Captain Poison

Good morning.

Good morning.

Good morning.

Moving forward towards the waist....the one fitting on deck that needed to be done next was the mast coat for the mizzen mast.  I decided to do all three mast coats and get them done.  These are laser cut for you in boxwood.  The mizzen mast coat is only in two layers.  The thicker top layer should be rounded off on the top edge and then glued to the really thin disc which is slightly larger.   The laser char was carefully removed while paying attention to keep these round.   I didnt bother with the inside because this will be painted black or dark gray.  Making these in layers is a great way to avoid using a lathe.  I just sanded and shaped them by hand.
 

The main and forward mast coats are made in three layers.   Basically another thin layer is added on top after rounding off the TOP edge of the thicker center layer.  If that makes sense.
 
The main mast coat also has some eyebolts along each side which were added.  See the plans for details.
 

That means I can now build out that forward bulkhead next....
 
The center section was added first just like before but this was worked in conjunction with the panel that spans both bulkheads.  See below.  You want to position both and shape both to fit.  Dry fit them and when satisfied glue them into position.
 

This next part is optional because you wont see any of it.  But I went ahead and did it anyway.  To avoid having a gap above that cross panel once the qdeck is planked....I added some 1/16" thick laser cut pieces between the beams.  The beams were placed in position only temporarily.  Then the strips were glued to the top of the panel.   You can see the last one ready to be glued.
 

Then you can remove the two deck beams and it will look like this.
 

I removed those beams so I could build out the rest of the forward bulkhead.  It makes it easier to get your finger in there.   You can proceed to build out the remaining panels for the forward bulkhead just like you did for the aft version.  Build the doors and then add the outside pieces.  See the pick below.   Once done you can absolutely glue the other two deck beams into position.  You can also add the 3 lodging knees on both sides.  There are no hanging knees here.   Sand them to fit snug and make sure they face the right way.   You can simulate the bolt head pattern on these if you want.  But on my model they wont be seen at all so why bother.   I would use 20lb. black filament for the bolts if you want to show them.  Dont forget to glue your cannon in permanently so it wont come loose.  Otherwise break out the tweezers because it will be hard to work under those beams should anything come free or if you get any debris down there.
 

 
 

These two can't frames will be sanded.

I stumbled onto this video this morning.
At 52.27 minutes long I was sure I'd watch 5 minutes or fast forward a bunch but I found it captivating.
I feel that understanding how a wooden bucket is made will help modellers create realistic looking buckets for their ship models.
 
 

A small update, was able to do some work this weekend, progressing slowly...if you notice an error please say so, so I can correct early, thanks!

Thank you  DCN - I appreciate your help very much - Jaws has a rich presence on the internet, with many very informed fans! 
Over the last few months I have collected several hundred images, many from the film, and also production shots, out-takes and pictures of the boat after the movie was filmed. 
There are a number of sites where people are converting real boats into a replica of Orca, and their research has been helpful.
I am currently looking for shots of the interior - especially anything of the trunk cabin, and also of the stem/pulpit construction.
Sometimes the shots showing the boat falling apart are helpful (if sad) as they reveal construction methods. for example...

 

Hi 🙂

After a long time I update the state of my construction site ....

I have now done the work on the head, using the laser cut parts, the printed friezes and the molded resin parts. Even with the laser cut parts, this is no walk in the park. Truthfully, it was very difficult. It is one of those tasks that you're just happy to be done with.  Among the most troublesome areas for me were the hawse holes and getting the friezes to sit well.
 
In any event, I'm now going to do the guns.
 
Bob

Hello everyone,
slightly changed the design of the scupperhose, normaly scupperhose should be put on the scupper tube and secured, I showed only some hypothetical fasteners, not as it should be correctly but at least now it does not look as if the sleeve is simply pushed into the pipe :))) - now it is pushed in and nailed outside :))) !!!

Good day,
Dear all,
Continue with spritsail, fore and main sails sheets and braces rigging ... during seizing all critical points secured by CA gel ...

Hello everyone!
finished installation of the starboard anchors ... the port side was completed earlier ...
so I can say the theme with the anchors is finally completed !... well, great !!! :)))
I crawl to the final stage with fitting sheets and braces ...

Hello everyone! finished fixing the anchors on the starboard side based on the pictures that above posted information from Harland's book

Henry is right, I checked the literature.
 the sprittop sail is larger than the fore topgalant, and smaller than the topsail. The 'blinde' was around 1700 afairly wide sail, the length of the yard being three-quarter of that of the main fore. Still, it is a considerable amount of sail.
 

 
Jan

As Henry said: as long as spritsails were set, there were essentially no lines under the bowsprit, apart from the ones necessary to set the spritsail.
Any other lines, as bobstays, were behind the spritsail, so no problem.
 
I object to Henry when he sais that the spritsail and the topsail are always small: in the late 17th century they tended to be quitelarge, almost as large as the main and top on the fore mast.

 
Jan

Today I started some deck details.  The way I work the gun deck fittings is to start at the stern and work my way forward.   With that in mind, the first thing to be done is the aft bulkhead that defines the great cabin.  The aft few deck beams were permanently glued in position.   But I left a few off so I could get my fingers in there while working the bulkhead sections.
 
The bulkhead sections are all laser cut for you.  This aft bulkhead will have all parts labelled as "G" when you get them.  They are actually laser etched with the paneling on both sides so no need to glue two halves together or anything like that.   The sections are 1/16" thick. 
 
You start by centering the "center" section of the bulkhead under the beam and on the separating line between the checker floor and deck planking.   I have cut these slightly taller just in case there are subtle difference from model to model.  So sand a bit from the bottom and the top until you get a nice snug fit....
 
But not so snug that you can see  beam raise up under the pressure.  The beam must stay where it is so dont force it under there or you will suffer later when you try and plank the qdeck.  That beam should flex at all.  Remember to face the correct side facing forward which has a laser cut reference line for another panel that span the gap between the two bulkheads and create two cabin spaces.  Check out the plans for that.
 

In that same photo you can see two doors that will go in next.  But first you have to build them.   Its laser etched on both sides but you still have to add the window which is thinner.....and add the door kn0b and hinges.
 
First glue the 1/32" thick window into the opening so its uniform and shows the laser char evenly around it on both sides.  Dont remove the laser char because these were cut with care to fit perfectly in the opening.  You can also see below that I stuck a 28 gauge black wire through the door knob hole and clipped it off so it sticks out.  You will be gluing the door Knob on this wire.   So ensure it sticks out on both sides.  Push it all the way through the hole and clip it so maybe 3/64" is sticking out on both sides.  Note the knobs and hinges below as well ready to go.
 

The door knob is carefully placed on the wire but dont push it against the door.  Let it sit proud of the door a bit. Then paint it black  These are laser cut for you also.
 
The hinges are laser cut from black laser board.  Glue these on but make sure you allow the other side to hang over the edge.  That part of the hinge will be glued to the bulkhead panels and hold the doors in position.  Make sure you evenly space these so they are all at the same height across all the doors or it will look awful.  To finish the doors add the small acetate window pains on the aft side of the windows.  Or you can just leave those off the model as they tend to be dust magnets.  

Finally glue the one door into position only by its hinge.   The one that gets glued to center panel section below.  But then place the second door in position only so you can mark the deck and beam with a light pencil reference line.   You want to know where the hinged side of the door ends so you can shape that last panel against the bulwarks to fit perfectly.  Remember that the doors are also slightly taller just in case.  Sand them to fit nice under that beam.  After you mark the end of that door for reference set it aside.
 

 
Finally the last outside panel needs to be shaped and fitted.   This shape should be pretty close but everyone's model will vary slightly.  It depends on how much you faired the frames before you planked the bulwarks.  That curve of your bulwarks may vary....
 
This last panel is a bit wider and taller so you can shape it to first fit tight against the bulwarks.   Match the curvature of your bulwarks first.  Then sand the top and bottom so it fits under the beam.  Last you can test it to see if that second door fits alongside of it to close the gap tightly.   You can show the door open or a variety of open and closed.  Its up to you.  I prefer them closed.  
 
Here is a look at the finished bulkhead wall spanning across the deck.
 

With this bulkhead done I can glue a couple cannon in permanently now and move forward to the work on the mast coats and then the next  forward bulkhead.   I will slowly work towards the waist in this fashion.....slowly adding the beams and knees as I finish making the fittings that will go under them.
 
 
 

I just finished using some of these carving tools that I bought from Mihail three years or so ago.  I had misplaced my instructions for sharpening that he supplied and found a need to contact him again for help.  He provided me with a detailed e-mail regarding the sharpening process.  I can only applaud again these tools as they are the best small carving tools I have found.  In this correspondence, he mentioned to me that he still had three sets left for sale at $420.00.  Just wanted to post this as he travels somewhere in the summer and these will not be available again until around October.  If anyone is interested let me know and I will provide his e-mail as we have done in the past.

I have to agree with you here - I took a chance based on what I had heard on this forum and bought some myself.  I found Mikhail to be very informative about what he sells and how to look after them too.   I ordered my set and they arrived two weeks later!!!!  They are simply fantastic and I love my set.  The only place I have ever received such great service is from Jim Byrne's last Xmas.  He sent me my order with no payment what so ever.  I received it and got the bill in January.   thats how business should be done.

And travelling even farther afield in the discussion, mention should include the once-ubiquitous LEROY lettering system used by draftsmen (and comic book artists) in later times when hand-lettering as an art form was lost when the ISO standard font was dictated. the LEROY system used a pantographic planchet and templates. The  LEROY kits and standard ISO font templates are still quite commonly and inexpensively available on eBay, but the older, and much wider selection of fonts and templates more frequently used prior to the ISO font standards' implementation are now quite rare and highly collectible. Old-style lettering systems can be handy for modelers sometimes, although digital fonts generally supplant them.
 

 
 

 
 
 

Thanks...
 
Today I finished this beam along the transom.  I removed it from its temporary placement and painted the inboard side of the transom red.  But you can see where I stopped at the bulwarks.  Dont paint the area above the q galleries.  
 
You can also see some iron straps which form a right angle along the ends of the beam.  These were laser cut from black laser board and glued into position in two pieces to simulate the strap.  It really finishes it off nicely although the straps wont be seen anyway.   Before adding them however I added a strip of 1/8' x 1/32" cedar to to deck clamp between both beams to clean it up and make the deck clamp flush with the paneling below it.   Then I added the strap section on top of that....I am referring to span between the deck beams.
 

Here it is with the top 3/64" thick layer (margin).   See how it creates a rabbet or ledge for the deck planking.   The last beam is actually a pretty good width and leaves a nice size ledge for the deck planking.  I may leave it as is or just sand it a little.
 
But hopefully this helps you guys visualize how it works.  
 

 
Chuck

Dave,
Your jig is similar, and better, than what I have used in the past.  Very nicely done.  
Your axles appear to be hand carved and not exactly round.   You can do this and leave them a little large to start or just leave them square to start.  Then, if you have or can get a small piece of brass or steel rod, you can drill a hole in the center the diameter of the axle that you want then file or hand saw slots to create cutting blades.   Once done, chuck the cutter in your drill and round out the axles.   A small drill press is easiest to use, but a hand drill will work as well.  Photo of one that I made from a piece of scrap brass rod in a about 20 minutes is below.

 

The old girl needed some reinforcements between the transoms after the first round of sanding. These will be sanded down level with the seven pieces.