WaltB

What an absolutely beautiful work of craftsmanship. I can only strive to match it. Walt

Thanks Steve; i'll give that a try. Walt

B.E. is right; this is a tough planking exercise. I too wish I had used real boxwood (or some other harder wood). I have a couple of ugly dings on the lime/basswood that came in the kit. But I'm not going to take them off just for that reason. I'll march on and fix them later; they're minor and i think can be repaired without too much ugliness. Walt

Model Shipways must be making a good return on this package; many Pinnace models being done. I too just started one. I have the shear strake and plank below as well as the garboard and one above installed. (both port and starboard). I've had some of the same issues as Blue Ensign describes. i suppose we are all having them. I've been lucky so far; brute strength and awkwardness seems to have worked for me for these first eight planks. I haven't had to do any fancy trimming; but did do some extreme bending and twisting. But I can see that i will have to get a bit more creative for the remaining planks. Makes one wonder if it might be the better part of valor to leave the hull planking open ala Chuck's admiral's barge; nah, that would be cheating on the pinnace. :-) I'm trying to decide whether or not to start a build log here; there are so many already on MSW, another may be redundant. At any rate i'm off for ten day cruise of the Alaskan inner passage. So will decide when i get back. Walt

Very interesting discussion. I have two related questions: 1. Is there a way to clean out the very small files we use in model making? A normal file card is way too coarse. 2. Can someone name a source of really good small files for modelling? The Otto Frei dealer mentioned by vossiewulf is a good one; i get many supplies from them as they are handy to me here in Oakland. But their files are really expensive. Maybe that's the only way to get good files--pay big bucks for them. Thanks for any ideas, Walt

Chuck, All of the foregoing are good suggestions. 've built both the Sultana and the Phantom. I'd like to add a couple of ideas. The carving chisels are good (keep them sharp). The curved ones are especially good for the bow and other curved areas. I also use the #17 and #18 Exacto blades--godd on the bulwarks and deck separation. One thing I find indispensable is a collection of the very inexpensive fingernail filing boards. I use them so much I wear out several on each model. The small tan ones are especially useful; they have two sides with different grits. They are small and slim and fit into tight spaces. The larger ones with several grits in different colors. These can all be found in any drug store in women's grooming section. Good luck on your modelling endeavors. Walt Here are ome shots of my Phantom:

Doug, I wish you the best as you continue on this model. I think it is a beautiful model and worth finishing even if it does have some frustrations. I regret not having bought the kit when it was available as i think it is a great looking ship. I think I'll follow along as long as you keep the posts going. Thanks for sharing. Walt

As others have said, "epic" is in the eye of the builder. I am just finishing a model of the lobster smack Emma C. Berry. This is not huge. It has no intricate detail or challenging rigging. But it is a beautiful model. And as a plank on frame it is very challenging to build it to scale and to a nice finish. Maybe i was lucky, but the kit i got from Model Shipways had great wood and plenty of it. I found it quite enjoyable to build. Did a bit of bashing. My motto is slow and easy; so it's taken me a couple of years to complete. I'm quite proud of the result. Walt

I've used Bondic on a couple of projects--mostly repairs. It works very well. It can be built up in layers for larger areas. It is almost as fast curing as CA and about the same strength. I think it would be ideal for some parts of ship modeling. It takes a bit of practice to use it properly and cleanly, but it is not at all difficult. As mentioned, it is a bit pricey; but would be useful on selected areas. Walt

I've had one of these Veritas knives from Lee Valley for years. Mine does not have the removable end cap, but it is the same knife. I find it to be one of my best tools. i use it and its blades for all my really delicate work. The blades (at least the ones i bought) come individually wrapped. The reason i like them is that they are very, very sharp. Walt

I used plain old wall spackle also. Seems to work fine, Adheres to the wood; dries rapidly; sands beautifully. Can be put on in layers if necessary. Takes paint very well (might want to use a good coat of primer).

Chuck, This is a real education on how to make a great model. I wonder--do you spray anything on your finished wood parts. The timber heads (mooring bitts??) in post #516 look so crisp and clean, i wondered if they were coated with something. Thanks, Wat

Thanks for the response Popeye. I'll watch this block for a while and post here if anything goes wrong with itl Have no idea what, if anything, the Brass Black will do to the boxwood. Walt

I haven't seen any discussion in this brass blackening thread about stropping blocks (or other wood parts such as dead eyes) with blackened brass. I have several blocks that are to be stropped with metal and i wanted it to appear as iron. i wondered: should i blacken before i strop, or can i blacken the brass stropping when it is already on the block. The problem is that while working the blackened brass to bend it around the block, the black tends to rub off and make a real mess. So i thought i would try. to strop the block and then blacken the brass. I went through the normal process: treat in vinegar, rinse in water, then dunk in Brass Black. Each of these steps was only about a minute long. The result is a perfectly normal looking block with a black metal strop. What seemed like a dumb idea paid off. Walt

I really like the late-18th to early 20th century sailing vessels. They can be square sails (brigs, brigantines) or fore-and-aft (sloops, cutters, schooners). The old model of the Newsboy was a beauty; but Model Expo no longer offers it. It would be great as a POF kit. I would like to see more planked models, especially plank on frame. I'm just finishing my first planked model, the Emma C. Berry. I've made many mistakes with it and would be tempted to do it again, but my wife would kick me out if i did. But if i had a new plank on frame. . . ?? (I might get away with it ). I need larger scale. At my age, my steady hand, keen eye, and nerves of steel are starting to fade. i can deal easily with 1:48; larger would be better. For example, i finished the solid hull Phantom from Model Expo but at 1:96 it was difficult. I would really like to see the Phantom as a 1:32 POF kit. It's a beautiful ship. But a good POB model would also be fun and challenging. The kit must have quality materials and very good plans; the Berry is a good example--a great kit). Chuck's POB model of the Cheerful Is a good example of a very nice set of plans. (I hope he finishes his practicum). II don;t mind spending a year or two to make a good model. I don't mind spending $200 - $300 for a good kit (even $350 for a really nice model). I hope these comments help. I'd like to see some new, really nice kits come on the market. Walt