travis

Jumbo jib sail complete.  Lacing to boom with robands.

Some overall to capture current rigging progress.

Took a while contemplating making sails.  On my last build, I used the approach where a single thread was pulled from the cotton material at each seam which I do think looks better than sewing fake seams.  But this time I'm using muslin and the material is just too light/thin to pull threads.  So I experimented with various sewing approaches.  Landed with a light color thread and small stich length.  I also used a very light colored bolt rope (might not be very visible in picks).  I'm using rings for all the clews and an extra hand sewing thread at the rings to bind them there (like done on many actual sails.  Not sure on reefs yet.  Actual bluenose 2 doesn't have an extra "band" for the reefs.  The just sewed reinforcing at each reef point so still thinking there.

Further along after some travel.  Both gaffs rigged up.  Added temp lines to represent the sail tension since I haven't made sails yet.  Halyards are set temporarily too so I can quickly remove when it's time for sails.

Created chocks on the main gaff and the long strip on either side (for chaffing?)  This wasn't ok any plans/examples but is on the actual bluenose.  Also, all the plans out there show bands on the fore gaff for the single blocks of the peak halyard but looking at actual photos, these are supposed to be the rope bands with chocks too so added those as well.

Fore boom and jumbo jib boom  rigging

Main boom lifts

Main boom tackle started.  Testing the fit.  The boom crutch ring always shows the blocks attached by small rings but I just could not get it to work the way I wanted.  Either the ring was too thin and would bend under tention or too thick for the scale.  Not to mention hard to work with in this area.  I decide to take an easy route and instead mock the rings by wrapping thread.  At this scale, can't really see a difference anyways 

Upper shrouds started.  I'll do the lanyards later when I have all the initial rigging set.  Couple more stays.

Moving to the booms.  Needed another ring for the boom tackle and added the staples for the lazy jack and Fairless.

Moved on the the boom tackle.  Ordered some blocks from syren and wanted to see how the smaller 1/8" blocks would look.  Man, those are painful to work with!  Finally gave in an used ca for the stropps to the blocks and then sized the stropps.  As painful as it was to work that small, I like this scale much better that what came in the kit.

Moving to futtock shrouds.  Al doesn't really even attempt these in a realistic way so back to scratch build!  I also found that every model I have seen and every practicum seems to show the foremast without a real futtock under the trestle.  Just eyelets to hold down the upper shrouds.  Photos of the bluenose show both mast with the futtocks so I'm going to make both.  Main mast is on.  Combo of shaped wire and brass rings.

Finally getting back to this after a very long break!  Picked up a serving machine from Syren.  Finally getting the chainplates installed.  I found the AL has a mistake in their design.  They have an extra chainplate that doesn't exist.  There are only 5 on each side of the main maste.  They included six in their design and the sixth one is actually ahead of the mast instead of behind.  Going to have to figure out removing one with ruining the bulwark but I'll figure it out.  Also getting the rigging started on the masts.

Focus right now on perfecting my eye splices and scratch built shackles.

Also adding various eyes, u bolts and horse traveler around the rails.

A lot of similar work on main mast.  Only one bail component at top of lower main mast.  Couple changes in brasswork at trestle.  And kept the standard rest for the goosneck.  Two metal wraps on the mast for both the gaff and the boom.

With the masts nearly constructed, though I should document the mids, starting with the forecast.  Added a small round plate at the top ball of the mast that will be used for the flag halyard.  Replaced the master rings on the masts so I cloud have more.  Could only find a silver color which isn't ideal but all I had nearby.  Tried paint but didn't take well so just sticking with it.  Constructed a bail for the jib stay and jib sail and a second for the sprint stay.  Added additional band/block for each peak gaff halyard.  For the trestle, added the crane with attach for peak halyard, some brass works for both detail and realism, and bracket for fore throat halyard. Pinned the base of the upper mast (it's sitting free in the trestle, just the pins keep it in place.  This way i have a little flex in there when setting the stays).  Added the sheave in the lower mast that was used to hoist rigging when needed.  Couple Fairleads (small eyeball with a beading crimp tube through it).  Painted the metal mast wraps for the gaff wear.  Then replace the goosneck.

5 hours ago, BobG said:

Very nice work on those masts, Travis.

Thanks Bob.  Now in need to figure out blocks.  With my mods I now need twice as many of each block type from what AL gave me.  Would like to fabricate my.own but will be very slow and the wood I have might not be dense enough.

A little further.  Bands for halyard (I'm using polystyrene straps for bands because they are easier to just bend/glue and then paint).  But trestles are assembled now.  

Realizing more that AL is consistently off in proportions.  The lower masts above the trestles are shorter than they should be but making it work.

Created a bowsprit bail.  Working on masts, booms, and gaffs. Modifying various bands.  AL'S trestle trees are fairly inaccurate.  Augmenting where I can.  Goosneck on forecast is wrong kind too so moding with wire.

Finally getting pics in again.  Been working on deck fittings, adding pins to everything (nothing is glued to the deck yet). Added the railings.  Set the anchors and davits.  Been working through rigging planning to see where eyeballs are needed in the deck/rail.  Most recently, just set the bowsprit.

Turnbuckle on bowsprit fittings.  Stay straps in process.

Continuing forward, chainplates don't look as bad once I build up a little ca and then paint them so going with that for now.  Working on the bowsprit too now.  I've crafted the wood rails that are just to either side of the top centerline with thin slots to put the tie down lines for the foresheet when it's stowed.  Modding the rigging connections to look more like the real thing too.

5 minutes ago, BobG said:

 

I'm really disappointed with the quality of the metal pieces supplied in my Pen Duick kit by AL also. They are crude and often totally unrealistic looking. Hopefully, they are small enough that they won't be noticed that much but I see them sticking out like a sore thumb! 

Yep, I'm tempted to just layer up CA or use modeling paste at the joint of the chainplate and strope so i can pain and hide how bad it looks.  Kind of doing the same with some of their other metal works the are inaccurate or just crude!

These chainplates really suck!  The AL design. Just doesn't work.  Makes me wish I had a soldering setup.  Maybe time to get one and learn.  Pictures don't show the issue well bit their design is just flawed.  Now to find a better approach!

Just taking my time here. Making dories. Kept the white rails but I think I'll stick with wood finish on the hulls.  Also putting together the anchor davits?  Add an extra ring behind the pull to setup the chain hook and haul line.also added the yellow stripe on the bulwark same as the white.  Just cut thin strip of the decking,painted, and the glued on.  More crisp than I could probably paint on.im also model the windlass.  There is an extra section on the port side AL leaves out.  Took apart on of my daughters beads to make it.  Also adding some additional elements I can see in the bluenose picks like the breaker bar and a valve handle.

Railing done.  Deckworks are still all just dry fit.  Also creating the gooseneck vent pipes using 1/16 brass tube.

Looks better with less tape!  I also scratch built a boom buffer.

Adding rails.  You can also see how I fixed the poop deck with some basswood.  Hawse pipes attached with the embelishments.