grsjax

I'm taking a break from my other build-log (Gjøa)-- a little diversion in smaller scale, of a unique craft that caught my eye recently.  I first saw this type of vessel in the Historic American Merchant Marine Survey publication of ca. 1984; scale drawings of the "Okahumkee" and its later counterpart the "Hiawatha" are in the Survey.  I was interested in building one the moment I saw them.   The State Library and Archives of Florida has the HAMMS drawings (3 Pages, retitled) on their web-page (public domain): https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/337722  Here is the inboard section, which also will show the Inboard wheel: 

Yes, a little odd looking; Historical descriptions tend to agree. 
Here's a postcard showing sister-ship (of sorts) "Hiawatha":
In beginning, I used paper board to make the hull. While 82' long, this steamer is essentially a huge skiff, with only slight dead rise aft of the wheel slot.  This paper hull will get a veneer planking. 

Getting ready to cross-plank the bottom:

Below: The hull planked bottom, sides and top.  The wheel casing is positioned, with the wheel behind it.  An inboard sternwheeler is perfect for any builder dreading making the wheel . . . . but I made it anyways, albeit poorly. 

Will leave with another historic image (Public Domain, courtesy of  State of Florida Library and Archives):

 

What I like about my toolmaker's vice shown earlier is that it has two rabbets in the jaws that allow you to clamp shorter parts without the need of parallels.
 
Talking about parallels to prop up shorter material in a vice: I often use pieces of drill-rod instead - it's a lot cheaper than sets of parallels.

Hello!
 
This would be my first build log, as recommended by Mark Taylor in another forum section, when asking about the Disarmodel Whaleboat, 1:40 scale.
 
I really have no open box pics at the moment, but I can get some later and upload.  It is indeed a very nicely packaged kit, all of the wood tightly grouped, as well as a small plastic box with the smaller parts inside.  There is a nice poster of a top-view of the assembled whaleboat, and last, the instruction booklet.
 
This is where the fun begins...  instructions are basically quick comments per each step, and not that many pictures to help a novice builder.  There are no plans whatsoever, so for those looking a kit with a nice instruction/print set, this is not for you.
 
In the other hand, the frames are nicely laser cut, but delicate...  they have a very thin veneer, so to speak, that will eventually come loose, so there will be sections that you will have to fill in, as these frames become part of the structure of the boat (think of huge ribs).  Assembly was pretty straightforward, with 2 thik additional pieces for bow and stern that you will have to fair, along with the frames, in order to install the planks.  The keel per se is delicate in a couple of places, so you have to be delicate when sanding/fine tuning the fairings on frames.
 
Now, onto the first pics...  first planks, port and starboard.  Not glued in place...  the planks were lightly wet, and installed so they take form...  not sure if I will form the hull, and prepare ribs in lieu of the kit frames...  still thinking if going this way!  And sorry for the background, but my worktable was too cluttered with other stuff that I have to clear!
 
 
As soon as I have a bit of progress, will post more info/pics...  duty calls, have to work, pay the bills!  
 
All feedback greatly appreciated!
 
 
 

If I could squeak one in before closing....
 
The Hart Line "Okahumkee"-- an inboard sternwheeler that plied the Ocklawaha River from the 1870s into the 1920s.  This steamer, and its later-built sister-ship "Hiawatha" are both documented in the Historic American Merchant Marine Survey, and many fine historical photos of each exist.   This links to many photos of the Okahumkee, and on one of the three pages there are pages from the HAMMS Survey: https://www.floridamemory.com/find?keywords=Okahumkee (The "Hiawatha" [and other steamers] is also on this web-page).
 
Here are two Plates from the Florida Memory (State Archives and Library of Florida) page, (Public Domain):

...And a couple postcards of the similar "Hiawatha" from my collection: 

Lastly: Here's a model from the 1890s of another Hart Line Steamer in the US Postal Museum:
https://postalmuseum.si.edu/object/npm_0.052985.271
 
(Full disclosure: I am currently building a model of the "Okahumkee"). 
All the best, 
Harvey
 
 
 

For my fourth build after finishing the modelshipways series. I am going with the Palamos by Occre.  It seems like a fairly good beginner build, I like trawlers and I managed to find it on clearance for $75.
 

 
It appears that the boat isn't modeled after any particular fishing boat (at least as far as I could find) but rather is a general representation of fishing boats seen around Palamos Spain.  I like the clean wood colors of the Occre model, but it looks like the real fishing boats were all painted bright colors.  I am a bit torn on if I should paint the hull or leave the nice looking wood.
 

 
Opening the box everything looks to be in good shape.  There are 3 pages of 1/1 model scale drawings and separate instruction and photo reference booklets.  There is also a paint chart that isn't photographed.  I was planning on doing a parts inventory, but the way the parts list is labeled and references the instruction booklet photos, it would be quite time consuming and difficult.  Upon comparing it to my previous builds, there are only a few sheets of wooden parts but all of the planking is with strips rather than laser cut strakes. All in all, it looks fairly well organized and should be a good build.
 

Getting started the first thing I noticed is that OcCre's plywood sheets are much tougher than the basswood I was used to from previous builds.  It was very difficult to cut the pieces out using a #11 hobby knife blade.  I swapped out a number #17 blade and it was much easier.  I had some minor damage before switching to the new blade.  Always make sure pieces are cutout well and do not try to pop them out.  I did find the chiped off piece and glued it back in.
 

 
After getting the spine and bulkheads removed and dechared it was time to make sure everything was symmetric and flat.  For the bulkheads I traced each one out, cut out the paper trace and folded them along the center line.  Anything that didn't line up mostly right would be shaped to match.  Everything was very symmetrical.  Anything that was slightly off I attributed to tracing/cutting errors or something that would fix itself when faring the bulkheads. 
 

 
As for the spine, it wasn't quite straight
 

 
I didn't want to soak the plywood part because I was worried about de-laminating it. I clamped it to the edge of the table, used a brush to wet one side then used an iron to apply heat.  I then repeated on the other side.  I let it stay clamped down for a couple of hours and after removal it was looking quite a bit better.
 

 

 

 
Dry fitting the bulkheads onto the spine, everything fit pretty well but there was a little bit of play.  I'm sure removing the char inside the slots helped cause that.  They squared up pretty easily and should be dry and ready to continue by morning.  The structure is resting vertically in the vise because there wasn't room to grab it by the bottom of the spine. 
 

 

 
 

Looking forward to your survey results!
 
james

I started Ranger a month or so ago whilst stuck staying in a hotel for a fortnight’s business trip in one of the UK’s less attractive locations.

Made a start, but not a lot of progress and then back on the shelf once home whilst finishing Grecian.
 
This will be my sixth fishing boat from Vanguard and the last of the Vanguard fishing boat range. They are a lovely range of kits. Ranger at first glance seems very similar to the others in terms of being exceptionally high quality, very well designed, superb instructions and an excellent prototype build log on MSW. 
 
Ranger is similar in length (both hull and overall) and also width to Erycina, but has a much higher single mast to carry a great deal of sail area as her purpose was not to do the actual fishing but return the catch from the fishing fleet back to port as quickly as possible. Her lines, whilst longer, are not dissimilar to those of Saucy Jack. 
The MDF skeleton of bulkheads, keel and deck is wonderfully over engineered as usual to give a very robust framework with no risk of warping. Hull was faired, but the curves on this one are very gentle and do not require a lot of sanding. 

The only thing to note is that the slots in this construction do need a gentle sand to get them to fit properly. I have been spoilt on other Vanguard builds being able to do this initial construction without any sanding, I suspect it’s the norm for most manufacturers. I did, stupidly, try and force a couple of the bulkheads on snapping both a bulkhead and the keel itself - an easily avoidable mistake. They’re all glued back together fine now. 

Lower stern counter went on well without soaking. Just clamped and glued with PVA. 
Deck clicks in as usual into the helpful slot at the bottom of each bulkhead ear. 

Then the bulwarks fitted, as per the instructions with a small nail at the bottom, clamped and glued with PVA, although no glue above deck level as the eats will be removed. Again, no need for soaking due to the gentle shape. 


Once both sides done, time to start the planking. There’s tapering at the bow but not stern. 

Only a few planks in, but so far this has been the easiest boat to plank. I think Chris or Jim promised this in the instructions or build log! 

That’s all I did whilst away. Will restart construction shortly. 
 

Specs said the shaft turned in a brass sleeve.  I assume that means the spindle but I could be wrong.  Be interesting to take one apart and see how it is made.

Specs said the shaft turned in a brass sleeve.  I assume that means the spindle but I could be wrong.  Be interesting to take one apart and see how it is made.

The specs on some of these micro drill presses states that the shaft turns in a brass sleeve rather than bearings.  Should be ok for light work but I don't see anyway to lube the sleeve so for anything serious I would be a little worried.

The specs on some of these micro drill presses states that the shaft turns in a brass sleeve rather than bearings.  Should be ok for light work but I don't see anyway to lube the sleeve so for anything serious I would be a little worried.

I agree with Cathead, a 2 foot model is good size for most homes.  Smaller models are also a good thing as they can be displayed in otherwise unused spaces like bookshelves and hall tables.  My choice would be models between 9" and 2'.

Having just finished the Lowell Grand Banks Dory, I find myself not yet ready to begin a model of the schooner I'm meaning to build in my garage. And so I reached for the second of the two kits I bought in April 2020 before a bunch of other weird stuff happened, the Willie L Bennett Chesapeake Bay Skipjack.
 
It was quite a contrast opening this kit compared to the little dory model! I'd been advised that this was a good beginner kit when I first looked into this, and I must have even read a build log or two on it before deciding it was a good choice, but if so I had forgotten that I would be greeted with more or less a pile of lumber upon opening the box. It was a little intimidating and I considered putting the whole thing back away since it seems like a lot to get into when I have other projects coming along. Then I got started anyways. I found a 1/4" plywood cutoff just a bit larger than the size shown in the plan, left over from when I built my kitchen cabinets. It was a little bowed, so I fastened a cutoff bit of 5/8" OSB to the bottom and that flattened it right out. I pricked holes through the mold plan into the plywood and connected the dots instead of cutting out that part of the plan and gluing it down, then set the mold up using the cutouts as bracing.

I moved on to the keelson tonight. After gluing the three pieces together and sanding it smooth - the laser cutouts weren't quite square, giving it a sawtooth sort of look on end - I sanded an initial bevel into the outer 1/8" strip on each side. I clamped down a straight edge to scribe a cut line, then figured out I could use the straight edge as a guide for an emery board to sand in the rabbet. The keelson sits a bit oddy in the molds, with the forward end sitting quite proud of the notches and the after end recessing in to the point that it will have to be lifted up to fasten the bottom. The next step is going to be some careful measurements and seeing if I need to modify the mold at all.

I agree with Cathead, a 2 foot model is good size for most homes.  Smaller models are also a good thing as they can be displayed in otherwise unused spaces like bookshelves and hall tables.  My choice would be models between 9" and 2'.

Thought I'd share my chopper I made when I was building my first model ship. The blade holder was made from an old gasket scraper I had in my junk drawer. It's crude but gets the job done with acceptable 90's in both directions.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/296173848539?hash=item44f55647db:g:JLIAAOSwE7Vlqgqj
Not mine but I thought someone here might be interested.

I agree with Cathead, a 2 foot model is good size for most homes.  Smaller models are also a good thing as they can be displayed in otherwise unused spaces like bookshelves and hall tables.  My choice would be models between 9" and 2'.

A Tancook Whaler would be another good idea.

The Gulf Coast Scow Schooner from Chapelle's "American Small Sailing Craft" would be my first choice.  Any of the sail powered fishing boats that used to be common sights in American harbors.  An unusual one that few are aware of is the Hawaiian Sampan fishing boats developed by Japanese immigrants to the islands in the early 20th century. https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/news/may20/sampans-of-hawaii.html

I have worked a lot of Black Cherry (Prunus serotina) and it is OK for frame timbers, keel,  beams etc.  but I have not tried to scrape a mold pattern in it.
I seems a bit soft for micro detail, but that is just an impression.
I was a wood ghoul  and traded cleanup labor for the small trunk of a wind downed Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium).  I billotted and seasoned it and the grain is very similar, but the color is yellow green.
Not something that I would leave natural.  The Wood Database says that Sweet Cherry is harder.  It may carve better.
 
I think one of the many varieties of ornamental Pear (Pyrus calleryana) would work better.  Near ubiquitous street planting in some places.
 

Already a few years ago I was looking to a documentary (Discovery) about the battle between Korea and Japan. The Turtle Ship had the leading role and at the end I know that I had to build this ship. I have made searches on the internet and could only find one kit from Young Modeler (South-Korea). There is also a 1/100 scale kit, see the nice topic about this ship from Mike Szwarc – it's because of this topic I could not let the box closed anymore .
 
Some wikipedia: (full text: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turtle_ship )
 
"The Turtle ship, also known as Geobukseon(거북선), was a type of large warship belonging to the Panokseon class in Korea that was used intermittently by the Royal Korean Navy during the Joseon Dynasty from the early 15th century up until the 19th century.
The first references to older, first generation turtle ships, known as Gwiseon (귀선; 龜船), come from 1413 and 1415  records in the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, which mention a mock battle between a gwiseon and a Japanese warship.
However, these early turtle ships soon fell out of use as Korea’s naval preparedness decreased during a long period of  relative peace.
Turtle ships participated against Japanese naval forces that supported Toyotomi Hideyoshi's attempts to conquer Korea from 1592-1598. Korean admiral Yi Sun-sin is credited with designing the ship. His turtle ships were equipped with at least five different types of cannon. Their most distinguishable feature was a dragon-shaped head at the bow (front) that could launch cannon fire or flames from the mouth. Each was also equipped with a fully covered deck to deflect arrow fire, musket-shots,
and incendiary weapons. The deck was covered with iron spikes to discourage enemy men from attempting to board the hip. Claims that it was iron-plated remain controversial."
 
A replica is shown in the War Memorial in Seoul.

 

 
Controversial or not, I will build her covered with the iron spikes.
 
Some pictures of the box and its content:
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
And started already with a dryfit - total length will be 60 cm:
 

 

I agree with Cathead, a 2 foot model is good size for most homes.  Smaller models are also a good thing as they can be displayed in otherwise unused spaces like bookshelves and hall tables.  My choice would be models between 9" and 2'.

A Tancook Whaler would be another good idea.

THe larger the scale, the more detail you add. For us old guys the photo etched parts are a little hard to work with.