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John Ruy

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Everything posted by John Ruy

  1. John Ruy
    Finishing up the battens for the sheet planking. Paper Templates… Laid out Deck template on the back side of the scribed decking material. Need to fair all framing components prior to gluing down the deck. Once the deck is glued down, need to fair out the decking edges with the framing prior to planking. Sheet planking templates will be laid out on Bass Wood sheets to cut out planking. This is where a more modern kit would have some nice laser cut planking pieces. 😎 All for now, later…
  2. John Ruy
    Some assembly required. 😆 Pre cut pieces assembled nicely, only a bit of sanding required. 😎 Later… 👍
  3. John Ruy
    This kit was 47.00 w/shipping. Model Expo has the same model for 69.99 + shipping. I can make this kit look the same, why would I want two of them. The modern kits make the hobby a bit easier, but more expensive. Besides, I would never get the requisition past the Admiral. 😆 That’s the REAL reason I’m addicted to these Vintage Kits.
  4. John Ruy
    Another Laughing Whale vintage kit. Found this one, of all places, on Etsy. I seem to have become addicted to rescuing these forgotten kits. This one has found it’s way back to Maine from Florida… 😩 Sold in the 80’s it’s now going to be built. Blue prints a bit yellowed but have survived well. Two pages of typewriter written, hand drawings. These kit were produced here in Maine. Just up the road here in Wiscasset, Maine. Nice materials in the original packaging. Framing parts have been hand cut. Scribed Decking and Sail Cloth also provided. Paper templates provided for the sheet planking and deck materials. All in all a nice little package. Time to get this one started. Cheers 🍻
  5. John Ruy
    Several sandings later… Airbrushing is a new experience for me. First time for my new paint booth. A bit of research 🧐 then jump in… More sanding and more light coats. Amazing how paint brings out the voids in the wood. 😜 No worries there is always filler. Testors Dementional Craft Paste seem to do the trick. We shall see after a few more sandings and paint. Cheers 🍻
  6. John Ruy
    Wood decks masked and first coat of paint to seal Bass Wood. First coat sanded. Tomorrow we rinse and repeat with Primer. Cheers 🍻
  7. John Ruy
    Two of the Home Depot Pre-Assembled “Workbench”. Preserves the walls… 🤔 Added the Lazy Susan in the corner with a Magnifying Lamp that swings between work benches. Speed Shop is working on the engine for this “Retired” Working Lobster Boat. Later 🍻
  8. John Ruy
    Roofing for the cabin. Forward cabin roofing with hatch opening. Main cabin framing completed. Main cabin roofing completed. Port and Starboard views showing Navigational lights. View of the lighted forward cabin through the forward hatch. View of the lighted birth and galley through the forward cabin door. Starting to take shape. Time for more sanding filling, sanding Primer and painting. 😎 Cheers 🍻
  9. John Ruy
    Installing lights in the forward cabin and engine bay. More rounding of the hull. Needs more rounding…. Rudder and prop built and fitted. Finally, got to the hull shape I’m looking to achieve. 😆 Starting to build the cabin. Onwards… 😎
  10. John Ruy
    Lots of sanding… Sanding and filling the seams. Fitting the Keel… Bending the Bass Wood strip for the keel. It’s getting there. Needs more rounding along the chine log. 😎
  11. John Ruy
    Bottom hull sheets complete. I’m feeling pretty accomplished at this point. Everything else aught to be easy-peezey right. 😆 we shall see… Later🍻
  12. John Ruy
    Gluing down the bottom sheets… Carefully trimmed and shaped Bass Wood sheet prior to gluing with CA glue. successfully laid down Wood sheet. Glued all gaps. trimmed edges and wood filled seams. One done and one to go. 👍
  13. John Ruy
    Yep… I’ve done that, thanks for the confirmation. Going to tight fit all around prior to gluing. Should sand in to space nicely, if I can get her glued down tight with no gaps. There’s always wood filler, given it’s going to be painted. 👍
  14. John Ruy
    Sheet Planking the hull…. Used card stock to template the sides of the hull. Penciled in the upper and lower edges. Template cut out and laid on to Bass Wood sheet. Wet shaping the Bass Wood sheet. Painted the inside, I will have an open engine bay for display. 😎 Glued in place… Sides trimmed up and sanded. Ready to do the bottom sheets. Same process, cut paper templates and painted inside of hull sheets. Wetted outside to be formed to the bottom. A little more complicated than the sides. Pinned and clamped in place to dry overnight. Tomorrow I will trim up and fit tight before gluing. Cheers 🍻
  15. John Ruy
    Nice! 😎 I got to pull up a chair and watch this.
  16. John Ruy
    The only precut parts in the Laughing Whale kit were the decks bulkheads and keel. Everything else had to be cut out to match the drawings on the plans. No die cut or laser cut parts for assembly. 😆 I trace paper patterns from the plans and transfer them to the wood sheets. The hull sheets have been a new experience for me. I used card stock to create the patterns the cut out the bass wood sheets with an Exacto knife. I’ll be posting that process today. Got the bottom fitted last night. Thanks for the compliments on my work I’m still learning did my first planking on a Whaleboat this last year. This hull is proving to be more of a challenge, but it’s going well. At least I think so, we will see. 😜 I see we’re practically neighbors, love New Hampshire. Beautiful state, Portsmouth has a lot of great ship building history. Cheers 🍻
  17. John Ruy
    I have used your build log for reference several times when I have gotten lost. 😆 Nice build(s)… I don’t think I’ll be going so far as planking the hull. Although sheet planking has been challenging. I always like to expand the detail of these vintage kits when I can. I have crossed this Working Lobster Boat over to Yacht. 😎 Friend of mine asked me what motor was going into this boat. That’s all it takes… Stay tuned, you know they race these boats in Maine. Later 🍻
  18. John Ruy
    Forward cabin completed. Next step, sheeting the hull Later… 😎
  19. John Ruy
    Roof framing complete… Now the fun begins. 😎 Berth inside walls installed. Interior walls for the Head. Added interior details/trim. Berth mattresses made from three layers of Sail Cloth. Mattresses installed. Building cabinetry…. 😆 Cabinetry installed. Moving on…. 🍻
  20. John Ruy
    Progress… Disadvantage to these vintage kits, no die or laser cut parts. Advantage is the opportunity to improve on scratch building abilities. Cutting Bass Wood sheeting accurately is an acquired skill. 😆 Framed out forward cabin walls. Fitted interior sheet planking. Traced out cabin exterior walls. Preparing to cut Cabin exterior walls from supplied sheeting. Cut out tracing paper patterns and laid out on sheeting. Penciled the walls on to the sheeting using the patterns. Acquired the necessary cutting skills to cut out the walls accurately. Finished framing out the walls and matched everything up to the drawings. Now for the forward wind shield. Verified fit, required some trimming. First of several coats of paint… Stay tuned, customizations to the Forward Cabin coming up. First I have to figure out the roof framing from the drawings. Instruction leaves a lot to be desired. Cheers 🍻
  21. John Ruy
    Started the Forward Cabin scratch build. Sketched up a plan. Design on the fly… 🤔 Onward 🍻
  22. John Ruy
    I’m Back, Finished The New Bedford Whaleboat and ready to focus on The Main Lobster Boat. Two things I intend to do differently with this kit. 1. Modify the engine compartment. 2. Build out the interior of the forward cabin. Neither of which have I seen done with these kits. My research has turned up two things I did not know Mainers built with Lobster Boats. Racing Lobster Boats and Lobster Boat Yachts. Wish me luck… Framing the Lobster Boat. No laser cut pieces in this kit. Bulk head pieces were all hand cut, back in the day. Two halves are glued together and carefully shaped to match the drawing. Cutting open a hatch is required to create a battery compartment for an RC Lobster Boat. I will be modifying this as the engine compartment as it would be on the real Lobster Boat. 😎 Ready for construction. Deck Planking created with lead pencil. Cherry Stain Applied. Penciled Planking and stain applied to upper deck. Lower deck assembly. 1/16th sheeting hand cut and added to both sides of the keel. Keel, upper and lower decks assembled. Chine Logs soaked and bent to form hull framing. These pieces are balsa. Laminated balsa wood to complete chine logs. Installed deck supports and backing for hull sheeting. Started shaping the chine logs for installation of sheeting. Installed forward cabin flooring. I will be adding furnishing in the cabin. 😎 Built and installed additional framing. More shaping to Prepare for hull sheeting. Later… 🍻
  23. John Ruy
    Tom, Nice job on the furled sail. Is it the same three layers of materials as the full sails. All of the sails are looking great 👍
  24. John Ruy
    The Maine Lobster Boat. It’s a Laughing Whale Kit. Made in Maine. 😎
  25. John Ruy
    Mounted for display. Thank you all for your comments and encouragement over the past 11 months. Captains log shows 207 hours invested to completion. Onwards… 🍻

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