GrandpaPhil

Well done!

My top 4 are my X-Acto knife with a #11 blade, a pin-vise, a steel rule and a razor saw.

The reason for the multipart frames is that the grain of the wood will cause problems if you try to make them out of one piece.  That’s also why they overlap.

You’ll lose a lot of strength if you try to make one piece frames.

I agree with Jorge.  You are doing well.  Don’t get discouraged.  The cant frames are difficult to make.

I have never built POF.  I’m familiar with the theory, but I’ve never done it.

I would glue the pattern with the green and black to both sides and use that set your bevels.  For the aft cant frames, the black should be your guide for the forward side of the bevels and the green should be your guide for the aft side of the bevels.

It's a 3 dimensional picture because the cant frames aren't square.  The green lines are the aft part of the aft cant frames and the black lines are the forward part of the aft cant frames.  They are there so you can cut the bevel on the frames.  Hopefully that helps.

Incredible work!

Still working on my carving.  I’m having fun with it.  I’ll get back to the Victory shortly.

You did very well.  I wouldn’t have know that it was card unless you had told us.  Very nicely done!

Personally, I just buy the minwax wood filler.  I’ve never had a problem with it.  I usually take a piece of whatever I’m matching into the hardware store with me.  

I can usually match the color well enough that once sealer is applied, no one will notice the filler.

Nicely done!

Welcome aboard!  The Phantom is an excellent starter kit.

I too, had borderline zero woodworking skills when I started in the hobby.  You’ll pick them up as you go.

3 hours ago, mtaylor said:

Other than to open each port while planking, the only other way I've seen or heard about is to use a Dremel (or similar) with a small bit and drill the opening by making a lot (the more the better) of holes just to the inside of the port.  Then use your knife, small saw to shape the port.  It is a time consuming process but not nearly as bad as tying ratlines.  .   

This is my method, too.  It works well.  Just take your time and cut carefully.

Very cool!  Very informative!

Hope your admiral gets to feeling better.  I’m sorry to hear that she is ill.

I haven’t gotten much done on the Victory for a bit because I’m still teaching myself how to carve.  

I’m steadily getting better at it and have been enjoying the learning process.

Tonight, I carved a sea monster off the stern of the British frigate Winchelsea.

Very cool!

Two questions, firstly do you have to do anything special to step your masts?  Second, how do you secure channels so they they don’t rip out under the stress of installing the shrouds?

Very nicely done!

I’m still working on learning how to carve.

I’m getting better and I’ll be making another attempt at the entry port carvings in the near future.  

I still need some better wood, but I might go with cedar.

Very cool!  Very informative!  I might have to give a card scratchbuild a try!

Very impressive!

Just keep working at it and don’t get discouraged.  Always remember though, slow is fast.  Take your time and have fun.

This is about what it looks like now.

If you look at the progression, it started out really rough and slowly got better.

After second layer of planking (and sanding, but no filling, because I cut individual planks and very carefully attached them, fitting them as I went).