-Mike-

Looking very good, nice and clean so far Andy. The thin bridging strips across the top of the first three bulkheads  - I broke all of them, sometimes more than once!
You are probably aware of this already but it took me quite a while to work it out, the answer to just about everything you need to know about this build is in the plans - somewhere! Sometimes you have to look at two or three different sheets to get the full picture of a specific element that you are working on but it is there.

Hi Wizbang69
I actually completed this build last year and there are some pics in the gallery (uploaded feb 2018) if they help at all.
I'm a long way from being a good or experienced builder and I found the Fish to be extremely challenging at times but more than worth it in the end.
Good Luck and I'll drag up a chair if you don't mind.
Mike

Hi Wizbang69
I actually completed this build last year and there are some pics in the gallery (uploaded feb 2018) if they help at all.
I'm a long way from being a good or experienced builder and I found the Fish to be extremely challenging at times but more than worth it in the end.
Good Luck and I'll drag up a chair if you don't mind.
Mike

Hi Wizbang69
I actually completed this build last year and there are some pics in the gallery (uploaded feb 2018) if they help at all.
I'm a long way from being a good or experienced builder and I found the Fish to be extremely challenging at times but more than worth it in the end.
Good Luck and I'll drag up a chair if you don't mind.
Mike

Hi Wizbang69
I actually completed this build last year and there are some pics in the gallery (uploaded feb 2018) if they help at all.
I'm a long way from being a good or experienced builder and I found the Fish to be extremely challenging at times but more than worth it in the end.
Good Luck and I'll drag up a chair if you don't mind.
Mike

Hi Wizbang69
I actually completed this build last year and there are some pics in the gallery (uploaded feb 2018) if they help at all.
I'm a long way from being a good or experienced builder and I found the Fish to be extremely challenging at times but more than worth it in the end.
Good Luck and I'll drag up a chair if you don't mind.
Mike

Maybe you should include the question on how many different brands each voter has had experience with.
In the Australian hobby shops the majority of models available are from Artesania Latina. I have only used one other brand. So I can only compare and vote for the 2, which doesn't do justice to the better quality kits I don't know about.

My favourite rigging line is the last one! 
I enjoy tying down the shrouds and now I have a system that works for me I'm happy doing the ratlines. Fixed rigging, no problem but when it comes to the running rigging I'm just plain clumsy and ham fisted - drives me mad at times. Plenty of coffee breaks while I try and compose myself and go back to it! On top of that I have the very bad habit of getting somewhat impatient because I'm close to finishing.
Next time I'll do better.....

Hi Les
I feel your pain. That's probably me stood next to you at "The Wall" ! Over 2 years on my current build and just when I'm beginning to see some light at the end of the tunnel, bang, interest just dribbles away a bit each day until you reach the point you don't go to the bench at all. I've had it once before, it does comes back - in it's own sweet time.
Extremely frustrating though.

Here are some more photographs of the Brazzera, just to 'feel' the shape of the hull once more, before I do some brief view through the Trabaccolo build...
 
 
 

 

… It is not enough to assemble the model. The cream comes on the cake ... This step is so important that it must be mastered from the very beginning : A model should be painted. And it is not just like that. Each model must be painted exactly the same as the original vessel was painted in the moment when the vessel had just been completed, when she came out of the shipyard or workshop. The new 'Trupa' has always been tarred… from inside and outside… So the model needs to be painted matt black …

Here is the golden rule of colouring of all models :

Models of ships should be painted so it does not shine. Use acrylic paint and an acrylic colourless matt varnish. Here's the procedure: first polish a model with sandpaper. Then coated a mixture of 40% linseed oil and 60% thinner and immediately wipe with a cloth. When dry, paint it as desired and let everything dry completely. Re-sand and polish as needed and paint everything one more time. When everything is dry again, spray with colourless matte varnish on two occasions, between which is enough to wait twenty minutes. So you will get perfect coloured model.
Rarely it happens that, after painting with colourless matte varnish, on wood the appearance of tiny fibers that protrude and look ugly. If this happens, just re-polish the element and re-spray matte varnish. Fiber will disappear.


In the end, to get ‘Trupa’ exactly like the original is you could put a chain on the bow.

So here she is, if you have done well, your model should look like the original at this beautiful photo ...
 


... And I'm going to prepare material for the next step of the ship modelling… Prepare yourself for a rudder and sail ...

Mr. Skip,
this gentleman is obviously talented and a fast learner, and this was a few years ago ... I would have gladly published this photos, but I would first ask him for permission, those photographs are still his property... after this "Introduction to the ship modeling" I will be happy to continue with more complex matters, so that you will probably see this photos soon ...
Zoran

Hello everyone,
Falkusa of island of Vis... it is upgraded project now ... I am glad to announce a new series on the stock in a few days...
 
Best regards...
Zoran

Hello everyone,
 
behold, the work of the complete beginner is progressing this way ... when I got these photographs today, I could not resist to show them to you ...
 
Regards, Zoran

hello everyone ... just to finish this short presentation of the Ragusian Cog assembly kit ...
... Kit, when opened, looks like this :

Dear gentlemen,
we are happy to inform you that we are able to give free delivery for North America for amounts exceeding 200.00 Euro ... The models that we currently recommend are: Ragusian Carrack, Trajta (fishing-cargo of Korcula) and Batelina (the boat )... but of course, you can get all the other MarisStella models that you want to ...
 
Best regards,
MarisStella,
Europe

here, it looks like this:

… Thank you Don, it is my pleasure ... I especially enjoy talking about these topics ... I am very happy that you are interested in our models, particularly in the traditions of the Croatian seaside people, the Trabaccolo ... I must say to you that this is the second version that I made ... at the first I gave insufficient attention to the top of the mast, but now I have done it better, together with the sails. On our website, there is the draft of the first version, I did not reach to replace it. The draft has three sheets now and more details about the masts, sails and rigging ... exactly what you asked last time. This is a traditional vessel and its version of the rigging is unique, so I just enriched the draft with parts related to the topic ... the first Trabaccolo made to the current, the second draft version, get a high silver medal at the state competition. The modeler made two little things differently than they appear to the draft and he lost the gold medal for the point and a half...
... Otherwise, the Trabaccolo is already completely pushed out of use today, there are a few of them still navigating, with removed sails and engines installed... Before, it was purely a family ship used for transportation of various goods for trading ... Each family used to paint their Trabaccolo in the unique way, the decorative head at the bow was different at every Trabaccolo ... the sails were often painted ... This version has a fully furnished interior, this makes it completely different from anything seen before ...
 
... I'm glad that you noticed the making of the construction to the models that do not have interiors ... The round rails, dowels ... Yes. They are not there by accident ... In the beginning, I noticed that the making of the construction to the other kits is imprecise and that bulkheads rather wobble in their beds ... It was needed more tools and quite more time to get a good structure ... This I wanted to avoid so I made bearings to be very, very tight ... The elements were fit to each other Knapp are they were perpendicular to each other. That was good, but I noticed that some more construction fasteners were needed there... My intention was to insert additional strips to the left and right side of the keel. But it was expensive and inappropriate ... Then I thought about it and it happened.
I rejected a central part of the structure made of plywood. I made the keel and stem composed of the elements they were actually made ... At the first, I wanted to push some square rails through all the bulkheads, but it was not good. To make a construction that does not require additional adjustment, the holes through which the bars should pass must be very, very tight, the bars must pass through them very hard. It was impossible to push the square bars through the tight holes ... Then I figured out!!! The round bars and round racks!!! And this proved to be very, very good. The first sample of the first construction that I made this way turned out to be ideal ... I rotated the round bars gently between the fingers and they have passed through the holes smoothly, with no problems. They have passed through the bulkheads that I adjusted to the keel previously'... I set up the bulkheads to be all parallel to each other and perpendicular to the keel ... I applied wood glue to the all points of the contact between the elements with a brush... I was delighted when it get dry ... I have put together the construction, the first of that sort in my life, within a half of hour. The precise, solid, ideal for working on it... since then, I work in such a way whenever I need to create a model of the ship with one or two decks, with no interior ...
 
... My intention is to present the Trabaccolo and Pelig here, two types of the constructions I use... I will say much more about them very soon …
 
Best regards…
Zoran

Hello everyone,
Don, special thanks to you… yes, we had problems with our old mail Contact&order box, now we have changed the entire site and I hope that it will work without problems…and yes, we work with CAD (Canadian dollars) too… it is easy to transfer Euros to CAD … I'm not sure, but I think 1 CAD = 1.48 EURos, please check that to the exchange rate ... when selling goods outside the Croatian borders we accept bank account payments, and payments through pay-pal that is easier... When it comes to intercontinental shipments, we usually participate in the cost of transportation ... the extent depends on the model we sell...

Rigging instructions we have to offer, they are in Croatian language, unfortunately, we have not made an English version jet ... we thought it was a lot more literature available in English, so that we're not able to do anything new...
… As for this model, there is classic the Middle Ages rigging, the same as to the all Caravel, Galleon and Carrack... in the project, there are drawn all the ropes, in to the instructions, there is a brief description of how to determine which of them are black, and which of them are light, also, there is an explanation of how to finish the sails… but if you were a complete beginner, you will need some help from some technical literature (in English I suppose) …

… Yes, our plans are to scale and it is quite easy to put together the elements, whether they should be put together out of laser-cut pieces, or that they should be made out of the pieces of strops ... So, to be clear, the elements that are drawn on the paper are the same dimensions as those to be made ... These plans are published on 100 cm x 90 cm sheets of paper and there are contained all the elements of the model... Some of the elements are drawn apart, and some within the complete model ... I must say that the plans are very precise...

… The ship’s boat is to be done by a hand and it is the most important trick of our projects !!! All models, when properly made, looks nothing like Kits ... as I have learned, it is basic in the world of ship-modeling ... ship-models look like they were scratch ship model projects ... The boats are to be made like this : a mold of the inner shape of a boat is to be done of balsa wood, the mold is to be planked twice with 0.5mm strips, ... balsa is to be removed completely and the boat is to be completed with various elements ... There is no more credible appearance of a boat .. .The ship models look the same.
…Here is a draft of the Cog boat:

… Expecting more questions,
Best regards,
Zoran

Hello everyone…
... let me continue where I left off last time: therefore, the model has decorated interior, a storage area in the middle of the hull and stable in the stern. The entire structure is subordinated to the construction of these parts. The keel and stem are made of 6mm walnut panels. There are bulkheads with gaps plugged in it. The bulkheads are connected with several impressed strips. Once the construction was completed, the inner part of the hull is to be planked with strips. After that, the structure is strong enough to endure the setting of the outside planking. Otherwise, all of our models that have interiors are designed in this way. The models that have not interiors are designed to contain round walnut bars. Those bars, dowels, center the bulkheads very precisely. Glue is to be applied by brush to the points of contact of elements after the assembling of the structure. When constructing our scale models, we take into consideration the strength of the structures. On this model, if desired, hatches, doors and openings could be left open. In this way the view to the interior is allowed... All visible parts are made of solid walnut wood.
Beginners should not be afraid of making these model ... They will only take a longer time to complete it. This is a single-planking method and requires a little more work ...
... Here are a few photos of the construction. This is the work of the person to whom this is the first scale model in the life :

Hello averyone...
 
The materials we use are the materials that are easy to handle and have a long life. Structures are made of linden plywood which is very easy to sand and process, which is very important when talking about the speed of development of the structure. Elements that can be seen on the model are made in the main of walnut panels ... strips we use are also of quality wood. The projects have been made, since the beginning, for the laser processing elements, the old-fashioned projects have not been used. This means that elements definitely fit each other. For example, to connect the structure there is required a lightweight hammer. When the elements are pressed one to each other, it is very difficult to disassemble them. I would say impossible. So, the elements are impressed into each other and when all assembled, wood glue is to be applied with a brush to the connection points. This yields a construction that is finely adjusted from the beginning. In the main, it is impossible to incorrectly set the corresponding elements of each other ... The precision of the cutting of the structures, differences draft-cut element, is reduced to the mistake of a laser, which is still below 0.1 mm, and it very rarely. In the main, these settings are created a circle of loyal and highly satisfied modelers around us who like to use our products ...
... Now; I have expressed a desire to show this model to you: ‘Ragusian Cog’; 1:48, 650mm…( Donfarr, you asked for this information…) … Now I would like to show the building instructions to you, the instructions which has not been changed, even not adapted, from the moment it was created ... since 2009 ... this instructions was initially made for experienced modelers, but even beginners have not had a major problems when they kept the listed making order ... I am aware that some expressions in the English language are not the most appropriate, but as I understand our current customers, it's not a big problem ... however, most of the customers have not been with the English-speaking world... But, here are the instructions in PDF format, so that you could evaluate it yourself...
 
Donfarr, Donrobinson, thank you very much for your comments and interest…thank you all for the likes…
 
... my intention is to say something more about the making of the model and its appearance, about the construction and interior ...
 
Best regards
__09__Ragusian Cog.pdf

Hello all, after a few busy days, now I get a bit of time to rest and to write something about Cog of Ragusa to you ...
First of all I am grateful for the warm welcome and visiting our website ... Donfarr, jazzchip ... thanks a lot ,
thanks for the likes ...
... 'Cog' is a project that we were building a year or two before its realization ... the basic guiding was votive fresco
of her from the sixteenth century ... lower its black and white photo of the fresco ... the silhouettes of people
on the bow and the mast top were very helpful. We took that they were around 1.75m high and we made the Ragusian Cog
reconstruction ...
... So, after two years of work, this is what we get: the text that we wrote about this type of Cog is following
and is copied from our site:
 
Cog is the war and merchant ship in the North Sea, the Mediterranean and the Adriatic Sea, with a big lead
and two small reserve masts, whose main characteristic is high and tight bow tower forward with a almost horizontal
triangular deck. One feature of this ship are the side openings for boarding horses and cattle and it is designed
primarly for transporting army. It is mentioned for the first time in the 11th century, and across the Mediterranean
in the 13th century. These ships were initially inaccessible thanks to the impregnable castle. Together with Cogs
often sailed caravels and carrack.
 
... This is a model with completely furnished interiors, store and cabins,which makes it very beautiful and
interesting. The keel and the posts are made of solid walnut wood, like all the elements below the deck and
the deck. The sails are embroidered on the cloth. In the box there are 11 plates laser cut.
There are bars and all the necessary material. The model is designed for experienced modeler, but beginners, with a little
effort and following the instructions do not have problems with the construction of her ... You will really enjoy
in the realization of this model.
 
... Now, for the first hand, here are some photos of the prototype of the model-made in parallel with the project ....
I was very cheerful to say something about the way of making the assembly kit ... it's what I intend to do next ...
 
Best regards

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

My favourite rigging line is the last one! 
I enjoy tying down the shrouds and now I have a system that works for me I'm happy doing the ratlines. Fixed rigging, no problem but when it comes to the running rigging I'm just plain clumsy and ham fisted - drives me mad at times. Plenty of coffee breaks while I try and compose myself and go back to it! On top of that I have the very bad habit of getting somewhat impatient because I'm close to finishing.
Next time I'll do better.....

My favourite rigging line is the last one! 
I enjoy tying down the shrouds and now I have a system that works for me I'm happy doing the ratlines. Fixed rigging, no problem but when it comes to the running rigging I'm just plain clumsy and ham fisted - drives me mad at times. Plenty of coffee breaks while I try and compose myself and go back to it! On top of that I have the very bad habit of getting somewhat impatient because I'm close to finishing.
Next time I'll do better.....

My favourite rigging line is the last one! 
I enjoy tying down the shrouds and now I have a system that works for me I'm happy doing the ratlines. Fixed rigging, no problem but when it comes to the running rigging I'm just plain clumsy and ham fisted - drives me mad at times. Plenty of coffee breaks while I try and compose myself and go back to it! On top of that I have the very bad habit of getting somewhat impatient because I'm close to finishing.
Next time I'll do better.....