realworkingsailor

Around here... any and all awards are 'prestigous".  Kind of like "deluxe" on a box of macaroni and cheese.    :P    
 
Congrats Captain Augie!!!  Here's a 3 gun salute (not firing cotton balls)!     

I think we need a new topic in the general discussion page....
 
MSW's WIndbag of the Week Award
 
Given out to the person with the most posts over the course of one calendar week
 
Andy

I think we need a new topic in the general discussion page....
 
MSW's WIndbag of the Week Award
 
Given out to the person with the most posts over the course of one calendar week
 
Andy

I think we need a new topic in the general discussion page....
 
MSW's WIndbag of the Week Award
 
Given out to the person with the most posts over the course of one calendar week
 
Andy

Promotions around here just indicate who generates the most hot air.  But thanks anyway.
 
Now get to work

I've been so busy playing with my ship that I've not updated my log for awhile.  Lets start with the IOU's
Wayne, here is a photo of the dead eyes going into the sponsons....

 
Keith - here is the penny with a completed ratline for persepective

 
When making the ratlines I used this cardstock comb that I made to keep the lines separated.

 
Ok, so I finished the 4 sets of ratlines.

 

 
Now that I've finished the ratlines (phew) I'm on to my next challenge, furled sails. Thanks to everyone who sent me photos of furled sails -that helped a bunch. The local club gave me some silkspan to use (which is lucky since the sail cloth I'd bought from ME was way too heavy for furled sails.) and I cut and died it with earl grey. 
 
I found that wetting the silkspan gave it a more realistic weight so I furled them while they were still wet and they held that shape when they dried. I'm going for the look that they've just been temporarily tied up, not the fully stowed perfect bundle that they do when they are fully storing the sails. 
 

 

 

 

 
I am working on running rigging tonight

On the other hand.... if you do decide to go into business doing this.. you'd have ample data on time taken to build various components, and can then come up with a reasonably profitable cost per hour labour rate... of course that may drive away customers..
 
But as a buddy of mine down at the model railway club always says: "Let's see you work for $0.02/hour"
 
Andy

Its gonna be a while until I build up some stock....but "Chucky Blocks" are coming soon.       
 
 
Lets take  a look.   
 
Model Expo price for 3/32" single blocks 100 QTY = $20  You know what these look like 
Lloyd's price ..................................................... = $35
Jerzy's price - 2 mm .......................................... = $45
My price in boxwood will be ............................... = $27
 
Expo blocks compared to Warner's blocks below
 

 
My blocks compared to Jerzy;s (Jerzy's on the right) 2mm
 

 
And another shot of my 2mm blocks...the single blocks on the right have no finish on them yet the doubles have some wipe-on-poly.  This is an old image that doesnt show any strop groove.  I will have to take some new pics once I start up production.  These were basically my tests....I have made some adjustments (sheave slots wider slightly so the holes for rigging can be larger).
 

 
Hopefully soon.....depending on how much interest in this there is out there. 
 

Some years ago, when the kit first came out, I bought one from Bob Hunt (Lauckstreet). Unfortunately, that was well before I had ever heard of MSW and also well before I was aware of the TFFM books by David Antscherl. The kit appeared to provide an opportunity for someone like me without any power tools to build a fully framed model, without spending the rest of my life trying to cut all the framing by hand. While the kit had some shortcomings and problems (e.g. the provided building jig was more trouble than help), it did, in fact, allow me to build a boxwood fully framed model of a Swan class ship in 1:48 scale.
 
From the beginning, I decided on two major changes from the kit. First, I wanted to do a rigged model, rather than the hull only model provided for in the kit. Second, and in part as a result of the first decision, I chose to plank both sides of the upper hull and bulwarks, rather than only one side as provided in the kit. This led me to my first of a number of happy experiences with Jeff Hayes at Hobbymill, to get the additional wood needed.
 
By the time that I joined the original MSW, I had completed the hull framing and had planked the wales and upper outer hull. Sadly, I have no photos of any of that work. At about that time, I also obtained the first two volumes of TFFM, which then became an invaluable aid to the project. Reference to the books allowed me to make various changes and additions to the kit as I proceeded from that point. In hindsight, I regret that I didn't have the opportunity to see the kinds of spectacular work that has been done by Remco, Danny and Toni on their Swans and that I lacked the imagination or confidence to try to do that kind of interior detailing.
 
After completing the hull work, I took a pause of about a year to await the publication of TFFM Vol. 4, before doing the masting and rigging. I built the MS Syren during that pause.
 
This log will be a repost of those photos that I still have, together with some brief summary text. The pictures attached to this post are a couple of the completed model photos. Subsequent posts will begin with the work after framing and hull planking.
 
Bob

See if this helps a bit... please excuse my crude drawing and handwritting and any crappy spelling you may encounter
 
Andy

I think what he is suggesting, is you can go ahead and put the channels on (the flat pieces of wood that hold the deadeyes out from the hull) but hold off actually installing the deadeyes.
 
As he said, the line of the chain plates has to follow the lines of the shrouds. You don't necessarily have to have your masts fully installed. You can do what I did. I simply cut the mast dowel to the correct length and using the plans, mark a line around the mast at about the level where the shrouds originate. You can then simply tie a long thread at that point and keeping the end free you can use that as a guide to make sure your chain plates will line up the way they are supposed to. Of course, you can attach all your deadeyes and chainplates as you go with this system.
 
Andy

Yikes.... he's gone and done it... he made a real shackle....
 
The only thing missing is a hole in the outside end of the pin so it can be moused...
 
Michael, I must say I've been quietly following your build for some time, and your machining is utterly incredible, to say nothing of the impressiveness of your build.
 
Andy

See if this helps a bit... please excuse my crude drawing and handwritting and any crappy spelling you may encounter
 
Andy

I think what he is suggesting, is you can go ahead and put the channels on (the flat pieces of wood that hold the deadeyes out from the hull) but hold off actually installing the deadeyes.
 
As he said, the line of the chain plates has to follow the lines of the shrouds. You don't necessarily have to have your masts fully installed. You can do what I did. I simply cut the mast dowel to the correct length and using the plans, mark a line around the mast at about the level where the shrouds originate. You can then simply tie a long thread at that point and keeping the end free you can use that as a guide to make sure your chain plates will line up the way they are supposed to. Of course, you can attach all your deadeyes and chainplates as you go with this system.
 
Andy

You could try making relieving cuts along the inside edge of the curve to allow the wood to bend. a little bit of filler and some good sanding should hide them well enough.
 
What kind of wood are you using?
 
Andy

Congratulations on your selection for your next build! Augie is absolutly right!
I may have mentionned before, I've not built this kit, but I know the high quality of Chuck's workmanship and his practicums (I do intend to start the Conferacy next, one of his designs).
 
Enjoy!
 
Andy

Call me crazy... but I'm hoping that sometime in the future Chuck will find the time to develop a rigging plan and ME can create and after market "expansion" kit for her.
 
(BTW Chuck... I know you'll read this... but for the record, I'm still a couple years away from possibly being ready to rig a Confed model.. so no pressure on you at all.)
 
Andy

Call me crazy... but I'm hoping that sometime in the future Chuck will find the time to develop a rigging plan and ME can create and after market "expansion" kit for her.
 
(BTW Chuck... I know you'll read this... but for the record, I'm still a couple years away from possibly being ready to rig a Confed model.. so no pressure on you at all.)
 
Andy

Hum I seem to have restarted a long ago heated discussion. I to see many differences between the Syren Tim posted (Thanks Tim) and Chucks design. It matters not to me, all I'm interested in is bashing the Swift kit and adding a wheel. There's just something about having a wheel and since its a custom, what the hey. Plus I have no cannons on the stern I was actually thinking hammock and cooler
 
Sjors is right in saying, "But there is a kind of chemistry between all of us."
That's why I love this place. If I hadn't lost my place reading this log and decided to start over so many times, I might not have gotten the wheel idea in the first place. The banter is what makes it a hobby, and if a hobby isn't fun, why bother... and nothing makes having fun better then friends that know how to not take each other too seriously.
 
A smart person once told me: It's important to work hard and play hard, intelligence is found in knowing when to do each. I have found sometimes, when lucky, working and playing coincide together as they do at MSW.

Daniel,
 
I think that a little fun keeps the forum alive but you also have to know when to stop.
It is still a builders forum…...
That's why I love this forum.
We don't know each other then only by words.
But there is a kind of chemistry between all of us.
And yes, sometimes there is a side kick but the main thing will be building.
When we are keeping that in mind. I think that MSW is going bigger then any other site!
Augie, your build log is now yours again ( for the time being  )
Now back to the shipyard.
 

 

Thanks Robbyn.  You'll enjoy this kit and Chuck's Practicum is a gem.
 
I too enjoy the banter.  It often takes me a week or more to have a bona fide update so reading about Andy's beard and Sjor's clowns is a welcome way to stay in touch.  Unfortunately, I need to report that I haven't worn a pink shirt since the summer of '77.

Ooooh I just broke down and ordered this kit for my next build....love your log Augie it is similar to mine with lots of ramblings and sidetracks. Me thinks it is that banter that keeps me building and trucking along. Without it, things would just be boring and technical
Awesome build by the way. I can tell I will be referring back to this one often when I finally begin building mine

Popeye, there were two USS Forrest Shermans. This one would be DD-931, launched in 1955. The other is DDG-98 launched in 2004 (and clearly NOT the one in this pic).
 
I'm guessing that Andy took this pic when she was on her way to be turned into a Museum (or perhaps the Scrapyard)?
 
  Danny

Well if that isn't a redirect i don't know what is.  Sjors while you are given a lot of "crap" for side tracking threads I do very much appreciate how fun you make this forum.  

Now everyone... we've convinced Popeye that he needs to read one of the greatest books every written... we can't keep spoiling the story for him
 So Shhh!!  
 
 
Andy