AndyMech

Thanks for everyone for their comments.  I've made some progress on the running rigging.  The lower two yards are stabilized, and I am continuing working my way up towards to top.
 
No real issues other than a couple of blocks have come un-done from their yards - not sure what happened, but I've reattached using a different type of black thread and a little PVA at 50% dilution glue.
 

 

 

 

 
I'll get a full shot of everything once a little more has been completed.
 
Andy.

Thanks for everyone for their comments.  I've made some progress on the running rigging.  The lower two yards are stabilized, and I am continuing working my way up towards to top.
 
No real issues other than a couple of blocks have come un-done from their yards - not sure what happened, but I've reattached using a different type of black thread and a little PVA at 50% dilution glue.
 

 

 

 

 
I'll get a full shot of everything once a little more has been completed.
 
Andy.

Thanks for everyone for their comments.  I've made some progress on the running rigging.  The lower two yards are stabilized, and I am continuing working my way up towards to top.
 
No real issues other than a couple of blocks have come un-done from their yards - not sure what happened, but I've reattached using a different type of black thread and a little PVA at 50% dilution glue.
 

 

 

 

 
I'll get a full shot of everything once a little more has been completed.
 
Andy.

Thanks for everyone for their comments.  I've made some progress on the running rigging.  The lower two yards are stabilized, and I am continuing working my way up towards to top.
 
No real issues other than a couple of blocks have come un-done from their yards - not sure what happened, but I've reattached using a different type of black thread and a little PVA at 50% dilution glue.
 

 

 

 

 
I'll get a full shot of everything once a little more has been completed.
 
Andy.

Hi, thanks for the info on those paints.  Do you thin the Artist Acrylics with water or something else?
 
Andy.

This weekend I got the main yard installed.  I pinned it like the 2 above it, and all the rigging is also in place.
 
The sling is the 0.8mm rope, with the next photo showing it wrapped around the mast.

 

 
Here are all 4 yards:

 
Next up is to apply the rest of the rigging.  It's a little slow going, but I really enjoy it.  Most, if not all, of the blocks required have already been installed, so this part is pretty fun.
 
Andy.

Thanks for all the likes and comments (keep 'em coming).  I really do appreciate the feedback.
 
I finally got some photos of the yards as they are progressing.  The two top-most yards are not pinned as both the mast and the yards are quite thin and I didn't want to weaken them unnecessarily.  The top one is tied and glued into  place and i anticipate it becoming more stable as the rest of the running rigging is added.
 
The 2nd from top (forget the name), is troublesome - it's currently tied in as per the instructions, but just hanging loose, as the photos show.  I could still pin this one or see how the rigging holds it.
 
The next one down is pinned and it pretty stable.
 

 

 

 

 

 
Andy.

This weekend I got the main yard installed.  I pinned it like the 2 above it, and all the rigging is also in place.
 
The sling is the 0.8mm rope, with the next photo showing it wrapped around the mast.

 

 
Here are all 4 yards:

 
Next up is to apply the rest of the rigging.  It's a little slow going, but I really enjoy it.  Most, if not all, of the blocks required have already been installed, so this part is pretty fun.
 
Andy.

This weekend I got the main yard installed.  I pinned it like the 2 above it, and all the rigging is also in place.
 
The sling is the 0.8mm rope, with the next photo showing it wrapped around the mast.

 

 
Here are all 4 yards:

 
Next up is to apply the rest of the rigging.  It's a little slow going, but I really enjoy it.  Most, if not all, of the blocks required have already been installed, so this part is pretty fun.
 
Andy.

This weekend I got the main yard installed.  I pinned it like the 2 above it, and all the rigging is also in place.
 
The sling is the 0.8mm rope, with the next photo showing it wrapped around the mast.

 

 
Here are all 4 yards:

 
Next up is to apply the rest of the rigging.  It's a little slow going, but I really enjoy it.  Most, if not all, of the blocks required have already been installed, so this part is pretty fun.
 
Andy.

This weekend I got the main yard installed.  I pinned it like the 2 above it, and all the rigging is also in place.
 
The sling is the 0.8mm rope, with the next photo showing it wrapped around the mast.

 

 
Here are all 4 yards:

 
Next up is to apply the rest of the rigging.  It's a little slow going, but I really enjoy it.  Most, if not all, of the blocks required have already been installed, so this part is pretty fun.
 
Andy.

No photos yet, but I did decide to pin the topgallant yard - it was a little tricky since some of the rigging was attached, but I was able to stabilize it.
 
So, as of now, only the main yard remains.  I studied the plans this morning, and I'll definitely pin this one, but wait to apply the glue until after some of the rigging has been applied.
 
Thanks for all the likes and comments everyone.  Much appreciated.
 
Andy.

No photos yet, but I did decide to pin the topgallant yard - it was a little tricky since some of the rigging was attached, but I was able to stabilize it.
 
So, as of now, only the main yard remains.  I studied the plans this morning, and I'll definitely pin this one, but wait to apply the glue until after some of the rigging has been applied.
 
Thanks for all the likes and comments everyone.  Much appreciated.
 
Andy.

Thanks for all the likes and comments (keep 'em coming).  I really do appreciate the feedback.
 
I finally got some photos of the yards as they are progressing.  The two top-most yards are not pinned as both the mast and the yards are quite thin and I didn't want to weaken them unnecessarily.  The top one is tied and glued into  place and i anticipate it becoming more stable as the rest of the running rigging is added.
 
The 2nd from top (forget the name), is troublesome - it's currently tied in as per the instructions, but just hanging loose, as the photos show.  I could still pin this one or see how the rigging holds it.
 
The next one down is pinned and it pretty stable.
 

 

 

 

 

 
Andy.

Thanks for all the likes and comments (keep 'em coming).  I really do appreciate the feedback.
 
I finally got some photos of the yards as they are progressing.  The two top-most yards are not pinned as both the mast and the yards are quite thin and I didn't want to weaken them unnecessarily.  The top one is tied and glued into  place and i anticipate it becoming more stable as the rest of the running rigging is added.
 
The 2nd from top (forget the name), is troublesome - it's currently tied in as per the instructions, but just hanging loose, as the photos show.  I could still pin this one or see how the rigging holds it.
 
The next one down is pinned and it pretty stable.
 

 

 

 

 

 
Andy.

Thanks for all the likes and comments (keep 'em coming).  I really do appreciate the feedback.
 
I finally got some photos of the yards as they are progressing.  The two top-most yards are not pinned as both the mast and the yards are quite thin and I didn't want to weaken them unnecessarily.  The top one is tied and glued into  place and i anticipate it becoming more stable as the rest of the running rigging is added.
 
The 2nd from top (forget the name), is troublesome - it's currently tied in as per the instructions, but just hanging loose, as the photos show.  I could still pin this one or see how the rigging holds it.
 
The next one down is pinned and it pretty stable.
 

 

 

 

 

 
Andy.

Thanks for all the likes and comments (keep 'em coming).  I really do appreciate the feedback.
 
I finally got some photos of the yards as they are progressing.  The two top-most yards are not pinned as both the mast and the yards are quite thin and I didn't want to weaken them unnecessarily.  The top one is tied and glued into  place and i anticipate it becoming more stable as the rest of the running rigging is added.
 
The 2nd from top (forget the name), is troublesome - it's currently tied in as per the instructions, but just hanging loose, as the photos show.  I could still pin this one or see how the rigging holds it.
 
The next one down is pinned and it pretty stable.
 

 

 

 

 

 
Andy.

Thanks for all the likes and comments (keep 'em coming).  I really do appreciate the feedback.
 
I finally got some photos of the yards as they are progressing.  The two top-most yards are not pinned as both the mast and the yards are quite thin and I didn't want to weaken them unnecessarily.  The top one is tied and glued into  place and i anticipate it becoming more stable as the rest of the running rigging is added.
 
The 2nd from top (forget the name), is troublesome - it's currently tied in as per the instructions, but just hanging loose, as the photos show.  I could still pin this one or see how the rigging holds it.
 
The next one down is pinned and it pretty stable.
 

 

 

 

 

 
Andy.

Thanks for all the likes and comments (keep 'em coming).  I really do appreciate the feedback.
 
I finally got some photos of the yards as they are progressing.  The two top-most yards are not pinned as both the mast and the yards are quite thin and I didn't want to weaken them unnecessarily.  The top one is tied and glued into  place and i anticipate it becoming more stable as the rest of the running rigging is added.
 
The 2nd from top (forget the name), is troublesome - it's currently tied in as per the instructions, but just hanging loose, as the photos show.  I could still pin this one or see how the rigging holds it.
 
The next one down is pinned and it pretty stable.
 

 

 

 

 

 
Andy.

Hi, thanks for looking in.  I don't do fast work, but so far I've been happy with the results.
 
This weekend, I figured it might be time to finally install the ballast - rocks and barrels.  The instructions said to use 2-3mm rocks, and all I could find around my house were much larger, so I went to hobby shop and purchased a bag of rocks:
 

 
Next, I mixed a slurry of 50% water and 50% white glue and made a nice paste of the rocks.  This stuff will take hours to dry, so I had time to place it around the mast supports and glue the barrels in what I hoped is nice, mostly-realistic manner.
 

 

 
It was a fun diversion from rigging, but I fear I can put off the yards no longer.  Hopefully, my next update!
 
Andy.

I spent the weekend working on the vertical stanchions and starting on the lower deck work.
 
Here are the stanchions - used a weighted bit of string to find the vertical lines, then just sanded to length and glued in.
 

 
Next up was framing the hatch - the plans called for mitered joints, so I made cuts at 45-degree angle using a lego as a guide.  I glued in the outside frame, then added the slats (I guess the hatch is closed, eventually a ladder is placed on it):
 

 
Finally, I started on the deck planking.  I thought it would be very straightforward, but I have some questions.  First, here's how it stands right now:
 

 
I used a #2 pencil to mark the ends of one plank for caulking, which I think is ok looking.
 
The questions I have are:  I see in the plans that each plank doesn't run the full length - like most decks, the planks are staggered and should have butt-joints at periodic locations.  How, generally, do folks do this?  Do you cut the planks the lengths the joints demand, or can one simulate it by scoring a line?  I hesitated to cut them to the shorter lengths as I wondered how folks get them to line up properly?
 
Finally, you can see in the last photo, there is small gap on the left of the hatch and an even smaller one on the right side.  What's the best way to fill these?  My approach to date has been to try to cut a length of planking so narrow that it fits in there, but the right side one is no more than a sliver!  I really would appreciate some advice for fixing this, and I'm sure similar situations will come up on the next two decks - how do I avoid this for the future and how do I fix this now?
 
I found measuring the distance from the edge of the deck to the hatch should have left 3mm or so, and with a 4mm plank, I should have had a bigger gap.  But after the planks are laid, they must take up more room, or the planks aren't exactly 4mm, so I've got a very small gap instead.
 
I also must not have centered the hatch properly, or the keel isn't dead center - either way something is off and I'd like to fix the deck planking.
 
Andy.

Hi, thanks for looking in.  I don't do fast work, but so far I've been happy with the results.
 
This weekend, I figured it might be time to finally install the ballast - rocks and barrels.  The instructions said to use 2-3mm rocks, and all I could find around my house were much larger, so I went to hobby shop and purchased a bag of rocks:
 

 
Next, I mixed a slurry of 50% water and 50% white glue and made a nice paste of the rocks.  This stuff will take hours to dry, so I had time to place it around the mast supports and glue the barrels in what I hoped is nice, mostly-realistic manner.
 

 

 
It was a fun diversion from rigging, but I fear I can put off the yards no longer.  Hopefully, my next update!
 
Andy.

Hi, thanks for looking in.  I don't do fast work, but so far I've been happy with the results.
 
This weekend, I figured it might be time to finally install the ballast - rocks and barrels.  The instructions said to use 2-3mm rocks, and all I could find around my house were much larger, so I went to hobby shop and purchased a bag of rocks:
 

 
Next, I mixed a slurry of 50% water and 50% white glue and made a nice paste of the rocks.  This stuff will take hours to dry, so I had time to place it around the mast supports and glue the barrels in what I hoped is nice, mostly-realistic manner.
 

 

 
It was a fun diversion from rigging, but I fear I can put off the yards no longer.  Hopefully, my next update!
 
Andy.

Hi, thanks for looking in.  I don't do fast work, but so far I've been happy with the results.
 
This weekend, I figured it might be time to finally install the ballast - rocks and barrels.  The instructions said to use 2-3mm rocks, and all I could find around my house were much larger, so I went to hobby shop and purchased a bag of rocks:
 

 
Next, I mixed a slurry of 50% water and 50% white glue and made a nice paste of the rocks.  This stuff will take hours to dry, so I had time to place it around the mast supports and glue the barrels in what I hoped is nice, mostly-realistic manner.
 

 

 
It was a fun diversion from rigging, but I fear I can put off the yards no longer.  Hopefully, my next update!
 
Andy.

Hi, thanks for looking in.  I don't do fast work, but so far I've been happy with the results.
 
This weekend, I figured it might be time to finally install the ballast - rocks and barrels.  The instructions said to use 2-3mm rocks, and all I could find around my house were much larger, so I went to hobby shop and purchased a bag of rocks:
 

 
Next, I mixed a slurry of 50% water and 50% white glue and made a nice paste of the rocks.  This stuff will take hours to dry, so I had time to place it around the mast supports and glue the barrels in what I hoped is nice, mostly-realistic manner.
 

 

 
It was a fun diversion from rigging, but I fear I can put off the yards no longer.  Hopefully, my next update!
 
Andy.