niwotwill

Started the margin planks and waterways but have to decide what wood to use. Choice of boxwood or AYC or maybe I can fine something in the crate of wood Peter gave me.

 

 

I found cherry, pear, ebony, mahogany, and some unknown white wood along with maple. After looking at the choices I picked maple. I like the color and tight grain. So knowing I'd need some 1/4" strips, a bunch of 3/16" strips and a sheet all being 1/16" thick. The maple I had was 5/16" X 2" S 24" so on to the band saw for ripping. 

 

 

Being very carful I was able to get 3 .075 pieces from each 5/16" plank and I mean very very carful. Sanded the .075 down to .062 using the thickness sander. Wood being sized it was now time to rip strips on the table saw. Now that the necessary wood ready its time to start. Following the monograph you start with the after area against the counter. Thats when the Devil made his appearance and left me with a OMG moment. 

The 1/4" wide margin fell into the opening between the false deck and counter planks. I HAD MADE THE FALSE DECK TOO SHORT. 

 

 

I went to bed. While trying to go to sleep I kept coming up with ideas of how to add at least 1/8" to the false deck. The longer I thought about it the more elaborate they became so sleep did come. Next morning I kept thinking "mistakes and just an opportunity to succeed" when suddenly it hit me. The fix will be hidden. Just glue some strip vertically until sufficient surface for gluing the margin plank. DUH! 

 

 

Strips mounted and sanded flush now only to touch up the paint and start the margin planks.

 

 

This piece of margin plank is just dry fit into position along with my signature of dirt. With this area of concern fixed now I moved on to another area I've been working about. Margin planks at the stem. As Blue Ensign mentioned in his log the drawing shows a short margin plank and the monograph shows a longer plank. I'm going with the longer version as I think it looks better and will be easier, I hope.

I had such good luck using templates I'll follow that method with the margin planking. I cut the drawing into halves and using them as a test fit before making a template.

 

 

You can see the mark along the plank just behind the scarf of decking. Tracing the drawing unto a piece of maple.

 

 

Again you can see the mark where I make the scarf joint between the the forward and middle planks. The process being simple it was time to take the wood to the scroll saw.  Test fit and sanded the first cut.

 

 

Port side dry fit

 

 

starboard side

 

 

You'll notice this is the same piece only upside down. Both sides are the same which I can't believe but a photo is worth a thousand words.

 

Now I must comment that this mini-kit and drawings are wonderfully executed by Chuck Passaro. To think the using the cut bulkheads and monograph would create an almost symmetrical model. I know it is not my skill that made this but Chuck's wonderful work. And to just restate how good this mini=kit is look at the caprail templated on top on one another.

 

 

After my short digression this is the port margin plank ready for the scarf with starboard marked and ready for the scroll saw and sander. I used a drafting compass to copy the outside at 1/4". I find the using the 2H lead leaves a clear line without blurring by getting dull.

 

 

Just a little picture of a maple strip with one coat of WOP cut into pieces to get an idea of how the deck will look.

 

 

Thats enough for today on to the margin planks and scarfs tomorrow.

 

Regards

Will

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well time for another report on Cheerful progress but first I'd like to thank everyone for the looks and likes.

On to the cap rails. The monograph suggests making the caps in pieces but I thought I try to make them from one piece on each side with the transom between. I was going to use ebony so I ripped a piece .075 X 2 X 24 using the Byrnes thickness sander taking it down to .062 was an easy task. I must say the sander is amazing just like the table saw. There is a thumb wheel with gradients engraved that make it simple to take a know amount off with each pass. The gradients equal .001 to .002 off that material. Still struggling with how to make a template with card stock from a 12 pack of soda. The problem here was it wasn't wide enough to make both side in one pattern. I worried that two patterns would be hard to align at the stem while keeping the after spacing correct. Remembering that my local Michaels had a large selection of basswood sheeting and off I went. Using a 1/16 X 6 X 24 sheet I inverted the boat on top of the basswood which was on a thick fuzzy carpet that allowed the pattern to rest against the bulwarks. Before tracing the outline a notch had to  be make for the stem.

 

 

 

Prior to cutting the pattern I needed to add the 1/32 overhang on the outer perimeter. I had some 1/32 X 1/32 strips in my scrap box so using the glue stick they were glued to the outline and traced. Now it was a matter of cutting the pattern on the scroll saw and sanding the edges to the line. A little water and the glue dissolves its amazing stuff. Now with outline on the basswood sheet I used a drafting compass to draw the inner edge.

 

 

Now the inner edge could be cut using the scroll saw and sanded smooth with the spindle sander. This is when the best laid plans went awry.

 

 

My ebony was too narrow by 3/64".  Fortunately I had a piece of boxwood that would work I'd just have to paint it black. Now worrying will the black paint match the ebony wales or will it be far enough away so color differences won't be noticed? Time will tell. Attached the templates to the boxwood and traced the outline. Back the scroll saw and spindle sander and test fit onto the bulwarks. All my work and planning paid off. The exterior edge needed very slight sanding to get a good fit. Using the brass scraper i fashioned the fancy fashion edge. Since the monograph used a separate piece for the fancy molding and I incorporated it into my cap the hawse plates needed to be made before attaching the cap rails.

The printed patterns were glue stick attached to a 1/32" boxwood. Cutting and sanding was an easy task. The holes were put in prior to cutting the hawse plates.

 

 

After attaching the plates it was time to notch the fancy molding on the caps so the hawse plates would fit and be level with the top of the cap, I painted the cap rail bottom and side prior to gluing on the bulwarks.

 

 

Finished painting and now ready for margin planks and waterways.

 

Regards

Will

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Port inner bulwarks planked as the starboard was done. Next was to add the spirketing on both sides and as said it should stand proud of the first layer. The suggested was 1/32" or thinner so I laid a 1/32" piece against the first layer to me it appeared too heavy. The suggestion to use a thinner layer seems to be what was needed. I thinned a plank to 1/32" but this still seemed to be heavy/thick. Next planned the plank down to .028" using the byrnes sander. I liked the ratio of thickness and this is what was used for the spirketing. Not much to show or tell except using this thin piece was much easier. 

Next I sanded the planking making sure that the spirketing edges were softened but still very defined. I taped off the false deck and painted a thin layer of primer. Soft sanding 400 grit to smooth the primer and wiped with a tack rag to get ready for the first coat of paint. Carefully painted a thin coat of red paint trying to keep the coverage even without dark areas. I remember from using this paint on the counter how red it was until the subsequent coats created the darker vermillion red.

 

Couple of photos (Boy is it red but not at red as the photos)

 

 

Now on to a coat a day 

 

Regards

Will

Really nice and looks like fun to build. A couple of weeks to release. I better tell my Santa to order soon for Christmas.

 

Regards

Will

Love the shingles, any chance you'd make me a pair? HA HA HA 

Just remember that the recovery is a long process and don't push it too hard!

 

Regards

Will

Love the work scaffolding and ladder. Amazing can't wait to see you next project.

 

Regards

Will

Great catch Steven. I had used an eyebolt to keep the loose lanyard out of the way and somehow snagged the line and couldn't fine where I pulled the eyebolt from. It must have been loose in the deck. Great catch now I'll check all the eyebolts before going forward.

 

Regards

Will

Starboard side inner bulwarks completed. 2 days work really hard compared to planking the outside. Worst part of this was the process which made everything look like a mess. (I read a book of building Essex Schooners were there was a photo of bulwarks as a deck was being built and it looks like my Cheerful) But in the end it came out as I had hoped it would maybe even better so on the port side.

 

All sanded and leveled ready for the cap rail

 

 

Exterior view of starboard with gunports opened.

 

 

View of starboard interior bulwarks again with gunports open

 

 

On the port bulwarks tomorrow

 

Will

Thanks Paul really means a lot and keeps me motivated.

 

Inner starboard bulwarks planked with gunports covered to be opened after sanding. 

 

Must admit its pretty ugly at this stage but hopefully it'll get better 🤐

 

Decided to plank with individual planks to the top realizing the topmost will not be much more that a sliver. To support this sliver plank fillers were added so the sliver will actually be double thick.

 

Not sure why this photo got rotated but here is the planking completed

 

View of the counter with planking

 

 

View of inner stem with very light sanding more sand to come bringing the thickness down to 9/64" universally along the entire length.

 

 

Again thanks for the likes and nice comments

 

Will

Started planking the inside bulwarks with the first strake even with bottom of the gun port sill. One thing surfaced that I hadn't thought of which is how fragile the bulkhead stanchions had become after thinning. While fitting the lowest bulwark strake I broke two stanchion off just handling the boat. Fortunately I was able to glue the section on but was still very weak so what to do. Remembering gbarlows log where the upper strakes were done in one long piece and the gunports cut open with all the planking completed. 

 

First plank of gunport sill strake set in place and glued

 

 

First plank after clamps removed

 

 

The second plank of the first strake was very tricky to get the counter curve correct

 

 

Once it fit properly it was set and glued

 

 

This the forward section of bulwark planks ready for the gunports to be opened.

 

 

Next will be finishing the after sections of the bulwark planking completing the bulwark strakes. The thickness of the ports is about 11/64" and the instructions suggest it to be 5/32" or a little less. I'm going to leave the gunports closed while sanding the bulwarks to smooth them and reduce the thickness. With planking run in a continuous length the stanchions are very strong and won't create the above problem.

 

Again note to others planking the inner bulwarks is very hard compared to planking the exterior of the hull.

 

Will

 

 

Nice, Nice, Nice when can I buy one?

Will

Maury it looks wonderful. Patience paid off surface is flat, color is even, texture is nice. 5 days of work and now look at the results which you'll admire as long as you look at your model. Well done.

Will

Don't know how the last picture got of of sequence but 🤫 this is before the deck was glued.

Thanks for all the likes and looks it keeps me motivated and Glenn you are right about a very tough step thinning the bulwarks it was very nerve wracking and tedious.

 

Now with the bulwarks thinned and bulkheads faired it was time to make the false deck. I used Chucks method of cutting the pattern from the plans and edging it with tape to secure on the bulkheads. Then just a matter of removing it from the model and securing it to a piece of 1/16" basswood. (purchased a Hobby Lobby for $4.69 for 1/16 by 6 by 24 I bought two just incase)

After securing to the basswood and tracing the outline it was a matter of tracing the holes and deck furniture locations. After cutting the outline the outside was sanded smooth and with so little tumblehome it wasn't difficult to slip the deck in place with a slight amount of radius.

 

After fitting the deck I had some slight leveling to do at the stern on the port side that done and with the deck in again checking fit I had some fun with the already made skylight and windless.

 

 

After applying a sufficient coat of glue the deck was set and using sprint clips to hold the edges against the bulkheads to dry. Also used a dumb bell to hole the deck down at the counter as there is a slight rise the the clip couldn't address.

 

 

 

 

While the deck drys 3/16" by 3/64" strips were ripped and when the deck dries filler pieces can be added prior to starting the planking.

 

 

Thanks Paul I have not stopped on Cheerful but I take breaks to work on other projects.

 

Went back and cleaned up the bulkheads adjacent to the bulwarks. Took a couple of hours but I'm much happier now. Look at the new photo. When thinning the bulwarks I used a piece of 3/64" planking scrape as a gauge while sanding with the rotary tool and vibrating mini-sander and chisels and #11 blade for the corners.

 

 

Note to self and others:

when fairing the bulkheads make sure that you maintain the crown of the deck as I almost forgot in my enthusiasm. You can still see the burn at the center. That was a close one.

 

The last of the really messing work according to Chuck was to thin the bulwarks. Spent many days carefully sanding then chiseling and then more sanding to get them down to 3/64" thick uniformly the length of the model. The last thing was to fair the tops of the bulkheads so the false deck rests flatly. A lot of work without much to show so here's a couple of photos.

 

 

Looking at this picture it seems as I have some more work in the corners.

 

 

I'm going back to a little more work in the corners. I think I'll use a small pieces of 1/32" sheet to make sure my corners are correct and then to the template for the false deck. Really exciting to think of closing up the inside and moving on with more construction.

 

Lower shrouds, forestay and fore preventer completed. Once the forestay and fore preventer were tightened the fore shrouds were tightened into alignment. The same with the main mast. Next the sheer poles and futtock staves were installed. I glue tacked the poles and staves prior to lashing them to the shrouds this way making them stable to lash. The mouse were made from a 1/8" birch rod and turned on the lathe after drilling the appropriate diameter hole. Then the rod was shaped to form the mouse using swiss files. The stays and preventers were served to the length and then an eye was formed to capture the mouse and then seized to a closed heart. The hearts were pulled tight with lanyards to create the necessary adjustment.

 

fore shrouds with the lanyards loose until the stay and preventer are tight

 

forestay and preventer stay ready to be tightened

 

stays and preventer closeup but still not tightened

 

everything snugged up

 

closeup of sheer pole lashing (some much work and hardly noticeable from distance)

 

Next the futtock shrouds and catharpins and of course the ratlines.

 

Great work James. The finish you did with the planking is amazing. Airbrush painting without planking lines and imperfections is an art you've mastered.

Couple of questions:

Before we splash some real colour onto the hull, a waterline is first added which runs along the top line of the white boot. I'm not familiar with the term "white boot" help please

When masking for the red oxide did you first use 3mm flex tape to follow the waterline and then sections of wider tape to cover the balance? After that did you add 3mm flex tape adjacent to the earlier 3mm tape to create the white waterline stripe?

 

Your technique is very impressive and the results are amazing.

 

 

Yes Maury 24 hours is probably the minimum. I live in Arizona and I painted my red during the summer here leaving it outside in the shade to cure after tacking up on the surface. Made sure it was in the shade and above 100 degrees so the next day it was hard enough to sand without gumming up the paper. I use 400 grit paper between coats and honestly it probably could have used a couple more LIGHT coats. Hope this helps

I've been following this build with great anticipation as I'm tired of decks filled with guns. While following I became interested in the Vanguard kit of the zula Lady Isabella. Not knowing about drifters and especially Scottish drifters caused me to web search drifters. Being my wife is of Scottish heritage as her mother was born in Kilmarnock drifters consumed me so much I ordered the Lady Isabella kit. I just wanted to take the time to tell all and thank Chris for the OUTSTANDING service and looking at the kit it is evident why others rave about his kits. I ordered my kit on November 2 and it arrived on November 5. What is amazing is I live in Gilbert Arizona and that's 3 day from the UK.

Small comment on painting with red paint:

Red paint is somewhat translucent and requires many coats to cover evenly. (Thinned I've had to make 8 coats getting even coverage)

Sand lightly between coats helps getting better coverage.

lastly a lot of patience.

 

The model is looking very nice can't wait to see the colors completed.

Thanks for all the likes and thanks to Allan for the LoS suggestion. I read Eds Naiad and Young America and tried the method on some scrap wood with great results. Don't know why I forgot about Ed Tosti's method but will definitely use it in the future.

 

Got the main shrouds on along with the main stay and main preventer all lashed in with closed hearts and lanyards. I left the shrouds loose and will tighten them when all the shrouds, stays, and preventers are installed. But a note to self: install the shrouds before the mast is assembled. It will be a lot easier and neater if the shroud pairs are seized and then slipped into place as is suggested in David Antscherls TFFM books vol IV 15.22 & 15.23 pages 48  through 50.

 

Couple of photos

I can't find more to say that hasn't been said by others, so add my comment to the list. Wonderful example of a build and log. Its a beautiful model you've made. I use your log as reference while I slowly build my Cheerful. Its like having a good book on how to build a scratch model of a British cutter. BROVO

 

A lot of work but not much to show. Completed the chain plates and attachment to the channels. I kind of followed the instructions making the chainplates with the exception of soldering the joints rather than glue.

 

First I made the deadeye strop using a time trued method of trail and error using jewelers ring pliers.

 

Several tries and a 5mm diameter ring fit on the 3.5mm deadeye and when squeezed it created a loop with the correct amount between the deadeye and loop for the middle link. The 2.5mm deadeye was the same except a 4mm ring was needed. 

The middle link, eyebolt link, toe link, and preventer link were formed as described in the monograph

forming the link

 

squeezing the link

 

finished link ready for soldering

 

I was fortunate enough to use my soldering mat as the holes were the correct spacing of the different links. The strop links and toe links were soldered prior to assembly. To complete the chain plate the middle link was soldered after capturing the strop and toe links. Using silver solder allows the soldering of close proximity to previous joints due the solder that melts at different temperatures. High heat for the links and low heat for the joining middle link.

With the links assembled I squeezed the deadeye in position

 

The black is liver of sulfur residue that comes off after washing.

All my work

 

And like I said a lot of work not much to show

 

On to rigging

 

 

 

Well folks chapter 6 is officially done. Adding the fancy moulding added a lot to the visual of Cheerful. Its amazing how much a little finish will add to the overall image. 

Not much to explain just followed others logs and the monograph. The one thing that was problematic was scratching the fancy moulding out of AYC. Being soft wood my tool kept leaving fuzzy surfaces. I decided to you Boxwood as I have had excellent results with other fancy moulding. I had a sheet of 1/16" and ripped off 1/16" strips. Using the brass scraper to form the detail. When done with detail I applied a coat of WOP and when dry the Byrnes thickness sander was used to reduce the thickness to .025. I found it much easier to work with the thicker strip and thin it to the desired thickness.

 

 

On to chapter 7