hamilton

Hi Mike: I've just re-loaded the photos to the log - page 12. Check it out hamilton

Thanks Mike: I'll try to re-post this evening - the transom was a bit experimental - the approach I took might work for you on the structural level, though the aesthetic might either be a bit off for your Unicorn specifically or for its period - what year was the Unicorn? BE pointed out earlier that the diamond-shaped windows that I used for my transom are not accurate for the period - I was using the (later) Belonna transom as a guide here, though she was half a century later on.... I will see if I can't re-post the photos later this evening (Pacific Standard Time). Thanks again for dropping by. hamilton

Well my optimism has been defeated again....I've still not completed Blandford, though I'm so tantalisingly close that it's becoming painful. As of this evening, I've finished my courses for the semester, which means my schedule will be much more flexible - long hours of work still, but more reasonably paced than during the regular academic year.... However, before the modelling can continue, we're off to Maui (while we get our kitchen redone....I tried sneaking in some plans for a modelling nook to our contractors but the admiral wouldn't have it....) for some brief vacation time. When I get back my first priority (after washing my hair) is finishing this damnable model!! Hope you're all well....final stages to come and then it's on to OcCre's Dos Amigos/Fair Rosamund....a different kind of build....looking forward to something more or less straightforward... hamilton

Again with the astounding metal work - and fine all around craftsmanship - very well done Ian! hamilton

Hi Tim: I've built the Corel Sloop - it is plank-on-bulkhead. It's relatively large scale allows for a lot of detailing, though since it was my first pob build I stuck to building it out of the box. The wood that came with the kit was very nice, the plans were nice and clear and as long as you don't mind using plans instead of instructions you'll have fun making this one. Last I checked it was on sale through Model Expo for a really good price 60-something if memory serves.... Anyway, I think you'll enjoy building it. Here's a shot of mine - the only one I have apparently...... hamilton

OK so here are some photos for you David - these show marking the bearding line and carving the rabbet on my build of the Corel Greyhound. Here are the bearding & rabbet lines drawn at the bow Here are the same at the stern The bearding line is normally marked on the hull profile plan (perhaps as a dotted line on the cross section drawing) - it runs along the bottom edge of the bulkhead frames where they meet the keel. The rabbet line runs below it. After scoring the lower rabbet line with a #11 blade, I then shave off wood starting from the bearding line until I hit the rabbet line and then scrape or carve the wood out to form the joint. This is the finished look Hope this helps hamilton

Hi David: Depending o the scale (and your commitment to accuracy), you could take a simplified approach to carving the rabbet. I usually draw the bearding line (which marks the inside edge of the planking along the keel) and then the rabbet line below it. I then score the rabbet line lightly with a #11 x-acto blade. I then use a #10 x-acto blade (the scalpel blade) to shave wood off the keel from the bearding line to the rabbet line. The #10 blade is also useful for scraping along the rabbet joint as you carve. I was trying to post some photos to go along with this, but for some reason my uploads keep failing.....I'll try again in a bit hamilton

Jealous! hamilton

Planking looks amazing! hamilton

Hi Mike - that is one big hull!! What's the overall length with the bowsprit? Anyway - she looks great hamilton

Well everyone, I'm on the home stretch. The rigging is complete and I installed the anchors over the last couple of nights. Now it's just making sweeps for the next week or so until I have 36. I made a prototype which needs detailing and finishing, but I think I've worked out a good process for carving them to a standard out of single 90mm strips of 2mm x 4mm walnut. The wood is hard enough to tolerate the work at a small scale and the darker tone of the walnut provides a good contrast. I will follow an early suggestion and finished the ends of the blades in white. The photo Ian posted above shows red sweeps - I was tempted to go this route, but in the end I think I like the natural wood tone better..... Photos to come soon. Bye for now hamilton

As I recall I did one strake per night, port & starboard....Took about 3 weeks...have fun! hamilton

From my memory that is the case Al, but the plans also have a graph to facilitate spiling the planks to suit the idiosynchracies of the builder. When I planked this model, I used the plank patterns as a reference for the garboard and the upper band. They worked well. For bands B & C I used the patterns cut slightly more oversized and tried my own spiling taking measurements off the bulkhead edges. It was a good learning experience and the planking turned out ok...still had to use some filler, though not too much..... hamilton

Ahhh I remember this planking! Lots of cutting, lots of rubber cementing but a good education in spiling planks! Have fun with it! hamilton

Thanks Ken and Mark: I have ordered a kit from the UK before from a small retailer - the kit price was good, but I hate hate hate paying UPS brokerage fees and that's who they shipped with. I understand that Cornwall Model Boats uses UPS as well, which is why I have been hesitant to order anything through them. My experience with ME has always been good - had a bit of a wait on my last order, but since I have 4 kits on the shelf waiting to be built it didn't exactly try my patience. Anyway, thanks both! hamilton

Hi there: When I first started ship modelling "way back" in 2009, ME carried a much more extensive variety of European manufactured kits (Mantua, Victory, Amati, as I recall - perhaps others I forget). Does anyone know whether there are any plans to reintroduce these lines? ME is by far (for us N. Americans at least) the most convenient and affordable source of ship kits...it would be great to see a wider variety of manufacturers represented - specifically Amati and Caldercraft. Perhaps there are barriers to carrying these lines that I don't see or understand....does anyone know? Thanks hamilton

The half-hull construction design is due to the scale of the model (1:25) - the instructions explain that the scale thickness of the centre keel was too thick for the laser cutter (1/4) so they halved it at 1/8. I was very nervous about this construction method (made the alignment a very tricky business times 2!) but it actually came off ok. hamilton

Looking at your build log I'd say you're doing a great job with the OcCre kit despite the differences hamilton

Thanks Adam, but the link doesn't work......try here hamilton

Wow! I've been out of it for a while, but I feel like it was just a couple of weeks ago that you were bashing your way through the framework construction - now look at this!! Really great results and fine craftsmanship Bob! hamilton

Thanks for posting this Ian! This is the model I mentioned in my last post - I love the look of it with the sweeps run out - though I don't think I'll be punishing my crew with the added weight of the ship's boat (now lashed on deck....)! Thanks again for the photo! hamilton

Thanks Druxey! hamilton

Thank you all! Such kind words from you guys mean a lot! Ian - I appreciate this - though if you look closely at one of the photos above, one of the most egregious mistakes is staring us all right in the face!! I won't mention it here out of embarrassment, but if anyone can spot it....well I don't know what I could do to reward the effort...but something probably. In the meanwhile, I've started experimenting with making sweeps....No photos yet to share, unfortunately. My first attempt involved a 2-part sweep - the shaft made from 2mm square basswood notched and whittled down to around 1.5mm round - and the blade made from 4mm x 1mm basswood, shaped and thinned. This proved a poor strategy - the wood is too soft at this scale and there was a lot of splintering and other forms of frustration. My second attempt was to carve a sweep from a single piece of 4mm x 2mm basswood - this was a better approach but the soft wood was my enemy here too. On a whim I decided to look at the wood stock supplied with the Greyound kit (most of which remained untouched, since I replaced a lot of it). There I found 6 4mm x 2mm strips of walnut! I tried making one of the sweeps from this and it worked great. And there was almost enough of it for the 36 sweeps (I managed to cut 32 lengths last night at around 90mm each). I have a box full of scraps from old builds, and I'm reasonably confident I can get the remaining sweeps out of this supply. The one sweep I made looks good, though it's only rough shaped and needs some fine touches and finishing. The model from the NMM which is serving as partial inspiration for this build features the sweeps finished in red with the ends of the blade finished in tallow or yellow (the photos are dim and the paint faded after a couple of centuries....). I'm thinking of leaving them in the natural walnut with some white on the blade but would be happy to hear of any period finishing suggestions that might add a touch of historical authenticity to the build.... Anyway, sorry for a long post with no eye candy! Bye for now hamilton

Thanks Russ and Chuck: Chuck - I'll try your method - I have an ample supply of bamboo skewers (getting ready for bbq season!) but the sweeps are roughly 3 1/2 inches in length - I'm assuming your 1/4" length is only a reference to the trunnels you describe......anyway, in thinking about the two methods I have thought about, the first one started to seem very unrealistic, considering the depth of the notch I would have to carve - your method puts me in mind of a strategy that might work.... Thanks once again! Much appreciated - don't know what I'd do without this forum hamilton

Thanks Jud - I'm tending towards carving them out of single strips, as you suggest, though a few experiments will be necessary....the dimensions of these things will make them quite fragile - a 1mm diameter shaft, e.g. I'm bound to break a few through this process......I'm assuming it will be better to use a harder wood to make them, since this may prevent splintering and breaking. I'll try a couple from basswood (which will be easier to work with hand tools - no power tools here) and a couple from walnut and compare the results.... hamilton