DocBlake

Don:  Anxiously awaiting updates!

I'm working on the gun carriages, but as a diversion I did complete the rudder.  I really hate cutting the rabbets for the straps!.  I'll fit the rudder to the ship today, and continue to work on finishing up the carriages.

I'm working on the gun carriages, but as a diversion I did complete the rudder.  I really hate cutting the rabbets for the straps!.  I'll fit the rudder to the ship today, and continue to work on finishing up the carriages.

I formed the main rails out of basswood sheets and stained them with Fiebing's black leather dye.  They got 3 coats of poly and I epoxied them in place.

Don:  Anxiously awaiting updates!

Hi Don!  I'm just catching up after a week kicking back in Florida.  This kit continues to impress.  The wood quality appears excellent, and you're doing a great job.    Keep the progress reports coming.

Very, very nice, Don.  This is a very interesting model and judging by your progress so far, will be a real beauty.  Keep it up!

Very interesting model, Don.  Nice start.  I'll be following with interest.
 
Dave

Very nice work!

There is always more than one way to skin a cat.
 
I build period furniture as a hobby also.  18th century cabinetry often had "pegged" mortise and tenon joints to strengthen construction.  They were also frequently square instead of round.  How to easily fit a square peg into a round hole?  You could use a mortising machine with a drill and square chisel, but since furniture parts can be very large, many times the part wouldn't fit on the mortiser's work surface.  I came up with an easy solution.
 
I took a 1/4" square piece of steel bar and grinded the bottom into a 1/4" diameter round.  I left the bulk of the bar square.  I drill a 1/4" hole where the peg will be and insert the rounded bottom into the hole.  Than brings the squared "shoulders" of the bar right to the wood's surface.  A couple of raps with a hammer and the round hole is now square.  it has to be deep enough to hold a piece of peg material 1/4" square, so the steel bar is pretty deep into the wood and the fit is very tight.  It takes a pair of pliers and some rapping with  a hammer to free the bar.  A 1/4" peg is glued into the hole and cut with a flush cutting saw when the glue dried.  The result is a nice clean square peg in what was once a round hole.  The pegs aren't really structural, but they look good.  When I needed to make round holes square on the windlass, I used the same principle in miniature.
 
I've actually adapted a few techniques I use building full size furniture to model work.  The principles are the same; only the scale is different!

Hi all! Tonight's progress is below. I have the first four station lines to their approximate shape, on the starboard side. I will admit, there are a couple bumps, and possibly dents, but I will sand it all smooth, or fill. Anyway, here are a couple pics, the ones that show the best angles .



Thanks for viewing! Comments and criticism are welcome! I will try to get some more work done tomorrow.
Until next time!

I formed the main rails out of basswood sheets and stained them with Fiebing's black leather dye.  They got 3 coats of poly and I epoxied them in place.

Looking good, Elijah.

Excellent job on the planking.  This is going to be a beautiful model!  Keep it up!

Great progress!  You planking looks very nice.

Excellent job on the planking.  This is going to be a beautiful model!  Keep it up!

There is always more than one way to skin a cat.
 
I build period furniture as a hobby also.  18th century cabinetry often had "pegged" mortise and tenon joints to strengthen construction.  They were also frequently square instead of round.  How to easily fit a square peg into a round hole?  You could use a mortising machine with a drill and square chisel, but since furniture parts can be very large, many times the part wouldn't fit on the mortiser's work surface.  I came up with an easy solution.
 
I took a 1/4" square piece of steel bar and grinded the bottom into a 1/4" diameter round.  I left the bulk of the bar square.  I drill a 1/4" hole where the peg will be and insert the rounded bottom into the hole.  Than brings the squared "shoulders" of the bar right to the wood's surface.  A couple of raps with a hammer and the round hole is now square.  it has to be deep enough to hold a piece of peg material 1/4" square, so the steel bar is pretty deep into the wood and the fit is very tight.  It takes a pair of pliers and some rapping with  a hammer to free the bar.  A 1/4" peg is glued into the hole and cut with a flush cutting saw when the glue dried.  The result is a nice clean square peg in what was once a round hole.  The pegs aren't really structural, but they look good.  When I needed to make round holes square on the windlass, I used the same principle in miniature.
 
I've actually adapted a few techniques I use building full size furniture to model work.  The principles are the same; only the scale is different!

I formed the main rails out of basswood sheets and stained them with Fiebing's black leather dye.  They got 3 coats of poly and I epoxied them in place.

Thanks, guys!
 
John:  I'm anxious to see you back at work on your PH as well posting further progress on Revenge.
 
Mike:  Your model was the trailblazer, and you built it straight out of the box.  It's a great model!  Don't sell it short. I learned a lot from your build.   In fact, I am thinking of building the LSS Halifax straight from the box, also.  There is great appeal in the more "monochromatic" look of these craftsman kits.  Many of the timbering kits out there (current LSS products, Lumberyard for Model Shipwrights) are all of one species of wood, and original admiralty models were often that way also.

I formed the main rails out of basswood sheets and stained them with Fiebing's black leather dye.  They got 3 coats of poly and I epoxied them in place.

Thanks, David!
 
I decided to keep the stock ship's wheel.  I played around with scratch building a wheel, but nearly every technique I found required a milling machine. The shipyard has a formal request for one submitted to the Admiralty, but so far no word!
 
I painted the wheel "Milwaukee Road Boxcar Red" which is a pretty good approximation of varnished mahogany.  I may stick with the stock transom lights also. Am I getting a little lazy, or just anxious to finish the model?

Thanks, Brian and all for the "likes"
 
Here is the binnacle.  This is similar to Dr. Feldman's original version as well as the MS version from their kit plans.  the top needs 2 more coats of poly, and the hardware needs a coat of Testor's DullCote to knock off the shine.

Thanks, David!
 
I decided to keep the stock ship's wheel.  I played around with scratch building a wheel, but nearly every technique I found required a milling machine. The shipyard has a formal request for one submitted to the Admiralty, but so far no word!
 
I painted the wheel "Milwaukee Road Boxcar Red" which is a pretty good approximation of varnished mahogany.  I may stick with the stock transom lights also. Am I getting a little lazy, or just anxious to finish the model?

Back in the shipyard.  I cut the scuppers into the inboard planking, then painted the inside of the sweep ports and gun ports with a sample of Benjamin Moore paint I had that matched the red heart fairly well.  I did add some Dark Vintage Maple TransTint water soluble dye to darken it a little. The deck, planking and framing were given 3 coats of poly.  I'm getting closer to the end.  The binnacle is nearly done (pictures to come).  Then all that's left are the rudder, the ship's wheel, the catheads and swivel gun supports, the guns themselves and the cabin roof framing and planking.  Did I say "nearly done"?

Looking good, Elijah.