PopJack

I want to discuss what I did on the planks.  I am only a beginner and it may be all wrong.  I understand that such a small kit is of little interest to experienced builders, but if anyone ever reads this who knows the negative consequences of my actions, I hope they will let me know.
 
First, a lot of the ripples that were evident in the above photographs were apparently due to the moisture in the wood.  I don't know if it was from the glue or the damp rag that I used to clean up the glue.  After a couple of days, the boards were nearly flat by themselves. To complete the process, I used a fine blade to open up the cavity between the board and the hull and squirted some glue in with a syringe and clamped.
 
For the remaining planks, I developed a technique that appears to work.  Note that I want these particular planks to follow the shape of the hull.  I plan on making the planks visible through the finish- and I want the flowing lines.
 
First, I applied glue heavily, more heavily that normal, concentrating on the edge of the previous board.
 

 
Then I clamped one end of the plank and rough positioned the board, working out where it would want to buckle on its own.
 
Once I understood what the board wanted to do, I clamped the other end.
 

 
I took a scrap of stiff wood about 3cm X 1.5 cm and wrapped it in wax paper.  The scrap was as stiff as I felt I could use that wouldn't acturally break when forced into the curve.  I clamped it carefully to make sure that it covered the seam.
 

 
Once I knew I had it positioned correctly, I put all the clamps I could fit on it.
 

 
I let this set for about ten minutes- enough time for the glue to grab, but not until everything was dry.  Then I removed it and found that there were a couple of small ripples where the board didn't extend far enough. 
 

 
I clamped these in a similar manner, but because I had cleaned up the glue thoroughly, I did not bother with the wax paper.  Note that the wood was quite damp from all the wiping.
 

 
After about five minutes I removed these clamps and it looks Okay.  Note this is with NO sanding at all.
 

 
I ran over it with some rough paper and as you can see, it should clean up quite well and the boat progresses.
 
 

Well, I nearly finished the main mast.   The plans indicate the hardware was either painted white or galvanized.  I opted for galvanized on the masts various other topside items.  I'm following a theory here that on the ships I have seen the hardware was not specially painted to show.  Rather, if painted it was painted the same color (and probably same paint) as surrounding areas.
 
For the top of the main top mast, I decided against trying to make a brass strip look right, so I just twisted some wire and soldered it up. 
 
For the area of abrasion around the boom rest I used the dull side of aluminum foil.
 
The last thing to do is the spring wire loop and the small ring.  Then on to the foremast where I suppose most things will be done the same.
 

True in so many ways!

True in so many ways!

pic

I am back from a week in Mexico with an update from the past month.
So I was able to complete the work on the bulwarks and get the hull sanded and filled. I am gaining skill in fitting the wood together without gaps. I'm doing a much better job of this with this build vs the Jolly boat. I have also completed planking the inner bulwarks and have attached the keel. How do you not get so much residue of the PVA everywhere? I have thousands of q-tips but it still seems to hang out? I am using them dry.

Wow- two months with no update.
 
Before starting, I recall that I read about sailors creating crafts in their spare time.  They took scraps of rope and made decorative macrame, made ship models, etc etc.  I work with linemen and I discovered that some take the scrap clippings from skinning and trimming wires and make things out of them.  This scorpion was made from one underground transformer installation's clipped ground wire.
 

 
On to my toy boat.  I have finished all of the metal work.  I decided against trying to form hooks on all of the blocks, but have made them for a few of the bigger more prominent ones.  The others I'm tying on.
 
I started making sails.  This is how I did it.  I wanted 1/4" extra materials on all sides to that I could make a 1/8" casing for the cue lines.  (The casing is folded twice).  So, I carefully measured on the plans and marked the intersections of the 1/4" extended lines.
 

 
Then I laid the fabric on the plans and using a disappearing fabric marker and drafting techniques laid out the sail on the fabric.
 


 
Then, it was off to the sail making department where skilled craftswoman turned my sketches into reality.  (SWMBO or Admirable).
 

 
I installed the first sail and am generally happy.  I plan on using glue water and gravity to finish it up after the others are installed.


 

Wow- two months with no update.
 
Before starting, I recall that I read about sailors creating crafts in their spare time.  They took scraps of rope and made decorative macrame, made ship models, etc etc.  I work with linemen and I discovered that some take the scrap clippings from skinning and trimming wires and make things out of them.  This scorpion was made from one underground transformer installation's clipped ground wire.
 

 
On to my toy boat.  I have finished all of the metal work.  I decided against trying to form hooks on all of the blocks, but have made them for a few of the bigger more prominent ones.  The others I'm tying on.
 
I started making sails.  This is how I did it.  I wanted 1/4" extra materials on all sides to that I could make a 1/8" casing for the cue lines.  (The casing is folded twice).  So, I carefully measured on the plans and marked the intersections of the 1/4" extended lines.
 

 
Then I laid the fabric on the plans and using a disappearing fabric marker and drafting techniques laid out the sail on the fabric.
 


 
Then, it was off to the sail making department where skilled craftswoman turned my sketches into reality.  (SWMBO or Admirable).
 

 
I installed the first sail and am generally happy.  I plan on using glue water and gravity to finish it up after the others are installed.


 

Wow- two months with no update.
 
Before starting, I recall that I read about sailors creating crafts in their spare time.  They took scraps of rope and made decorative macrame, made ship models, etc etc.  I work with linemen and I discovered that some take the scrap clippings from skinning and trimming wires and make things out of them.  This scorpion was made from one underground transformer installation's clipped ground wire.
 

 
On to my toy boat.  I have finished all of the metal work.  I decided against trying to form hooks on all of the blocks, but have made them for a few of the bigger more prominent ones.  The others I'm tying on.
 
I started making sails.  This is how I did it.  I wanted 1/4" extra materials on all sides to that I could make a 1/8" casing for the cue lines.  (The casing is folded twice).  So, I carefully measured on the plans and marked the intersections of the 1/4" extended lines.
 

 
Then I laid the fabric on the plans and using a disappearing fabric marker and drafting techniques laid out the sail on the fabric.
 


 
Then, it was off to the sail making department where skilled craftswoman turned my sketches into reality.  (SWMBO or Admirable).
 

 
I installed the first sail and am generally happy.  I plan on using glue water and gravity to finish it up after the others are installed.


 

Wow- two months with no update.
 
Before starting, I recall that I read about sailors creating crafts in their spare time.  They took scraps of rope and made decorative macrame, made ship models, etc etc.  I work with linemen and I discovered that some take the scrap clippings from skinning and trimming wires and make things out of them.  This scorpion was made from one underground transformer installation's clipped ground wire.
 

 
On to my toy boat.  I have finished all of the metal work.  I decided against trying to form hooks on all of the blocks, but have made them for a few of the bigger more prominent ones.  The others I'm tying on.
 
I started making sails.  This is how I did it.  I wanted 1/4" extra materials on all sides to that I could make a 1/8" casing for the cue lines.  (The casing is folded twice).  So, I carefully measured on the plans and marked the intersections of the 1/4" extended lines.
 

 
Then I laid the fabric on the plans and using a disappearing fabric marker and drafting techniques laid out the sail on the fabric.
 


 
Then, it was off to the sail making department where skilled craftswoman turned my sketches into reality.  (SWMBO or Admirable).
 

 
I installed the first sail and am generally happy.  I plan on using glue water and gravity to finish it up after the others are installed.


 

Wow- two months with no update.
 
Before starting, I recall that I read about sailors creating crafts in their spare time.  They took scraps of rope and made decorative macrame, made ship models, etc etc.  I work with linemen and I discovered that some take the scrap clippings from skinning and trimming wires and make things out of them.  This scorpion was made from one underground transformer installation's clipped ground wire.
 

 
On to my toy boat.  I have finished all of the metal work.  I decided against trying to form hooks on all of the blocks, but have made them for a few of the bigger more prominent ones.  The others I'm tying on.
 
I started making sails.  This is how I did it.  I wanted 1/4" extra materials on all sides to that I could make a 1/8" casing for the cue lines.  (The casing is folded twice).  So, I carefully measured on the plans and marked the intersections of the 1/4" extended lines.
 

 
Then I laid the fabric on the plans and using a disappearing fabric marker and drafting techniques laid out the sail on the fabric.
 


 
Then, it was off to the sail making department where skilled craftswoman turned my sketches into reality.  (SWMBO or Admirable).
 

 
I installed the first sail and am generally happy.  I plan on using glue water and gravity to finish it up after the others are installed.


 

Wow- two months with no update.
 
Before starting, I recall that I read about sailors creating crafts in their spare time.  They took scraps of rope and made decorative macrame, made ship models, etc etc.  I work with linemen and I discovered that some take the scrap clippings from skinning and trimming wires and make things out of them.  This scorpion was made from one underground transformer installation's clipped ground wire.
 

 
On to my toy boat.  I have finished all of the metal work.  I decided against trying to form hooks on all of the blocks, but have made them for a few of the bigger more prominent ones.  The others I'm tying on.
 
I started making sails.  This is how I did it.  I wanted 1/4" extra materials on all sides to that I could make a 1/8" casing for the cue lines.  (The casing is folded twice).  So, I carefully measured on the plans and marked the intersections of the 1/4" extended lines.
 

 
Then I laid the fabric on the plans and using a disappearing fabric marker and drafting techniques laid out the sail on the fabric.
 


 
Then, it was off to the sail making department where skilled craftswoman turned my sketches into reality.  (SWMBO or Admirable).
 

 
I installed the first sail and am generally happy.  I plan on using glue water and gravity to finish it up after the others are installed.


 

Thanks for the comments and observations.  My paint scheme is basically following the practicum.
 
 
Worked on the sky light.  I studied the way the light looked on the main cabinet and studied some books on historic construction.
 
So, I decided to make a frame and put "bars" in it.
The first part was to develop a way to get good spacing. After a couple of failures, I figured out that the teeth on my flush cut off saw were about the right spacing- so...
 

 
Then I put in really long wires and used them to guide the sides into place.
 

 
I painted the inside of the "box" black and the frame and bars white and set it in place just to see how it looks.
 

 
 

Couple of photos and random comments.
 
First, the paint looks Okay to me.  The waterline isn't straight to a uneducated line and I notice that the praticum actually has it wrong.  I did it right, but the slope is unexpected.
 
Second, the deck furniture is coming along.  I have found a few photos on this site that have led me to believe that there are three ways to complete this model:
1) As shown in the instructions
2) As on the real ship
3) Some combination of the two that looks good.
 
The sky lights on the model look really bad to me.  I'm searching for a photo of the one on the fore deck- so far with little success.  I've found one photo of the skylight on the main cabin.  I think I'm going to toss the one I have now (I could use the kindling anyway) and rebuild it similar to the one on the main cabin- that is with bars.  Thoughts appreciated.
 
(I just set the stuff on the boat- nothing is glued down in the photos)
 

Although many people no longer recognize the history, James Bond's destructive wheel spinners were actually based on a tactic developed by the Bluenose who used "nails of death" to rip the shrouds and chainplates off competitor's ships!
 

 
Okay, it has been a really long day.

I installed the chain plates for the front starboard shrouds today.  I used a rope from the temporarily placed mast to get the angles like I think they ought to me.  The angle of the shot plus the curvature of the ship hull makes it look funny, but its actually pretty close.
 
Note three things:
1) The small deadeye isn't in place yet, although the slot is bored for it.
2) I'm not sure how I would go about trying to set the chainplates flush with the hull.  I'm not going to try, I think this will make a nice model.
3) I SWEAR it doesn't look as bad in person as it does in this photo- although I have a lot of cleaning an touch up to do.  The brass and the deadeyes will be painted black.
 

 
I also calculated and then built a jig for the wire that goes around the small deadeyes.  The distance between centers of holes is 8.2mm.  This provides a nice wrap, but the brass strips used for the chainplates have to be filed down to give a nice looking fit.
 

Here's a funny one.
 
The way I figure it, the only person I can safely laugh at is myself, so why not share the mirth?
 
So, I'm happily working along today with my magnifiers on and my tweezers making lanyards.  I'm thinking, these look pretty good!  The left most in the photo is the top mast shroud that I'm working on.  It goes to a smaller deadeye and when it's tightened up, should pull just about perfect!
 

 
SWMBO comes in and I start showing here what I was working on when I realize that stepping back is sometimes a good thing. 
 
The Main Top Mast Shroud on this side passed from near the top of the mast, through the end of a spreader and then .... ooops.... wraps around and then passes BEHIND the other shrouds before coming to its dead eye.
 
DANG.
 

A bit of catching up.
 
First, I have completed the metal work on the two booms.  I'm particularly tickled with the "drilled toothpick fairleads."  Turns out this ship has a lot of fairleads, and this technique has worked well.
 




 
I was finished up the shrouds for the main mast- minus the ratlines.
 
I am not happy with the "puffy" look of the lanyards at the bottom of the shrouds.  Since the lines are tight I thought at first they might stretch out, but so far no luck.  I'm thinking of putting CA glue on the lines at the deadeyes and then using hemostats to hold the lines against the deadeyes until they stick.  Ideas welcome, of course.
 



 
Finally I followed advice found here and diluted the brass black stuff and tried it on my belaying pins.  It worked much better.  I'm actually going to dilute it more so that the blackening takes even longer and will hopefully be more consistent.
 

A bit of catching up.
 
First, I have completed the metal work on the two booms.  I'm particularly tickled with the "drilled toothpick fairleads."  Turns out this ship has a lot of fairleads, and this technique has worked well.
 




 
I was finished up the shrouds for the main mast- minus the ratlines.
 
I am not happy with the "puffy" look of the lanyards at the bottom of the shrouds.  Since the lines are tight I thought at first they might stretch out, but so far no luck.  I'm thinking of putting CA glue on the lines at the deadeyes and then using hemostats to hold the lines against the deadeyes until they stick.  Ideas welcome, of course.
 



 
Finally I followed advice found here and diluted the brass black stuff and tried it on my belaying pins.  It worked much better.  I'm actually going to dilute it more so that the blackening takes even longer and will hopefully be more consistent.
 

A bit of catching up.
 
First, I have completed the metal work on the two booms.  I'm particularly tickled with the "drilled toothpick fairleads."  Turns out this ship has a lot of fairleads, and this technique has worked well.
 




 
I was finished up the shrouds for the main mast- minus the ratlines.
 
I am not happy with the "puffy" look of the lanyards at the bottom of the shrouds.  Since the lines are tight I thought at first they might stretch out, but so far no luck.  I'm thinking of putting CA glue on the lines at the deadeyes and then using hemostats to hold the lines against the deadeyes until they stick.  Ideas welcome, of course.
 



 
Finally I followed advice found here and diluted the brass black stuff and tried it on my belaying pins.  It worked much better.  I'm actually going to dilute it more so that the blackening takes even longer and will hopefully be more consistent.
 

A bit of catching up.
 
First, I have completed the metal work on the two booms.  I'm particularly tickled with the "drilled toothpick fairleads."  Turns out this ship has a lot of fairleads, and this technique has worked well.
 




 
I was finished up the shrouds for the main mast- minus the ratlines.
 
I am not happy with the "puffy" look of the lanyards at the bottom of the shrouds.  Since the lines are tight I thought at first they might stretch out, but so far no luck.  I'm thinking of putting CA glue on the lines at the deadeyes and then using hemostats to hold the lines against the deadeyes until they stick.  Ideas welcome, of course.
 



 
Finally I followed advice found here and diluted the brass black stuff and tried it on my belaying pins.  It worked much better.  I'm actually going to dilute it more so that the blackening takes even longer and will hopefully be more consistent.
 

A bit of catching up.
 
First, I have completed the metal work on the two booms.  I'm particularly tickled with the "drilled toothpick fairleads."  Turns out this ship has a lot of fairleads, and this technique has worked well.
 




 
I was finished up the shrouds for the main mast- minus the ratlines.
 
I am not happy with the "puffy" look of the lanyards at the bottom of the shrouds.  Since the lines are tight I thought at first they might stretch out, but so far no luck.  I'm thinking of putting CA glue on the lines at the deadeyes and then using hemostats to hold the lines against the deadeyes until they stick.  Ideas welcome, of course.
 



 
Finally I followed advice found here and diluted the brass black stuff and tried it on my belaying pins.  It worked much better.  I'm actually going to dilute it more so that the blackening takes even longer and will hopefully be more consistent.
 

A bit of catching up.
 
First, I have completed the metal work on the two booms.  I'm particularly tickled with the "drilled toothpick fairleads."  Turns out this ship has a lot of fairleads, and this technique has worked well.
 




 
I was finished up the shrouds for the main mast- minus the ratlines.
 
I am not happy with the "puffy" look of the lanyards at the bottom of the shrouds.  Since the lines are tight I thought at first they might stretch out, but so far no luck.  I'm thinking of putting CA glue on the lines at the deadeyes and then using hemostats to hold the lines against the deadeyes until they stick.  Ideas welcome, of course.
 



 
Finally I followed advice found here and diluted the brass black stuff and tried it on my belaying pins.  It worked much better.  I'm actually going to dilute it more so that the blackening takes even longer and will hopefully be more consistent.
 

WELLLLLL, I have uttered some unkind words.
 
So, I was looking at the plans today, trying to figure out how I was going to do the rigging blocks when I got studying this particular segment:
 

 
When this caught my eye.

 
And then, I started looking at this:
 
And behold, I noticed that something was a bit different.

 
Which led quickly to the famous "expletive deleted,"  Note that the band below the "coupling band" is missing.  I completely overlooked it.  (It isn't on the main mast, which I did first).  Not only is it a band, but it has a hoop and two "eyes" in it!
 
Since there are pins running all the way through the mast and glue and such, I decided to make a ring an bend around the mast.  I just didn't think I'd be able to take it apart without destroying the mast.  Although I know its only wood and some wire, I just didn't want to do that again.
 

 
I knew that I wouldn't be able to solder it on, but I put the overlap in so that I could drill through the overlap and have the "pin" hold it closed and tight.
 

 
I made all new parts and go this:
 

 
After making the missing parts, drilling, painting, making the parts and everything, it came out in the "there will be ropes all over it anyway" category.  Honestly, it isn't perfect and there is a seam that is unsightly.   But I can live with it!
 

Here are the finished cabin doors. The best part about it is....they don't fit..lol  They are actually smaller than the plan, but are still too big. However, I can cut off the bottom tips on each side and they should work out. I'll wait until the deck and sides are planked and figure it out then