AnobiumPunctatum

At the moment my progress is very slow because I have to take care of my sick wife.
But I’ve already started aging.
 

 
As always, very tedious. But the result that a little diluted dark gray paint leaves on a painted surface still amazes and fascinates me. Even after all the years I’ve been doing this.
 

 
A little every day and I’ll report back when it’s done. 

Post One hundred and Seventy-one
Album photo's
I have at last got around to taking the completion photo’s which will form part of the Photo build record book that I’m currently putting together.

4395
4361A

4392

4364

4365

4391

4390

4396

4369

4405

4395

2161A

2145a

4397

2162a

2164a

4380

4379

4388

4494a
I am currently faffing around with a clinker built 18’ cutter, and ‘Indy’ is yet to be enclosed in her case, so the story has not quite ended.
 
Then there’s the 26’ Launch, still on my mind.
 
Cheers,
 
B.E.
 

Just a small update...
 
I was eager to get started with the planking of the bulwarks.   There is no trick for this.  Its just a grind of cutting and shaping planks to fit between the ports.   Its a slow process and you must be very neat and keep the cuts around the ports straight etc.
 
The planking is all 3/64" thick.   Just as I did with the Winnie, the two strakes below the the ports (the spirketting) were added first.  The spirketting is normally thicker than the planks above it and stands proud.  I have always accomplished this by planking the spirketting in two layers.  It still amazes me how few kit mfgs even show this feature.  You dont have to do it this way if you dont want to.  You could just use 1/16" or even 5/64" thick planking and do it one layer.   Its up to you.  I will add the second layer of spirketting once the entire side has been planked.  I will use a .025" thick second layer.  
 
Having said this...some notes are in order.   The top of the spirketting is lined up perfectly flush with the bottom of the gun ports and sweep ports.   This is great if you happened to get lucky and they all line up perfectly.   I dont care who is making the model, this is pretty impossible to do.   Even the most skilled builders will need to tweak the bottom sills of each port so they line up perfectly with the top edge of spirketting.  This will become very apparent after you run your planking strip down the inboard bulwarks.   I was very lucky in that most of the ports only needed some minor tweaking.   Some were just a hair too high.  Less than 1/64".   So I used a sharp chisel to  make the ports sits flush along the top of the spirketting.  you can see that in the photo below.  The ports will need a lot of paint touch up which was expected.  Whatever you do,  do not notch out your spirketting to accommodate a port.  Try and keep the top edge of the spirketting a nice continuous run without notching it.  Should one of your ports sit too low...I recommend instead that you add a sliver of wood on top of the port sill to raise it up in line with the spirketting.
 
I hope that makes sense.
 
See below...notice how I did not use any pencil to simulate the seams between each strake.   In fact, just the opposite.   I am painting the bulwarks red so this allowed me to take a small shortcut.  You may want to consider it as well.  I dont want any seams to show at all.  In fact I didnt even have to use two individual strakes for the spirketting.   If you look towards the fcastle bulwark planking you can see the area I havent planked yet.  I used one wide strip of 3/64" thick cedar instead of using two narrower strakes as is typical.  I believe it was around 1/2" wide.  Probably slightly wider on the aft portion.   
 
Then because we know the sweep ports are 3/16" high,  a 3/16" strip was used next and cut between the ports and sweeps.   I was careful to be very neat with these cuts.
 
Finally the remaining planking above the sweep ports would normally consist of two more strakes.   Because I am painting the bulwarks, I once again used ONE wider strip of 3/64" thick cedar so I could quickly fill in those areas in one pass.  It should paint up very nicely.  This reduced the number of neatly cut ends to all those strakes between the ports.   There are fewer seams to keep neat as well.   The photo almost looks like a solid hull because there are few seams showing between strakes.  
 
Now if you are NOT going to paint the bulwarks red....this means you will have to use individual narrow strakes.  It will take many more cuts and trial fittings...repeat and repeat again.  That is your choice.  I will take more pics after the second layer of spirketting is added and after the bulwarks are painted red.  The bow area will be planked with narrower strakes just as they should be.  It will be easier to bend those.   But once the bulwarks are painted red nobody will be able to tell how many strakes you actually used.   So you must make a decision ...to paint or not to paint.  Essentially you can plank what's remaining of the bulwarks with just three rows cedar strips.   The wood package comes with your typical 3/16", 7/32", 1/4" and 9/32" wide planking strips that are narrow, so you will need to buy some 3/64" sheets should you want to plank your bulwarks like I have done here.  Then you can cut some 1/2" wide strips instead.   But only if you will be painting the bulwarks red.
 
 
 
 

Micha,
 
Düsseldorf is close where I live. I thought that also the Skuldelev kit was in 1/25 and has the same skale as the Oseberg kit.
The 5 Skuldelev ships as models were a long time a dream. But now I am more interested in English Ship Sloops of the late 18th century.

The Skuldelev ship shows the same ship as the Roar Ege. Skuldelev 3 is the original wreck, which they found and preserved. Roar Ege is a replica which they have build in the 80th of the last century (if I remember right)
This kit was my first wooden kit ever as I was a child. You have to cut each plank with a saw. Now the same kit is lying in my stash and waiting.
Perhaps one day I find the time to build the model again.

Micha,
 
Düsseldorf is close where I live. I thought that also the Skuldelev kit was in 1/25 and has the same skale as the Oseberg kit.
The 5 Skuldelev ships as models were a long time a dream. But now I am more interested in English Ship Sloops of the late 18th century.

That`s why I wrote that you should send some greetings to my old hometown (city).
 
 
 
The Roar Ege kit is in 1:25 scale, the Skuldelev kit is in 1:20 scale and yes, I agree the Skuldelev 5 would be a nice kit, trying to find some plans / blueprints for it. Skuldelev 1 is also very interesting as a long distance going ship (Atlantic crossing).
 
Micha

I know the history of the Skuldelevs, that`s why I have choosen the model kit. Unfortunately I found the 1:20 kit later than the new version called "Roar Ege". The builds differ completely in the way of being build (even if I have somewhat choosen the Skuldelev way to build the Roar Ege). I have seen the replica which was built in 1982 but decomissioned in 2007 and is now on display. In 2017 it was again rebuild as Estrid Byrding. Skuldelev 1 was rebuild in 1999 as Ottkar. Skuldelev 6 was rebuild in 1998 as Kraka Fyr and in 2010 with a name I can´t recall. Skuldelev 5 has been rebuilt in 1990 / 1991 as Helge Ask.
Good luck in finding the time to build the amazing little ship. I´m always impressed what the vikings could archive with this little ships compared to some bigger ships from the other countries like England or Spain.
 
Schöne Grüsse an meine gebürtige Heimat (Düsseldorf).
 
Micha 

The Skuldelev ship shows the same ship as the Roar Ege. Skuldelev 3 is the original wreck, which they found and preserved. Roar Ege is a replica which they have build in the 80th of the last century (if I remember right)
This kit was my first wooden kit ever as I was a child. You have to cut each plank with a saw. Now the same kit is lying in my stash and waiting.
Perhaps one day I find the time to build the model again.

The Skuldelev ship shows the same ship as the Roar Ege. Skuldelev 3 is the original wreck, which they found and preserved. Roar Ege is a replica which they have build in the 80th of the last century (if I remember right)
This kit was my first wooden kit ever as I was a child. You have to cut each plank with a saw. Now the same kit is lying in my stash and waiting.
Perhaps one day I find the time to build the model again.

* Sideline *
 
The 1:20 Skuldelev or How I would have guessed the proper Way to do it
 
Today I got the Billing Boats kit No. 456 called “The Skukdelev Ships” in the scale 1:20. I can’t find when this was launched or distributed but it seems quite a long time ago. The set seems complete (when I check the content of the box with the manual. The approach to build it is complete different to the one from the Roar Ege (but most like my approach of the Riar Ege 😂). However, I paid GBP 30.00 for the set since the seller couldn’t get rid of the set and just wanted it off the shelf. So I took it. I won’t build the kit before the Roar Ege is finished and maybe hit even before murph scratch build is finished. But yeah, a nice kit to have on my shelf now. Looking forward to it.
 

 
Micha

Small update, I’ve added the upper laser cut planking panels to the model, these will be the ones used in on the final model, with a few slight modifications that I’ve overlooked but corrected on my model. To begin I placed a board across the beam to ensure the proper height of the panels and I clamped them as I went along, once I was happy with their location I ran a batten underneath both of them to ensure that the planking that will follow below will have a smooth joint and continuity with the laser cut panels, once the panels were tweaked to fit right I then glued them into place using CA.

you can see below that I made some adjustments to the aft panel so the forward one would line up with the gun ports.
You’ll also notice the grey primer, I find this necessary with MDF as it’s super porous and soaked up three coats of solvent based primer. The primer also will not swell the MDF and allows it to be sanded smooth in preparation for whichever red you choose for  your port framing.

The batten ensured that I could set them right back where they belong without losing the correct position. I kept the front one clamped in its location while I glued the stern one, this ensured that there was no lateral movement of the aft panel.

The same process was repeated for the front panel.
 
I also begin the lower wales, you’ll notice the same process where I used a batten I reference to the marks on the bulkheads “W1”. The batten goes on the lower side of the line, once the batten passes the eyeball test then it’s time to start the wales, now the wales on this model are over 1/8” thick so unfortunately they will have to be done in two pieces, the first layer I’m cutting them at .080” with a significant taper in the front to fit the rabbet and allow for another layer to go over it and fit in the rabbet as well.

I’m not really concerned with the length or butt joints of the first layer of planks as they will be covered up, just get a smooth run with tight joints.
Unfortunately I can not proceed any further until I complete the counters, I have a laser cut lower counter that I will be testing soon and from there I will plank the upper counter using the laser cut lower as a guide.


 
I will be off for a month in the Himalayas, hiking to Everest base camp and beyond, so I won’t have any updates until about June, possibly one more before I go but will see.
 
Thanks for looking in.
JJ

It was so great to see everyone at the New London show yesterday.  There were some fantastic models on display.  I hope everyone has a safe trip back to their workshops.
 
And talking about a safe journey back to the workshop.  Many of you may recall that 4 and maybe even 5 years ago, Someone swiped my mini-me off the Winnie model under construction at the show.  
 
I am happy to report that after several years as hostage…and with no ransom paid,  someone anonymously released mini-me and placed him in the depths of the speedwell model at this years show.  I was happy to find him below deck upon my return to the shop.  No harm was apparent on “mini-me” and he is in good health.  Thank you goes out to person for having a change of heart and I am sure that both of you will sleep a bit  more soundly this evening!!   Since I have lost 30 pounds this year so far...mini-me will now undertake the same dietary and exercise regime that I am now unfortunately tolerating.
 
You cant make this stuff up!!!
 

Rather then continue work on my standard knees, grating, decking or the last of the three stairways to the hold, I decided it was time to tackle the thing I've been avoiding... the hawse holes.  The contract states they are 15" diameter, 15/64" at scale.  I first double checked my heights then drilled my pilot holes at 5/64".

Next, with a new sharp bit,  I drilled one inboard hawse hole very carefully and slowly with a backing board held on the inside.
Success!  That was easy.
Drilled the outboard hole and it happened. She split and flew off.
That was unexpected.

I setup the other side with clamps to help hold her together.
The outboard face of each of those holes have tear out chips in them!

So, I did the only thing left to do.
Glued the broken piece back on, clamped it up and left the room.

I won't be back working on her until Monday afternoon.
Good night world.
😉

Thanks for the information. I fully understand your motivation not to make the knees

Thanks for the information. I fully understand your motivation not to make the knees

It is looking really nice. One question: I miss the different knees, especially where the guns are situated. David has shown them in his drawings. Why do you have omitted them?

Thanks for the information. I fully understand your motivation not to make the knees

Thanks for the information. I fully understand your motivation not to make the knees

Thanks for the information. I fully understand your motivation not to make the knees

The knees wont be seen so they will be omitted.  Its easy enough for folks to add should they want to.  Thats a benefit of having Davids book while building the kit.  But it will really complicate and make adding all of those ledges take forever.  And all for something that will never be seen.  I think most folks will be relieved not to make them.
 
the contemporary model doesnt have them either.  My guess is for the very same reason.  
 
It also reduces the cost and time to manufacture the kit quite a bit. I did add them on the fcastle however because the ends of the knees will be slightly visible in the open area left unplanked.  So once the gun deck is planked…the casual viewer will actually assume you did add all of those knees for the entire model.  LOL
 
I will take a picture with the planking templates in position.  You will see what I am talking about pretty clearly. The same is true of all the ledges down the center line.  They will not be seen either.  The contemporary model also omits these..whats the point really.

I have reached another small milestone.  All of the below deck fittings and cabins are completed.  The gun deck is fully framed as well.   Next up I will start planking the inboard bulwarks.   That should make a huge difference.  
 
I hope to see many of you this weekend at the New London show.   It should be a very enjoyable weekend.   I am looking forward to it.
 







 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Chuck

I don't think so. In my opinion is the purpose of the drawing to show the differences between the standard frameing sheme (doulble frame followed by two single frames) and the sheme which was used for Kingfisher in the midship area. Interesting is also the triple frame midships.

Ah, the midship frames from Kingfisher. For the first. Ships of the class the frameing design, which was introduced with Cygnet is not correct.
I am busy with another Swan Class Fly. For this ship the Cygnet design is with some small adjustments possible.