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Overworked724

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  1. Overworked724
    That helps! It also gives me some good ideas.
  2. Overworked724
    Dear Bob Beautiful work! I am hacking my way through my own build on this site, and one aspect I have been dreading is the pintles/gudgeons. I have the rudder (3 actually....just in case I need spares!) ready, but try as I might, using copper stripping seems to be a lost cause - but then again, I have no good experience as this is my first wood ship build. I am very interested in how you prepared and mounted your pintles/gudgeons using paper. If you would, any response would be helpful since I would like to follow a 'paper' path to mounting my rudder as well - since it seems to be the path of least resistance. Best Patrick
  3. Overworked724
    Note to newbies like me...ship plans are useful for visual guides. I copy and cut out various portions of the deck i am working on to ensure my ruler/divider is not lying to me. I find that the more you progress, the easier it is to get some type of assymetry in the look/shape. I have quite a few areas on my model where this has occurred. The plans help my visual brain recover from the gaps in the measurements. As Gunny Highway would say..."Adapt!!! Overcome!!!"
  4. Overworked724
    After considering my next steps, decided to suck it up and make the cat heads. Overall was a good attempt. Nothing quite as terrifying as cutting off chunks of your ship. Was extremely careful not to overtrim the gaps in the cap rail to fit the catheads. Will paint tomorrow. Moving on....to bed.
  5. Overworked724
    John - Thanks for your note!!! Can't tell you how much I appreciate the kind thoughts and support! The furniture has been fun to build...and frankly, I was surprised at how well it turned out considering it was my first attempt at such an endeavor! I actually read (and have reread) your log on the Sultana and you accomplished that which I could not have done - make the ship look realistic using the included metal parts. My skill in painting is pretty poor - and I simply had no idea how to prepare/trim/sand down the parts without completely destroying them. (My shameful secret - I am scratch building the furniture and whatnot because I don't know how to prepare the supplied cast metal parts. ) I have a long way to go - but my brain is already trying to get past the rudder, paint touch ups, catheads, stanchions/rails, knight heads, cheeks, chain plates, deadeyes, trim, masts, spars, booms, and sprit...it is the rigging that scares me most! Never done it before...rigging looks so complicated. But, onwards and upwards. I am simply trying to log as much as I can of this build for myself and for future newcomers to the hobby to follow - and avoid my many impatient mistakes (e.g. Drilling the gammoning hole in the wrong place on the stem!! Over sanding the foredeck!! Using CA glue to support my planking!!....etc. )! This is my first wooden ship model...and I am sincerely hoping I can finish it...! (The admiral already has plans on where to put it.)
  6. Overworked724
    Okay. Not much progress this past weekend. Scratched my eye...recovering. But I did manage to make the galley stack. Once again, pretty much eyeballed it based upon measurements from the plans. Looks much better than the kit supplied one. Also got the pawl made. Need to paint and trim down the copper tongue.... but looks ok.
  7. Overworked724
    Got the bitts done. Used 2.4mm square dowel. Cut and gently sanded the pieces, cut the notches and ensured good fit. Stained and glued. Celebrated with a beer and toasted my mad genius and awesome skill as a novice ship kit builder. 👍🏽 🍻 Moving on...to the galley stack.
  8. Overworked724
    Just posting some pics with the furniture I made in lieu of the cast metal pieces. The difference is stunning. I have some newfound respect for handmade fittings and furniture. Honestly, without Chuck's practicum, I would have been very uneasy about making these initial attempts. Although I have not followed Chuck's guide in all cases, it does give you a great crutch. No fear!!! 😁
  9. Overworked724
    Well...timber heads are prepared. Chuck's technique for preparing them worked well. I plan to put them on after I don't have to mess with the rudder, chain plates, etc. (why make life difficult?) I think the next is the pawl, bitts, and cat heads....Moving on.
  10. Overworked724
    Someone asked me where my profile name came from! In fact, the admiral wants to get a dog...she told me unexpectedly while she was cooking dinner. I said it would be fine provided I could name it...she asked me what I would name it...and I said, "Capt'n Fluffy McDoogles". She did not like it. Don't laugh....I'm serious. Side note: The ice cold stare of a tiny, slightly pissed off, Japanese woman holding a razor sharp carving knife can give you nightmares. Moving on...to the timber heads. 😜
  11. Overworked724
    Tiller arm is completed. Again. Not trying for perfect...arm was simple. Trimmed a section off a 2.1mm thick basswood strip. Sanded it down and rounded off the end. Drilled in a hole with a #78 drill bit into both the tiller arm end (tiny tiny hole!) and into the little black ball I made out of black sculpy. (Yes...sculpy comes in black). Stuff is awesome...made a few little BB's of black sculpy then baked them up (175F for 20 min). Drilled a small hole in the BB of sculpy then trimmed a small piece of 28G wire and connected the BB on the end of the tiller. (Stained the tiller after sanding) End result looks pretty decent. Also measured with rudder and binnacle in place...so no interference there. Running out of deck furniture...need to mount the rudder soon. Side note: just discovered the embedded dancing emoticons. Posting just became more exciting. Moving on...
  12. Overworked724
    It's worth stating that I feel like I am in kindergarten. You won't see high tech ship building techniques or nitpicky research questions to ensure historic accuracy. What this build is is quite simple...fun. I'm having fun! The small joys of overcoming minor challenges during the hard but rewarding act of creating something I can take some pride in. My ship building skill set might be small...but it's growing! (Baby steps)
  13. Overworked724
    Windlass is done! The black thread (2 wraps) with a touch of CA glue for shine gives a good impression of metal bands. The wood was prestained prior prior to any glueing. The guide holes and the wire did a decent job of keeping me honest during glueing. Used carpenters wood glue so I could take my time while the glue setup to make minor adjustments in alignment. Good tip: I marked the bottom of the dowel to keep the consistency of when I cut my thread and to ensure when I put the entire thing together (7 pieces in all) that the windlass had a seamless look. Not a bad job for my first try! Pretty happy with the result. Compare it to the piece included in the kit...I just shake my head. Time well spent. 🍻 CHEERS! Moving on.... (Note: When making the separate parts and planning to fit them back together, I marked each of them along one face of the hexagonal barrel (before cutting it into separate pieces) so I could align them back when glueing the final piece...the marks are on the bottom, where a viewer cannot see the thread overlap or the pencil marks used for alignment!)
  14. Overworked724
    Windlass 101: Measured dowel and decided to use painter's tape to allow me to sand down the center. Walaaa...instant cog. Then cut out center, filed in the teeth, and drilled in some guide holes into the barrels and cog to allow greater control and stability both during and after glueing. The parts are small, so this once again took some time. Will plan to use black thread instead of tape for simulation of iron bands. Square holes are easier...predrill the holes and use a jeweler's Phillips head screwdriver to square it out. Looks pretty good so far, but still have some ways to go before I can have a Windlass Party!!
  15. Overworked724
    Ok. Decided to try to get a bit of progress on the windlass. As before, following Chuck's practicum. However, I am crap at trying to shape a dowel. Truth be told. So I was liberal in experimenting with other doewls. Rather than try to get a perfect 1.8mm diameter taper from the middle to end of barrel, I decided to keep it a homogeneous diameter. (Just trying to give the ship a warm look, not win a beauty pageant!) Happily, I did finally manage to arrive at a roughly hexaganol shaped barrel. Also made 2 separate sets of windlass cradles in case I screw up. 😁 Moving on....
  16. Overworked724
    I think option 2...with the added clarification that I design and test fit the cheeks first. Then I can fill in the current hole and then drill the new one before putting in the cheeks. Should be less stressful and give a cleaner look. We shall see. 🙄
  17. Overworked724
    Yes...I am now looking at the stem/stern more critically as I prepare for future activities. I am loathe to say this...since my wales curve up a bit higher towards the bow, I mistakenly drilled out the gammoning hole higher on the stem than it should have been. Crap. What to do....two options. 1. Live it and adjust 2. Fill the current hole with some colored wood filler (try to match the wood) and redrill the gammoning hole AFTER the cheeks are in.... hmmmmm. What to do.....
  18. Overworked724
    The ship pumps are done! Not too bad for my first scratch built pumps. Once again, totally agree with Chuck P. On his assessment of the pumps provided in the kit. They are awful. The molding is also pretty shoddy, so if you plan to use them, be prepared for a lot of filing! I will say that the furniture provided in the kit is 'useable' but would not impart much warmth. It really is a great feeling to see something which looks more natural. It also makes the appearance of the deck much more authentic!! I consider my pumps and my binnacle to be my two best accomplishments so far. Considering using the kit supplied windlass...need to think about this a bit more...🤔 Moving on! note: the pumps are small! I really took my time and also took the cowards way out by reinforcing the tiny joints with slow CA to keep the wood for splitting.
  19. Overworked724
    So...my nautical knowledge being in its infancy, had to look up what a binnacle was. Still, without seeing firsthand what it was, I was following Chuck's practicum to get the gyst for my own binnacle construction. Funny enough, had dinner last night at Dover Straights (seafood restaurant) and the reception desk had an old binnacle. Had to snap a shot...😊 On to pumps. The kit pumps are abysmal so Chuck is bang on the point ... trying to make them is difficult. Quite small but my binnacle construction is giving me newfound hope I might not totally botch the job. Problem I encountered was using tape to simulate the iron banding around the pumps. Simply could not do it...so used thread instead with CA to give it some shine. These pumps are so small I don't think a casual observer should see too much of a difference. Also, the spouts were simply too small for me to manage as a rectangular shape. Simply snipped off the tip of a toothpick and inserted into hole made with a pin vise. Thinking ahead, decided to drill straight through barrel to allow for insertion of a pin once they are ready to be glued to the deck. May not need it, but will have the option once they are ready. A pin will help keep them centered and aligned if I need to adjust them before the glue sets. Moving on... to watch the Bears game...😁
  20. Overworked724
    The more I zoom in on the deck in these photos...the more I realize I could have done much better on my gratings!!! 🙄
  21. Overworked724
    Ok. Binnacle is done. Used Manila folder for doors, and painted the tip of a 3mm dowel gold and the very top of the dowel white. Trimmed off the 'pseudo compass' with a razor blade. Door handles are shortened pins. Also added side bolts which will be used to 'tie down' the binnacle to the deck. Chuck Passaro is right. It looks a thousand times better. Photos below. Time well spent and supremely satisfied with my first binnacle!!! Moving on....
  22. Overworked724
    Made two additional rudders without the gaps for pintles/gudgeons. Try a few honestly valiant efforts on the ship. Also crafted together the guts of my binacle. Feet of the binacle made out of toothpicks cross section. 😊 Took a slightly different route but it turned out ok. Will use Manila folder (thick paper) to makes doors. Then paint and move on.
  23. Overworked724
    After ship club last night - I have some newfound confidence. I am not longer worried about the rudder anymore, but no longer have a clear picture on how best to mount it...so will prepare a few more rudder mock ups to have for examining some alternative pintle/gudgeon ideas. In the meantime, will move on with preparing the deck furniture. Moving on...
  24. Overworked724
    Ok...I got to say...the walnut transom outer veneer looks awesome. Not historically accurate, but sweet just the same. Love the contrast. 😁 Moving on....to drink my beer.
  25. Overworked724
    Wellll....screw it. That transom could be better but it could be worse, too! Besides, it's not too bad for my fifth attempt. 🙄 So, on it went. Damn the torpedos. Time for for a few baby pictures of my build. Then it's off for a beer and a couple days off due to work and club meeting. One thought. I no longer believe this is an acceptable 'beginner' kit. First, it's a block of wood with plans. No real kit here. Honestly, without Chuck's practicum and my ship club, I would probably have thrown in the towel. Still might!!! But the frustration of failure has been drowned out by some really good successes and great experience. Will sally forth and hope for the best! 👍🏽 I already have the 'fashion pieces' (the edge pieces that cover the corner seams on the stern between transom and Wales) planned. Then it 's on the next interesting adventure on this build!! moving on.....

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