grsjax

I am old enough to be shocked at the current prices of most things.  I still remember the 1970 annual salary of my first civilian engineering job -$12,000.  The company had contracts to build nuclear power plants and was willing to pay me a premium for my navy nuclear experience.  When the local school district offered my wife a teaching job at an annual salary of $7,500, with a combined salary close to $20,000 we felt that we were making “the big bucks.”  52 years later, spending $250 for a model kit is something that I would not take lightly, to say nothing of $1000.
 
On the other hand, if I was to buy a model kit, whether it cost $250 or $1000, I would want it to meet certain criteria:
Is it based on solid research?
Does the construction method produce an accurately shaped hull?
Does the finished model accurately represent its historic prototype?
Are the kit materials of a quality that can be used as intended by the kit designer?
Are supplied prefabricated parts; fittings, decorations, etc generic or unique to the model being built?  
If generic fittings like blocks deadeyes are included, are they correct scale and correctly shaped?
Will kit supplied materials be durable over the lifetime of the model ( assume 25-50 years)?
Is documentation well written with correct grammar, and clear to scale drawings?  Supplemental information regarding historical research would be desirable.
 
While I have no intention of downsizing in the foreseeable future, I am beginning to realize that I might not always have the luxury of a full sized workshop.  When  and if I am consigned to a “Luxury Resort for Active Seniors,” a $1000 kit meeting the above criteria may well be a better buy than a $250 one that does not.
 
Roger
 

Don't email Model Expo.  They never seem to respond well.  Call them directly.  I have had good luck that way when getting replacement parts.

THE ANALYSIS AND CONSERVATION OF TWO 18-POUNDER CARRONADES FROM THE U.S. NAVY SCHOONER SHARK
A Thesis by BRENNAN P. BAJDEK Submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS
 
The_Analysis_and_Conservation_of_Two_18.pdf

Well it turns out the massive main hatch wasn't big enough. I made a measurement booboo which meant that the hatch was 1 cm too narrow. So...I had to rip everything out and redo most of the supporting structures.
 

After I made the repairs I started on the main hatch coamings and ledges. They were assembled by forming the same 90" radius for the longitudinals and the 26" radius for the ledges (concave and convex) and milling half lap joints. A strip was laminated onto the logitudinals to form an inside rabbet while the rabbet was milled into the ledges before they were bent. The strip on the longitudinals was extended to overlap the gap on the ledges. 
 

 
 
The cross pieces (battens) were tricky to make and I will redo them at some point in the future. The end stops are very difficult for someone of my limited chiseling skills. They too must be bent to match their respective orientations.



Mast parteners were straightforward and dropped about 2mm below the carlings and the underside rounded up to fit the respective curves. The mast is raked 2 degrees so I was as precise as I could be in positioning it (although it is not glued in place yet). The companion coaming abuts the forward end of the parteners and will be later fitted with a ladder.
 
 
Cheers,
 
Ian

Time for a brief update. Everything has gone without too many redos 🙂. I must say David’s book explains things very well and I rarely have to go beyond it for guidance. A few notables: 
 
I found my self-levelling laser quite helpful for getting things to stand vertically. If I would just find the energy to build a proper height gauge I would accomplish the same goal, but the laser is a pretty good substitute.
 
When it came time to make the windlass pins I was puzzled about how to make a round hole on both holders considering each holder is in two parts (pins and retaining caps). This is likely elementary to many of you. My solution was to first slice the mid part of where the hole would go using a slitting blade. I then made sure I could get a solid clamp with my mill so that it would hold firmly when I used my 3/8 inch Brad bit. 
 
The carlings for the huge main hatch follow the deck sheer so they should be pre-bent before installation.
 
Ian
 
Laser setup.

 

 
Checking deck beams for height.

 
Hole for windlass pins and retaining caps.

 
Windlass pins installed.

 
 
Carlings, hanging and lodging knees.

 
Forward starboard bulkhead made of baltic birch core and 9 inch holly planks with dados to key into pawl post and windlass pin.

 
Forward starboard bulkhead installed.

 
Capstan holder (unattached). Tapered to be level.

 
View from stern.

 
Bow to stern.

Greetings. I debated for some time whether I should start a log given my relative lack of experience with a scratch build. Indeed, I started this build around three years ago and shelved it for two years mainly because of health issues but also because I think I just got lazy. I don't have a lot of pictures and the ones I do have are probably a bit poor but once I get to present day that deficiency will be remedied. The 2 main reasons I am proceeding with this log are that I need to ask questions and get help from the more knowledgeable among you and secondly I have always found that a log inspires some needed motivation.
 
The Hayling Hoy was documented and produced by David Antscherl and presented in 3 plan sheets and a book entitled - The Hayling Hoy - First Fully Framed Model
 
Ian






 
 

As a retired librarian I have to suggest the possibility of donating them to your local library. That's one way that many people can enjoy them. 

Today it is Sunday and also the first day of Springtime. A perfect day to start a new log for a new project. 
A small remark before starting:
This will be a log for Sunday sailors and freshwater mariners.😁
 
I think this will be a fairly long project. Below you will find the impetus for the index. As the log grows, this index will grow with it and allow to quickly navigate to the desired paragraph.
 
Index
Chapter I. Introduction
Chapter II. Hull 
1. The building board
2. Making of the frames
3. Keel, stem and rudder post
4. Horn timbers
5. Transom
6. The wales
7. Planking the hull
8. Floor timbers
9. Centerboard case and Centerboard
10. Bottom boards
11. Thwart
12. Cockpit coaming
13. Mast tabernacle
14. Step of the mast and peripherals
15. Bulkhead
16. After deck beams
17. Assembly of the prepared sections
18. Laying the deck
19. Rudder and tiller
Charter III. Spars and rigging
1. Blocks
2. Cleats
3. Bowsprit (jib boom)
4. Mast
 
 
Chapter IV. Sails
Chapter V. Conclusions

when I bought the kit,  it was simply called the Norden.    with this model,  the name is located on the front of the pilot house.   in the case of the Cux 87,  it was located on the stern.  basically,  most fishing companies number their boats,  and usually they are on both sides of the bow.  there are some companies {North Atlantic trawlers and deep sea fishing vessels}  that will put the name of the ship on the bow.
 
I do hope I'm reading the discussion correctly,  because I didn't know there was a proper way to display a ship.  I always display my models on the side that came out the best   

I have been given a new MS USS Constitution kit. I am an experienced wood carver, have carved award winning birds, see pictures attached. I use hand carving tools and micro power carving tools regularly. I had an accident 12 years ago and lost the motor nerve for my right bicep. My hand is still functional but I can not raise my arm. I routinely use my right hand to hold my carvings when working. I was right handed but relearned how to carve left handed. I have been reviewing the build logs for Conny and thought I could accomplish the build until I got to the section that involved the lines securing the cannons and the rigging. I do not see anyway that I could accomplish that. If I completed the build to that point and it was a quality build is it likely that anyone would be interested in doing the rigging?

Nothing fancy, just some basic hand tools that would be a good starter kit for someone just getting into modeling.
The tools are old and there is a bit of rust on some of them but all are usable.
If you are willing to pick up the cost of shipping they can be yours.
Cleaned up the tools a bit and added another file.  May add a few more tools as I continue to clean out boxes of old stuff.
 
 

A long time ago I did some work with aluminum and welding it.   Not for the faint of heart.   Usually needs a inert gas to be present around it and extreme temperature control.  Not worth the hassle unless you're doing something an aircraft or auto body.  Also, dissimilar metals create other headaches.  Go with the all brass.
 
Your castings are probably so-called "pot metal" or "britannia metal" and isn't suitable for soldering.

Nothing fancy, just some basic hand tools that would be a good starter kit for someone just getting into modeling.
The tools are old and there is a bit of rust on some of them but all are usable.
If you are willing to pick up the cost of shipping they can be yours.
Cleaned up the tools a bit and added another file.  May add a few more tools as I continue to clean out boxes of old stuff.
 
 

Nothing fancy, just some basic hand tools that would be a good starter kit for someone just getting into modeling.
The tools are old and there is a bit of rust on some of them but all are usable.
If you are willing to pick up the cost of shipping they can be yours.
Cleaned up the tools a bit and added another file.  May add a few more tools as I continue to clean out boxes of old stuff.
 
 

Nothing fancy, just some basic hand tools that would be a good starter kit for someone just getting into modeling.
The tools are old and there is a bit of rust on some of them but all are usable.
If you are willing to pick up the cost of shipping they can be yours.
Cleaned up the tools a bit and added another file.  May add a few more tools as I continue to clean out boxes of old stuff.
 
 

Nothing fancy, just some basic hand tools that would be a good starter kit for someone just getting into modeling.
The tools are old and there is a bit of rust on some of them but all are usable.
If you are willing to pick up the cost of shipping they can be yours.
Cleaned up the tools a bit and added another file.  May add a few more tools as I continue to clean out boxes of old stuff.
 
 

IMHO One cannot solder aluminum. As a matter of fact I have some jigs made of aluminum used to fabricated model railroad track components. Aluminum is used specifically because it rejects solder. I would stick to all brass components for good results.
 

Work Area
 

 
So this is where the magic happens. Not that anyone really cares but I think it's fun to see peoples work space. This is a spare room that I use for my work office, off to the right side, past the tool box, I have my Apple work area setup as I work from home. But I am probably going to finally move on from Apple after 10 years and if I do, that space is claimed! So I can grow my ship modeling space.
Over on the left I am going to put my airbrush station that is currently in another room. I can exhaust it out that window you see there so that's pretty handy. I have a station I built from the same countertop you see in the picture that I am using for my workbench. It's a 3 foot wide section on top of an actual kitchen cabinet so the air compressor can be stored underneath. Then I have a painting booth on the counter top. I can place that to the other side of that window you see in the picture and still have plenty of room at my work bench.
 
Only thing I really need to do is get a hanging fluorescent light up over my work bench to provide more even lighting than the two lights have currently have on the right and left. There is an overhead room light but it just does not give great coverage.

Marie Jeanne Tuna Fishing Boat
Artesania Latina Kit Scale 1:50
 

 
This is my very first wooden ship model build. I have built plastic models in the past but never a wooden model or a ship. Most of my experience is with plastic aircraft and armor. I know there are easier and probably better starter builds, however, after purchasing this kit and the Artesania Latina Providence Whaling Boat kit, and looking through the instructions, I felt I could tackle this level of complexity. And this boat definitely interest me more and catches my eye. So then, this will be my first build and hence, my first build log 
 
I have started the build and have photos of my progress and will be adding them shortly. Thanks for taking the time to take a look and please, if you see anything that you would like to comment on or give feedback/constructive criticism on or tips and tricks, go right ahead. I will gladly accept it.

Hi Alleycat
Thanks for posting the website.  I checked out a lot of the photos on the Model Shipyard.  As you say, they CLAIM to be historically accurate, but 5 minutes study of the photos will show their work to be miles short of being accurate on both the Agamemnon and Admiralty style models that they show.    
 
Glenn gives very good advice regarding taking a hard look at Vanguard and Syren.  I would add the Antscherl series of models at Model Shipways for beginner through intermediate.  
 
Allan
 

Gosh , I wish that I had known before I started all  the things that I have learned since. The Dumas Kit provides plans and some wood which is good  for a  pond sailboat. But to make it into a replica of a boat built in the 60's takes some doing.
For one I would make the frames out of bass wood instead of the oversize balsa provided. I cut out a lot of the balsa frames but would have liked to do more. The cockpit trim called for on the plans is not correct and is going to take a lot of work to make and fit although I was able to utiilze  the mahogany from the kit. 
I decided to cut the centerboard slot in the bottom plank before gluing it on. From here on I will have to use research to go forward with cockpit trim , mast step, chainplates, and rigging. This will take happy time.

Not trying to hijack the thread but I was just wondering when internally stropped blocks came into use.

Wish we were a little closer to discuss face to face.  We're over in Wailea this week,  but checking in on MSW for the important stuff 😀   As to internally stropped blocks I need to look at my books when we get back home but I know they were common by the late 19th century so probably quite some time earlier.  I am sure there are members here with some contemporary based information.  I hope so, as I am curious about this as well!!  
Allan

Not trying to hijack the thread but I was just wondering when internally stropped blocks came into use.

Check the sponsors listed on the right side of the home page of this site.  Some good sources there.