Keith Simmons

Wish you the best of luck at the show. Do you know the date for the show. Maybe you can take a heck of a lot of picture to post here for the rest of us that can't make it to the show.

I don't recall mentioning that I began attending a very active scale modelers club in Fayetteville, NC several months ago. The Lafayette Scale Modelers is a chapter of IPMS, which I originally thought was comprised strictly of plastic model kit assemblers,,,, mostly military stuff - ships, planes, troop carriers, and such. Turns out, these folks invited me to join them and start up a special group for members interested in building wooden tall ships....which is coming along very nicely.
The reason for me mentioning this today is that I just learned a couple of weeks ago that the IPMS Nationals will be held this year in Columbia, S.C..... less than three hours drive from my home. This huge annual event is usually in major cities like Chicago, San Diego, New York, and the likes.
The club members insisted that I must take the SOS as an entry in this year's competition.
So....after confirming with the IPMS officials that my wooden scratch build in progress would be allowed as a contest entry, I have decided to attend the show. In fact I will be taking four of my models.... Confederacy, Mayflower, and my Mini-Vic in addition to the SOS.
As you can imagine, I've really got my foot to the floor trying to bring the SOS as far along as possible with only ten days remaining before the big show.
 
This should be a real blast! I'm really looking forward to it!
 
Cheers

Here's a few pics to play a little catch up on this build log....
 
The addition and rigging of the bowsprit....

 
The channels and lower dead eyes have been added to both sides....Note the rigging of the bracing tackle for the fore and main masts.  Also, the rigging of the fore and aft shrouds for each channel.
 
 
The fore channels....

 
The main channels....

 
Broad side view....

 
I will now set about adding all of the lower shrouds.
 
I am also currently working on the four lower tops for each mast (counting the bowsprit)
 
Good to be back at the bench.
 
 
 
 

Finally have the Ketch to the final detail stage.  Stairs sails and deck furniture etc....
 
 
   Thanks for looking in,   Keith

Hi all,
        
          A quick progress report on the sloop and ketch.
 
     Just a little bit more work on the sloop such as figuring a way to wire the rails, making a wheel and setting the sails....
 
     Finally finished the maple decking and started the cabin structure on the ketch.( after 3 attempts I think this is the final design, will be sure once I paint it...
 
     Thanks for looking in, have a great day,   Keith
   

Finally have the ketch hull ready for decking....Yay.....Now that's a hull....

Hi Denis,
                All I have to say is " very nice work ".       
 
 
Keep it up, matey
                               Keith

Hi Glenn,
 
               Beautiful work, after viewing your log you have convinced me that I need to try and build my idea of a showboat. It won't be historically correct (then again, none of my ships are) but it sure looks like fun.    
 
                 Should be finishing my current Paddle wheeler project soon , can't wait to get started on a stern wheeler.
 
     Thanks for the inspiration, Keith   

Hi Denis,
                All I have to say is " very nice work ".       
 
 
Keep it up, matey
                               Keith

Hi John,
                Thank you for the kind words, I really enjoy the design and building process of my ships and boats, I only use the Elves for painting... .
   
 
          Thanks again,   Keith

Hi Denis,
                All I have to say is " very nice work ".       
 
 
Keep it up, matey
                               Keith

Hi Glenn,
 
               Beautiful work, after viewing your log you have convinced me that I need to try and build my idea of a showboat. It won't be historically correct (then again, none of my ships are) but it sure looks like fun.    
 
                 Should be finishing my current Paddle wheeler project soon , can't wait to get started on a stern wheeler.
 
     Thanks for the inspiration, Keith   

Sorry, Glenn, I don't have any special insight. Any idea of Heroine used heat guards around the chimneys? You make a good point about consistently keeping it simple, rather than extrapolating beyond current knowledge.
 
Part of my questions was when/how you're going to run the chimneys through the boiler deck. Will you make a separate assembly leading up to that deck, for ease of installation soon, then drop the rest of the chimneys in on top later on? Or will you make it all one assembly that you'll run through the boiler deck framing, and plank around later on?

Thanks everybody!
 
Cathead, I'm still not sure how to handle the chimneys. It isn't very well represented any any of the contemporary drawings and paintings that I've seen. The best that I've been able to come up with is two options. The first is just a simple flat metal ring around the tube at deck level and the second is an angled skirt around the tube a few inches above the deck. The second method I've only seen in later vessels. It seems like the builders of Heroine always opted for the simplest arrangements so I'm leaning towards the first idea. I'd love to know if you have any ideas on how it was done. Luckily, the forward end of the boiler deck will be the last to be planked so I still have some time to consider other ideas and opinions.
 
Kurt, I'm having a lot of fun seeing what the cnc mill can do with the millwork. I wasn't sure how the horizontal (cross grain) areas of the frame were going to hold up. The boxwood cut very nicely. The next step will be cutting all the external doors. Hopefully, I'll get to them in the next week or two.
 
Thanks druxey, Tom, Mark, and Grant for your comments and everyone else for your likes. Finally, the kids are in bed and I can settle down with a glass of wine and enjoy everyone else's work.

Beautiful as always, Glenn.   I'm streaming some random music today and while i'm reading your log, Proud Mary by CCR started playing...   Made for a perfect mood.

Those frames look terrific, Glenn! Thanks for the Saturday morning treat.

Those windows...I'll need to wipe the drool from my keyboard.
 
What's your plan for running the chimneys through the boiler deck?

Between the brass pulleys and the red trim, she's starting to pop right off the screen, Denis.

thanks for the likes folks....still a lot more to add        like this,  for instance.............
 
it's time to further introduce the third color.....get a bit more on the boat.   since the Jingle Belle is basically red,  I wanted to paint this one green.   but, the admiral saw the pictures and thought it looked cute white.  I'll still have a chance to throw some green at it..........later,  of course       the half round dowel strips are more than dry by now......I started on the port bow.     upper strip........lower strip and the portholes
 

 

 
starboard bow.....same process.
 

 

 
since the line to the aft is faulted,  I could not continue all the way back......I had to have a break.   I continued it on a new  line,  with an inch or so overlap.   port side and transom
 

 

 
starboard side....
 

 

 
I need to adjust the transom end of this side....hard to see,  but it's there.  I also painted the prop and cemented it in place as well.
 

 
I do believe I've pretty much caught up with the Jingle Belle      
 

thanks Frank and Piet....now that the base colors are on....it will only get better adding more  
 
I have a bit of progress from yesterday....a wee bit more.  I started to put some of the decorative hardware on,  beginning at the bow.
 

 
for the blocks I spoke of earlier,   I thought I had some of the 7 mm single blocks {plastic}....all I have is 5 mm.   now,  I have some 7 mm double blocks in plastic,  but they wouldn't look right.   I then thought of the metal reel blocks that used for the Andrea Gail  {I got 'em out of the Boulogne Etaples kit}.  I didn't even bother looking.......I need to make some anyway,  to make up for what I took.........so I figured I'd get a little practice in.   I have a package of 8,  6,  and 4 mm reel pulleys...I'll use the 8 mm.   a strip of thin brass was cut,  sectioned and folded.   then with a pair of Hurk-u-scissors {these are my narly pair of scissors......strong like bull.........never get dull!},  the folded piece of brass was cut to the shape of the reel pulley.  the pulley was then put in between,  and the center hole was drilled.......brass rod was run through it and CA'd.  not too shabby for a first try.
 

 

 
another hole was drilled in the top tab.......it and an eye bolt was threaded on a small metal ring,  closing it up afterwards.
      here is what it looks like on the Gallow.
 

 
the second one was a bit harder.........since I didn't use a template.......had a few rejects.  I did finally get the second one made though.
 

 
the windshield is cemented in place as well.........still a couple touch ups to do.   hope to have more soon  

after I was done posting the update,   I went back to the table.   I made a boo boo in putting the outer part of the windshield together....I got a smear.   this stuff dries clear,  so it's not noticeable,   until your right up close.  I had to paint the gallows before I could fit it anyway.......took a q-tip with water and tried to clean it off.  once this stuff is dry,  it's hard to remove.   I got most of it though
 

 

 
I'm gonna hang some blocks off of them...that should dress them up pretty good.   the windshield was fitted in place.
 

 

 
now that it's all together.....the gasket 'round the windows looks neat  
 

hello all...........thanks for all the likes!     life got the better of me yesterday.......my son's car was a pain.......there is an issue with it that I haven't been able to nail down.     >long story<     I did get to do a little bit of toying around though....but not enough time to post it.   I picked it back up today......later in the day {yea...I was being lazy}.   I was going to show you these before I painted them.....this is some half round wood dowel,  that I got a while ago {back when Billing USA closed down.
    Tom had sent me a bunch of odds and ends.......been trying to fine a good place to use them.
 

 
the portholes were painted red too........anything that is trim.   I also thought I'd get a bit creative with the windshield.   one side will be painted red and the other side will be gray.
 

 

 
I waited for these to dry.   I had put strips of tape on some wax paper and cut them into small strips with a razor.
 

 
I under estimated the length of the windshield........had to cut some more tape when I got out in the garage.   both sides are masked up.
 

 
I grabbed the flat black off the table.........found out that it wasn't any good.   scrambled into the house to get a  fresh bottle.   there was some residual problems........but I got the job done.
 

 
I thought there would be some problems with removing it from the card board.........but it came off alright   
 

 
once on the table,  the masking was removed.  give a decent simulation of the gaskets around the windows.
 

 
a suitable piece of the tinted cello was cut and glued to one of the windshield halves with the window maker.  there was also enough to do the portholes.  I swear........I'm never going to run out of that stuff!
 

 
once the windshield is dry enough,  the other half will be cemented on,  sandwiching the cello in between.  it will take some time for the portholes to totally dry.   I still have to finish the gallows,  which also serves as the top frame for the windshield.   I have a bit more to do there.

hello Ed........hope thing are well with you and the misses.    yes,  the basic paint is down.......the trim work will take over the scheme now.    I still haven't gotten 'round to painting it yet.   planned to get up this morn and start right in,   but my son Kevin came home this morning,  carrying on about his car.  I found out that it's his car that is making oil spots in the driveway   {he had an oil change recently}.   I see that the filter is leaking........don't know how they could have messed it up.......but I guess it's dad to the rescue.  so a small diversion is in order here.   thanks for the good word and give Urmilla a hug for me.
 
I do have a couple of pictures that I'll post for now.    there is the stand.......I have the felt tabs on it.   I should have taken a picture of the boat on it......
 

 
Friday,  I was toying around with the "work boat" thoughts........I took a piece of 1/8 square stock and spanned it across the windshield opening,  with a couple of clamps.   I wanted to give it a pair of gallows.......I figured about a 1 1/2 inch overhang,  but clamping the wood in place was as far as I got.   Saturday night.......I measured it out and cemented the wood in place.
 

 
a pair of support posts were added here.........there is still a few more parts to add.
 

 
I did find out that the model master Battleship gray,  is pretty much the same color as the primer....so I'm in good shape there.   I should go and get some flat white.....perhaps.  maybe I'll go while I'm out getting the stuff for Kevin's car.  

Rough cutting the shapes of your blocks and then using a power tool such as a dremmel for sanding will help it go quickly. Otherwise combinations of carving tools, saws and lots of sandpaper is what you will need.
 
I don't know if the is a easy method for all uses mostly due to the differences in ships hull design each model will have different shapes that will be needed. However as all you are doing is following the lines of the bulkheads it is a fairly easy process if a little time consuming. If you are looking to make the process faster then only worry about fillers at the bow and maybe one or two spaces back and at the ster plus one or two spaces.
 
Unfirtunately, like most aspects of model ship building it is a lot of handwork and time. It is worth it though as this sets up the rest of the project so care should be given to make it right.
 
Good luck when you finally get settled in and can start on your build.

Hi Glenn
 
There's no doubting the beauty of these old ships - seeing the decks take shape, only accentuates Heroine's beauty.
 
Wow, wow, wow; that's all I can say!
 
Cheers
 
Patrick