Overworked724

And now for something completely different. I went to a garage sale for a fellow modeler I did not know. Lo and behold...on a dusty bookshelf rested an old Sultana!! Not fully complete, but there nonetheless!!! It was an epiphany. I looked at it for quite a while. I could pick it apart and find fault, but that is not right. Rather, I now recognize how many hours of work went into the model to get her to this point. The fact she remains unfinished matters not one wit. She retains a place of honor on a shelf. Perhaps representing the first of many. Moments remembered and skills gained. Dreams of men and events which shaped the reason the model exists in the first place. I see the hours, the care, the frustration, the joy, the pride, the love, and the peace. My fellow shipwrights...it simply isn’t right that I don’t share the gentleman’s work. Rough...yes. But I’ve learned a lot just by reviewing the pics. Here you go...a Sultana from another age. Before Chuck wrote a practicum to help the ‘new born shipwright attack the Sultana!’ I admire the fellow modeler who perseveres in this model. It reminds me that there is something to learn on every model, and that every model is beautiful!!! Enjoy!

Ok. Actually had time to get some stuff done. I redid the blocks on the mast caps. Also, opted to paint the lanyard connecting the ends of the slings black. Looks better. Will remember to use miniature rope next time. Also got the upper yards, lifts, and braces in...now working on rigging up the lower yards. Rigging the blocks to the outside of the shrouds is the hardest part. And now...some pics. Is it me...or is masking tape more important than the rigging rope? Attaching ropes and blocks to shrouds. Fun stuff. My new cleat for the lower yard halliard for the main mast. Sling #1 on the Mainmast. Sling #2 on the Foremast. I now know why putting mice on the jib stays is problematic. Little bastards get in the way!!! And that FRICKING BLOCK for the lower mast halliard refused to lay forward!!! Upper mast on the foremast. Yes...I know there is a tilt. I like imperfection!!! But, you’ll notice both upper masts have the same tilt. Painted the connecting lanyards on the slings. Moving on...to set up my lower yards!!!! Cheers folks.

<Evil Laugh> <Wrings his hands in sick delight>

Get a dremel with a sanding barrel - turn it on...and sharpen them by spinning the blunted tip against the spinning barrel. Takes one sec..and you can reuse the toothpicks for applying touches of PVA or CA glue. I love toothpicks....things are miracles! Looking great!!!

Well - some problems needed addressing: First: the main gaff is on...correctly this time. Problem was that I had rigged the tackle for the throat and peak halliards incorrectly. I had forgot to run the rigging line back through the single block connected to the eyebolts on the deck. Felt like an idiot... But I was able to take my mulligan without damage to the ship, and only minor damage to my blossoming confidence! Second: I rigged the slings to fore and main masts which support the lower yards. The sling on the fore mast was a bit tricky as the jib stays sort of get in the way...however, I managed to get them in without too much trouble. I actually used a lighter tan thread for connecting the two ends of the sling after wrapping around the mast heads. In retrospect, I should have used the tan or brown rope I had...but thought the thread would be easier to manage - and in fact it was. Problem is it looks like I have blond seizing on the lower yard slings! Maybe I'll paint it black...still thinking. Third: This was a doozy. I was looking at the rigging plan and realized I had put the mast cleat intended for the lower yard halliard on the main mast one the WRONG SIDE. Yep...as the Swedish Chef would say..."VERT DER FERK!!!!" I was and am a bit peeved that it literally took me a year to figure it out...the single block attached to the eye bolt in front of each mast should lies directly opposite (and below) the respective mast cleat used to tie up the lower yard halliard!!! So, I was looking at the fore mast...no problem! There was the block and it companion cleat right next to it on the mast. Then I looked at the main mast....and blinked about 50 times, then checked the plans...then got a stiff scotch. The cleat was on the wrong side. So, I've prepped another cleat and will try my best to apply it true. However, there is simply no way for my to remove the cleat which was placed on the opposite side of the mast. The main boom is in the way, and I won't be able to make a clean job of the removal. So...that cleat is staying on the model. This weekend should be fun...after I get done pre-rigging the lower yards...I should be in a position to make some steady progress. So, after I install the main mast cleat, I'll be attacking, in this order - the Upper and Lower Yards, Vangs and Back Stays, then inner/outer jib boom rigging. That should be a couple weeks out...and then I can focus on placing the flags and see if I can create a good method for adding the name on the transom. The Good Lord willing I make it that far without self imploding...then it's time to put on the finishing touches and place her under glass. I dream of that day... a pic of me sipping scotch as I admire my handiwork (and how well I hid my mistakes)! Moving on...

Holy crap...really?

And I just realized...you have the same toothpicks I have!!! I swear to God...couldn’t find those things outside of Japan! The shaped ends come in handy if you want to use them for your stanchions!!

Fantastic!!!! You’ll love how the cross grain of the toothpicks will make the stain pop. I used Tung Oil. I have a suggestion on how to get perfectly aligned straight lines. Use the same Tamiya tape you are using. Lay it down on the deck/hull with the edge where you want your treenails to be. Then take a T-pin or pin sized awl and score a hole/dent in the wood plank right at the edge of the tape. Then use the scored dent or hole as a guide which will give you perfectly lined up holes when you drill the actual holes with your pin vise or dremel.

Not many pics to post. A couple updates....needed to step back and redo the tackle on the main gaff. Made an idiotic error...happens. I am getting better at judging how much CA to touch onto the model which won’t prevent me from doing a rigging ‘mulligan’. Made the slings for the lower yards. Don’t know why those were such a huge challenge, but they turned out ok. Set them up with halliards before attempting to put them on the ship. Prepared the blocks with hooks and rope for remaining tackle needed for vangs and backstays. Prepared remaining blocks needed for the rest of the running rigging. On a side note...I’ve been using the rope from Syren (Chuck’s Model ship company). I’ve compared what you get in the kits vs the Syren rope and there is no comparison. Was so impressed, I decided to invest in my own rope maker (Rope rocket). No time to put it together and learn some new techniques...so planned on relying on the rope I purchased...but found he no longer makes black rope! Doh!!!! And worse...I’ve been using black rope for standing rigging/strops/seizing. And even worse...I just ran out of black rope! Sigh...life goes on...adapt and overcome. Will rig up my lower yards this week and hopefully continue to make steady progress on the running rigging.... Moving on!

Trenals!! I vote toothpicks.

Wonderful ideas! I wish I had planked my decks BEFORE I completed the planking above the deck level to create the bulkheads. Your idea for caulking is also novel. Love how much you are using 'scratch building via technology' in this build. Really fun to watch. Have you thought about how you are going to mount it? Just wondering as once you are adding bulkheads, cap rails, etc. it can be troublesome to drill holes in your keel. Great job so far!!!

Work continues on the main gaff. Humbling to realize how incredibly massive and clumsy my fingers are!!! They aren’t really...but when working on the growing cobweb of delicately connected sticks, they DO get in the way. Slow going. Moving on...!!!!

Very nice jig! 👍🏽

Added some rope details. Also made up the tackle and installed the Fore gaff. Slow going. But result was pretty good. Trying to take my time. Moving on!

Absolutely fantastic! You created something beautiful there, mate! Awesome job.

Stellar!

If I could do it over, I think I’d have made the scupper holes early...before I built up the planking to create the bulkheads. Part of my hesitation in putting in scuppers was that I had a strong suspicion I’d have wrecked my deck planking in the process. Just FYI in the event you wanted to put in authentic scuppers vs the ‘show’ scuppers. Watching with great interest!!!!

Looking very very good!

Not sure. You could look at the Schooner Sultana education ship and see if they have pics of her without people on it...I know she isn’t hauling much.

Ok...I tried my idea for making some suitable and reproducible rope coils which will fit on the main boom, mast cleats and shroud cleats! This is going to sound stupid, but it worked. For the jigs, I fashioned (glued) some suitable sized wood strips using toothpicks to fashion the rounded edges. The jig for the main boom cleats were made out of two square strips which were rounded on the edges...those cleats are hung sideways and I wanted the rope coil to look triangular. Next, I wrapped them with thin tin foil. Then...I saturated the rope with 50:50 PVA and wrapped a series of 5 turn wraps, then I’d shift over a bit on the last turn and start a new set of 5 turns....rinse and repeat until you run out of rope. Set to dry. This is the fun part...the foil slides off like quicksilver and retains its shape!!! At this point, I just took scissors and clipped between each section. The foil drops out easy!! Then I test fit it on the ship. Nice thing is that you can squeeze and fiddle with them but the coils hold their shape. I will call that a win and move on to the gaffs now!!! Moving on!!!

Had to stop and consider appropriate jigs for the rope coils which go on the cleats. 🧐 Think I’ve got a couple ideas worth trying. Simple is always good.

It's strange...the main boom was stained, but the stain did not soak in evenly. The back end looks darker (almost dirty) compared to the rest of the boom. I like the wood color, but the fact the masts, boom, and planks, all accepted staining differently makes me realize how important the consistency and understanding of the woods used affect the final look of the ship. I still like the final look of the boom - I had originally considered painting it - but my zeal for 'exposed wood grain' won out. Now working on the gaffs. Moving on...

Seriously considering trying to make my own rope. I find I waste more than is what actually ends upon the ship!

Oh...and the Admiral is the smartest, cleverest, most awesome lady I ever met. I definitely married ‘up’. And she is very proud, as am I, of her AA Degree. 👍🏽

Your son is a doctor!! Congrats!! Best and most reliable free healthcare anywhere!! 😁 True, I qualify for little letters after my name (very little!). But the document I’m most proud of is not a graduate degree, it’s my DD214! I’ll stack my years of service and my VFW life membership against any PhD.! Sadly, being a veteran gives you no letters after your name! I agree, Lou...take pride in who you are ...life isn’t about collecting letters. God isn’t going to ask for your business card at the end of this ride. 😎 I just hope I can finish my Sultana before my ride stops!!!!l