grsjax

Depends on the scale.  For small scales I go down to 320.  Larger scales I use 240.

Pentart Liquid Patina is great, unfortunately it is sold out on Ebay. So far don't see any reliable source in the US.
As mentioned before Bitumen liquids are not finishing products as oils and dyes (use it as a stain on bare wood and you get an ugly, patchy black rotten wood look). Can't just be applied evenly and let dry. Use it as a wash to weather the finished surface (not just wood) to highlight the details, applying small quantities and letting the liquid flow into crevices. Or apply liberally but wipe off the excess on raised surfaces to give it a look of centuries ald object which accumulated dirt over the years. All together it takes the model into a certain style category of fake antiques and is absolutely not necessary as one can build a model in style of Syren Ship model prototypes. Those grimey museum models where just as clean as Chuck's models when they were initially built. On the picture is my 4 oared Yal in progress. Pear with homemade stain before and after applying  Liquid Patina
 

 

This is my thoughts, I’m not sure what you are trying to make;
When wood gets to be thinner than 1/16 it moves to mils, you are talking about 10 mils or so,
when woods especially hardwoods get very thin they tend to warp, dry out and crack,
so I looked at “domestic veneer sample packs” from Rockler, now Amazon will have these as well, however if a specific wood is desired there are also options, these packs begin around $11 and go up to really expensive, ie 24 inch by 96/inch mahogany with paper backing is $69, and without the backer is $62.
I would caution you on such small pieces 3mm x 5mm because the wood will be so difficult to cut, it may be easier to sand those small pieces, and drilling, as veneer is very stable could possibly break due to the pressure from the drill and any clamping methods.
Thinking about this, if you are on Amazon, or really any one that sells hobby wood look into buying CA50 with the activator, this will laminate your wood and make it much easier to drill. As far as staining the CA50 would only work after staining, and as far as painting it would be the same as painting plastic.
Good luck with your project.

It is probably important to make distinction between a true 'lateen' rig and using a triangular sail on an inclined yard resembling a 'lateen' sail.
 
In a true lateen rig, there are no shrouds and no stays. The halliard serves to raise the sail and as kind of backstay. The yard is held to the mast by a sling that is operated from deck-level. In fact most of the sail operation is done from deck level - the absence of shrouds and ratlines makes getting up the mast at sea quite an adventure. On Arab ships (which did not use lateen, but 'settee' sails that had four corners) seamen went up the yard like monkeys for reefing (there is a variety of photographic and literary evidence for this). Whether the sail was swung around the mast when tacking seems to have been a question of fashion and size or type of vessel. On some smaller and shallower craft this may have been a dangerous operation.
 
Probably still the best source on handling lateen rigs is
 
VENCE, J. (1897): Construction & manœuvre des bateaux & embarcations à voilure latine.- 139 p., Paris (Augustin Challamel Editeur, reprint Editios Omega, Nice).
 
Not sure whether there is a digital copy on the Internet (I own a hardcopy).
 
On the pictures below you can see the traditional arrangement of halliard and sling, albeit with modern materials, on small boats from the Albufera lagoon south of Valencia in Spain:
 

 

 

Own images from https://www.maritima-et-mechanika.org/maritime/albufera/Boats-of-the-Albufera.html
 
 
 

On ebay https://www.ebay.com/itm/Historic-American-Merchant-Marine-Survey-Volume-1-ship-boat-blueprints-plans/363317650834
Not mine, just thought others here might want to take a look at this.

On ebay https://www.ebay.com/itm/Historic-American-Merchant-Marine-Survey-Volume-1-ship-boat-blueprints-plans/363317650834
Not mine, just thought others here might want to take a look at this.

I have never had a problem with the Dremel locking pin.  I have a couple of older model tools and perhaps they were built better than the newer ones.  I also have a Dremel cordless 7.2 volt tool that works very well.  I like the adjustable speed of the Dremel.  Mine goes from 5000 to 35000rpm giving a good working range for different uses.

Finished putting the frame together
The process of building the frame was pretty straight forward.  Clamping was a challenge for some of the stringers as there is very little room to get a clamp in.  Ended up using mini bulldog clamps and pieces of scrap to get everything set.
Only ran into one issue and that was with the sponson rail (part 12)  it is a two piece part that meets in the middle at the bow.  It wanted to flex slightly into a shallow peak instead of making a smooth curve.  This is a problem that can be solved by placing a short piece of stringer on top of the battens at the bow and gluing the top batten to it.  The below picture shows the fix.

Next up is sanding all of the mating surfaces smooth and some initial paint work on the side rails and cockpit.

I have never had a problem with the Dremel locking pin.  I have a couple of older model tools and perhaps they were built better than the newer ones.  I also have a Dremel cordless 7.2 volt tool that works very well.  I like the adjustable speed of the Dremel.  Mine goes from 5000 to 35000rpm giving a good working range for different uses.

Finished putting the frame together
The process of building the frame was pretty straight forward.  Clamping was a challenge for some of the stringers as there is very little room to get a clamp in.  Ended up using mini bulldog clamps and pieces of scrap to get everything set.
Only ran into one issue and that was with the sponson rail (part 12)  it is a two piece part that meets in the middle at the bow.  It wanted to flex slightly into a shallow peak instead of making a smooth curve.  This is a problem that can be solved by placing a short piece of stringer on top of the battens at the bow and gluing the top batten to it.  The below picture shows the fix.

Next up is sanding all of the mating surfaces smooth and some initial paint work on the side rails and cockpit.

Great start. That’s awesome subject matter.
There was just an outboard motor on eBay, it came with a boat, but it was still cheap. I can’t remember the scale, I do remember it was relisted.

that's a good fix at the bow    nicely shaped frame.....off to a good start!

Finished putting the frame together
The process of building the frame was pretty straight forward.  Clamping was a challenge for some of the stringers as there is very little room to get a clamp in.  Ended up using mini bulldog clamps and pieces of scrap to get everything set.
Only ran into one issue and that was with the sponson rail (part 12)  it is a two piece part that meets in the middle at the bow.  It wanted to flex slightly into a shallow peak instead of making a smooth curve.  This is a problem that can be solved by placing a short piece of stringer on top of the battens at the bow and gluing the top batten to it.  The below picture shows the fix.

Next up is sanding all of the mating surfaces smooth and some initial paint work on the side rails and cockpit.

Finished putting the frame together
The process of building the frame was pretty straight forward.  Clamping was a challenge for some of the stringers as there is very little room to get a clamp in.  Ended up using mini bulldog clamps and pieces of scrap to get everything set.
Only ran into one issue and that was with the sponson rail (part 12)  it is a two piece part that meets in the middle at the bow.  It wanted to flex slightly into a shallow peak instead of making a smooth curve.  This is a problem that can be solved by placing a short piece of stringer on top of the battens at the bow and gluing the top batten to it.  The below picture shows the fix.

Next up is sanding all of the mating surfaces smooth and some initial paint work on the side rails and cockpit.

Finished putting the frame together
The process of building the frame was pretty straight forward.  Clamping was a challenge for some of the stringers as there is very little room to get a clamp in.  Ended up using mini bulldog clamps and pieces of scrap to get everything set.
Only ran into one issue and that was with the sponson rail (part 12)  it is a two piece part that meets in the middle at the bow.  It wanted to flex slightly into a shallow peak instead of making a smooth curve.  This is a problem that can be solved by placing a short piece of stringer on top of the battens at the bow and gluing the top batten to it.  The below picture shows the fix.

Next up is sanding all of the mating surfaces smooth and some initial paint work on the side rails and cockpit.

Time to get down to building this model.  First step is to build up the basic ladder frame that is the foundation for everything else.

These are the parts of the frame.  The transom and frames attach to the side rails.  The assembly is almost self aligning but care has to be taken that everything is straight before gluing things up.

First step is to glue the transom (6) to the transom frame (5) and frames 2 and 3 together.  Next the frames are attached to the rails.  The notches in the frames are cut so that a minimum of sanding is needed to get things to go together smoothly.

The addition of the 3 bottom battens and a couple of stringers and the basic frame is complete.  I did make a mistake here.  Although the notches all fit perfectly it is necessary to make sure that each frame is fully seated in the rails when you glue them.  I failed to check this so had to go back and unglue a couple of frames and reset them.  This is one reason I prefer PVA glue to CA.  Much easier to correct these mistakes.
 
One thing I think would have been a small improvement is beveling the aft end of the rails.  They fit fine as is but they actually join the transom frame at a slight angle and a bit of beveling would have made a better joint.

The kit consists of 5 sheets of laser cut wood, 2 of mahogany veneer, 2 of 1.5mm plywood and 1 of 3mm basswood (I think it is basswood).  There is a 19 page booklet of instructions with numerous photographs.  This is one area where I think there could be an improvement by adding some detail drawings.  Not a big problem but it would make a few things a bit clearer.  There is also a display stand of laser cut 3mm ply and a small bag of additional small parts and decals.

The seaflea is a 10 foot class A hydroplane.  Osborn Models, mostly known for model trains, used to produce a line of static and RC model boat kitss of which this is one.  I also have their 1:24 scale Miss Canada III and Mirror Dingy models which I hope to do build logs on in the future.  Derek at Osborn Models has been a real help and tells me they have a few of their kits still in stock so if you are interested contact him at dosborn1210@rogers.com.  I think he should start up production again but that is just my selfish desire to build more of these interesting boats.
 
The kit is overall is excellent.  There are few things that could be improved but in general I think this is one the best small kits I have seen.  The laser cutting is very good and the innovative use of laser cut parts including some profile carving using a laser cutter to produce the outboard motor is excellent.

Finished putting the frame together
The process of building the frame was pretty straight forward.  Clamping was a challenge for some of the stringers as there is very little room to get a clamp in.  Ended up using mini bulldog clamps and pieces of scrap to get everything set.
Only ran into one issue and that was with the sponson rail (part 12)  it is a two piece part that meets in the middle at the bow.  It wanted to flex slightly into a shallow peak instead of making a smooth curve.  This is a problem that can be solved by placing a short piece of stringer on top of the battens at the bow and gluing the top batten to it.  The below picture shows the fix.

Next up is sanding all of the mating surfaces smooth and some initial paint work on the side rails and cockpit.

Part 002


 
I started working on the saw today. The first task (after I disassembled it), was to make a wrench for the blade shaft. The shaft has two flats on it to hold the shaft steady while you remove the blade nut. When new, the saw was supplied with a little wrench made out of sheet steel, shown circled in the picture below.

 
The photo below shows the area the wrench has to fit in, with the flats circled.
 

The space for this is too thin for a regular wrench to fit, and the Dremel part is long gone. So I made one from a piece of an old carpenters square. It is not fancy, but it works. I cut out a ¾ inch wide slot in one end with a Dremel tool with a cutoff disk, then I chamfered the other end to remove the sharp corners.


 
The next task is to firm up the assembly that tilts with the blade and motor, to make angled cuts. The whole assembly rotates on hinges mounted on a sheet metal plate. The motor and blade assembly then slide on this plate to raise and lower the blade. The picture below shows the plate. The hinge for the assembly is one the right, and the slot that allows the motor/blade assembly to slide up and down is on the left.

This shot shows the two bolts, circled in red.

The saw has bolts for mounting the motor/blade assembly. The instructions say to tighten them, then loosen slightly to allow movement. This allows some slop. My idea is to put a nylon washer under the regular washers, and tighten the bolts so that there is no slop, but the assembly can still slide freely on the slippery nylon. I did not know the size of the bolts, so I bought washers for #6 and #8 screws. The store was out of the #10s. Well guess what, the bolts are #10s, naturally. I’ll stop at a different store and get some #10s. I need to buy a nut for the one screw, the factory supplied one is missing. The housing is taped and the nuts are used as lock nuts, once the bolts are adjusted.


 
The hinge/plate assembly is tight, so there is no slop in it, though there is some flex. There is another area that allows some slop, and once I correct this, I’ll see if I have to further work on this problem.


 
I also need to clean up the rust and add a protective coating to the steel parts. I’m a little short on funds, so that will have to wait until next payday.

I am from Havre de Grace but I currently live in Germany which makes it difficult for me to make phone calls or direct research. I am working together online with someone in Havre de Grace that also wants the plans. He has contacted the Smithsonian and asked about the "Elsie" plans but they couldn't find much under "Elsie of Havre de Grace" which makes me think that they might have them listed under another title. But what?
 I also found the person that made the large model of the Elsie that is in the Maritime Museum in HdG. We tried for a long time to get the plans from him but all we got were the sail plans. The question I have is, are there more sheets to the plans? Hull lines, deck ect. How many sheets and what is on them?
I personally, have been trying to get these plans for about 4 years now and it has been all dead ends. It is frustrating.
 I will PM Deperddussin and hopefully he will answer. Need to know what to order and what is available in sheets.

Thanks for your reply. Much appreciated !!

Bill
 

Time to get down to building this model.  First step is to build up the basic ladder frame that is the foundation for everything else.

These are the parts of the frame.  The transom and frames attach to the side rails.  The assembly is almost self aligning but care has to be taken that everything is straight before gluing things up.

First step is to glue the transom (6) to the transom frame (5) and frames 2 and 3 together.  Next the frames are attached to the rails.  The notches in the frames are cut so that a minimum of sanding is needed to get things to go together smoothly.

The addition of the 3 bottom battens and a couple of stringers and the basic frame is complete.  I did make a mistake here.  Although the notches all fit perfectly it is necessary to make sure that each frame is fully seated in the rails when you glue them.  I failed to check this so had to go back and unglue a couple of frames and reset them.  This is one reason I prefer PVA glue to CA.  Much easier to correct these mistakes.
 
One thing I think would have been a small improvement is beveling the aft end of the rails.  They fit fine as is but they actually join the transom frame at a slight angle and a bit of beveling would have made a better joint.

Just installed the latest free version of DELFTship (v. 13.10 (324)). It appears that there are a lot of improvements. Most obvious to the familiar user are revisions to the menu tabs. However, if you dig into the settings, the user now has the option of creating models in centimeters and inches as well as the standard meters and feet. You can also set the decimal precision, which is really handy, since the default was four decimal places.
 
This update may be of interest to modelers, who can now create their digital models in the actual dimensions they will build in. [Edit 2/11/2021: Clarified the nature of the dimensioning changes, now that I understand them better!] Former versions had two dimensional unit choices, Metric (meters) and Imperial (feet). If you created a model in one set of dimensions, then changed them to the other, the model would scale in size up or down depending on the direction of the change because the number of units remained the same. Fore example, if you created a 100-foot vessel mistakenly in meters, then changed to feet, the model would downsize to 100 feet. Now, that is OK if you did make the original error in selecting dimensions. However, if you simply wanted to switch dimensions, to understand the size in the other dimension system, that was a problem. With the latest version, you can switch freely among all four dimensional units without any change in the actual size of the model. I found this useful when working on small details in my Galilee model, where creating things in inches was more appropriate than in feet. Scaling down the hull to model-size is easily performed using the program's Scale feature.
 
There is also a new manual that goes with this version, but I haven't looked at it yet.
 
Terry
 
 

There was no need to go above and beyond, but you did, Thanks ever so much!! 

Something a little different
 
John