PopJack

Well, I'm definitely closing in on this one.
 
Today I finished my rope coils and hanks.  I'm not completely satisfied with the rigging- there are lots of things technically wrong that bug me, but honestly, I don't know how the ship was actually rigged and I think that it looks nice. For example the sheets are sometimes tied directly to eye bolts with a coil of rope nearby, when I know that there should have been more.
 
But, I am happy.   Especially given the kit and my level or ability and patience, I think she looks pretty good.
 
I selected a rock and bored holes in it, bored holes in the false keel.  I've known how I was going to mount her for weeks.  The photos below show my "mock up" to see what I thought.  I stole the idea from a photo I saw somewhere- maybe even on this board.  Thanks to whoever did it first, and I am sorry I don't know your name.  I think I've given it enough of a twist to "make it mine."
 
As soon as I am happy, I will put glue water on the sails to make them billowing and fix the lines stiff so that they will hold the sails out as though in a strong breeze.
 
I think I will probably lower the whole boat about one inch, but I like the pitch and yaw.  SWMBO says its too steep because you can't see all the work on the deck, but although I love and respect her opinion, I"m thinking I may not follow her sage advice.
 
After everything is mounted, there will be touch up, of course, and that should be that.  If anyone is interested, I might post the text of the book I'm writing to go with it for my brother and his betrothed.
 
(BTW, that hat does NOT always hang on the door knob.  I'm not sure how it got in so many photos!)
 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 

Hello all, and back to the boat.
 
I mounted the bow and stern sprits, added the bulwarks and cap rail and put in eye bolts all over the deck for the rigging.  I painted and put the hand rails on the cabin roof.  I also added the companion way hatch, which still needs painting.  If you look carefully you can see the anchor chocks at the bow, and that reminds me, I will need to make an anchor.  Ah well, one thing at a time.  Next are the masts, booms and gaffs and all the little bits that hold them together.
 
Bob
 

 

 

 

 

Well crud.  Last night I worked very hard on a post that included lovely pictures and I see it isn't here.  I am sure I looked at the preview and exited without pressing "post" - I've done it before.
 
So, to repeat:
The sails are all on and I'm mostly happy with them.  There are a few problems, but such is life.  The MAIN issue is that the model does not have enough points to belay the sheets.  It was clearly designed for the spars alone.
I'm going to have to do a bit a reading and review some photos to see what to do about this.  For example, the stay sail has two lines that have nowhere to go. 
For anyone who is adding sails to this old model, note that it does not have near enough mast hoops- my kit had five per mast and there should have easily been twice that many.  I didn't recognize the problem until the mast and spars were stepped and mounted and I haven't come up with a good way to add any.  Additionally, of course, they should be wood and not metal.
 
Anyway, here is a photo.  I should have cropped it, but it looks rather dramatic, so I'm leaving it "as is."
 

John, It's not that hard.
 
Popeye & Wayne,  Your comments remind me of the man who was driving through the country and saw a chair for sale.  He asked the owner where it came from and how much.  The owner said he had made it and it was $25.00.  The man thought it would make nice dinning room chairs and ordered six.  The owner said that would cost $600.00.  The man asked, "Why so much" ?   The owner said, "Well the first one was fun".
 
Bob

If that emblem is sewn on with out seams in it.  It would be a very wide piece of cloth.
 
Bob

I probably should have painted the hull first, Popeye. 
 
I’m sorry but I did it again.  I got carried away building and forgot to take pictures.   Anyway I built the cabin furniture so I could put it in before I put on the sub-deck.  I put pads on the benches and backs and added a chart on the table.  The brown shelf has a step in the middle and another on the cabin deck.
 

 
That’s it for now.
 
Bob
 
 

Well, Wayne- you are right.  After I quit whining like a spoiled brat, I decided I was not going to be able to look at this boat with that mistake on it.  So today I took a small set of side cutters and cut through the braces and removed them.  I peeled them off rather than lifting, and they came off with only a little trouble.  I had applied oil to the mast prior the glue and I think that kept it from bonding to strongly.
 
There was some damage to the mast- but I was able to make the new braces to fit in nearly the same location and cover it up pretty well.
 
I then made the dead eye braces and soldered the dead eyes in place. 
 
New Braces

 
In Place
 

 
Deadeyes.  The ones that look burnt look that way because... wait for it....
 
they are burnt.

Anyway, the brass is soldered.

Well, Wayne- you are right.  After I quit whining like a spoiled brat, I decided I was not going to be able to look at this boat with that mistake on it.  So today I took a small set of side cutters and cut through the braces and removed them.  I peeled them off rather than lifting, and they came off with only a little trouble.  I had applied oil to the mast prior the glue and I think that kept it from bonding to strongly.
 
There was some damage to the mast- but I was able to make the new braces to fit in nearly the same location and cover it up pretty well.
 
I then made the dead eye braces and soldered the dead eyes in place. 
 
New Braces

 
In Place
 

 
Deadeyes.  The ones that look burnt look that way because... wait for it....
 
they are burnt.

Anyway, the brass is soldered.

Thanks for the comments.  When I made the metal pieces I had it in my head wrong.  The rigging will work fine.
 
It is glued and hammered on and then crimped.  I suppose I could take a small side grinder and cut them off... but I'm thinking I'm not.  I am willing to let it go so that I don't have to re-do all the work.

Thank you all for my birthday wishes !
Even the sun is shining a little…..
And everyone is welcome on the bus !
My birthday present from Anja are the tools (milling machine and saw table from Proxxon )
 
I also receive a present from Mobbsie ….
Here is a picture from that 
 

While saying "I agree with everyone else" seems to contribute very little, well... I agree with everyone else.  I would add however a couple of small points.
First, I don't think I can overemphasize the need for the build to move quickly.  As a beginner I really had no concept of what I was creating.  I needed to see it develop. If the ship took a year to complete, I would have never had the vision to finish it.
 
Like Probablynot, my first boat was a POB and I would recommend them to a beginner, but like him I have a fair amount of wood working experience.  I can cut a straighter line with my tablesaw than I can with a razor and a straight edge.  (Unfortunately, I grew up where there was no water and except for fiberglass canoes, have never worked on or even seen any real boat/ship worked on.)
 
Second, access to a site like this plus the Internet plus books is, in my mind essential.  A good friend of mine confessed that he tried boats several years ago and turned two kits into kindling- because he never got past the planking.  I can't convince him to try again- he's that discouraged.  So a simple boat that you can find a build log on- that would, to me, be essential.
 
Finally, I think you have to find a simple boat that is interesting to you.  I build the Mare Nostrum and am working on the Swift.  The MS is a pretty piece of work, she has interesting lines and nice details.  Even though I understand that she is a simple boat, I proudly display her in my home.  On the Swift I am doing a lot of experimenting and technique refining.  Even so, I plan on presenting her to my brother as a wedding gift. 
 
After these two builds I plan a real ship- and I have two, so I'm thinking of setting up two work benches so I can switch from one to the other!

I spent a few minutes tonight masking off some of the bumpers.  I'm painting the majority of the upper boat dark blue (nearly black), but wanted the bumpers to be white.
 
This is historically not a bad choice based on the photos and paintings I have seen.  The only problem is, after I trimmed the tape, YELLOW looks pretty good.
 
I can just imagine her black with yellow highlights now.
 

While saying "I agree with everyone else" seems to contribute very little, well... I agree with everyone else.  I would add however a couple of small points.
First, I don't think I can overemphasize the need for the build to move quickly.  As a beginner I really had no concept of what I was creating.  I needed to see it develop. If the ship took a year to complete, I would have never had the vision to finish it.
 
Like Probablynot, my first boat was a POB and I would recommend them to a beginner, but like him I have a fair amount of wood working experience.  I can cut a straighter line with my tablesaw than I can with a razor and a straight edge.  (Unfortunately, I grew up where there was no water and except for fiberglass canoes, have never worked on or even seen any real boat/ship worked on.)
 
Second, access to a site like this plus the Internet plus books is, in my mind essential.  A good friend of mine confessed that he tried boats several years ago and turned two kits into kindling- because he never got past the planking.  I can't convince him to try again- he's that discouraged.  So a simple boat that you can find a build log on- that would, to me, be essential.
 
Finally, I think you have to find a simple boat that is interesting to you.  I build the Mare Nostrum and am working on the Swift.  The MS is a pretty piece of work, she has interesting lines and nice details.  Even though I understand that she is a simple boat, I proudly display her in my home.  On the Swift I am doing a lot of experimenting and technique refining.  Even so, I plan on presenting her to my brother as a wedding gift. 
 
After these two builds I plan a real ship- and I have two, so I'm thinking of setting up two work benches so I can switch from one to the other!

While saying "I agree with everyone else" seems to contribute very little, well... I agree with everyone else.  I would add however a couple of small points.
First, I don't think I can overemphasize the need for the build to move quickly.  As a beginner I really had no concept of what I was creating.  I needed to see it develop. If the ship took a year to complete, I would have never had the vision to finish it.
 
Like Probablynot, my first boat was a POB and I would recommend them to a beginner, but like him I have a fair amount of wood working experience.  I can cut a straighter line with my tablesaw than I can with a razor and a straight edge.  (Unfortunately, I grew up where there was no water and except for fiberglass canoes, have never worked on or even seen any real boat/ship worked on.)
 
Second, access to a site like this plus the Internet plus books is, in my mind essential.  A good friend of mine confessed that he tried boats several years ago and turned two kits into kindling- because he never got past the planking.  I can't convince him to try again- he's that discouraged.  So a simple boat that you can find a build log on- that would, to me, be essential.
 
Finally, I think you have to find a simple boat that is interesting to you.  I build the Mare Nostrum and am working on the Swift.  The MS is a pretty piece of work, she has interesting lines and nice details.  Even though I understand that she is a simple boat, I proudly display her in my home.  On the Swift I am doing a lot of experimenting and technique refining.  Even so, I plan on presenting her to my brother as a wedding gift. 
 
After these two builds I plan a real ship- and I have two, so I'm thinking of setting up two work benches so I can switch from one to the other!

I feel better. I posted a plea for help a few days ago and then left town on business. I could read emails (as in notifications of replies) but received none. I finally went back and... there was no plea.  I suppose I did all kind of editing and photo insertion and forgot to press the post button as well.

A while back a gentleman advised me regarding building these models.  He said, "when it gets tense, you just have to get up and get away for a while- or it won't stay fun."
 
While my history isn't in ship modeling (on my second small build to learn how its done), After reading several of your excellent builds, I can't help but think that if I were to take over another section of the house so that I could start another build or two, instead of walking away I could just decide what I felt like doing that day.
 
Additionally, when the paint says "wait so and so hours" I might actually learn to do that.
 
Love watching your quality work!

nawww.......it's the other way around.....LOL!  I'm just kidding though.  but,  I am close towards getting back to the Goth.  got a few other aspects I want to get on the deck,  and a bit more moldings for the stern........then I can work on the masting.   lots of planking on the Half Moon,  so that will definitely break the tension.   I'll look forward to seeing some progress on your build......but please do it when you feel absolutely ready. 
 
 

Well, an update on the Stag at last.  I didn't get a lot done yesterday as we are in the middle of school holidays at the moment and the museum was crowded with families - always fun when you're surrounded by a mob of kids asking questions about your model.  At one stage I dropped a needle on the floor and had a group of kids crawling around the floor searching for it for me (they found it, too)!
 
I've finally started rigging.  The standing rigging of the bowsprit it done and I've made up the sets of shrouds ready for seizing in the deadeyes.  The lower mast is also permanently fitted now awaiting shrouds.
 
 It's usually at about this time in a build that I get really paranoid - always thinking that I might have forgotten to rig something essential before going on to the next stage, but even so I love rigging - even ratlines.
 
I remembered that Pat had asked for a photo with a ruler against the model, so one of the photos shows my trusty six inch rule against the base.
 
John
 

Worked on her a bit tonight.  I have done a bit of research on the vessels of the period and made some discoveries of recreations on the water.  I don't know how accurate the paint and other features of the modern recreations are, but they look nice to a modern eye and I plan on using some of their ideas.
 
Again, this boat is for me to learn on.  Sad, but true.
 
First of all, I finished the deck.  It came out Okay, but not great.  I have been debating making treenails, but so far I haven't decided.  Since the seams are not in line, I am concerned that the nails would make this error more obvious.  So, that continues to cook in my mind.
 

 
The edges of the cabins are unfinished plywood at this point.  I was going to simply glue on a veneer, but I found where in some of the modern recreations of the boats, the natural wood of the roof of these structures remained varnished, but the edges were painted.  I had some walnut laying around, so I made a jig for my bandsaw and made a few pieces of edging.
 



 
I am going to paint these black.  So I made a quick mock up to see what she looked like.
 

 
I think this will make a nice little edge piece.  Later, I may make a scraper and shape the edge a bit, we'll see.  Also, I have to look at how everything goes together so I can determine where I need to use a veneer edge- probably under the hatch.
 
I also surfed the site and saw some real masterpiece work today- which makes me cringe a bit about posting my limited progress- but hey.... one day, some day.... maybe I'll be good enough to at least understand how that fancy stuff is done.
 
 

Okay Floyd, your wish is . . .
Photos courtesy of Mike Graff.
 
End-iron chain block on jumbo jib boom

 

 

 

 

 
Easy turnbuckles

 

It's all in the wrist.
 
Did a little sanding on the hull tonight.  Still researching color schemes. 

Not much to tell about the tool case.  It is "quick and dirty" defined.
 
The panels were cut and then biscuits were used on the major panel edges, reinforced by #8 2 inch screws.  I counter sunk the screws, but didn't bother to fill behind the screws in any manner.   
 
I used the iron on edging for the boards- it works well once you figure it out.  It's easy to scorch though, and I didn't have any extra left over to replace bad applications.  I use a strip of glue on everything, but doubt its effectiveness- probably just habit.
 
The drawers are a single piece of board with a edge made of scrap oak I had laying around.  I made them shallow, since primarily the drawers are for laying out tools, not stacking stuff.  I used commercial drawer slides that will extend out the full depth of the drawer.
 

 
I had a heavy duty lazy susan base (one that will hold three or four hundred pounds) and made a tool holder to go on it.  Its not as smooth as a lighter duty one would be- but should I ever get any REALLY HEAVY TOOLS, I'm in shape.
 

 
Originally I wasn't going to put a door on it, but I decided that it might be nice to lock up the super glue and sharp tools for grandchild safety.  Since I don't want a door in the way, I made a lift off door that is held in place by a pin.  The attachment points are from some scrap aluminum angle I had laying around.
 


 
I got drawer liners that is really tacky and lined the top and other parts.  After I use it for a while I'm sure I'll figure out what I did wrong and make modifications.
 

Nice work station.
 
I found this online researching
http://books.google.com/books/about/Pilots.html?id=VNsGi3nmuaQC
and the chapter of the
Virginia Capes pilot schooners

Lovely and true as the day is long.  I can tell I will be referring to this ship to see what mine is supposed to look like!

I finally got a chance to upload the latest pics of my Syren.  You will notice, she is now on a building board.  I built that out of a scrap piece of oak from home depot and a couple strips of poplar.  I laid the poplar next to a straight edge to make sure they did not have a curve or warp in them before screwing them down.  The strips are just tight enough to hold the keel and still let me pull the whole thing out and replace as needed.
 
I dry fitted all the bulkheads and finally glued them in.  I am now working on the filler blocks made from some scrap that I had laying around.
 
overhead of the whole thing

 

I think everything looks pretty straight.
 
from this angle too.

 
 
Thanks for watching