Greg Davis

I think my brain was turned off when thinking about the grain direction. Assuming that it is most likely that there is failure along the grain, then the best choice would be the grain running diagonally between the pieces being joined. I guess in this manner if there is a split, there would still be sub pieces of the knee forming a joint. Whereas if the grain radiated from the corner of the two pieces being joined, then there is the possibility that the knee would split radiating out of the corner resulting in one piece of the knee contented to each side of the joint, yet with now no (or little) material connecting / bracing the joint. ☹️

I agree and will give that a try for the remaining knees that are visible on and above the deck. However, if I do so should the grain radiate from the corner or should it form hypotenuses with the sides, i.e., create a bunch of triangular shapes? Also, I don't have any compass cherry to use for this task. In the meantime, the four corner knees are installed and bolted. Also, I have installed the two knees that join the keelson to the bow and stern structures. Once these two knees are bolted, I will move to the next step. I think there is a choice of two different routes at this point: begin planking the exterior or installing the sheer clamps. Assuming that I am reading plans correctly, the order of (exterior) planking that makes most sense is 1. bow and stern faces 2. sides 3. bottom 4. doubling of the planking below the water line 5. the wale - but this isn't to be done until the deck has been planked So, I could go ahead and at least plank the bow and stern faces. The sides would then need to get their final fairing before moving on. It is right here that I think installing the sheer clamps first would be a good move. The clamps would give additional stability to the upper portions of the frames for the fairing process. In fact, it might be a smart move to put in the sheer clamps and then fit the uprights for the wheel gantries. This way, the uprights, which have lower portion shaped as a frame could be faired to fit nicely between the sheer clamps, side strakes, and curved carlings. I hope I'm not thinking out loud too much here! I think that I just may have convinced myself that the sheer strakes should be the next (sub)project.

Yesterday I set up some wood to make the side strake knees. There is one straight side on the knee - where it attaches to the bow or stern structure. I pre-beveled the stock to match the angle of the bow and stern and then attached the knee patterns to align with the bevel. I also cut out an additional pair of knees should I need an extra. After cutting the blanks out, decided on the following order of work: shape the long edge to match the side strake, shape the inner bevel, mark and drill holes for bolts, attach knee to model, and install bolts. I have complete one so far: On to the next ones!

Another 120+ holes drilled and filled with copper wire - the side strakes are bolted. There are now over 1000 'bolts' on the model. Now its time to prepare some 5 mm thick stock for the four corner knees that hold the side stakes together. I find myself reviewing the plans almost daily and visualizing the next construction steps - hopefully everything is going together in an appropriate order.

sounds good!

Over the past couple of weeks, I have completed planking the top half of the starboard side to match what had been shown for the port side. I am now working the rest of the way down the port side before returning to the starboard side. The work is going well and you can see that I have chosen to plank over the opening for the screw / propeller at this time. The provided instruction suggest stopping the planks at the start of the opening and then adding short planks at the end. I hope that I can get a smoother hull contour by not having the planking break. So after all the hull smoothing is completed, then I will open the space again.

Keith - I hope that you share your work on the Heller kit, I for one would be interested in seeing what it looks like and how it goes together. Greg

Today, I was able to drill and then insert / smooth the 'bolts' that hold the curved carlings to the frames. As I used on the three other carlings the bolts are 24 GA copper wire. I am really glad to have these two curved carlings completed - they were a bit of a test for me! Next I will 'bolt' the side strakes and then will be set to create the knees that join the side strakes.

Thanks! They are glued in place now. Tomorrow, I hope to start drilling holes for the 120, or so, fasteners that go through the curved carlings and the side strakes.

The second curved carling is done and of a matching quality to the first one. There is a final bit of milling that I will do before attachment - space for a dozen additional timbers need to be cut through the outer edge of the carlings. These twelve timbers are the ones that extend above the deck and will ultimately support the dredging mechanisms.

I may have a keeper! Here are a couple of pictures of the port curved carling - one near the bow and one near the stern. Like in previous attempts a cardboard pattern was made to determine the curved shape needed near the frames. After cutting material to this shape, I found that I could refine the shape slightly using the side strake as guidance. This time I then marked and milled the recesses for the frames along the side of the vessel. These recesses where milled at 30 degrees to approximate the curvature of the frames near the floors. The sections that extend through the frames to the back edge of the carling where then milled to 22.5 to match the contours on the plans. After this was completed, I milled recesses so the carling would fit over the floors. The inside edge was then cut on a scroll saw so the carling would be 7.5mm wide throughout. Minimal additional fitting was done with files and then a bit of surface sanding was done to bring the project to its current status. I won't attach the piece until the starboard carling is made. If I am able to make the starboard carling significantly better, then I will give the port side another go. But if they are similar in quality, I will likely move ahead and fasten both.

Approximately half of the port planking is completed. The planks crossing the center plane of the ship will need to be cut in order to receive the corresponding starboard planks. Then the lower half followed with a lot of sanding - hopefully outside if the weather holds longer than it takes me to do the planking. The darker wood used for the hull planking is sapele and I've read that inhaling sapele dust, like mahogany dust, can have some ill effects. Earlier this year experienced how sanding mahogany without a mask / enough ventilation can lead to nose bleeds. I'm now trying my best to do hull sanding with these types of wood outdoors. I'm pretty sure I've still got 4 - 6 weeks where I can spend time sanding outdoors before it gets too cold here!

Thanks for the support! I'm hopeful with the current attempt with the carling and should know the outcome in a couple of days. If it goes poorly again, there is plenty more wood to work with. It's interesting that I feel no remorse tossing a piece during this build. In fact, at times it actually feels pretty good. This is quite a difference from some kit builds where I have spent more (frustrating) time than I should have trying to make a supplied piece fit instead of just fashioning a replacement. I guess here, with the dredger, it is about doing everything as correct as my skills allow. Where in the kits there is an expectation that pieces should fit sooner than later.

Topside planking is complete now. It went well with the exception that one of the strips provided for the process was not useable - it had been torn up in the milling process. Unfortunately, there were no extra strips of the type needed provided and I had none of the needed dimensions either. The planking is 2mm thick - I ended up laminating two pieces of 1.5mm material together and then reducing the thickness back to 2mm. It turned out fine, but it would have been nice not to have taken the detour. Time to get out the rest of the hull planking material and really hoping there is enough to do the job!

I decided that my first attempts at making the curved carlings had not resulted in pieces that I would use, so I am still at this stage and will be until I get results that I am satisfied with. Hopefully more pictures soon!

The deck planking is done and has been given a light coat of varnish. Hull planking is up next.

I've added a few more filler pieces than were supplied and am continuing to prep the bulkheads / filler pieces for planking. I have also been adding the deck planking. Currently 4 of the 5 deck segments have been planked, with the 5th in progress. I've also done some of the preliminary smoothing of the deck. The deck planking material is very thin - 0.5 mm and my first choice of adhesive, a standard water based wood glue caused the strips to cup severely. I then changed to using medium CA and the results were fine. I also decided to use lengths of planking strips that match each of the deck lengths. I want to minimize the number of joints seen by a viewer's eyes as the planking material is quite wide at 5mm. At the 1:80 scale of the model would represent planks nearly 16 in wide on the actual ship - too wide for the time period!

A lot of the work on the first of the curved carlings is getting done with hand tools and fitting is in progress.

I was able to mill the wood for the curved carlings and am starting to make the first one - currently I am milling notches where the carling fits over the floor and will finish tomorrow. I have also completed a pattern made from a thinner strip of wood that is being used to map out the actual carling. One of the straight carlings was used to hold the strip in position so that I could mark the shape with a compass. The shape was cut out and also marked for where the notches mentioned above will be located.

The side strakes are both adhered to the frames. I plan on drilling holes and pinning these pieces soon as this should be done before adding the four corner knees. As I was studying plans for the vessel and determining next moves, it became clear that I should add the two curved carlings that go along the bottom interior edges before inserting the knees mentioned above. If work isn't done in this order the knees will block my ability to drill and pin the last two carlings in the areas that are below the side strake knees. So tomorrow I hope to prepare the 4.5mm thick stock required for the curved carlings and maybe get started in their formation.

Thank you!

Today I made up some 6 x 2.25mm strips for the interior side strakes. Each is made in two pieces connected by a scarf joint. One strake is done and after a test fitting, looks like it is ready to be attached to the frames. I am pleased with the scarf joint!

Not too long ago, I was fortunate to be able to retire after serving 35 academic years in various roles from mathematics professor to vice-chancellor of academic affairs of the University. It now seems that what my colleagues are missing most is the model ship I kept in my office! I've also been alerted a few times as to where a ship could reside in one of the Dean's suites. So I took a look through my ship kit inventory and found a model of the French research ship Le Pourquoi-Pas? (French for Why Not?). The ship made multiple scientific based trips to the Artic and Antarctic portions of the world. It seems to be a good choice for the College of Science, Engineering, and Technology that I had been part of. The kit was made by Constructo. I am not sure, but it seems that it may no longer be in production. Like essentially all Constructo kits the finished product has the potential to be a very nice looking display model if you don't get too close! I believe for the purpose of general display, but not for intimate inspection the result will be more than satisfactory for display and a talking piece in the College. I began work a week ago and the first steps have been completed: The bulkheads and false keel structure are die-cut in 4mm plywood. The die cutting was great - all pieces had the correct shape and were easily pressed out of the sheet they where in. The bulkheads fit in the keel slots without adjustment. The bulkheads where squared up with the keel and attached with yellow carpenter glue. Small lengths of square wood where added to provide additional support at the joints. At this point six pieces of wood were added that will eventually have masts fitted into them. Wood is supplied for the stem and stern areas. The wedges of wood for the stem region did not fill out to the full width of the first bulkhead so additional material was added here. The top of the bulkheads, mast blocks, and filler wood where contoured together before adding the false deck pieces. The false deck is 2mm plywood. Here the die cutting was not as well done - the contour of the deck pieces were clearly cut; however, the cuts did not make it even half-way through the plywood. So simply pressing these pieces out was not possible. I used a scroll saw to cut the pieces out in a short period of time. The instructions suggest gluing and nailing the deck pieces to the bulkheads. I didn't want the nails to interfere with the final deck instillation, nor did I feel like removing them and/or grinding off their heads later. Instead I went with glue and a lot of clamps and rubber bands to keep all in order during the setting up and drying process. The last bit of work that I have now completed is the shaping of the stem and stern fillers. Presently, I am deciding whether or not to add in additional filler pieces to help keep the correct hull shape during the planking process.

While it may not show really well in the photo - the basic interior fairing of frames 2 - 29 is now complete. The next step I will take is the final fitting of the bow and stern structures. Then there is a pair of carlings to make that, together with four knees, will tie the frames to the bow and stern. A final pair of curved carlings with many notches will be added to the juncture of the top timbers and the floors. Once those four carlings and four knees are added I will be able to either continue with interior work and/or start on the exterior.

This weekend I made a bold move and began fairing the port interior - prior to completing the starboard side! Sometimes I wonder how certain individuals can do this kind of work with electric sanding devices. The one that comes most to mind is that of Philip Reed's work in Building a Miniature Navy Board Model. That would be just too nerve wracking for me.