AnobiumPunctatum

For me it's an really interesting subject and I think it is an really nice idea to put my hand on both versions.

Really nice progress in the last few month. Very well done, Mike

Have you an laser cutter at home? The result is looking really nice

For me it's an really interesting subject and I think it is an really nice idea to put my hand on both versions.

Have you an laser cutter at home? The result is looking really nice

Really nice progress in the last few month. Very well done, Mike

With the upper deck clamps completed I was able to install the keelson. Lengths of pine were pushed down by strips that I passed athwartships through the spaces between the frames, thus holding the keelson down tight to the floor timbers while the glue sets. With the keelson in place bolts were inserted and peened down tight into the floors timbers.


Mike

Happy New Year to all!
 
I finally reach a milestone over the holidays, though I still need to do some additional fairing on the inner hull. Once that's completed, I will move onto to installing the deck clamps. They will help to stabilize the hull in preparation for the exterior hull fairing. 


Mike

Well, I have finally completed the first of the the 21 square body frames. A temporary cross-spall was placed (tack glued) across the frame pair at the height of the top timber. It is cut to the width necessary to set the frame vertical. I used the cross-spall to level the frame across the ship by measuring at both ends vertical from the build board. A rubber band is all that was needed to hold everything in place after gluing.


Mike

The bollard timbers and hawse pieces are now completed. I left room for final fairing later on after all the frames are in. I didn't notice it earlier, but it appears that the upper limit of the air spaces should be shaped to a point and not square. Guess I will need to come up with a solution to achieve that and not do damage to any of the work already done.

Mike

Thanks for the kind words, ken and for the "Likes"!
 
I now have four of the seven aft cants completed, though I'm still developing my preferred method of making them. Before moving onto the remaining three, I need to do a rough fairing inside the hull. There is a lot of wood to remove, especially on the two aft most cants. The outside of the hull will not be sanded or faired until all the framing is completed. Gonna be a while.
 


Mike
 

With the the stern framing completed, I'm ready to work on the 7 aft cant frames.
 
They are all doubled with no scarph joints or chocks. Basically sections glued together with butt joints. To be safe, all of the sections are cut slightly past the line and double checked over the drawing before gluing them together. Here I have completed the assembly of aft cant No.1 (AC 1) port side.

In order for it to line up properly, a score must be made on the aft side where it meets the wing transom. This is because it has not been faired yet and must be moved in a bit at the top. A bevel has been created where it will sit against the deadwood. My disc sander has an accurate adjustable table that makes this an easy process.

Installing the frames was done with the aid of a 90° jig that was made from plywood. Clamps and a rubber band hold it securely in place.

The score in the frame allows for the proper alignment with the drawing.



Mike

Its been a while since my last post. This might be considered a small update, but it feels more like a milestone.
 
Before gluing the aft deadwood to the keel, I needed to add the inner post and sternpost to it and glue it down in one piece.
 
The 12" sternpost has a straight taper down from the top to 10" at the keel. I shimmed the bottom end up and milled a rabbet on both sides. Gudgeon strap scores were milled prior to tapering.
 
The 15" inner post has no taper. There is a score on each side for the "feet" of the fashion pieces. Due to the two fashion pieces having different dimensions, both scores are the same depth and width though not the same length. The aft side of the inner post, below the scores, needed to be reduced to a width equal to the space between the rabbets in the sternpost. Once that was done, more shaping of the bearding line was done to make the transition from the deadwood to the aft end of the inner post gradual.
 
After gluing the completed stern components to the keel, I added the aft support.

Mike

Work continues with the completion of the aft deadwood. 
 
15" stock was joined in three sections, doweled and milled to 12". This is necessary in order to produce the stepping line for the aft cants. The forward most stepping line is only 1" high or .020 actual.  I'm no mill man, but having one for this kind of work really helps.
 

 
The bottom shape is approximated here as a starting point for determining the shape of the taper. I tapered it from the bearding line down. I later found that the rubber protectors that protect the wood while in the vise were creating a stain on the sides of the deadwood, especially the fore deadwood. Luckily this won't be visible later.
 

 
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Like the fore deadwood, adjustments were made to the stepping line for cant frame alignment.

Mike

Making progress, albeit rather slowly. As they say, “The hurrier I go, the behinder I get.”
 
The tapering of the keel and stem should be done before the rabbet is cut. The fore end of the keel is tapered from 12" to 10". This also reduces the width of the lower stem at the boxing joint. From there the stem is given a gentle taper to full width just below the whales. The transition from the boxing joint to the stem can be tricky, so care was taken while sanding.
 

 

 
The aft end of the keel is also tapered down from 12" to 10".  Once all the tapering is completed, the rabbet can be cut. The rabbet has been turned vertical and is approx 2 1/2" deep. This will allow for some adjustment later when the 3" planking is added.
 

 
The fore deadwood and stemson where made from 15" boxwood sheet. The stepping line was done on the mill. There was no visible light coming through the joint prior to gluing.  Those clamps come in handy!
 

 

 
Mike

The two forecastle deck clamps were added today. They sit below the stringer at the aft end which allows the forecastle deck beams to sit flush with the top edge of the stringer. At this stage the hull is quite strong.

Mike

The shop has been a busy place lately. In preparation for the quarter deck clamp/stringer in the waist and Forecastle deck clamp install, it was necessary to remove the small temporary filler pieces between each frame. My method is to wrap the fillers (3-4 at a time) with a moist paper towel and apply a hot clothes iron to the surface of the paper towel. The steam penetrates and loosens the joint. Needle nose pliers can then be used to remove each piece. Final sanding of the exterior hull will be completed later.

Using this height gauge, vertical measurements were taken from the shear plan at various locations and transferred to the interior hull. The thin boxwood strip was glued to the gauge with CA and pushed through between the frames, so tic marks could be added.

The quarter deck clamp which becomes the stringer in the waist is installed above the upper deck clamp.

Mike

I just finished the port side platform clamp. The clamp was held in place with Wolfcraft clamps which can go deep into the hull. After gluing the aft end of the clamp, another balsa template was used to set the position of the forward end of the clamp.

You'll notice that I have been fairing the exterior hull. For the most part it is done. Just need to do a bit more work at the stern. Also, I left a 1/2" or so of extra thickness at the top timbers. After the Forecastle deck clamp and stringer in the waist are attached I will final sand the top timbers to an even thickness along the hull.



Mike

Michael

I actually just caught a small error in my first go-around.  More like an omission.  If you examine the contemporary examples, you will notice that the unrigged model doesnt have holes on the top of the stem for rigging the stay.  But the rigged version does.  So rather than start over....I will use that first model I started as my unrigged version.   I will add the holes on both moving forward however...and I am glad I didnnt start building my other version yet.  But maybe tomorrow.
 

I am going to build both as well.  I think that having an unrigged partially planked version like the NMM photo would make a nice presentation.  The partially planked version will remain unrigged so displaying them both together might be very interesting.  When my local club starts building it together as a group I will have build a second one anyway.....to show folks up close how I did this-or-that.   
 
Chuck

For me it's an really interesting subject and I think it is an really nice idea to put my hand on both versions.

This new larger longboat model will be build just like the Queen Anne Barge.  All parts whenever possible will be laser cut including the planking which will be pre-spiled.  Below is the plan in progress as compared to the actual contemporary model.
 

 
Below are the initial parts that make up the keel assembly.  There will be a more simplified version of the keel assembly and another that is lightly more chalenging.  As is done on the contemporary model, lap joints will be used to connect the stem and stern post to the keel.  The simplified version will just utilize a butt joint and laser cut scarph joint to attach the stem to the keel.  I have started building the simplified version first shown on top of the photo below.
 

Before removing the laser cut parts from the sheet, they were sanded down with 220 grit sandpaper on both sides to remove the char.  Its easier to do while they are still contained in the sheet.
 

Then the three main (5/32" thick) parts that comprise the stem, the keel and stern post were assembled.  I used yellow glue to assemble them prior to sanding the char from the edges of each piece.  In fact I purposely didnt remove it from the joints...they are laser cut fairly precise and fit together very well.  Using tite-bond works great and the joint is very strong as long as you let it fully dry.  Once dry I sanded the char from all of the edges and prepared to add the other (3/32" thick) cedar parts that make up the keel assembly.

These were treated the same way.  I didnt remove any char from the edges util after they were glued into position.  They are very delicate and it is safer and easier to do after they are glued into position.  These thinner pieces were centered along the keel leaving 1/32" on each side to form a rabbet or "lip" for the external planking.

Next up I added the transom...it has a laser etched groove down the inside to help position it properly.  It helps a lot but I was also very careful to also square up the transom properly in relation to the keel.
 

Thats it for now....I have one last part to add to this stem assembly before I start assembling the frames.  I will post that very soon.
 

This is the start of my build for the Medway Longboat.  There are two really special contemporary models in the NMM.  This is a totally revamped and completely new longboat project with actually little in common with my earlier design for Model Shipways.  It is based on an entirely different original draft and more closely resembles the contemporary models.  In fact its almost identical as far as I can tell.  It will be a true POF model with floors and top timbers.  This model will be made from Alaskan Yellow Cedar with boxwood accents and molding.  This model will be made both partially planked and fully planked eventually just like the two contemporary models.  The fully planked version will show all rigging and also sails.  Hopefully.
 
A little about the contemporary models shown below.
 
Scale 1:48. A contemporary full hull model of a ship's longboat, said to be from the 'Medway' (1742) (SLR0328), built plank on frame in the Navy Board style. The model is partially planked and equipped with a large windlass amidships for use when handling the anchors. It is mounted on its original veneered baseboard. Another model, SLR0330, shows the ‘Medway’ longboat rigged and fully planked. The longboat was generally the largest boat carried on board ship and could either be pulled or sailed. It was used for carrying personnel and stores as well as mooring and anchors work. When carried on board, the longboat was stowed in the waist between the fore and main masts lashed on the spare topmasts and spars. It was hoisted in and out by means of the large block and tackles rigged to the lower fore and main yards.
 


A contemporary full hull model of the 'Medway' (1742), shown below - 60-gun two-decker ship of the line
 

 

 

Very nice job, Toni. I am currently using the three silver solder pastes available from Beaducation https://www.beaducation.com/pc/393-jewelry-making-tools-soldering-fusing-tools with three different melting points. Also, consider their set of soldering pics. They work very well. There are some excellent videos on silver soldering on this site. I also found that using Sparex or white vinegar/salt soln to etch the brass after silver soldering creates a more uniform blackening.