Jim Rogers

Installing the risers was up next.  They are designed in two pieces for each side.  They are laser cut with notches in them for the thwarts.  This means that the placement of these is crucial.  The very first thing I did was measure off the plan the distance from the top of the caprail down to the top edge of the riser.  I did this at every frame on both sides of the model so I was sure these would be placed at the same level port to starboard.  The aft piece is the first to be glued into position.  But I did add the nails ahead of time because I think it would be easier.  So I clamped it in position temporarily to mark the frame along the riser and then after unclamping, I drilled and inserted the fishing line for the nails.   This first piece is left a bit long just like I did with the planking.  So you need to mark the forward end in the middle of the frame and cut off the excess.  This is very important because the next section will butt against it and the thwart notches need to line up.  Its easy enough to do but you must be careful.  Then it was glued into position making sure that the top of aft end was level with the top of the bulkhead frame it sits against.  The cockpit seats will sit on top of this so they need to be level with each other. 
 
You could see the forward section waiting to be glued into position.  No trimming needed.  This just needs to be butt against the aft section tightly.
 

 
Here you can see both sections of the risers in position.

Then I made up the thwarts.  Like the floorboards these have a fancy edge.  Since scraping Cedar is problematic, I made each thwart in two layers glued together.  I just cleaned the char of the edges and glued the layers together creating an even fancy edge on both sides.
 
These are laser cut extra long as well.  You will need to cut them to length so they fit in the notches nicely.  You may have some that require some notching around the frames.  But its pretty straight forward stuff.  These are not glued in yet.  I will wait until I make the cockpit seats next and after some detailing on those which I will describe,  they will be glued unto position.  The center thwart with the cut away for the mast also needs detailing before it can be glued into position.  Its finally moving along and actually looks like a boat!!!  It wont be long now!!!
 
Feel free to ask me any questions.  This model really shows the beauty of the yellow cedar which I am really liking the more I use it.
 


 
 
 
 

Well Lou,
There's NO HOPE for you. I was in the Federal Witness Protection Program until the G-kids were able to track me down. Never, and I mean NEVER, doubt the abilities of a teenager and a computer.
After last night shopping spree (Thanks again Lou) future Christmas's, birthdays and graduation presents have been canceled. My one G-kid said it made more sense to him for me to sell my free and clear 2009 Silverado (only 56,000 miles on it) and just start using UBER seeing I drive so little nowadazes. I said the numerous trips to the hobby store might get expensive URBER wise but the verdict is still out on that one.
Forget the funny nose, wig, and weird glasses.....they WILL find you!!! They are worse than the Miafia...trust me...
 
You'll be GLAD to hear my shopping spree, thanks no doubt to YOU of course, netted me:
The sails you suggested
57 brass canons...will that be enough?
34 canon carriages...same question as above
An oak deck 
and a partridge in a pear tree...lol
All from the  guy in the Czech Republic
 
All kidding aside I really appreciate the suggestions as I hopefully won't have to look back someday and say..." I should have gotten this to really make it look really nice."
I know there will be a point that I will have to curtail future spending so as to NOT get ridiculous....  IF that is even possible. LOL
Next stop, this week, will be to the local hobby store for paints and various implements of destruction.
Any suggestions here guys? I have #11 Exacto blades and a headset mag light.

However I really need peoples help and suggestions now. I'm trying to do the figurehead. Now...I kinda get the feeling that I'm not doing something correctly 🤔. I've never tried to sculpt a figurehead before so don't know what to do it in (Ideally I'd like to do it in wood as it should be). I can hear you all having a giggle I know I have but any suggestions will be very gratefully received 😊 Oh this is my first attempt 😊

I've done a bit more to my ship. Working on the Bow trim and whilst things were going off I started on the deck furniture 

Hello Lin
Looking forward to watching your progress. So far your construction, painting, and plating look superb to me.

A quick update on progress.
 
I have now fitted the top four and bottom 2 strakes, including the garboard strake, to each side. I will continue adding 2 strakes to the top for every one at the bottom and hope to meet around where the bilge goes into the side planking. So far it is going well and only a minimal amount of tidying up will be required.
 
When it is required to bend the planks, I soak them in water and then clamp them to the required shape and let them dry. As there is always some spring back, if it is a really tight curve I over bend them slightly. These pictures show the garboard strake being over bent and its final shape before gluing.


Gluing the second strake at the bottom.

This is about as far as I have now got. The other side is the same.


I like to take care with the first planking and try to use it to learn the run of the planks for the second planking. I also use it to find where stealers will be necessary and where there may be any difficulties. So far the main problems with the 1st planking have been the turn of the planks both from going from the side to underneath the stern counter and the sweep from the hull up over the stern counter.
 
Currently I am fitting the next strakes each side at the bottom. I try to make them in pairs so the two sides match.
 
This next strake at the bottom requires a stealer. I first cut the full length plank to shape using a rule to get a straight edge on the flat plank. I then position this on the hull with a thin piece of material underneath on which I can then draw the outline of the space left by the full length plank to make a template for the stealer. For this I am using some 0.6mm strip the same width as the planking material. This ensures the width of the stealer will be enough to fill the gap and I can insure it is fully pushed up to the adjacent plank.
 
This picture shows the template in position for the outline to be drawn. Usually I do not use the clamps, but I could not hold everything in place and take the picture. I think the strip I am using for the template has moved slightly towards the left in the picture. As can be seen I am using a planking fan and dividers to mark out the widths of each plank to cut them to shape.

Here is the end of the full length plank and stealer cut to shape.

And here they are soaked and held in place with clamps while they dry out to the correct shape. Once dry I will glue them in place. Quite pleased with the fit.

This also shows the tight bend over the stern counter. The top plank is vertical, the next plank goes from vertical to near horizontal in a few inches and there is a stealer in-between over the last two bulkheads.
 
Once this strake is glued in place I will remeasure the length left on the stern frames and put them on my planking fan.
 
Am enjoying this.
 
Glenn

Eric
try going over the copper tiles with a wallpaper seam roller.  I used one and it set the tile very nicely.  See roller in picture below.  don't press down too hard
 

Good Morning,
I have now finished planking the hull. I hesitated to include this picture, because it looks so bad, but here it is nevertheless.
 
I'm not a very good hull planker and I'm always glad to have that part of the build behind me. This hull is single planked, and there is supposed to be a sharp line along the top edge of the wale, with the planking below the line thicker than the planking above the line. I could not seem to maintain a consistent lip along its length and it completely disappeared at the stem. To solve the problem, I first sanded the area of the wales flush with the upper planking and then applied a second layer of 3/64" walnut that I had left over from a previous kit. I planked down only as far as the point where the copper plating begins (which is quite high on this ship.) I feathered it out and applied filler. It is now well sanded and sealed with some poly. I know it looks awful at this point, but it's actually a smooth, solid and reasonably symmetrical hull with a very nice crisp line along the wales. I think it will look just fine once some black paint and copper plates are added. I know my planking skills would never allow me to build a model with an all natural finish where every plank is on full display like so many of you can do so well, but as long as I stick to paint and/or copper finishes I should be ok.
 
So now, for me, the hard part is over and the fun part begins.
David

Thanks for that Thomas
 
Am just back from a trip and ready to copper again , finish it
but it Seems to me the plates a slipping 😲
I used sanding sealer befor I started the task maby it was a wrong idé? 
And I have also only used gloves for this task.
 
Svein.erik 
 
 

Your copper plating is really well done!  👍
 
Thomas

Hi everyone 😊
Befor I take the task of finishing the copper plates 
I needed a brake, so I pre made some dekk fittings  (not finish yet)
Gratings  are from syrenshipsmodellcompany 
 
Svein.erik 
 
 

Finish 😅 one side,  more to go before the copper plates is dunn!
 
Svein.erik 

Thanks for the liks everyone, 
my plating is going forward, it was much easier then I belive, but am not finished yet
I hope my curve on the plates is going g to make a problem to me, specialy at the bow!
 
Svein.erik

Thanks for the liks and comments 
I started the copper plating now , its my first time for this 
and I hope it goes well😉
 
Svein.erik 

I have just turned out all the lights, locked the doors. turned off the phone and in the process of moving and not leaving a forwarding address!!!!!
I already got the grand kid knock on the door! Fifteen years ago, and again ten years ago! There is not enough left of me to to start again! At last count the Admiral and I have had over 48 years of non stop kids and still have another seven or eight years to go.
 
I had hoped that by this age I would be putting a healthy dent in the kids inheritance! Instead they found out how to do it to me instead.
 
The best I can do now Mike, is help you spend your kids inheritance so that they don't get spoiled and learn to become self sufficient. 

Like Lou I am also currently building the Phoenix. Here is the color scheme I decided on, have no clue if it is historic or not.

Lou you are a bad bad man 😂🤣😂😁

Brass canons???
Brass canons???
Well...the grandkids get too much stuff from their parents for their birthdays so they probably won't mind me skipping their presenrs next year.
Gotta order those canons before he runs out!!!!
Thanks Lou.
Sending the grandkids your email address...ROTFLMAO!!!!!
 

Not to many actually.  Thank you for the kind words.  I wish I had more time during the week to build.  I am only spending about 4 hours a week on this project as far as build time goes.   The platforms and floorboards took me a couple of hours.   If I had to guess actual build time (not development time for the plans and design)  I would say I have spent maybe 25  hours give or take actually constructing the model up to this point.  

Love your slipway I'd just have to get the angles right.the driftwood is an interesting concept.

I build launch ways. They are sturdy, the model is very stable and removable.

Spent some more time on Deck Furniture while waiting for plumbers and electricians to hook up my new standby generator. No more worrying about power outages in storms (hurricanes or severe thunderstorms, both have been known to happen here in Central Florida). Got both fife rails and the pump completed. Ordered a brass bell from Billings Boat, kit one is Britannia metal so will work on the the ship's bell next. No scroll saw yet, UPS guy is late. So here are the three pieces that I got finished. I used rubber cement to attach a copy of the drawing to my build board, then drilled the posts on the fife rails for metal pins and drilled holes in the build board (through the plan) to hold the fife rail posts. Fashioned the connecting rails (and added some support pieces to help provide some more area for the glue to work) and then glued everything together. I will transfer the plan pieces to the deck and use the holes to locate the holes for the fife rails. Probably will not mount any of the deck furniture until after all the guns are mounted and the masts, yards, etc. are ready for mounting.

Jim/Darrell - thanks, found a Delta on Facebook Marketplace. Will have it tomorrow. Haven't decided whether to buy the stand (is does not come with one). Will put it on my "power tool" bench for now.

My Sear's Craftsman does the job. Pretty low tech item so you should find a suitable unit on the used market for minimal cost. For ship building, I use mine a lot.

Another option from Micromark called Sand-It.