Brucealanevans

Finished the first of the two ships boats: The Longboat.
A bit of a challenge at this scale. The planking job was iffy but the final product looks OK.
Tomorrow I start on planking the Pinnace.
 

A big moment!
After 2+ years the Confederacy itself is done. Still have the ship's boats to build, but it's great to see the ship itself finished.
I'll move it up to its case, clean up the shipyard, and start to work on those 2 ship's boats.
Overall I'm pleased with the result, even with the warts most of which only I notice.
The most complex thing I've built, and I doubt I'll be making anything this hard (more accurately, this complex) again.
Here it is:
 

Gangways now in place.
 
I STRONGLY suggest installing the gangway hanging knees BEFORE installing the channels, chainplates, and cannon port covers. I followed the sequence in the instructions instead, and found it very difficult to install the knees without being able to brace my fingers against the exterior hull to accurately hold the knees in place both to shape them and to apply appropriate pressure while holding them in place accurately for the glue to "grab". Also, necessary to install "from above" as a more deck level approach difficult to impossible due to hands, tools, and arms interfering with the fragile hull structures on the other side. Plus, several cannon port covers were inadvertently snapped off and had to be repaired.
I'm not really happy with the placement of the knees but it will do.
 
Now for 4 gangway stairs.
 

I have finished the exterior on the port side (my "practice' non-primary view side) today.
I am actually very pleased with the photo-etch chain plates. I painted them all on the sheet, first with vallejo grey primer airbrushed on and left to cure for 12+ hours, and then airbrushed with model expo hull black suitably thinned and left overnight. This created a relatively durable finish. With a good sprue cutter the pieces are easily removed as needed.
I put the deadeyes in by snipping the round part and spreading slightly, inserting the deadeye with correct orientation, and closing by pinching the base with a fine needle nose hobby pliers. Sealed the snip with a drop of CA and touched up when dry with some black paint.
2 cautions with the other pieces: those with holes for the nails required a gentle reaming of the holes to make certain the nails would drop through easily. I did this before cutting them free. I'm glad I thought to check before actually mounting them. The other caution is not to mix up the middle links that come in 3 lengths - I avoided this by removing them one at a time (or a few sets of 3) when needed and placing them in separate small trays.
Once an entire chain was made, I mounted the deadeye in the channel groove, made sure it was pushed well in so as not to interfere with the subsequent trim strip and added a drop of CA. I found that friction alone was not sufficient to hold them in place when manipulating to mark, drill, and place the nails.
With the deadeyes all mounted, creating and placing each chainplate "chain" was very easy and quick. A bit of black paint touch up where brass was exposed due to tweezers handling, and done.
After that, glued on the trim strips to the channels, put in all the eyebolts called for on the plans, and retrieved by cannon port lids from their labeled card and glued them in. Care is needed (despite the pre-drilled holes for each) as the "pins" - the piece of sprue left on the hinges - is very fragile and buckles easily.
 
One note: There are not nearly enough eyebolts included with the kit to even come close to all those indicated on the plans. So either make or buy lots of extras. I have trouble making them that small.
 
So here is where things stand with the port hull done. I'll turn it around and finished the starboard side within the next couple of days as I have the techniques down now.
 
Then I get to finish the waist detail, step the masts and lash the anchors.  After that she goes in her case of honor till the ships boats are done. 

Finished installing the skids, steps, and channels on both sides. The cannon port covers are done, with the holes pre-drilled - I will wait to glue them in until the chainplates are done.
After all this time it is getting a bit exciting to be this close to finishing the model (aside from the ship's boats).

Finished with the beakhead today!
Since the railing was supported strongly on both ends with eye bolts, I decided to make the uprights from thin wire to make it easier to mount them into the main rail/false rail without splitting the thin wood.
I am reasonably pleased with the overall look and more than reasonably pleased to have it done. I'm now looking forward to more simple if repetitive tasks to complete the outer hull.
 

Finished adding the trim and the 6th timberhead, so the rails and timberheads are now done.
Ready to advance to the next chapter to finish the beakhead structures.
As usual, once one (me) struggles through a tough patch and looks at the less than perfect results, you think "well if I ever built this again or something like it (not going to happen) I now know how to do a cleaner, better job." I've never been so happy to turn the last page in a chapter. Tough being a perfectionist without quite the skills and experience and dexterity to get to that level.
Overall, acceptable for home use and display and the admiral loves it so it's all good. She's pick out an unoccupied spot for display, although I'll have to drive it half way across the country.
I find that after building something I have no desire to build something similar again. Getting old, and running out of display space despite 2 homes.
I have a Caldercraft bomb vessel on the shelf, but I think I'm done with 18th/early 19th  century warships so doubt that will ever be built. I have a Dusek La Real as the only other orphan in my stash but I don't feel like tackling that next as I gradually advance towards finishing this 2+ year build. Also, finished it will be huge and I don't think I have anywhere to put it. So I'll push that one off for the foreseeable.
The Amati 1/32 Scottish fishing vessel Fifie has caught my eye, and would go well in our Marblehead home. I've ordered that and will jump it to the head of the list. Sought out build logs here to review/follow.

I have roughly shaped the five head timbers and spot glued them in place preparatory to marking the places for the notches for the middle rails. The timbers themselves will require more shaping which I will do when I remove them to do the notches.
This is a very fiddly task overall and I doubt it will look perfect to say the least. Doing the best I can, and will be very happy when the middle rail is finally placed and I can move on.

Thanks for the "likes" all.
I have done some work on the beakhead, getting as far as the cheeks. Really fiddly work that shows up every small asymmetry in one's work. I hope I've mitigated these. The next work is worrying, as Chuck's instructions state that the head timbers are the really difficult part. Sheesh.
Anyway, 2 weeks now at our place on the east coast, so no ship modeling for a while.
 

Finished the Fore Deck today. No real problems except some adjustments due to my midline issues.
Re-adjusted the building board clamps to allow access to the beakhead which is next.
 

Did up the stove, which was a fun little project.
Then put the additional foredeck detail in place, and added the beams and knees.
This wouldn't be a project of mine if I didn't make a silly mistake along the way - I placed the stove a bit too far aft so that the lower stack is not centered right with respect to the beams/carlings. Won't really matter, and it would take a nitpicker to notice that the upper stack will be slightly out of line with the stove, but bugs me nevertheless.
Next up: planking the inner bulwarks.
 

Finished the quarterdeck beams, knees, and carlings, as well as the underlying gun deck structures and details. A milestone of sorts.
Now time to turn attention to the bow area.
 

I've got most of the quarterdeck beams on (up to the mainmast area. Hanging and lodging knees in place. Here is where the eccentricities of the kit wood can bite you. I snapped the ends of several of the lodging knees off with minimal pressure  while sanding due to the grain of the basswood running across that end (the smooth curved end). Thank goodness extras were provided!
I saw on the Winnie thread the beams in front of the cabins painted red on the front and back. Loved the look so I'm going with that. With the eight beams and their attendant supports done I'm now more in the phase of a bunch of sequential small projects rather than mind-numbing repetition, at least for a while. I love this part, and it fits well with the time periods I've allotted to building. The mainsail jeers were fun. Next, the pumps.

I have managed to get the cannon placed and breech ropes rigged.
It was surprisingly difficult to persuade the eye bolts at the ends of the breech ropes to seat in the pre-drilled holes. In the end, it took two tweezers - one curved - and my optivisor to manage it, and even then often two or three tries before success. Because of all the fumbling I didn't put any glue on the ends of the bolts to avoid smearing it all over (as everyone says, don't ask me how I know). I dribbled a bit of white glue diluted with water on each where it protruded from the hole to secure them. After drying, nothing visible.
I wanted to finish this part before shutting things down for 6 weeks, so I wanted to place the out-haul anchors. I was reluctant to use the brass eye bolts and split rings due to the hassle of blackening them and the probability of some of the blackening disfiguring the deck. Since a nice roll of 28 gauge black wire came with the kit, I made the split rings and eye bolts with that. I've never done that before and I have to say (with the proper tools including a good cutter with sharp points and a fine needle nose pliers) it was surprisingly easy and an hour's work provided me with 28 nice black rings with attached bolts. Put those on the deck and I'm pleased with the look.
That's it for now. Cleaned up the shipyard, put away the tools and vacuumed the carpet monster. Will start on the additional deck structures when I return.
 

Wow, thanks for the props on what was my first complicated build all those years ago. I still love liking at it. 
before that I did build the whaleboat - my first wood model in nearly thirty years!
yes, I know the sail panels are aligned incorrectly, but couldn’t bring myself to do over 
I have dropped in on the St. Louis build from time to time. Hugely impressive. I have been interested in the civil war since 5th grade, as my book shelves attest, although concentrated on medical aspects since 2000 or so. 

I finished the Morgan today!
Put up the last two whaleboats, added some rope coils to the cleated lift lines, and did a small bit of touch up painting. It really is a very busy model, and especially so with any added detailing.
I'll take comprehensive pictures once I set up some good lighting and a backdrop and post them in the gallery.
 
Now I need to decide on the next project, with the following on my shelf: Confederacy, Gunboat Philadelphia, Mortar Vessel Granado, Echo X-section, and English Pinnace (oof - how did I collect this much stuff while building the Morgan?)
I have an empty full size case since I gave away a Victory model I bought but did not build into which the Morgan will go so the case I got for the Morgan is empty. Which argues for the Granado or Philadelphia, but the x-section is muttering to me from its shelf.
 
I'll just bask in finishedness for a bit and decide later.
 

Wow, thanks for the props on what was my first complicated build all those years ago. I still love liking at it. 
before that I did build the whaleboat - my first wood model in nearly thirty years!
yes, I know the sail panels are aligned incorrectly, but couldn’t bring myself to do over 
I have dropped in on the St. Louis build from time to time. Hugely impressive. I have been interested in the civil war since 5th grade, as my book shelves attest, although concentrated on medical aspects since 2000 or so. 

I finished the Morgan today!
Put up the last two whaleboats, added some rope coils to the cleated lift lines, and did a small bit of touch up painting. It really is a very busy model, and especially so with any added detailing.
I'll take comprehensive pictures once I set up some good lighting and a backdrop and post them in the gallery.
 
Now I need to decide on the next project, with the following on my shelf: Confederacy, Gunboat Philadelphia, Mortar Vessel Granado, Echo X-section, and English Pinnace (oof - how did I collect this much stuff while building the Morgan?)
I have an empty full size case since I gave away a Victory model I bought but did not build into which the Morgan will go so the case I got for the Morgan is empty. Which argues for the Granado or Philadelphia, but the x-section is muttering to me from its shelf.
 
I'll just bask in finishedness for a bit and decide later.
 

I decided to move ahead with one whaleboat, just to figure out how to approach the construction, what tools and wood to use, etc.
I have finished one to the primer stage shown below, but now have decided to get them all to this stage before doing the detailing.
It's a lot of work, and I suspect doing another four will take me some time as I only spend a few hours 4-5 days a week working in the shipyard, and we've been doing a fair amount of traveling.
I did have my first opportunity to fire up my new Byrnes thickness sander to create some 1/64 thickness sheet for these.

On to the whaleboats.
Each is made up of 7 lifts glued together and then carved/sanded to profile.
I glued all seven sets, and set to work on the boats that will be the spares stored upside down on the boat bearer/shelter of the Morgan.
My references suggest that these were primed only, to be painted when needed to replace a lost boat.
Below are the two boats, one with only the fore and aft profile sanded and the other (exterior shaping) complete. About 3 hours work to turn the left hand example into the right hand result.

Finished the cutting in stage today.
The Morgan (ship) is done.
I'll put it somewhere safe and begin working on the whaleboats. Since I've been ignoring other projects and interests to push to get to this stage, I'm going to limit myself to mornings in the shipyard till the whaleboats are done and mounted.
Here's the cutting in stage:
 

I haven't posted progress because the foremast was just duplication of the mainmast yards, and I also took a week or so away to recharge. Having said that, I must be learning something from this process since the foremast went easier (altho the belay points were also more accessible, which helped.
Certainly doing the Morgan for my first truly rigged ship turned out to be a real challenge. Some bits don't bear real close inspection, some lines had to be spiced, etc. etc.
At any rate, the running rigging is now done except for the braces and placing rope coils. I expect that to take me a week or perhaps two. Then the Morgan goes into it's case in the living room while I build the whaleboats. Unless I add the cutting stage first.

I finished the Morgan today!
Put up the last two whaleboats, added some rope coils to the cleated lift lines, and did a small bit of touch up painting. It really is a very busy model, and especially so with any added detailing.
I'll take comprehensive pictures once I set up some good lighting and a backdrop and post them in the gallery.
 
Now I need to decide on the next project, with the following on my shelf: Confederacy, Gunboat Philadelphia, Mortar Vessel Granado, Echo X-section, and English Pinnace (oof - how did I collect this much stuff while building the Morgan?)
I have an empty full size case since I gave away a Victory model I bought but did not build into which the Morgan will go so the case I got for the Morgan is empty. Which argues for the Granado or Philadelphia, but the x-section is muttering to me from its shelf.
 
I'll just bask in finishedness for a bit and decide later.
 

texxn5 has great detail on rigging the blubber hooks etc. on an old build log on this site. I used this info in my MS Morgan build. 

texxn5 has great detail on rigging the blubber hooks etc. on an old build log on this site. I used this info in my MS Morgan build.