Keith Simmons

Hi Timmo,    
 
   Beautiful work, looking forward to seeing her rigged.
 
Keith

Hi Timmo,    
 
   Beautiful work, looking forward to seeing her rigged.
 
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

Thank you Mark, she was the most difficult hull I've tried to date. Now on to something easy, fantasy ship !   
 
 
Keith

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

Hello,
 
Sorry for the lapse in updating the build.  The last two weeks have been plagued by a series of minor emergencies that have been keeping me pretty busy.  On top of everything, the motherboard on my 12 year old computer finally gave out.  With no CAM program, the mill has been sitting idle for two weeks.  I now have a "new" 6 year old computer and I think I've finally tracked down all the software I had before.  Back in business!
 
I've finished most of the planking of the boiler deck and have started on the construction of the deckhouse.
 
Steam scapepipe in place. 

 

 
Posts going in.  These were the only posts notched over the deck beams.  The rest will be lightly notched into the cap.

 
Top plate installed.

 
Intermediate posts to frame the windows.

 

 

 

 

 
I decided not to run the deck planking all the way forward at this time.  Instead I placed a lateral cap across the deck.  This brings the deck up to the same height around the entire circumference of the structure making the side planking a little neater.  It also allows me to hold off on installing the chimneys.  I'm still trying to figure out the transition.  I have to hold off on planking the side walkways as well.  The curved tops of the paddleboxes will have to go in first but, these can't be added until the sides of the deckhouse are planked.  I'll complete all this next week.

 
Final photo of Fridays progress.  Lowest four strakes of side planking in place. 

 
 
 
 

Finally,  the main deck structure is framed and planked.  Just a few more details before moving to the boiler deck.
 
 
Port side framing.  I just noticed that I haven't finished the framing of the outhouse at the stern.

 

 

 
 
Milling the window frames.  The mill is a 1 mm ball nosed mill.

 

 
 
After milling, I took the back side off with the thickness planer.  I'll clean it up and square the corners with a file.

 
 
Test fit of the first frame.  The windows will ge glazed with mica as per druxey's tip.  The mica will be sandwiched between a pair of window frames.

 
 
Starboard side painted -- still need a few touch-ups.

 

 
 
Test fitting a couple more windows.

 

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

Hi all,
          Just a little progress report on the 90. Finally finished installing the Maple decking and painting the hull. On to the mast, rigging and detail work.....
 
 
    Thanks for looking in,    Keith

Absolutely cannot believe how far you came in such a short time, I think you might be like Gesapo? the shoemaker in Pinocchio and have little elves come out at night and assist. I will call you a visionary that's where you were when you started, fantastic work kudos scale 1 to 10 a 15. :im Not Worthy:  :im Not Worthy:  :im Not Worthy:  

Hi Timmo,    
 
   Beautiful work, looking forward to seeing her rigged.
 
Keith

Thank you Mark, she was the most difficult hull I've tried to date. Now on to something easy, fantasy ship !   
 
 
Keith

Hi Timmo,    
 
   Beautiful work, looking forward to seeing her rigged.
 
Keith

Hi all,
 
        Well, here is another build that is a bit out of my comfort zone but something I had to try. I am building both Yachts at the same time to work out the details on the 90 and apply them to the 150 which I hope to display prominently over my fireplace..
 
         With some basic dimensions, a scale conversion calculator ( using these numbers as a base line) and some pictures I started by making the deck layouts. The 90 will be 37 1/2" L with a beam of 7" and a draft of 4". The 150 is 46 1/2" L with a beam of 8" and a 5" draft.
 
          As I don't have the classic expertise in hull builds maybe my idea of a floating frame will work, we shall see.Hope everything goes well and I don't disappoint.....
 
 
Thanks for looking,  Keith

It is a way of constructing that it is very trustworthy and comfortable since in the first phase, only we have to worry about the adjustment of the frame in his interior form. The exterior we it will fit when we have a group of complete finished frames. Of this form the thickness of the frame is controlled very well, without fear of remaining without wood especially in the zones of prow and stern. In addition, we can do any movement with the whole structure without dread to which nothing messes up of his site

This maybe an unusual way of framing a hull, Amalio, but the result show that its a good method.

For the edification of onlookers.
One bit of uncovered inconsistency.  I'm not sure this can be considered by some as a real inconsistency...because far too many reputable contributors agree.
 
It concerns the rig design of the Great Republic.  I have concluded and with much concurrence from Crothers and others, that she was Forbes rigged...and all records indicate this to a degree(because Forbes was the predecessor to Howes design).  However, I came across excerpts from a letter from Forbes himself claiming that he was friends of McKay and that he was present during Great Republic's building and at her launching....and that he claimed unequivocally that she was NOT rigged with his double topsail design, but with Howes design. Interesting However, first hand, eyewitness accounts disagree with this claim.
 
From what I'm forced to gather, it appears that she was rigged with the Forbes design, but it was modified(probably why Forbes denied she was carrying his design).  Still utilizing the longer then normal doubling of lower and topmast but with the lower topsail yard mobile on the forward portion of the lower mast.  Not as Forbes originally designed with the topmast aft of the main mast.
This revelation doesn't change how I am going to proceed. It does, however bring mystery to the validity of the Forbes letter....or....validation that the Great Republic double top sail design was a hybrid of sorts.  For the true Howes design connects the entire lower edge of the top topsail to the lower topsails jackstay.  this is quite not the case for the GR rig.
 
Research can put you into the mind of whom or what you are researching...which makes the journey all the more exciting.
 
Fair seas,
 
Rob

nothing 'bumbling' about some of the stuff I've seen you do    gotta see what this is gonna look like!   defective tape?!?!?!?!   aren't you suppose to peel off the 'white backing'?  

Hello,
 
many thanks for your likes and comments. Today I finished the barge and set it to the Dragon into her showcase. After the motto: the captain would go from board and his barge is ready.
 

 

 

 

 
And here all is closed and ready
 

 
All in all it was a fun to build this little boat and I think it would't be the last I Build.

It's good that you got over the cold, Siggi.  They can be nasty in the summer.
 
I think this is beyond a captain's barge..    Maybe an admiral's barge?   Incredible work, Siggi.

Hello again,
 
First I had to build a scabbard for a small sword for a friend and afterwards I took my cold. If you did't take your cold in wintertime, you had to take it in July 
 
But now I'm back at the ship yard. The last two days I worked on a seat cushion for the captain. Captains are not used to sit on hard wood, so I had to do it 
 

 
Also new is the gangplank and the two hooks. I don't know the exactly name for these.
 

 
The next things to build are the oars. 
 
 

That is one barge full of great craftsmanship and artistry, Siggi.  I'm not sure the Captain will see it as I think the Admirals would fight for it. 

Hello,
 
before I have to pause with this little barge, here the last pictures with her so far ready. There are only the oars and some little details left. But that later. 
 

 

 

 

 

Hello,
 
first many thanks for your nice words and likes. Yesterday I installed the thwarts and this morning I gave all al thin coat of varnish.
 

 

 

 
That is the next step, the tholes. They are really small