HardeeHarHar

David, you are obviously doing a great job, and you are demonstrating how very much more I have to learn and incorporate into my developing knowledge and techniques.  I want to "officially" thank you for your detailed build log, and congratulate you on your mad skillz.

I have some work work to do today (booooo), but I have been thinking (yes, it happens) about next steps.  I'm ready to install the channels and chainplates, but before I do that, I think it might be a good idea to put the lids on the sweep ports.  They are little itty bitty lids with fiddly little hinges, and can be mounted in closed or open configuration.  Orrrrrrr, I could just not even install them.  No one would miss them, but I can't tell if I should be historically accurate, in which case I would install them in the open configuration since I went to all the trouble to make pretty little sweep ports that would only disappear if I install them in the closed configuration.  There is no way I am going to just slap them in the closed position over those sweet looking sweep ports that give the hull a nice business like look.  If I do decide to install them, it seems like it is now or never, before I go and install the channels and chainplates etc.  Decisions, decisions!  I'm soliciting opinions to see if my colleagues can help convince me one way or the other.

Also, I got a box delivered today all the way from the UK, and a new build log is waiting inside!!!

Hey hey hey KL!!!!   That rudder looks like it would work, and also looks like nice craftsmanship to my eyes.  In fact, the whole kit and kaboodle is looking great!!!  I like your windows and the decal definitely adds a pop of color to the stern.  I wonder if you would have liked it better if you had cut out the flower(?).  Have you put some dull-cote or anything on top of it, or would that ruin it?  Keep up the good work, you are making awesome progress, and encouraging the rest of us!!!!

That looks super fantastic Andrew.  Well done indeed!

Welcome to the MSW Clovehitch.  It takes a while to get used to this… 😉

I may be the guilty party, and I regret it all.  Please send me a bit of that jalapeño cheddar sausage and I’ll never do it again!!

Secret Vessel made it safely to Roanoke Island, so now my attention turns back to the Granado build.  Yesterday I finished up some of the work that I had been procrastinating becauseit appeared fairly fragile and I didn't want to put it in place only to smash it up with my fat fingers (i.e., elm tree pumps)  I hope to get all the chainplates in place today or tomorrow, as I have placed pins in all of them to ensure a solid installation.  I also brought a stock of boxwood to be used for the masts and spars of the Granado that I recently acquired from Joseph Volpe of Modeler's Sawmill.  He provides a really nice source of boxwood with excellent service.  I have a new Proxxon Lathe, and a finger plane, and will have to learn to use these properly to avoid turning all the beautiful boxwood into sawdust.  I also purchased a new kit for the Durham Drydock which should keep me busy for several years in the future.  

19 hours ago, wlell said:

I really enjoyed previous MSW builds of this unique model by shipmates: HardeeHarHar, Gummersall and Justin P and hope mine turns out as good as theirs.

I am confused by step 3.11 “Very carefully bevel the planking by the engraved lines following the scheme on Fig. 10.” First of all, I do not see any engraved lines and second, I am perplexed by the beveling illustration orientation. Is this an end on view? I have always beveled hull planks on the top edge only as described on page 31 of SIMPLE HULL PLANKING TECHNIQUES FOR BEGINNERS Written, illustrated & edited by: Dirk De Bakker (kelvin12) and Greg Brooker (gregb) With assistance from Dave Rogers (heliman41)

Any clarification you all could provide based on your experience would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Bill

See below.

 

I was equally confused by the illustration provided in the manual.  I beveled the top edge, and shaped the plank further when it was required (not that often).  Good luck with the build (have you started a log?), and have fun with this kit.  The metal work is when it really gets interesting!  @Knocklouder, thanks for the shout-out homie!

55 minutes ago, Peanut6 said:

If I'm not mistaken, you are in the correct area for that to happen (sorry, couldn't help myself)

 

Either here or over Knocklouderville!

Perfecto!!!

3 hours ago, Peanut6 said:

Perfection has been achieved.  

Awww, stop it!  My head is going to blow up like a Chinese Ballon

I cleaned off my new drafting table after completing the Secret Vessel, and am getting ready to pack the beer keg up and head back to the coast and the Granado Build.  Before I left I thought I would take some pictures of the Secret Vessel (taken with my iPhone still), just in case she doesn't travel well.... I still need to paint the corkscrews black when I get to the beach, and I have a real camera there that I will use to take some pics for the Finished Gallery Photos.   I get lots of natural light in the afternoon in my little office/shop.  I have another desk coming in that will hold my iMac, and I still have to order some storage cabinets (old seed cabinets from a hardware store).  Still a lot of work to do in this space, but the table worked out well so far.

OMG!  Your work is way over my abilities.  I love the use of reference books, even if they are outside of my comprehension at the present time.  So much to learn and emulate from you and the other scholars in the community!!!!

1 hour ago, hollowneck said:

Nice oars, Brian. What happened to that keg of vodka?

Burp!  

20 hours ago, hollowneck said:

I believe that’s a jug of emergency vodka.

Hah!  I spent some time in Russia a couple of years ago, and I enjoyed the vodka that fueled "the fiery pipes".  I was thinking the Secret Vessel would make a good Port Decanter, but now that you mention it, a Vodka Keg would make more sense.  That would be quite the kit bash.....

20 hours ago, Peanut6 said:

The oars look pretty sharp.  I see some "dangladge" below the rudder on what looks like your "corkscrews", would that be the aft ballast and release mechanism? 

The oars came out pretty nice I think.  I used a few wraps of rope instead of the cloth provided.  The "dangladge" is indeed ballast that is dropped by turning the corkscrew (the right way).  I suspect some Russian Navy Dude would opt to have some truck balls hanging from the front and back of his Secret Vessel, but I used the ballast weights provided =).  I have now removed the oars in order to finish her up, starting with the "banding".  I like the look of it like it is shown below, but two more bands are supposed to be used according to the kit's instructions.  Then I will attach the fiery pipes (fingers crossed), add the steering ropes to the rudder, touch everything up with black paint, and call it FINISHED.

Now that I look at the picture, I think it needs those last two bands.

Ron, have fun on your voyage!  Kev, I hope all is well with you and your family!!  Everyone else, thanks for stopping by and taking a peek at my build log.  I appreciate the interest.

It has its rudder mounted on the back (see photo above) but I haven’t put the steering ropes in place yet! 

Progress is being made…one fiery pipe about ready, little hinges are not easy to deal with!  Here she is at present, but a lot of black paint is still needed on the metalwork.

Just curious, and likely a stupid question, but where do they get placed after completion…are they hung from Davit’s?

7 minutes ago, king derelict said:

Simply beautiful. I hope you have a glass of something good for the topping out ceremony. The quality of your model demands it

Alan

I agree with Alan.  Your Nisha is a master class in craftsmanship, and I think we all deserve a glass of something good to celebrate your topping out ceremony.

Thanks Kev, I love me the amber nectar! 

I have to wear my magnifying headset to make sure the rivets get set correctly.  The heads on the small ones are 0.7mm.  I use bees wax lip balm on the end of a probe to grab them and maneuver them to the rivet hole.  The little rivets love to fall off in transit, and then they bounce or roll....somewhere, I know not where.  The big ones are 1.2 mm "whoppers" as compared to the microscopic 0.7 mm ones.  I've set about 50 big ones, and around 40 small ones, and there are still more to go.  I just finished assembling and mounting the rudder.  The small little metal pieces used as hinges for the rudder and the "flaming pipes" are horrid to work with.  I'm  not sure I am going to pull the flaming pipes off that well, but I am going to try my best.  Then I have to make corkscrews out of wire to serve as the ballast release mechanisms on the front and back.  Maybe I should just go buy some corkscrews?!?!?

So many rivets!!!!  So little time....   and my eyes hurt.  Those little rivets are painful.

That all looks fantastic!  I really like the look of the patched and weathered sail!!!  Nice work, absolutely great!!!!!!

On 1/29/2023 at 11:47 AM, Dsmith20639 said:

I'm currently building the Amati Fifie (static not RC) and am in the process of applying the second layer of planking using CA with no problems. If anything I would wish for a slightly slower set up time. Using medium thickness CA by Loctite.

o9c

I recently bought a bottle of the Loctite® Super Glue Extra Time Control.  I'd never seen it before.  I ordered it on-line from Amazon to check it out.  It is almost too slow, but so far, I like it for gluing things that need a little time to get in the intended configuration.  As a bonus, it has a "reduced risk of finger bonding"  😃

11 minutes ago, Chuck Seiler said:

The full sized one.

Ahhhh, doh!  A lot!!