Torbogdan

Today I started on the sails. Having never done this kind of thing before I consulted my sister whose hobby is quilting. From here I got some good advice. So first I zig-zagged with a sewing machine all the edges on the entire piece of cloth. Then I made sails from paper to get the size correctly. After that I made thin lines with pencil across the entire piece of cloth and using the sewing machine did the vertical lines. 

After that I washed the cloth to get rid of the pencil lead and maybe shrink it a little if needed. Then I pressed it with an iron to get it completely flat. Using the paper sail I could mark out the largest sail on the cloth. Then using a steel ruler and a new, very sharp razor I cut out the sail. My sister recommended a tool that looks like a pizza cutter/razor"wheel" but I used a razor blade.

Then I did the first fold on the first edge of the sail, pressed with the steaming iron, did fold number two on the same edge and pressed again with the iron. This makes the  folds very flat and precise. Then I sewed with the sewing machine. Then I did the second sail edge the same way and third and fourth...

I takes some time as I alternate from folding to pressing back and forth and the sewing but i produces, I think, a nice seam.

Fastening the rope on the sail edge was pretty straight forward, followed the instructions and being careful.

Slowly getting there. I use blue tac to get some tension in the rigging. 

Thanks a lot for all the likes, I really appreciate it! I have done a bit more since this photo, had a day off from work so I got an extra hour work done. But now there is no more time until next week, lots of work and other things to fill my days, sadly as I really like rigging.

A bit of the running rigging. Everything is in 90 degrees to each other. It is just the angle of the photo that makes things look a bit crooked. 

One of the metal hinges is missing from the cargo hold hatch. That needs to be replaced. It is a bit difficult to get all the rigging as tight as I want it.

Making progress with the standing rigging, but no picture today. The rigging is coming along quite nicely. It is a bit fiddly and tweezers are a must. Although this is my first model and I have no experience with other manufacturers I think it is fairly "easy" to rigg. Not easy that it does not demand finger dexterity and a sharp eye but easy as in clear instructions and where each rope/thread/deadeye/block will go. I´m very satisfied with this kit and the instructions, they are good. And as I have said before the level advanced beginner is spot on. Not very easy but not too difficult either. But, I have no experience with other kits...

I usually seal each knot with a little white glue, is this "standard" or how do others do?

I have started the rigging process. Great fun, I really enjoy it. Unfortunately the holes in each mast must be redone. I drilled them before I realized the must go from fore to aft… So I guess I need to fill them and drill new ones. Oh well, a minor mistake. 

here are two pictures of the bottom of the hull

I know what mistakes I made, I was too eager. I started planking without doing a proper job of counting how many planks  I needed or how to bevel or fair them or how to use stealers.

When I realisted my mistake it was "too late" to fix it properly. Oh well the mistakes of too much enthusiasm...

About the dead eyes, I thought about it but decided to use what was in the kit. I decided to build straight from the box before diving into aftermarket parts!

Thanks  . I like ship modeling a lot. I have already bought a new model to start on when this is finished. The "bad" parts is on the bottom of the hull so it is not visible on these pictures. According to Dusek it is an "advanced beginner kit" and I would agree with that. With care and some previous skill it is a good starter kit. 

This is my first real wooden ship model. I started with a Mini Mamoli Victory but that was a solid hull ship.

I´m fairly happy with it so far. The hull/planking could have been done a lot better.

I started in January this year. I should have been more careful planking the hull and done a better job of preparing the hull ( counting number of planks, better fairing and beveling and so on. Done a better scheme how thin I should have shaved the planks but in all I´m satisfied.

I will soon start with my first ship with plank on bulkhead. 

I´ve bought Duseks Pinta as my first model. It is a singel plank hull. I´m asking a little about preparing the planks. I´m thinking about first using a wash on them to stain them a bit darker and then spraying them with satin varnish and then "sand/rub" them with steel wool to make them a bit smoother before I start the planking process.

If I stain after gluing them to the hull even the smallest gluestain with ruin the color staining. The varnish spray and steel wool rubbing is to raise the wood a bit and then smoothen them with the steel wool.

Is this a good process or should I do something different?