FriedClams

They are indeed a handsome couple, and I concur with Eric that Lula is "a delightfully quirky little vessel." And dripping with charm I might also add. It's good to hear your sister will be visiting for support, but hopefully you won't need surgery, or perhaps a simpler solution/procedure is recommended. Try to stay positive, Keith - I know, easier to say than do. Gary

Looking really good, Craig! I agree with Keith - like you could walk right into it. The map on the navigation screen is a nice touch. Gary

Excellent work on those mast decks. I have a few Veritas mini tools; block plane, chisels, etc. - nice tools. Now I'm thinking maybe I need their worktable, clamps, stops . . . . . Really nice progress, Jack. Gary

Fantastic work. Model painting at your level, Dan is not just painting - it is elevated to a form of art. So good! Gary

Very nice progress, Ras! I like the jig for rows of rivets, and the mosquito net does a good job of simulating diamond plate. Did you paint the netting first and then attach it to the fantail, or did you paint it onto the surface? I must try this sometimes. Gary

Excellent detailing on the tower, mcb. Nice authentic look and feel. Gary

Such unique and complex modeling, Roel. Tremendous level of detail and so extensive. Bravo! Gary

Looking so good, John! Gary

Wonderful warm finish on a stunning hull. Gary

Very nice progress, Paul! Like all your work, everything is meticulously thought out and executed. Good call on the brass pattern for the scuppers - that's going in my notes folder. The planking around the stern looks great. Oh, and I'm having pangs of clamp envy. Gary

Just catching up, Glen and wow! Such fantastic work all around. Very nice, Me too. Gary

Stay positive and strong, Keith. You're in my thoughts and wishing for the best possible results of your upcoming scan. Gary

Really nice progress, Paul, and nice start on the deck house. Your prep and pre-planning work is very admirable. Gary

Excellent work, Keith! The crane turned out very nice and the two models look great together. Gary

Happens to all of us, Jack, but it's good to see you coming back to it! Gary

Keith, I hate to think how many times I've stared directly at situations with predictably unfortunate outcomes and walked right into them anyway. Many of which had nothing to do with model building. Gary

Nice progress on the Mary Day, JD! Stanchions and covering boards are one of my least favorite things to do in boat modeling, so fussy and time consuming. Your work here is clean and precise. Looks great! Gary

This model is looking really sweet, J.C. Very nice. Whenever I'm unsure, I always wait until I am sure because it can be so difficult to undue. After the chainplates and rudder hinges are on, the decision may be easier. Gary

Such graceful lines - beautifully built, Siggi. Gary

Great start to an interesting project, Eric. Looking forward to following along. Gary

Nice to see an update on this model, Dan. Absolutely ditto that! Gary

Keith B, Paul, Chris, Druxey, Bowwild, Glen, Keith A, Andy, Marc and Rick - I thank you very much for the compliments and support. And thanks for all the "thumbs up" and to those watching quietly. A brief update. The wave break diverter that I installed in the last post has been removed and replaced with one of a different design. The original one is something that might have been installed on a metal hull boat, but never on a wooden fishing vessel of this era. The Pelican’s plan set shows a side view of the diverter, but no details or even a top view and what I ended up building was simply wrong. Further research showed the wave breaks on these wooden draggers were built directly onto the deck and not constructed in a shop and then bolted on. The images below show the before and after. Creating the new wave break was the easy part. Fixing the deck after tearing off the old one was the hard part because chunks of the “rubber membrane” tissue came off with it. Heavy sigh. Moving on, I built the galley stove stack and the only info I have on it is the outboard profile. I lifted dimensions from the drawing but placed an alternative cap on top instead of the conical diamond shaped one shown on the drawing. The lower half of the stack has a double wall which allows hot air to travel up between the two pipes and exit at the beveled cap where the outer wall terminates. This helps protect the crew from burns when brushing against it. It's made from brass and two modified plastic pieces from a Grandt Line boiler stack. Solder and glue. Once I knew how it would stand above the deck, I soldered on a deck collar. Then blackened, oil paints and pigment powders. A hole was cut through the deck and the stack inserted. It still needs a support bracket off the doghouse and some butyl or tar at the deck. But deck wear patterns around it and deck weathering in general will be done after all other objects and details are in place. Meaning, not for a while. Thanks for stopping and take care. Gary

Fantastic work, Marc! I agree, and from a modeling perspective a little asymmetry just looks right. Your eye for detail and nuance is exceptional. Gary

Excellent progress, J.C. That bowsprit looks great and your light hand on the weathering is very realistic. Gary

Interesting updates, Wefalck. Hmm, a little adjustment time would be useful. Me too. Gary