Gregory

Have you tried contacting the SS United States Conservancy?

I have had both of the kits Chris mentions in my possession, but didn't manage to build either one, so I don't know how valuable my opinion will be. You can see looking from the builds that the BJ kit is POF and offers more options for finishing such as showing exposed framing. The main parts are CNC and require a lot of finishing. A lot of detail requires fabrication, and most of the wood is bass, so if one does not want to do a lot of painting, they might choose to acquire some. after market wood. The instructions and plans are first rate. I decided the kit was above my skill level at the time, and sold it. The Mamoli/Dusek kit is fairly typical European, double planked, POB. The plans are good and the instructions minimal. The lines and deck layout match real well with several different drawings I have seen. There's a companion way added that I haven't seen on any of my other references , so let me know if you are interested and want more detail. It has a lot of useable metal fittings that clean up well. There use to be a sewn sail set available that didn't look too bad. I don't know if you are familiar with the Mamoli " coppering " approach, but they include little green wood tiles as a solution. If someone were interested in producing a model with a " folk art " look, they would be worth considering. Otherwise it should be easy to use aftermarket copper tape or tiles if you want to copper. Life got in the way of me proceeding with the kit, and my infatuation with America waned, but it is something I would consider again after I get some other projects out of the way. I would choose Mamoli over BJ, because of building method. I take it you have looked at the Mamoli builds here at MSW. I know the new Dusek released kits have laser cut bulkheads so it may require less fiddling now. Let me know if I can help with any other info. P.S. I just looked at the new Mamoli/Dusek kit at ModelExpo , and they have added some PE parts and a roll of copper tape. Should make for a better build.

I can't speak about Amati, which probably has a good reputation for service, but you can be sure if you have any problems with materials from Vanguard, it will be taken care of.

A retired LT ?

I think I need a picture..

I'll be the first to say Chuck's method is far superior to mine because it makes the planks lay flat on the bulkheads.. I only offered my flat bend as an example that does not benefit from extended soaking, steaming or boiling which is sometimes offered as a workable method. I might use it for a couple of planks high up on the bow, but once the form requires bending in 2 dimensions, Chuck's method rules the day..

Chuck sorta got on to me for using a power tool..😁

That really looks a cut above the box art for Ballahoo.. Nice work!

Here is a good example from JesseLe

The plans you show are severely lacking in the amount of anchor cable required, and it would not be coiled on the weather deck as shown.. It is stored below the main deck. How it gets there will vary.. My Bounty references do not show it, but at the least it would pass down through the hatch near the windless, or further back near the capstan...

The extra rope will not be on the gun deck.. It will always be below .. No coil..

Not seeing how you have the rope laying across the deck.. According to the instructions, the rope should pass down into the lower decks through a hole in the gratings.. Modeling the rope being hauled in by the capstan would take a different approach..

The extra rope would be below deck, so all the extra rope you show should be saved for another project...

Who's going to know? But now that you mentioned it, we'll be watching... 😁

Looks like a very nice start..

What I want to know, is why Jack hasn't been commissioned to make some boxwood figures at $100 a pop?😁

Getting back to you.. I've modified my jig a little since the pictures i posted earlier.. Still works the same way. First I tried some 1mm Alaskan Yellow Cedar. You can almost tie this stuff in a knot without it splintering or breaking. One piece was dry from my stash, and I soaked another piece in plain water for about 10 minutes. I think 2 or three minutes would have been plenty, but I was doing other stuff. The wet version clearly held the bend better. The blow dryer ran for 5 minutes, and I let the pieces sit for 10 minutes before removing from the jig. Here is the typical wood that comes in kits for 1st planking.. Not sure of species.. Lime, ramin, bass? It is 1.5 mm. This particular strip did not seem prone to splintering.. I don't even know how to identify ramin, but I have some bass billets that I could cut strips from for a more definitive experiment. Dry is at the top and we can see the wet piece has retained the bend much better. There could be a lot of variables of heating method, application and cooling time. Depending on the desired end result, I think some of the more involved methods of steaming , boiling, microwaving or whatever , might be a waste of time.. Let me know if you have more questions or observations.

I can. I will even run a test to check the difference and report back.. As I said, the water helps transfer the heat.. The hair drier doesn't make steam, but it dries any moisture pretty fast. The amount of bending without snapping or splintering varies with the type and thickness of the wood and the soaking doesn't affect that much, if at all. I appreciate the interest..

Nice finish on the fiddle blocks.. i wasted some of those before I got it right..

Would 3/4 work? Easy to get 3/4 copper pipe..

If you have a low rpm rotary tool, you can chuck those pins up and get a nice shape on the top part with sanding sticks, etc.. Don't worry about changing the bottom, as it won't be visible unless it's an unused pin.

The false keel will be full thickness at the blue line where the 1st planking will end. The ends of the first planking ( blue ) will be tapered ( faired ) into the false keel so the maximum thickness there is still 5mm. ( my measurements ) The false keel will be tapered to 2mm from the blue line to the stern post. At the stern the false keel (viewed end on ) will be 2mm from top to bottom. The fitting of the planks will be a little more involved for the counter and the transom.. If you want to hold out for more illustrations, I can see what I can do later.. No trouble, it's what we are here for.

Here is the bender I use for long planks. The soaking is not to soften the wood, it's to better transfer the heat when applied. In my method, after the plank is completely dried after heating, letting it sit in the jig till it cools, it will stay bent when you remove it. In your example you can bend both ends... The jig doesn't have to match your bend perfectly. In fact, a little over bending will cause it to grip the bulkheads when you glue it up. You can see how one could adapt the principle to different jigs with pegs and such. The key is to heat the wood while it is bent, and keep it bent while it cools.

It's not clear to me what your concern is. I can think of one more thing that might help with clarification, but it will be later today before I can illustrate.

Keith is right on.. I don't think that gap has a chance to be noticed after all the bow detail is in place..