Heronguy

I've been remarkably slow in getting this launchway built.  I blame the weather.
 
The plans for this require a board with a set of timbers to create the incline.

 
Then the timber frame is built with additional keel supports every 2nd timber.  The ship will be held in place with a pair of brass rods inserted into the keel. 
 

 
Not shown are the support timbers that will eventually (appear to) support the hull laterally.  They'y won't be added until the hull is ready to be permanently fixed to the stand.  I've opted not to embellish the stand to make it look like the ground around the launch way.
 
I'm not totally confident in the strength of this as a stand but if necessary I can add some additional support to make sure the timbers don't become unglued by stress.  Part of the problem with weak joints to date may have been that the shed where I assembled it first was not heated and perhaps the glue was too cool to set well.  I'll see how the regaled timbers survive some handling.
 
 

Continuing with 1st layer of planking. Working from both directions - keel upward and top downward.


 

So far so good.

I added the historically unacceptable portholes to one side.  Since I didn't do it very well, and it looks silly to have portholes, I will tale them out and repair the hull. Live and learn.

Good Morning,
Working on ratlines this morning, I think I've just discovered, by accident, a useful little technique. I don't know if I'm alone in this or not, but when I apply a dab of glue to the knots, I always have trouble getting a good result. No matter how dilute I make the glue or how carefully I try to apply it, I always seem to get glue on the line itself, or dabs that are too big. Sometimes it dries white and sometimes it dries a bit shiny. In the past, I've touched it up with flat black paint and the result is often a bit messy.
 
I've finished the ratlines on the starboard side, and this morning I decided that I was unhappy with about three or four of them on each mast and decided to redo them. I applied rubbing alcohol with a small brush to the knots to loosen them. Of course, it's nearly impossible to do this without some dripping down and that's when I discovered that a very light brushing with the rubbing alcohol is just enough to take away any glued look, but nowhere near enough to loosen the knots. I when over both sets of ratlines and I've ended up with cleaner result than I've ever had before. (Of course, if after my cup of coffee I go back downstairs and discover all the ratlines laying on the bench, I'll be of a different opinion.) I don't believe that will be the case however, and I was happy to have stumbled onto this little remedy for my problem.
David

Well my guardian angel was watching today. Turns out I have placed those upper frame pieces incorrectly. They need to terminate at the wale edge, not 2 or 3 planks down. There is a support that I am about to add and it needs them higher up. It's all there in the instructions - I just skipped right over it.
 
The pieces did come up and since they extended under the flooring pretty far, I will be able to slide them up as needed. But I'm going to do some sanding first. There is a lot of excess glue on the inner hull and since that is in plain sight I think it needs to go. Actually the inner hull will be a lot easier to sand with the frames gone.
 
Thanks to Don for pointing this out! I owe ya a cold one.

I'm beginning to believe that the rigging for this yard is actually simpler than I've been imagining. It's been suggested in my other post under rigging questions that such a yard would be raised and lowered with the sail already in place on it, which makes sense to me. I think I'll seize a block to the mast near the top and seize a line around the centre of the yard. I'll pass the line through the block and belay it to a point on the deck yet to be determined. If I'm reading the plan correctly, it appears that there is a second block seized lower on the mast and a second line seized near the end of the yard, passed through the block and then belayed at the deck as well.

Although the plan doesn't show such a line, I may run one from the top of this yard to the end of the main gaff, which will put some tension on it, which may be necessary to for it to hold its position. The similar model in this photo shows such a line.
 
 
Thanks again,
David

Thank you Zoran - patience is a virtue I have very little of. A bad thing for a model ship builder. Don is good at spreading his patience around.
 
The lesson learned here was not so much about bending sticks. It was about slowing down. Every task is different. Even the same task on a different build.

just to make You happy, I would add a note that my colleague needs less than 10 minutes to form a strip like this one, using a bit of water and an ordinary pairs of pliers with a blunt top ... The practicing is all about ...

Regards, Zoran

Looks like you'v conquered the bending!  Nice work.  Isn't it great to get advice and support - always gives me the confidence to keep at it when someone like you or Don offer advice.  

Looks like you'v conquered the bending!  Nice work.  Isn't it great to get advice and support - always gives me the confidence to keep at it when someone like you or Don offer advice.  

She's looking beautiful Peter!

Yah Man Awesome!!!!!

I have done some more work on the rudder and the stern section. You definitely have to take your time making the hole for the rudder. I have added the ships name, stern carvings and the quarter badges. The quality of the quarter badges are a bit disappointing but I tried the best I could with what was in the kit. I don't think it's too bad.
When adding the letters and carvings I put the ship in a near vertical position to create a horizontal surface to work on and used the Gorilla wood glue, which gave me plenty of time to fiddle with the locations before the glue set. I avoid CA glue in these cases because of the speed it sets.
I tried a few options ageing the copper but I am not happy with the results so far. I haven't included any photo's of the copper test plate yet.
Here are the photo's.

Continuing with 1st layer of planking. Working from both directions - keel upward and top downward.


 

So far so good.

Thanks Jim. I can try that approach. I’ve never tried steam bending as opposed to planking iron (which I suppose comes down to internal steam bending). We even have a small steam cleaner out in the dairy somewhere!

You make me want to pull my lathe down off the shelf. The one with very little sawdust on it. Your tutorial makes me think even I might be able to do that exercise.
 
What a nice addition to the build!

No apologies needed in this thread. I left my ego at the door.  ALL suggestions and comments (positive and negative) are welcome here. The idea is we are all helping each other right? And it's obvious I need some help. IMHO Straight, honest responses will produce better results and further ones skills.
 
It sounds like the gist of both Zoran's and Don's post is I am in too big of a hurry. I was trying to do the whole operation in one pass and it's just too much of a bend to be doing so.
 
So the saw will stay on the shelf for another day. I will spend today SLOWLY working the 3x3's and see what I can come up with.
 
Thank you Zoran and Don. Both of your opinions and comments mean a lot to me. Please keep them coming!

Keep practising the bending, you will need it when it comes to the waterway or "covering board" on the Stefano. It only involves bending a 1.5 x 7 mm board laterally almost 90 degrees at the stern!!! Check it out. I'm thinking I'll start soaking the board now and wait for you to catch up then see how you tackle this.
Have a Good One

Your recent posting in @mikiek's Trajta log was quite timely - where I clamped the pear I have some small indentations.  Following your method I'll do a slight soak/steam to see if the dents will pop up before I have to do any sanding.  Thanks!

Thanks Peter.  I spent time today experimenting with the wood I had around here (no bending beech to try out though).
 
I certainly got some better results today using the brief soak and planking iron with SLOW bending - not too slow though as each of these took 2 or 3 minutes
 
The wood in order from the top of the photos are Swiss pear, jatoba, basswood, walnut and cherry.  After bending I clamped them together (hence the variation in size) and left them for a a couple of hours except for the Swiss pear.
 


 
The Swiss pear I clamped to the stern of the Syren and let it sit for a few hours before taking it off for the photos
 

 
I expect the Swiss pear will end up being my stern rail cap.
 

Hey Mike, Zoran beat me to the punch here but this was bothering me so I gave it a try using my curling iron method and here are the results. I used 3 x 3 mm walnut stock, the same as you would be using. Please do not think I am trying to make you look bad, I am not . I just hate seeing someone getting frustrated, as I do, I'm only trying to help.
 Forgive me for taking over your log and erase pictures if you wish:
 

This picture is showing the result of 30 min. soaking and a light bending. Notice the creases, I use a curling/straightening iron, when the final bending is completed I will dip the piece back in water and lightly use the iron again to help steam the creases out.
 

 Here is the final product. The process I use is to lightly bend until wood is dry then put back in water for about a minute, then bend some more. In this case I did this probably 8 or ten times. Trying not to force the wood to bend is the key to success, and unless it is a complete break it will splinter from the bottom and can be easily repaired with some ca glue. Note the creases are gone with some steaming(using curling iron) and some sanding. I could have done more sanding but this was just for demo purposes so I rushed through it. Total time this bend took from start to finish was a little over an hour.

Here is the tool I use, a cheap Walmart curling/straightening iron, it was less than $20.
 I again apologise for taking over your log

Thanks Peter.  I spent time today experimenting with the wood I had around here (no bending beech to try out though).
 
I certainly got some better results today using the brief soak and planking iron with SLOW bending - not too slow though as each of these took 2 or 3 minutes
 
The wood in order from the top of the photos are Swiss pear, jatoba, basswood, walnut and cherry.  After bending I clamped them together (hence the variation in size) and left them for a a couple of hours except for the Swiss pear.
 


 
The Swiss pear I clamped to the stern of the Syren and let it sit for a few hours before taking it off for the photos
 

 
I expect the Swiss pear will end up being my stern rail cap.
 

Thanks Peter.  I spent time today experimenting with the wood I had around here (no bending beech to try out though).
 
I certainly got some better results today using the brief soak and planking iron with SLOW bending - not too slow though as each of these took 2 or 3 minutes
 
The wood in order from the top of the photos are Swiss pear, jatoba, basswood, walnut and cherry.  After bending I clamped them together (hence the variation in size) and left them for a a couple of hours except for the Swiss pear.
 


 
The Swiss pear I clamped to the stern of the Syren and let it sit for a few hours before taking it off for the photos
 

 
I expect the Swiss pear will end up being my stern rail cap.
 

I've been remarkably slow in getting this launchway built.  I blame the weather.
 
The plans for this require a board with a set of timbers to create the incline.

 
Then the timber frame is built with additional keel supports every 2nd timber.  The ship will be held in place with a pair of brass rods inserted into the keel. 
 

 
Not shown are the support timbers that will eventually (appear to) support the hull laterally.  They'y won't be added until the hull is ready to be permanently fixed to the stand.  I've opted not to embellish the stand to make it look like the ground around the launch way.
 
I'm not totally confident in the strength of this as a stand but if necessary I can add some additional support to make sure the timbers don't become unglued by stress.  Part of the problem with weak joints to date may have been that the shed where I assembled it first was not heated and perhaps the glue was too cool to set well.  I'll see how the regaled timbers survive some handling.