hopeful

Hi Peter, Was up early this morning so I decided to read through your Peqasu build log, am glad I did. Much to learn from your build. Thank you for reposting from the beginning of the build much appreciated. Your model is very well done. Will follow your progress from here. BFN Cheers, Hopeful aka David “there is wisdom in many voices” Completed: Sharpie Schooner (Midwest) Posted to the Gallery Current: Sultana (MSW) Current: Phantom (MSW) Next: Lady Nelson (Amati Victory)

Hi Jason, Well done thus far. Your Syren is patienbtly waiting but it won't be long until she is on the ways. BFN Cheers, Hopeful aka David “there is wisdom in many voices” Completed: Sharpie Schooner (Midwest) Posted to the Gallery Current: Sultana (MSW) Current: Phantom (MSW) Next: Lady Nelson (Amati Victory)

When painting metal always prime first with gesso. The arylic paint loves to stick to gesso. BFN Cheers, Hopeful aka David “there is wisdom in many voices” Completed: Sharpie Schooner (Midwest) Posted to the Gallery Current: Sultana (MSW) Current: Phantom (MSW) Next: Lady Nelson (Amati Victory)

Thanks for reposting your log. Like your work! Wish you well as you finish'er up. BFN Cheers, Hopeful aka David “there is wisdom in many voices” Completed: Sharpie Schooner (Midwest) Posted to the Gallery Current: Sultana (MSW) Current: Phantom (MSW) Next: Lady Nelson (Amati Victory)

Enjoyed reading through your entire log this evening. What a fine job you are doing JP! Will continue to follow from here. Lots to learn from your build. Nothing like a good cam now and again, eh? Wish you well as you move along. BFN Cheers, Hopeful aka David “there is wisdom in many voices” Completed: Sharpie Schooner (Midwest) Posted to the Gallery Current: Sultana (MSW) Current: Phantom (MSW) Next: Lady Nelson (Amati Victory)

Jack, Thanks for looking in. This is my second solid hull model so far, my Sultana is 50% completed. This one is easier than my first one thus far. Am following your build. You are doing fine. Just take your time and be patient. You know what they say, "haste makes waste". BTW, I also check out two finished Phantoms. Those by CraigB and SteveM.....have a look when you have time. Its great to have a build(s) to follow, priceless BFN Cheers, Hopeful aka David “there is wisdom in many voices” .

Agree with Tony, smoother sailing from here. You are doing well with your vessel. Not all wood strips or portions of the same strake have the same density because of variance in growth rings and surface tension as a tree grows. So, when stained without the use of sanding sealer, the strakes will not be the same color, e.g., harder wood in the strakes will be darker than softer areas in the strakes. The use of sanding sealer helps to prevent uneven color. Sanding sealer goes on in one uiform color and seals the wood. Should you have to sand an area you can reapply the sealer with out altering its color, before the stain is added of course. Give it a try on a few sample pieces of wood and you will see the difference. BFN Cheers, Hopeful aka David “there is wisdom in many voices” Completed: Sharpie Schooner (Midwest) Posted to the Gallery Current: Sultana (MSW) Current: Phantom (MSW) Next: Lady Nelson (Amati Victory)

Check out my Sharpie Schooner by Hopeful build log. I have a section there on page 3 about how I made the sails. Hope there is somehting there of help to you. You will have to search for the build by name in the kit section there is no link to the build as yet, blah! Fot a closer view of the sails go to the gallery where my Sharpie is also shown Though the sails are diffent in shape from the ones you are making the process to make them would be the same, me thinks. BFN Cheers, Hopeful aka David “there is wisdom in many voices” Completed: Sharpie Schooner (Midwest) Posted to the Gallery Current: Sultana (MSW) Current: Phantom (MSW) Next: Lady Nelson (Amati Victory) .

Russ, Thanks for the info. Such a graceful craft. Understand now why you love the Biloxi Schooner. I am clearly not observant. Went back to page one of your build log and some photos (keel up) clearly show where the centerboard will move through the keel. The interior framing and truck must be significant to stabilize the timbers with the centerboard down. With a hull draft of 2 1/2 feet how far would the centerboard been below the keel when fully down? Are we talking a long and wide centerboard. Am sure the centerboard acted as a skeg most of the time. Is that right? Thanks! BFN Cheers, Hopeful aka David “there is wisdom in many voices” Completed: Sharpie Schooner (Midwest) Posted to the Gallery Current: Sultana (MSW) Current: Phantom (MSW) Next: Lady Nelson (Amati Victory)

Post 4 of my Phantom Build Task was to make a building cradle. Photo 14 Using profile gauge. One can also use the profiles of hull templates if available or, trace the profile from build plan drawings. Photo 15 Note profile is shown on both the top and bottom of the profile gauge. One can use either profile when transferring the shape to paper of other material. Photo 16 Phoro 17 Ready to cut out the profiles. Photo 18 Cradle with felt added to protect the hull. Felt glued to the profiles with rubber cement. Place cement on profile not on the felt. Then press the felt into place. Photo 19 Photo 20 Cradle chucked into my 360 degree rotating vise. I have found that a rotating vise is very helpful. One that both rotates and tilts is better yet. Thanks for looking in on the build. All questions, comments, and constructive criticism is always appreciated. BFN Cheers, Hopeful aka David “there is wisdom in many voices”

Check out the proxxon drill press, x-y cross slide, and precision vise at micromart.com All three abailable for under $400 including shipment. Have found best price at Micromart. The z axis is the up-down movement of the drill head. Go to the proxxon site to take a look of the equipment.......they have vids of the equipment in action. Dremel breaks my heart every time. My two cents. BFN Cheers, Hopeful aka David “there is wisdom in many voices” Completed: Sharpie Schooner (Midwest) Posted to the Gallery Current: Sultana (MSW) Current: Phantom (MSW) Next: Lady Nelson (Amati Victory)

Hey PopJack, Glad to see your Swift build on the ways. Be patient and take you time. Wish you well as you move along. BFN Cheers, Hopeful aka David “there is wisdom in many voices” Completed: Sharpie Schooner (Midwest) Posted to the Gallery Current: Sultana (MSW) Current: Phantom (MSW) Next: Lady Nelson (Amati Victory)

I spent a lot of time making full size reproductions of Queen Anne furniture of the middle 18th century in the last 20 years as a hobby. Your ability to make scale high end furniture fit for the Admiralty is terrific. The work of members of this forum never ceases to amaze me. Look forward to see what else you are making. Thanks for letting us know how you make your scale works of art. BFN Cheers, Hopeful aka David “there is wisdom in many voices” Completed: Sharpie Schooner (Midwest) Posted to the Gallery Current: Sultana (MSW) Current: Phantom (MSW) Next: Lady Nelson (Amati Victory)

Garwood, Thanks for reposting your wonderful build log. Its nice to see all the tutorials again. Your Montanes is remarkable. BFN Cheers, Hopeful aka David “there is wisdom in many voices” Completed: Sharpie Schooner (Midwest) Posted to the Gallery Current: Sultana (MSW) Current: Phantom (MSW) Next: Lady Nelson (Amati Victory)

Am enjoying your build, Roger. Very nice work. Picked up some good building techinque too!!! Will continue to watch your progress. Wish you well as you move along. BFN Cheers, Hopeful aka David “there is wisdom in many voices” Completed: Sharpie Schooner (Midwest) Posted to the Gallery Current: Sultana (MSW) Current: Phantom (MSW) Next: Lady Nelson (Amati Victory)

HI Grant, Just caught up with your build. Its a joy to watch a master work. Your tutorials are priceless....adding to the body of knowledge that was lost. Look forward to you next post and the trial run of your ropewalk. The Proxxon mill is a good one and perfect for model shipwrights. Does not cost an arm and a leg either. Are you pleased with your mill? Best wishes as you continue along with your build. BFN Cheers, Hopeful aka David “there is wisdom in many voices” Completed: Sharpie Schooner (Midwest) Posted to the Gallery Current: Sultana (MSW) Current: Phantom (MSW) Next: Lady Nelson (Amati Victory)

Hec, I am always amazed when builders take on the Victory. Wish you well as you move along. BFN. Hopeful aka David Ps....I saw a 4' model of a model of the Victory in the Maritime museum in Barcelona, Spain. She was just sensational.

Harvey, But I bet you had fun in the process and enjoyed yourself which is the hole point, right? BFN Cheers, Hopeful aka David “there is wisdom in many voices” Completed: Sharpie Schooner (Midwest) Posted to the Gallery Current: Sultana (MSW) Current: Phantom (MSW) Next: Lady Nelson (Amati Victory)

Hi Michael, Some of us are good at a few things, orthers at more things. Seems you are good at most everything. Its a joy to follow your build. BFN, Hopeful aka David

So, you are the guy who developed the rubic cube. Sensational work, Danny. BFN Hopeful aka David

HI Russ, Thanks for going back and adding the history of the Biloxi Schooner. I did not know the vessel had a center board, most interesting. BTW, what is the beam of the ship. The beam must be significant to keep her upright with such a shallow hull and a no chine. She definitely has graceful lines. Look forward to the planking. Hopeful aka David

Did not know that! Tks. Hopeful aka David

Hi, Notes to the forum, Russ: Thank you for your encouragement. As you know I have a challenge keeping things in proper scale. As I move along please let me know when the scale does not look right to you. JP: Thanks for your positive comments about my work. Truth is I do lots of stuff over until I am satisfied with my work. In fact, after I glued the stem and keel to the hull I noted the stem was slightly out of alignment. Took it off using alcohol to weaken the carpenter’s glue and put the stem back on straight. There are so many fine builders on the forum that one strives to get better, right. I’m still very much a newbie but have great patience. My Sharpie (gallery) was 1/32, my Sultana is 1/64, and the Phantom is 1/96…..I’m going in the wrong direction in terms of scale. Building the other two vessels makes the Phantom far easier that it would be if it was my first build, yikes. When I started building I was going to build the Armed Virginia Sloop. I asked the forum if the AVS made sense as a first. Russ suggested I start with a Midwest kit. I took his wise advice and never looked back. In terms of presentation, am assuming you mean my log, I try to provide a simple photo that would be of help to another builder. I know we all appreciate it when a builder takes the time to share the “how to” aspect of a task using both words and photos. You know what I mean given your last post about planking your Rattlesnake. Good logs take time but it is a way to give back to the forum, that and encouraging others. As to my photography………I’m an amateur but have always been interested in close-up photography. JP, your photography is very good. The camera I use is a Nikon D digital SLR with a Nikkor 12-24mm (shoots as an 18-30 on the Nikon D) wide angle lens. From time to time I also use a Nikkor 50mm macro lens, but not often. One can focus the 12-24 to within 6 inches of an object and accomplish almost total depth of field. The beauty of the Nikon D is this; the lens can be set in the manual/automatic (M/A) mode setting and still be able to use the auto focus feature. The M/A capability is absolutely essential to focus a super wide angel lens at close distances to achieve tack sharp photos. I set the focal length at infinity, wide open. Like landscape photographers, I always focus the lens pointed at one third the total distance of the object. In example, if the vessel is 24 inches long, I focus in the 8 inch area. And let the infinity setting do its job. I consider my photos as being sterile or, minimalistic but with purpose. BTW, on a recent vacation I visited several maritime museums and used my Admirals small handheld digital camera and achieved great results. I do not enjoy using the handheld digital camera in a studio setting, to limited. When shooting photos I always use a tripod. Lighting…. My lighting set-up uses 100% down lights, no side or front lights. I do not use flash lighting unless the back ground is far away from the object being photographed to avoid casting shadows. Please take a look at the photo showing my lighting set-up in the corner of my shop. The down lights are the aluminum hooded type with a clamp to affix them to almost anything. This type light is most often used by auto mechanics. I use them because I can use the new florescent bulbs, get the ones that cast white light, to cast and focus a great amount of light. My set up uses three of these down lights, but I can use five or six when appropriate. I place the object to be photographed on a piece of white 30” wide paper which comes in a role. The paper role was purchased at an art supply store. I tape the paper to the wall just under a shelf and roll it to the front on the base. I make sure paper has a radius at the back lower edge which helps avoid a line across a photo. You may have noticed a shadow cast behind my photos. The shadow is produced because the down light intensity is broken by the shelf. Using the method can achieve good results if one is willing to pay attention to just a few simple rules. The photo is a bit out of focus as is was cut from another photo and was up-scaled too large. Think you will be able to get the gist of the set-up. Please let me know if you have any questions. BFN Cheers, Hopeful aka David “there is wisdom in many voices” Completed: Sharpie Schooner (Midwest) Posted to the Gallery Current: Sultana (MSW) Current: Phantom (MSW) Next: Lady Nelson (Amati Victory)

Post 3 of my Phantom Buiild Russ: Thanks for following along. If you see anything amiss please let me know. Photo 11 The task was to glue the stem to the keel while keeping the parts flat on a sheet of glass. The pieces are to their finished size. 1/8" square. The stem, keel, and stern post are made of soft maple. Those parts take a lot of abuse, so, too keep them sharp I use hard wood. Photo 12 First the stern post was glued in place. Note I used Timiya and low tack blue tape to keep glue off the hull and the other parts.. I use tape because it is hard to get the glue off without sanding which alters the hull shape. If one cannot get the glue off 100% it it makes for problems when its time to paint. Photo 13 Stem, keel, and sstern post glued in place. With solid hulls one can expect to trim and sand some of the hull as it joins the keel, and other parts. I had a bit of carving and light sanding to do in the stem and sternpost areas to achieve a near perfect fit. Thanks for looking in on the build. All questions, comments, and constructive criticism, appreciated. BFN Cheers, Hopeful aka David “there is wisdom in many voices” Completed: Sharpie Schooner (Midwest) Posted Gallery Current: Sultana (MSW) Current: Phantom (MSW) Next: Lady Nelson (Amati Victory)

Hi Bob, Love your build log, wonderful "how to"! You are going to end up with a build you will be very proud of. Good for you! Because I have the kit I check on all the builds of Chuck's long boat. How sweet it is to have you all to follow when I start my long boat, priceless. Wish you well as you move along. BFN Cheers, Hopeful aka David “there is wisdom in many voices” Completed: Sharpie Schooner (Midwest) Posted Gallery Current: Sultana (MSW) Current: Phantom (MSW) Next: Lady Nelson (Amati Victory) .