RFP

The hull
 
I own a couple of Dremel's, and used that with a .5" drum sanding bit for most of the detailed work, but for the high speed removal of a lot of material, I used my Proxxon belt sander.  I've used it only a few times, but it has been indispensable for certain tasks.  It can be mounted in a vise or used as a hand tool.
 

 
There is material that needs to be removed at each end of the hull.  If I have this right, the excess wood is where the reproducing machine is attached to the blank.

 

 
I scanned the stem/stern profiles and a few of the station profiles from the plans and used Publisher to correct any sizing issues.  I printed them out on photo paper, which when cut is stiff enough to use to check the profiles.

 

 

 

 

 
Was my work perfect?  Not in a million years, but the stem and stern look close, and the overall profile is acceptable.  Even if I am off a bit, I do not have the "eye" to do this freestyle.  I needed the templates to get it acceptably close.
 
 
jbelwood mentioned that he noticed an issue with camber on his hull.  I never even considered that as a potential problem until I read his post.  So I looked.....

Yeah, that could be an issue.  Easily resolved with a sander.
Thanks jbelwood!!!!
 
The instructions say to draw a line down the center of the hull, all the way around.  Then draw another line 1/16th of an inch on both sides of the center line.  The stem/stern needs to maintain a flat 1/8th inch for the keel.  That was not going to work out for me.  I always colored outside of the lines, hehe...  I got the hull close to the 1/8th inch stern and stem.


 
I spot glued a strip of 1/8th inch wood to the stem and stern.  If I had done the pencil line thing, I would have sanded the pencil marks off the hull, destroyed the profiles, and ended up with a mess.  It may be less than perfect, but I have to think ahead to prevent me from screwing things up.

 
To get a "close" center line, I eyeballed putting a small nail into the center of the bow.  I tied a string on it, and ran it all the way around the hull.

 

 
I felt really good that the string was centered on the hull.  I felt even better when I got the ruler out.  I slipped it under the string and moved it so the ruler showed the width of the hull as something I could relate to, say 5" or 4".  Then I looked at where the string crossed the ruler.
 

 

 

 

 
To be fair, there was one spot where the hull was wider on one side than the other, but it was so small, I did not worry about it.  I marked the center at a few points, then used a ruler to draw the center line on the hull.  I'm feeling good about it.
 
 
My hull came with a few imperfections.  If I sanded them out, I think the hull would have shrunk a bit.  I opted to use light weight HobbyLite filler to fill in the imperfections and sand it down.

 
I'm sure there will be additional filler used when I do the first coat of primer on the hull, but I'm OK with things so far.  The sponsons will cover a lot of the hull, so I can go from there.
 
 
 
 

This is going to be a great build log... I'm going to be following right along, watching and learning.
 
Robert

Good morning, Norm...
 
I am so glad that you are building this gorgeous model!  Are you going to start a 'build log,' or are you just going to keep it all in this thread?
 
I've been a [mostly-lurking] member of this fine group for some time now, but have yet to actually start any constructive work.  I spend a lot of time trying to decide what ship I wanted to tackle as my re-entry into the hobby; way too much time.  I knew I didn't want another warship, and was kind of hot/cold toward whaling ships.  Then I 'found' the Portland and it really appeals to me, so evocative of that era.  After I had decided that the Portland would be 'it,' I promptly had some health issues the first five months of this year (all's well now!!), so I'm really wanting to get started soon.  So, after all that, I am so looking forward to watching you progress... I wish you the very, very best, have fun with it!
 
Rob

Norm,
 
Yes, indeed... good luck with your build!
 
Are you going to post a build log?  Please do... with lots of photos, too.  Thanks,
 
Robert

Good morning, John
 
Thank you for your reply and your generous offer of 'help' ... what a great resource!   I am so impressed with your work on your Portland, your talent and attention to detail is much in evidence.   While I really have no idea what lies ahead in the construction of the walking beam and officers' quarters, lust looking at all the photo-etched railings is enough to strike terror in my little heart.  But, as they say, "fools rush in....."
 
Thanks again, your photo in inspiring.
 
Rob

Here's another build for you to reference. See my comments and photos on page 2.
 
 

Thanks, Nic, for the kind suggestion... unfortunately (!) we are among the few cranky folks still alive that don't use Facebook.  
 
Since joining this fine group, I've done little except ask questions (such as this one)... I haven't started a thing!  Just as I was getting excited about resuming model-building, my wife (of fifty eight years) began having debilitating back problems.  After months of ineffectual treatment, we finally wised up and sought out a very fine neurosurgeon, who successfully operated on her back.  While the surgery was specific and 'fixed' a specific problem (pain), she still has a seventy-eight year old spine.  Regaining stamina and balance has been an uphill fight for her, and me, too, as I care for her.
 
Sorry for the boring story... Linda has progressed to the point where I can once again start agonizing over which model to tackle... I have been reading about the Portland for a couple of months now, and have pretty much decided it will be the one.
 
Again, thank you for your kind reply... I hope to be in the boat-building-business soon!
 
Rob

Thanks, Nic, for the kind suggestion... unfortunately (!) we are among the few cranky folks still alive that don't use Facebook.  
 
Since joining this fine group, I've done little except ask questions (such as this one)... I haven't started a thing!  Just as I was getting excited about resuming model-building, my wife (of fifty eight years) began having debilitating back problems.  After months of ineffectual treatment, we finally wised up and sought out a very fine neurosurgeon, who successfully operated on her back.  While the surgery was specific and 'fixed' a specific problem (pain), she still has a seventy-eight year old spine.  Regaining stamina and balance has been an uphill fight for her, and me, too, as I care for her.
 
Sorry for the boring story... Linda has progressed to the point where I can once again start agonizing over which model to tackle... I have been reading about the Portland for a couple of months now, and have pretty much decided it will be the one.
 
Again, thank you for your kind reply... I hope to be in the boat-building-business soon!
 
Rob

Thanks, Nic, for the kind suggestion... unfortunately (!) we are among the few cranky folks still alive that don't use Facebook.  
 
Since joining this fine group, I've done little except ask questions (such as this one)... I haven't started a thing!  Just as I was getting excited about resuming model-building, my wife (of fifty eight years) began having debilitating back problems.  After months of ineffectual treatment, we finally wised up and sought out a very fine neurosurgeon, who successfully operated on her back.  While the surgery was specific and 'fixed' a specific problem (pain), she still has a seventy-eight year old spine.  Regaining stamina and balance has been an uphill fight for her, and me, too, as I care for her.
 
Sorry for the boring story... Linda has progressed to the point where I can once again start agonizing over which model to tackle... I have been reading about the Portland for a couple of months now, and have pretty much decided it will be the one.
 
Again, thank you for your kind reply... I hope to be in the boat-building-business soon!
 
Rob

Thanks, Nic, for the kind suggestion... unfortunately (!) we are among the few cranky folks still alive that don't use Facebook.  
 
Since joining this fine group, I've done little except ask questions (such as this one)... I haven't started a thing!  Just as I was getting excited about resuming model-building, my wife (of fifty eight years) began having debilitating back problems.  After months of ineffectual treatment, we finally wised up and sought out a very fine neurosurgeon, who successfully operated on her back.  While the surgery was specific and 'fixed' a specific problem (pain), she still has a seventy-eight year old spine.  Regaining stamina and balance has been an uphill fight for her, and me, too, as I care for her.
 
Sorry for the boring story... Linda has progressed to the point where I can once again start agonizing over which model to tackle... I have been reading about the Portland for a couple of months now, and have pretty much decided it will be the one.
 
Again, thank you for your kind reply... I hope to be in the boat-building-business soon!
 
Rob

As the title says, I'm wondering if anyone is working on Bluejacket's side wheeler 'Portland.'  Looks to be a gorgeous model from an interesting period.  Thanks,
 
Rob

From another cranky person who also doesn't use Facebook I am glad you're wife is on the mend and good luck with your build .
 Martyn 

Well, I too think you are a genius!  Very nice... The Portland is a "class act," and so are you for resurrecting an ancient,  moribund kit, and bringing it to life.  Thanks for posting.
 
Rob

Moving to the stern, it is time to add the mahogany bench seats that ring the aft end. Next will be adding the bulwarks to them.

The progress is very slow - we are making lots of Christmas gifts, this year more or less nothing is bought in stores (apart from materials and components for the gifts).
But there is some quality increase - Daria insisted that I let her use Dremel (sanding drum mode), and proved that she is capable of controlling it with a steady hand. I was so proud! It was a fairing of an inside curve, not a very easy thing to do, requires accuracy. She did it perfectly, I am a happy dad
Dremel Micro is very balanced, so even a child can control it without a lot of efforts. 


 
The end result looks pretty ok:

I am so impressed with this build log, but I can't begin to tell you how all the charts have completely intimidated me.  I love the Glad Tidings, and was strongly considering it if I EVER get around to getting [re]started in this glorious hobby... now, I'm not so sure. 

I am so impressed with this build log, but I can't begin to tell you how all the charts have completely intimidated me.  I love the Glad Tidings, and was strongly considering it if I EVER get around to getting [re]started in this glorious hobby... now, I'm not so sure. 

The planking is done!  Yeah!
 
After the last plank, I spent a few hours on each side with scrapers, sand paper and vacuuming!  Also, mixing and adding epoxy to a few thin spots for support.  Time well spent. 
When I started planking, I didn't have a planking plan, so belt A is different on each side.  But somewhere I settled on 6 / 8 and 11 / 13.  Thinking I should have had a third set of joints to break it up a bit more.    

 
The stern stem planking and the stem itself needs a little bit of filler.

 
In the original plan, the planks at the bow stem were 3.24mm on the port side and 3.43 on the starboard side.  Needless to say, I was a bit off.  
By the port side C belt, this measurement was down to 2.62mm.  I contemplated "adding a plank" for about 10 minutes, I stayed with the plan of narrow planks.  In this close up, you can see the difference in size as the planks hit the bow stem.

 
When I did the original planking plan, I thought I was measuring correctly.  To figure out where I went wrong, I 'charted' the planking plan.  In the chart below, the blue line is the original planking plan - the plan flat lined for the bowstem and second bulkhead.  Going back to basics, I 'smoothed' the numbers to follow the general line of the hull, the bow stem to 2.90 mm and 3.00 mm for bulkhead #2.  These measurements would have been a better start until I was able to get a 'solid' measurement.  OK, now I now better.   

 
THE FINAL THREE PLANKS!!!!  
I wanted to make sure the last plank would be easy to shape and get a tight fit.  I remeasured and came up with a plan for the final plank, then worked backwards to get the measurements for the 2nd and 3rd to last planks.  These measurements are highlighted in gray in the spread sheet below. 
In the chart, the blue line shows the smooth shape / plan of the final plank and the green line shows the wonky shape of the other two planks.  It took time to get the 2nd and 3rd wonky planks shaped, but the last plank was really easy to make and fit.       

 
 

 
 
And THAT's the last of the charts and graphs!
 
Need to do a bit more work on each side, then some sanding sealer and some covering to protect the hull from me adding unwanted nicks and dings in the hull.  I still need to decide on paint colors  
 
Thanks for stopping by!
 
Dee Dee
 
 

Dee Dee, 
 
I am so happy to see your update and get to see your planking progress... it certainly looks great to me!  I am interested in your comment (back in February), "I found out that CA glue doesn't like the ink in Sharpie markers."  So, did you use PVA glue instead?  What glue are you using on the planks, both on the plank-to-bulkhead and the plank edge-to-plank edge?  See what a total newbie I am?  
 
Rob

Following along... Can't wait until the next update!  
 
Rob

Dee Dee, 
 
I am so happy to see your update and get to see your planking progress... it certainly looks great to me!  I am interested in your comment (back in February), "I found out that CA glue doesn't like the ink in Sharpie markers."  So, did you use PVA glue instead?  What glue are you using on the planks, both on the plank-to-bulkhead and the plank edge-to-plank edge?  See what a total newbie I am?  
 
Rob

Dee Dee, 
 
I am so happy to see your update and get to see your planking progress... it certainly looks great to me!  I am interested in your comment (back in February), "I found out that CA glue doesn't like the ink in Sharpie markers."  So, did you use PVA glue instead?  What glue are you using on the planks, both on the plank-to-bulkhead and the plank edge-to-plank edge?  See what a total newbie I am?  
 
Rob

Thanks for the update.  I've been really looking forward to this build.  I am fascinated with these little 'working boats' and know that your build will be very instructive to a newbie like me.  As soon as i tidy up about a g'zillion other (non-model) projects, I am going to build this beauty.  Again, thanks for such thorough posts.
 
Rob 

Saturday, July 15th, 2017
 
The hull practically finished.  Now, only minor details are missing, and a final black paint coat on the outside.
 
Next planned activity: building the oars. My starting point is a nice walnut stick 7 x 7 mm. I'm thinking about the right procedure to make them.
 
Regards, Jack.
 
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Thanks to all for stopping in, for your comments and for all the likes. Got a little more done in the last two days mainly the ship's stove is now installed complete with a stockpile of firewood and an axe. The pump was also made and installed, this is a little kit included with the package, I think it looks pretty good. It came with 3 mm copper strapping for the bands, however, I replaced that with some card stock
 

 
 Hope you enjoy, have a good evening