JerseyCity Frankie

If you’re wondering about the Braces, they are ALL going to be fairly tight. In port the crew want the ship to give a neat appearance and will put time and effort into squaring the yards as close to 90 degrees as possible. If any braces anywhere in the rig are slack the yards they’re on will swing. In one of the photos above, the nearer of two ships has her yards braced up hard so that the other vessel can raft up on her, but all the Braces will still be tight for the same reason:if any are loose the yards will swing.
Underway with sails set, the leeward Braces will be tighter than the windward ones, to keep the sail trim.

Regarding this common depiction of the hauling end of the tackle wrapped around and around the falls of the tackle: I don’t believe this represents real world use. This is my opinion based on my own experience-not with cannon but with tackle on ships in general. This laborious and unnecessary technique of tightly wrapping is bad for the rope and too time consuming to do and undo. Sure I could see a few frapping tuns used around the fall, which would keep the fall from fouling on stuff, but the entire line? No. Extra length would be gasket coiled, as extra line not intended for use for extended periods always is aboard ship. 
Im certain that the photos depicting this practice are all taken on museum ships which are open to the public. In the context of a museum display which can be accessed by the public it would make sense to isolate the entire length of the tackle falls under turns of the hauling part of the line as this prevents kids or miscreants from tugging on or  otherwise misusing the museum artifact. Believe me: if there was a free hauling part available on any tackle anywhere on any museum ship, hundreds of people each day would be doing their best to haul on it!  But on a real ship the tackle won’t need that kind of insurance represented by the elaborate wrapping. 

Regarding this common depiction of the hauling end of the tackle wrapped around and around the falls of the tackle: I don’t believe this represents real world use. This is my opinion based on my own experience-not with cannon but with tackle on ships in general. This laborious and unnecessary technique of tightly wrapping is bad for the rope and too time consuming to do and undo. Sure I could see a few frapping tuns used around the fall, which would keep the fall from fouling on stuff, but the entire line? No. Extra length would be gasket coiled, as extra line not intended for use for extended periods always is aboard ship. 
Im certain that the photos depicting this practice are all taken on museum ships which are open to the public. In the context of a museum display which can be accessed by the public it would make sense to isolate the entire length of the tackle falls under turns of the hauling part of the line as this prevents kids or miscreants from tugging on or  otherwise misusing the museum artifact. Believe me: if there was a free hauling part available on any tackle anywhere on any museum ship, hundreds of people each day would be doing their best to haul on it!  But on a real ship the tackle won’t need that kind of insurance represented by the elaborate wrapping. 

Regarding this common depiction of the hauling end of the tackle wrapped around and around the falls of the tackle: I don’t believe this represents real world use. This is my opinion based on my own experience-not with cannon but with tackle on ships in general. This laborious and unnecessary technique of tightly wrapping is bad for the rope and too time consuming to do and undo. Sure I could see a few frapping tuns used around the fall, which would keep the fall from fouling on stuff, but the entire line? No. Extra length would be gasket coiled, as extra line not intended for use for extended periods always is aboard ship. 
Im certain that the photos depicting this practice are all taken on museum ships which are open to the public. In the context of a museum display which can be accessed by the public it would make sense to isolate the entire length of the tackle falls under turns of the hauling part of the line as this prevents kids or miscreants from tugging on or  otherwise misusing the museum artifact. Believe me: if there was a free hauling part available on any tackle anywhere on any museum ship, hundreds of people each day would be doing their best to haul on it!  But on a real ship the tackle won’t need that kind of insurance represented by the elaborate wrapping. 

who are the people drawing up these kit plans, and how did they get hired? Again and again we see kit plans that are tragically flawed or contain inaccuracies or unworkable arrangements of essential gear, as in this example.  Some of these kits have been around for a very long time and there’s been opportunities, no doubt, to correct the plans. One would think that making adjustments to the plans would be the easiest and least expensive improvement  for a manufacturer to implement mid-production run on a kit? 

who are the people drawing up these kit plans, and how did they get hired? Again and again we see kit plans that are tragically flawed or contain inaccuracies or unworkable arrangements of essential gear, as in this example.  Some of these kits have been around for a very long time and there’s been opportunities, no doubt, to correct the plans. One would think that making adjustments to the plans would be the easiest and least expensive improvement  for a manufacturer to implement mid-production run on a kit? 

Middle stay sail had been replaced which means all the Sails and rigging are now complete. Just need some tidying up, place the coils of rope, cut off the loose ends, add the flags and anchor chain and we are done. Then to make the display cases.
 
The model on the left used the cloth sails supplied with the kit while the one on the tight used silkdpan sails. I can see my skill improve as I went along under the guidance of Tom Lauria’s fantastic videos.

I am afraid i still like glass. Its heavier but easier to clean.

You might also want to read up on safe techniques when using power saws.

“Without turning it into a hedgehog  or something..”. Lol!

Evening, 
Quiet night in New Hampshire, wintery outside, but the Shipyard is warm and the Patriots are winning! 
 
As mentioned in an earlier post, I started the grating for the Fore Hatch.
This time I laid it down 1 piece at a time, instead of building the grate outside the Coaming, like I did with the Galley grating.
 

 
 

I think it came out more uniform and even. 
 

Started to bring together the pieces for the Fore Fife Rail.
Never built one of these before.
This should be interesting.  
 
As of this evening, I have all the parts shaped and ready to go.
My biggest worry is keeping everything square.
 

Everything in its place. 
 
Once I'm done with a piece I stow it in these plastic organizers.
Bought them at Michaels. Maybe $3.99.
 

 
Stackable and easily store out of the way.
 

Tom E 
 
 
 

If the kit instructions don’t make it clear, lash the studingsail booms last. Everything else on the yard will be under the studingsail booms so why make it hard on yourself?

Here`s what I use - a bit expensive,but with no odor & almost no fumes it`s worth it to not have the irritation of the fumes. Once again,rather expensive,but the 2 oz. bottle will last for almost an entire ship build.
 

 
Mark

Went to buy the Zap brand “medium” and “thin” CA  this week at the Art Suply store and this new product “gel” was there in a squeeze tube. Have not yet given it a try. 

Went to buy the Zap brand “medium” and “thin” CA  this week at the Art Suply store and this new product “gel” was there in a squeeze tube. Have not yet given it a try. 

If the kit instructions don’t make it clear, lash the studingsail booms last. Everything else on the yard will be under the studingsail booms so why make it hard on yourself?

I guess in the time frame of models made in the 1700's CA doesn't have much of a track record - but I have stuff glued with CA going back to 1968 - and it's as good as the day it was applied.   Acetone is the solvent for CA - apply a bit let it soak in and give it a try - add more if needed.  Have never experienced a joint that I wasn't able to get apart using Acetone.
All this is personal experience and I don't hesitate to use it where needed.  At this point as far as I am concerned the CA glue I use today has a longer life expectancy that I do (same with installing LED bulbs in the house).
Kurt
 

Those parrels are tiny compared to the yards. I have to start using smaller beads.

Hi Tim,
 
That wood glue dispenser looks like something I could really use. Where did you find it?
 
Bob

When you mean bodily fluids I assume you mean #1 correct,. I've use the salt vinager solution to no availe , 

Since I last entered this thread on tools I purchased a new tool. One can never go wrong with measuring tools and I am sure all would agree this is one category that we use continuously in one form or another. I have come away from the "dark side" finished the Atlantis ABS plastic hull and model and have re-entered the realm of hull planking (on my Cheerful) I have had to do a good deal of plank measurement and retrim.
 
I have a number of calipers, both dial and digital. I find them useful for many tasks and I have been using them to trim boxwood planking for the Cheerful hull. I find that they can be a bit clumsy when measuring with one hand holding the plank and the other the calipers. Zeroing in on the measurement and then removing it to measure further along can be a tad cumbersome. Recall of the measurement often is a repeated process.
 
I happened on a tool I had seen before but had never thought that useful. It is the iGAGING Snap Thickness Gauge. I thought I would give it a try after arguing with myself..."Really! You don't need another tool!" It was just about $30 with shipping so it was not going to break the bank.
 
Here is what I really like about it:
1. It is easily a one handed tool.
2. It has a flat headed measuring anvil that easily slides along the plank to measure thickness.
3. It has a HOLD button that retains the measurement when the device is withdrawn from the object
4. Here is what I really liked...it has an ABSOLUTE button that measures difference from whatever one chooses as a reference on the part.
5. It's accuracy is supposedly +/- 0.0015 inches
6. It has a ball anvil to replace one of the flat anvils that improves access in tight spots.
 
The 0 to 1 inch range for the work we do does not seem a problem, at least not yet. It did not come with directions which I found odd but is easily mastered after about one minute of playing. I measured it against my dial and digital calipers and it was right on the mark. Like calipers you do have to be deliberate in placement as one can measure the trapezoidal effect of inaccurate placement.
 
I always look at the reviews on line and the most disparaging comment was life. Now I have found if these units are kept in a humid environment they can indeed give flaky results. So a word to the wise. Put them in a sealed plastic bag if it is to reside in such an environment.
 
Joe
 

Bragging rights here: I own a now very dilapidated first edition copy - dust jacket long gone - which I purchased in 1955 with a book token won in a Model Engineer math competition. I was all of ten years old at the time! I read it cover to cover many times over. It's still a great classic.

I finished the second planking today. Also added the rudder. Will work on the mast and boom a bit for a break from planking, then back to planking the deck.  I am looking for any details on the original colors of the Rainbow when she raced for the Cup in 1934. Looks like the top part of the hull was white. If anyone knows a good source please let me know. 

Okay I've started the deck work.  Here are my three structures.  Not much advise for you on these.  Simply follow the plans.
 

 

 

 
Yes, I chose to put in the brass wire window bars instead of painting them on the plastic I put behind them.  I had to be cautious about drilling the holes straight but I think I managed to pull it off.
 

 

 

 

 
yes, I built this structure to actually slide open and the front panel does come out.  Perhaps not practical for a model but it was fun trying to see if I could actually do it.
 

Congratulations! I missed the entire log and only noticed it when it made its way to the front page Completed Models Gallery. Arriving late to the party, but I have to say that this is one of the best build logs I’ve seen AND it’s one of the most well built and presented models I’ve seen too. It’s flawless. Every one of your photos is well shot cropped and lit. All the details of your model appeal to my sense of “how a model aught to look”. I love the subject, I love the execution, I love the presentation, and I’m very impressed with the finished results. There can’t be many better Rattlesnakes out there, maybe none?