Snug Harbor Johnny

'Just love they way you've used scale second planking, as it 'telegraphs' nicely through the paint - just like on the prototype. I think it is a very nice look, and it doesn't matter if it get 'weathered' or not - it will look great either way ! Johnny

'Love your build of a classic kit I did myself as a lad (model long gone, though). I've obtained a Revell Thermie kit (cloned from the Cutty), and I'm thinking to make it in the barkentine mode - an option provided for in the kit to represent her time in the timber trade in the Northwest. She was painted white then, and there are some good photos to model her as she was in that roughly 5 year period. Of course there were some compromises Revell made, as the ship has the same lines as the Cutty. The bow below the water line can be shaped to the 'Aberdeen' curve easily enough, but the stern profile represents a challenge - and the transition from the aft deck to the main deck is somewhat different than on the prototype. The decision to be made (eventually) will be to either cut away the plastic above the prominent lower shear strake and plank in wood upwards from there (but leaving the forecastle alone) to increase accuracy (a harder way to go), or built her as provided - thus 'respecting' the classic kit. I can pare away the intermediate rub rail between the shear and the gunwale, as well as adjust the bow to the Aberdeen profile. No rush, mates - as there is much to do in the meantime. A stash of a mere 6 kits for what is hoped to be a 20 year retirement is hardly an excess. Just thinking and planning how to build (or bash) is for me as enjoyable as actually building. And it is a pleasure to review the many fine builds available on the forum like yours. Fair sailing ! Johnny

'Thought of a way to work out unevenness of 2nd planking ... a mini scraper ! I've done furniture with the normal shapes available in cabinet scrapers, but a model ship would need something smaller and more flexible. So a piece cut from a hacksaw blade (with a Dremel cutoff disc) would do. Then after grinding off the kerf and teeth points to spare fingertips, the back edge of the blade section could be held in a vise have a small burr rolled just like a full-sized scraper . There are You-tube videos (among other sources) to show how it's done on a regular scraper. Then one can flex the mini scraper around most of the ship lines (concave and convex) and pare away uneven plank joins or high spots without leaving abrasive marks like sandpaper. Working with the grain, small shavings come off nicely with a scraper. Special purpose shapes can be ground into a scraper for beading and moldings - like is done for flintlock long rifles (been there, done that). A former manager of mine advised not to point out a problem unless one has at least one good idea of a fix to offer at the same time. I should have remembered his advice sooner. Fair sailing, Johnny

Ahoy mates! Anyone wanting to see more details of one method Rob has previously used for lower deadeye mounting and chainplate installation should see his fabulous build log of the Great Republic ... Sure it may seem a long log (as is the current one), but it is chock full of many nitty-grittys very helpful to those who aspire to approach the beauty and detail of his models - without having to resort to so-called 'purist' methods that require virtually re-building every darn thing from the ribs up. Rob's ingenious method for producing the best (and most practical) simulation of a copper bottom is thoroughly detailed in the Great Republic log - including how the method evolved ... and that has put a hand-cranked clothes wringer on my shopping list next time I visit this-and-that shops in the Lancaster PA area. Many orders (ordnung) of Mennonite and Amish still use such implements, so I imagine they may be available in new or near new condition where the rollers are not 'dried-out' or cracked with age the way some antique wringers are. Hmmm, may one can Google such an item. Now (please don't hate me) in the two photos (above) of the newly mounted deadeyes with chainplate, I think one can see the 'ghost' of a small area on the hull above the coppering that was corrected with a little filler after the final planking. When the light is just right viewed at an angle, there is a slight difference in albedo (surface reflectivity) and texture of the area smoothed by underlying filler. Most likely this will not be noticeable under normal viewing conditions and distance (the photo is substantially enlarged - like looking at one's complexion in a 'magnifying' bathroom auxiliary mirror). One can safely apply any amount of filler over 'first planking' to get the desired lines, as that gets planked-over. And second planking that will be covered by coppering can also be filled with abandon if needed. Maybe the answer for final touch-ups on a surface to be painted and a low spot is found (which can create a 'shadow' after painting) is to leave just a little texture after filling - perhaps with 600 grit paper? Just a guess, but I'll have to think about it before doing anything where wood gets painted. OK, I'll go and stone the deck now - and swab it for good measure. Johnny.

Great job HakeZou on what is shaping-up to be an fine build. I'm learning along with you, as I'll eventually build my own Endurance. The steering gear is well thought-out, and you plan ahead e.g., securing the deck eyes with bends beneath the decking to assure no pull-outs when rigging - and not gluing the stacks from (presumably) coal stoves so you can remove them when doing the railings. Now I suspect the railings will be a challenge, as the vertical stanchions are flat laser-cut brass that may be susceptible to bending or leaning. The small 'spikes' at the base of those posts doesn't give much to sink into the perimeter rails, and per the instructions - rope will constitute the horizontal rails for everywhere. In some places on the original there was rope, and many other places it is some sort of piping. Perhaps a 'fillet' of epoxy (a dab on either side) at the base might stabilize the flat stanchions. My solution was to order 3D stanchions from Cornwall, while I'll keep in reserve until needed. Whatever you do, trying an experimental piece to test the approach could be very helpful before forging ahead on the model. Fair sailing. Johnny

I've inherited an old Mamoli Golden Hind kit (about 30 years old ?, new in box), and although there are no nice videos like OcCre provides - there are a number of detailed printed sheets with a lot of instructions and illustrations, and also a full scale draft of the model. The frame member are meticulously die cut and fully separated (packed in small plastic bags) - the kit quality exceeds many supplied today in the $150 - $250 range. I do note that this version also has guns on the weather deck ... not on a gun deck below the weather deck as many scholars conclude (and also jive with contemporary art work of this type of ship). The lines of the hull may be OK, although some widening of a few of the bulkheads amidships might be considered. It may have been influenced by the first Golden Hind (ex Pelican) full-sized reconstruction. Also the second repro. had to have 'bulges' added at the waterline amidships to make it stable in the water. The planking is of good quality, and many of the provided materials are appropriate. Yet the kit would have to be 'busted' a bit in a number of ways. The nicely silk-screened multicolor side-wood would have to be separated into planks ... or simply not used if thought too 'gaudy'. Loads of modifications would turn it into a more advanced level project. So my tendency would be to use it as a source of materials for other projects. Of course despite being on display at a London area war for decades (the first 'museum ship' as ordered by Elizabeth the first) no one thought to make a sketch of the original ship. Once can take stuff from other artwork, but in the end all is conjecture, no?

I remember from a German class (many decades ago) a sentence was written on the chalkboard: Hirs heisst der Man am Ecke. ('Hirs' refers to a man's name.) The German sentence translates: 'Hirs' (is the) name (of) the man on the corner. The instructor said to try and say the sentence quickly ... and then it sounded like I said, Hir shiest der Man am Ecke. (Here poops the man on the corner.) A slight change in diction or pronunciation can radically change the meaning in many languages. When John F. Kennedy made his famous Berlin speech (in English) , he ended by saying in German, "Ich bin ein Berliner." - meaning "I am a Berliner". Unfortunately, his Boston accent sounded to the crowd as if he said, "Ich bin ein Bellina." Now a Bellina is a popular confection much like our jelly doughnut, so the hushed silence from the crowd was because many thought he just said, "I am a jelly doughnut." They quickly 'got it' and arrived at the correct meaning, then applauded.

Model work has been suspended for the summer (2021) since the Admiral tasked me with a couple 'good weather' projects for her ; 1.) Build a raised flower bed in back of the house, bring in quality garden soil and plant with manuals and perennials for color through the summer, 2.) Get a permit and have a hot tub installed on a concrete slab and have an electrician do the wiring, 3.) Get a permit for a pavilion over the spa, do proper footings and have the pavilion built; 4.) Keep the yard in order (naturally) all summer, lawn cut and weeded and get a power washer to clean the exterior of the house. I also have many 'per diem' work days at a local hospital as a Pharmacy Technician - as well as some piece work for a supplier of Rev War re-enacting accoutrements. Add basic chores like food shopping, cooking, cleaning (yup, I've been well-trained since the Admiral has some mobility issues) and my plate has been full at present. This coming winter will bring some time to get back to the Wasa ... so I hope build log seekers will understand. I DO want to get to a 'compromise' state of finish - partly because I'd like to build the OcOce Endurance kit I've obtained (plus some enhancements to bring that model closer to the original - better sails, better rails, corrected lines, circular pin rails near the mast bases instead of deck-mounted eyes ... among other details). I've some some preliminary planning that can be seen in the 'kit review' of the Endurance by OcCre (its own log). Johnny

Astronomy ... I was 'into it' for a long time, but ever increasing 'light pollution' made local observing unsatisfying. Trips to 'dark skies' were far enough away to either require overnight camping or driving home in the wee hours. Medical conditions take camping remotely off the table, and driving back after midnight is now too risky (too many near accidents and getting stopped for drowsy driving was an epiphany). Some astro gear was sold, but the best was donated for the club auction. U.S. Civil War re-enacting is also in my 'rear view mirror', but we still do occasional Colonial craft demos that include old-time gunsmithing, rope making, music and dance (the Admiral does ladies garments and accessories). The pics below shows me figuring a first-prize winning 16" mirror, and the completed telescope ... it became too heavy for my aging back to handle. Two others show me working on a long rifle, and playing a spinet harpsichord I built myself ('busted' a kit to make it better) ... the Admiral made my costume. It has been said, "Young men dream, old men have visions." May your dreams bear fruit and may your visions be pleasant. Johnny

Rob, you made telescope mirrors? That is something I used to do, and count it a great achievement to have placed first at Stellafane with a 6" f5.4 and later moved up to a 16" f4.5 With mirrors one is polishing to within a fraction of a wavelength of light, and my winners (I won't mention the others that didn't 'measure up') tested at about 1/12.5 wavefront ... about as good as one can get and is the limit of accuracy with the Foucalt test. Model building seems more forgiving by comparison. Johnny

OMGosh, the rudder post (vertical axle) situation was 'hiding in plain sight' all along. Granted some photos don't show it well, but those that do reveal a long descending spar that would have been visible to anyone at the time - as the beam goes below the waterline (into the Muntz metal zone). OK, the model is not so far along that you can't make a correction and then touch up the black paint and repair the applied metal as needed. Sometimes models require 'adjustments' as one goes along in light of better information, and I'd hardly call the proposed correction 'butchering' any more that applying filler and re-sanding at an earlier stage - its all part of the process. You've gone to such great lengths to gain accuracy from the start on this endeavor that I'm betting you won't let this opportunity to be true to the Glory pass by. BTW, I went through your Great Republic build (initially to review your strip metal forming process shown there) and I was astonished to see the quality of a complicated scratch build. Three cheers to you, sir! Johnny

If you need to remove gummy excess, use lint-free cloth (medium weight linen is good if you have it) and use a sparing amount of either mineral oil or what I like is 'odorless' paint thinner ... the kind Bob Ross (and Bill Alexander) used for their paint brushes when making masterpieces (let's put in a happy little cloud right here ... it's your world, and you can do anything you want). The moistened cloth should 'pull' off the excess with just a little pressure moving the cloth in one direction. Now that I better grasp your situation (in that you did not initially wipe away excess), I would not wait any longer since that can make delayed removing the excess more difficult (e.g. more passes with fresh cloths). Each time what is removed will discolor the surface of the cloth as the fibers 'collect' unwanted pigments - just like sandpaper gets 'loaded'. So a fresh surface is needed after a couple of passes for the most effective removal. Don't use turpentine (or other solvents like naphtha) since they do throw vapors and there is the potential of spontaneous combustion if spent rags are bunched together. After using mineral oil or 'odorless' paint thinner, I put the spent material loose in a bucket and move that to a porch or just outside the house (if it is not raining) to de-vapor. When dry they can go out with the trash. By using the solvent sparingly, it should have no effect on any wood or composite wood substrate. If there is an inside corner you need to reach, a small stick of wood or thin tool can push the solvent cloth where needed on the model. Johnny

'Don't know how old your stain was, but a 'rule of thumb' is not to use anything that has sat around for years. Dating cans when bought is a thought. But I've added two or three drops of 'Japan dryer' to oil or mineral-based stains and mixed well before use (also for alkyd paints) - that will often 'revitalize' old stain. Once tin of Japan dryer is all anyone needs for a 'lifetime', since it is used sparingly. The effect is to promote polymerization and cross-linkage of the stain or paint, thus promote drying. Also, doing a 'test piece' before coloring anything 'important' is recommended. BTW, my experience with Minwax has been that it is slow to dry-out, and furniture so treated will have the 'Minwax smell' for several days. Wiping away any excess is important for most stains, and being patient by waiting 3 or 4 days may do the trick. Note also that 'today's Minwax' has been significantly re-formulated from the Minwax of old in order to reduce the VOC content ... something that has happened nation-wide (and is actually 'green' as they say). The product affected the most is deck stains. The 'good old' penetrating stain/preservative (like redwood deck stain) is no more, and the reformulated replacements 'clean-up' with water ... not like the turpentine or other solvent needed in years gone by. Also, many of the solvents you can buy now have been re-formulated ... like MEK 'substitute'. And Thompson's Water Seal sin't what it used to be either. Hang-on, mate and do a few other things ... after all, SOMEWHERE the sun is over the yardarm! Johnny

'So very fascinating, I tip my hat. Is copper tape stock available in places like Hobby Lobby? Did you use a fine watch gear to make the tiny dimpling?

The stowed position lifeboat photos are very helpful. It appears that the 'ratlines' are solid bars fixed between the center pair of wire-rope shrouds. I note additional funnel detail, the whistle and various lines attached to things. 'Looks like there are u-shaped rowlocks on the lifeboat. The first photo shows a small platform in a 'lowered' position (notice the longer length of the ropes between the double blocks used to raise or lower the platform), and the second photo show a higher position, also judging the new downward angle of the safety rope going through the stanchion eyes. 'Would be nice if there were more pictures to better show how that rig worked. Note also that the portholes in the aft cabin are simply round holes in the wood with no eyelets (as provided by OcCre) or any external fittings. Ergo the porthole glass was mounted internally and opened inwardly. Too many details to process now. Johnny

Ach so ... Ausgezeichnet !! Something useful for most any late clipper (and earlier). On small models I used to tie a stay and then continue it, but on large enough models something that looks like a bee or sheave is in order. I too have much to learn. BTW, the 'Glory' postings have been of great interest to many and are definitely among the 'hot' topics on the forum. Bravo!

Your images show a couple interesting aspects concerning the life boats and their placement. (The names of three of the life boat and their dimensions are noted in my posting to the 'review' of the OcCre Endurance kit.) On the starboard side, the small transomed lifeboat is forward, and one of the double-ended lifeboats in astern. On the port side, the large transomed lifeboat is astern and other photos show the second double ended lifeboat (likely the David Cairn used by Shackleton for his rescue effort - since they took it down in the photo) carried forward. One could really do these small craft justice by modifying them to conform to the known dimensions ('busting' them as 'mini-kits'). They had a slight upwards curve toward bow and stern - easily achievable by fixing the strake under the gunwale first with this curve, then planking downward to the keel. The gunwales would appear more to scale if they were thinner (using the kit supplied gunwale as a template over thinner stock of better wood), and they would bend to the curve fore and aft easier and glued into place. I plan to equip mine with oars, unstepped mast(s) as applicable, rolled sail(s), rope and other supplies they likely had. As seen on other builds, the ribs above the footlings can be replaced by more and thinner internal ribs. Shackleton's boat was well photographed and now on display in a museum. I note that it received extensive modifications by the crew before they set out on the hazardous sea voyage, and many of those are photo-documented. Ergo the two same-sized double-ended life boats should appear as they did before being stranded in the ice. The two transomed crafts served as vital winter huts for most of the crew. The most important and effective enhancement to the OcCre kit (in my opinion) is with the railings. I've obtained correct sized 3-D (turned by miniature automatic Swiss lathe) stanchions from Cornwall models - including the ones forward having a hole for the single rail, and the far more numerous twin-rail stanchions. The are bulbous where the rails pass through, and have cylindrical bases to better mount them on the gunwales/deck edging. I'll have to make a scale plan view marking each location, then determine the exact spacing needed for discrete 'runs' of railing. Then these distances will be drilled in a straight line on a wooden holding jig, railing passed through entirely straight - then each joint will be soldered with a mini propane torch and thin circuit board resin core solder. I've worked in this medium before and as long as not too much heat is used the joining will come out very well. Then each 'run' of railing will be formed either with bends or gentle curves as needed to conform to the plan view. The formed rails will have the very bottom of the stanchions daubed with gunsmith's inletting black so an exact series of 'dots' will be transferred to a piece of wood to serve as a drill jig (drilled through on a drill press to insure perpendicularity). The jig will exactly fit over the required area of the model, then the pilot holes (slightly smaller the the stanchion ends) will be hand drilled into the model squarely. I'll remove any remaining inletting black from the railing runs, degrease then paint the railings white. They can likely be assembled on the model snugly enough without glue, or a tiny amount of slow setting glue can be pre-inserted into the pilot holes with a fine probe prior to final assembly of the railings. The railings were a distinctive feature of the Endurance (as they were also on the Aurora, the 'sister ship' to the Endurance that headed to the opposite side of Antartica to pick-up the team that was suppose to traverse the continent). Enhancing this feature will greatly improve the model. Dogs were a key part of the venture (they finally learned this from Amundsen - first to reach the Pole), and special dog runs were constructed on the Endurance that all have to receive railings on either side. Indeed, the dogs insured the survival of the crew ... just not in the way anticipated. Smooth sailing ... Johnny

'Just love your fairing technique ... running stringers at different angles and taking the 'long view', since the eye can see any 'wobble' in the line. I'm learning all sorts of techniques and tips from different builds so when I get into the next ship I can do a better job of it. Slatki kak sacha. Spasiba ! ... Johnny

Steven, your build log is a tonic since I think back to my 14 year old self trying to tackle the first edition of the Billings Wasa in 1:100 ... The solutions you show are instructive, as well as many ideas and techniques seen in other builds. I'm likely to incorporate many forum methods over the winter in what will be the best 'compromise' build of my dusted-off project - pictured in a log I started after finding MSW. I'm happy to consider this sort of work as an art form one learns as one goes. Fair weather ! Johnny

'Just love the boat - the thought you put into it shows.

Now I can see how the planking was done ... so whatever goes inside rib-wise or thwart-wise is an installation process - plus whatever else in the way of oars, mast, rigging, etc. Very nice! I'd like to 'improve' (bust?) the ship's boats of the Endurance (actually I'll build them first as practice), since we have exact measurements on three of them (the fourth was the same as Schakleton's lifeboat) and many photographs. There was a recent post on improving ship's boats for HMS Victory, where the assembly ribs were removed and replaced by more scale-like boat ribs - along with thin footlings, scale gunwale (with grain going in the right direction) and a variety of accouterments on hand in such boats. Each boat also has a graceful upward curve to the stem and stern (not sure of the correct term) - and that might be done best by installing the plank below the gunwale first to establish the curve - them go on planking downward (tapering planks as needed). Taking the time to do a better job on details such as these will greatly add to the appearance of the model as a whole. Johnny

I read an article on the 'Jesus boat' recovered in Galiliee ... is this the same boat as the one in this thread? The boat in the article in Biblical Archeology Review showed the the strakes were composed of many oddly shaped planks (some of them short) that were fastened together with lashings passed through severely made holes in the plank edges where they abut. The whole thing looked like a big 'jigsaw puzzle'. The article suggested that valuable wood resourced back them was used with a minimum of waste ... it reminded me of some Inca stonework where all the oddly shaped blocks were fit together so as to remove a minimum amount of material, yet be snug against each other. Johnny

I've learned that epoxy, like CA, goes bad after a while on the shelf - especially at room temperature. It's a good idea to buy new epoxy for a given build, and store epoxy (and CA) in the freezer (in a ziplock bag). Date the bag and still discard after 1 year (a rule of thumb).

I've found that old kits - sometimes incomplete/damaged or partially built can be found in flea markets or garage sales at a bargain price. These can be good sources of wood, parts and supplies useful to enhance current builds or to scratch build. Some old kits have good planking for those who don't want to do a lot of sawing (very dusty) or buy new stock by mail. Other items may not be as useful, so its sort of a 'grab bag'.

Gosh, I'd not heard the term settee (sail) before, so I Googled it and Wikipedia 'characterized' it (with illustration) as a lateen-like sail with the 'front corner cut off' to make a quadrilateral sail. hen I looked at the tombstone in question again and can plainly see that the front (downward) end of the sail exhibits this quadrilateral form - that is, there is a short vertical edge of sail below the end of the yard ! By George, you've got it ! (say I). The 2nd century tombstone sure seems to depict the settee sail design - the same one shown in the 5th century mosaic (and Wikipedia). The earlier work is a pretty good work piece of art rendered in perspective (note the difference in the sizes of the figures and the receding prow of the boat). This suggests that the settee came first (whose basis is a modified square sail), and the lateen evolved from that. How cool is that? Johnny