woodartist

Thanks, sounds like a plan.

As a newbie, I made a Newbie mistake, I was given a Model Shipways kit for the USS Constitution. Despite a lot of advice to the contrary I started in. I got quite a ways before I realized I had made enough mistakes that impacted the ability to finish it successfully. I trashed it, and started a scratch build, I have worked on it for two months and so far all is well, in large part due to the build logs of Der Alta Rentner, MTBediz, and JSGerner, however, I need a break from the Conny. So I looked for another boat to build that was more suitable to a Novice. The reviews and build logs for the Lady Isabella were interesting and I thought they would give me some needed experience before I started planking the main hull of the Conny. I will not replicate the excellent build logs of DB789, James H, and Blue Ensign but will make some comments from a Novice perspective. The instructions by Chris Watton, Vanguard Models have excellent pictures and precise steps and language. Instruction #3 should include a note that part #58 when installed needs to extend beyond the superstructure. If you were to put it upside down, the panels 56 and 57 would not be flush with the top of #58. That is a mistake, I probably would have made if I had not had so many mistakes on Conny 1. If you dry fit all the 4 parts prior to gluing that becomes obvious. The bulk heads are precisely laser cut and the bevels are premarked. Although the instruction 5, advises to fit and glue the bulkheads in place on the keel, I would recommend that after you have beveled 1-3 and 12-14 bulkheads, dry fit them and then, bevel parts 16-19, and dry fit them with the three fore bulkhead and three aft bulkheads before gluing in the bulkheads. The aft bulkhead fillers are extremely fragile. Other build logs indicated that the builders had broken the filler pieces so I took that to heart and used a thin file and filed them so that they fit smoothly. None of them broke. I then dry fit all the remaining bulkheads, but did not glue them. I dry fit the Lower Floor and the Upper Floor, then turned the keel upside down and glued in the remaining unglued bulkheads. That ensured the bulkheads were perfectly fit. Once all the bulkheads glue-up had dried I glued in Lower Floor and The Bottom Floor. So far it is a pleasure to work on this new boat.

Roger Pellet, thanks for the follow message. I will look into that possibility further now

I am a wood carver, taught it for 20 years. The dockyard tools have good steel, and are easy to sharpen. They are very thin and are only intended or use with soft woods, like bass wood and yellow cedar.

Welcome aboard. Take your time selecting a first project. Find one that has a lot of finished build logs. It takes awhile to get your head wrapped around any really micro build with 1/65 and higher. Not a good choice for a first build, nor is a boat with a lot of rigging required. The smaller it is the more you need really specialized tools. Ask questions!!

This has been really helpful. I appreciate your input immensely.

What plywood/ grade is best for bulkheads?

I spend 6-7 hours a day in my shipyard. I am not as proficient as you and Rentner so I have spend more time and accomplish less but I am out of the wife's domain so she stays happy.

I have read thru Chapters 4-5 in the Hunt Practicum and do not see any reason that delaying those tasks until the hull planking is completed would cause any issues. I agree that having the ability to turn the hull over to do the planking would make it easier. Particularly in my case because I only have use of one hand and having a stable surface to plank is critical.

I took your little plugs and replicated them, I just started the process of framing the gun ports. So far it is working perfectly.

My condolences to the family, i just purchased Byrnes new variable speed disc sander in the last month it is another awesome creation of Jim. He will surely be missed!!

I ordered one of the new variable speed sanders about a week ago, no word back from Jim when it will be ready. Anxious to receive it for sure.

You have made great progress in the last three weeks, it really looks good. I like the wider planks. I finally got Conny 2 back to where I was when I trashed Conny 1 due to all the errors I made. I am much happier with Conny 2.

Well as promised, I started from scratch on Conny 2 and I am ready to start on the waterways. I rebuilt/cut out all the bulk heads and keel sections. I used 1/4" birch plywood which had actual thickness of 3/16" just like the laser cut bulkheads, I used yellow cedar for all the keels sections, the bow sections and the stern pieces. The only parts I was able to use from Conny 1 were the four 1/8" stern frames. I am so glad I wet this route rather than ordering new laser cut pieces from the kit builder. I tried to use some cherry for the keel sections but I did not like the way the bearding line/rabbit cuts turned out. So I cut out new ones from the yellow cedar which I am happy with how they turned out. I realized from Conny one that I was going to have to figure out a way to use clamps and other methods when doing parts assembly. When I tried to do it with just my one hand I did not get them properly aligned and so as I progressed parts just did not fit correctly. So far my measurements are all consistent with the plans and the parts all fit. It looks so much better. Now I will start on the waterways.

you are making great progress, love the grates and the stairs, your bow looks really good and accurate, looking at you bow was the final push I needed to start over. I m glad I did, the parts i cut myself for the bulkheads and keel are so much more accurate that the laser cut pieces, The bulkheads are much sturdier. I have not broken any and I had several broken ones on Conny 1, the waterways are so much easier to install now too. Thanks for your log!!

very interesting, like the ingenuity and the craftsmanship!!

Thanks for the suggestions!! I really like how it is progressing now with the bulkhead and keel being in sync with the patterns. It is an amazing difference in how well things fit together. I wish I had done this earlier, and saved myself some of the frustration. I have all the bulkheads in place and the bow and stern filler blocks in place. I never thought about putting filler blocks in all the bulk heads. That would sure simplify things. I will put together the size of pieces I need for the filler blocks ad see if i need to get some more wood. I have a lot of leftover basswood from my bird carving tht may just be enough. I will watch your progress and look forward to your commentary on the right dimensions for positioning the sills.

As a novice reading thru your build log was like a graduate level course in boat modeling. Thanks so much for sharing.

Der Alte Rentner was absolutely correct, I was not successful in replacing bulkhead A. So, I threw the whole thing in the garbage and started over. This time I cut out my ow bulkheads from 1/4" birch plywood which is actually 3/16" and the keel from 1/4" cherry. They turned out well, and accurate, and will proceed to repeat the prior process but hopefully without the mistakes made in round one.

I have not been happy at all with the quality of my workmanship and the endless issues I was having with the bowsprint. I have rebuilt it two times and it is still not fitting the way it should. This became even more obvious when I was installing the waterway and planksheer. So I am going to redo it again including replacing bulkhead A. I will not let this deter me!! Next post will be a few days but it will have something that looks like it should.

This looks really good! I am glad you are ahead of me on this build. I almost completed the waterways today will start the planksheers tomorrow. I keep reading your log to make sure i have not missed anything. Keep up tyhe freat work, I am always looking in on your progress.

i read your build log religiously and never start the next section until I have read your log. I do not have a computer in my shop so I print pictures from your log almost daily. Thanks for putting in the time and effort to do the log!!

Working on the waterways, finished inside bevel for port side, waiting for more wood to arrive before I can do starboard side or planksheers. I still need to bevel backside of waterway before I can install. Soaked wood for 2 hours then set in the jig of push pins in cork board.

looks great, nice job