Kusawa2000

While restocking rope I am trying to take advantage of the downtime to finally make some new stuff...
 
Belaying pins...9.5mm and 14.3mm
 
And some teeny tiny toggles.  3mm, 4mm, and 5mm long
 
To begin with just the boxwood color.
 
The belaying pins are in no way as strong as brass.  But they are plenty strong enough as long as you dont over-do the tightness....which you shouldnt be doing anyway.  The toggles are also quite resilient.  Pictured are some tests in 3 and 4 mm long.
 
So look for them on my fittings page when I reopen next week.
 
 
 

 

This morning I was sent the renders for the alternative figurehead for Surprise (and I suspect the one that most will use). Both versions will be included in the kit.
 

Still have a lot of time to spend on this development...

I'm excited to share some news that I think many in the ship modeling community will appreciate—Ships in Scale magazine is coming back!
 
SeaWatch Books has worked out an agreement with the Nautical Research Guild (NRG), who owned the Ships in Scale brand after the magazine’s original run. We're now relaunching Ships in Scale with the goal of honoring its rich tradition while expanding its reach for today's modelers. We'll be featuring a wide range of articles for all skill levels, detailed build logs, kit reviews, and broader maritime topics, supported by a new digital platform as well.
 
If you'd like to learn more about the plans for the relaunch, I’ve written a short article that you can read here:
 
Read More →
 
We’re looking forward to building something that supports and celebrates the incredible craftsmanship, creativity, and passion in the ship modeling hobby. Thanks for taking a look!
 
— Mike Ellison
Publisher, Ships in Scale
SeaWatch Books

Chris: True enough! I admit it will be nice to have options!

Chris: True enough! I admit it will be nice to have options!

Call me crazy but I always enjoyed planking above the wale. I find the individual planks really gave the hull a lot of character. I agree most of the hulls will be painted so if its individually planked or a template etched with the planks and treenails it may be hard to tell the difference. Maybe have it as a option at the time of purchase? Just floating the idea out there... 

Chris: Good point. You will might have to sacrifice the eyebolt for the inhaul tackle but as mentioned having visual access to the gun deck is a great addition to the kit.

I do like how you are opening up the spar deck to the lower gun deck. Just gives it additional neat detail to the hull!

Chris: True enough! I admit it will be nice to have options!

Chris: True enough! I admit it will be nice to have options!

Chris: True enough! I admit it will be nice to have options!

Call me crazy but I always enjoyed planking above the wale. I find the individual planks really gave the hull a lot of character. I agree most of the hulls will be painted so if its individually planked or a template etched with the planks and treenails it may be hard to tell the difference. Maybe have it as a option at the time of purchase? Just floating the idea out there... 

Call me crazy but I always enjoyed planking above the wale. I find the individual planks really gave the hull a lot of character. I agree most of the hulls will be painted so if its individually planked or a template etched with the planks and treenails it may be hard to tell the difference. Maybe have it as a option at the time of purchase? Just floating the idea out there... 

Well, I worked all day today, continuing Surprise stuff.
 
This morning, I decided to make the templates for the fore and quarterdeck bulwarks, which are to be pre-cut. So first, the upper deck and beams were to be removed. My initial idea was to do the same I did for Indy, with most of the outer sides planked. 
 
However, I could not get the thought out of my mind just how nice the sides would look if they were pre-cut and engraved, with treenail detail - that would look great when painted ochre (or just varnished). So, with this in mind, I made a template for the whole of the hull side down to the top of the main wale line (or in Surprise's case, where the planks get thicker).
 
The pics show the end result of a day’s work, with many templates laser cut in white PolyBak, with each successive template (and there were many) tweaked a little more until, eventually, the final template is cut in the material that will be used in the kit, pear, shown in the pics. There was no warping to the undersides near the bow, and curved around very nicely on my disposable 'mule hull'
 
The downside to this, and the reason I initially dismissed doing this, is cost (0.8mm pear sheet needing to be 800mm long and 4 required just for the outer hull) and time. It will increase the overall cost to the kit. But it does mean planking, like on the smaller kits in the range, is relegated to the bottom half of the hull only, with all upper sides being completely pre-cut and laser engraved. It also means I can work slots into the bulwark sides for the fore, main and mizzen channels, these worked very well for the new Speedy and Harpy.
 
I hope I have made the right choice..
 
Oh, for the rudder fixing, I am doing the same as I did for Indy, with 3-d printed gudgeon and pintles that simply slot into the rudder and rudder post, I do very much like this method as it is both simple and looks accurate.
 

Cheers - although this has been the case (visual access to the deck below) with Sphinx, Indy and Harpy - but this will be the first with no ply sub deck at all. Assembly more than strong enough to not need a sub deck.

I do like how you are opening up the spar deck to the lower gun deck. Just gives it additional neat detail to the hull!

Chris: Good point. You will might have to sacrifice the eyebolt for the inhaul tackle but as mentioned having visual access to the gun deck is a great addition to the kit.

Chris: Good point. You will might have to sacrifice the eyebolt for the inhaul tackle but as mentioned having visual access to the gun deck is a great addition to the kit.

I do like how you are opening up the spar deck to the lower gun deck. Just gives it additional neat detail to the hull!

I do like how you are opening up the spar deck to the lower gun deck. Just gives it additional neat detail to the hull!

OK, I added the upper deck beams, all fine, and then added my one off special 0.8mm ply deck, ready for next stage of development.

Chris: Many thanks... just what I wanted to hear! 👍

Checking figurehead in relation to bowsprit, and the fit of the new stove. Pics not too flattering, but this hull is only used as a basis to check important parts and finalising the more important aspects of the hull designs. So now, I know that the whole hull goes together very well, all the gun and upper deck beams fit perfectly, and the bulkheads will give a nice run for the outer planking.
 
Also inner bulwarks shown, these do take an age to get right, due to curves and the amount of upper deck beam slots. These are cut and checked using ply, but kit version will have pear versions, engraved and all positions marks or cut for all inner bulwark fittings - I always hated having to plank inner bulwarks, very awkward and there was always the real chance of some planks splitting or breaking off when filing the ports - not anymore!

Chris: Many thanks... just what I wanted to hear! 👍

Did I remember correct that the deck maybe have a option of laser etched for the deck planks or you can go for individually planked?
Also... the Inner bulwarks pre cut and etched.. that would take care of a few headaches! 
 
Pear on exterior planks.. wow.. that will give a nice finish.👍