HardeeHarHar

I'm following along with a bowl of popcorn by my side.  As you will certainly pass me by in your building of the Sphinx, I can learn from you along the way.  Muahahaha. =o).  Smooth sailing!

Brian

Looking good Andrew,

We are back in Durham, so I hear my Sphinx calling me.  Vanguard sure does make a great kit!  Your cutter looks SOLID.

On 10/8/2023 at 2:36 PM, Jorez de Saint Nazaire said:

Brian,

 

Glad to see that you're back. I understand that the instructions are not so clear for the rigging. I discover Danish oil. How do you explain these choice ?

Hey Francois @Jorez de Saint Nazaire,

I think the instructions are fairly good for the rigging on the Granado, but I just haven't done much of it, so I don't know how best to accomplish what needs to be done.  I decided to use light or natural Danish Oil for the boxwood I am using on my Granado based on the advice I received from a talented ship modeler named Tomasz Alexsinski.  It is simple, and adds a nice deep satin finish that highlights the details of the wood, and as it dries it hardens and darkens just a little giving the wood a very nice amber tone.  You just apply it evenly and allow it to soak in and dry over 24 to 48 hours.  You don't want to repeat application too much because it will not dry for a long time and will be a sticky mess (trust me =).  I also used a medium Danish Oil on the Secret Vessel and I thought it came out very nice on that model.  It penetrated evenly and gave the wood a very nice appearance with a slight shine/depth to it.  I am horrible with wood stains, and Danish Oil has made me look like I know what I am doing to a limited extent....Hope that helps explain my choice.

Best regards, Francois

On 10/6/2023 at 6:31 PM, AJohnson said:

Hi Brian, lovely to see some progress on your Granado. Good luck with the rigging. Regarding rigging, I think the main thing is to make sure the blocks are “free” for thread to run through. I poke a pin through each block hole first to make sure a thread can follow. 

Heyya Andrew @AJohnson!

Truth be known, I am reaming all of the blocks and deadeyes as much as I think is reasonable using my set of jeweler's broaches (see link below).  Do you have a set of these amazing tools?  I consider them to be one of my best purchases, they are amazing at opening up holes, etc.  I have one set that are tapered and kind of square in shape, and a set that is more oval with a cutting edge running down each broach.  They sure have come in handy for many applications.  Just curious, do you use a needle threading tool when rigging, or do you just use glue to make the line rigid, or a combo?  Ugh, I have so much to learn!

Hope all is well!

https://www.amazon.com/Broach-Set-Piece-BRO-174-00/dp/B005NJ1SYA/ref=asc_df_B005NJ1SYA/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=416712520007&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6552818762143547628&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9009749&hvtargid=pla-869671558750&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=93357453745&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=416712520007&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=6552818762143547628&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9009749&hvtargid=pla-869671558750

So, I may have stalled a bit due to overwhelming work and book commitments, and a little bout with Covid (1st timer) thanks to the generosity of my wife.  However, I am still doing some work on the Granado as I can, just at my usual snails pace.  I still need to oil up the mizen mast with some Danish Oil, but I am still struggling with whether I should run rigging lines through the blocks on the main top and mizzen top, and their cross trees, etc. and have them coiled up prior to gluing the masts in place and doing the stays and ratlines.  In the past, I have thought long and hard about rigging (albeit on the Jolly Boat, hah hah hah), and it paid off in the end I believe.  But the rigging on the Granado is at another level, and I don't want to have it be more complicated because I didn't do something in the best order possible.  Oh well, I can only learn by trying, right gang?!?  Thanks for stopping by and having a look.  Drop a comment or suggestion if you have a mind to do so, and good luck in all your endeavors.

Great work!  It is quite stunning indeed!  Thanks for sharing so much useful information while building her too!!!

On 6/24/2023 at 4:58 PM, Waitoa said:

Beautiful model and had the joy of going on the real boat in the middle of falling snow will need to ad this to my build list

Reading your post made it occur to me that I had seen the TSS Earnslaw a few years ago in Queenstown.  HAH. 

BTW, your model looks great Andrew!

I'm terribly slow, but it is a great kit so far.

18 hours ago, Peanut6 said:

I feel completely encouraged/pushed/urged/prodded/goaded/etc.    I never ever thought that my endeavor with this very simplistic and unnoteworthy model could ever possibly be of any interest to anyone else and really only started by build log as a way of getting help for myself and possibly sharing my FUBAR's with others on what not to do.  Now that the Boss is progressing nicely after her stroke in early April, I suppose that maybe now is the time to re-prioritize my available time to getting this mess of mine finished up.    

It's not just the model my good man, it's the model maker too.  We missed both, FUBAR's and all.  It's all your fault for being such a good community member that we noticed your extended absence.  I am super glad that the Boss has recovered so nicely that you may be able to spend some time with the build; hopefully, it will make you feel good too!

On 7/28/2023 at 5:52 PM, Peanut6 said:

HHH, what a fantastic job and you should be very proud.  If I didn't know you better, your comments about this being the slowest build in history and apologizing about the lack of progress could be subtle hints for me to get off my duff and finish up my little Jolly Boat.  You've got a beauty to match your other builds and look forward to seeing in its deserved place along with the others.  

Thanks for the kind words Kev, and I hope things are going well with the family!  I certainly am looking forward to seeing the Jolly Boat all rigged and ready to sail, but can completely understand and appreciate it can only be done as time permits.  As you can tell, I am not the only one who is looking forward to you resuming your build log....

We are in Durham at present, so the Granado is gathering dust on Roanoke Island.  While I do have the Sphinx here to work on, work and home/lawn/garden care has been taking precedence over ship building (boooooooooo). 

Best regards to you and yours!

BT

4 hours ago, Jorez de Saint Nazaire said:

Brian,

The quality of the model you are building is inversely proportional to the time, patience, modeling skills you put in to it. You're not slow !

 

It is a real pleasure to follow you log. I have a long way before to attempt your result.

You are too kind, but I thank you for the positive feedback.  It is encouraging me, as I am trying to do my best while learning from others!  I am psyched to see your build log in progress too!

Had a stab at the messenger lines and the anchor cables.  I prepped, stained and installed the snatch blocks to the walls of the mortar housing, then wound the messenger around the windlass/capstan as per the instructions.  I was able to keep the line taut and get everything where it should be.  Then I had a little bit of difficulty getting the anchor line passed under the forecastle deck as I had put bow chasers in there, and some barrels that no one will ever see.  It finally occurred to me that I could SIMPLE REMOVE THE BOWSPRIT that I had just sitting there in the way.  When I did that, I got the first one to run down the port side and down the hatch as it should.  I still have to run the starboard anchor line and tie both off to their messenger lines with "little nippers".  Did I mention I am slow at this?

56 minutes ago, BANYAN said:

With some blocks I elected to set-up a small length of leader line (small) that I could pull the actual line through when needed rather than pre-rig the entire line. 

Ahhh, this sounds like a good approach.  Keeping the line coiled was part of my plan too.  Thanks Pat!

18 minutes ago, RossR said:

I did on my first attempt at rigging cannons for the first time recently, but I haven't on the masts.

 

Interesting, I didn’t do that when I rigged my cannons, but now that you mention it…. I just can’t see waiting until the mast is installed to run the rigging through the tiny holes in the blocks, and that made me think “well why not just do it before you even glue them into those new nicely drilled holes on the top”.

Blocks under the main mast top.  I just finished seizing the blocks to eyelets and bored the sheave holes out a little with my set of broaches.  Do people thread line through the blocks with the appropriate length of rope (approximately) prior to gluing the blocks in place so they don’t have to do it later when it is more awkward?!?

On 2/21/2023 at 1:54 PM, VTHokiEE said:

What bits are you using now? I've had a lot of great success with HSS micro bits from McMaster-Carr: https://www.mcmaster.com/catalog/129/2750/30585A94. I had tried some carbide cheap end mill/PCB bits and they were nothing but frustration in a handheld pin-vice. I switched to Uncoated High-Speed Steel Drill Bit, 76 Gauge Size for drilling out the treenail holes on my cross section and never broke a bit (even though I bought 5 just in case). 

 

Currently my big issue is that I don't really drill straight holes by hand, but that's not the bit's fault :-).

Dood, those drill bits are the bomb so far.  Thanks a bizzillion, I have drilled a lot of holes, and not one has broken (yet).

It is amazing what a high quality drill bit can do compared to the horrible stuff that is sold on Amazon.  Despite all my fear and trepidation about the task, the chains have all been pinned to the side of the hull without any breakage of drill bits.  It took about 2.5 hours for each side, but they look decent in the end I think.

10 minutes ago, Peanut6 said:

Just doing my best to deal with life as it presents itself.  I suppose I'm getting what I deserve for having such an "easy time under the circumstances" at the time when could/should have been much worse for the household.  Getting back on top of things, if not a little bit better, and taking a very slow approach to insure we aren't setting any land mines for ourselves in the future.  Hey, when all is said and done it all evens out and ones best hope is the lows don't force one to forget the highs that life presents.  Thanks for reaching out and you concern.  

You have an awesome attitude and outlook amigo!

5 hours ago, AJohnson said:

Looking good Brian. I do glue deadeyes and chains in place. Mainly to stop the deadeyes rotating when rigging, I just use dilute pva to keep everything still and in place, the rigging will fixall in place in the end. 

Thanks Brother Andrew!  I really appreciate your help and positive feedback.  I put a little dab of CA to lock the deadeyes and keep them from rotating, but wasn't sure if it was ok to look the chains in the mast top too. It seemed like it would be hard to get the rigging fully in place properly, if they weren't held firmly in place.  I probably would have used CA, but as you recommend, I suspect a little dilute PVA will be able to get ahold of the paint on the metal and hold it as good if not better than CA...Thanks again for your help Andrew, and thanks to everyone else for visiting the build log.

World’s slowest build…Main mast, with deadeyes.  Should I glue the deadeye chain/shackle to the top to hold them in place firmly during rigging?!?

I still need to finish the boxwood mast with a couple of coats of Danish oil to make it look it’s best.

Welcome on board Igmar!

Knock Knock Kev, where have you been hiding?!?!?

6 hours ago, Glen McGuire said:

I promise you, Brian, you ain't the only one!!

 

This is the first time I've looked into this build.  You have done very nice work so far!

I appreciate your comments, and have enjoyed your builds and the quality of your work Glen!!!

I have seen some other builds with lashing.  I believe I am going to glue it, pin it, and lash it =).  I do agree, it gets a lot more "fun" when the instructions in the manual and the plans start to leave much to the imagination.  Heh heh heh sigh.

I wonder if I am the only one who gets anxious and hesitant when it comes to doing some new tasks involved in the build.  Woolding for example, using paper and string seemed like a bigger deal than it turned out to be, at least for the bowsprit.  Making all the little cleats was not fun, and the instructions seem to be getting a little less comprehensive as I am starting to contemplate the masts and yards.  Attaching the jibboom to the bowsprit doesn’t appear to be described in the manual or plans…and in the AOTS it shows it is attached with a pin, but I have seen some build use rope lashing.  WTH?  Anyway, I will see what I can find and pick an appropriate technique.  I have about completed all the lathe work and need to touch up some of the masts and yards, but I am forging ahead now that I am back on the island.  Thanks for stopping by and offering any thoughts and advice!!!

Hello Francois,

That is an excellent question!  In fact, it was supplied as brass at one point, but when I purchased the kit they came as resin.  They look fine, but I would have preferred brass.  I wrote the supplier and asked if they had any brass ones I could purchase and was told no.  So the ones on my Granado are plastic resin.  
 

Thanks for your question and interest, I appreciate your inquiry!

best regards!

Brian