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Wow Robbyn, nice! I will make the Syren parts you requested if you make the ratlines for my enterprise!!!! Sam

Slog, Just tumbled onto your build, really clean work! Did I read correctly, this is your first build?? Wow. I wish there were more hours in the day, I keep finding more ad more build like this one I want to follow. sam

rich, cant wait to see the deck houses in place they look good. Oh, and happy belated b-day! Sam

Aldo, the planking looks really clean!. Looking forward to the second layer. You had some rain in your world the last couple of weeks, good to see you have not needed to check your build for leaks! Stay dry. Sam

WOO HOOO!!! Good Luck!! Now for the important question, How was the bacon? Seriously, good luck with the job it sounds like it would be great. Radar and weapon systems, the only thing better might be to get to blow s#!t up!! Radar side note, one of my first bosses was one of the first dozen or so radar operators ever. Had some pretty wild stories to tell. Sam

Robbyn, not sure what happened, I was cruising along building a kit out of the box and some how I fell down the rabbit hole. Actually I think somebody pushed me...(looks at Russ) Send your list but I warn you, I am not as qualified for the Overachiever Award as you. Also, Mom is still waiting for her fireplace mantel I started in high school wood shop. Nope! No procrastination in MY world! Sam

Thanks Russ, you're probably right. Its pretty soft, it should bend into shape ok. Sam

Ok, promised pictures. Forgot I made some hoops for the rudder head. One is looking pretty tweaky, I hope it straightens out. I had to make them really soft to get a decent bend. There is a slight taper on the rudder head so when I slide the hoops down they dont scrape the finish off......I hope. If I can remember which one goes on first that would be nice too. In the upper left is the progression of tillers. The bottom one is per the kit instructions. The next up is my second attempt, at the top is the "production" part. Finally a spectacle plate. that little bugger was a challenge! It doesnt show in the pictures but the hoops and the spectacle plate both have a green patina on the inner flats. It was on all the surfaces but polished off. Not sure what caused it. I followed my same patina schedule as before; wearing cloves gloves, file with a #4 file, wash with dish soap and rinse with distilled water, spray with a chemical degreaser, soak in muratic acid and rinse with distilled water, dunk in Blacken-It. It polishes off so I am not too worried about it. Thats is for now, gonna try to get the rudder mounted tomorrow night. Maybe in the next pictures She will look different. Sam

You're all way too nice, thank you. Aldo, the photo etching was an interesting side trip. Of all the parts I made it looks like only the hinges will go on. The mullions for the door were just way to fat, the material supplied for the decking (Mukaly?) worked fairly well. ZyXuz, It appears they are a standard part supplied in all their kits. I probably would have just ran with them if the holes were evenly spaced to the length. I am very pleased with the new ones though. Brian, you have set a pretty hi bar for us with your Le Petit Nella, I have no doubt you will do the same with your Enterprise. Robbyn, it is. As you are discovering also, tools and space... The GF left me alone for the weekend while she visits family. Considering the number of hours I spent at the work bench She looks the same today as She did yesterday. Most of the time was spent fabricating a spectacle plate and the associated pins to hold it on. Soldering the second eyelet on was fun, it wouldnt stick. I wasnt getting it clean enough. I used med. solder for the first one and extra easy for the second. Just wasnt getting all the grunge from the first solder off. Broke all three of my #80 bits drilling out 8 holes. I was fumble fingers with a drill yesterday. Its done and blackened, looks pretty good. I made my third tiller, this last one is based on a drawing in "Fully Framed II" This book is becoming my Bible. I will get some pictures up later today. Time to walk the dog and there is 5 lbs of tomatoes threatening to rot in my kitchen. Looks like home made meat sauce for dinner! Yum!. My GF's ex calls it gravy for some reason. Is that a southern thing? Be back with pictures later. Sam

Rich, Looking good. How did your ring situation work out? Sam

Big thumbs up on the quiet and the interview. Good on your gf for helping out another. Hoarders, yikes! I have dealt with that before, My dads cousin and his mother. I will join you on the quiet this weekend, my gf just left for a couple of days too. Bacon and eggs and beer-Oh My! good luck with the interview. Sam

Rich, Nice clean work. The wife left you home with Beer, and...BACON!? I am on my way. Sam

Aldo, Just dropped in for a visit, thought I would be able to take a short stroll through your build. Now I see I am going to have to pull up a chair and hang out here for a while. Very nice wrk so far. I have nicknamed the little model builders voice we all hear "The Gremlin", lately he has been whispering in my ear to try a scratch build one day. Right at the moment he is jumping up and down on my shoulder pointing at your build going "See! See! You too!" Thanks Aldo...... Sam

Aldo, Just took a stroll through your build, REALLY nice work! Now I guess I have to wander over to your Triton build. sigh..... Sam

Thanks Russ, it already has made a difference. There is still a bit of gap, I drilled the hole based on the kit instructions and the old rudder/hinges. I dont know if I can correct it completely but I like it better than what I had. Stupid Gremlin! What does he know? He is sitting in the corner all chuffed up over himself. I'm finding I am enjoying these little side trips into bashing/scratch building, stupid gremlin is starting to whisper in my ear about a complete scratch build one day. Maybe after a framed kit, have to see what the future brings. Where we live right now ther is only room for two ships that I would be interested in building Sam

Small update. I spent Saturday whittling on the rudder and its coming along nicely. It still needs some adjustment, actually I need to adjust the hole the rudder head goes through, I am hitting the front edge. That will allow the gap at the stern to close up. I also need to trim a bit more off the lower corner and close that gap up. I am thinking that little edge will need to be chamfered like the leading edge of the rudder itself or else it wont turn. I blackened the hinges but didnt get them cleaned properly I think, there are some places where the brass is still showing. Old rudder. I -The Gremlin- didnt care for the gap at the bottom edge or how the gap at the rudder head was corking working out. New Rudder I changed the lines slightly to match what I was seeing in a couple of books and filled in the gaps better. Still needs some adjustment. Minor changes, but the Gremlin is quiet.... for now.... Sam

Mark, Looks really good. I think that "weirdness" you are seeing in your picture is distortion in your camera lens. Sam

Sigh..... The Gremlin won! He tricked me into going into the store the other day. "We will just go in for a minute and look around" He tells me. "See if they have the .014" brass rod you want. Look Sam Look! Walnut! Almost the right thickness too!" So now I am rebuilding my rudder. I am using the old rudder as a template and "Fully Framed II" for the joinery. Rather than making the rudder head out of the same piece s as the rudder itself I am taking a bit of license and making the head separately. The length of walnut I came home with had some grain change in it and I wasnt sure I could keep it from breaking as I carved on it. A bit thick still Almost there, the paper template is on the other side. Sam

Shawn, I'll defer to Mick on that one, I am still "stumbling" through my first build. I worked too hard on the planking to cover it up metal! Next build perhaps.

Shawn, Hobby Mill will have your lumber strips as well as the lumber yard. You should be able to find both on the data base here. As far as your copper strips, maybe a stained glass supply house? Sam

Thanks everybody. No progress to show at the moment, just drilled holes and resoldered a couple of pins that were off center. there is a little gremlin on my shoulder whispering in my ear to rebuild the rudder. there are a couple of spots where the gap is inconsistent with the stern. They are minor but my eye keeps being drawn to them, re building will fix that. rebuilding means buying more lumber.... decisions, decisions! Everyday on my way home from work I drive buy a model train shop that has walnut, it wont match the Mansonia but should be close, we will see..... Sam

Hmmm that does present a challenge! Judging by your pictures its too late to pull the masts up? I will be watching, I will have a similar challenge in the not so near future. Sam

Shawn, nice videos. your build looks good. Are those the kit sails or are you making your own? Sam

Rich, Have you cleaned up the edges with a file or something? You need fresh un-oxidized metal to solder to. What are you using for a heat source? What melting temperature solder are you using? I am far from an expert, but I found what ruined the most joints for me was poor preparation. I have been using a small butane pencil torch and "Extra Easy" solder from OttoFrei.com, http://www.ottofrei.com/Silver-Wire-Solder.html. I think most of the people here use a prefluxed solder paste from MicroMark.com. I have not had a chance to try it but you cant go too far wrong with what is popular. I have the same hoops here at the house, I will try soldering up a couple tonight after work. Sam

Thanks Russ, They mate up pretty good, there is still that little planking woops from a couple of pages ago. I'll go with the sliver of wood under the gudgeons and be done with it. Right now I have the pintles cleaned up and drilled out for bolts, hopefully by Sat I can have the gudgeons finished and everything blackened. The rudder installation may have to wait till next week - work is picking up again and is likely to be busy till November. Sam