AnobiumPunctatum

This are good news. I like to watch your progress. I hope that I can start et the end of the year with my version of tis beautiful little frigate.

Really nice start, Edward and welcome at the Triton shipyards

Some more pictures of the canopy framing:
 

Status :
I shortened the side deck supports and fitted the inner cockpit liner. Some days ago I found these openable porthole from brass castings, they will suit the cabin walls above deck...
 
Nils
 
I`m using beechwood flexible strip 8 x 1,5 mm for this job, it easily follows the bending curve, without breaking
 

even narrow bends are no problem, large diam. 15 mm, lid with glassing 12 mm
 

3 part brass casting porthole
 
 

here the modified laundry pegs come handy again
 

 
 

cockpit space now increased
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 

Good morning.

Final step for the lowest level of this model ship: adding the aging look with tung oil

Hate to keep saying this but I am still here and have about rapped up my other projects ( not ship building) and am looking forward to getting back to my hobbies!

For those of you who have had hit or miss success with blackening I have found the following techniques to work consistently and create a durable finish that won't rub or flake off. Most of the products are available from Beaducation, a jewelry supply store that also has great learning videos https://www.beaducation.com/pc/393-jewelry-making-tools-soldering-fusing-tools. Check it out.
 
The change I have made is that I now use Sparex on all my brass parts prior to blackening. Anyone doing silver soldering should have Sparex and a small pickle pot in their arsenal (see above link). The heated pickling solution removes oxide (and solder remnants) from the surface of the brass. I used to just soak the piece in acetone or alcohol to degrease but had some failures. Not so with the Sparex. These are my steps:
 
Pickle for 10-15 minutes. You must use copper tongs! I just keep my solution covered when not in use and it lasts for months. Do not forget to unplug or you will need a new crock  pot (ask me how I know)! It does not have an on-off switch.

Place the brass items into a baking solution/water bath for a few minutes to neutralize the solution. If you fail to do this you will get uneven blackening (ask me how I know (again)!

This is how they look after pickling. Clean as a baby's bottom.

 
Place the brass objects in an acetone solution for ten minutes or so. I have also used isopropyl but acetone seems to work better for me. Keep covered and don't inhale the acetone! Use only disposable gloves to handle the objects from this point on. Any grease from your fingers will prevent the blackening solution from adhering.

Prepare the blackening solution. I use hot water and Jax Blacken it. I use somewhere around a 1:7 ratio but in truth I just eyeball it. Place the brass objects into the solution and gently agitate so all surfaces are exposed.

After 3-4 minutes rinse flush out the solution with warm water for a couple of minutes until it is clear. I do not reuse the blackening solution as it is inexpensive and seems to lose its potency after mixing. Dump the brass objects on a paper towel and gently blot dry. There will be an uneven powdery surface but this is normal. Allow to dry for 10-15 minutes.

Use an eyeglass cleaner or old tee shirt to gently remove the surface covering then continue to rub. An evenly blackened surface should appear. You can also use a cloth polishing wheel at low speed to get into the nooks and crannies.

And here's the final product. No streaks, blemishes or chips. I hope you find this useful. Next up, if interested, is how I conquered silver soldering (finally).

 

Quick couple of pics tto show progress , Still nothing glued but all cleaned and fitted to what will be the rabbit line , i thought it better to do this before fitting the raddit and hull? ,which will come next with build board . 

Tks for all the likes folks ,some times i will need encouragement . I made up the bow section from pear and although it may not be to everyones taste i love the look of natural wood grain , this has just been given a coat of sanding sealer for some protection and again i,m pleased with this type of finish 

Hi all,
 
first of all I like to thank Chuck and all the other guys in the background which make the group build possible.
I will participate and build this nice 5ft rate frigate, because the reconstruction of my HMS Triton will need much more time and I have lerned in the last years that it don't make sense to build her or any other ship as POF model before I am retired. So I think it is a good possibility to take the challenge of building HMS Winchelsea and improve my skills. In the moment I like to build her fully rigged and colored as the original model. As wood I will use pear, boxwood and other European woods.
 
For job reasons I live partially in the Netherlands, but I will build her at home in Germany. So I am not the fastest builder of the group.

Really nice start, Edward and welcome at the Triton shipyards

Hi all,
 
first of all I like to thank Chuck and all the other guys in the background which make the group build possible.
I will participate and build this nice 5ft rate frigate, because the reconstruction of my HMS Triton will need much more time and I have lerned in the last years that it don't make sense to build her or any other ship as POF model before I am retired. So I think it is a good possibility to take the challenge of building HMS Winchelsea and improve my skills. In the moment I like to build her fully rigged and colored as the original model. As wood I will use pear, boxwood and other European woods.
 
For job reasons I live partially in the Netherlands, but I will build her at home in Germany. So I am not the fastest builder of the group.

Good morning.

Part 13
 
I made the tiller from boxwood,  turned on the lathe,  and then boiled it in the micro wave.  It was then placed in a jig over night to form.
 

I think it turned out well.

The rudder needs a couple more coats of wipe poly.

Over head view.

View of the belaying pins and windlass.

Forward port quarter view.

 
Working on iron parts for the rigging now.  More to come.
 
BobW
 
 
 
 
 
 

Planking below the wales is one of my favorite parts of the build. I have now completed the first belt on the starboard side. Working with boxwood is great though I have to work slowly if I want to get a nice result. On a good day I can complete one strake. I'm Just taking my time and treating each plank as a project in itself. Edge bending is my new friend and I'm finding, for the most part, it's all that is needed. The exception being where the plank sweeps upwards into the counter. There I use a dowel to form the shape. In all cases I use the hair dryer after wetting the wood for 10-15 seconds. Some preliminary cleanup sanding was done while leaving the last installed strake mostly untouched until more planks are added below it.

Mike
 

Speedwell is up in Canada receiving her carvings so not too much to report from the shipyard. Her deadeyes are dyed with Fiebings brown stain and a new tiller created. The old one was built up from hollow square tubing and round tubing but I never quite liked the way it looked. So I replaced her. Basically, I started with oversized square stock and turned the round tapered handle on the lathe. I then cut each side of the square stock on my Byrnes table saw with slitting blade until the matched the round stock. The small ball was silver soldered in place and the new tiller blackened. Much improved!
 
To forestall building the masts and spars I decided to build a binnacle. David Antscherl designed a simple version which would be appropriate for the sloop. I built three because...why not. But only one has a compass.  I would be happy to give the other two away to anyone who can provide proof they purchased our Speedwell book (a photo on your desk will suffice). Just send me a PM.
 

Really nice progress

Started planking the belts today below the wales.  Let me describe how I plank at the bow by edge bending rather than spiling the curved planks from sheets.  You guys should give it a try.  The first belt uses 1/4" wide planking strips exclusively.  They are 3/64" thick.
 
I will break it sown into steps and hopefully this reads well.  I took still photos from the port side and I will do it again using video when I plank the starboard side.  
 
1. - Take a strip and sand the angle to fit the stem.  It will require beveling.  Then mark the width of the plank from your lining off on that front edge.  lets taper the plank for the bow.

2. - Then mark the locations for the bulkheads (the front edge with the tick marks).  Dont obsess over the locations...you can just approximate.

3.  Take a scrap length of 1/4" strip so you can mark the width of the plank at each bulkhead.  

4.  Transfer that mark to that bulkhead mark on your plank.

5.  Then connect the dots with a sharp pencil using a straight edge.  Then use a sanding stick, or blade to file the taper into your plank.

6. So far so good....but as many folks do, if you tried to force this plank on the hull it wont go well for you at this point.  If you force the plank against the one already on the hull, the top edge pulls away from the hull dramatically.  The photo below shows this....I even dropped a toothpick in the gap so you guys can see it better.  You will never be able to force that top edge down.  Instead, some builder create a creative run for the plank which is historically incorrect.  OR they start putting the first of about five stealers and drop planks.   Not the way to go.   This plank needs to be curved to fit the shape of the hull while laying flat against the bulkhead edges.  Here is one way to do this.  My favorite way.....EDGE BENDING>

7. To bend the plank edge-wise, create a simple hold down device for the strip (center).  Its just a 3/64" thick piece of scrap with a small length glued on top.  Once clamped to your bench, the planks is held down by it.  Note how the top edge is curved.  I also clamp the forward end of the plank and the other end while edge-bending it dry.  Now you can see that the plank is starting to lift up.  Bend it until it just starts to lift up.  Clamp it down but use some scrap on top of the plank so the clamps dont damage the strip.  I prefer dry heat bending....but if you must....just dip your finger in some clean water and run it down the area of the strip being bent.  Not a lot.....just to wet it a bit.   I am doing this for each plank.

8.  NOW...I bet you thought I would be using a hair dryer to heat - bend this plank.  I do use one.....BUT, I have since switched to something different.  It works even better!!!!  Its great for wider planks.  I still use the hair dryer to twist and bend strips the other way.  But at the bow....you only need to edge bend it.  Note that the strip is already flattened out where it was starting to lift....you are ironing it flat again.  Works great.  This is a travel iron...its really small.  They only cost about $20.  I use this only for edge-bending and then switch to a hair dryer for twisting and other bends.   They are not as hot as those soldering iron things with the fancy tips.  Those get super hot....too hot.  This small travel iron gets to around 400 degrees and you can adjust it.  I use it on a pretty hot setting....around 300 - 350 degrees.

9.  Below is the plank I bent in comparison to a straight plank.   You dont have to bend them all that much.  Sometimes when you test it on the model, there will still be lifting....that means you need a more severe bend.  So take it back and bend it some more.  
Other times you may not have bent it to the proper curve meaning the distance from the end of the plank at the bow for the center of the curve wasnt correct.  Then take it back and bend it again.  No big deal.  I find that the apex or center of the bend falls between the 2nd and 3rd bulkheads at the bow.  As you work your way towards the keel,  that location will change.  The severity of the curve will also change.

10. Now I can take that strip and fit it in the rabbet and hold the plank with just one finger.  No forcing.  It lays flat against the bulkhead edges.  But note, there will be gaps between this plank and the one already on the hull.  You must tweak it so you get a tight fit with no gaps.  It may require some beveling too.  This is also when you check your taper to see if the plank fits within the tick marks you lined off on the bulkheads.  If it needs some tweaking so you can stay on "plan" with your lining off....do that before gluing it into position.   But once you have a good fit, cut the other end to length and darken the edge with a pencil to simulate the caulking.  Then glue it into position.  I do use CA for all my planking.  Its the only thing I use it for.  This plank below still needs some tweaking because there are gaps after bending.

I managed to almost finish the first belt on the port side today.   I have just one last strake to put on.  Then I will switch to the Starboard side.  I work one belt at a time on each side.  Then I switch sides.   Here are some photos and it is starting to come together nicely.  I am sure I forgot to mention a few things on this long post but feel free to ask me any questions.   This is basically how I plank every hull after lining it off.   I must also mention that I bend and twist the strakes at the stern with the hair dryer to get the best fit after I establish the taper...just like I did above.
 
 
 

 


 

I have never seen a model kit with so many bulkheads.  
They are a ready for the next step now.

The bulkheads are all cut now. They just need to be cleaned up a bit. Yesterday I received the starter kit. So things become interesting now.

It has been awhile since I have posted on my Medway Longboat Build Log.  I thought that I would give an update on my progress.

 
In early July, I was having some chest discomfort and pains in my left arm.  After numerous tests and procedures by my cardiologist, it was determined that I needed quadruple heart bypass surgery.  This was performed on July 26th and I came home on July 31st.  Recovery was going along as planned until I started having breathing problems and light headiness.  I went back in the hospital on August 9th and they found that I had massive blood clots in my legs, groin and lungs.  I was put on blood thinner and they placed a filter just before my heart to catch any blood clots that should make their way toward my heart.  I was released on August 14th and have been getting better with each day.  I feel that I should make a complete recovery and am very lucky to be writing this post on MSW.


 

 
I have completed the planking and installation of the wales on my Longboat.  I still have some sanding to do.  I did drill the holes for the simulated nails after the installation of each plank.  I felt this was easier to do than doing it after the hull planking was completed.  I have attached some pictures of where I am on my build.
 

Really nice result, Christian. I like the color of your stand

@AnobiumPunctatum
 
Hello Christian, here the pictures you longed for -

made in bright Berlin highnoon sun light.
 

The matt clear spay doesn't work too good.
 

It is not as "deep" as I hoped to get it with the five layers of ink and the clear spray.
 

The washer in the background is not finished yet.

The washers do their job bravly

to hide the join between the plastic bars.
 
Painting project ended - now I have to drill into the washers to screw the screws in and then developing nailheads to camouflage the modern cross screw heads again.