minimini

Hi All
 
so on to the main wale,decided to nail a strip of wood on the hull to get the run of the wale, next I will glue 2 out of the 3 rows of 7 x 3 mm on. I do the third one after I rebuilt  a few of the gun port.
 

 

 

 
Michael
 
 

Hi All
 
the stern start getting its shape, next is to sand the wing transom and the top filling pieces and when I'm done with that , I think I will plank the lower counter.
 

 

 

 
Michael

Hi All
 
finished plankning the lower counter. I use 2mm x 3mm boxwood, next is the main wale, which will be made of 7mm x 3.2mm beech.
and as  I'm going to paint the wale , I will not do any Treenailing ther.
 

 

 
Michael
 
 
 

This will be the last update for a few days: the frames have now all been bent in. I'll be back in a week or so. Thank you all for following and liking this log.

OMG
 
Plans printed and seeing them for the first time at the build scale... they look great
 
They all are consistently 1/64" short per foot  (0.4mm per 0.3 metres)
 
I think I'll learn to live with it.

It's good to see you back, Sam, even if just for a bit.  Work is hell.. 
 
Ken, I think the Microscale needs a topic of it's own out there.  I did some Googling and this might be perfect for many of us.
 
 
These pictures are some of "test" shots to sort things out.
 
The stern now has it's upper molding and the rest planked in ebony.  It still needs more sanding  
 
The main stern carving is a "bad" carving blank which is hitting the scrap box as it's served it's purpose.  I stuck it on with some double sided tape for position and appearance.  I noted that it's too low and needs to be higher to look right.  The real carving is on the workbench and slowly being attacked with various implements of construction and destruction.    I think it's a perspective issue when I stuck it on.  The transom being angled, it looks low when viewed head on.  
 
The taffrail... this one's a headache.  I've changed the drawing to reflect where this one doesn't quite fit and also to lengthen the "legs".  I originally designed it as a one piece but the legs are entirely cross-grain which weakens things (I think I've broken about 5 at this point while cleaning off the char). The other is an appearance  that I'm not happy with.  The cross-grain on the legs just looks dirty no matter how much it's sanded/scraped.  I even cut one in half and the cut area looks "dirty".   Anyway, I've reworked it so it's made of three pieces.. a crosspiece and two legs with the grain going in the proper direction.  I hope to cut another later today or tomorrow.
 
I'm noticing that things are quite perfect still in the dimension area but not much I can do at point, but I'll sort it out and tweak as best I can.  I'm about 1/32" (2") off on the level, left-to-right where the transom meets the counter.  And it's off about the same on witdth.  One side is just a bit wider at the top.   I'm thinking that the beams shifted slightly when I was reconstructing this area.  Nothing serious but I thought I'd point it out.
 
I do need to flip this beast over and plank the inside of the transom area above the deck beam so I can sand it down and shape before fitting the taffrail.  
 
I'm thinking, right now, the taffrail will be un-adorned.  I tried carving some acanthus leaves for this area, but... I need a lot more practice for some thing that tiny. I keep at it as there's no rush on the carvings.
 

 
Comments and critiques are always welcomed and yes, this is to be continued.

Mark: if you have detail photos of the interior of the forward part of that vessel and near the tiller, posting those would be very helpful. Thanks for the kind offer.
 
Yes, these crafts were very lightly built but surprisingly strong. Think of them as predecessors of today's 'eights' rowing shells.
 
These two photos show how the lap disappears into the rabbet at the bow. The second strake also has a rolling bevel that fits the one on the edge of the first strake. You can also see that there is no gap along the lap, as the bevel that was sanded in takes care if this. PVA glue was applied with a very small brush and any excess cleaned up immediately.

that is one  beautiful model ,marsalv!
 
Michael

I decided to change the system for opening doors by mounting the external hinges. Now the door opens fully:

 

 
 
I started the construction of the hanging cabinets. Everything is still temporarily resting, I have not glued nothing:

 

 

 

 

 

 

finished with the first two layers of paint on the starboard wall
 

 

 

 
Michael

somewhere I was reading a topic about bought model boats being rubbish and not worth the money, I'm afraid I cant agree especially when brought back from holiday by your 2 year old grand-daughter.

Beautiful work Christian
 
Michael

Beautiful work Christian
 
Michael

Finished the most risky part of the fairing - the outer surface of the side that would be opened.
Lesson for the future - if you add the bolt simulation - add another millimiter of margin to the frame lines, especially on the sides of the hull (it is unlikely that the bottom would be problematic).
 
Ended up with some really thin sides around the midship:

 
But overall - nothing is screwed up! Just some bolts that are too close to the edge of the frame, but they are not poking to the side!
No finish applied, and will sand with fine grits right before finishing - apparently, finger marks are very visible.
 

 

 
The transom wings required a lot of shaping! You can compare with the non-faired side on the right.

 
 
I tried lots of different tools for fairing, but ended up with this set:

 
Cork block shaped to be round on one side, and remains flat on another. Sandpaper - Mirka 120 grit.
Semi-flexible yellow thingy was very useful when sanding the bow and transom. Right the exact flex! Grit 90.
French curve scraper helped to level the frames, especially in the tight areas. In another areas, miniature chisel was used for that.
Surprisingly, block plane was very useful to quickly even out the frames, to later finish it with the sanding block.

The "romantic" style of photos is due to the new light setup - two warm spotlights 400lm each installed on both sides of the table:

I will probably just use a weaker lamps (200lm opal shade lamp) to take the photos.
 
The hull is covered in layers of the masking tape and is ready for fairing.

 
Getting really used to working on angle, using the vice as a stand to fix the model. Allows for an easy access inside the hull (yes, it is a problem when building upside down), and also easier to work with the sides of the hull.
Dreaming about a lifting table! 

Another photos 
 

 

 

 

Another photos 
 

 

 

 

hi all, back for an update.  First, I hope all had a Merry Christmas and here's wishing all of you a happy new year!
 
Here's where I'm at currently.  I'm shaping the cant frames and working on the hawse timbers.   I made a test run of the hawse timbers out of pine to get a feel for making them.  It's become apparent I need 2 more cant frames.  Without them there's too much space that needs to be filled with hawse timbers.  I used Portia T's plan as a guide for laying out the cants, but I see now I need to add 2 more.  Once I do that then 4 hawse timbers will work- instead of the 5 I have now.  That also lets the hawse holes line up in the correct place.
 
Also, I will go back and mill out the air space between the hawse timbers once I get them shaped.  The pine is a good test sample for practicing doing that on the mill.  That and drilling the hawse holes,
 
Still a lot more shaping to do, but it's getting there.
 
Pics

Thank you for the "likes", the Christmas wishes, and the comments.
 
Minor update, as such.  Added the sternpost (boxwood), and the fashion pieces and the covering board (both are ebony) for the seam between the counter and the hull planking. I've put on one coat of wipe-on-poly.
 
I'm still perturbed by the black from the gap filling, but will live with it.   A bit more care the next time (and hopefully less stress since I have bigger clue) should work out. 
 


 
Taking a break from the ship for a day or two to upgrade the laser cutter... 

BUILDING A BOARD
 
My most recent sub-project has involved constructing a “building board,” essential for accurately aligning the bulkheads with the false keel of my model. The board needs to keep the false keel perfectly straight and perpendicular, while providing a flat surface for gluing the bulkheads at right angles to the keel.
 
I started the board by cutting a 1/4“ groove into a 32" long piece of MDF sheet. The groove is just slightly deeper than the false keel on the model, providing a full view of the rabbet, and fits tightly so that the keel remains perfectly straight.
 

Marking the groove on the MDF sheet. The board is 12" x 32 ".
 

I cut the groove into the board with a table saw. MDF is brittle, so care is needed at this stage. 
 
The stern and stem of the model also needed to be kept perpendicular to the board. To achieve this, I designed two supports, one for the stern and one for the stem, which would slot into the building board groove.  I used a laser cutter to make these from 1/4” MDF sheet; they fit together somewhat like a piece of Ikea furniture.
 

My custom plans for the stem and stern supports. The idea for the interlocking pieces came from children's toys.
 

Cutting the pieces from 1/4 " MDF. My local library provides a 60 watt laser cutter for public
use. 
 

The pieces after cutting.
 

The finished supports (stem on left, stern on right).
 

It's hard to see, but the support has a rail designed to fit into the groove for proper alignment. 
 

The supports were glued into place, and their alignment was double-checked with a square.
 

I lined the groove with painter's masking tape to prevent damage to the model's keel. 
 

I lined the supports with masking tape as well. 
 

The finished building board.
 

Instead of using set screws, which might damage the model, I used rubber bands to secure
the model in place. In practice, the fit was tight enough that rubber bands weren't really
necessary. 
 

The bulkheads fit tightly and relatively squarely, but it was necessary to use a carpenter's square to 
ensure that they were at perfect right angles to the keel. These stainless steel squares from
Lee Valley were perfect for the task.  
 

The second-to-last last bulkhead is put in place. 
 

The completed superstructure. It's hard to see here, but two of the forward stations have
alignment issues at the area of the chock channels and bulwarks and will need to be
sanded and/or modified with  trim.  I double checked the plans, and the errors, around
1.5 mm off, seem to have crept in from my original measurements. These errors weren't
large enough to force me to re-cut the stations. 
 

I'm quite happy with the alignment (the stern looks slightly twisted here, but it's
just a trick caused by the camera angle). 
 

Midships bulkheads at the position of the rabbet.
 

A view of the bottom of the ship. Again, I'm quite pleased with the alignment
(the stem and stern are still little wobbly and will need some filling blocks).
 

Mini-Crozer stands on his deck. It's been a long time. 
 

Mini-Crozier inspects the stern, noting that work is needed on the bearding line.
Though Terror was small by Royal Navy standards, a 102 foot ship was still a
substantial vessel, as this image indicates.
 

Mini-Crozier stands at the Captain's sacred spot on the quarterdeck.  
 
Now that the bulkhead of the model is finally assembled, I can move towards planking it. A significant amount of fairing is necessary, and I hope to finish that shortly. Meanwhile, I've almost completed the "Phillips' Patent Capstan", and I hope to reveal my plans and model here soon. 
 
P.S. If you are interested in some new cabin accommodation plans for the lower deck, please see my blog (in my signature).

Hi All
 
first thanks for the likes and all the feedback I got on this build.
 
I do have and update on the starboard side, this is how she looks today
 

 

 
and this is how the port side looked this morning
 

 
but then I realized that Imade a big mistake on the port wall  it sits 1 to 1.5 mm too low, but only in the middle about 8 cm on  both sides of the ded fladt frem. so this is hou she look like now
 

 

 

 
sometimes it feels like it's one step forward and two back
 
Michael
 
 
 
 
 

Hi All
 
first thanks for the likes and all the feedback I got on this build.
 
I do have and update on the starboard side, this is how she looks today
 

 

 
and this is how the port side looked this morning
 

 
but then I realized that Imade a big mistake on the port wall  it sits 1 to 1.5 mm too low, but only in the middle about 8 cm on  both sides of the ded fladt frem. so this is hou she look like now
 

 

 

 
sometimes it feels like it's one step forward and two back
 
Michael
 
 
 
 
 

Hi All
 
first thanks for the likes and all the feedback I got on this build.
 
I do have and update on the starboard side, this is how she looks today
 

 

 
and this is how the port side looked this morning
 

 
but then I realized that Imade a big mistake on the port wall  it sits 1 to 1.5 mm too low, but only in the middle about 8 cm on  both sides of the ded fladt frem. so this is hou she look like now
 

 

 

 
sometimes it feels like it's one step forward and two back
 
Michael
 
 
 
 
 

Hi all
 
I think it's time for a little update on the HDMS FREYA. the main wall on the starboard side is finished , but it took a few attempts before I it was done rigth.
the first time I used the wrong wood ( boxwood not  E-beech ) and it was the wrong size to. 6.5mm x 3mm and not the 7 x 3.2mm that I need.
 

 
but it has now been corrected
 

 

 

 

 
Michael
 
 
 

Hi All
 
first thanks for the likes and all the feedback I got on this build.
 
I do have and update on the starboard side, this is how she looks today
 

 

 
and this is how the port side looked this morning
 

 
but then I realized that Imade a big mistake on the port wall  it sits 1 to 1.5 mm too low, but only in the middle about 8 cm on  both sides of the ded fladt frem. so this is hou she look like now
 

 

 

 
sometimes it feels like it's one step forward and two back
 
Michael