Tigersteve

Spent the week working on the oars. I did this in a few stages. First I drew a line down the center so I could taper the blades. I used a sanding block to round off the corners then switched to a folded piece of sandpaper to finish rounding the edges.
 
I thinned everything down as close to the plans as possible so the proportions would look correct. I tried a different color scheme than I've seen in other logs. The photo shows several coats of paint and WOP applied. I could not capture a great photo.
Steve

Yes- let’s get back to it!
Steve

I made some progress on the bowsprit assembly. I turned bowsprit, jibboom and flying jibboom out of bass wood, which was especially selected for very little grain. As all pieces are pretty fragile the shaping on the lathe was done with sand paper held between two fingers to apply equal pressure from both sides (image 1). The result is shown in image 2. The details like sheaves, bee blocks, cleats were done following the Syren instruction book. The lead plate for the sling saddle (image 3) was simulated with a piece of photo paper painted lead gray and ‘metalized’ by buffing it with ‘Grimy Black’ from ‘Doc O’Brian’s’ weathering powders (Micro-Mark). Image 4 shows most of the details in place as well as the dolphin striker. The latter was made out of box wood for stability. Image 5 shows the dolphin striker and the Jack staff mounted and painted. I used the staples for both parts to fix them in their place. I also made the bowsprit cap out of box wood. The holes in the bass wood version included in the kit were too large for my jibboom, and they did not take the angle of about 20° into account. Image 6 presents how I simulated the leather lining for the jibboom. A piece of paper was painted with several coats of enamel leather color and fixed around a wooden dowel turned to the diameter of the jibboom at the location where it crossed the bowsprit cap. This arrangement was sanded to an angle of 20° on both sides, slotted on both ends with an Exacto knife, and mounted on the jibboom at the appropriate location.  This of course was a bit tricky 😉. Once the jibboom was glued in place, the little pieces resulting from the slotting were bent upwards and glued to the bowsprit cap with white glue, which could be cleaned up with water (hence the enamel leather color in order to prevent the paper from dissolving). The result is shown in images 7 and 8.
 
Thomas
 

Image 1
 

Image 2
 

Image 3
 

Image 4
 

Image 5
 

Image 6
 

Image 7
 

Image 8
 
 

Thanks everyone for your comments.  I put this build on hold while I was building my Medway Longboat and some other projects.  I agree that it is time to get back to work on this model.  We have a couple of members of my club that are building this kit, so I plan on joining them as I am a little further along in my build.  It will be nice to see this kit finished.

A merely gentle nudge - you are so close!

Here is a quick update. 
 
The margin planks on the qdeck and fcastle have been added.   The first planks to add are those along the breast beams at the waist.  I used a 3/16" x 3/64" strip for this.   The overhang edge on both were rounded off.  There is only a slight overhang on the breast beams with these plans which should leave you with a nice rabbet on the other side for your deck planking which we will start shortly.   The rabbet was about 1/16" wide on the other side.
 
Fcastle margin planks shown below.   Then the templates can be used as a starting point for the actual margin planks.  Just like you did for the gundeck below at the bow.  Use the template as a guide and starting point to make your margin planks.  I cut them from a 3/64" thick sheet.   Then I added the waterway along the bulwarks just as we did on the gun deck. I 3/64 x 364 strip was used and one corner was rounded off down its length to create a quarter round profile.  Same as for the gun deck....you dont have to create scarph joins if you dont want to.   They are tricky.  You can simply butt them together if you want to simplify this.
 

 
Then the same was repeated on the qdeck.   Start with the breast beam plank.....then the waterways can be cut from a 3/64" sheet......and then make the waterway from a 3/64 x 3/64  strip.
 
Do you guys have any questions????
 



I thinking I will start on the outside areas of planking before I do the coamings.  Just to break up the planking process a bit.   Again .....you guys have the templates for lining off.  All the deck planks are provided for you on the templates for the fcastle and qdeck.  It should go easier than the gun deck.
 
I will have that done soon and another update.
 

Prior to installing the boat on the display base, strips of brown felt were glued for a custom fit. Three days of rigging the buckets with handles and rope coils using Syren ULTRA scale rope completed the model. I did my best to tie sheet bend knots, although that detail is difficult to notice at this scale. This was an enjoyable project and I learned a lot. Thank you David for designing this kit and keeping an eye on the build. Ryland Craze and Mike Stuntflyer, our exchanges on paint strategies and finishes was invaluable. I hope the rest of you will continue to follow as I get back to the Mayflower- Model Shipways.
Steve

Hello there:
 
Work on Bluenose has slowed as I've had to reduce my modelling hours to Saturday mornings - October-December is a very busy time at work and home so I'm feeling like a very dull boy indeed with all work and no play....
 
In spite of this I've managed over the last couple of weeks to plank the main deck. The joggling of the deck planks adds a significant amount of time to the process, and I'm not sure about the results - from a distance they're adequate and (judging by the photos below) my camera lens is extremely forgiving. But like everything in modelling it's about practice and getting a better feel for things with each attempt. And once all the deck furniture and fittings are added later things will blend in.
 
The quarterdeck planking is not laid parallel to the centre line like the main deck planking - it curves more or less in line with the tapering of the deck towards the stern. This will no doubt take longer even than the main deck, but I won't have a chance to start on this until next weekend, unless by some chance I can carve out some modelling time tomorrow. In any case, slow and steady.....
 
Enjoy
hamilton
 

The first layer of main wales have now been planked. I also finished gluing in all the sweep port lids and ballast port lids. Here are some pics of where I am at right now:







I will next start working on treenailing the planks before starting to plank beneath the wales (something I am very nervous about!!! 😅)

as of 1/18/2021 - The attached pics show the hanging of the spars on the foremast and the associated rigging.

I meant to share this earlier; this is snapshot of my pinnacle with the one built by @Chuck himself! All were at the Model Con 2021 on the battleship, USS New Jersey in August. My thanks to Philadelphia Ship Model Society and the Battleship New Jersey Museum and Memorial for arranging and hosting the event.

As of 12/17/2020 - photos as the the ratlines and most of the standing rigging in place 

I haven't read Chuck's instructions, which may address this issue, but, just as a suggestion, you may want to consider now how you will be mounting the hull when the model is completed. If you are planning to mount it with a couple of lengths of brass rod or on turned stanchions, etc., you may want to drill the mounting holes in the bottom of the hull now before you thin the bulwarks. Drilling mounting holes is sort of "rough stuff" major surgery and it gets really difficult to do if there's anything breakable on the hull. Don't ask me how I know this!  I can think of three times that I got ahead of myself and finished a model and then realized I hadn't drilled the mounting holes. I had to build custom-fit cradles to hold the models while I drilled up from the bottom with a jig to keep my drill bit plumb!  

Creating my own tools... to draw the carving line for the step.  Using a very precise method of scotch tape and a pen, I was able to scribe a line 1/8" below the top of the bulwarks.  (I'm sure there are tools I could buy to accomplish this!)
Now  I'm off to begin carving (gulp!)

Thanks for the information Alan and Bob, it proved to be very helpful.
 
One thing I did to guide me along was to label the foremast with port/starboard/aft.  It helped me to ensure I had the correct orientation with the mast.  Also I found the tenon at the base of the mast very useful in aligning or indexing the mast as required.
 
I cut the mast to length then tapered as required along the port/starboard/aft side. I found that by cutting the length of the dowel down to size and tapering 3 sides I virtually removed all warpage I have.  I then cut out for the cheeks and trestle trees.  I again used my guide blocks to limit the depth of cut and to index the mast. After installing the cheeks and trestle trees I installed the halliards, making sure they were tapered per the drawing.

 
After that I installed the halliard bands.  I used brass strips that came in the kit and cut them to length (circumference).  I drilled a hole for the eyebolt, installed it with the band and secured it with glue.
 

 
I made a lot of progress this weekend and am relatively happy with the results.  I realize there are some areas where I wished I had taken a different approach.  One big regret I have is not darkening the eyebolts on the deck furniture and rails.  I have a darkening agent which would have made it simple.  I probably should have darkened the brass bands and eyebolts on the foremast as well.
 
I think I'll spend the next few days trying to understand the drawings better and get a better understanding of the components that goes into the masts, booms etc. I was feeling a little overwhelmed (information overload) this afternoon and need to take a step back to review.  I want to compare my Practicum with the drawings to understand where I'm going and the steps that need to be taken. 
 

Post Twenty-three
 
Planking down to the lower deck and stern counter.
I decided that a simple approach of taper and edge bend was sufficient for the next four strakes which take me down to just below the lower deck.
The taper applied is modest, only reducing the plank width at the stem to 4mm.

0578
I’m very much old school and prefer to use the wet and heat system of plank forming. Only requirements a long plastic tube for soaking, and an old hairdryer donated by Mrs W.
 
In summary:
Mark the taper, soak, cut taper, mark edge bend centre, (where applicable) form bend, apply heat, pin, and glue.

0574
I work the strakes singly, Port and Starboard, matching the bow tapers as I go.
With Sphinx, the tricky part is to get the sharp bend up to the counter as neat and smooth as possible.

0580(2)
All the stern strips are separate and staggered along the bulkheads between the stern and b/h9.

0573(2)
The bend didn’t prove too difficult to form and should be easier with the thinner Pearwood strips of the second planking.

0584

0586
Once the planks are formed I test fit them using clamps and pins before gluing, applying a blast of heat with the strips in place.

0599(2)

0597(2)
I’m taking things at a leisurely pace at present, other stuff to do, so fitting the four strakes each side has taken several days.

0602(2)

0603(2)

0608(2)

0615(2)
 
 
Moving onto the Garboard….
 
 
B.E.
10/10/21
 

Thank you again for the likes. Just a quick update. Thinking it might be more risky to leave the (1/8" x 1/8") frames exposed for too long, I began planking the hull. The AYC planks were originally ripped to 3/64" however I have thinned them down a bit for easier bending around the tighter curves toward the stern. The 1/32" batten at the shear is temporarily placed in the position of the lower edge of the wales.
 

 
A small milestone here... just today making it to the turn of the counter. Only six more planks needed to get to the bottom of the wales.
 

 
At this scale, hindsight says a more narrow plank would have been easier to contour to the curves. Given that the hull will be painted, I have not simulated any caulking. However, I have lightly "broken" the edges of the planks hoping for the edges to show through the paint just a bit.
 
... back to planking. 😊
 
Mike

Without the United States in my cue, I’ve  gone back to the whale boats.  making slow progress. 

Been working on the stove kit. Just want to say that Chuck has done a masterful job of precision cutting these parts. Everything fits with little or no sanding required. The stack has been thinned down at the top to about 1/64".
 
I forgot to photograph the drain pan. Anyway, here it is ready for paint.

 
Mike

Thanks again everyone for the likes and comments!
 
I finished planking both sides of the ship till the top. Here are a couple of pictures to mark this milestone of the build:





I'll next start working on the first layer of main wales, then the sweep ports. I am thinking I should then start treenailing since it will be easier to sand before I install the 2nd layer of the main and channel wales.

Very slow going, as I have too many other commitments going on!  but I am making some tiny progress.  Created a ship holder out of a trimmed down dish holder and some pipe insulation.  Also tried out my new dremel tool to shape some of the hull, sanded off too much and made some gouges, and filled in alot with wood putty.   Waiting for everything to dry so that I can sand it smooth, and probably will call it "good" since the overall shape looks ok to me.  Then I'll carve in the "step" mentioned on page 3.   (Can't believe I've only made it to page 3, but clearly this will keep me busy for weeks & months to come, so that's a good thing!)
 

Chain pumps. .  . I decided to make the 4 Rhodings from 1/16" x 1/64" brass strip. The square portion of the crank handle is only 3mm in length. Any longer and I think they would look out of scale. After blackening the brass rod I used some weathering powder to age the look of the metal.
 
After that I added the the decorative moulding to the forward edge of the breast beam. Then came the elm pumps and QD bulwark planking. For the carlings I made simple wood templates that fit between the beams in order to position the carlings equidistant from the center of the deck.
 

 
Mike

Just a quick update...I wanted to get the caprail all finished before the show this Saturday.   It really finishes it off.  Just like along the quarter deck, the cap rail is laser cut for you for the bow.  The outboard edges were rounded off and each section was painted off the model.   Then the forward-most pieces were glued on the model.

 
Then a laser cut spacer (looks like a small pointed arow) the width of the catheads was used to help position the next longer piece on both sides.  This is an important step.  Its easier to widen the slot later and not so easy to make it smaller so be cautious here.  Than the hance caps were made as before.  The two halves glued together so we have a nice wide piece.  The hance caps were shaped and sanded for a snug fit.   Then care was taken to eliminate any seams between it and the cap rail.   
 

I am happy this is completed and I can move to the deck now.  I will add the margin planks next before starting the coamings just to get them over with.
 

 
 

Looks like your technique paid off. Looks sharp and clean!
Steve

It’s looking good!
Steve