texxn5

John I actually run into that a lot as well.  When fitting ships for bottles I really have to pay attention size.  It's hard because most bottles are long and narrow and ships are at least as tall or taller then they are long.  Especially the square rigged ships.  I have to find shorter bottles or add more things into the bottle like scenes or more ships.  A good general rule is as mentioned ships are as long as they are tall.  

Ok , I accept the challenge Mr Druxey......... 
 
So first I need a plan to work from. Based on what I found researching the hearth I drafted this, no grill on the opposite side I guess as the hearth stands agains a bulkhead. Comments more than welcome!
 

 
Now how about making it from real bricks.... First a little testing with dummy wooden bricks to see if this could work. 
 

 
Woodglue tinted with pigment to give a mortar look. Not quite satisfied with that its to thin to make a real layer... need to think about this, maybe thin strips of paper to make the spacing between the bricks first..
 

 
This could work so I ordered some ceramic bricks from a modelshop, now all you guys have to do is wait until they arrive....
 
Remco

I just love your metalwork...it is superior to anything I've ever seen....

some general over views of the deck

Well, it has been a slow day in the shipyard today so far.  I worked on different parts of the masts today, mainly for getting the feel of what I'm doing and what I need to do.  Couldn't really get into it today for some reason, so it's mostly piddly stuff.  I cut the pieces for the foremast and worked on them.  Squaring them and tapering them, and building crosstrees.  I put them back on the ship for reference and to visualize how it's going to look.  One thing is for sure...the masts are going to be tall.  Added a few more tools to the Tryworks area.....scrapers, copper dippers, and hand hooks.......right side of front of Tryworks on the brick step....don't show up well in pictures....tomorrow more work on the mainmast and the bowsprit......so here are some random pictures for you know who....

Looks like you're getting her back together nicely.  Ahhhh yes.....scratch.......be prepared......lol

some general over views of the deck

a couple of more

Well, it has been a slow day in the shipyard today so far.  I worked on different parts of the masts today, mainly for getting the feel of what I'm doing and what I need to do.  Couldn't really get into it today for some reason, so it's mostly piddly stuff.  I cut the pieces for the foremast and worked on them.  Squaring them and tapering them, and building crosstrees.  I put them back on the ship for reference and to visualize how it's going to look.  One thing is for sure...the masts are going to be tall.  Added a few more tools to the Tryworks area.....scrapers, copper dippers, and hand hooks.......right side of front of Tryworks on the brick step....don't show up well in pictures....tomorrow more work on the mainmast and the bowsprit......so here are some random pictures for you know who....

Glad to hear there are still some 'old-schoolers' out there.  Nothing wrong with good power tools though --- especially if you're making a jump into scratch building. 
 
Upgrading your timber is a good investment Harley.  It's a little expensive and hence, in the long run those tools pay for themselves.  As they say.....whatever floats your boat!

Augie - I can't even count the number of times my lovely wife has come out to my little shop, looked at me in my jeweler's specks pin filing something 6mm long and used the exact phrase "There's something wrong with you." LoL
 
-Bug

Thanks, I'm in the same boat so to speak, coming up on 41 years on a marriage to my best friend and she wants to buy me something for the shipyard.
Maybe I'll just get some upgraded lumber.

The only power tools I have are an old Dremel and a pencil sander.  Never really got into that aspect and at my age I'd be dead before I ever learned how to use them properly.  My wife of over 40 years is convinced 'there is something wrong with you' 

Hi John - Just getting caught up again. Really liking your detail work!
 
Best wishes,

I guess they didn't call them tall ships for nothing.  Great work as always.

some general over views of the deck

some general over views of the deck

Well, it has been a slow day in the shipyard today so far.  I worked on different parts of the masts today, mainly for getting the feel of what I'm doing and what I need to do.  Couldn't really get into it today for some reason, so it's mostly piddly stuff.  I cut the pieces for the foremast and worked on them.  Squaring them and tapering them, and building crosstrees.  I put them back on the ship for reference and to visualize how it's going to look.  One thing is for sure...the masts are going to be tall.  Added a few more tools to the Tryworks area.....scrapers, copper dippers, and hand hooks.......right side of front of Tryworks on the brick step....don't show up well in pictures....tomorrow more work on the mainmast and the bowsprit......so here are some random pictures for you know who....

I just love your metalwork...it is superior to anything I've ever seen....

and the grinding wheel around the workbench

Well, it has been a slow day in the shipyard today so far.  I worked on different parts of the masts today, mainly for getting the feel of what I'm doing and what I need to do.  Couldn't really get into it today for some reason, so it's mostly piddly stuff.  I cut the pieces for the foremast and worked on them.  Squaring them and tapering them, and building crosstrees.  I put them back on the ship for reference and to visualize how it's going to look.  One thing is for sure...the masts are going to be tall.  Added a few more tools to the Tryworks area.....scrapers, copper dippers, and hand hooks.......right side of front of Tryworks on the brick step....don't show up well in pictures....tomorrow more work on the mainmast and the bowsprit......so here are some random pictures for you know who....

a couple of more

some general over views of the deck

The temps dropped dramatically here in Palm Coast, Florida, down to 50 F or 10 C.  Brrrr, but I put on a heavy jacket over a heavy woolen shirt and braved it anyway to spend time in the garage.
 
Hmmm, what did I do - - - oh yeah, I turned the steering wheel or tiller pedestal on the lathe and started to make the binnacle on its pedestal.  
I also made the provisions for the forward deck light in the front plate of the cockpit and the reenforcing for the front shield of the bridge.  For that I made two 1 ½ mm strips of poplar, soaked them in hot water for a while and then clamped them to the front of the bridge to shape them into a half circle.  When they were dry I glued them on.  The outside one needs to be shaped into a quarter round for "good looks."    
 
I also started with making the steering wheel, as they call it, but used a too heavy diameter brass rod, 1 mm.   When I started to solder the spokes to it I didn't like the results, much to heavy and out of scale.  Besides, the ring is not round, booo on me.  So I started to remake it with thinner brass rod, ½ mm, much nicer!  I'm using a 1 ½ mm copper tube for the hub and need to make a new jig to solder everything together.  That 1 ½ mm piece of tubing may also be to large but the ½ mm tube Santa brought is too small.  I do have an idea though to solve this dilemma    I'll have to give my idea a try first, tomorrow.
 
This may not look like a lot of work accomplished but I had to make two bamboo pins to anchor the compass pedestal and the steering wheel pedestal into the cockpit deck.  Chisel small sections of deck slats away where the compass and steering wheel pedestals are to be glued.   Then carve the binnacle into shape to make it look like a compass binnacle and the remake of the steering wheel.  All these little things seem to take a lot of time.
 

The brass rod was shaped on this 10 mm dowel, the rod is 1 mm.  Not impressed.  As you can see that brass tube for the hub is also much too big.  Hmmmm, the old machinist's wheels are turning  
 

This is the binnacle on its pedestal in the raw state.
 

Here is the binnacle all shaped with its anchoring pin and in the primer with the new steering wheel.  Much better this time, I think I'll keep it 
 
Cheers,

some general over views of the deck