bhermann

Work on the Bowsprit Bitts:
 
I started the notches for the crosspiece with the saw--

 
The notches in both the uprights and the crosspiece were cut out with the saw, a knife, and files.  The knees are temporarily glued together so they can be identically shaped, and the small piece you see next to the file will go underneath the bowsprit tenon, near the deck--

 
The shaped knees are easily separated with isopropyl alcohol--

 
Here are the pieces of the bowsprit bitts.  You should be able to detect the slight upward angle of the knees because the deck is sloping up at the bow.  Full disclosure, the uprights are probably a little oversized, and they should probably be tapered as they go below the deck, but I made them very early in the build, when I wasn't aware of such details, and I planked the deck around them.  I do not have a problem letting this go as is--

 
Here are the uprights, knees and cross piece dry fit--

 
There is one problem, which in this case, I do not want to let go as is.  If you look at the main bitts on the right in the above photo, you see the deck planking goes around them, and they correctly sit on the deck beams below.  With the bowsprit bitts, at the time I planked the deck I didn't think enough about how they would be made, and I planked over the areas where the knees should be.  This means surgery on the deck--

 
I will not carve this out all the way through to the deck beams.  Just enough so it looks like the deck is planked around the knees.  Here are the two shallow knee slots carved out--

 
And the knees dry fit--

 
Now the bowsprit added to get an idea of how it looks all together--

 
The bitts pieces were then glued together.  They were glued while fit on the ship, so looked exactly like the last photo.  Except for that little piece that goes underneath the bowsprit.  The glued up bitts were taken off, and the little foot piece was glued on, using the bowsprit to space it correctly--

 
So here's the glued up assembly--
 
 
This slides neatly into place, still unglued to the ship itself for now--

 
And with the bowsprit added--


 
It's good it's not glued in yet.  I realized looking at the photos that I had forgotten to very slightly round the edges of the knees, as was done on the main bitts knees.
 
Ron
 
 

I finally finished the forward section and also added the davits to the stern. I had to do some modifying of the rails to get the davits to fit snugly on top of the rails and therefore ruined my perfect paint job. The davits are kit supplied parts. The next thing I planned on doing are the stanchions and netting on top of the rails. I can see that there is netting there on the plans and box pictures but no netting in the kit? hmmmmm? So what do I do about that? I might have to do something else while I think about that.
 
The forward section. Knees and rails in place with the fairleads on top of the rails.
 

 
First side in.

 
Both sides in.
 

The final product.
 

After I twist my ropes on a ropewalk, I always stretch them a bit in my hands. The ropes are like rubber bands, so they will slightly stretch and the individual strands at the same time will "lock in". Any ugly "fuzziness" I burn away over a flame.
Then I pull them through a chunk of bees wax two to three times and again pull them tightly between my fingers to remove excess wax. The heat generated will also melt the wax which will sink in.
 
I make my ropes mostly from cotton crocheting fibres, not from polyester, which is even more 'rubbery'.
 
On my Corel's "Victory" (bashed) the shrouds retained initial tightness after more than 10 years.

Bob, 
Good to hear you will be back at the yard.
Good luck setting up your retirement. 

Work on the starboard lower cheek bracket:
 
After my first attempt at the bracket, which I could tell (before getting very far) was not curved enough, I made a rough card template--

 
Using files, and a sanding block, roughed out the shape--

 
Test fitting on the model.  I am not happy with the curve.  It is still too flat, and not a good transition from the lower cheek--

 
Trying again, this one is better--

 
The three attempts, and using the third one, traced it for the port side bracket (or a fourth starboard try if needed!)--

 
Scraped the molding profile into the bracket--

 
And glued it in place--



 
I will move on to the port side cheek brackets, and then I need to finish work on the bowsprit and it's step.  The bowsprit will need to be installed with it's gammoning, before finishing the headrail work.
 
Ron

A small update.
 
Work continues on the cheeks and headrail.  The primary cheek pieces are glued.  The headrail is dry-fit, still some fine tuning to do.  And the upper cheek piece as it connects to the scroll is roughed out, and dry-fit.  It also needs some further shaping work--

 
Ron
 

Thanks for sharing, Dave.  I've been wondering how to make this happen and this is very timely.  I can see from the photo what a cow hitch is - I guess it will be a visit to animatedknots to figure out what overhand and square knots look like (can you tell I was never a Boy Scout ).
 
I think veterans assume this sort of info is obvious to everyone, so they don't think it worth posting, but I am glad you decided to share!  I'd be curious to see what the 'full-size' attachment looks like, if you have any info on that.
 
Thanks,
Bob

Bob:
That is good work. Very impressive save.
 
Russ

Hi Per - I have Chucks rope ready to go.  As of now only the bowsprit is rigged.  I made up my own turnbuckles for this from the kit supplied brass strip and wire.  I used speaker wire for the footropes as I couldn't see how to get thread to drape properly.,  I did use thread for the stirrups.  Other than that, it's all standard stuff.
 
I'll be getting back to Bluenose at some point - ATM I am working out some bothersome details on my astrophotography setup and am not spending any time in the shipyard.
 
Bob

Still out here, but no work on the Bluenose.  I have taken on a different ship-related project for now.  Following in Caroline's (VulcanBomber) footsteps, I am working on a counted cross stitch image of a ship sailing past some rocks.  I have been at it since January, and am less than 1/2 way through.
 
Bluenose continues to wait patiently, sitting next to me on  the desk, being admired and thought about fairly regularly...
 
Bob

An update - not new build stuff, rather this is about when I may resume.  I am close to setting a retirement date at the end of 2021/beginning of 2022.  Since I originally took up model ship building as something I would be able to do after the working days were done, it seems fitting that resumption be tied to that event. 
 
Bluenose is still sitting quietly on the workbench (in her Lands End cradle), patiently awaiting my attention.  The time is coming!
 
Bob

About 2/3 planked.  The starboard side will only be partially planked - the small bits are spacers while I tinker with the layout.
 

 

 

Anyway... rant over.
Here’s some pics of initial build phases.
Bulkhead numbers 4 and 8 both required some adjustment to get them to slot far enough down into the false keel, and also the forward mast stabiliser required some sanding to get it flush the deck and stop it from causing the deck to be wavy. 

Hello there ... again?
It's been ... oh, maybe 35 years? Back then I called Merritt Edson a friend, mentor, critic, source and, on more than one occasion, a savior.
Recently, I started opening old boxes - lots of old boxes - and was greeted by the smell of wood and loads of everything ship modelling and nautical history from a lifetime ago. I was a goner. Now, there's a two-year-old great niece who doesn't yet know that there's a Grand Banks schooner with her name on it. Literally.The launch is, hopefully, the week after Christmas, if I can wipe my rust off fast enough.
By the way, I'm doing my old Model Shipways Benjamin W. Latham, 1/8 scale, waterline, with (hopefully) some custom details and scratch-built deck fittings and structures like the old days - again, if I can wipe my rust off.
You'll be hearing from me.
It's good to be back.
Regards,
Rick Menapace

Hull planking - was done mostly in my lap.  (What can I say, I didn't know any better!) 
 
Bob

Finally another update. I finished rigging the guns at the bow. I also finished the pin racks and installed some cleats. Time to move toward the stern and rig the guns as well as install the pin racks. There are another 16 guns to rig and twelve pin racks to build so this may take me a while. 😏
 
 

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 323 – Wrapping Up
 
Finally, 99.999% means complete.  Since the last post it has been a lot of little chores: snipping rope ends, the last few rope coils, touching up with paint, waxing standing rigging lines, clean up, etc.  Some of the "major" chores are described below.
 
The first picture shows the final disposition of the crojack sheets and tacks.  These were simply allowed to hang free from the clue garnet blocks with their full lengths coiled on deck.  They were tied down to one of the beams under the pile of rope coils to keep them vertical and straight..
 

 
The main braces could finally be run, since access was no longer needed to the deck area between the main and mizzen masts.  The next picture shows the starboard brace pendant shackled to the outer boomkin eye.
 

 
The fall of the brace runs from the yard pendant through the lead block on the rail in the center of the picture, then to a deck cleat.  The other blocks on the boomkin are the upper and lower main topsail braces.  Two missing eyebolts still need to be fitted on the rail. The picture also shows the completion of another chore left over from the volume II work, fitting chains to support the boomkins.  The next picture shows both of these.
 

 
The next picture shows the starboard swinging boom, the lower studding sail boom,  being lashed to the fore channel brackets. 
 
 
The alternative would be to store these on the skid beams over the cabin, but this seemed more appropriate, since in port these were often used to moor ships' boats.
 
The next picture shows the model with the dust case removed in the relatively cleaned-up workshop.
 

 
Finally, launch.
 

Please excuse the amateur artwork.  Couldn't resist.
 
Ed

Thanks Stevinne, Rich, Popeye, Jonathan, Todd, Capt Steve, K, Dan and the likes.
 
As for heirloom, I hope one of my kids wants this once I am dead and gone. I wouldn't blame them if they didn't, but hopefully they will find a good home for it. Let's hope that won't be a problem for many, many years.
 
K - keep up the great work on your Connie. You are doing a great job on it and your build log is excellent too.
 
Dan - I really enjoyed your articles in the NRG Journal on building QA's Revenge. Your are as talented a writer as you are a modeler.
 
A couple of last pictures that I took last night after dark. I was really curious how the LEDs would look and I was very happy with the result. We started calling this the Museum Room last night.
 

A bit better image to show the raging sea.

Hi all. Having finished the Cape Byron lighthouse and the M24D Hind helicopter, and still waiting on my next kit, I'm making the other 3 lighthouses that came with the first. These won't take long, so I hope my other kit turns up soon. Here are pics of the three :
 
Tacking Point, Port Macquarie :

Hornby - Watson's Bay, Sydney :

Cape Green, Eden :

 
First up is the Tacking Point lighthouse near Port Macquarie NSW. It was built in 1879 and was the 4th of five lighthouses built around that time on the NSW mid-north coast of similar design. More information can be found by clicking HERE.
 
I'm going to donate it to the Port Macquarie Maritime Museum so it can keep company with my HMS Vulture, which I donated to the Museum several years ago. They have a cabinet full of models built in unusual ways, but as far as I know this will be the first one made from paper.
 
I've actually finished this one already - it took me 2 1/2 days. Here is a pic of most of the parts, some of which I've already prepared :

 
I reinforced the base with a few card strips :

 
The utility building :

 
The dome for the light. The additional card in the middle is a method I've used for previous domes - it makes it much easier to glue :


 
The completed model :





 
Danny

Bob, 
Thank you, you certainly inspired me with your build log.

An update - not new build stuff, rather this is about when I may resume.  I am close to setting a retirement date at the end of 2021/beginning of 2022.  Since I originally took up model ship building as something I would be able to do after the working days were done, it seems fitting that resumption be tied to that event. 
 
Bluenose is still sitting quietly on the workbench (in her Lands End cradle), patiently awaiting my attention.  The time is coming!
 
Bob

I received this as a Christmas gift last year and recently decided to give it a shot.  The model comes packaged in a 6"x6" box and works up into a 5 1/2" model stem to stern.
 

 
The materials consist of two steel sheets with all parts attached via sprues.  Construction is of the "insert tab a in slot b" type.  The tabs can be folded over or twisted 90 degrees to lock the parts together.  Steps are laid out in a series of diagrams - no text here.
 

 
Tools used for construction - a wire cutter to cut parts loose (some have three attachment points and I cut one before twisting the parts loose) and a needlenose plier to fold or twist the tabs to lock in place.
 

 
The order of steps is logical and I was able to follow with no deviation.  Here is a shot of the underside that shows several of the tabs twisted and locked in place.
 

 
A few shots of the finished model follow.  The pieces were not dangerously sharp, but I wouldn't recommend this for younger kids.  I was thinking about getting one to build with my 7 year old granddaughter, but I think I'll hold off on that.  I have a paper pirate ship I picked up a few years ago - we may start there.
 



 
A size comparison with my Bluenose in progress
 

 
and the model in it's display location atop my monitor.  We'll see if the cat allows that to continue.
 

 
Overall the model went together well.  The pieces were strong enough to take some flexing, the assembly plan was logical (although a third hand would be useful at some points), and the completed model holds together well.  In short it was just the thing to help me keep my hand in model building, while I continue in my Bluenose doldrums.  It's a fun little project that takes a short amount of time and provides completion satisfaction quickly.  Now I can say I have a completed build!
 
Bob
 

I hear you Bob. Unfortunately I have also had to learn that one has to think in years here, rather than days or weeks...
Since we built our house 3 years ago my Bluenose is also patiently awaiting better times...
It is what it is. I look forward to seeing more of your work, knowing that this seems far away now but will be there before I know it. 😉