EricWilliamMarshall

I started work on the decks. A bit of stain and finish. I added a suggestion of horizontal decking with a sharpened pencil and ruler. I couldn’t match the color of what looks to be a black aniline dye in the wood, so a little bit of stain to dampen the contrast.

My clamping set up led to some dents in the hull I have modified the set avoid more of the same.

Also doubles a chisel - see also tools used convert small project to large.

Thanks everyone for such an informative thread!

Thanks for sharing this build log! Most impressive - it makes me want to build one!

The crew in the video is new so the first order of business is to be synchronized. Form would come later. An eight man crew takes a month or two before proficient and longer to be competitive. (That’s based on my personal experience from the 1980’s.)

Very exciting! I’m very curious how you adventure turns out; fingers crossed!

@Bob Cleek Shipways now has a series of models aimed at the beginner (not dissimilar to the old Midwest models of yore). The instructions are also posted for the curious. https://modelexpo-online.com/Model-Shipways-Shipwright-Series_c_815.html (I wish modelshipworld had a wiki or faq to capture some of the great wisdom of answers like yours in one spot!) To @MIR, I second Bob thoughts and a number of others here. If you have time read through a new user build logs and see how they progress and where they stumble. I’m just now in my third year of the hobby, take a look at my logs and you will see my frustrations and lack of knowledge, confidence and skills. But you will also see each project being more complex and closer to “real stuff” the amazes the eye here. I started with a plastic sailing ship, a wood boat with a very simple rig, a simple ship with a bit more rigging and a boat with a planked hull. Each a step up the ladder. Another fellow who started about the same time is @VTHokiEE who started simple and sprinted to the fully complex! Read his build logs. Also, as suggested before, read kit instructions if you can find them! Some will horrify and other will educate you! Most of the skills needed can be picked up quickly without too much fussing. (Mastering those skills is another story!) But if tasks overwhelm, frustration sets in and you stop. End of skill development. Personally I found having a kit a) with excellent instructions (they need to “wordy”, describing everything!) and b) is quick to build - is the way to go. The link I shared at the beginning of this post has models that I think fit the bill. Pick one of those models or something like that and build it! And if you get stuck, ask questions! The whole point of the suggestions here is many folks bite off more than they can chew the first time, so start by nibbling.

@Hubac's Historian no rush! Honestly I wasn’t expecting an answer (though the question is real)! The aft bulkhead will get two doors and the ships wheel as per kit. I was wondering what wood was the original made of? It was most likely paneled and there would be a molding at the top. But I couldn’t say what the details might be. I was gifted rotary bits and a few hand held tools by a buddy of mine, Yasmine Gur (http://www.yasmingur.com/) when she closed up her workshop to move overseas this summer. There a few rasp bits and larger stone bits which match shapes used Foredom videos I mentioned earlier. So I got my hands on a Foredom hand-piece with. A 1/4” collet. It can attach to the cheap Harbor Freight rotary tools I recently acquired. So I was off to the races. It chews through wood quickly; so much so I suggest clamping wood to avoid mishap. Here is a picture of a bit of pine after a few seconds of contact!

I’m pulling up a chair to watch the show! It might be time to update your signature!

Despite the hurdles, you make it look easy! Very impressive!

Thanks!

I called by phone to order within the last month and everything went swimmingly. The books arrived at my part of the East Coast within a week.

I’m not sure where to post this, so apologies, I chose here. At the bottom of most pages (in the footer), under helpful links, the link the the NRG store points to http://www.thenrg.org/the-nrg-store.php and it should point to https://thenrgstore.org/. The current link leads to a “not found” page.

How’s it going?

Thanks everyone for the likes! While I don’t mind talking to myself, it’s nice to assume some audience. I think I follow the previous advice of @MrBlueJacket and assume the laser cut material is correct and trumps the variation in the plans. However that then raises the issue of curve of the deck front to back vs. side to side: both curve and wood can’t curve both ways. Perhaps a touch of thinning the deck on the side to suggest the correct curve. Not sure yet. I’m looking for references regarding what the details of a 1840’s naval brig might look like and not finding much. Anyone have some ideas they would like to share?

Impressive work! Well done!

Another small variance in the plans for quarter deck and rear of the hull. The profiles for shaping the hull show straight rise up from the waterline, but the laser cut pieces and the plan of the aft bulkhead show an inner-ward taper. I followed the sections and I’m now at variance with the laser cut parts as you can see below.

I have found a couple other plans for the hull of the Perry: The first is from the National Archives - I found it in the book Sailing Warships of the US Navy by Donald Canney. (The image is used under Fair Use; copyright retained by Donald L. Cannery 2001). The second is from the collection of Atlas du Genie Maritime (link to the wayback machine's copy of the image from the French government: https://web.archive.org/web/20120113075641/http://www.servicehistorique.sga.defense.gouv.fr/medias/planbato/GM05PL0275.tif) I wonder if the later date of the French plan reflects lines lifted at a later date from the ship or merely a new drawing of an earlier set.

Meanwhile back the model: I'm thinking about the deck's color and finish. That needs to be addressed before I permanently add the decks. The laser cut forecastle deck differs in shape to the part of the solid-wood hull I've been whittling away at. While I assume it is my silliness, I do see this in the plans: I can add bit of wood to either side or cut new one from the 'waste' wood that the decks came with. I'm guessing it might be covered by the waterways (or what I presume are the waterways).

Doh, I should have thought that! It will also feel like cheating, but is way simpler. Brilliant!

While I couldn't think of a reasonable 'bake-off' regarding the topic of rasps, it did occur to me how I could share some information. I photographed a selection of rasps, then of a piece of pine with 2 pulls of each rasp photographed with a raking light to show how well they cut and the marks they leave. The last photo is three pulls using the side of the rasps to cut in. Our contestants from left to right: 1) Fine file (yes, not a rasp) - generic 2) Bastard file - Nicholson 3) a 'four of a kind' combo rasp/file - cheap from a box store 4) the aforementioned Nicholson #50 5) Auriou 175mm/7" Modeller's Rasp 6) Auriou 150mm/6" Modeller's Rasp 7) a carbide abrasive rasp of unknown origin

How is the Flattie these days?

@sjanicki, very kind of you to say! Thanks, There will be missteps; stay tuned! @Hubac's Historian, yes! The Auriou rasps have beautiful comfortable handles with a clear and even finish. Truly a rare occurrence. Thanks everyone for your interest and encouragement!

I have received all of the rasps: @gagliano1770's Auriou rasps as part of his downsizing and @Hubac's Historian's suggestion regarding the Nicholson #50 rasp. I have to say a) I believe these two purchases exceed my entire life-time total spend on rasps and files up to these two purchases, b) after poking about, gagliano1770’s sale of these was a gift/a give away - the list prices on these are insane! i thought I could do an apples-to-apples comparison, but the Auriou rasps are oranges in comparison to the Nicholson rasp’s apple. The thing that struck me after playing with all of these rasps is the ease with which they move across the wood. Similar to how fine-toothed sharp saws run smoothly in comparison to a slightly dull coarse-toothed saw. They don’t bounce or wander. If I can think of a way show a comparison I will. I’m glad I have them but it will take while to let their use seep into my thinking. Marc is correct, the #50 can remove material quickly while leaving a surface that cleans up quickly with a few swipes of a fine file. The other coarse rasps I have bounce around more and leave a hand full of scraped lines just a little too deep. While I’m impressed, I still would not suggest anyone spend $189 dollars on four Auriou needle files. (If you must, then here: https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/hand-tools/files-and-rasps/rasps/53821-auriou-needle-rasps?item=62W3034 )