EJ_L

All decks installed along with the stern upper transom.


 
 
I found and downloaded a .pdf copy of Herman Ketting's book 'Prins Willem' which appears to contain quite a bit of useful information on the construction of the ship.  My only problem is that it's written in Dutch!  There are some nice pictures though that might come in handy. 
 

Hello Koen, thanks for following along

Hello mikiek ... I mus tell that the English is much better at the complete line by now... some of the kits alround are from the last series, so this could be a problem... but anyway, the new English versions are done and they are on the shelves right now ... if it happens that enyone get the old ones, just tel me and I'll send the new ones ...
 
I love to say that Don is guilty for some of those new textual parts !!
 
Regards,
Zoran
 

Glad to see you're still busy on this build Don. I was wondering something - I am considering starting a new build and was debating whether to pull Trajta off the shelf. I was reading thru the instructions and really struggled with the English. I decided I didn't want to fight that right now so I'll look for something else to start. Are the instructions for Trabakul any better?

Hey Dave, I am now using the Gutermann 100% cotton thread and am having good results. I would be more than happy to share my results with you give me  a  pm anytime
Hello Zoran, Thanks for stopping in, this means a lot, it will be finished

Wonderful work, Don ! ''The fun shots'' are telling much more... the art altogether ! ...
 
Zoran

Great work, Don!  I just picked up a Domonoff ropewalk myself.  I'll be very interested in your experiences with it.  Have you decided what color to dye the running rigging?

Hello all, here is a quick update on the Trabaccolo not much has happened but I'll show what little there is:
 


 
Making chainplates, these were soldered afterwords. Then holes punched using a broken 1mm end mill bit
 

 
Brackets were made for channels, plans did not ask for them but I thought they would be a nice addition these and the channels are made from rosewood
 


 
Making of the oars
 

 
Brackets for the back stays
 


 
A couple of shots showing channels with dead eyes installed and also the back stay brackets. Brackets and chain plates still need to be touched up with some paint, I 'm waiting until all metal work is done to do it all at once.
 


 
Just a couple of fun shots
 

 
Made these yesterday not fancy or pretty but they will soon be filled with rope made on my new Domanoff ropewalk The one on the right in the front row is the one I copied from
 

Hi Denis
 
I've just caught up again and, wow, she's looking really top notch.  You've obviously had some issues, what with Gibbs and the tipsy stand, but you have overcome them beautifully.
 
Oh, and before I forget!  I had no idea how big your trawler was until I saw both models together in some of the earlier photos.  That's quite a difference in size.
 
My question, of course is...where are you going to get all the room to store these wonderful models of yours???
 
Cheers
 
Patrick

Nice work Denis and thanks for your formula on making the standing rigging work.
 
Cheers,

Tonight's project was mounting the cannon on the gun deck. Because I'm worried about the barrels getting knocked loose during construction, I drilled holes into the pre-carved wooden carriages and inserted brass wire, which I then bent. A test or two showed the cannon tompions snap into place and are held there by the wire. I figure once I have the ship built, I will add a touch of glue to the tompions and then slide them in through the gunports and into place. Here's hoping it works.
I measured the space between bulkheads and found and marked the center and then glued in the gun carriages with a healthy dollop of wood glue. Once everything dries I will glue on the gun port frames. I was worried that the gun carriages and brass rod would be visible from above once the model is complete, but a quick check showed I was wrong. 
 

Had taken a little break to work on another project - a 7'6'' bamboo fly rod. I found that much more tedious than ship building, but it's done. Now all I have to do is wait a few months for the varnish and epoxy to set (that's what the books I read recommend) and then I can try it out. Lucy, however, can't wait.

Nice repair job on that shroud. I've had several parts and one whole car look like it was used as a teething toy by Godzilla and I expect that despite my best efforts to prevent it, it will happen again. Love the four legged children but they can be a disaster around models!
 
Jolly Roger is looking better with each update! Great work!

When I was at Hobby Lobby over the weekend I found this kit along with Captain Kid and they almost joined my ever growing shopping cart! Luckily the Admiral was with me and reminded me that I still needed food for the week.   I've yet to learn how to go into those stores and buy just the item I originally set out to get....
 
Keep up the good work!

Following you with great interest Sal, learning a lot...............
 
Koen.

Hi Sal.
I see what you mean about Gulliver's travels with the elastic bands. But it works 😀
It's a nice looking kit.
 
Regards Antony.
 

July's stuff came a little early. 
 
A bunch of 0.5x5mm strips, a cannon and decorations:

 
In detail:

 
 
And the planking of the stern continues:

 
 

Hi Martyn!
 
Good to see another S.R. build on here as I am building her myself at the moment. Looks like you are off to a great start on her planking. She is a beast of a hull to plank so i can understand wanting to break up the monotony of planking. Those boats turned out nice. I like how you decorated them. While I can't speak to historical accuracy, they add an interesting element that makes them stand out. That is something rarely seen on the ships boats as I think that many of us gloss over as a necessary part of the build but not one that gets a lot of attention. Nice to see something different!
 
I got my seat pulled up and ready to follow along!

I'm not a big fan of using CA for rigging.........for the very reason you see in some of the pictures.   it seeps down the thread and makes it stiff and hard to shape.   for most of the rigging,  I used white glue.   I ran into a bit of trouble with the spanker sail........punching holes in the wrong edge.   I took the one out of the Flying Dutchman kit to replace it.........I'll either trim the other sail,  or fish around in the box of sails for something that will work {I have an abundance of these sails from the Cutty build}.   of course the angle of the gaff didn't match the original sail and I compensated for it......but  I also forgot to do this with the replacement sail.   no harm though,  cuz I was able to do it.   

I added  a single block on the upper step of the main mast for the upper mizzen stay sail.   as I did with the main mast stays,  I will do with the mizzen stays,  tying a double block to each one of them.


they came out just as well too    I did the mizzen back stays before rigging these two.


the running rigging needs to be done,  in regards to the spanker sail.  eye bolts were added on both bulwarks,  and one was added to the rudder.   after I add two more eye bolts,  I can ad the monkey chain.


and this is where I leave off again.   there one more stay sail to hang,  and then I can move on to the yards........eight of them....seven will have sails.   more soon!
 
thanks for look'in in  
 

thanks Bob.   there isn't much sag because I try to make the standing rigging more taught than the running rigging.  to dissect the roles that rigging plays the shrouds do {I believe}  about 80% in maintaining the erect centering of the masts.  the stays maintain the forward pull,  where the back stays provide the backward pull,  giving a sort of tripod support for the masts.  plastic models display the rigging.......the stays,  merely tied to the associated mast.   coming here on the site,  I've gotten to see how the stay rigging is actually done....routed through a block and then down to an adjustable pulley assembly,  at deck level.   having these blocks from the Revell kits,  enabled me to try this out on the model.   I really like how it looks.......and it's a lot more plausible than what is seen in the plastic model.
I arrived with a formula for finding absolute zero.  all thread has different amounts of stretch.   take a piece in your fingers and pull it tight.......then loosen it gradually,  until it starts to become limp.
     repeat the test and study the tension.....at the point where the thread begins to go limp.....that tiny window in between is absolute zero.  standing rigging should be a little tighter than that......the running rigging should be at zero.   I used to have that problem too.......but using this formula,  it's worked out much better.   ideas and methods that I gleaned from here have also helped.
 
thanks for the good word     thanks Russ and EJ for the likes  

time for an update     I've been busy with the standing rigging......it's been interesting,  since the masts are pretty flimsy.   getting them so they are not contorted out of shape has been a trial,  but I've done a reasonable job of it.  where I left off was with most of the standing rigging done on the fore and main masts.......the mizzen had suffered a set back,  with the spanker gaff breaking off.   the build stand I made is working out very well,  in keeping the ship stable and upright......I've been able to go a lot further.   the first thing to be done,  was to cement the spanker gaff back in place.  I had to use the lift rigging to help with holding it in place as it dried.


while this was drying, the sails were sewed to the bow spirit yards and they were cemented in place.

it's been quite some time since I dealt with plastic sails.......they came out well.   the jib sails were cut out,  along with the main stay sail,  and these too were tied and rigged into place.




it can be seen that the spanker gaff was dry enough to complete the lift rigging.   the mizzen wasn't out of the woods yet though.........one cuff later,  and one of the shrouds became dislocated underneath.   I had to wait till all cement points were dry,  so I could remove all the clothes pins and repair it.   the mizzen stays and back stays have wet to be done anyway,  so that will get pushed back for a little while.  I need to add a couple more lines to the bow,  as well as the anchors.

Sal,
Glad I found your log early as it is always nice to get in at the beginning. You are off to a good start on the initial framing. Kit looks nice and I'm looking forward to seeing this build as it is on my list of future builds so it will be good to see how the kit stacks up.
 
Looking forward to the journey!

Hi Martyn!
 
Good to see another S.R. build on here as I am building her myself at the moment. Looks like you are off to a great start on her planking. She is a beast of a hull to plank so i can understand wanting to break up the monotony of planking. Those boats turned out nice. I like how you decorated them. While I can't speak to historical accuracy, they add an interesting element that makes them stand out. That is something rarely seen on the ships boats as I think that many of us gloss over as a necessary part of the build but not one that gets a lot of attention. Nice to see something different!
 
I got my seat pulled up and ready to follow along!

Thank you very much for the comments EL I have been watching your build with great interest especially your attention to detail with the placement of the gunports. I love fiddling about with little details that just makes a small difference. Looks like I will have to get the popcorn in lol
Thanks again for the comments rgd Martyn 

Starting to reassemble the bulkheads for their final placement on the BF using clamps and my trusty Legos.

 
More clamps and legos

 
Setting the main deck.  Reminds me of something out of Gulliver's Travels. The rubber bands worked out nicely because they pulled the deck down along the curvature on the bulkheads.