Dutchman

I'm working on the prow and have attached the belaying pin rail but had to add a brace each end as there was insufficient room on the capping rail to attach according to the plans.
 

 
Note also the reinforcing bar is running prow to stern not port to starboard. Just about every ship of this size I've seen has had the mainstay braced by lines through a block or heart down to 3 or 5 holes in the prow not to a single pin. Tip here use a heavy black cartridge paper soaked in PVA glue easier to work and looks just like a metal reinforcing strip. Given the pressures involved I prefer to use this system. I've also started on the blocks for the carronade tackle, look a little rough close-up but when finished they should be reasonable.

 
Rick

Hi all, back again for an update!
 
Installed the ornamental mouldings and cap rails
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 
After i received the materials for rigging the guns, i started by trial and error attempts to get the rigging in proportion. Which was very quit frustrating.
 

 
 

 
By cutting the ring off the hook and gluing it into a pre-drilled hole in the block, I finally got it so small that I could continue to rig the guns.
 

 
 

 

 

 

 
The rigging will be continued!
 
Regards, Peter

There's not a lot out there that I can find, however both these secondary sources state that the cutter is pierced for 14 guns. 10 carronades (as supplied) plus 4 4lb guns see https://www.modelboats.co.uk/news/article/le-renard/602 and http://renard.dechorgnat.com/artillerie.html (Google will translate this page). I only had a couple of correct size cannon spares so the captain must have a couple of them stowed below for some reason 😉.
Catheads - really bad design, way too thin and poorly set up for the lifting rope. I've doubled the thickness and drilled the top with four holes to represent pulley wheels as per this illustration.
 

 
Next is the binnacle which I've fitted further from the companionway so that the doors on the companionway can actually open! 
 
 

 
I've chosen to treat the upper sections as if they were glassed in - I can't see why they would be cupboard type if the helmsman needed to see a compass. I may also add tie downs to the binnacle as it's my understanding that this would be stowed below in battle (fewer splinters to fly around). I'm also not happy with the length of the bars on th deck to steady the helmsman's feet - they look disproportionately long to me.
My 3mm blocks arrived today so next job it to sand the edges down to give a rounded appearance then construct hooks and add rope - eyestrain here I come!
 
Rick
 

Hello all!
 
Rick01, the carronades look great. I tried making up a tackle but as you say, the supplied blocks are a little to big. It doesn't look very good in the instructions either.
3mm blocks is ordered!
The extra cannon, is that something you add just because you want to? or is there some source you found that says it should be there?
 
Tompslattery, in my kit there was two lasercut pieces glued on top of eachother to make up the gun sled. Then a small PE brass bracket to hold the gun barrel.
It seems your kit is an older version.
 
The hull is getting ready for some paint shortly.
A little more filler and sanding has been done.
 

Marking the waterline..
 

Masked and ready for paint below the waterline.
 
The dinghy has been removed from the jig, and is ready to be finished inside.
 

And after sanding of the frametops..
 

I'm happy with the way the sheer of the boat turned out. It was very straight as the jig was before modification.
 

 
That's it for now.
 
Gaffrig.

When you come to fitting the gun tackle you may want to try smaller blocks than those provided. I've used 3 mm and also added the restraining rope to the carronade itself. Still not as good as I'd like but I just can't handle 2 mm blocks!
 

 
I've also dug up a pair of 6lb cannon left over from another build and will add these at the prow. I haven't completed the tackle yet as I'm waiting on a mail order - we're in complete lockdown so it's mail or nothing at the moment.
 

 
Rick

Thanks my instructions didn’t really supply any details see attached.  I’ve had an attempt to make sleds but I not happy with them

Hello to all!
 
Rick01, Thanks for the tip. It seems I have done the same as you, and a couple of the carronades need a little adjusting before mounting..
 
Tompslattery, Thank you!
 
After mounting the inner bulwarks, they stiffened up quite nice, and I'm no longer as nervous for breaking them when handling the model.
I have now sanded and filled and sanded and filled to get the hull as smooth and true as possible.
 

So, I gave the hull a coat of primer, to see the places I need to fill and sand some more...
 

Still some to do, but I'm sure I'll get there soon!
 
The dinghy has got it's sheerstrakes and a little varnish. Soon to be released from the jig.
I decided to use mahogany for the sheerstrakes too.
 

That's it for now.
 
Gaffrig.
 
 

The build continues...
 
Next step is the inside of the bulwarks. Another strip of plywood goes on the inside of the first one.
I really like the new keel clamper!

 
Before glueing this in place, I need to mark and cut out the gunports.
I dryfitted the inner bulwarks with clamps, and marked the gunports with a pencil and cut them out with a scalpel.
 

 

I made the cuts a little small, to have some material for adjusting after glueing.
 

Then some yellow paint, and they are ready to be mounted.
 


I glued them on, one side at a time. Not enough clamps to do both sides at once!
 

I also made some more progress on the dinghy. Got the primer sanded and some white paint on it.
 

It's coming together, next up will be the sheerstrake and then time to cut it loose from the jig. It will be fun to see how it will look inside!
 
Thank's for the comments and likes!
 
Gaffrig.

Deck layout I'm using. A number of items have been omitted as they appear to be requirements on the replica. Items at the bow not yet installed as a couple of 4lb cannon need to be built and space needs to be checked.
 
 

Hi all!
 
Just a small update today..
 
With the keel, stem and sternpost mounted, I planked the transom with the same 0.5x4mm materials that I used on the deck.

I used the gorilla wood glue for this.
 

After cutting of the excess material and some sanding...
 

Starting to look more and more like a boat!
 
Also got some primer on the dinghy.
 

Those brushstrokes really show up in the pictures!
I guess some sanding is in order before painting!
 

Thanks to everyone for stopping by and reading my log.
Also for taking the time to comment and like! It is really appreciated!
 
Gaffrig.
 

Hello all!
 
Been away at a holiday for a week, but now I'm back at it!
 
Tompslattery, Thank you. Yes the brass parts look nice. The gun sleds are just two lasercut plywood parts glued on top of each other.
I was looking through your buildlog and it looks like you have an older version of the kit.
Great work on it, your model is coming along nicely! 👍
 
Rick01, Thanks for the tip. I did use a drill to line up the holes. I used a brass wire for the bars instead of the steel supplied. I left this untreated. But the trick with heating is a good one!
I've decided to leave the transom and the "bench" in the stern off until I fit the caprails, rubrails and rudder. I think this approach will be easier than following the sequence in the instructions.
 
After sanding the hull, I prepared to fit the keel, stem and sternpost.
 

This meant cutting a groove in the bow and opening up between the garboard planks to make the pieces fit in.
 

First the keel..
 

And then the stem. I used a razor saw and a scalpel with a new blade to do this. I found it a little tricky to get it straight and nice but it ended up ok.
I think it would have been easier to fit the stem and keel before planking, and make a rabbet to fit the planks in.
 

With the keel, stem and sternpost dryfitted I glued it all in place.
 


So, when the glue dries, more sanding, some filler and more sanding! 🙂
 
I've also made some progress on the dinghy, finishing the hull planking. My little changes to the sheer and transom made it so the lasercut keel/stem piece didn't fit.
So I made a new one out of some scrapwood I had lying around.
 


And after some shaping...
 

A bit more sanding and some paint, I think it will look good!
 
That's it for now!
 
Gaffrig.
 
 
 
 

Tip of the day. 
Cut the hole for the rudder (page 41), BEFORE fitting assembly K (page 23). Less chance of splitting decking planks or finding the rudder post binds against the transom.
Not saying this may have happened to me , however ...
 
Rick 🙂
 

Some painting today.  Must say this dark red paint looks very pink to me 😄

Added a coat of sanding sealer/shellac.  Will be using this as the finish of some parts and others will be painted.

Not sure if its much of an improvement

Well tonight could've gone better.  I was unhappy with how this railing that the bowsprit slots through turned out, so I decided to try pulling it apart to do it again.  Should've just left it.  Broke of 3 of the corner ends as well as splitting pieces off longitudinally.  Manage to glue most of the bits back onto the rail except for one corner.  Now to recut the 3 posts and hope I get it square this time

Quick tip for you. If you haven't put the bars in your deck furnishings yet, get a long .6 mm or .75 mm drill and run it through the holes that the bars fit in. I found that the holes didn't line up perfectly and had problems fitting the bars until I ran the drill through and effectively lined them up. As for the bars themselves I just heated them up til they glowed then cooled them, it gave an authentic iron colour without having to paint! Should add that I'm using a roll of .75 mm steel wire instead of the supplied item - you can afford to make a lot of mistakes cutting correct lengths when you've got 10 metres of it!
I'm a couple of steps ahead of you at the moment having just finished the hull painting.
 
Rick

I really like the gun sleds that came with your kit as well as the etched transom piece. Much better than my renard kit 

Looks good. I use bourbon however.

and Binnacle cabinet

The weeks progress.  Fore-deckhouse and cabin.  I looked up the names before posting this time lol 😅

Hi all.
 
Still waiting for the materials to be delivered but in the meanwhile i have a minor update.
 
The bending of the eye bolts and eye-bolts with rings wasn't entirely for nothing! I've drilled the holes to attach the hooks and eye-bolts on the inner hull and the planking on the second deck.
 
On the upcoming photo of the Hermione you can see that the number of deck planks is the same everywhere and follows the contours of the hull. (Sb/Ps)  This means that the planks from mid-ships are tapered towards the stem and the stern. Again, I will deviate from Artesania's instructions.
 

 
Correct my if I'm wrong, but, by dividing the deck into strips, I will use the planking fan to determine the degree of tapering. I'm now working on a 1:1 drawing of the deck.
 

 
Until the ordered materials are delivered I can't rig the guns and have to wait before I can plank the deck.
 
Luckily I can still go ahead with making guns, (main deck) longboats, capstan, cap rails etc.
 
BTW, Thanks for the likes and views!
 
Cheers from the sunny Netherlands,
 
Peter
 

So, now that the whiskey and glue has dried, time for some sanding!
 

Done on one side. Sanded first with 120 grit and then 240 grit.
 

Sitting out on the porch for this..
 

Both sides sanded. Looks pretty good, if I may say so myself!
 

I wanted to do most of the sanding before attaching the keel, stem and sternpost.
These are up next, and then a little filler before the final sanding with 320 grit or so.
 
Gaffrig.

Great! I was in Dublin last summer. Had a few Guinness in the Temple Bar and a band was playing there. The craig was 90!

I like the irish whiskey and folk music too!
The Admiral and I spent last summer sailing the westcoast of Ireland.
Really enjoyable! Lots of folkmusic and whiskey! And beer!