mobbsie

Hi Andy,
 
Thanks for the good word mate, the gun muzzles on all of my ships remain brass, When I first started with the "Badger" Aldo commented on it and so it's become my mark, , I know it's not correct but I quite like the effect.
 
How the trip going, not having any problems with the weather I hope.
 
Be Safe
 
mobbsie

Hi Guys,
 
As promised an update.
 
I cant believe whats happening here at the moment, I've had to draw my workroom curtains because the sun ( yes the sun ) is blinding me, this must be our summer.
 
Right, the gunports have been lined, filled and rubbed down, painted and the holes for the guns drilled.
 
14 of the 26 18lb guns have been made.
 
I've started making the Breach Ropes for the guns that will be seen on the lower gundeck, thats 12, so far I've made 6 so far, I made a sort of gunport so that I can check them and all seems ok so far.
 
I am going to have to get some 2mm single blocks because the guns are only shown with the breach ropes on, I'm not too sure if I want to get hooks for the train tackle, still I have all Easter to think that one through.
 
Enough blurb, some pics
 
Port side gun ports before trimming

 
Same with the Starboard side

 
 Starboard side gunports and port side bulworks

 

 
4 of the 18Lb guns with breach ropes

 
4 of the breach ropes

 
Made up gun port for testing the breach rope length

 
Breach rope attached, note the flintlock fireing mechanism on the gun

 
So thats it for now, hope you like them.
 
mobbsie

Hi Guys,
 
Here's my latest update for what it's worth.
 
I have filled the dip and just have to finish the sanding down, should be ok when it's done.
 
I thought I would plank the stern transom whilst waiting for the filler to harden, it calls for 1 x 3mm walnut, so searching for the right wood ( took ages ) I find that I dont have any, been left out the kit, a quick call to Jotika and they are sending it to me, should'nt be long in getting here.
 
I thought I'll line the gunports, somewhere in the old forum I saw a tube that was made up and the linings cut from that so I thought I would give that a try, I made a jig so that I could just cut the tube, set for 9mm this would give about 1mm to sand down, made my box tube, let the glue dry and tried cutting a piece, what a mess, the tube just kept shattering, and the inside dimensions are wrong, it was giving me a measurement of 10 x 8 when it should be 10 x 10mm, so for me there is no shortcut, I'm going to have to cut the linings individually and do it the long way.
 
I know where I've gone wrong with the tube, I put it together wrong by just butting the sides but I cant do anything about the splitting of the timber, it's just very dry and quite rough.
 
So all in all I've not made much progress but I have learned a lessen.
 
Anyway a few useless pics.
 
Making adjustments to the size of the gunports and my way of holding the wood in place

 
The filler just needs to be sanded down

 
Quite a lot of filler has been used on both sides

 
Here is my jig for cutting the many lengths of gunport linings !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 
Jig and tube

 
The tube fits tight into the jig

 
Cutting the tube

 
The end result, too small, all it's cost me is a bit of time, but lessen learned.

 
So there we are, pretty boring really but it's still fun and it's good to try new ideas even if they dont work out, isnt it ?
 
Be Good
 
mobbsie

Hi Guys,
 
Here goes, as a newbie I dont have a clue as to what I'm doing so please bear with me !!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I dont intend to rewrite the entire log and I dont have it saved so if anybody has any questions please dont be afraid to ask.
 
Aggy arrived on the 16th January this year so I have been working on her for about a month now, progress has been steady but a little on the slow side compared to my usual build rate.
 
The kit I find is very good in that everything fits as it should do if a little tight, theres a lot of sanding and rubbing down which is better than having a sloppy fit.
 
The main problems I have had with her so far is a warped and twisted keel, These were resolved by putting a length of dowel down each side and glueing into position, this took out the warp, for the twist, that was taken care of when the lower gun deck was fitted so all in all I'm quite happy with the way that went.
 
I have so far planked the lower gundeck beneath the companionway and hatches so that I dont see a bare deck, the upper gundeck has been planked useing 4 inch planks, a mistake I made here was to split the deck in two and plank seperately, I didnt put a master plank down the centre. The only thing in my favour is that there is very little seen of the upper gundeck so I think I will get away with that.
 
The Top deck and Poop deck have been pinned on but as yet are not planked.
 
I am in the middle of the first planking and am about half way, I am useing pushpins as opposed to 0.5mm pins to hold the planks in place so there is a lot of drilling, mind you there would still be the same amount of drilling if I used pins. I have now got to wait for the shops to open on Monday so that I can buy some more 1mm drill bits cos I busted the ones I did have, I tried 1.2mm but the hole is too big and the pins arn't gripped tight enough.
 
Another problem useing that amount of pushpins is that your thumb hurts like hell, I'm gonna have to make some kind of padding.
 
OK I'm gonna post some pics.
 
Mobbsie
I have placed Cant Frames in the stem as I was going to have trouble with the planking in that area, hopefully this will sort that out.
 
 

I'm still keeping in touch.. been in Thunder Bay since yesterday noon (EDT). I'm relegated to working on 1:1 ships for the time being. I'll try and restart my old "Andy's Maritime Adventures" Thread from MSW 1.0 (with photos, of course)
 
Andy

Thanks ...... Popeye,Augie, Andy,Sherry,B.E., for looking in, your input is always appreciated. 
Hey Augie. sorry to hear that someone ate your groundhog ! What happens now?........... you keep on shoveling snow for the rest of the year!!!
Frank

Hi Anja,
 
To answer your question, No, it's the inside of the tube thats the wrong size, when fitted the gunport should be 10mm x 10mm, with my tube it's 10mm x 8mm.
 
I could try and split the tube and refix it but that not going to stop the wood from splitting when I cut it.
 
I think I am going to split the tube and refix it then I can line it with a piece of 10 x 10 block to give support when I cut it, it's worth a try.
 
Thanks for asking and the idea.  
 
mobbsie

Hi Dave

 

You are of course completely right (unfortunately).  And I was wondering about that hole but forgot again about it.

 

This means I will make a new collar.

But thank you very much for telling me! It will still be rather easy now to correct that mistake.

 

Cheers

Peter

Hi Guys,
 
Here's my latest update for what it's worth.
 
I have filled the dip and just have to finish the sanding down, should be ok when it's done.
 
I thought I would plank the stern transom whilst waiting for the filler to harden, it calls for 1 x 3mm walnut, so searching for the right wood ( took ages ) I find that I dont have any, been left out the kit, a quick call to Jotika and they are sending it to me, should'nt be long in getting here.
 
I thought I'll line the gunports, somewhere in the old forum I saw a tube that was made up and the linings cut from that so I thought I would give that a try, I made a jig so that I could just cut the tube, set for 9mm this would give about 1mm to sand down, made my box tube, let the glue dry and tried cutting a piece, what a mess, the tube just kept shattering, and the inside dimensions are wrong, it was giving me a measurement of 10 x 8 when it should be 10 x 10mm, so for me there is no shortcut, I'm going to have to cut the linings individually and do it the long way.
 
I know where I've gone wrong with the tube, I put it together wrong by just butting the sides but I cant do anything about the splitting of the timber, it's just very dry and quite rough.
 
So all in all I've not made much progress but I have learned a lessen.
 
Anyway a few useless pics.
 
Making adjustments to the size of the gunports and my way of holding the wood in place

 
The filler just needs to be sanded down

 
Quite a lot of filler has been used on both sides

 
Here is my jig for cutting the many lengths of gunport linings !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 
Jig and tube

 
The tube fits tight into the jig

 
Cutting the tube

 
The end result, too small, all it's cost me is a bit of time, but lessen learned.

 
So there we are, pretty boring really but it's still fun and it's good to try new ideas even if they dont work out, isnt it ?
 
Be Good
 
mobbsie

As long as I don't have to cut down a tree with a herring...
 
Andy

I have made some progress off and on during the last couple of days.   the starboard side window is in place now.
 




 
then ........I did it.   I'm not totally pleased with what I did....I fear that I made the boat look like crap.  I started out by adding some weathering to the sorting table.
 

 
....and then it sort of fanned out over the entire boat........
 




 
the extra trap was added,  along with a couple more rope coils.   what I'm using here is the hemp rope, that I have used on earlier builds.   I like the looks of this rope.
 

 
here is a comparison of the original buoy plugs that came with the kit,  and the buoys I made.....I did size them down some.
 


 
the relation of the buoy and the trap isn't too far out,  so .....the heck with it,  I'll use them.   I also started to make the front doors for the other traps.
 

 
I bought this senery material for my B&M snow plow diorama......that's been in the closet for a while now.   I only need a little of it for what I want to do.
 

 

 
after the doors were bent to fit,  a bit more will be done to the traps,  before they are cemented on.  
 
more progress soon
 

Dont poke him, hit him with it.
 
mobbsie

Very nice! Although looking at you last photo... For some reason I had the overwhelming urge to shout "Pull Up! For the love of god Pull Up!"
 
Andy

It is not actually that difficult to make them
 

 

 
The rubber is bicycle inner tube rubber a little bit if .003" shim-stock folded over the rubber.
 
Michael

Mobbsie,
I'm not sure there is a dip.. maybe some more photos?   :D  Planking looks good.
 
For Sjors... just one...

Hey I just noticed, I got promoted to midshipman, not much to sing about but I like it.
 
mobbsie

Hey I just noticed, I got promoted to midshipman, not much to sing about but I like it.
 
mobbsie

Hi Augie,
 
She's a lovely looking ship and your making a superb job on her, congrats on completing the standing rigging, it really does make a difference and is so satisfying.
 
Enjoy the flying
 
Mobbsie

Hi Guys,
 
Thanks for the kind words and for looking in.
 
Progress so far is that the first planking is now completed, filled and sanded down. I did have to remove the rudder post in order to get to the stern planking and I will leave it off untill completion of the 2nd planking.
 
Next job is to cut out the portside gunports and line them all.
 
Joshukr :- No this is not my first build, this is in fact my 7th start, my 6th a Greek Bireme is languishing in the background waiting for some inspiration.
 
Ben :-  It has taken me about 3 weeks to complete the 1st planking, this came as a surprise to me but I have never planked a ship this size before, we live
            and learn.
 
Boris :-  Your more than welcome and thanks for looking in.
 
Augie :-  Your not wrong about planking a gym, she is one big slab sided beast, one thing it does teach you is for the need to get the bulkheads right,
               mistakes really show up at this size.
 
Andy :-   Hopfully I'll get some pics out Saturday.
 
 
Be Good
 
mobbsie

Can we have a drum roll.........please!!!!
 
 
The standing rigging has been completed !!!!     :)                                     
 
 
In spite of a few ham-handed mishaps (see 'where the he_ _ did the Martingale go'),  I think it went well.  She is really taking on some character.  For the very first time, she looks better in person than i the photos.  But with Sjors looking on, ya gotta have pics.  Let me know what you think as I take a break for a day or two to shovel out from the in-process blizzard:
 
 

 

 

 

 
I am happy with the bowsprit as, just a few days ago, it looked like an explosion in a rubber band factory.  I need to complement designer Chuck Passaro (again) for not only the intricacy of the layout but also for taking the time to explain everything so clearly in his Practicum.  THANKS CHUCK!
 

 
And here's my favorite shot
 

 
OK, it's time to do some 'yardwork' and get the spars and yards together.  I'm thinking I will leave them in a natural finish but not decided yet.  After adding the dimensions of length and height into the ship, I look forward to now providing width    
 
Finally, thanks to everyone here on MSW for providing advice, encouragement and positive thoughts (you too, Sjors).
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Hmm.. Augie and Sjors... in the same river.   Sjors with a fly rod, Augie with a Fokker.  The mental image is too much.         I gotta' get a grip.

We better all hope it's only pictures that fall from the sky... Even if it is only on occasion....
 
Andy

Time for just a quick update.
 
I've begun on Chapter 19, Yard Construction and Running Rigging, by fabricating the boom and gaff for the mainmast.  I've decided to use the yards with a natural finish rather than painting them black.  I'll be using the usual 40/60 mix of Minwax Golden Oak and Natural stain (overcoated with Floquil Clear Glaze) throughout.  The 'poor man's lathe' ---- electric drill was used for shaping.
 
All required blocks have been attached and the parrels blackened using Blacken-it. The simulated iron bands around these pieces was done with 1/16" black tape painted with Testors Dullcoat. 
 
Wow----that took longer to say than it did to do!!!!  Anyhow, I'm ready to install these on board so that will be the next update.
 

 
PS-  Flying season has begun in earnest.  So I'm putting you-know-who on notice that pictures shall not be falling from the sky like confetti   

Oh, yes, Popeye - looking good, mate!  But you'll need more lobsters than that to make that boat pay!
 
John

Damn Denis How do you it???? All these builds going on at once. Your fast too. She is looking really cool buddy!!!