Mike Y

Finished the bowsprit today. I painted all the parts off the model to keep things looking as clean as possible.
 
I glued the "bowsprit step" in place as per the instructions. After sliding the end of the bowsprit into the step I slid the smaller brass band up against the stem. Once I was sure that there was no play fore and aft I spot glued the small brass band to the bowsprit. I then removed the bowsprit from the "bowsprit step" by pulling the bowsprit gently forward. Once removed, I applied more glue to the brass band and painted the bowsprit behind the brass band black. I then glued everything permanently into place.
 

Well, I got the cap rail done today.  Had problem with the joint between the port/starboard sides so I made a small mod to the stem.  According to the pics in the instruction manual, it shouldn't interfere with anything.
 
Sorry the pics are so dark.  I tried using the flash but it just washed everything out.    Gotta do something about some more lights.
 
Stem Modification  
 
Cap Rail  
 
 

About edge bending. Conventional method (clamping under glass) do not work very well for me, because planks remain pretty wet even after a day of being clamped. Which is reasonable, moisture have no way to escape if it's under glass. And when you lift the glass, planks kicks back and loose half of the bend.
Probably this is the point where hair dryer would be useful, but I don't have one. I only have a heat gun, which I use to start the grill. Used it once, it accidentally melted my clamps
 
So instead I'm doing edge bending by simply clamping soaked plank to the previous plank and leaving it overnight:

 
Works pretty well with boxwood. Jeff mills them with a good tolerance, as a result - planks are thicker then the kit ones. So it bends evenly, without warping up or down. That will not work really well with basswood (tried it), or with big bends probably.. But there is no kickback, next evening it's fully ready for final installation. And if you need to have a very severe bend - that something is not right anyway.
 
I guess that next update will take a few weeks, so far it's just a iterative process, where I install one-two pair of planks per week... Happy summer!

Yeah, it's stained.  A custom mix was applied to the raw wood, then the sanding removed most (but absolutely not all) of that stain, then followed with a straight from the can coat.
 
The custom coat was 10parts Natural, 6parts Early American, and 1 part Golden Oak.
 
After sanding, I applied a coat of straight Golden Oak.
 
It's actually not finished yet, before I seal it I will 400 sand the outer hull and then seal with matt urethane or maybe semi-gloss steel wooled down.

No problems putting pics here to demonstrate something.  Actually seeing something really helps.
 
Well, I've got all the planks on sorta.  Color is not accurate - parts are still wet and I haven't started sanding yet (tomorrow), but for what it's worth.
 
I know that some of the planks (hell, most of the planks) are not equal in width.  I lost track of following the tick strips so hadda make do.  My next models' first requirement is double planks so that I can practice more on the layer that won't be seen.
 
So tomorrow, I'm gonna sand the outer hull and get the color equalized, seal and then on to the inside.
 
Remember - ALL critiques are welcome.
 
Port side  
 
Starboard side 
 
Bow view 
 
Apologize for the blurry shots.  Gotta find a book for this camera.
 
 

Wood stirring straws which are flexible enough works as a stand in for the temp deck.
The bulkheads are rigid. No flexing at all.
Sanding and planking will be next.
Pretty happy with it so far.

 

False decking accordingly to MikeY in Sweden, this to stabilize the bulkheads before fairing.
First plank down matching the keel length.

Hello Hello!
 
Finally something to post on… small progress due to my exam to become a taxi driver (I have failed twice). You can see the Madrid plan on the back. We´ll see the third attempt… fingers cross.
 
I am dealing with the main wale. I cut several planks to its size and length. 150mm divided on 3. 50 + 50 +50. The ends are 3mm and in the middle is 5mm (3) (50) - (5) - (100) (3). The planks are 3mm thick, quite difficult to bend. I soak them on cold water for 24h, then clamp them and let it dried for another day and then glue them with the clamps. By the way I put the shorter length of the plank aiming the stern which I think it´s an error. On AOS boob about the HMS Diana clearly it is seen than is the longest that goes on that way...
 
Here are some pics.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
I am also been thinking. Thinking a lot and reviewing my “research folder” I just found this pic:
 

 
This is a long time project and it is consuming a lot of time. I do not even start to make the beams for the lower deck sooo I´ve decided to “cut” a little bit the project Otherwise I´m not sure if I’ll end this someday!! Beside I do see logs where they are having lots of fun with smaller (but complex) projects. I need to move on. I started this on 2011…
 
Here´s my aim. ->The pic above about the HMS Diana showing one side completed and the other almost “nude”. The portside with all the gun ports open (no guns) the main wale and the planking above it and only three planks under. The starboard with the frames intact and cutting some of them as shown on the picture. I have been always much more interested on the structural issue rather than have a symmetrical and beautiful ship made.
 
Wish me luck. Any comments and suggestions will be appreciated of course.
 
Happy modelling and summer ahead!
 

 
Daniel.

Some photos of the mast. The sheaves are there but not seen from this view.
 

 

The new stem piece is in place, I preferred to attach the stem before the remaining piece from the false keel.
The stem piece has little "extra meat" which is sand-able.
On the other hand I got it perfectly straight!

I even got the connection between the keel and stem tighter this time.

Thanks for feedback. The dimensions and finish were also very different, some planks were at least 1.5 if not 2mm wide compared to the 1mm I ordered. So clearly the wood came from a few different batches. 
I did get in touch with the supplier and suggested that maybe they could knock off the 8 (or was it 9) EUR from next order as a gesture. I got an arrogant answer back so that made it simple, next time I'll just order my stuff elsewhere (I was actually about to order sails worth around EUR100).
 
I just can't understand how stupid sales people are sometimes. If a customer complains, then you apologize (a few times for effect). Simple as that. And you offer a free coffee if you work in a restaurant. TaDa, happy customer that will return!

I decided to start work on another model (work on Royal Caroline have reached the stage where it can be easily done at home in the autumn and winter months). The choice fell on Pandora.
It is my first real scratch build (POB) according to plans from the book Anatomy of the Ship.
The first phase of construction was making a plan of the bulkheads and the keel using TurboCad.

I understand what you are saying Mike, but when I look at my model and I try to visualize those tapered planks on the top and the downward slanting planks on the bottom my brain see an empty "V" or triangle at the stem when I've planked all the way up.
 
But regardless of what my mind say's I'm gonna finish planking this one and see what I get.
 
I do know tho, that from now on I'm probably gonna do the garboard plank the other way around.  When I look at the way your planks run in your earlier photo (almost straight) I think I like that look better.  Although, maybe it depends on the ship.
 
You'll notice that mine is a lot darker.  Actually it's darker than I planned, but I'm going for that "in service" look as opposed to looking new.  Also, I just naturally like darker woods.

Yes, still look good! especially the tricky bend in the rear part of the hull. I failed there, will show my workaround later
 
The front photo confirms that planks are not tapered. A bit of taper will make them really better! Chuck recommended it in my pinnace log, see the first pages. Like this:

 
(Sorry for spoiling your log with my photos, but it's just for illustration - sometimes simpler to show them, instead of explaining the theory).

It looks pretty good actually! No, seriously. No gaps between planks, should look amazing when finished and sanded smooth!
 
Just one thing to mention - there is a problem around second planking streak (from top of the hull, so on your photos - second from the bottom), the place where it is attached to first bulkhead. It should be tapered, to smoothly follow the curve of the hull. Then you will avoid that "warping" around first bulkheads.

 
Tried to illustrate it..
 
Or maybe it's just a camera angle? Can you make a photo looking on a stem, instead of a side photo?
 
Here is an example, looks not very good, but illustrates the point. Notice that plank is getting narrower around a stem:

Yes, still look good! especially the tricky bend in the rear part of the hull. I failed there, will show my workaround later
 
The front photo confirms that planks are not tapered. A bit of taper will make them really better! Chuck recommended it in my pinnace log, see the first pages. Like this:

 
(Sorry for spoiling your log with my photos, but it's just for illustration - sometimes simpler to show them, instead of explaining the theory).

It looks pretty good actually! No, seriously. No gaps between planks, should look amazing when finished and sanded smooth!
 
Just one thing to mention - there is a problem around second planking streak (from top of the hull, so on your photos - second from the bottom), the place where it is attached to first bulkhead. It should be tapered, to smoothly follow the curve of the hull. Then you will avoid that "warping" around first bulkheads.

 
Tried to illustrate it..
 
Or maybe it's just a camera angle? Can you make a photo looking on a stem, instead of a side photo?
 
Here is an example, looks not very good, but illustrates the point. Notice that plank is getting narrower around a stem:

Having a somewhat new shaped stem again I used double sided clear tape and attached the broken piece for the final trimming.This pic shows the two separate.
Here they are taped for shaping.

It looks pretty good actually! No, seriously. No gaps between planks, should look amazing when finished and sanded smooth!
 
Just one thing to mention - there is a problem around second planking streak (from top of the hull, so on your photos - second from the bottom), the place where it is attached to first bulkhead. It should be tapered, to smoothly follow the curve of the hull. Then you will avoid that "warping" around first bulkheads.

 
Tried to illustrate it..
 
Or maybe it's just a camera angle? Can you make a photo looking on a stem, instead of a side photo?
 
Here is an example, looks not very good, but illustrates the point. Notice that plank is getting narrower around a stem:

Ed,
Your work continues to amaze.  Your scarf joints are so good.  Some time would you show how you make them so consistent?
Maury

Okay, here's a couple of pics to look at.  It seems to me that most of the other longboats I have looked at the planks are running straight by the 3 or 4th course after the garboard plank.
 
Mine does not look the same, (at least in my eyes).
 
Can you tell from these pics if I'm doing something wrong?  PLEASE, anybody/everybody don't hesitate too correct me/state your opinion.  I WANT to learn.
 

 

 
By the way, the two planks above the garboard plank( toward the shear) were not edge bent, they were cut by hand from a wider sheet.

Put the plan in the scanner and had part printed.
Used double sided clear tape and attached to the boxwood sheet.
Next is the cutting and trim, and I should have another workable piece.

Okay, repair work commenced and turned out that the stem piece was broken where the keel meets up, didn't see until I had the stem fixed without checking with the false and true keel.
Bummer, new stem is to be manufactured.

Dave - Thanks for the tip. I thought I would post some pictures of my variation of your solution. Besides what else can I do while waiting.
 
As you can see I put some Alcohol is a squirt bottle and then I kept the Q tips wet for about 90 min.

Ouch!!
But looks fixable with a good wood glue? Joint between stem and keel will handle the load, and false keel is thick enough to be edge glued?