Heronguy

I never closed that gap on mine. I also got it, but it wasn't a problem. The first planks are almost twice the thickness of the ply, just work your way down and realise that your first planks might not also quite sit on that 2nd bulkhead, and then reduce that error until they do, with subsequent planks. 

here are the instructions
 
Bluenose II AL20500 Instructions.pdf

here are the instructions
 
Bluenose II AL20500 Instructions.pdf

if it helps, this is how I do it:

first, prepare one end of the shroud: make an empty loop by the end of it. use the thinnest thread from your kit for this. once the loop is done, insert a deadeye and pull it tight. then add the two seizing above (you can finish it by brushing on diluted glue).
then, find an approximate position of the deadeye on the other end. this don't need to be exact. make an empty loop and leave it as is, for now.
Then place the pair of shrouds on the model, and use a wire spacer to temporarily fix the rigged end. by sliding the empty loop on the other end, find the proper position for the other deadeye. insert a deadeye, pull it tight. Finally add the two seizings. For the last step, you may wish to remove the shroud from the model to make finishing more convenient, or use some made up device as below (I know it's not looking great):

i hope it helps.
 
 

Building a Fifie
 
Well Chris has done it again, he does have a knack of producing very appealing kits.
When I saw Chris’s kit of this iconic Fishing vessel of North East Scotland, it seemed to meet a particular need I have at this moment.
 
In the present covid 19 situation I have been feeling a little restless, a little unsettled, with a reluctance to commit to a more involved project such as my Royal Barge kit, as I had intended, following completion of the Alert Cutter build.
 
The Fifie fits the bill.
 
A model of moderate size that won’t require casing.
 
Straightforward construction unlikely to present me with excess brain ache or worry.
 
A relatively short build-time project.
 
A project allowing me to research a vessel type I’ve little knowledge of and an excuse to buy more books – already arrived.
and finally a change from the naval vessels I have been building over the past many years to date.
 
I did wonder about doing a build log on the Fifie, given that James H has mostly detailed the kit both in his kit preview and build log.
 
However, writing about a model as I build it is something I have got used to doing, and it will also fill in time during our current lockdown situation.
 
The kit arrived today, securely packaged.
 
First impressions are very good, a beautifully presented manual, and clear plans together with great materials.
 
Two things that particularly caught my eye.
 
The maple veneer laser cut deck, nice colour and layout; I doubt I will bother individually planking the deck on this one.
 
The sail set;
I’ve never been a fan of cloth provided sails on models invariably too thick and coarse.
The sails provided with the Fifie (albeit at extra cost) are altogether different.
The material is fine and soft, the stitching and bolt ropes beautifully done, and I’m pleased I invested in this ‘extra’
 
 
So to work,  I don’t anticipate going ‘off piste’ too much with this build, but there may be little tweaks here and there as I proceed, and these I will mention as I go along, but it is likely to be a fairly short log.
 
 
B.E.
12/05/2020

Thanks, Mark, Chuck, and Rusty.  One thing I didn't really share with the group is that planking above the wales was really a bear for me.  I pealed off and redid about half the planks for various fit and finish problems.  At one point, I got a full row above a problem and had to scrape off both, wondering all along what kind if idiot would do such a thing.  So for anyone else that finds that part a struggle: You are not alone!  I'm back to feeling pretty good about my chances of success on this project.

Maybe my profile is just scraped too thin at the lower edge. It was a great moment, adding the first of Jack‘s superb figures to the model. 

Small disaster tonight.  Walking away from my work desk my sweater caught the bowsprit and the Bluenose II followed its predecessor and sank (i.e hit the floor.


Damage wasn't too bad   - the keel broke off along the glue joint (easy fix), the main mast and the bowsprit likewise can be easily reglued.  The anchor chains can be straightened out.  I thought I got off really really easily until I noticed that the hull had been holed.  Hopefully once filled, sanded and painted it will not be too noticeable a blemish.

 
 
Lesson learned? - naked modelling?????

Current status of the project.  I've been working on this model for about 10 years.  I think I can finish in about another year or so.
Started life as a Mantua-Sergal kit 1980's vintage, extensively modified according to Longridge and Underhill.
Thanks for looking.  Lou

I have scans of instructions for my version of Bluenose II ans well as the later version from Artesania Latina. That I can send.  
 
 

I have scans of instructions for my version of Bluenose II ans well as the later version from Artesania Latina. That I can send.  
 
 

I thought I'd have a break from the hull and cannon and show how I intend to make the spars for Speedy from castello boxwood sheet. I've gone for the bowsprit as it is a reasonable size to demonstrate the method.
The bowsprit is 6mm diameter, so the first step was to rip a square strip from 6mm sheet. I made it over-length to allow for trimming and to allow sufficient waste to grip in the lathe.
  
The next step is to reduce the square section to an octagon. Some years ago I made a little jig to mark square stock prior to planing:
 

The idea is to pull the stock between the two brass pegs, making sure that the wood keeps in contact with both pegs and the marking pin between them. When you've made one pass, you turn the wood round end to end and pull the wood through again. You repeat this for all four faces, ending up with two scribed lines in each face. So what, you say?
 

The idea is that these two lines divide each face in the ratio 7:10:7, which ensures that when you plane each corner down to the lines, all eight resulting faces will be equal. The beauty of the little jig is that it doesn't matter what size the stock is - provided it will fit between the pegs, the scribed lines will always be in the correct ratio. When I made the jig I had to work out the spacings and the diameter of the pegs from basic geometry but if anyone's interested I could post the measurements. 
 
Here's the next stage, using a standard planing jig.

Starting with the green Stanley 100-type finger plane and finishing with the Veritas low-angle block plane it only took a few minutes to reduce all four corners.
 
On to the lathe - although a drill or Dremel-type rotary tool would do equally well:

Again, it only took a few minutes to sand the dowel down to a reasonable round section. I started with 120 grit and finished on 600. A quick coat of shellac which protects and imparts a nice warm sheen and the bowsprit's finished, bar trimming to final length.

 
I'll make the remaining spars in due course. Even if you can't get hold of boxwood, I'd certainly consider using a lighter coloured wood than walnut if you can.
 
 
Derek
 
 
 

Afternoon!
 
Ok, this one is going to take me a little longer than the prototypes of VM's Fifie and Zulu! I'll try to keep this updated as often as I can if there's some real interest. Flirt is based on the previous Speedy kit, but with some notable differences. The model itself won't have a launch as standard, and there are differences to the rig too, plus the deadeyes are replaced with pear wood heart blocks. She also won't be coppered below the waterline, instead being painted white. Before I kick off with the hull, I built the temporary cradle. This is only temporary as there's a clear acrylic one for the finished model, and I don't want to use that until I really need to. Onwards with the prototype! Again, these are photos that will eventually be in the instruction manual, and not regular bench build images.
 

 
 
The regular kit will have 3mm MDF for the main hull components. I quite like this material. It's easy to sand and takes the nails and glue real well. There will be a Master Shipwright version where the MDF will be replaced with birch ply, but that will be very limited edition! There is actually a little birch ply in the standard kit, replacing the MDF stern frames. 


 
 
As you'd expect, everything just drops together, and those that are building the Speedy I'm sure would testify to. The bulkheads, minus the bevelled ones, are now glued in place. There are also two parts which support the lower deck ends. These are also now glued into place.


 
 
One difference to Speedy is the replacement of the lower MDF deck with an engraved ply deck. This, as before, fits in four sections.




 
 
With the deck in place, glue is brushed un the undersides. That'll give more strength, and some rigidity to the outer portions of the deck edges.

 
That's it for the moment. I've been so busy that I've barely noticed I've been in isolation for over a month. It's one way to make the time fly! More soon.
 
 
 

Well, it's only my second update on this, but it's my last! She's all done. As it's for the instructions, I've had to work very quickly. 
 
The pear wood keel is now added to the hull. The things you see attached to it are some little MDF clamps that help keep everything in alignment whilst the parts set. 

 
The whole keel is then faced with more pear. This creates a rabbet into which you can lay the plank ends. 

 
Planking this hull in pear is very straightforward. I managed to lay 5 planks before any taper. With everything in situ, the rudder cable holes were opened up again and the hull sanded smooth.


 
 
A sanding stick was used to level the top of the bulwarks prior to me adding the rubbing strakes. The top strake site at bulwark height.


 
 
Onwards with the rudder! The wooden part has laser holes for the nails, and they fit perfectly with no need for drilling out. 

 
 
Amati's waterline tool is used to mark the model prior to the red oxide primer being applied. I've used Plastikote for this, with some filling prep work beforehand and rubbing down between coats. 


 
 
With the MDF bulkhead ears removed, the laser engraved deck is now installed and the pre-shaped timberheads fitted in place, followed by the bulwark rails. This is also supplied laser cut. This is a very prefabricated model, hence the reason I can build it in 2 weeks for the instruction manual (which will be far more descriptive than this!), plus edit the photos and write the thing!



 
 
Now I can build the deck fittings, such as the wheel unit, fish hatches, steam winch, companionway etc. 








 
 
The Fifie has two masts, and the foremast is supplied as square section rod which needs rounding and tapering. The mast ring is used to make sure the top is the correct diameter. 

 
 
Rigging blocks and rig anchor points fitted the hull and bulwarks.

 
 
And the model is finally completed with her sails.




 
 
This is a very simple kit that still looks beautiful when finished. The rigging is dead simple and there's nothing in construction that anyone should find hard. In all, I think it's perfect for a newcomer, but if you just like fishing boats, then you'll like this!
 
Hope you like it as much as I enjoyed building it. Right....on with HMS Flirt!

This schooner has been languishing on the shelf for a few months awaiting the motivation to work on the rigging.  When the @xken's Ratliner tool was released I decided to give it a try.  My use of the Ratliner is documented in this forum.  The main mast shrouds were made that way.
 
Once the shroud set is placed on the model it is still necessary to reeve lanyards through the deadeyes.  This has in the past been a step I found straightforward in theory and frustrating in practice.  I found a small enhancement to the process that helped me a alot!
 
As recommended by others on MSW I use a piece of bent brass wire to temporarily connect the upper and lower deadeyes at the desired spacing.
 

 
 I've bee frustrated by the tendency of the wire to slip out before the lanyard is threaded.  Solution turned up in my daughter's earring box.
 

 
On a cheap pair of ear studs there were these small rubber/plastic keepers.  Easy on, easy off, but no slip!

 
With the pair on it was easy to wrap the bottom end of the shroud around the deadeye and clamp it to the shroud above and then proceed to reeve the lanyard.  Once the 1st wrap is made the keepers are removed so they don't interfere with the threading.  Works for me.
 
The foremast shrouds and ratlines were done in the usual way - shrouds 1st then tied the ratlines.  The mainmast shrouds were done with the Ratliner.  
 

 
Don't worry about the forestay - I'll tighten it!
 
I'm looking forward to more rigging - gotta conquer it sometime so why not now?
 
 

I am experimenting with a method for preparing the lower shrouds.  I like the appearance of the shouts being served both at the mast top and at the deadeye.  Using Syren Ship Company's Servo-o-matic it is easy to do the serving.  The experimental part, and the part I'm most concerned about if getting lengths correctly.
 
The experiment used some brown rigging line for the shroud and some black sewing thread for serving.

 
I measure the length I wanted for the shroud (actually 3 measurements - the length of the serving at the mast, the length of the serving at the deadeye, and the distance between the edges of those two servings - I call this the brown length).  
 
My 1st attempt was not spectacularly consistent as you can see.

 
For the 2nd try I refined my measurement methods and achieved better results.
 



 
I'm supposed to have 15 mm between upper and lower deadeyes - looks pretty good.
 
So what's the problem?  Each pair of shrouds is going to rest on the previous ones at the mast.  That will change the length of the brown length.  Furthermore each deadeye is at a slightly different distance from the mast top.  So is this method too cumbersome and error prone - each shroud pair has to be individually measured.  
 
I can't see any easy (i.e. Serv-o-matic friendly) way of doing the serving at the deadeye ends after the shroud pair is on the mast.  If I could for the serving once mounted the deadeye spacing could be adjusted more easily.
 
Any pointers to other ways of accomplishing this?  On my previous build I tried using the deadeye spacing jig and seizing the shroud at the correct spacing - but in that build I didn't serve the lines at all.
 

So... 18 months since I last posted... we've moved house and the model lay unloved for quite a while. But, after a big push and some forced lock-down, I'm finally finished!
 
I'm not sure how I managed to get through the running and then the standing rigging - really tested patience for a newbie like me. 
 
Loads of mistakes but delighted to have got to the point I am happy to down tools and declare victory.
 
@MESSIS - thanks for your help and support. This isn't a patch on your work of art, but glad to have got another one over the line.
 
Really loved Woody Joe kit - fabulous, even in Japanese. Highly recommended.
 
 

I think you are quite right.  Some refinements are called for!

I read your Mare Nostrum tonight. I think we're both on the steep part of our learning curve. I actually have 3 models on the go. I thought then1st would be where I could make most of my most serious mistakes and the next two would follow quickly enough that I would apply what I was learning. I may slow down progress - 3 hulls to fair, 3 hulls to plank, ... You are making good speed compared to me.
 
Lots of great advice aboard MSW!
 
Doug

Since my last post I've been rigging.  Learned a little but I'm quite tired of this model at the moment so I'm going to leave it in the drydock.
 
I'm not displeased with the result but I can see many areas where I will expect more from the kit and more from the kit builder in future.
 
I understand the many comments i read in other build logs about the rigging materials, relative sizes and attempts to be at the correct scale.  I didn't like the yarns that came with the kit so I substituted from the weaving yarn stash here at home.  I'm not very satisfied with the results but I'm not willing to cut them all off and start again.
 
The rigging plan that came with the kit diverged considerably from what I find on my plans for the AL Bluenose II and from the Jenson book.  I suppose part of that was an attempt to simplify the rigging given the intended audience and the scale of the model.  Unfortunately it left me without much alternatives for trying to decode the plan.  
 
I thought that this would be a good kit for a 1st timer (me) but would recommend to another newbie to choose a model at a larger scale to begin with.  What was nice about this particular kit was the split hull which did simplify things right at the start.  The deck furniture was not very pleasing and I've already commented on my feelings about the rigging.
 
I'm not going to mark this build log as finished as I may want to come back to it when I've developed some additional skill (always the optimist? - not really always)
 
 

Hi Steve,
 
I was expecting an even number as well.  A small section of the rigging plan is shown in this post.  The 3rd image in that post shows how the odd number of shrouds are rigged on the mast.
 
Looking at my plans for the larger Bluenose II - it shows 4 shrouds at the foremast and 5 for the main mast.
 
Lennarth Petersson 2nd book Rigging Period Fore-and-aft Craft  has this diagram for the French Lugger

 
 
And finally - leafing through Harold Hahn's The Colonial Schooner 1763-1775 I came across this photo

 
I love this sport - I keep learning things!

Let's see how we can develop some skill with deadeyes!! (This may sound a little like I'm venting so feel free to skip this post!)
 
**** Venting starts
 
It looks really easy - four simple steps and the shroud will be rigged!
 


 
So far ok I guess  - took a while to get here.

 
Drat - the chain plate glue broke.

 
Try again

 
Well I don't like the glue,  trying to seize with thread and just how am I supposed to get the lanyard straight!!!! 
 
Venting over ****
 
How to you get the orientation of the deadeyes set so the threading of the lanyard is "organized nicely" - especially when these tiny deadeyes are somewhat randomly drilled.

 
How to deal with the ugly glue bumps?
 
Is sewing thread suitable for seizing a line?
 

Going to tension them.  Currently following Frank Mastini's dictum to assemble as much rigging as possible before I step the masts onto the ship.  The pictures shown have the foremast clamped in a vice.  The halyard for the gaff is just dangling.
 
I think I'll mount the mast through the deck before I ring the shrouds though.

I'm making my 1st tentative steps at the rigging.
 
Part of the challenge with this 1:100 scale kit is the size of the blocks and deadeyes.  My first successful attempts at stropping the blocks:
 

 

 
Working on the foremast required my 1st gaff.  Seemed to go without any major gaffes.
 


 
The throat that that holds the gaff to the spar doesn't have any barrels to hold it on so I've temporarily wired it onto the mast.  I presume at the end of the day (i.e when the model is done) I'll have to glue it to the mast?
 

Well, some success with the dowels.
 
I invested in a dremel and a dremel "workstation" this week.
 

 
As I mentioned previously the fore topmast is former from a 3mm (1/8") dowel which conveniently fits in the 1/8" collet.  Using the newly purchased dowel (since I broke the kit ones) I was able to successfully shape them as long as I carefully supported the dowel end (I was considering making a little support stand but had enough hands to be able to work!)
 
I used a file for the shaping and some sandpaper for a final smoothing.
 


 
The bottom of the mast needed a small reduction to fit the trestle tree and cap.