grsjax

I agree that metric is easier to use but that said if you have a set of drawings in Imperial it is generally better to go with that rather than converting everything into metric.
Digressing a bit, I had a 1970 Triumph 500 that had metric, SAE and Whitworth fastenings.  Made for a real nightmare when trying to find the right wrench.

PM Tom (CAF) and ask if it's available.  All CAF models are legit as I understand it.

CAF are legitimate.
In fact, we'll have a review for Parts 1 & 2 of their 1:48 HMS Granado POF on MSW very soon.

The question is, does CAF still sell the kit.  Another question is it a legitimate kit that can be here on MSW?

That's it.

The question is, does CAF still sell the kit.  Another question is it a legitimate kit that can be here on MSW?

That's it.

This 1/48 model of a British ceremonial barge used to be on the CAF website but I can not find it now.  Has it been discontinued?

That's it.

This 1/48 model of a British ceremonial barge used to be on the CAF website but I can not find it now.  Has it been discontinued?

Greetings. 
 
Up until a month ago it had been 30 years since I’d made a model, and no disrespect, but it was just a plastic car; parts included. Maybe 20 years ago a friend invited me into the back of her parents’ garage where her father had set up a shop. Scratch builds upon scratch builds. Last year his work was displayed at a museum in our home town and the memories of his shop surfaced. 
 
There’s a video, too, which I’m sure you’ve all seen. Apart from the style of the documentary, which was lovely, the subject matter and the modeler’s philosophical approach pulled me deeper into the archetype. 
 
And then, I’m a sailor. A recent convert (6 seasons) but flush with zeal. Our first boat was a Manhassett Bay One Design, which I refit over the course of two winters. The pics of that boat, 23 SKIDDOO, follow 
 



 
I have also been harboring an interest in milling lumber, which occasionally rears its ugly head in hours long binging of sawmill videos, and has also lead to my small collection of logs from local trees: beech and apple. 
 
So many pieces of the puzzle were in place (more than I’ve illustrated here)  that when I happened upon a copy of Thirty Wooden Boats and saw the Biscayne Bay Sailing Skiff I knew I wanted to make a model of it. I want to make a full size one, too, but there aren’t as many pieces of that puzzle falling into place. 
 
I believe this boat, which I’ve named Rigel, is a suitable first scratch build for a number of reasons. The plans are good. The hull is double chined. WoodenBoat magazine documented a build of this boat step-by-step in three installments (#s 96, 97, 98.) So, a relatively uncomplicated, beautiful design that comes with some directions. 


I harvested a beech log from the woodpile at Planting Fields in Oyster Bay, New York. It came from the limb of a tree that was part of an original copse. The landscape of that estate was designed by the Olmstead Brothers. Here’s a piece of quarter sawn beach that I milled, it would become the transom, transom knee and stem. 
 

 

 

Primary tool so far: photocopy machine. 
 
I intend to build the boat as it would be at full size, so using a photocopy machine, a digital caliper, a light table and some fine drafting pens I mocked up the molds. First I increased the size of the plans 200%. Then I traced the section lines, printed a mirror image, lined up the two sides and made a reduced copy until I got the scale I wanted, 1:24. One inch equals 24 inches or 2 feet. The section lines represent the outside of the hull so I had to compensate for the planking. 
 

This image is of the 1:1 plans with a squared piece of white oak that I’ve used as a strong back, to which I attached the molds, eventually.  
 

 

 


You know when I saw that this was the size of the molds I thought I had lost my mind. The notches seemed minuscule. I feared endless frustration as I began to try every method possible for cutting these shapes out of doorskin. Eventually, I called my neighbor who has a laser cutter. She definitely helped me out and I might have bailed on the project if it weren’t for that little boost. Accurate molds are crucial for a decent final product…I’ve heard. That being said, I am not sure I would feel comfortable using a laser printer to cut pieces that would actually be used on the boat. But that’s just me. 
 
After getting them cut I had to attach the molds to the strong back. There were a lot of steps to this. Drawing out station lines on the strong back, gluing the molds down, using legos to get right angles…starting over. Lining up the molds correctly, in relation to the station lines and the sweep of the keel…eventually I got it. 
 

 
With this part in place I was ready to start working on the keel, which is essentially a plank with a large rabbet removed from the edge to fit the garboard plank. How was I going to cut a rabbet into this plank? I wasn’t. I “lofted” the shape of the keel, used some photo copy magic and created two templates: one for the wide portion of the keel and on for the narrower rabbet piece.I glued them together to form one solid keel with a rabbet “cut out.”
 
I used glue stick to attach the pattern. I rough cut then sand to shape. 

Here I’ve glued the transom (and knee) to the wider keel piece and dry fit the Rabbet with rubber bands. 

Glued and clamped. I use those office clips with bits of cork to dampen the squeeze. The rubber bands keep the keel bent. When the glue dried and the keel came off the molds, the curve was holding. 
. 
I’ll leave you with one image and then, until next time… peace. 

 
See you after Thanksgiving. 

Nice looking boat.  Would be an interesting kit in wood and 1:48 scale.

Gravers used by jewelers are also a good tool for doing fine carving.  They come in different shapes and can be found fairly inexpensively on ebay and Amazon.
  This is a cheap set from Amazon. 

And so it begins - my first build.  The Swampscott Dory kit arrived last Thursday and since then I've been gathering needed tools and supplies, setting up my workstation in the basement, reading the instructions and the build logs of others who have already tackled this kit.  I inventoried all the parts, and everything is present and accounted for.  I've also researched real-life versions of this Dory and found one that I like here, and will try to build a model that replicates this as closely as possible.  I found suitable acrylic paints in Michael's; still not sure about the stains/varnish - will likely be a trial and error process making use of the scrap wood. I'll begin assembling the frames this week, though I plan to build this kit slowly, deliberately and even contemplatively.  As I wrote in my new member intro last week, I'm more interested in the learning process than the finished product.  I think it will be fun, and I'm looking forward to it!

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/serbia-restores-warship-that-fired-first-shots-world-war-one-2021-11-12/

All the books listed so far are great.  To add to the list I like all the books by Howard I. Cappelle but especially "American Sailing Craft", "American Small Sailing Craft" and "The Search for Speed Under Sail".  In addition the books by William A. Baker, "Sloops and Shallops" and "Colonial Vessels" are good reads and references.

Aye aye Captain.
 
I feel like the only problems that will occur will be from misinterpreting the instructions or from rushing. 
 
In the video bellow I saw one or two mistakes, he easily fixed them. When I found this video series I went "Guess I'm getting a Yawl"
 
 

Hello everyone,
 
I once again shoved my other builds aside for an easy to build kit. I bought the Falkonet Viking ship last fall and had a lot of fun building it. I cruised through that kit in about 3 weeks. I have a feeling this kit will be the same but will take a little longer. Sometimes I just want something straightforward to build.
 
Seeing that this is the first build log for this particular boat I will post the contents of the kit.











The Rope will be replaced of course, though it is some of the better kit stuff I've seen. The sail material is very fine cloth but there is hardly enough. I am looking into pre-maid sail options.
 
Over all I'm impressed and can't wait to dig in! 

Dear Glenn and mtdoramike,
 
Thank you for your kind encouragement. I didn't flesh out my reason for selling in this post because I already sold most of my kits and tools through this forum.
 
My wife and I have sold our house and are moving to a 2-bedroom apartment. To facilitate our downsizing I sold my Byrnes saw and disc sander, and 7 or 8 kits that I never touched. You see, I went quite crazy with accumulating toys when I embarked on this hobby. All of those kits had become more of a burden than a joy, and I'm glad that they are in better homes now.
 
All was not for naught, though. Since you are both so encouraging, here are a few photos of the Bluenose that I almost completed.
 
All best wishes.

PM sent

Prior to retiring a few years ago I stockpiled a few kits to build.  The eyes have since gone and I have a few kits left over that I'm willing to give to anyone willing or able to come pick them up.  I don't want to mess with mailing anything.  I live in the Zanesville, Ohio area.
 
I have Model Shipways Newsboy, HMS Bounty Launch and Flying Fish.
I also have Model Trailways Concord Stagecoach.
All kits are new and complete.
 
I have two of the Model Shipways USS Niagara boxes stuffed full of wood and spare items from my futile attempts to build that kit three times.  All three attempts were abandoned at varying stages.  Lots of stuff in them.
 
I have extra line, barrels, buckets, fixtures, paints, sail cloth so on and so forth that are also all part of the give-away.
 
It's either give them away or toss 'em onto the burn pile so come and get 'em.
 

Hello everyone!
One thing I really hate in kit building is making thimbles from photoetched brass (you know which manufacturer I'm talking about :). I have never been able to make a good one, the halves never stick together and it is impossible to blacken afterwards. Now nobody has to deal with this nightmare anymore as we have several sizes of high quality machined thimbles for sale (the pictures are clickable and link to the store page)
 
 

 
 
 

Hi everyone
I finally was able to finish the display case. Right now it is just sitting on an old table in my modeling room. We are about to start refurnishing some of the rooms in our house i.e. rugs, couches, bedrooms and what ever else pops up. These projects tend to morph into much more than you originally plan. 🤔Once everything is back in order I can put the case in it’s final home.  Here are some pics although the lighting was not to great. I plan on putting a couple of wireless light bars on the top glass plates to help with illumination. 

 

 

 

 

 
Now I am going to attack a birthday present from 3 years ago, a 9000 piece puzzle of the battle at Algiers. I think it measures approximately 5ft by 7ft if I remember correctly. It will make a nice wall hanging in my modeling room. 
Hopefully with a little help from my friends I can get the puzzle done by Christmas and then get started on a scratch build of the Charles W. Morgan.
 
Thanks again to everyone for the support during my Leopard build. 
 
Tom

PM sent.

Hello All,
 
The cable laid rope should be online in a day or two. I'm still working on the background stuff on the site. They will be sold by the meter up to a maximum length of 5 meters. 
 
I recently purchased and new pair of calipers and remeasured all of my stock. I changed some of the sizes and added two. Everything should be much closer to the stated size now. 
 
I've added .5mm (0.019") right hand and .6mm (0.023") right hand to my collection.