dgbot

Keep up the good work Medic. On your second planking you will be using thinner material so it will be a little easier. Apply what you have learned from the first planking and you should have no problems. If you can get your hands on a couple of books on planking that will help to make things easier.
David B

Have some more!
 
Note that the last two have her under full sail, supposedly a fairly unusual thing to happen, unfortunately those are not in nearly as high-resolution as the others.
 

Thanks Steve! Yes it is a fun build and very challenging for me. I'm picking up new skills and learning a lot. Im thankful for the advice and shared experience from everyone on MSW.

Here is a more detailed lay out of all those pieces I had saved. Besides the two boats, of course, there was all the hardware to mount them to davits. I may have to change a couple blocks on the starboard side with the better ones from Warner Woods West, but all and all it was nice to have these pieces.
 

Some of these parts go to the outside of the rails and some mount to the channels (see drawing 5 center left).
I was surprised to find all the hardware (memory fades after 70).
 
 

In a plastic bag from long ago, I found the two whale boats and a bunch of other gear that include the davits and rigging for those boats. I had put this together more than a year ago and just wanted to refresh my memory what to do with them. 

 
Since this model will be against a wall, the port side is less important and will have a whale boat that is covered with tarp, as shown. It still will suspended from the davit system per the plan. The other boat will be on the starboard side. It is a bit more interesting with the seats and other details. The plans are good in locating and providing details about where and how to mount them.
  OOPS wrong picture 
 
I just want to make sure there are no other 'situations' (eg  the main braces).
 
BTW the black netting to the right in the top picture will be used for the hammock holders along with the brass parts in the kit. The two poles (shown vertical below) are studding booms that will be attached next to the hull. In this case they will be more of a decoration because I am not including the studding booms that go on top of the spars sticking outboard (or will I??).
 
Now it is a matter of doing all the repair and other things I have talked about.

so.......all the years of bringing up daughter,  is finally paying off .........of course,  not like you would have expected    take care of yourself.......we're not getting any younger!
 
nothing wrong with too much ambition.......that's what makes skill and imagination grow   

Magnificent!
David B

OK, this is what I have thus far: A bunch of wooden slats, some guns, some cloth and lots of memories of how I put them together.
 

But I am not yet done. I am sure Captain Steve is wondering about the whale boats. And others will say that there are those hammocks on the top rail.
I have patience (or is it patients?) and will continue installing a few more things.
 

Fore top sail in place and most of the lifts installed.
Lots of clean up and some repair is in order.
Then it is a matter of 'filling' and fine tuning the set of the sails.
 

BTW the picture doesn't show a lot of the lines (contrast?), but there are lift lines on top .

This is definitely a strange build. I am fascinated with it and the way you are doing it.
David B

Here's the sails slip fitted on to the yards. Now the rigging begins. I'll be taking the yards on and off during this process.

Looking good, Mark.  Casting, is an educational journey.  Siggi, I am amazed at your centrifugal casting "machine".  This would scare me to death without a containment to catch the flying molten metal.
 
I invested in a centrifugal casting machine about 20 years ago and have used it many, many times - including on some 1" long cannon barrels.  It has rings around the molds to prevent distortion when spinning and also to contain the inevitable escaping metal.  The spinning mold is contained in a metal box with a hinged lid that has a hole for pouring - also speed control on the rotor.  I have cast maybe 6000 miniature figures in this with maybe an average of 8 different figures per mold.  The machine was about the cost of a Sherline mill so its not a solution for a few dozen cannons, which, by the way, may be too large.
 
Eliminating bubbles from the mold rubber is a major headache.  This was especially a problem for me with the small deep undercuts in small figures- lots of metal baseballs in eye sockets.  I eventually solved it with a vacuum pump of the type used for refrigeration maintenance and a homemade vacuum chamber made from a pot and a sheet of thick polycarbonate- with some tubing and fittings - and an RTV ring gasket.  I think you would be amazed, as I was, by the amount of air that comes out of RTV rubber when under vacuum. This is another investment not worth making unless you do a lot of casting.  Before that I tried using a shop vac with very limited success.
 
I found some success (before having the vacuum) eliminating bubbles in the rubber by using straight mineral spirits to dampen the pattern before pouring the rubber - instead of greasy mold release agents.  Also, tapping the mold or vibrating it when the rubber is first poured may help.  Dusting the mold with talc before pouring metal also helps reduce porosity in the metal castings.  You might also experiment with pouring temperature.
 
I can't offer any advice on casting resins.  I gave up on them rather quickly, because of bubbles and they were too light for me.
 
Good luck, Mark.  The barrel in your picture looks great.  I know you have very high standards.
 
Ed

Hi all

After spending some time cutting the internal bulkheads, I've now made a start on the internal accommodation; namely the main saloon amidships. It may not look like much yet, but hopefully it'll all come together into a very presentable interior.

I've also included a photo of the deck, which may look terribly unfinished! Rest assured that I've deliberately decided to leave the majority of the deck unplanked to allow the interior to be seen.

Hope you enjoy the photos and have a great week!

Cheers

Patrick

Got all my sewing done. I have a few sample pieces soaking in a test bath. Depending on how they turn out will determine if I apply it to the whole sails or not. I'll be adding bolt ropes after I decide if there will be a color change or not.

Another embodiment:

I have got all the  barrels done now.
 
I used coloured markers to 'stain' the sides and tops of barrels and used a 2B pencil for the hoops. The hoops came out well because of the precise turning done on the barrels from Poland.
 

 

 
Then I added some stanchions to the ladder. I will add some cotton or maybe wire to finish them of before I mount the stairs.
 

 

 

 
I will paint the brass black I think, maybe leaving the brass balls for style.

I've got plans for a 21' Chesapeake Light Craft double kayak. My wife and I were going to build it and use it, but we ended up getting a really cool old 17' Folbot Super folding kayak instead. We certainly paddled some miles in that. I got rid of it after I placed her in a nursing home. I don't think I'll ever build that huge double now--I don't know where I'd keep it.  Here's a pic of my Folbot Greenland 2 that I still paddle sometimes. I take out one seat and put the remaining one amidships. What model/make is your 14 footer? Someday I might like to try to build one. Did you post build logs on any of the small craft? Lots of questions, I know.
 
Steve

Time for another update.
 
I've reach what is, for me, a real milestone - the last planking batten is ready to be removed, which will leave the hull clear for the final strakes of planking to be laid.
 
John
 

 

 

 
 

Well now...hairy coconuts, bird poop, and now crap? Just what are you up to, CaptainSteve? You are either a brilliant genius or making a brew to knock-off the competition!?
 
Matt

Added support to keep things - "semi"-square. I'm not talented enough with my band saw to use the blocks included in the box, so I used balsa wood. I also added a piece below not shown in the plans.

First build. I chose this model because it was described as intermediate AND we are from Michigan. I.E. the great lakes where she was afloat. Also fond of any time we kicked British butt!
 
Since I'd built untold plastic models from cars, to submarines, beginning at the age of 10, I thought I could handle an intermediate. I do believe I was wrong. But, I'm having fun and amazed at how much I've already learned. What not to do that is... So, take a back seat and see what else I do wrong. Learn from my mistakes. Do not as I say, nor as I do.

To be young and care free again.
David B

Thanks, Bob and Sam! David, where do I get one of those? Does Byrnes sell them?
 
I got around to putting the belaying pins in the rails and noticed that they looked downright chubby. I decided to put them on a diet. I chucked them handle-first into the foredom tool and then the other way around. A few seconds turning against a file and then a couple of grades of sandpaper took off a good amount of material. Now they are thinner, but no two are quite alike. Sort of like the scuppers. This ship is really starting to follow a pattern...
 
Thanks for reading!
 
Steve

Hi Mark,
 
Yes the thread is size 110 made of 2 threads left turned. This means  that if I want to turn 3 strands, I will turn right.
For the bullet shape, that sometimes we see made of 1 piece, but in this case it is made in 3 parts with a groove in each one. The utility of this part is obvious if not installed; lines forms too fast and the lines want  to tangle. 
When you see the swivel in action you would be surprise how much turns it can do.
I added other pictures to try to be clear.
Mainly ropes are made from 3 strands and when I go for anchor cables, I take  3 of these  to make a bigger cable.
The largest number I used was round 576 lines for one anchor cable. Without excel tables it would have taken too much try to get the right diameter.

Finally getting around to the flags, attaching the White Ensign, Union Jack and Vice Admiral's flag.
The White Ensign on the driver yard flag halyard.
 

 
Nelson's Vice Admiral flag at the foremast peak. The flag is flown on a "Pig Stick" so that the flag is not fouled by the stay or back stay. A pig stick was and is a common way to fly a flag above the mast head.
I'll replace the flag.  This one degraded by paint bleed
 

 
For those unfamiliar with the term pig stick, a simple sketch should clarify it's use.
 

 
The Union Jack at the jack staff (anchored or moored;  at the main mast when underway)
 

 
Name plate.
 

 
Now to attaching supports and a base plate.  Drilling through the keel and internal reinforcements placed at the beginning of the build. With any luck, I won't drop the ship in the process.
Cheers, Gil