Bender

I tapered the frames. The directions said to file the first four and the last three. I took some pictures, but you couldn’t tell they were tapered. The directions were specific on the planking. I’m following them as close as possible. I included two pictures.  Notice the little pieces of planking pinned to bulkhead-six. The picture/directions suggested to use this technique to assure proper blank layout.
 

 

 
The San Felipe had porticos (balconies) on two levels the wrapped around the stern. The decks for these porticos had to be added as the planking was attached.

 

 

 
 

The following was originally posted June 19, 2009. 
 
 
When something does not line up, the first words out of my mouth is, “What did I do wrong?” As you can see from the first four photos, the bell and its little house do  not fit into its position. The deck above is sitting too far over. It could not be the main deck out of position because notches in the false deck sit in the break-off tabs on the bulkheads. The deck above sits in a notch of the front bulk head.
So, as I thought about it further, I realized that if I glued in a deck out of position then there would be more misalignments. Everything else lines up. The holes in the two decks for the foremast line up. The next question is, did I position everything on the main deck in the correct place?  Position of everything on all the decks are dummy proof. The decks are laser engraved. There is a square engraved on the deck where the bell is to be position and a hole for the gratings right behind the bell. So my conclusion: ?????? Could Mantua have made a mistake like this during their revision of this kit? I ended up having to cut out a portion of the upper deck. When the bell is in place you can’t tell the upper deck has been altered. No harm, no foul. 
 
Now 5 years later I am still not sure if I made a mistake or if the kit had a problem. Looking at the finished model now you cannot tell anything is misaligned. If anyone is building this newer version of San Felipe, let me know if you have the same issues or not. I am curious. 
 

 

 
In the next two pictures you can see there is not enough room to slide the bell house up against the grating. 

 

 
 
This is where I had to cut the upper deck so the bell house
would fit. The hole is actually centered. It looks like I was holding the camera a little off center.

 
The bell house sitting in place.

 

The following was originally posted May 29, 2009. 
 
 
I lined the cannon ports this week. The top sides, round ports were lined already. The main deck ports have brass inserts on the outside and frames on the inside. The lower two decks have 58 gun ports that I lined with .5x3 walnut. I painted the strips red before cutting to size. There are 4 more ports below the curve at the stern that I have not cut yet. I also glued on some of brass. Each piece of brass had to have  bits clipped off and then filed to shape. There is still a lot of brass left to glue on.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The following was originally posted June 19, 2009. 
 
 
When something does not line up, the first words out of my mouth is, “What did I do wrong?” As you can see from the first four photos, the bell and its little house do  not fit into its position. The deck above is sitting too far over. It could not be the main deck out of position because notches in the false deck sit in the break-off tabs on the bulkheads. The deck above sits in a notch of the front bulk head.
So, as I thought about it further, I realized that if I glued in a deck out of position then there would be more misalignments. Everything else lines up. The holes in the two decks for the foremast line up. The next question is, did I position everything on the main deck in the correct place?  Position of everything on all the decks are dummy proof. The decks are laser engraved. There is a square engraved on the deck where the bell is to be position and a hole for the gratings right behind the bell. So my conclusion: ?????? Could Mantua have made a mistake like this during their revision of this kit? I ended up having to cut out a portion of the upper deck. When the bell is in place you can’t tell the upper deck has been altered. No harm, no foul. 
 
Now 5 years later I am still not sure if I made a mistake or if the kit had a problem. Looking at the finished model now you cannot tell anything is misaligned. If anyone is building this newer version of San Felipe, let me know if you have the same issues or not. I am curious. 
 

 

 
In the next two pictures you can see there is not enough room to slide the bell house up against the grating. 

 

 
 
This is where I had to cut the upper deck so the bell house
would fit. The hole is actually centered. It looks like I was holding the camera a little off center.

 
The bell house sitting in place.

 

The following was originally posted May 29, 2009. 
 
 
I lined the cannon ports this week. The top sides, round ports were lined already. The main deck ports have brass inserts on the outside and frames on the inside. The lower two decks have 58 gun ports that I lined with .5x3 walnut. I painted the strips red before cutting to size. There are 4 more ports below the curve at the stern that I have not cut yet. I also glued on some of brass. Each piece of brass had to have  bits clipped off and then filed to shape. There is still a lot of brass left to glue on.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are the pictures of the braces under the beakhead deck.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi, Salty Dog. The directions were not the best. See the post I made on the first page that shows where the sheets of plans differed from the direction book.
 
The following was originally posted May 2009.
 
I trimmed out the very front of the ship, the beakhead deck and round houses. The crew’s toilet was supposed to be a three-whole seat, but I couldn’t image sitting cheek to cheek with two other guys while taking care of business.  No actually, after six tries of trying to drill three  3mm holes through a piece of 2x6x14 walnut, I gave up and went for a two-hole seat. I ask about the roundhouses and toilet in one of the question forum, and Dinosaursoupman made this commit: “In rough seas [The seats of ease] doubled as bidets.”  What an image!
I put two of the three pairs of braces under the beakhead deck and will add the third this week. I have also glued on more of the brass parts. This week I plan to start lining the gun ports or maybe work at the stern of the ship..
 
After reading the above I went out to to see if I could make the three 3mm holes using my drill press. No problems. The right tool does make a difference. Here are some of the pictures from this part of the building.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Steve, here is a good picture of the laser engraved deck. I think this was after I applied a coat of a stain but thought it was too dark and ended up sanding back to bare wood.
 

The boat rack was made earlier in the build.
 

 

 

 

Hi, Salty Dog. The directions were not the best. See the post I made on the first page that shows where the sheets of plans differed from the direction book.
 
The following was originally posted May 2009.
 
I trimmed out the very front of the ship, the beakhead deck and round houses. The crew’s toilet was supposed to be a three-whole seat, but I couldn’t image sitting cheek to cheek with two other guys while taking care of business.  No actually, after six tries of trying to drill three  3mm holes through a piece of 2x6x14 walnut, I gave up and went for a two-hole seat. I ask about the roundhouses and toilet in one of the question forum, and Dinosaursoupman made this commit: “In rough seas [The seats of ease] doubled as bidets.”  What an image!
I put two of the three pairs of braces under the beakhead deck and will add the third this week. I have also glued on more of the brass parts. This week I plan to start lining the gun ports or maybe work at the stern of the ship..
 
After reading the above I went out to to see if I could make the three 3mm holes using my drill press. No problems. The right tool does make a difference. Here are some of the pictures from this part of the building.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are the pictures of the braces under the beakhead deck.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are the pictures of the braces under the beakhead deck.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi, Salty Dog. The directions were not the best. See the post I made on the first page that shows where the sheets of plans differed from the direction book.
 
The following was originally posted May 2009.
 
I trimmed out the very front of the ship, the beakhead deck and round houses. The crew’s toilet was supposed to be a three-whole seat, but I couldn’t image sitting cheek to cheek with two other guys while taking care of business.  No actually, after six tries of trying to drill three  3mm holes through a piece of 2x6x14 walnut, I gave up and went for a two-hole seat. I ask about the roundhouses and toilet in one of the question forum, and Dinosaursoupman made this commit: “In rough seas [The seats of ease] doubled as bidets.”  What an image!
I put two of the three pairs of braces under the beakhead deck and will add the third this week. I have also glued on more of the brass parts. This week I plan to start lining the gun ports or maybe work at the stern of the ship..
 
After reading the above I went out to to see if I could make the three 3mm holes using my drill press. No problems. The right tool does make a difference. Here are some of the pictures from this part of the building.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am not very good at drawing but  . . .
 

 
The last four pictures shows different places I have used this method.
 
Around a yard.

 
Under a top. These blocks were added by passing the thicker thread around the cross tree before doing any warping.

 
All of these blocks are attached with this method. I used a variation of this method to attach the stay.

 
And one more

 
I lied.  One more.

 
 

I am not very good at drawing but  . . .
 

 
The last four pictures shows different places I have used this method.
 
Around a yard.

 
Under a top. These blocks were added by passing the thicker thread around the cross tree before doing any warping.

 
All of these blocks are attached with this method. I used a variation of this method to attach the stay.

 
And one more

 
I lied.  One more.

 
 

I was asked to repost this. This is an easy way of tying blocks to yards or mast. I have also used this to tie blocks to the underside of tops.
 
I start out with thicker thread. A little trial and error with different threads to get the look I want. Notice I have the thread folded three times and use a clip to hold the thread tight.

 
I use smaller thread to wrap around the thicker thread. I start out with a slip knot tied in the thinner thread, and stick the loop and loose end of the thicker thread through the knot.

 
The thinner thread has two ends. The end that pulls the slip knot tight and the end the pulls the loop through the knot.

 
I pull the loop tight against the thicker thread and use a second clip to hold the thinner thread in place.

 
I start wrapping the thin thread (The end that pulls the knot tight.) around the three layer of thick thread and the loop of the thin thread.

 
I make 7 to 10 or more wraps. Trail and error to get the look.
 
While wrapping and after, you have to hold the wraps to keep them from unwinding. Remove the one clip. Take the end of the thread you've been wrapping and pass it through the loop of the thin thread.

 
Still while holding the wraps to keep them from unwinding, pull on the other end of the thin thread to pull the loop tight around the end of the thin thread. Pull the thin thread tight but not too tight. If is too tight, it will be hard to pull the thicker thread through. Also, as you pull on the end of the thinner thread it will pull the loop and the other end on the thin thread into the wrap.

 
You now have a loop and a loose end of thicker thread sticking out each end of the thinner thread. Pulling the loose end on one side pulls the loop in on the other side. Put a block in one loop and pull the loop tight.

 
Slip the other end over a yard or mast. You can also start out with the loop already around something.

 
Pull that loop tight.

 
Add a drop or two of CA glue, and when it is dry snip of the loose ends. This picture shows two block tie to a yard.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I am not very good at drawing but  . . .
 

 
The last four pictures shows different places I have used this method.
 
Around a yard.

 
Under a top. These blocks were added by passing the thicker thread around the cross tree before doing any warping.

 
All of these blocks are attached with this method. I used a variation of this method to attach the stay.

 
And one more

 
I lied.  One more.

 
 

I was asked to repost this. This is an easy way of tying blocks to yards or mast. I have also used this to tie blocks to the underside of tops.
 
I start out with thicker thread. A little trial and error with different threads to get the look I want. Notice I have the thread folded three times and use a clip to hold the thread tight.

 
I use smaller thread to wrap around the thicker thread. I start out with a slip knot tied in the thinner thread, and stick the loop and loose end of the thicker thread through the knot.

 
The thinner thread has two ends. The end that pulls the slip knot tight and the end the pulls the loop through the knot.

 
I pull the loop tight against the thicker thread and use a second clip to hold the thinner thread in place.

 
I start wrapping the thin thread (The end that pulls the knot tight.) around the three layer of thick thread and the loop of the thin thread.

 
I make 7 to 10 or more wraps. Trail and error to get the look.
 
While wrapping and after, you have to hold the wraps to keep them from unwinding. Remove the one clip. Take the end of the thread you've been wrapping and pass it through the loop of the thin thread.

 
Still while holding the wraps to keep them from unwinding, pull on the other end of the thin thread to pull the loop tight around the end of the thin thread. Pull the thin thread tight but not too tight. If is too tight, it will be hard to pull the thicker thread through. Also, as you pull on the end of the thinner thread it will pull the loop and the other end on the thin thread into the wrap.

 
You now have a loop and a loose end of thicker thread sticking out each end of the thinner thread. Pulling the loose end on one side pulls the loop in on the other side. Put a block in one loop and pull the loop tight.

 
Slip the other end over a yard or mast. You can also start out with the loop already around something.

 
Pull that loop tight.

 
Add a drop or two of CA glue, and when it is dry snip of the loose ends. This picture shows two block tie to a yard.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I am not very good at drawing but  . . .
 

 
The last four pictures shows different places I have used this method.
 
Around a yard.

 
Under a top. These blocks were added by passing the thicker thread around the cross tree before doing any warping.

 
All of these blocks are attached with this method. I used a variation of this method to attach the stay.

 
And one more

 
I lied.  One more.

 
 

I am not very good at drawing but  . . .
 

 
The last four pictures shows different places I have used this method.
 
Around a yard.

 
Under a top. These blocks were added by passing the thicker thread around the cross tree before doing any warping.

 
All of these blocks are attached with this method. I used a variation of this method to attach the stay.

 
And one more

 
I lied.  One more.

 
 

I was asked to repost this. This is an easy way of tying blocks to yards or mast. I have also used this to tie blocks to the underside of tops.
 
I start out with thicker thread. A little trial and error with different threads to get the look I want. Notice I have the thread folded three times and use a clip to hold the thread tight.

 
I use smaller thread to wrap around the thicker thread. I start out with a slip knot tied in the thinner thread, and stick the loop and loose end of the thicker thread through the knot.

 
The thinner thread has two ends. The end that pulls the slip knot tight and the end the pulls the loop through the knot.

 
I pull the loop tight against the thicker thread and use a second clip to hold the thinner thread in place.

 
I start wrapping the thin thread (The end that pulls the knot tight.) around the three layer of thick thread and the loop of the thin thread.

 
I make 7 to 10 or more wraps. Trail and error to get the look.
 
While wrapping and after, you have to hold the wraps to keep them from unwinding. Remove the one clip. Take the end of the thread you've been wrapping and pass it through the loop of the thin thread.

 
Still while holding the wraps to keep them from unwinding, pull on the other end of the thin thread to pull the loop tight around the end of the thin thread. Pull the thin thread tight but not too tight. If is too tight, it will be hard to pull the thicker thread through. Also, as you pull on the end of the thinner thread it will pull the loop and the other end on the thin thread into the wrap.

 
You now have a loop and a loose end of thicker thread sticking out each end of the thinner thread. Pulling the loose end on one side pulls the loop in on the other side. Put a block in one loop and pull the loop tight.

 
Slip the other end over a yard or mast. You can also start out with the loop already around something.

 
Pull that loop tight.

 
Add a drop or two of CA glue, and when it is dry snip of the loose ends. This picture shows two block tie to a yard.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I am not very good at drawing but  . . .
 

 
The last four pictures shows different places I have used this method.
 
Around a yard.

 
Under a top. These blocks were added by passing the thicker thread around the cross tree before doing any warping.

 
All of these blocks are attached with this method. I used a variation of this method to attach the stay.

 
And one more

 
I lied.  One more.