bhermann

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

Below are pictures of sanding the bevel in a carling and an early test-fit of same.  Sanding, test fit, sanding, test fit until it is flush with the beam.  For the carlings intercepting the beam arms (at an angle), I mark the angle and cut that first, then cut the bevel with a chisel.  The opposite square end is then cut to size and sanded to the bevel.  All the carlings are installed.  Now on to the ledges.
Maury

Hi.
 A update.. and the finish.
A few photos of the finished Ship.
The hardest part for me was the rigging as my hands are not very nimble.
The painting was OK and we did this without struggling.
 I enjoyed building the Black Queen.
 

 

 

 

 
Well thanks for all the very supportive messages and the likes
The base board is cherry with a huge knot in. Not usable by Antony my carer.
But I like the pattern.
 
Alex.

Thanks Popeye and Bob!
 
I've been working on the main fife rails.  I turned the legs, carved the tops, and drilled and carved the seave pullies.  I need to finish staining the lower part of the curved legs
 

 
I also worked on the mizzen fife rails.  These just had to be turned.  I'm doing all of the shapes by hand and eye.  I need to learn how to make a form to ensure that they are all exactly alike.
 

 
 
This was the hobby lathe attachment for a micro mark rotary tool.  It's not too bad.  I had to make a longer bed for it to do the masts.

 
Bob and Nenad,
I'm sorry that I missed your rudder builds.  So I felt that I needed to include photos of mine.  Nenad, I feel embarrassed that i forgot the gasket.  The sea is going to poor into my stern 
 

 

Nenad,
 
Here are some photos .
 
I mounted the pump onto the WC
 

 
 I also tried creating a crew member.  He didn't come out as nice as I would hope, but it's a start.
 

 
Before I started traveling I was working on getting the blocks onto the masts.
 

 

 

 

 
  
 
 
What a pain!  The tiny mizzen blocks at  1mm tried my patience. 
 
 
I'll get the camera out and shoot the foot ropes on the yards.
 
Also  before all the traveling I made casks before putting my hobby lathe away to make more room to work
 
Thanks
Marc
 

Final steps in stowing the anchor.
 
An eye splice for lashing the anchor ring to the cat head.
 

 
Anchor ring lashed to the cathead.
 

 
Cathead tackle shifted to a sling on the anchor shaft.
 

 
Anchor in the stowed position.
 

 
Next up.  Fastening the cable to the anchor.
 
Gil

Moving to the port davits.
 
Making the falls (tackle) for the port davits.
 

 
I've chosen to display the port davits in the inboard position, while the starboard davits will be in the launching mode.
 

 
Note the slack topping lift.
 

 
Topping lift tensioned with weighted clip.
 

 
Lift sling, jackstay and guys treated with fast C/A to hold shape.
 

 
Weighted clip (Battery cable end filled with solder and tied to the mini clip.) These can be very helpful, placing light tension on lines during rigging.
 

 
Cheers, Gil
 
 

Hi, just found your build log and read over it.  I have quite a bit of experience with plastic kit modeling so thought I would share some tips, if you don't mind.
Last time I built a plastic model was 1987 (and it happens to be the last model I did until I started on my first wood ship) so is been a while but I can remember allot of how I use to do things.
 
As mentioned  by src.  before you start anything on a plastic kit, clean all the parts with a degreaser first.  If you have allot of small parts and fragile parts on the trees like the constitution kit does ( I built it in the early 80's ) remove the parts place in a mason jar with water and degreaser soap and shake well then drain with a wire mesh strainer and rinse.  The reason you clean it is this.  They use a form release spray on the mold before injecting the plastic so the parts don't stick to the mold when they goto take the trees out.  This stuff is a petroleum based material and the factory doesn't remove it later, they just pack it in the box as is.  This stuff will cause no end of grief with paints and glues.
 
Glues, use thin coating.  If doing a US or european made kit use model GLUE.  if making a kit out of asian use model CEMENT.  The plastics and glue/cements are formulated differently.  US and most euro companies use the same plastic formula that when you use model glue the glue chemicaly reacts to the plastics causing them to 'weld' at the surfaces ( unless you don't get the form oil off the parts first).  Asian kits the plastic wont weld so you have to use cement.
 
Paint also does not stick well to the form oil, especially acrylics (water and oil ).  When painting don't over load your brush ( no bulbous glob of paint on it ).  Paint with brushs same rule with house painting  always in the same direction.  never one way then another.  Don't try to get a full covering in one coat.  Do it in layers vs a heavy coat.  Takes longer for the paint under the surface of a heavy coat to dry and paint can then run and sag.  Don't over brush your paint.  Running your brush over the same spot over and over you will see the paint start to set up and then you will shred the paint surface and  shredded paint can't be fixed by just painting over it, you have to remove it and do it again before it drys.  
 
Learn some artist paintbrush techniques like fan brushing, dry brushing, washs, fades, and so on and on...
 
Don't mix your bushes.  a brush you use for acrylic, always then acrylic.  Oil based always oil based.  They leave residues behind in the brush and especially on the adhesive used to hold the hairs together.  will make the brush deteriorate faster and effect paint you use.
 
Get some cheap throw away brushes for dirty jobs and good brushes for the good jobs.  
 
http://www.mcgillswarehouse.com/ great place to get some of your supplies like brushes.
 
Don't rely on just brushs for paint application.  Use your imagination here.  sponges, sticks, fingers q tips cotton balls, paper towel... I knew a painter that only did his paintings with a crowbar.  Need to be imaginative to solve these problems.
 
Don't remove paint mistakes with a hobby knife, or sand paper or emory board ect.  You dig into the plastic and cause it to 'whiten'  plus you disrupt the paint surface.  Keep clean paint brushs, q tips, cotton balls, paper towels, rags, toothpicks, and clean thinner handy and dry brush the excess off.  For detail removal wrap a bit of paper towel around a thin stick of wood or metal or even a toothpick.  Light bit of thinner on the towel and work the paint off. 
 
To paint straight lines mask, as mentioned.  Don't use masking tape or cellophane tape, masking is porus and cellophane will 'rip/tear at the paint as you peal the tape off.  Use a normal painters tape from any place that carries paint.  You can also use other stuff to mask with besides tape, just be sure its easy to remove later.  Like latex or silicone calking, rubber cement, elmers white school glue, greese/vasoline, modeling clay ( this one is super easy to make straight lines with), electric glue gun glue, ... use your imagination something that can it a form can be trimmed to the desired line/edge and easy to remove.  Just remember that many of these leave a residue so you need to remove that as well.  When using a mask to paint and edge.  keep the paint as THIN as possible along that masking else you will rip and tear the paint job when removing the mask ( like the cellophane tape will).  Keep as much paint OFF the mask as possible also.  If you get paint on the masking, wipe off the excess right away, don't let it set up or dry.  the more you keep off the masking when time to remove the less damage you will do to the paint job. 
 
Also brush work will help you paint straight lines.  light load your brush, start out brush AWAY from the line edge and paint INTO the line.  If you have a rippling bulge of paint on the leading edge of your brush when you brush to your line you have too much paint.  Back off and spread the paint a bit then go again.
 
Learn how to mix and thin your paints.  Many model paints are too thick when trying to do detail work.  Need to thin them out a bit.  Thin with linseed oil, not thinner ( for enamels ) unless your doing washes ( then use both )
 
Don't rely on just model paint to paint your model.  You don't have to restrict yourself to get the results you desire.  I've used inks, markers, crayons, dyes, oil paints pastels... what ever gets the results you want.   For detail work like the prow and name plate you can dry brush the color over the surfaces or you can goto a shop that sells ceramic supplies and get antiquing rubs.  They are a colored ( usually metallic shades) wax comes in a small jar like carmex.  Rub your finger on it then rub your finger over the raised surfaces you want to color,  blow off any dust, then coat it with a clear coat like mogpodge, varnish or modeling clear coat. 
 
Speaking of wax.  Get some bees wax for your rigging lines.

Hi all,
I was experiencing delays in posting because of problems trying to post pictures. I was getting pretty frustrated until I went back and re-read the pinned instructions.  I was using IE 11.  No matter what I tried it would not work.  Finally switched to google chrome and it works like a charm... So on to my update.
 
Coppering the hull took forever.  There was so much to learn because it was not just creating the stamps but learning how to use various tools, drills, Mill, compound table, wire cutters for high strength stainless steel, etc. 
 
I decided to experiment with nails of different diameters per Chuck's suggestion. Being a glutton for punishment I decided to try to follow Thomas Gahm's examples. 
 
Thank you Thomas for being very helpful in sending me additional information to help get me started. 
 
I could not get the tightness of the nail pattern as small as Thomas did but I did get mine much smaller than the nails supplied with the kit. I used 26 gauge Lancets made for diabetes testing.  I separated them from the plastic casing and cut them to size. They are not only thin but very strong requiring a bit of a search for wire cutters whose blades would not be damaged.  Went through to or three flush cutters with ruined blades before I figured out they were just not tough enough.  Finally went to wire cutters pictured below and just calculated the offset as part of the cut.
 

 
A quick view of the weeks of trials to get where I am with Copper plating.
My first attempt was to print out a pattern and use a Dremel drill in a drilling stand to make the holes.  Manually moving the piece to be drilled did not work out.  So I decided to use my new Mill and its compound table.  Given my starting skills level, I had to work through, how not to break the drill bit, how to change to a higher speed on the mill, how to use the compound table, how to calculate the spacing for the nails, and how to not break the completed stamp when adding the additional wood layers and much more.  Took weeks of rework.  I made about 15 stamps before I got it where it was acceptable... whew!
 
Below is the set up with the Dremel and stand. I just could not get accurate enough to meet the pattern.  
 

 

 
Then I decided to try it with the compound table on my Mill.  Once I learned how to adjust the belts to increase the speed, the drill bits stopped breaking.  I did not use a paper template but relied on calculations as shown further below.:
 

 
This is a sample of the form I used to calculate spacing for the drilling.  One purpose was to translate all to thousandths so I could just count the demarcations on the dial scale of the compound tables vs. eyeballing it :
 

 
I built the various parts of the stamp:
 
 
 
Once the copper was imprinted I had difficulty cutting the plates at a consistent 90 degrees. I found this device below on Amazon.  There are others like it but this one is nice and compact.
 

 
I used a large diameter lead from an art pencil clamped to a height gauge to mark the water line:
 

 

 
Finally began putting the plates on the boat:
 

 

 

 

 
It looks decent but I messed up on the first (Port) side.  While I used a cotton glove when touching the copper, I used my bare thumb to separate the copper from the backing. I must have gotten oil from my fingers on the very corner of the glue side of the plate because now many of the corners are lifting. 
 
When I did the starboard side I had cotton gloves on both hands and used tweezers to separate the copper from the backing.  That side has no problem with corners.
 
Now, I am trying to figure out how to get out of removing all the plates from the port side and having to re-stamp and reapply them.  I tested a lacquer spray on a sample piece that I assembled the same way I did the port side.  It helps a little but there are still corners coming free.
 
Puleeaze.... Any suggestions on what can be sprayed, applied, etc to avoid having to re plate that side would be welcome.
 
Richard

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 91 – Main Deck Framing 2
 
The first picture shows the most time consuming step in framing the deck – fitting the hanging knees under the beams.  I have been doing a lot of this lately.
 

 
After fitting the knee its bolts are installed at the workbench, it is sanded smooth and then glued in place.  Later it will be further secured with two functional copper wire bolts – one down through the beam and another through the frames.
 
The next picture shows a few more beams installed with their carlings.
 

 
The next picture shows the aftermost beam on the main deck – at frame 36. 
 

 
There will be a few steps down to the cabin deck and a few steps up to the poop at this location.  A transverse bulkhead will be installed from the main deck to the poop deck.  The cabin deck will also be closed off from the hold with internal partitions.
 
The next picture shows some other work being done as the beams are installed.  Chocks with circular holes have been installed just aft of the fore hatch.  The anchor chain tubes will fit into these holes and extend from the main deck into the chain storage area in the hold.
 

 
The next picture shows more main deck beams fitted and some additional details installed.
 

 
The two bored chocks at the main deck have now been installed – also the topsail sheet bits.
 
Finally in the next picture - aft of the main hatch - framed, bored openings for the two bilge pump suction pipes have been made and installed.  These pipes will extend down to the outer planking in the limber channel just aft of the main mast step.
 

 
The plank strakes outside of these openings are for the pillars under the main deck.
 
 
Ed

This is the present state with the masking tape present just for some detail touch-ups. I still want to do a couple coats of red and then varnish the hull.

Thank You for the link Bob. I tried couple times no luck. I live in Cincinnati but go home to see in-laws in Woodstock and might make it. Have to get move on here as I am on way to eye doctors to get injection in eye. It stops bleeding for a few months then repeat process all over.

Let me try this one

More filling,sanding,primer coat,filling,sanding primer coat,top coat.

Today,in between sanding down the lower hull to be ready for my attempt at coppering,I thought I'd have a go at making the pig-pen and windlass.Early days yet,but pretty happy with how they're coming on.Never attempted to make a windlass before.

Elia thank you for nice comment 

All masts are now tapered. The parts for mast caps were very poor quality and holes for masts were far too big for tight fit. I made my own from 2mm plywood. Every part is specific to the location they go. Nothing is not glued yet.
 
 

Update
Hello everyone!,
Haven't posted a update for a while. I was very busy with school and other things. 
But I have now a week holiday so I did some things on the ship again.
 
There are lines between the planks of the deck. I don't know how they are called in english, but I tried to make them with paint on the side of the planks. The result was dissapointing. So I tried to make them nicer with lead pencil, and it worked!    
 
I did also do some things on the gun ports. Here is the result:
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
I hope to do some more, but otherwise there will not be a update for a while (because of school   )

Davit attached to hull.
 

 
Line weighted to create curve in jackstay. (Fast C/A between clamps, Clamps moved and second application of C/A)
 

 
Forward hinge at hull
 

 
Topping lift
 

 
Tackle for cutter
 

 
Aft block and hook
 
Haven't built the boats yet, but I'll have to study Grant's lovely cutters, pinnace, etc.  Cheers, Gil
 

 
Topping lift
 

 
Lines left to right, guy, topping lift and jackstay
 

 
Termination of topping lift from block on mizzen mast through block on deck ring
 

 
 
 
 

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 90 – Main Deck Framing 1
 
Again, many thanks for all the nice comments and "likes."
 
In the first picture, the breast hook between the middle and main decks has been installed and the main deck hook is being fitted.  The main deck is the weather deck aft to the break at the beginning of the poop.  The forward section is covered by the forecastle.
 

 
I made the deck hook in two pieces to save on wood and was not too particular about the way the pieces are joined since this will all be covered by decking and the forecastle.  The side planking treenails in the picture have not been sanded off yet.
 
The first major task on the main deck framing was to make the beams.  The full set is shown in the next picture.
 

 
I have described the method for cutting out these rounded up beams in previous posts.  It is very fast and very accurate.  The set shown were made in less than two hours starting with a 2” thick block of Castelo.  The process, including tools and fixtures, was fully described in Naiad, Vol II.
 
In the next picture the beams have been cut to size, fitted and pinned in place.
 

 
Most of these beams are 15” wide except for those at the mast partners (17”) and those nears the ends (12”).  All are 12” deep.  On the original ship they were hard pine – as were all the beams and much else.  Frames were white oak and most of the knees and hooks white or live oak.
 
The next step was to mark the centerline on each beam.  The next picture shows the last and easiest step in the process that begins with a string line between pins on the stem and sternpost.
 

 
Although this process was done for every deck so far, I was a bit tense about the string line falling equidistant between the outside of the frames at each point.  It is getting a bit late in the day to fix any problems with this.  Misalignments would be very visible on this deck and could create a nightmare when the masts are installed.  The mast partners on the main deck must be plumb with the mast steps on the keel and also come through the center of the deck.  Fortunately, the centerline was well centered with only very minor remediation, so I am now in a more relaxed state.  After a substantial amount of checking, the pencil line drawn above was converted into a permanent scribed line on each beam. 
 
In the next picture the locations of all the carling and header scores are being marked out while the beams are still pinned in place. 
 

 
The distances were marked out from the centerline with dividers.  In the picture a piece of carling stock is being used to mark both sides of the scores.
 
In the next picture the setting of beams has begun at the bow.
 

 
The first very short beam will be secured only with lodging knees.  The hanging knees with their simulated bolts have been installed on the second beam.  The third beam has been glued and pinned to the clamps.
 
In the last picture the third beam - with its hanging knees and pillar - has been installed. 
 

 
The next beam has been glued to the clamps and frames.  All of the scores in the beams are cut at the bench by hand before the beams are set – from the marks made previously.  Carlings are installed progressively after the knees and pillar on each beam.
 
A period of repetitive work will follow.  Most of the time doing this is spent making the hanging knees and fitting them under the beams.  Fortunately, some preparation work in this framing for main deck facilities will break some of the routine.  So, three down, thirty-one to go.
 
Ed

Hi,
 
here comes a little progress on the ship. 
I was mostly working on handrails. I also was finishing the figurehead and some other things but still need to take pictures of that. So that will come in next updates...
 
Cheers,
Jan

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

Just continuing from the previous post, a few more shots of the finished ship:
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Now, a number of you have been wondering what’s next. 
 
As you know, I’ve been leaning more and more to the “dark side”, but I also want to take on a slightly smaller project - hopefully one that won’t take 19 years to complete!  I’ve also been encouraging my very good mate Mobbsie to come with me to the dark side.  So one evening while we were chatting on Skype, we decided that it might be fun to do a “group build” together and that is what we shall do.  The subject will be a cross-section model of the Bomb Vessel Granado in 1:48 scale.  We will be using plans drawn by Jeff Staudt (available through our neighbour site Model Ship Builder), and we are using timber from Jeff Hayes at HobbyMill. 
 

 
I’ve promised Mobbsie that I won’t start until he’s finished his Aggy, which he reckons is another couple of weeks away (yeah, right - so far, he’s achieved in 19 months what it’s taken me 19 years to do!).  So for a group build with a difference (since we're in opposite hemispheres), keep an eye out for our respective logs - coming to MSW in just a few short weeks.
 
I have also had a hankering to do a non-ship related build, so I will be doing this in tandem.  It is a (relatively) small kit from OcCre of Stephenson’s Rocket. 
 

 
Of course, I won’t be able to run a log of that here, but will provide a link for anyone interested.  And don’t be surprised if you see something “rocket-like” in the background of the Cross-Section updates!
 
Catch you all on the other side.  Thanks for following.       

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

Ahoy Mates
 
Scott: Yes, its an ADHD thing 
 
Sjors: Thx, not too sure about the falling thing though. 
 
Dragzz: Taking time is something I don't have a problem with. Now taking too much time, that is a different story. Slow would be an exaggeration to explain my progress.
 
 
Back to the build
 
Planking has commenced. I have found that planking is one of my favorite things to do in shipbuilding
 
I spent a lot of time making sure the first two planks which represent the last wale plank were correct. I knew from my last endeavor that this first plank would determine the run of ship. Normal procedure in my shipyard seems to be to do one side, followed by the other. Then after doing the second side finding flaws with the first and redoing it. Actually it went even further here: After making corrections to the first I then proceeded to find more things on the second (see pics). As I stated getting this right and starting off on the right foot is "to me" very important. Any time spent making these repairs always comes back to me during planking. I am not a big fan of this work but I know that it lets me enjoy the planking stage. 
 
One of my fixes was to raise the point in the bow. Although I took careful measurements from the plans and spent some time on it: it just did not look correct. I made the call to go with what I "with lack my experience" thought was correct and not what I was seeing on the plans. I am sure there will be retribution but this is the first layer of planking; and we have some room to experiment. My adjustments in the last post did reduce the klinkering but not enough and the planks that followed let me know if I did not change this I would be spiling sooner then I would prefer. 
 
In the pics you will also see that I have started on the cannon supports which also do not follow the plans. This was me just being stupid. I am not sure if this mistake will cause a problem but will need to check these after the first layer of planking. I really need to develop a habit of referring to the plans more before I start anything. I did look at the plans , just not all of them. Checking this sheet is even mentioned in the little book which makes my mistake even dumber.
 
 What I did was to measure the height of the gunport and put the wood between the bulkheads at that height on both bulkheads and at a depth 8mm or 5/16" on center. It should be fine where there is a single gunport between the bulkheads but might require a correction on any that have two. What I missed was the wood should not be at the same height on each bulkhead. Thankfully the port supports I have completed so far are in an area that has very little sweep. I also used a full length filler where the entry is supposed to be. The plans show this has a half filler which I will not be doing. I could hear it rattling inside the hull after I knocked it off. After I finished with the planking off course. I will have to give this some more thought. The rest of these will need to follow the sweep which will make them considerably harder to install. I am not good at measuring and then cutting angles but I guess it is time to improve that skill too.  I also have the first two that I installed which are 2mm too low to contend with. These are not easily removed and I am thinking of recessed holes or washers to adjust the cannons should they need it. I can always remove/cut out the planking around that bulkhead if I remember to check them before starting the second layer.  
 
In the pics you will see that I am following Chucks planking method using the fan and tick strips to mark every plank. I made a slight change where he uses string to create the belts. I like the 1/32 by 3/32 basswood. It tends to let me know how much klinkering my paths will cause and allows me to adjust them to reduce it. It was here that I made the call to change my first plank. I am going with 3 belts 7, 7 and 8 planks. For anyone following this build that equals 22 which is considerably less then shown on the plans. This difference has caused me a bit of a conundrum in the stern as I do not know how to plot the planks here. My measurements tell me that the space I need to cover here is equal to the width of 25.5 planks.  Where this totally confused me on my first build I now know that because the planks will be terminating here at an angle their widths will be greater. This does not however mean I know at what width and where so I will be winging this area on this first layer. It will be a learning experience that thankfully I have the good fortune to experience and then cover with the second layer. I was hoping for a drop plank in the bow but my measurements tell me otherwise. I purposely measured for one less plank where the filler meets the keel on the first belt to cause one. 
 
I am also using a plane to shape the planks. A really cheap POS I found at home depot and spent a few hours tuning. I might upgrade it. I am really hoping to improve my skills with this tool, I really don't see how they could get any worst. I am enjoying it but can see I need a jig of some sort to hold the plank. That and cheap ones really are worthless. At least this one is
 
Planking in the stern is also not as bad as I expected. The planks don't seem to mind the bend I have created for them. I use a piece of PVC pipe first then switch to a prescription pill bottle to preform them. I actually have found that if work them, bending them repeatedly around my forms; flipping them over and bending them in both direction they soften up and have no problems with the complexly of this stern.   I am also using a rather large pin that I predrill and actually hammer in to persuade planks. I need to miss less with the hammer. The pins leave a rather large hole  that is perfect for a treenail. We all know how much I like tree nails. Not as much as I like beer but it is on that list. 

 
Thanks for stopping by and comments are welcome. Please do not hesitate to critique my work. All I ask is that it is constructive