shauer

Thanks everyone for the likes and positive comments and encouragement. Posting updates to this thread is one of the ways I keep myself motivated on a multi-year project. Yes, doing any new skill for the first time is daunting, I try to not over think it (I'm an engineer so it's an occupational hazard). Just jump in and start doing it, plan on making mistakes and move on. So far it's working. The moldings that follow the upper counter have a pretty good curve to them edgewise. Did anyone need to do anything special like edge set them similar to the upper counter planks? Or is the boxwood flexible enough to take the curve with just some judicious use of clamps? Plan for this weekend is to get the QG moldings mounted, get some of the friezes glued into place, and start closing in the QG. We all know what is said about making plans, so we'll see where I am at on Sunday evening. The gel stain for the resin parts is arriving Monday so that will be on next week's list. Steve

Tried to make my first moldings ever tonight. Been reading and studying how several others have done it and it is time to create the fancy moldings for along the upper counter and the quarter galleries. I used a razor blade for the scraper and mounted my rotary tool in my bench vice with a standard cutting disk installed. The set up has the disk spinning away from you on top which is where I held the razor blade to shape it. I found the most difficult part was getting the width of the cutout just right. I ruined half a piece of boxwood trim because there was just a little play in my first attempt. I found you want what is almost a light press fit over the stock material. First attempt is on the left and is just a little too wide. The one that worked is the one on the right with the arrow pointing to it so I don't get confused. What the molding used on the upper counter and quarter gallery is supposed to look like from the plans The 1/8 inch strips for the upper counter and quarter galley moldings. I'm happy with the results. Still need to make a scraper for the lower counter molding profile. I wanted to install these moldings now before the galleries are closed up and clamping becomes more difficult. The 1/16th inch thick molding is in the center. 1/32 inch pieces to the left and right. Steve

Some more progress on chapter 3. I've got the transom and upper counter pretty much complete and started on the quarter galleries. Adding the cap pieces to the top edge of the transom. I had to learn the hard way to use some scrap wood as pads under the clamps to prevent marring the thin cap pieces. The obligatory picture of the quarter gallery templates in place to locate the forward edge of the galleries on the hull. This port side gallery lands exactly where shown in the instructions. The starboard side is around 1/32 - 3/64 if an inch higher. Looks like The angle of my transom is off just a little bit from side to side. Fit and installed the top frames of the quarter galleries. Fairing the frames to match the intersection of the upper counter on the transom was a little tricky. Going to stop here tonight and sleep on it and see if I'm still happy with my work in the morning. If not, I still have the spare set of frames provided in the kit if I want to do them over again. And a picture of the stern. You can see the transition from the upper counter into the quarter gallery frames on each side. If I'm still happy with this in the morning, I'll add the lower frame and maybe the lower planking to the quarter galleries tomorrow. Steve

Enjoy your trip Chuck! Niagara on the Lake is really nice and western New York State is beautiful right now with all the fall colors. (assuming you are driving across NY) Steve

Thank you all for the kind comments. Having some fun with chapter 3 already. Have the transom and upper counter installed and working on fitting the 3/32 thick quarter gallery pieces. Transom installed and centered as good as I could get it. Spacing from side to side is even and the top of the transom has been rough sanded to fit. Upper counter planking is also installed. Fitting the quarter gallery pieces to the side of the hull to get the window spacing even from side to side. And a picture with all the window frames in place. Looks like the window frames sit a little high. Should I leave them alone or risk cutting about 1/32 off the bottom edges of the window frames to get them centered? Otherwise they all fit really nice. Friezes are laminated templates I made to check size and placement, just held on with tape. I really need to sand down the finish on the hull and do it again. The glossy hull is killing me... Steve

Thanks Chuck, yes it feels very nice to have this step behind me. Of course I know where all my mistakes are but I'm overall pleased with the results. If I had one thing to do differently, I would have fully blocked the bow and stern areas 2-3 spaces deep each. I have seen really great work from some using only the bulkheads to control the shape of these areas, but I struggled. For me, I think having the solid blocking to completely control the curves in these areas is the way to go in the future. Steve

Chapter 2 complete (mostly) I completed all construction on chapter 2. I need to spend some more time on sanding and re-applying some wipe on poly. Pictures below are with 2 coats applied and I didn't wait long enough between coats and the second coat softened the first coat making it too thick and glossy. Down to the last strake on each side. Showing pretty much all the tools I used for the planking. Steel ruler, pencil, a #11 blade and a chisel blade, some sanding sticks, and a little water to use with my hand iron for edge setting. The short scrap of plank is a critical tool used to check the width of two planks butting up to each other. Last plank going in. Marked the locations of the bullheads and transferred the dimensions using my calipers. Then slowly sand and check the fit being careful to only remove minimal material each time. I used a flashlight to backlight the planking while I was fairing the hull. It makes it easy to see when you are getting too thin in a specific area of the hull. On the second picture showing the stern you can see where a couple of planks have become very thin. I've also added the stern post. All chapter 2 construction complete and back on the build board. I need to fabricate a couple more pair of supports but the model is surprisingly stable and level with just the one support midships. Steve

Nice update, thanks for taking the detailed pictures of the important steps. I'm hoping to be able to have this be my next project after I complete my Winnie build, so I appreciate the level of detail you are documenting. Steve

This week's update. I made better progress than I thought and am down to under 4 strakes on each side to finish. Had a couple false-starts on the garboard, I documented one above and also took a few failed attempts to figure out a method of getting the forward ends of the planks tucked into the lower rabbet at the bow that worked for me. Spending all the time on lining off the hull and working with the tape has paid off. With only 2-4 plank widths remaking down the length of the hull, I have some pretty consistent spacing on both sides. I've started studying chapter 3 and related work in the build logs. Looking forward to a new challenge. Steve

Another example of "don't be afraid to rip it up and do it over" This is admittedly pretty basic planking technique but might be of value to someone. Better to do it more than once and be happy with the results. Started on the garboard strake at the stern and shaped the aft-most planks separately. There is a taper that continues across the two and I messed up the dimensions when shaping them separately. Result is an ugly gap when the next strake is placed along side. So I removed the planks and started over, this time placing both unsized planks on the model and holding them in relation with each other with some painters tape. Then cut both planks together to ensure a smooth transition this time. Much better the second time around. The dark shadow at the joint is a pencil line and not a gap. Steve

Thanks for the kind words and the likes. I love the larger scale but still getting used to the quantity of work involved in areas like this. Finally getting to that spot on planking where each additional strake placed noticeably closes the gap. Starboard side now matches the port side. 8 strakes remaining on each side. Starting with the garboard strake tomorrow. Steve

A quick update for the week then back to work planking. Got another 4 strakes completed on the port side, spending the afternoon / evening doing the same on the starboard side today. Already have the stern on the starboard side planked to match, need to complete the bow and midships. Really happy to be finished with the tight compound curves at the stern. After I complete that work, I'm going to start working my way out from the keel. Hoping to start the garboard maybe tomorrow. At the pace I'm going (about 4 strakes on each side per week) I should have the hull planking complete in about another 2 weeks. Things are going pretty well. I'm happy with the results so far. First planking I've done in about 25 years. Steve

Another update. I'm almost half way done with the planking of the lower hull. Finished the tuck at the stern. This was the most technically challenging area. It came out okay, not perfect but about as close as I'm going to get it after re-doing about half of my first attempt. The edge set on some of the planks is pretty extreme and I ended up shaping as much of the curve into the plank as I could prior to applying heat and water. This yielded a more consistent result for me. I do some rough fairing as I go along. Only enough right now to blend the edges of the planks. I won't attempt to ease any high or low spots until the entire hull is planked. I also take care to leave the leading edge of my work untouched with the rough fairing as I work along. Steve

Looking very nice! I also like the look of having all the swivel guns mounted and plan on doing the same. Thanks for posting all the details as you have been progressing through chapter 3. It's been helpful to follow along as I plan (hope) to begin chapter 3 in the next month or two. Steve

Finally got back to work. Was able to spend a couple of solid days over the weekend and completed a little over 8 strakes of planking. I decided to plank both sides at the same time, working in pairs of strakes to help me keep things symmetrical. Using Chuck's planking method and it's going really well. For planking, I'm using gel CA glue that I can apply with a toothpick to each bulkhead. Progress pictures with just some light fairing to even up the edges of the strakes. Steve