gjdale

Crazy...crazy....It is time to call the White Coats.... !!!
 
I have been thinking about the railing of the rear quarter deck. If the planking was done in a curved and harmonious way with stealers and all the necessary stuff, the shape of the planking would follow the curvature of the railing. That is a view of the mind and it does not happen too often.
 
So, after postponing this stage for a while, I decided today to jump into it and go "Crazy".
 
The first thing to do is glue that nice strip (not included in the kit) that is supposed to delineate the hull from the railing. That is done after many dry runs and positioning of the freezes and ornaments. The rear of the hull is painted with that rare greenish blueish color described in the Monograph and that was in fashion at that era, in the French harbors. The strip is then positioned, secured and glued with liquid CA (1-3 seconds), carefully dropped from the top. The glue runs gently following the strip, without leaking underneath. I have used that technique with the HMS Bellona and the strips are still holding fine.
 

 

 
Another final checking that all the ornaments are fitting between the two strips..... And then we go crazy..... Using my Dremel with a cutting disk, I am butchering all the planking and framing above the top strip: 
 

 
You have to be super careful and hold your Dremel with two hands to prevent an irrecoverable slippage of the cutting disk....
 

 
This is it. Now, we have to sand to bring everything to the level of the top strip.
 

 
From that point, I will install a flat rail that will be my base for building the decorative railing comprised of freezes and other CNC carved parts. The original ship (and the kit) uses the frames as holders for the railing. My model will not have that. I think I can live with its absence.
 

 

 
A little bit of painting, to make things more elegant: 
 

 

 
I kind of like that deep cobalt blue/green. Below is the other side, which has not been butchered yet. You can clearly see that the planking would never align with the elegant curves of the stern.
 

 

 
To make your mouth water and as an appetizer of what to come (it will be a while...), here is what it will look like: 
 

 
The White Coats have arrived and I must go....
 
Yves

Aft deadwood piece was cleaned of char and adjusted so it was a nice tight fit in its position, it’s not been glued in as its shape needs to be sanded closer to what it will finally look like.



 

Slowly but surely moving ahead with stern cant frames.  I'm doing a bit of progressive fairing as I go while trying not to go too crazy.  I'm pretty happy with the look of the chocks.  Just a tiny bit of contrast due to the grain direction, but still pretty subtle.  
 

Adam
 

Post 96
Completing the Fore shrouds.
Shrouds are a very fiddly business, and applying the throat seizings is a tedious thing.

4915a
I find that using a fine needle helps with the threading of the line  between the shroud and its return.

4924a

4921a

4922a
The Fore shrouds  gave me more trouble than the Mains;
I seemed to spend an inordinate amount of time tweaking the  shroud length before the Lanyards are eventually tied off.
This involved unpicking previously seized upper deadeyes and re-setting.
On a model a sloppy line of deadeyes is not a pretty thing.

4930a
The next step is the application of the futtock staves.
According to Steel these are set as far below the trestletrees as the mast cap rises above.

4931a
In reality the staves were of 4” circ served line, but it makes sense to use something more solid for model purposes.
I used 0.7mm ø Brass rod served with 0.1mm line.

4932a
‘Quad hands’ are a useful tool for this job, holding the bar steady whilst the outer lashings are applied.

4936a
The Futtock staves are a great device for evening out the shrouds, as well as providing the anchor point for the Futtocks and Catharpins.
 
The Fore stays beckon….
 
B.E.
02/07/2025
 
 

Big improvement today:-) The refrigeration man showed up to cut and vacuumed out the line set for the mini split. Forecast calls for cooler temperatures tomorrow:-)
 

 

I thought I was at a stopping point, but when my wife volunteered her help to stain the porch. I was off to the hardware store:-)
 

 
The local store didn’t have much of a selection, luckily they had one she approved of.

I finished the porch earlier this week and hung the ship’s wheel this morning:-) We will probably stain the porch, post and header later this summer. But for now it’s modeling time!
 

 
I’m hoping if I can keep to ground clear of aggressive vegetation, The Lord will bless me with his very own carpet. Here is a walk that’s took about 3 years.
 

Installation of the door and the remaining deck beams to the cabin wall. The other beams cannot be installed yet, because of the guns.
 

 
I started building the planking of the rear bulkhead, after using some spacers to account for the quarter deck planking.
 

 
I am approaching the construction by mixing elements of the instructions: 
 

 
 I am also modifying very slightly the rear wings (1K-5) to better accommodate that platform on the stern (3K-1 on the picture). I am adding a small strips to support the platform, on both sides: 
 

 
I am also adding a 2 mm strip to increase the height of the "wings" and compensate for the thickness of the platform: 
 

 
Before gluing the platform, I am trying to finalize all the gold painting of the freezes, that will be hard to reach, once glued: 
 

 
Finally, the platform is glued, making the stern a lot more solid and sturdier: 
 

 

 
There is still a lot of sanding and painting that has to take place, to make it presentable.
 
Yves
 
 

Here are the first few Starboard side frames installed, we will begin to get a proper feel for what the model is going to look like now.
The designer has left lots of “meat on the bones” for later fairing of the hull when framing is complete.
 

Some time ago, I made the mistake of getting involved with the boats because of the oars. Of course, this was not without consequences ...

... Here is the white “big” launch from the kit and behind it a new “decent” 34 foot launch according to McKay's drawings.

Unfortunately, the planks of the inner floor gave way during printing, there was only a small usable remnant at the front and rear.

And if you man the boat, you can see straight away that the large boats were rowed “double banked”, i.e. 2 men per thwart and if the capstan is used, one thwart cannot be used.

Oar lengths inside and outside and the position to the rower and his arms seem to be correct.

But the inside floor still gives me pause for thought. As McKay draws it, it is 30-40 cm too low for the rower's legs and too high so that 50% of the load volume is lost. So it's a strange intermediate height

Somehow this still didn't fit. I then rummaged through my documents again and found what I was looking for, as these details are seldom shown.



Here is the small kit that has evolved as a result.

The inner floor to protect the hull now rests on the frames at the very bottom. The rowers' feet have been given a bar for this purpose.

Trial sitting ...

... and it fits reasonably well. With slightly straighter legs it even fits quite well.

So the other foot bars are also installed.

After that came the thwarts and the other interior ...

 




And again we had a rehearsal sitting ...

... even multiple ones.






This also seems to fit. The capstan is removable, so two more rowers could fit in.

But the next question is, what was the rigging like?



In terms of the mast positions, I would have guessed lugger rigging, which I was able to see live a few times in France, or perhaps sprit rigging, but I'll see what Steel has to say about that later. Above all, all the fittings on the hull are still missing, which are vera often omitted.

Greetings, DAniel
 
 

Starboard side gunport framing completed, now to start cleaning the char from the Frame pieces and begin installing them. I intend to frame this side and when done turn her around and frame all the port side.
 

Another small update,
although the manual shows stern framing first,
but since bulkhead extensions are critical
and fragile, I decided to start framing the gun ports first.
The longitudinal pieces are cut full length, which
should make for a nice smooth run, assuming all the bulkheads are properly aligned.
I started at main gundeck level with STBD 1 UP.
Each port also has its own template.
So I'll use them to check the height before gluing the top piece STBD 2.
 
 

Hance pieces and fairing caps installed and I’ve started framing the starboard side gunports.
 

 


 
 
 

Moving on with the installation of the beams supporting the quarter deck.
 

 

 
The guide holding and aligning the mizzen mast has been installed. I also added a couple of poles underneath to make it sturdier.
 

 

 
Now, I have to finish the door, glue it to the cabin wall and complete the assembly of the beams, at least up to the wall of the cabin: 
 

 
Below, you can see the extra support. Once the deck is in place, it will be quite solid, but you never know....
 

 
Yves

I am still progressing without following the official instructions, just going along with what makes the most sense for me.
After installing the stern panel, I managed to glue the side extensions of the hull: 
 

 
All this is still very fragile and will require a lot of care to avoid breaking them. The large wooden grid on top will help re-enforce but cannot be installed until I built the planking on the stern from the inside deck. And before doing that, I have to build the quarter deck and its planking. The following drawings will give you a better idea of what I am trying to do and how it needs to happen: 
 

 

 

 
Of course, before completing the quarter deck planking the door of the cabin and the guns must be installed, on the gun deck. Therefore, the various hooks are set in the frames: 
 

 

 

 

 

 
Yves
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

It's going well! The more complex the designs, the longer these things take.
 
A lot of CAD work, so nothing to show as yet. I can tell you the decal sheet is done and has been delivered, and most of the resin print production is done.
 
It is quite a large and complex kit with many pre cut and pre engraved parts, the latter more than even Indy, and all of this takes time to develop. Once I start cutting my final designs and build it up, for Jim to follow, I can post pics of my final prototype build, but until then, it is all just on CAD, on my PC. This applies also to the photo etched files. I need to complete these at the same time the laser cut designs are more or less cooked, and those are 90% done.
 
Rest assured though, this is all I am working on, although I do get side tracked a lot due to having to produce more stock for current kits....

Post 95
Main stay. (Part 2)
The lower end of the stays have hearts turned in.
I am using Syren Resin versions, (6mm) for the Main Stay and (5mm) for the Preventer.
The kit provided deadeyes for this purpose are easier to fit than hearts and lanyards, but were an old fashioned option by the  time of Harpy.

4901a
It is easier to fit the Preventer stay and collar with the Main stay and Fore shrouds out of the way.
I had fitted the Preventer stay at this point but found I had fed it incorrectly through the mast top.
Annoying when you have spent  time doing tiny seizing and fitting of lanyards, but I couldn’t let it stand.

4895a

4897a

4898a
Lashing of the Main stay I used Syren 0.45mm line.
For the collar 0.88 mm line served with 0.1mm line was used. The tricky part of the collar is forming the eye in one short leg.
 
Main Preventer stay

4904a
Stropping the Preventer stay heart.
 
4905a

4908a
0.3mm line used for the Lanyard.

4909a

4910a
I can now attend to the Fore Shrouds.
 
B.E.
27/06/2025
 
 

Post 94
Main stay. (Part 1)
The kit plans show a simplified form of the Main/Preventer stays.
A more authentic version includes serving of the stay collars including the eye splice through which the stay passes, and a more stylish mouse to replace the kit plastic version.
The kit indicates use of deadeyes for securing the stays but I have opted for hearts which were more common during this period.
 
I am using Steel’s tables for an 18-14 gun ship.
 Mainstay                - 10”  - 1.26mm   - 15” Heart  (6mm)  Main Preventer Stay - 7”  -  0.88mm  -  10” Heart  (4mm) 
 
The kit line dimensions are close to this using 1.3mm line for the Main stay, and 1mm line for the Preventer stay.
For the Mainstay I am using Syren 1.37mm line, and for the Preventer 0.88mm line. The lines are stretched under weights to remove the spring before fitting.

4880a
The position of the mouse needs to be tested on the model.

4881a

4884a
Here the  un-dyed Preventer stay serving is apparent, and the ‘weave’ of the mouse shows through.

4889a
I have been thinking about the positioning of the stays.
 
The kit arrangement has the Main stay fixed by a collar to the Foremast, and the Preventer stay  running above it and beyond it to a collar on the Bowsprit.
I have some doubts about this arrangement, generally Mainstays run beyond the foremast to the bow.
Steel says that The main Preventer stay is lashed to the Foremast and the Main stay to the Bowsprit chock.
Lees comments that the Preventer stay was usually carried above the stay but that on small ships was sometimes carried  under it.

4888a
Full details of my preparing and fitting of the stays and the related Mouses is fully covered in my Pegasus log, so I won’t repeat it all here.

4883a

4890a

4885a
In the case of Harpy I have decided to run the Preventer stay below the Main stay, and reverse the locations of the lashings.
Onto the lower end stay fixings.
 
B.E.
25/06/2025

Thank you to everyone for the comments and likes.
 
 Well, finally something that resembles a build log. Research is a necessity but there comes a point when ya just gotta make something! 
 
 I've completed the pilothouse. Who say's you can't start at the top and work your way down?  The vertical siding is 1/32" x 1/32" basswood glued together using CA. 
 
 I believe this was only a two man crew, the pilot would have been responsible for making forward and reverse changes requiring him to race up and down the stairs to the twin cylinder vertical steam engine which leads me to believe there wasn't a PH door. I also think the boiler had an automatic coal feeder, more about that later. 
 
 The sternwheeler I'm trying to replicate is so rough that I didn't do any sanding and I didn't try to correct the basswood pieces if they didn't line up exactly. This is going to be pretty much the theme of this build though it's hard to not try and make things all nicely aligned and ship shape. 

 
 There didn't appear to be any glazing in the PH windows, these are open window frames from Itchy Train. 

 
 I don't know how one weathers the color black so I tried to show wear by not making the roofing a deep black and leaving light patches here and there. The PH is 0.8" W x 0.9" L x 0.8" H.  The roof is 0.11" x 0.12". A penny is 0.7" D. 

 
 Next up is the what I'm call the engine room which isn't exactly what that room is but.. I wanted to get the ER and PH done where I'd have a better idea on how long and wide I need to make the hull. 
 
 Thank you to everyone for the support and following along and being part of the journey.
 
    Keith 

ready to continue...

Another new item will soon be in stock.  I had run out of my old swivel guns.  Those were cast in the traditional way and not 3D printed.  They has casting marks etc.  So now that I ran out of them I figured I would do a redesign.  Here are photos of the new 3D printed swivel guns.   Two pieces.   The yoke is flexible-ish.  This enables some manipulation to just slide the yoke into position from the bottom of the barrel and into the the holes.  Once you get one done the others will be easy.
 
I am pretty thrilled with these results because as some of you may be aware, black 3d printing resin is somewhat less than desirable.  The results often look too much like plastic or are too shiny and doesnt really show details well.  So I have conducted many tests yet again on my resin of choice.  The black finish is not to stark a black or but nice and warm and on the touch of a dark warm gray.  Very dark.  The material is also matte or barely satin.  So its a win-win.  I tried very hard to make these look like blackened brass or brushed metal which I think I achieved pretty darn close actually.  This batch is 13/16" long not including the handle.  (What is used for the Winnie).
 
Use these straight out of the bag. 
 
I should have some more sizes and these will be fully stocked in a few days.
 
 

 

When chapter 5 comes out.  All of you guys building the model will get a complimentary figure to show scale.  I will randomly select one of these and include it in your order for that chapter.
 

And I was also finally able to finish the capstans.

All the parts had been in the making since well into last year, but I never really had the chance to finish them. Basic programming strictly according to plan is always done quickly, but until the look of the printout refreshes my eyes and heart in terms of model making, it takes a few more rounds of printing, tinkering and improving, version #15 is the normal case here.

Here is an intermediate version, the brass tubes have now been replaced. Still mising are the bevels on the wedges below the ribs, which allow the rope to slide smoothly from round to pentagonal or hexagonal. I take such pre-prints for color samples, and lo and behold, it looked stupid in this color scheme.

Here is already the penultimate version. [Note to self: HOPEFULLY!] Good enough for a prototype. [Note to self: HOPEFULLY!]
And what do I always say? Before applying the aging, a clean base coat must be applied. Here you go.


And then life gets in: The wood starts to show at all the rubbing points of the rope on the drums. After several tests, I decided on a non-covering drybrush, which gets across most of what I would have liked to show.


And someone else has bombed into the picture: The capstan bars ...



... to match the capstan.


I made a template for alignment, using corrugated cardboard as a base to sink the upper part of the drum into and bring the spars to paper height ...


... bars inserted into the capstan and the capstan inserted upside down ...


... bars aligned and glued.



Then the swifter is pulled in and that's it.




And here are the individual parts, the middle piece is available in two heights, depending on how the battery deck is fitted with gratings.





XXXDAn

Cant believe I havent posted for 2 years. Well, I havnt been completely idle but must admit I (surprisingly) got a bit frustrated with the kit because of how bad the supplied wingtips are. I spent way too much time trying to make them fit before I finally made my own.
Here I'm adding all the ribs to the main spars.

This to show how the supplied wingtips are just too small. Its not a lot really but enough that it just wont fit. Tried bending them in different ways but was afraid the pewter would eventually snap. So finally I decided to make my own. They are by now means perfect but good enough I think.



The main structure of the wings is finally complete and I have been working on painting the braces.