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Rich, looks like you found a method that works for you, they look good! Sometimes I think thats half the battle, finding out what works for you.
I may have to disagree with David for once, I think we are the sane ones. Wait, David, you said abnormal, maybe we're both right!
Sam  

This is where normal people would grab a stiff one but we are the abnormal ones.
David B

Henry Ford would be proud!  Carry on (and on), mate.

I set up a production line to make the gunport covers. I first precision sanded them square and to size. I made a guage to check the size and mark the center for the gunport which I fled after making a tiny cut with a razor knife. Last, I cleaned off any surface glue left over from gluing the two planks together. I'm not even half way with this part of the process. After this, I have to glue on two hinges on each cover. This is difficult work for me....I can only imagine have much work it would be for the Victory!

Wow! She's gonna be a big girl! Do you have room in your bathtub for her? 
Really enjoying watching this come together, its the first card model I have followed from the start.
Sam

Sam. Looking great as always. I like what Russ put. Does look better. Me I just did mine as plans said. Yours looks a lot better..

Rich, Robbyn, Thanks!
 
Quick update. While I noodle over how I want to make my trucks I am making the various bits and assorted furniture. I have made the Fore Jeer and Sheet Bits. I think thats what they are called. I am pretty pleased with the Jeer Bits, I may remake the Sheet Bits, they are a little inconsistent on the chamfers.
 
I was really pleased with my tenons on the Jeer Bits, I wish I had taken pictures, they are the cleanest scale tenons I have cut in mahogany since I started this build. I reinforced all the joints with pins after the glue dried. 
 
Once I get a few more parts made I will get some finish on everything.
 
Hopefully this weekend I can make a cutter for the carriage trucks, I want to make them with flat stock instead of dowel rod. Mostly because I have plenty of flat stock and no dowel rod.
 

 

Just for fun.
 
My help has arrived.... the others are already on a tea break..
 
MY kids got them for me...
 

Steve, 
Are you going to use wood putty, wood filler or grain filler? Wood filler will dry and need to be sanded, that might be a problem with a sealed and possibly stained deck. You can stain and finish over wood filler after its sanded. Wood putty doesnt dry and is designed to be used after your clear coat is on.
 
Grain filler is a thin paste that you can tint to most any color you want. Its primarily used to fill the grain on open pored woods like walnut, cherry and mahogany. Its one of the trick finishers use to get a glass smooth finish on those woods. Colored it can be used to control the contrast between your base color on your wood and the grain color. As an example on my Enterprise, I wanted to pores to be closer to my base color so before I stained I applied a coat of tinted grain filler after a washcoat of shellac. That allowed me to control the overall look. 
 
For your tree nails, I think any of the above methods will work although you mentioned you have sealed already. If you use filler you will have to sand and you most likely will go through the sealer and have to seal again, most likely not a problem. I think your easiest rout might be to finish and then wood putty. You will probably have to re-drill/re-dimple before you putty. Grain filler is a bit of an art, Rockler is only a few miles from you, a trip there might be a good starting point if you want to play with that.
 
I think before you do anything you probably want to make a sample board first.
 
Sam

Sam...you were right...it would have been better to glue whole length planks and then cut them to size. Oh well it's done. I finished glued the pre-cut pieces and next I'll precision sand them square and to size. I also made a pattern for the half round cuts I have to make in each lid. Enough for today...I have to give my fat fingers a break.

So we now have kit bashing and KIT Bashing! LOL. I am sure david is right about it happening all the time. Hang in there, slow and easy.
 
If you go with some sort of drill template, maybe make it open on only one side like maybe the bottom side? Then you have a Go-No-Go gauge also.
Sam

Sam:
More like this. This is a bit rough, but you can add a bit of meat to the bottom end of the leg, but only a bit.
 
Russ

This happens all the time.Just have patience.
David B

Rich, how are you at soldering? Maybe coy cut a piece of brass and solder some "T" brass to the edge - make sure you keep them square to each other then drill holes in the brass for the "nails." Use that as a drill template and locate your hinges to the holes? This is assuming constructo has drilled the hinges consistently of course.

For your planks if it was me I would consider glueing up long strips instead of lots of short pieces. Maybe even leave them a bit wide to allow for any tear out when you cut those 1/2 round cut outs. If I was doing something like that full size I would glue up a double width and rip after the hole was cut. Two holes for one rip that way. Don't know if you have a way to do that at this scale?
Sam

Thanks Sam. That's a really helpful resource. Well, I might try a hooked scarph on the next joint down the railing. I'm getting better at sneaking up on the right shape. That breast hook took a lot of sneaking.
 
Steve

Steve, that looks great!
The hooked scarf isnt really difficult. Like any joint its all in the layout. Take a look at this link. There is a picture about 1/2 way down, extend the line of the cheek/face to the end, then its just careful chisel work, no more difficult than what you have done already IMHO. Leave your points long and "sneak up" on them. 
http://www.diy-wood-boat.com/Joints.html
Sam

Bow davits are now glued on with their lion's head adornments. The davits been pinned as well glued. Now when the 2mm x 2mm Ayous trim shows up, I can finish the bow area. The heads were painted gold after epoxy glued.

Sam:
It is a variety of boxwood. It is generally what you get from them when you order boxwood. South American boxwood, more or less.
 
Russ

Castello Boxwood or Lemonwood are very similar if not identical species.

Sam,
 
The only ones visible would probably be the quarterdeck and forecastle ones at the open waist.  I've been thinking about making knees for those anyway, or maybe the gangways will hide them...    So the answer probably comes down to "why bother?" but I'm keeping options open.

That bow grate looks like it was quit the project, looks great!
Sam

Mark, 
Will they be visible? Does it matter, or is it one of those, "I know they are there" kind of things?
Sam

How do you make the cuts on the grate? With a knife or saw?

Finished trimming the bow grate. Now I'm still waiting for Constructo to mail me the 2mm x 2mm Ayous trim I need to finish the roundhouses so I can finish the whole bow section.

I'm sure Anja will tell you that is the way it is supposed to be Sjors! Just remember: Happy Wife = Happy Life.