6 rows done so I'm getting there.

I cannot believe it has been over three months since I posted on Swallow.  I promise you, I have been busy on her and a few other things.  Take a peek at the Capstan Project.  Also, I was unhappy with the appearance of the upper planking.  It has all been removed and rebuilt.  Trunneling has started and pictures will be forthcoming soon.
 
 

These look beautiful.  Welcome to MSW.  Looks like there are some blocks just hanging out in the last pix.  Still working on it?
 
John

Here are the pictures in .JPEG format