6ohiocav

Mike,
 
Perhaps you have already overcome this hurdle, but here are the photos of my hull and catheads.  It looks as if you had to make the same modifications to the hull rails that I did to make them sit right.
 
I cut my three slot sheaves all the way through and just placed a pin through the middle. I will not be adding any wheels. I made them out of cherry using the laser cut pattern.

Mike.
 
I tried all kinds of methods to do this. I first tried to tie them myself.  It was difficult. Actually, Brian's method  was better than anything I tried. In the end, I went back to the pre-made seizings.
 
I make them by wrapping thread around a small straight pin and soaking with super thin CA. I then cut the tube into small sections, around 1 mm. I am using .008 Syren brown rope for my gun tackles. I freeze the end with CA and cut the end at a 45 degree angle. Threading through the seizing is a challenge. Holding the tube with the tweezers, I first thread one end. The end is like a tooth pick because of the CA.  It goes in easily.  Getting it back through is the hard part. I now switch hands and take the seizing in my fingers and use the tweezers to grip the end of the rope. The key is to insert the CA end into the tube enough to get it started.  Sometimes, you can simply thread it right through.  Most of the time, however, I found that by holding the seizing with a pinch of my thumb and forefinger, I can gently pull the long end of rope with my middle and forth fingers and at the same time, push the CA end with the tweezers. With both movements, it actually works. I then add a drop of yellow glue to the end as I pull the rope through to make a small loop. All of the blocks in the picture were done this way.
 
This is tedious, but it is clearly easier than wrapping each seizing individually - at least for me. Also, using the straight pin makes the seizings small enough to make the finished product look good.  They look better that the tied seizings I did.  It also takes at least half the time.

More Gun Tackles
 
I cranked out 50 stropped blocks. Had a lot of rain today so I could get after this new challenge.  About 1/4 done.
 
 

Ditto Jon's post. Hail to the Master!
 
I have not seen that many photos, but I just marvel at your brass work. This skylight railing is beyond amazing. I absolutely envy what you turn out on your mini engine lathe.  You are an inspiration to us journeymen builders.

Ditto Jon's post. Hail to the Master!
 
I have not seen that many photos, but I just marvel at your brass work. This skylight railing is beyond amazing. I absolutely envy what you turn out on your mini engine lathe.  You are an inspiration to us journeymen builders.

Happy Fourth of July to All!
 
Back to ship pictures for skylight rail details. I formed a circle to size using 1/32" brass rod and then cut 3/32" long 1/16" tubes and fitted on the rail and fitted the circle ends within one tube and soldered. Then six 1/32" stanchions with mating flanges soldered in place. The deck flanges were cut and will be glued in place to conform to the deck crown once the deck is glued down to the hull. Here is a sequence of pictures. Pardon my misspelling of stanchions in photos. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
I decided to use a piece of stainless steel for the base plate; the painted brass one just did not look right. Now to add rails and cannon ball holders to hatch components and grates.

Let me start out by saying I have images for over fifty different models and build logs of the USS Constitution. I am collecting them to help me when I start my model (when ever that may be). I checked every one of them and for those which showed a clear image of the skylight, you sir, have made the best. I found only two other builders with whom I would even consider a near second or third place. You out shined them all.
 
Jon

More Gun Tackles
 
I cranked out 50 stropped blocks. Had a lot of rain today so I could get after this new challenge.  About 1/4 done.
 
 

Gun Tackle
 
I received my order of 3mm single and double blocks, 3mm hooks, and some .008 rope from Syren. I placed the order on Monday and got the shipment by Friday. Great service.
 
My first reaction was shock at how incredibly small the blocks were. They are exactly 3mm.  Looking at a ruler and trying to imagine what 3mm looks like is one thing, but handling something that small is quite another. I am very happy with the scale of the blocks when compared to the guns.  What a challenge this is going to be. I only have to strop about 170 of these buggers.
 
So I started experimenting.  I have my own block and tackle that we use to tighten the picket lines for our horses, and I wanted to replcate my set.  I wanted to attach the tackle rope by seizing a loop and stropping it to the block. I made a small jig much like what i have seen on this site with the ends of two straight pins to hang the block on while working on it.
 
I started with the small loop on the tackle rope. I clamped the end of the rope in my small vice and tried to rap some of the small brown thread provided in the kit. No matter how careful I was, I could not get the right size on the loop. Mostly two large.  And this was incredibly taxing. I feel like I have moved from the miniture to the sublime. It took me over an hour to make a single acceptable loop using this method.
 
So I tried something else I had seen on this site.  I decided to make some pre-made sieze collars.  I clamped a small staight pin with a flat top in the vice against a piece of scrap wood that allowed the pin head to dig in for a good grip.  I then wrapped about a half inch of siezing rope tightly onto the pin.  While holding it tight, I coated the rope with super thin CA. Once dried, I pulled the tube off of the pin with a pair of nippers.  I then cut a very small piece of the tube to make a collar.  I then slipped my tackle rope through the collar and then backed the rope back through the collar to make a loop. I had to dab the end with some CA and cut it at a 45 degree angle to get it into the small hole. But it worked.  Once I created the loop, i applied a drop of yellow glue to keep the collar and loop secure.(CA discolored the rope too much).
 
With the loop and my blackened brass hooks, i inserted the teenie block into the jig and stropped it with some black rope. I used medium CA to attach one end of the rope to the side of the block. I threaded the loop and the hook, and then attached the end of the black rope to the block with more CA. I let dry and carefully cut off the remainder.
 
I spent 4 hours on this exercise and I only got three blocks done.  Only 167 left to do.
 
Here are some photos.
 
 

Gun Tackle
 
I received my order of 3mm single and double blocks, 3mm hooks, and some .008 rope from Syren. I placed the order on Monday and got the shipment by Friday. Great service.
 
My first reaction was shock at how incredibly small the blocks were. They are exactly 3mm.  Looking at a ruler and trying to imagine what 3mm looks like is one thing, but handling something that small is quite another. I am very happy with the scale of the blocks when compared to the guns.  What a challenge this is going to be. I only have to strop about 170 of these buggers.
 
So I started experimenting.  I have my own block and tackle that we use to tighten the picket lines for our horses, and I wanted to replcate my set.  I wanted to attach the tackle rope by seizing a loop and stropping it to the block. I made a small jig much like what i have seen on this site with the ends of two straight pins to hang the block on while working on it.
 
I started with the small loop on the tackle rope. I clamped the end of the rope in my small vice and tried to rap some of the small brown thread provided in the kit. No matter how careful I was, I could not get the right size on the loop. Mostly two large.  And this was incredibly taxing. I feel like I have moved from the miniture to the sublime. It took me over an hour to make a single acceptable loop using this method.
 
So I tried something else I had seen on this site.  I decided to make some pre-made sieze collars.  I clamped a small staight pin with a flat top in the vice against a piece of scrap wood that allowed the pin head to dig in for a good grip.  I then wrapped about a half inch of siezing rope tightly onto the pin.  While holding it tight, I coated the rope with super thin CA. Once dried, I pulled the tube off of the pin with a pair of nippers.  I then cut a very small piece of the tube to make a collar.  I then slipped my tackle rope through the collar and then backed the rope back through the collar to make a loop. I had to dab the end with some CA and cut it at a 45 degree angle to get it into the small hole. But it worked.  Once I created the loop, i applied a drop of yellow glue to keep the collar and loop secure.(CA discolored the rope too much).
 
With the loop and my blackened brass hooks, i inserted the teenie block into the jig and stropped it with some black rope. I used medium CA to attach one end of the rope to the side of the block. I threaded the loop and the hook, and then attached the end of the black rope to the block with more CA. I let dry and carefully cut off the remainder.
 
I spent 4 hours on this exercise and I only got three blocks done.  Only 167 left to do.
 
Here are some photos.
 
 

Gun Tackle
 
I received my order of 3mm single and double blocks, 3mm hooks, and some .008 rope from Syren. I placed the order on Monday and got the shipment by Friday. Great service.
 
My first reaction was shock at how incredibly small the blocks were. They are exactly 3mm.  Looking at a ruler and trying to imagine what 3mm looks like is one thing, but handling something that small is quite another. I am very happy with the scale of the blocks when compared to the guns.  What a challenge this is going to be. I only have to strop about 170 of these buggers.
 
So I started experimenting.  I have my own block and tackle that we use to tighten the picket lines for our horses, and I wanted to replcate my set.  I wanted to attach the tackle rope by seizing a loop and stropping it to the block. I made a small jig much like what i have seen on this site with the ends of two straight pins to hang the block on while working on it.
 
I started with the small loop on the tackle rope. I clamped the end of the rope in my small vice and tried to rap some of the small brown thread provided in the kit. No matter how careful I was, I could not get the right size on the loop. Mostly two large.  And this was incredibly taxing. I feel like I have moved from the miniture to the sublime. It took me over an hour to make a single acceptable loop using this method.
 
So I tried something else I had seen on this site.  I decided to make some pre-made sieze collars.  I clamped a small staight pin with a flat top in the vice against a piece of scrap wood that allowed the pin head to dig in for a good grip.  I then wrapped about a half inch of siezing rope tightly onto the pin.  While holding it tight, I coated the rope with super thin CA. Once dried, I pulled the tube off of the pin with a pair of nippers.  I then cut a very small piece of the tube to make a collar.  I then slipped my tackle rope through the collar and then backed the rope back through the collar to make a loop. I had to dab the end with some CA and cut it at a 45 degree angle to get it into the small hole. But it worked.  Once I created the loop, i applied a drop of yellow glue to keep the collar and loop secure.(CA discolored the rope too much).
 
With the loop and my blackened brass hooks, i inserted the teenie block into the jig and stropped it with some black rope. I used medium CA to attach one end of the rope to the side of the block. I threaded the loop and the hook, and then attached the end of the black rope to the block with more CA. I let dry and carefully cut off the remainder.
 
I spent 4 hours on this exercise and I only got three blocks done.  Only 167 left to do.
 
Here are some photos.
 
 

Welcome to the forum.
 
I felt compelled to jump in to let you know that we have all felt the anxiety of "the first build."  However, the folks on this forum are true craftsmen and always willing to lend a hand.  It is the only way I could have overcome the many challenges of a POB wooden ship kit.
 
You build board looks great.  I have made mental note, since I used a table vice, and your rig would have been better.
 
Get ready to face snags in the build process.  Model Shipways makes great kits, and their customer service is outstanding. But all kits require the "impromptu" actions. If your Keelson piece does not meet the shape of the plan, consider cutting the shape out of the plan and tracing it on a some scrap sheet material from the kit (if there is enough on the periphery). Just a suggestion that most of us have had to do from time to time.  I have been doing that a lot since I have decided to replace all of my basswood and plywood parts from my Niagara kit with cherry. Having access to a jig saw helps.
 
I am not sure I understand your question regarding the deck "camber," but doing things by eye are pretty routine, so getting good at that will serve you well throughout the process.
 
Good luck and happy building.  Feel free to stop in anytime.

​Ships Bell and Bowsprit Bitts
​
​​I worked on the frame for the ships bell. It attaches to the octagon sides of the bowsprit. It is actually suspended above the deck. It has a crown and block that the bell attaches to.  The block has a mortised handle used to ring the bell.  Both the crown and block have curved tops and bottoms. all of the parts are chamfered, and the entire structure is smaller than a dime.
 
Getting the proper length for the crown and block is critical.  In order to get that measurement, and make the entire structure square, I decided to make a simple jig to mount the actual bowsprit in.  Since the frame sits above the bottom of the bowsprit, I measured some strip wood and glued it down for the frame pieces to rest on.  Once the frames were clamped in place, I was able to measure the distance between the two and cut out the crown and block. The curves were cut by hand with a half round file (inside diameter) and my bench sander (outside).
 
I cut a very small mortise for the wee little handle and glued it in place.
 
I also made the bowsprit bitts.
 
All of the pieces were made out of cherry.
 
Here are some photos of the process and final results.

Hello Dominic
CMB sell them. They come under columns. Brass ones come under number 12 - 32 and probably elsewhere in the list as there is a large amount listed. GREECE also have loads. DAVID

Mike,
 
Just put in my order from Syren for blocks and rope following the results of your exhaustive research.  Thanks for all of the trial and tribulation.  I hope to return the favor somehow.
 
I will be constantly looking over your shoulder and following right behind you taking advantage of all your experiences.
 
Happy rigging.

​Ships Bell and Bowsprit Bitts
​
​​I worked on the frame for the ships bell. It attaches to the octagon sides of the bowsprit. It is actually suspended above the deck. It has a crown and block that the bell attaches to.  The block has a mortised handle used to ring the bell.  Both the crown and block have curved tops and bottoms. all of the parts are chamfered, and the entire structure is smaller than a dime.
 
Getting the proper length for the crown and block is critical.  In order to get that measurement, and make the entire structure square, I decided to make a simple jig to mount the actual bowsprit in.  Since the frame sits above the bottom of the bowsprit, I measured some strip wood and glued it down for the frame pieces to rest on.  Once the frames were clamped in place, I was able to measure the distance between the two and cut out the crown and block. The curves were cut by hand with a half round file (inside diameter) and my bench sander (outside).
 
I cut a very small mortise for the wee little handle and glued it in place.
 
I also made the bowsprit bitts.
 
All of the pieces were made out of cherry.
 
Here are some photos of the process and final results.

​Ships Bell and Bowsprit Bitts
​
​​I worked on the frame for the ships bell. It attaches to the octagon sides of the bowsprit. It is actually suspended above the deck. It has a crown and block that the bell attaches to.  The block has a mortised handle used to ring the bell.  Both the crown and block have curved tops and bottoms. all of the parts are chamfered, and the entire structure is smaller than a dime.
 
Getting the proper length for the crown and block is critical.  In order to get that measurement, and make the entire structure square, I decided to make a simple jig to mount the actual bowsprit in.  Since the frame sits above the bottom of the bowsprit, I measured some strip wood and glued it down for the frame pieces to rest on.  Once the frames were clamped in place, I was able to measure the distance between the two and cut out the crown and block. The curves were cut by hand with a half round file (inside diameter) and my bench sander (outside).
 
I cut a very small mortise for the wee little handle and glued it in place.
 
I also made the bowsprit bitts.
 
All of the pieces were made out of cherry.
 
Here are some photos of the process and final results.

Boat Davit
 
Worked on the boat davits.  Traced the laser cut template onto some cherry and cut them out with the band saw. I Carefully sanded them into shape and then marked the sheaves.  I drilled then carved out the slots with the x-acto knife. Then drilled a small hole through the side and inserted a pin with some medium CA.
 
I did all of that - took most of the evening - and then realized I put the sheaves on the wrong end.... Soooo, I did it all over again.
 
Very soon, I will have all of the deck component parts done.  I already finished the masts, yards, bowspirits and spankers.
The guns are all done. Therefore, it may be time to glue down the deck and begin the process of attaching all of these parts to the ship. A daunting task.

If you are talking about the vertical chamfers (half moon shaped), I used a micro half round file and did it by hand.  The size of the file fit perfectly to the design. As long as you start it in the right place, and monitor the depth, you have a chance to get them even.  The top chamfers were done by hand with a flat file. Neither was easy, and I have a pile of scrap pieces to prove it. Trying to keep the sizes consistent at such a small scale is a chore.  Hope this helps.
 
Have you painted your pins yet?  Has the paint held to the brass well? Good point on the rope covering them up.

Fife and Pin Rails
 
​I worked on the fife rails yesterday.  I made them from my cherry stock. My wood joinery skills were put to a real test in the micro size of these things. I also made the pin rails.  I used bass wood strips and spray painted them with my airbrush.
 
I have also given consideration to the kit supplied belaying pins.  They are made of brass, and of course must be painted or blackened (or browned, but I don't have that product). So last month, while on business in Sandusky, I had the opportunity to stop in the local hobby store, and to my surprise, they actually had a rack of model shipway parts and such. I picked up 4 bags (all they had) of wooden belaying pins. They are already stained dark, but I don't have enough of them.  I suppose I could order some to complete the set, but decided to consider another alternative.  I found some decorative toothpicks, with a head, when cut and shaped, works pretty well as a belaying pin. I have attached pictures of all three. At some point, I will decide which ones to use.  The size is an issue, since the wooden ones, especially the model shipway pins, look a bit out of scale (large).
 
Any suggestions?
 
PS. Please forgive me for my sloppy use of sailing terminology. I am learning.
 

Umm.  Not the "masts" dummy.  These are spars.

And here are some photos of the completed masts.

Jackstays
 
I worked on the masts today, trying to get everything ready to paint. I had an idea to make a jig for drilling all of the holes for the jackstays. Iplaced a round tip bit into the router table and cut a half circle bead on a piece of scrap.  I would use that to seat the masts. I then marked and drilled a series of guide holes a centimeter apart as per the plans.  Once the masts were secured to the jig, I used the guide holes and with my diamond tipped bit on the dremel, plunge drilled the jackstays holes in the masts. It worked on all of the masts.  Once done, I used the small eyebolts from the kit, cut them to size, and glued them in place with medium CA.  The jackstays came out straight and evenly spaced.  I also saved a good amount of time.
 
Here are some shots of the process.
 
 

Mike,
 
Good points all.  The plans call for baseboard trim pieces around all of the structures, so I may be able to hide any gaps created by the crown.

Companionway II
 
Well I finally finished the companionway and the captains quarter skylight. I trimmed out the windows in cherry stripwood, I built the hatch rails and hatch frame out of holly. I finished the hatch roof and door out of cherry strips.
 
This was a chore, and for those of you that have the Niagara plans, you will note a big mistake in the structures, Not a real big one, but since I made the same mistake twice, I had to reveal it.  I created the companionway with three windows per side, BUT, the plans only call for two windows per side. The salon skylight callsefor three windows, and I only put in two.
 
If you have followed this log, you will remember that I REBUILT these structures.  The first time, I made the same mistake, and when I decided to rebuild them, I figured I would fix this.  Well........ In my haste to get these things done (like trying to hurry doing a chore that took three days), I made the very same mistake again. Arghhhh. I have to keep reminding myself to look at the plans once and a while.
 
Here are some photos.  I had to see what they looked like on deck, so I simply put them in place.  
 
Up next, pin and fife rails.