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Julian - Thanks for the kind words. I am glad that sharing my trials and processes is useful to others. I will be happy to send along a copy of the spreadsheet and I have PMed you concerning that. Thanks, Bob

I looked through my photos and found some shots of the knee arrangement on the gun deck and the orlop deck. It sounds like you have already captured that information. The other thing I noted was long diagonal braces (I think Henry called them riding beams) at the lowest level of the ship. They were introduced to deal with the hogging that was always a plague to ship builders. Henry said that even after two hundred years, there is almost no deflection in the keel on Constitution. I also have a pic of the capstan on the gun deck that shows some of the detail of the pawls. Probably not useful to you ssince you are not adding the gun deck Bob

Interesting box art. I wonder if the JD is used as a finish, or something to drink while commiserating over the kits shortcomings. I had a tour of the ship in August - if you'd like I will look through my photos and see if there is anything that might be useful to the kit-bash. I will be following along as well. Bob

Wow, Ed, just wow. I showed the Admiral the last photo taken through the viewport and she said "look at those knees"... I guess that tour of Constitution Popeye2sea gave us really paid off! Incredible work, sir. Looking forward to more updates! Bob

Correct - 1:48 would be 33% larger. I'd love to see what you could do at that scale. The MS plans have lots of details that could be brought out at that scale! Bob

Funny how life gets in the way of our hobby - it'll be nice to see you moving forward again - she has turned out really well to this point! Bob

Alex - The Black Queen certainly turned out very nicely. I say 'great job' to you and Anthony, I think the cherry baseboard adds an interesting touch - almost looks like the ship is sailing over the waves if you look at it just right. Congratulations on a job well done! Bob

I'm not sure where that advice came from. I can only tell you that I didn't add anything to the keel former when I was at that stage of the build, and I had no trouble with cutting the rabbet or getting the planks to lay into it. Since nothing was addded, there was no need to extend the stern post. I strongly suggest you start a build log and post some pictures so we can see what you are up to - it will also help as questions and problems come up in the build (and they will ) 2130 has been a fun and challenging kit, well worth the effort. Bob

Sam - that is one good looking hull. I just love those clipper lines. I like the paint choices you have made too. That red stripe certainly dresses her up. Did I mention that the coppering jobs looks nice and clean too? Thanks for sharing. Bob

Nice to meet you too Sam - maybe we can do a face-to-face at the NRG conference in Mystic next year! For posting photos I refer you to this article, which is much better than me trying to explain it all. I don't know if the subject of posting from an iphone is covered but it probably is somewhere in the 7 pages of conversation on the subject. If not if you post the question there, someone will surely respond in short order. http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/540-how-to-add-pictures-in-your-posts-and-pms/ I hope this helps - looking forward to seeing those FF photos. Bob

Interesting test results, Jan-Willem. To my eye the semigloss finish looks the warmest and most natural. I like the look of the left side, although I am not sure whether the HB pencil or the charcoal looks better, I am leaning toward the charcoal at the moment. I have read many times that scale model finishes are best if they are slightly understated, and I think these two do that best. Is the purpose of the last photo in the series to show the 'shiny' effect of a varnish finish? I'm not sure how much of that would be seen in the finished model, particularly after all the deck fixtures are in place. It seems that you need to view at a severe angle to pick up the effect. In any case, you are the builder of this model and you should proceed with what you think is best! I don't know enough about finishes to say whether it is possible to varnish over oil or not - there are those present on the forum who have real knowledge on that subject - I bow to their wisdom. Bob

Sam - I have this kit on the shelf awaiting the finish (someday) of my Bluenose build. The scale is indeed 1/8" = 1 foot or 1:96 scale. Using this scale with the info from the article JerseyCity Frankie provided, the fore yard is 8 3/4", the main is 10" and the mizzen is 7 3/8". I am sorry to hear about your issues with MD and appreciate the time pressure that puts on you. However if you have time to take some photos of your work and are willing to post them, I know you will get lots of support from the crew here at MSW. There is a lot of interest in Clippers, and a few modelers here who are pretty expert on the subject. Frankie - I checked my bookmarks to see if I needed to add this one - happy to say it was already there Bob

Grant - I think I started following along at about the time you were considering redoing the stern galleries and Danny stepped in with his generous offer. I watched in slack-jawed amazement as the two you you collaborated on that monumental task and produced the wonderful result of that came out of it. Since then I have been continuing to observe and appreciate the attention to detail - and there sure is a lot of detail - you have given to every subsequent phase of the build. Congratulations on coming to the end of one journey, and giving us an insight into what can be achieved by persistence, an unwillingness to accept "good enough" and a boatload of talent, to be sure. I am looking forward to the cross-section and whatever comes after that! Bob

JPett - I go to Florida for a few days and see - THIS! I'd say you've made a pretty decent leap here. I will be following along with interest. Lokks like you are off to your usual thoughtful start. The run of the planking battens looks pretty sweet to me. Bob

Hi Gary - That is an impressive list of resources you have accumulated. I watched one of the YouTube videos - the guy sounds how I felt when I first started the build. Coming from the plastic model world, I expected detailed instructions and was disturbed that they weren't there. Now when I watch him complain there is no measurement listed for the air port, I think to myself "pick up that nifty caliper you have and measure it!". Wood modeling is a different world, and has it's own set of quirks. Stick with it, ask questions, and think ahead- you'll do fine. I am loooking forward to watching another Bluenose come to life! The link Jan-Willem gave you to the Nova Scotia archive site is VERY useful. There is nothing like seeing a photo of the real thing to answer some nagging question. Bob

Jan-Willem - like Julian, I think the HB pencil gives the better finish and that the more subtle color is better. For the treenails, I like the idea of staining them to be close to the deck color. I'd suggest trying some without the charcoal blackening. From what I've seen on real ships, the treenails were slightly larger than the holes drilled for them, so were literally forced into place with a mallet. With that tight a fit, no caulking was necessary. Give it t try both ways and see what you like best. Bob

Thanks Steve for the kind words. I am always happy to hear that the log is useful to people - that's one of the reasons I do it. I'll send you info about my unnumbered Swiss account for the royalty deposits I have to agree there is something special about the schooners - they have a certain feel that is hard to put into words, but it takes my breath away to see them out on the water, or when I get the rare chance to actually sail on one. Interesting, I grew up in Glastonbury too, back when it was a rural farming community/Hartford suburb mix. Small world! Bob

Jan-Willem Here is a list of what I ordered from Chuck. I was unable to dig up where I figured out my quantities - it may just have been a SWAG on my part. I haven't started any rigging yet, so cannot claim any accuracy to what I ordered - we'll see what I run out of when I get around to the rigging. I went with tan for the running rigging and black for the standing rigging, mostly because that is what I have put on models forever. I hope the information is helpful to you. Bob 008 (.20mm) Black Rigging Line - 20' per package - Linen/Cotton Blend Quantity: 1 .012 (.30mm) Black Rigging Line - 20' per package - Linen/Cotton Blend Quantity: 2 .018 (.45mm) Black Rigging Line - 20' per package - Linen/Cotton blend Quantity: 2 .008 (.20mm) Tan Rigging Line - 20' per package - Cotton/Linen Blend Quantity: 2 .012 (.30mm) Tan Rigging Line - 20' per package - Cotton/Linen Blend Quantity: 2 .018 (.45mm) Tan Rigging Line - 20' per package - Cotton/Linen Blend Quantity: 2 .025 (.63mm) Tan Rigging Line - 20' per package - Linen/Cotton Blend Quantity: 1

Jan-Willem Sorry but I have been away from the board for a few days and will be at less than full capacity for the next week or so. I recently placed an order with Chuck to replace the kit rope supplied by MS. I figured out what to order by going through the plans line by line and measuring length. I think I allowed for twice the measured length for each thickness and kept the information in a spreadsheet. When I am in a position to get my hands on the order data, I will send it along in a PM (I don't think spreadsheets are allowed as attachments to logs). I don't think I went as small as the .008, but there may have been another diameter in there as well. The information I captured was for both standing and running rigging. You will have to decide color you want for the standing - I went with black assuming the standing rigging was mostly wire. Bob

Jan-Willem Actually, I did both to the chainplates. I have tried blackening without much success at various point during the build. The best I've done is a brownish coloring that doesn't completely rub off. I find that doing the blackening first seems to make the paint adhere better when I apply it over the blackened brass. I suspect that is because the blackening agent etches the surface of the object, sort of like what an etch primer would do. Looking at the photo in the link, and at the others in that Marine Survey section of the archive, I think the top masts may have been unshipped when the photos were taken. I was unable to clearly see a topmast shroud (which is what that smaller deadeye is for) in any of them. I would have expected to see it somewhere in the photo you linked if the fore topmast was indeed up there. Adding a little triangular extension to a deadeye sounds like a reasonable approach - and it would save you the pain of having to drill three small holes at just the right orientation in a small piece of wood! I'll be curious to see what you come up with. Bob

Jan-Willem First, thanks for calling me out on the direction of the upper deadeyes, they do indeed point up. About deadeye size, take a look at this photo: http://novascotia.ca/archives/virtual/bluenose/archives.asp?ID=88&Language= If you zoom all the way in and look at the left side, starting from aft there are three large-size deadeyes, then a smaller one partial hidden by a rope coil, then a fourth large deadeye at the edge of the photo. The numbers are consistent with the MS kit, although the kit shows two large, the small, then two more large. That's the way I did it, and I don't think it is going to change now The setup of deadeyes is the same at the fore and main masts. 4 large for the mast shrouds and one small for the topmast shroud. I took a caliper to the deadeyes and the sizes you calculated are accurate - so much for trusting the parts list! About the blocks, I think they are a generic item MS supplies for all periods of ships, and the grooves are there for the rope stropping that was done in days of yore. Bluenose strops are metal and I believe they are laid flush into the blocks. I installed the first few on deck without thinking about it too much, other than that the stropping was invisible in photos so I just drilled a small hole and glued my hand-made hooks into it. On later blocks I have spent some time filing the shoulders down a bit so the don't look so "blocky". I haven't done anything with the groove on what is already installed and probably won't on the rest, either. Thanks, Bob

Jan-Willem I am using kit-supplied blocks and deadeyes on this build. The lower deadeyes on the channel are round and there are 20 1/8" and 6 3/32" round deadeyes supplied. This includes 4 extra of the large size and 2 extra of the small. The upper deadeyes for each of these pairs isn't round at all, but more triangular in shape, with the point facing down. They come on the laser cut part sheets. The rigging plans don't have any deadeyes at the topmast at all. There is a lanyard that runs between an eyebolt on the cross-tree and an eye spliced in the end of the topmast shroud. I wish I had installed the chainplates before painting. I also noticed a bit too late that the chainplates are actually let into the hull planking to the point where they are almost flush. There may be some photos in the log of the L A Dunton that I took at Mystic Seaport a couple of years back that show very similar details on that ship. (Or they may have been in my more extensive log on MSW1.) If you want to attempt that detail, I wish you well. I was afraid I would cut all the way through the planking if I tried it on my build. The kit supplied blocks are: 5 3/32" single 35 1/8" single 15 5/32" single 12 3/16" single 20 1/4" single 35 1/8" double 15 5/32" double 6 3/16" double 6 1/4" double 6 9/32" triple The MS kit is 1:64 scale so the smallest single block scales to 6" and the largest to 18". The larger sizes are used to control the booms and gaffs, so are used in rigging the main sheets and the throat and peak halliards. The smaller sizes are used to rig the various jibs, topsails, and fisherman sails. If you are not going to set up sails on your model you will not need as many of these. BTW, I'll leave it to you to do the imperial to metric conversion for the various blocks and deadeyes . If I had it to do over again, I would probably replace the kit blocks with Chucks product. I have bought some of his rigging rope and like the look and feel of it. I can't say how well it works just yet, as I haven't had the chance to take it out for a trial yet. The bowsprit rigging was done a long time ago using the kit-supplied line. If you have specific questions please let me know. I am no expert on rigging, but I've been looking at these drawings for a few years so havesome familiarity with it. Thanks, Bob

Jan-Willem I'm glad you were able to find a photo of the area - it is nice to get answers to these questions. I agree with the approach. If you can't see separate pieces on the original, it doesn't make sense to model them at 1/64 scale! Bob

Congratulations Dave on finishing another build. I love the details on deck and the overall shape of the ship. Looking forward to the next one! Bob

Jan-Willem Here are the photos you requested. Hope it helps. That solid block you see runs all the way to the stem where it wraps around the bowsprit. I think the stanchion count is accurate. I suspect that not every frame is continued above the deck so the number of stanchions is less than the number of frames. Enjoy, and let me know if I can share anything else with you. Bob