bobandlucy

Nice recovery with the cockpit walls! The boat is coming together nicely. There are a couple of challenges left, but it looks like you are more than capable of dealing with them, and will end up with a model you will be proud to display. Bob

Maybe I'm the only one, but I like the smell of old books, and old furniture. . .

Patrick, is that a tall ship model back by the window? How in the world do you move something like that? I've been wondering what I'd do with my finished models if I ever had to move. Bob

Certainly a more direct answer than the one I supplied! The discrepancy I noted is very slight, but I realize it should not be there. . . I did puzzle over some of the gun ports not being square, but the plans definitely show the vertical framing as being parallel to the bulkheads. . .

RD, Right or wrong, I started by verifying that the lower laser marks at the stern bulwarks were at the same height on each side and pinned the batten there, then worked my way to the bow, not trying to make the batten conform to any other marks, but ensuring that the batten made good contact across all bulkheads with the batten taking it's natural bend. Hit the marks on most, but not all bulwarks. But they were not very far off. I found on the first try I did not get perfect contact at all places along the run, so I pulled the batten off and did more fairing until I got good contact across the entire run. This took 3 or 4 tries. The battens wanted to rise a little towards the bow, and I let that happen, and did hit the mark on the last bulwark. As it turned out, after placing the sills, I checked that a 3/16" wide plank, when placed on the deck, met the top of the sills, which it did except it was a little low at the last couple of bulwarks at the bow. Better low than protruding above, I figure. So I will install the 3/16" plank flush with the top of the sill as it should be, and since the discrepancy is less than the thickness of the decking planks, it will be hidden by the deck. Anyway, after doing as described, it appears to my eye that both sides are symmetrical. Hope this helps. Bob

Somehow I missed this log. Very nice, and I love the extra details, especially the little knife!

Clever use of plastic wrap! All looks very good. Bob

Jerry, I soaked the wood in boiling water, if I recall correctly, about 15 minutes, then used an electric plank bender with the form provided with the bender. You can get these at Model Expo. https://modelexpo-online.com/search.asp?keyword=electric+plank+bender

Looks great, Greg!

Steven- man you work fast! Looks great. I have been reading your Syren log and it is very helpful, thanks. Bob

I've gone as far (too far, probably) as I will go on the inboard sanding of the sills/lintels. The manual suggests using a folded length of sandpaper. I couldn't figure out a better way, as I wanted to span three bulwarks and not lose the double (S-shaped) curves. I did maintain the curves, but some of the bulwarks curves became exaggerated (thinner in the middle) from over-sanding. I have looked a lot of logs, and it seems that most have ended up with a fairly flat inside surface after planking. I saw a YouTube video in which the modeler attacked this operation, both inside and out, with a small block plane- it looked like he ended up with a flat inside surface also, as one would expect. I finally noticed that the bulwarks were not exactly the same shape on both sides. On one side, the last 1/4 inch meets the bulkhead gracefully, and I was able to sand the sills/lintels pretty flush with the bulwarks. On the other side, this area takes an abrupt angle downward and outboard. This was the second of the sides I sanded, and since I was trying to sand flush this contributed to more over-sanding than on the other side. Since the manual calls for additional thinning of the bulwarks inboard after framing the gun ports, I decided to stop here and start the framing. When I (try to) fair these additional pieces, I'm hoping that areas needing fill will become apparent. This will be true outboard as well, but to a lesser degree. It's becoming apparent that I may have selected a model requiring more skill than I actually have, but it's a given that I will learn from it, and so will press on with all due humility! Back to cutting, shaping, and gluing!

Such precision!

RD, the Amati Keel Clamp seems to be popular. I don't have one, so these are what I am using:

Hi, Bob! Was wondering what had become of this project. Your new cat looks a lot like mine. Maybe new cat rules should come with the house remodel! I remember well toiling over those railings. . . Bob

"Finished" the fairing of the bulkheads, although it looks like some additional work needs to be done on the bow area. I added the sills and lintels, and am closing in on fairing them to the bulwarks, on the outboard sides. This is very difficult to do without gouging the bulkheads/bulwarks, while maintaining the curve of the bulwarks- and indeed I have minor problems in a few places. When I am done I may have to do a little repair work. Looking at other logs, I see similar. This is taking a long time, I've been sanding for days now, and the inboard looks to be even trickier! Then comes the gun port framing, and more fairing. Luckily, I've become pretty patient in my age (except when waiting in lines, then I tend to commiserate with the other prisoners around me). Amidships, some of the lintels protrude above the tops of the bulwarks. On the port side, I sanded the lintels flush, and subsequently read in another log that one should not do that, as the planking may rise above the tops of the bulwarks, so I did not do the same on the starboard side. Not the end of the world, obviously I can add material if I have to. The bow filler pieces need more fairing, in fact it looks like I didn't touch the inside surface on one side at all, in any case the angles I did sand are incorrect. I may take them out and start over, but later. The framing elevation drawings provided are useful, but I won't use them as a template as the manual suggests- they are not elongated to account for the curvature of the ship at bow and stern. The plan view framing plan is pretty close to my model regarding bulkhead locations, so I will take framing locations from that plan using dividers. Back to it!

I'm a little late to this one. . . just beautiful!

Looking really nice, John!

Great! Take your time, and sand or shim as required. I spent 3 or 4 days doing this, but I'm slow. b

David, do you have a picture of a test fit of your filler blocks? I'm having difficulty imagining what is happening. . . I just added mine and they actually helped straighten out things for me. They must be cut square and exactly to the width between bulkheads. Do you have an electric chop saw?

Sweet!

I made a support structure for holding the model upside down. Began the final fairing. This may take a while. . . Fairing plywood is more difficult than fairing basswood! It looks like I will need to add shim to a couple of areas. I'm not going to rush this. So far I haven't broken any of the bulwarks.

Added the filler blocks, made out of poplar wood:

Wookie, I don't think you have wasted your time or money. You are learning some important things, though maybe not realizing it in real time. One of the things I learned constructing this model was to get excess glue off before it sets. My dory shows some. . . my next model did not. The solution that Druxy offered does work, I've done it. Don't forget that you have very good clamps available- your fingers! It does not take that long for white or yellow glue to set. At the risk of sounding preachy, try to enjoy your time building. After all, you're not at work, you're at play! Have fun. It took me a while to get this, and the funny part is my work improved when I did. Best, Bob

Excellent craftsmanship. I admire your imaginative jig-building. I need to get some Legos. Bob

Nice work!