Overworked724

Installed binnacle. Started prepping the stanchions. As an afterthought, I also stained the upper part of the rudder above deck level to match the bitts/pawl/windlass.  Once the rudder arm is installed (after poop rails are in), it should be a fairly nice match. 

I am getting a newfound respect for harder/tight grain woods. The toothpicks were a unique idea but the wood is crap...like basswood it gets very thready. Good to know for future!!!

moving on...

Needed to stop and back track a bit. The pawl looked like a stick of butter and the bits were askew ever so slightly. So removed and restained pawl with darker stain, and reset the bits. 

Much better...and yes, the foremast is off center by about 1mm. My eye sees it all the time, but I have learned to accept this little ship with all its (my) errors. She’s still looking mighty handsome!!!

moving on...to binnacle and poop rails.

I tried using CA on some unpainted cleats (metal) adhering them to basswood strips. The thin ‘waterlike’ CA doesn’t seem to give much purchase. Also, it bleeds all over the place. 

I got some ‘thick’ CA from Lowe’s (Scotch brand) which comes in a tube. Easy to apply and control amount on the part as the glue comes out as a light gel. Worked really well on the trial pieces. The cleats attached to the bulkhead on both sides of the main deck were a bit of a trial...touch up paint WILL be needed. 🙄

Finished up all cleats/eye bolts. Left the eye bolts in the front of both masts unglued since these both need a block stropped to them. Better to do that on the pins off the model and then set them in place...seems it would be much easier that way! (He said unconfidently...)

moving on...

Thanks, Kurt!!  Will use CA. Many thanks. 

Words cannot express my frustration at Britannia metal pieces. Trying to get the metal cleats to fasten to wood is difficult. 

I roughed the underside of the cleats and used carpenter’s glue. But they still do not seem to hold as fast as they should. I am hesitant to use CA glue...not sure if that would be any better. 😤

Touch up painting definitely in my future after I get the poop rail up. 

Moving on to remaining cleats, poop rail, rudder arm, binnacle, and swivel gun stocks...(then the masts/rigging if the bloody glue holds!!!)

Friday was a mix of progress and setbacks. 

1. Setting up deck furniture, eye bolts, cleats, etc.  During drilling of guide hole for pin to set the pawl (the metal tongue holder to keep the windlass from spinning backwards when under load) I accidentally drilled the guide hole in the wrong place.  After cursing, I realized the original pawl (following Chuck’s practicum) does not have the breadth to cover my mistake. So..decided to remake the pawl with a wide base and shortened it a bit. Effect was so nice, decided to forgo painting it and simply stained a natural finish before setting it on the step. Not a bad result. 

2. Made mast coats using 22g wire per Chuck’s practicum. Will paint later but checks out nicely and allows room for pumps for the main mast. Easy to make but may do wood for next ship. 

Moving on. 

Side story:  The first thing the Admiral said yesterday evening when she saw the brass eye bolts poking out of the bow wales was, "Your ship has some BLING!".  I was miffed...I am too old to BLING anything, and would never consider BLINGING my beloved schooner.  I honestly hate that word...BLING. 

So, after due consideration, decided to make my own eyebolts. Technique was pretty easy with a pair of wire benders. After some trials, found I could make many different sizes fairly reproducibly using 26g black wire. (Good investment!)

In truth, the brass eye bolts simply seemed too flashy and a bit out of place.  Replacing with the black eye bolts, other than being a bit more historically accurate, aren’t as distracting and seem to allow a more balanced impression. 

Moving on. 

Thanks, Elijah.  I have not included them...but I do have a couple of ideas on how to make them!  If they turn out, I'll include them before I run the anchor. 

Tragedy!  I just discovered I accidentally included one extra timberhead on both side of the bow!  

Thank goodness I’m not a stickler for perfection.  But since I have already deviated multiple times, this really isn’t too much of an issue for me!!!  🤣

I think she still looks good. Deciding to leave it rather than correct it. 

Moving on...

Finishing up the hull details and getting ready to move into masts/rigging. Lord help me...😣🙏🏼

Is nice seeing the ship take take on some more definitive look.  Long way to go though. 

Will do do some touch up painting before I start messing around with masts!  Also still need to make and fit the swivel gun mounts. 

Moving on....slowly. 

Thanks, Russ!  Well, I can honestly say that they will need to be ripped off since they certainly won’t be coming loose anytime soon. Will be putting in pins for the next build though. 

Ok. Going to stand back and admire my progress a bit. The chain plates I made turned out really nice and I am glad now I decided to make my own via wire/solder. The metal was very easy to bend and trim. Made for a fairly painless chain plate attachment and the effect was very clean. After it was done, I had to consider how much she is starting to look like an actual ship!!!

Moving on...

Nice progress!  Looks sharp and the filler blocks are set just right. Also like the use of faux deck below cannon carriage to ensure no issues with porthole alignment. Good idea. 

Thanks, Bob!  I totally understand that!  Very good tip which I will follow in future. 

Got the port side channels/deadeyes installed. No pins for the channels...will simply say a prayer and hope the carpenter’s glue holds. 😁🙏🏼  Fairly lined up and not a bad result. 

Touch up paint is in my future. But if I only mount it with port side facing out, then I only have to do half the rigging!!!

Happy New Year, Lou!  Your kind support is always welcome!  Sometimes it helps to vent my frustration...and I truly hope I give more opportunities for you to enjoy the build...slow as it is!

Cheers

Pat

A bit more perspective in the bow/stem section. Yes, I omitted a LOT!  But this was not without a considerable amount of forum searching and assessment of other builds.  In short...the Sultana is a small kit, and trying to create the same level of detail as described in the plans is simply beyond me capabilty at this time without some consideration for a beginning level modeler.  Seriously...hey Model Shipways!  Ever hear of laser cut parts?  No?  Well you should...21st century modeling....how about you people get with the program and get some laser cut parts for your old kits?  Who knows you may actually attract some NEW MODELERS to the craft.  😤🙄

Ok.  Chuck’s practicum gives the perfect tips to do this, but it is simply time to move on....so I did.  Made appropriate adjustments to make it look nice (but probably not very nautically accurate) and it is what it is...

Moving on...and for those going to attempt this kit, I would say that this kit comes with a lot of potential for doing your own thing...and if so...then just do it.  Don’t be afraid of doing something different.  The plans are good for accuracy vs the Sultana, but Who says you can’t just do your own thing....

We we will see where this goes....but I know the Bob Stay hole is too far behind the figurehead base....so there will be some interference there....all about accommodations at this point...adapting to previous errors....ugh.  But that’s thwhat fun of this hobby....always something!

Moving on.....to the chain plates and swivel gun mounts.

Well. Where to start. Server went down when I was gaining some Holiday traction. 

Progress report:  Great cabin windows, stem post (and massive deviation from plans), mounting screw arrival. 

Great cabin windows:  (Metal fittings suck) Like a more earthy tone so scrapped the historic yellow. Looks too gaudy and garish. Does not match the natural wood warmth I want to portray. Painted a desert yellow with white window frames. The window frames needed some thought. No...no more trim tape as referred in Chuck’s practicum. Opted for a 3x5 note card, a black Sharpie pen, some stick glue, and scissors. Turned out beautiful!  Wish I had done the same on the transom windows. 

Stem post:  Ok. Let’s be honest. Chuck is a professional modeler and I’m NOT. So...tossed the practicum and deviated from the plans. Handshaping/sculpting wooden sections the size of a mouse turd is neither fun nor easy for me.  Decided to enjoy my model rather than fret over historical inconsistency. 

Decided to scrap the ‘knees’ altogether...and put in upper and lower ‘cheeks’ (sorry if I’m screwing up the nautical terms) with cross braces connecting them. These tiny bits actually ARE the size of mouse turds! Cannot truly describe how difficult it was to place these things without spreading glue all over. In short...focus on maintaining symmetry as much as possible...I mean I simply eyeballed it since there was simply not opportunity to be precise at this scale. 

Mounting screws came. Yay!  Got at least 1.5” of screw to set the ship. The Admiral simply asked, “Aren’t the screws too long?”  Too funny...wish I had longer screws. But what the hell...I won’t be playing football with the model after it’s under glass. 🙄

Pics below....moving on!  

Happy New Year!!!

Ok. A bit of progress mixed with procrastination. Painted the knight heads with decent result. Decided to put together my channels before putting them on the ship. (May sound odd but I have my reasons. We shall see)  Also tried a couple of different size square dowels (basswood) to see a sense of scale for the swivel cannon stocks.  Will go with the smaller stock.  But the metal fixtures are crap. Model Shipways should be ashamed.  However, I think that putting on the stocks/cannon will be best done as one of the last finishing touches for the ship.  I will prepare them, and ensure good fit...but putting them on before the rigging doesn’t make sense to me.  They will simply get in the way  and

Also put on a couple coats of natural finish to the wooden balls and mounting board.  Muuuuuch better. 

Now jumping on the cheeks...sigh. Will need to adjust considerably from the plans. 

anyhow....moving on.

Yes...the knight heads seem high. I may need to trim them a bit more but will wait until I have a better sense once the bow sprit is seated. 

Sigh...always something. 🙄

Carved out the knight heads. Used square dowel, 0.1-in (2.4mm). Same technique as the timber heads. Pics below are useful if you are still fuzzy from chuck’s practicum. It’s actually fairly easy once you get the hang of it. Will paint tomorrow and attach at liesure after the bowsprit is on. 

Moving on... 

Ok. Moving on. Decided to tackle the ship display board and mounts. 

Display board was was chosen for sheer cheapness. Pine board from Hobby Lobby. Width of the board is same width as the main yards. 

Mounting holes match the holes already drilled into the ship currently used to mount hull on the keel clamp. So, easy enough to match those up. (Note that I have a spare mounting board I used to double check the holes I drilled into the display board! 👍🏽)

Decided to try to mount the ship on wooden balls. (Also a Hobby Lobby special buy...what can I say...the Admiral is a frequent customer and she likes me to use their daily coupon!). Lined up on the board they look like little wooden snow men...my intention.  The keel will sit on top of the balls.  I always hated those metal chess piece mounts...wanted something more elagant and simple/rounded/without edges.  Ships are all curve, so why thrown jagged metal at it for mounting?

The mounting screws are #6 zinc wood screws.  Need a bit longer screws than those pictured to ensure the screws are well set into the meat of the hull...final mounting should put ~ 1.5” of screw depth into the hull. My objective was to give a viewer a full and unbroken view of the keel...the ship would have the appearance of balancing on two wooden balls ‘a la bubble balancing’. 

Yes...many of my club members will frown upon this...but it’s my model! Besides, if I can get this thing completed and under glass I will be happy! 

Moving on...

Welcome, Randy!

I am 51, and also New to the hobby!  I also am building the HMS Sultana.  I’m sure you know there is a great practicum with pictures by Chuck Passaro on this kit.  I hope you take the opportunity to read it before jumping in the the bulkhead work.  I am following this as the main guide for achieving my first completion but it can be challenging. 

Please see see my log on my current (slow...) build of my Sultana!

I will look forward to your build!  Please take time to start a log as the folks here have some awesome experience to share.  I hope you enjoy the hobby!  

Cheers

Pat

Problem. How high do I make the knight heads. My bowsprit extends a bit far above the cap. Dammit. Reference???

Love is blind. Thank God for the respite of the Shipyard.   Aaaaargh!

And yes, I appreciate the Admiral’s coffee. (I’m no fool...I know which side my bread is buttered!!  )