garyshipwright

Your welcome Mark. I thought it was castello boxwood. Just love working with that.  One thing about it is it doesn't show much of a grain which help's  enhances one's work.  Thank you again. Gary

Hi Mark. She's looking really good. I know you probably have mention this before but what wood are you using?  Look forward to your next update. Gary

Well Druxey  I have to agree with you. Would strengthen the hull that's for sure. Gary

Alan it's looking outstanding and will even look better when you get the door way's cut out. I take it you will be installing the stern timber's next? Look forward to the next update. Gary

Hello good folks. Seems like I have been doing this for every, planking that is. Don't think it's to bad, not perfect, but planking was always the hardest for me when it came to building and planking a hull.  Maybe that's why I stick to building them, plank on frames, with out planking the lower hull.  Figure building Chucks hull gave me a chance to practice this part of the hobby. Not the best but that's ok. After a couple of month's, have manage to get 3 belts per side done, and  now facing what I believe to be the hardest belt to come. Looking at the landing of the counter planks and where the lower planks on the hull meet, will be a big test of getting the planking just right.  A sort of do or die I believe. Hoping that it will come out looking good but will have to wait and see. I have to line this belt off yet, which should be a big help doing it. Still a lot of sanding to do once the last belt is on and finally putting a finish on.  

Hello good folks. Seems like I have been doing this for every, planking that is. Don't think it's to bad, not perfect, but planking was always the hardest for me when it came to building and planking a hull.  Maybe that's why I stick to building them, plank on frames, with out planking the lower hull.  Figure building Chucks hull gave me a chance to practice this part of the hobby. Not the best but that's ok. After a couple of month's, have manage to get 3 belts per side done, and  now facing what I believe to be the hardest belt to come. Looking at the landing of the counter planks and where the lower planks on the hull meet, will be a big test of getting the planking just right.  A sort of do or die I believe. Hoping that it will come out looking good but will have to wait and see. I have to line this belt off yet, which should be a big help doing it. Still a lot of sanding to do once the last belt is on and finally putting a finish on.  

Hello good folks. Seems like I have been doing this for every, planking that is. Don't think it's to bad, not perfect, but planking was always the hardest for me when it came to building and planking a hull.  Maybe that's why I stick to building them, plank on frames, with out planking the lower hull.  Figure building Chucks hull gave me a chance to practice this part of the hobby. Not the best but that's ok. After a couple of month's, have manage to get 3 belts per side done, and  now facing what I believe to be the hardest belt to come. Looking at the landing of the counter planks and where the lower planks on the hull meet, will be a big test of getting the planking just right.  A sort of do or die I believe. Hoping that it will come out looking good but will have to wait and see. I have to line this belt off yet, which should be a big help doing it. Still a lot of sanding to do once the last belt is on and finally putting a finish on.  

Hello good folks. Seems like I have been doing this for every, planking that is. Don't think it's to bad, not perfect, but planking was always the hardest for me when it came to building and planking a hull.  Maybe that's why I stick to building them, plank on frames, with out planking the lower hull.  Figure building Chucks hull gave me a chance to practice this part of the hobby. Not the best but that's ok. After a couple of month's, have manage to get 3 belts per side done, and  now facing what I believe to be the hardest belt to come. Looking at the landing of the counter planks and where the lower planks on the hull meet, will be a big test of getting the planking just right.  A sort of do or die I believe. Hoping that it will come out looking good but will have to wait and see. I have to line this belt off yet, which should be a big help doing it. Still a lot of sanding to do once the last belt is on and finally putting a finish on.  

Hello good folks. Seems like I have been doing this for every, planking that is. Don't think it's to bad, not perfect, but planking was always the hardest for me when it came to building and planking a hull.  Maybe that's why I stick to building them, plank on frames, with out planking the lower hull.  Figure building Chucks hull gave me a chance to practice this part of the hobby. Not the best but that's ok. After a couple of month's, have manage to get 3 belts per side done, and  now facing what I believe to be the hardest belt to come. Looking at the landing of the counter planks and where the lower planks on the hull meet, will be a big test of getting the planking just right.  A sort of do or die I believe. Hoping that it will come out looking good but will have to wait and see. I have to line this belt off yet, which should be a big help doing it. Still a lot of sanding to do once the last belt is on and finally putting a finish on.  

Well Druxey  I have to agree with you. Would strengthen the hull that's for sure. Gary

Alan it's looking outstanding and will even look better when you get the door way's cut out. I take it you will be installing the stern timber's next? Look forward to the next update. Gary

Rebuilt the side quarter and faired (sanded). Looking considerably better this time.
I installed a temporary brace across the top of the counter timbers to try to steady things a bit while I work in that area.
Marked of the top timbers and quarter doorways.  These will be cut down/out this weekend, then I'll get the cills installed.
I am hoping to do a better job on them also!

Hi All
 
I've now made the hinges and the lock for the pump well doors.  I made them out of 0.25mm brass sheet, 0.5mm brass rod and 1mm brass tubing.
They are attached using 0.6mm nails as I already had these in stock and didn't want to buy any more.  Here's a few pictures - I really like the one looking inside the well!








Cheers Mark  
 

Finishing my Swan Class Sloop
Mast Wedges, stubs for the masting, and a figure head.
I purchased the Lion figure (boxwood?) online from PRC. Required some adaptation for fitting.
Not one of the class as listed, but I read somewhere that a generic lion figure was sometimes used even when the ship’s name was something else.
 
Well, 30 months, about 3000 hours, 500+ postings. What a voyage of discovery. There were times, particularly at the beginning, that I wondered if I’d even depart the harbour. Of course, without the practicum TFFM books , Dan Vardas blogs and Kevin’s Videos, I would have been sunk many times. Thank you all.
Thanks to the Bosun (wife) for tolerating my taking a spare bedroom (and sometimes a second one), disappearing for hours, making noise in the early hours of the morning, and turning a blind eye to the expense of the new tools that I acquired. My grandchildren, perhaps hoping to inherit the ship, are even more attentive than usual.
Like a good book that you regret when finishing, so is this project.
I have more on the shelf, but will return to a Swan, perhaps with reduced innards, but fully planked and rigged. I have volume 4 TFFM and enough cherrywood stock.
 
And now for something completely different (Monty Python)----
 
The BISMARK - Amarti kit.

Thank you guys for very nice comments. Preparing to make these blocks was quite a challenge for me. But the result exceeded all my expectations. Uncritically, I have to admit that I myself am very satisfied with the result..
To Hsae - The blocks are made with a CNC milling machine, not from Proxxon, but a commonly available Chinese milling machine. The material for the blocks is pear.
The construction of the model moved to the next stage - rigging. I start by attaching the bowsprit.

The cheeks saga continues. I finally got both cheeks, both sides, close to finish size and pinning in place:
 

I made the cheeks up in two parts, hopefully to get the grain to run roughly parallel to the scratch moulding still needed to be done on each outboard surface:

I also used, for the first time, my handy vise attachments that hold irregular pieces. I don't know how else I would ever have held these multi-curved surfaces for shaping:

Then came the awful discovery that I had cut the top of my knee at the head to the wrong profile. Fifteen years ago I made my best guess at this shape (photo from 2008):

And then as the cheeks neared completion, I started wondering how the moulding continuing on from the top cheek--the hair bracket-- would be supported for its full length to the scroll at the top. I looked again at the original Bellona model, and saw there had to be a much higher core up from the knee of the head, between the hair brackets and abaft the figurehead:

I tried making one piece, with a slot to slip over the knee, but soon gave up on that as pretty impossible to cut a slot tapering in two directions while keeping it aligned athwartships and fore and aft:

I finally realized that the top of the knee should have looked more like this upper left piece in the drawing below:

So tomorrow, I will see how I can fit my retro piece onto the top of the knee, between the upper cheeks:

Wish I had understood that 15 years ago, and good thing I am not in a hurry....
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Hi, and thanks for the likes  ☺️
 
The stove:
 
 

Continuation: Making the yards - Topgallant yards - Vergue de perroquet
After the topsail yards, we continued with the making of the topgallant yards. 
Here is a quick look at my workplace with the most important utensils for making the yards:

 
The diameters of the topgallant yards, especially in the outer sections, range around 1.6 mm. In this respect, it is not surprising, if you work without a steady rest, that it can sometimes come to breakage. 

 
At the latest when working on the yardarms, it is advisable to support the filigree yards with a steady rest.


The next picture shows the finishing of the octagon in the center of the yard.

 
The last picture should give an impression of how filigree the topgallant yards are compared to the lower yards. It shows the yardarms of the main yard compared to the mizzen topgallant yard. The octagon of the yardarm of the mizzen topgallant yard still has a width of 1.3 mm at the outer end.

 
Of course, the royal yards can be made even thinner and more filigree. Especially the octagonal shaping at the yardarms requires special care.  
To be continued ...
 

Kevin I wouldn't mind seeing it to and was wondering how Maury keep's it in place. Have a couple of pieces which would work just fine. Enjoyed your last Video and look forward to the next one. Gary

Your welcome Mark. I thought it was castello boxwood. Just love working with that.  One thing about it is it doesn't show much of a grain which help's  enhances one's work.  Thank you again. Gary

Your welcome Mark. I thought it was castello boxwood. Just love working with that.  One thing about it is it doesn't show much of a grain which help's  enhances one's work.  Thank you again. Gary

Hi Mark. She's looking really good. I know you probably have mention this before but what wood are you using?  Look forward to your next update. Gary

Your welcome Mark. I thought it was castello boxwood. Just love working with that.  One thing about it is it doesn't show much of a grain which help's  enhances one's work.  Thank you again. Gary

I've now made a good start on the pump well - Here's the main parts that it's made up of which include some very simply reinforced doors.


Then they were assembled - They are well over sized at this point to give me loads to play with.  You will also see the very thin reinforcing battens at the opening



Next I used the template to cut it to the correct size but I left it overly high as this part has to fit snuggly under the main beams.  I also milled out the slot for the keelson and shaped the bottom of it to match the hull.

Then I removed the planks that I had previously fitted as the pump well sits directly on the frames.  I also at this stage cut the holes through the frames for the actual pumps.  I got a nice tight fit

I then used the main beams to determine the correct height and recessed the support posts to fit between the beams.  The well pump is wider that the opening between the beams. I also completed the side planking and added the planking nails.



And here's the pump well in situ inside the hull



I very pleased with the way it fits and I didn't have to make any alterations to the plans.  So my next job is to make the hinges and lock for the doors.
 
Cheers Mark

Amalio she is outstanding and a work of art. You could display  her next to the Mona Lisa and your's would be the work of art that shines. Gary