Dutchman

Just a quick update.  I decided to plank the inside of the hull first.  I will make the knees later after I plank the hull.  I decided this because I didn't want the knees to break off during the fairing and planking of the hull. 
 
Here is what I have done so far.  Each piece usually takes me about 30 min to make.  Since I have 1-2 hours I can dedicated to the ship,  it's slow going. 
 

 
Thanks for the likes!!!
 
Jeff

Second bulwark rail in place, it needs the final sending still. I have started planking the deck furniture. First latrine under the planks. 

Bowsprit. It is carved from square stock. Lot of sanding again. 


I had to enlarge the hole in the bow to meet the dimension of the bowsprit. It took me while to get the right dimension and also right direction as bow sprit has to go through 3 holes that needs to be aligned. 


Once all is aligned the bowsprit can go through the bitt - > to the hole in the bow - > to the bowsprit yoke on the stem

To its final position

Quite a task I have to admit. Still I think I need to adjust the height of the bitt as the bowsprit points litlle bit down! 

@DPK
Hi mate,
I have noticed something what I would improve. I have described it to the colleague Who is building AVOS and is not too far for this. 
Perhaps it is something you might be interested in? 
 
Thanks 
 

Did I say last time something about tiny? Well this is tiny. Belfry assembly. 

Tafrel is after 2 layers of oil and I added the decoration. First I have blackend it and then gave it a send with 1500 grit Sand paper so the brass re-appear in the pronounced areas

Hi Jim. 
Seeing your progress I have one idea how to make an improvement. Unfortunately for me it was too late when I have noticed it
 
It is regarding inner structure of the gun and oar ports. In the kit this is done from plywood which for an eye is distracting as it has different lighter colour

This should be fairly easy to improve and make it from pear as well so all is in same kind of wood. 
Instead of those parts I would use some spare pear wood from the kit.
There is enough for that. And you would also need to adjust the respective frames. I would cut of the thin top layer of plywood and replace it with pear veneer (again enough screp wood in the box). I think this is fairly easy to do and it will look great on the model! Perhaps you could consider it since you are still OK to do this. I have noticed too late when I have the bulwark planking glued in place
 
PetaV 
 

Things are starting to get really tiny. Bowsprit bitt. There will be also bellfry on it. 

Before instalation of the bulwark rails I had to clean and smooth the gunports and oar ports 

 
The rail is made from 2 layers and each layer has 3 pieces of black wood. Again everything fits perfect which I guess should not surprise me anymore
 

As well as laser-engraved bevelling lines, something else I've never used before are pre-shaped and cut planks. The first planking on this model fits like an absolute dream! Everything about this project is so far enjoyable. MK provided some beautiful little brass nails for this planks, and the holes for them are also laser cut. You couldn't ask for more. 😀

Remember also that I still need to give the hull a final shaping and sanding later in the build and everything here is just bevelled with a Dremel before any gluing. 



Next up is the stern quarters. This builds up a little like one of those Puzz-3D models, with lots of interlocking parts that fit perfectly together. a little bevelling is needed here and there, but very minimal. With the stern fitted, the rearmost bulkheads were fitted, carefully bending them to the bevelled curve of the MDF main section.
 




The transom area is one that takes a little more effort with, and definitely some care. After bevelling, the ply transom core needs to be soaked in water before you can do this. Thankfully, the ply is quite pliable and 5 minutes in very warm water was all that was needed. The counter transom also needs bevelling and bending.  Here you can see the two put together and with the pear and black veneers added to the inside area. The pear is beautiful but VERY thin. I managed to break it, but you can't tell, thankfully 🤣
 


Tonight, I made up one of the bow sections. These are built from 5 pinned parts that have some bevelling marks. Because the laser engraving machine can't engrave the underside the  sheet of parts, you will need to add some bevelling marks yourself by first dry-fitting the parts and marking with a pencil. Remember, the bevel is on the inside and outside of this section, hence the extra marks you need to make. When done, the parts are pretty level and will only need a few swipes with sandpaper.

More soon!!
 
 

Finalization of the taffrel and counter. 

After one layer of oil. The surface looks very nice and it is very smooth 
Iron works on the stem. 

Thanks for the likes!
 
I added the tree nails and sanded down the entire deck:

 
 
Then,  I added 1 application of Tung Oil Finish:

 
 
WOW! What a difference!  I like the finish a lot!
 
Next up will be adding the 4 Walkways Knees on both sides to support the deck that sits above.  Then, I will add the inside hull planks around the gunports.
 
Jeff

Very Nice! Excellent work! An example to us all (to me in particular)! Any idea what your next build will be?

Today I finished the wales and started finishing the taffrel with counter. This is propably most dificult part of the ship. 
First you have to cut the correct shape to wales so the counter fits without gaps. Second you have to shape the counter so it meets flush with the wales. Third the edge of the tafrel and counter can be planked. It is not easy 🙄I glued all the parts of rail but it needs a lot of sending still. 

I will do. It's great to be back at a bench again and doing something I enjoy!
 
 
My room is already a dust bucket, and I've only been back at it for a few hours! 
 
Ok, before I make a start with removing any parts from the first two sheets of laser cut elements, I decided to use the instructions as reference and number them all. The kit itself is pretty intuitive when it comes to part placement, but never underestimate the power of stupid. This was a little insurance policy for me.

Now, I've not used my Dremel for years. I had to go to the attic and actually find it. After removing the parts for the bow cheeks, the first job was to profile/bevel them against the laser etched lines. I know those lines are hardly a new innovation, but this is the first kit I've actually used them in anger. Bevelling the ply is a pretty easy job, and I just went at my own pace at 8000RPM. I also bevelled the large main part into which everything plugs. Rear former parts are aligned with a series of laser-cut pins. Note the different orientation of them, so you can't get the parts mixed up.

The rear formers are now glued to the false keel using Titebond Ultra, and the false keel glued to the main plan part. I now glue the bow cheek sections in. These all fit precisely with absolutely no gaps and no need to fudge anything. Very impressive.

The rest of the formers are now bevelled. There's no work to do on #15 and #16, so those are glued in place first. Again, all parts have tabs which means they will only fit one way around, keeping the clumsy at bay. You'll see that some of these also have plugs that will lock into the garboard plank.

The last thing to do before planking is to glue the bulkheads into place, making sure that any excess glue is removed from the other sockets on the main plan part. With these fitted, the infill parts are also added between the bow cheeks.
 
Next stop.....planking!

 
 

Hi crew,
 
I've had to be a little mercurial when it comes to how I'll spend the next months before I build a test (another!) of Amati's forthcoming 1:64 H.M.S. Victory so I can do the photos for the construction manual, so I was originally going to bash away at my Panart deck section. I was then going to plank the Caldercraft 1:80 Mary Rose I've had for around 15years. 
 
In the end, I decided the best way to spend that time was on Master Korabel's diminutive but gorgeous 1:72 Tender Avos, reviewed HERE and soon to be available from Vanguard Models in the UK. I've been watching this beautiful build of this model by Peta_V, on Model Ship World, and the kit I have is the same XS/Exclusive version. My plan is to do as much work as I can until Amati's parts land, sometime in October. 

Master Korabel's kit really is gorgeous, superbly presented and manufactured, and has some innovative design features that are there to make things as trouble-free as possible. The box is fairly small, but it pretty heavy. Planking is also laser-cut and etched with plank and nail detail. Everything starts with the flat deck-shaped component into which all the other elements plug.
 


Work starts on Saturday, and until then, I'll be studying the plans and watching Peta_V's build even more!
 

It is really working well. Thanks for great advice Etsinko. 

I finally finished placing the planks on the second deck!!!! Whew!!! That took quite a while but I am happy with it.  The following are pictures of the second deck without the treenials and without any sanding yet.  The last pic compares my first attempt of the second deck with what I just finished.
 

 
You might have to zoom in on the comparison photo to really see  the difference.   I personally like my current builder's second deck better!
 
Thanks!
 
Jeff

Thank you Messis! And thank everyone for the likes!  I finished the waterways:

 
I now need to finally finish planking the second deck.  To do this, I realized after looking at the plans and how much space I have left to plank, I will need planks that are appropriately 4.5mm wide near the waterways. The boxwood strips I have are 3mm wide.
 
The issue I had was, I don't have anyway to mill my own planks, and Syren Ship Model Company currently is out of boxwood strips.  So it took me yesterday to come up with a solution that should have taken me 1 minute to realize.  Just glue 2 strips together and sand off the access.  Haha!! So here was my attempt to create my first plank ends that end at the waterways:
 

 
I was surprised I was able to get the edge that touched the waterway correct.   So I drilled the nail holes,  and glued it in place.  I then made the next row.  I knew this row would be harder than the first:

 
I hope you can see it,  but those 2 rows ended up much better than I thought!  I feel that I accomplished something that really in
Isnt very easy (well, for me anyway!). So I am pretty happy with it! It got me wondering what it will look like when the guns are in place!
 
 I'm tired so I will finish up this side tomorrow and start on the other. 
 
Thanks!
 
Jeff 

Peta,
maybe this comment is too late since your hull has already been completely planked, but I found that it is a lot easier to glue these thin planks using PVA glue and hot iron (really makes it super easy + you can unlgue and reglue planks if needed). Here is my description of the procedure:
Hope this helps!
 

Where the plywood gone? 

Half of the hull already covered with pear. 

My Shipyard

Planking of the counter 

Two more planks towards the keel

Few more layers of planks but before I can continue towards the keel it is needed to build the transom. It is build from several pieces and the shaping is necessary. Unfortunately to have a smooth transition between planks and transom I had to sacrificed laser cut nails at the stern. Anyway I had an idea how to renew them, hope it will work but that I leave until the hull is fully planked. The transom looks very nice! 

Few more layers.... 

The hull is ready for the final planking. 
Second layer from pear