wefalck

That's kind of strange, that the the bulkheads are behind the gun-ports. Normally, such laser-cut kits are well-engineered ... I gather you will have to show the lids closed in this case, at least the ones in front of bulkheads.

Some years ago, I considered making a model of her based on the Heller plastic kit, which is based on the plans published by the Association des Amis du Musèe de la Marine (as presumably the OCCRE-kit is). The project was abandoned due to the extensive changes that would have needed to be made to the plastic kit. However, in this context I took a number of photographs of the model in the museum in Paris (which, together with other sources preserved in the museum's archives, formed the basis of the plans of the AAMM). The model is in the 1839 livery, when she was painted black on the occasion of bringing back the remains of Napoleon I from St. Helena.
You can have a look at the pictures here: https://www.maritima-et-mechanika.org/maritime/models/bellepoule/bellepoule.html. The model is not on display currently, after the refurbishment of the museum
 
BTW, Odin is a Germanic god, not a Greek one 🫣

She is indeed coming along nicely 👍🏻
 
Concerning black 'marker' pens: there are now on the market several brands of 'artists' pigmented acrylic brush pens. Being pigment, rather than dye, they should not fade, particularly the black ones, that presumably contain carbon-black as pigment.

It also depends on for what kind of work you intend to use it: if you are working with machine-tools, hand-held drill/grinder or lathe etc., it would be advisable to use safety-glasses that enclose your eyes and protect them from flying swarf etc. Reading glasses are good, but do not enclose the eyes sufficiently. To my knowledge, however, the safety-glasses are only available with a x3 magnification.
 
I have got a cheap version of the loupes dentist use these days, but they are designed to be standing over the patient and cannot focus close enough - we like to be with our nose closer to work, when sitting at the workbench. So, I don't really use them.
 
For lathe- or milling machine-work I also have a binocular microscope that can be screwed to the bench. The depth of field is very short, so that it is not really useful for bench-work, but it is really excellent for observing close-up what a minute drill or milling cutter does.

Well, in old days I had small pocket calculator on the bench. Now, that the iPhone is always near me, I use its calculator - that's the simplest and fastest option. For converting imperial into metric measures or vice versa, you just need to remember that 1" = 25,4 mm. Converting metric measures into fractions of an inch is not straightforward on normal calculators, while the opposite is easy.

That's kind of strange, that the the bulkheads are behind the gun-ports. Normally, such laser-cut kits are well-engineered ... I gather you will have to show the lids closed in this case, at least the ones in front of bulkheads.

Some years ago, I considered making a model of her based on the Heller plastic kit, which is based on the plans published by the Association des Amis du Musèe de la Marine (as presumably the OCCRE-kit is). The project was abandoned due to the extensive changes that would have needed to be made to the plastic kit. However, in this context I took a number of photographs of the model in the museum in Paris (which, together with other sources preserved in the museum's archives, formed the basis of the plans of the AAMM). The model is in the 1839 livery, when she was painted black on the occasion of bringing back the remains of Napoleon I from St. Helena.
You can have a look at the pictures here: https://www.maritima-et-mechanika.org/maritime/models/bellepoule/bellepoule.html. The model is not on display currently, after the refurbishment of the museum
 
BTW, Odin is a Germanic god, not a Greek one 🫣

"I think good lighting helps more than magnifyers." ... Unfortunately, there comes a time, when this doesn't help anymore 🥲

It also depends on for what kind of work you intend to use it: if you are working with machine-tools, hand-held drill/grinder or lathe etc., it would be advisable to use safety-glasses that enclose your eyes and protect them from flying swarf etc. Reading glasses are good, but do not enclose the eyes sufficiently. To my knowledge, however, the safety-glasses are only available with a x3 magnification.
 
I have got a cheap version of the loupes dentist use these days, but they are designed to be standing over the patient and cannot focus close enough - we like to be with our nose closer to work, when sitting at the workbench. So, I don't really use them.
 
For lathe- or milling machine-work I also have a binocular microscope that can be screwed to the bench. The depth of field is very short, so that it is not really useful for bench-work, but it is really excellent for observing close-up what a minute drill or milling cutter does.

day 2 
full deck fitted and the camber dried ok, but today i realised i had gone to far fwd and aft, and to leave it would have thrown all the templates out, so a couple of frames both ends have gone back to the deck sitting directly on to the frames 


 
deck cut to remove section, remove camber and replace deck

sitting flat

why oh why, what a pain
instructions say lay the deck, then fit upper gun port pattern before planking, well i think thats a pants idea, as it will get knocked about, so i marked where it fits and fitted the lower template, the rear sect was fine, but front end requires soaking and the grain of the wood is vertical so breaks so very easily

this the better looking side
 

im not even going to ask why all the forward gun port are in front of the frames 

planking tomorrow

Well, in old days I had small pocket calculator on the bench. Now, that the iPhone is always near me, I use its calculator - that's the simplest and fastest option. For converting imperial into metric measures or vice versa, you just need to remember that 1" = 25,4 mm. Converting metric measures into fractions of an inch is not straightforward on normal calculators, while the opposite is easy.

"I think good lighting helps more than magnifyers." ... Unfortunately, there comes a time, when this doesn't help anymore 🥲

"I think good lighting helps more than magnifyers." ... Unfortunately, there comes a time, when this doesn't help anymore 🥲

"I think good lighting helps more than magnifyers." ... Unfortunately, there comes a time, when this doesn't help anymore 🥲

Well, in old days I had small pocket calculator on the bench. Now, that the iPhone is always near me, I use its calculator - that's the simplest and fastest option. For converting imperial into metric measures or vice versa, you just need to remember that 1" = 25,4 mm. Converting metric measures into fractions of an inch is not straightforward on normal calculators, while the opposite is easy.

It also depends on for what kind of work you intend to use it: if you are working with machine-tools, hand-held drill/grinder or lathe etc., it would be advisable to use safety-glasses that enclose your eyes and protect them from flying swarf etc. Reading glasses are good, but do not enclose the eyes sufficiently. To my knowledge, however, the safety-glasses are only available with a x3 magnification.
 
I have got a cheap version of the loupes dentist use these days, but they are designed to be standing over the patient and cannot focus close enough - we like to be with our nose closer to work, when sitting at the workbench. So, I don't really use them.
 
For lathe- or milling machine-work I also have a binocular microscope that can be screwed to the bench. The depth of field is very short, so that it is not really useful for bench-work, but it is really excellent for observing close-up what a minute drill or milling cutter does.

For fine work, I use a pair of magnifying reading glasses.
 
John

Not knowing which vessel, the time period, or whether it had wood or steel masts, we can only guess. But Underhill did publish several drawings of different truss types for lower yards in Masting and Rigging The Clipper Ship and Ocean Carrier.
 

 

 
 
 

 
He also included a sail and rigging plan for a two mast topsail schooner (Plate No. 44) in Masting and Rigging, and another for the schooner Kate in Sailing Ship Rigs and Rigging (page 56). The frontispiece in that book is a very nice perspective view of an unnamed two-mast topsail schooner.

I suppose that's how 'builder's models' in the old days often were treated.

Thanks Gregory for your info.
 
So to get the measurement at the bow, you have to fit the garboard and a second plank, then you’d have a stopping point for the measurement?
 
I did not see this mentioned in any of the references or pdfs.

Steam steering drive.

I suppose that's how 'builder's models' in the old days often were treated.

I suppose that's how 'builder's models' in the old days often were treated.

Thank you John and mikegr.
 
And so onto the taper planks. Because I want both sides of the hull symmetrical I set about making the taper planks as matched pairs. Two parallel planks were taped together using double sided sellotape.
I then marked the "unshaped" edge of the joined planks so that I would retain the reference orientation of the planks on each side of the hull.
The planks were then mounted in my "plank clamping vice" and the edges were reduced. It is probably not clear from the photos but a reference taper strip is glued on to the jaws of the "plank vice" so that I can follow this reference when creating the taper. Additionally the clamping vice has inch subdivisions along its length. By moving the end of the planks to different positions along the vice I can create different widths of plank. Currently I am reducing the planks to 2/3 width at the stern and 1/2 width at the bow as per the measurements in the previous post. 

The following shots are just a sequence of taper planks going on to the hull.
 

For the moment the taper planks seem to be working and I am not having to force bend them in the width direction. Consequently I am not experiencing and "Clinkering".
I am bevelling one edge of each plank as it goes on to the hull to keep adjacent planks abutted tightly. I did make a small tool to assist with the bevelling.

However in the end I found that it was just a easy to shape the plank edges with a small sanding block and the tool was consigned to the bin.
 
So it was that I progressed steady to plank 14.


I am finding the pins on the "string" line are really convenient for storing the planks prior to fitting. You can just see one parked on the opposite side of the hull in the next photo.

More planking fun to continue next week.

Finished the engine cylinders, the water feed tank and the fresh water tank. Also repiped the condensate pump. Dry fitted the whole  ship for a picture. I am real happy with the results.
 
The condensate system in place.

The engines in their relative position.

The boiler and the water feed tank. I did not learned the lesson that black kills details. I had the same problem in my Bianchi motorcycle (See my build in Sure Leave). No details.

Next, the port side of the boiler showing the boiler feed water pump. The plans called a vertical pump but I saw this horizontal design (Mason) during my research and wanted to see how it fits. The problem is that the boiler base is not big enough. So, I will have to add a little more the boiler base and start worrying about what to do with the anchor winch. Anyway, I am not getting payed to do this and I am having a lot of fun.
 

And following is final product sans a lot of deck details. But, considering how ugly this ship really is, I love it.
I would like to hear your opinion regarding what color black to paint the stack. I hate to loose all the detail. The stack will have stays and a "mast light".
Thanks for the likes.

PS; I found another forum in France called "La Royale Modelisme". I have been looking for information of another ship I want to model: the Yangtze River Gunboat USS San Pablo from the movie the Sand Pebbles with Steve McQueen. One of my favorite movies. The site is very similar to MSW and you can communicate using Google Translate. Works like a charm.