augie

Like the others, the blue is becoming nice!  I like the idea of walnut or just natural color for the carraiges.

Well, this is certainly a pleasant surprise.  And you're not wasting any time !!!  Has Popeye cleared you for 4 builds?
 
Hope your bend mitigation holds up.  It doesn't look too bad.  And you'll figure out the deck.  I'll be watching!

Like the others, the blue is becoming nice!  I like the idea of walnut or just natural color for the carraiges.

Like the others, the blue is becoming nice!  I like the idea of walnut or just natural color for the carraiges.

Like the others, the blue is becoming nice!  I like the idea of walnut or just natural color for the carraiges.

Hi Augie
I have been following your build - and just finished reading it again (for the second time). Your work is fabulous and the praises are well deserved.
Chuck's plans are directions are well deserved of all the credit they get also. He has created a fantastic kit and made it relatively easy for all of us to successfully build this beautiful ship. (Thank you Chuck!!!!)
That said, Chuck has created this awesome "paint by the numbers" kit - it is still you that are holding the brush.  And you have created a masterpiece.......
Steve

Looking good Dave!  I think the color-scheme is starting to grow on me!     

Getting on with the business of ship building....
First.... I got tired of holding the model in my lap, so I took a few minutes this morning and created a cradle with cardboard and foam rubber sheets.

 
The with the fixtures now falling into place, the deck is finally beginning to take on a busy look....

 
These knight heads, securing the bowsprit, had to be very precisely located in order for the bowsprit to be aligned properly. Therefore, I have dry fitted the bowsprit in order to look at alignment from every angle.... then I secured the knight heads.

 
A side view of the assemblies....

 
A little closer view of the windless and the little winching fixture I completed this morning.

 
Finally, the rudder and tiller, with gudgeons and pintles are installed. I'm still playing around with how to show the bolts in the straps. Maybe brass?

And the tiller....

Thanks to all for looking in.  I really do not deserve all these wonderful comments ....... if she looks good it's because she was designed that way.  I just do my best to follow Chuck's plans and practicum.  And the encouragement I get from you folks keeps me focused and striving to improve.

Life has slowed down enough to put in some time in the workshop.
 
Continuing on the foredeck, we've installed the belfry and the cap for the deck beam that supports the stanchions for another railing.  
 

 
Next will be fitting the waterways and margin planks for the deck itself.  I've decided to reverse the partial deck plan used in the stern so that the port side will be left open forward.  This will allow a partial  internal view from either side of the ship.

Things have been a bit slow in the yard as the chief shipwright, deciding to use as #11 blade as a chisel, added his DNA to the build.  No major damage but a painful reminder that it's impossible to do the fiddly bits with bandaged fingers.
 
However, we did manage to get a start on the foredeck.  Here, we've added some coamings, companionways, and a second fife rail.  Note the chimney for the stove below.  I love that stove, now 80% invisible.  But we know it's down there !
 
 

Time for an update and the celebration of a milestone.  We've reached 1,000 hours into the build !
 
The planking of the quarter deck has been completed and some of the details (speaking tube, mizzen rail) added.  The deck is planked only to the midline to allow some of the gun deck and great cabin work to be seen:
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
The planking is, of course, Swiss Pear and the treesnails done with the 'drill and fill' method  The finish is Natural stain under WOP.  I'll provide some more detailed photos as the final details are added.
 
 
 
 

Thanks to all for looking in.  
 
Managed to make some progress.  The inner bulwark planking on the quarterdeck has been completed.
 

 

 
Now we'll concentrate on getting the rails on all around.
 
Hope everyone is ready for the (long awaited) change of seasons. Here, in the Northern Hemisphere, it means a decrease in shop time as the great outdoors beckons.  But I hope you all have had a healthy and productive winter 'building season'.

The heavy lifting on the bow section has been completed with the installation of all the hanging/ lodging knees and carlings.  In addition, the inboard planking has been completed:
 

 
Next up is the completion of the inboard planking on the quarterdeck so that we can get to putting some rails on this lady.
 
 

Time in the shipyard has been at a premium these last 2 weeks.  But we do have a small update as we cross the 900 hour mark into the build.
 
The foresheet bitts (with 'working' sheaves), foremast hoop and  deck beams have been added up in the bow.  In addition, the stove has reached it's final destination:
 

 
The last of the forecastle deck beams:
 

 
The view from the bow:
 

 
Next we'll be putting in the hanging and lodging knees and carlings.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Haven't really made enough progress for a proper update but there's something important I need to point out ... and now is the time.
 
The bulkhead beakhead doors were made the usual way by laminating 3 sections together, thinning them down, applying the finish and hardware.  They required only minor adjustments to fit the openings properly.  The two outermost doors will be covered by the roundhouses down the road.
 

 
Next, we fabricated the bowsprit step out of 3/16 and 1/4" strips.  After painting, it was securely pinned to the deck:
 

 
OK, here's what I wanted to discuss.  The bowsprit hole in the beakhead is quite a bit undersized for the bowsprit.  The bowsprit will be tapered but the hole still needs to be enlarged.  With the stem already in place, getting the proper angle and size on that hole is somewhat problematic.  Also, the next steps will include installing additional deck fittings as well as forecastle deck beams which will largely cover the bowsprit step.  I could visualize painting myself into a corner and being unable to properly fit the bowsprit 6 months from now.  So I fabricated and aligned this NOW and I'd strongly suggest you do something similar.  If you check Rusty's great Confed log you'll see that he left off the upper part of the stem (that which holds the figurehead) at this point ----that would give you room to work.  But I didn't think that far ahead.
 
I don't like breaking out my dad's old Craftsman 1/2" drill for work on a 1:64 ship model.  So I slowly enlarged the hole using slightly tapered sticks (old paint brush handles) wrapped in sandpaper.  Yes, it's just this side of Neanderthal (and slow) but it works..... and nothing got destroyed in the process.  Here's what we have:
 

 

 
The bowsprit has a tenon cut in to sit nicely in the step.  That will need to be painted red just prior to final installation.
 
Didn't mean to bore anyone with this as I'm sure you all know it's good to think ahead.  But now my conscience is clear.
 
 
 

The New Year brings with it ....... a small update!
 
There are two bulkheads under the quarterdeck.  They are constructed from laser cut pieces and laminated:
 

 
Here they are, laminated and the blackened brass hardware affixed to the doors:
 

 
The farthest aft of the two encloses the Great Cabin.  It, in combination with the deck beams I've put in, pretty much covers the checkerboard floor.  But we'll still be able to see it as only 1/2 of the quarterdeck will be planked:
 

 
Another view, showing the first of the hanging knees installed:
 

 
There will be both hanging and lodging knees installed for each of the deck beams as we move forward.  I've installed wire inserts to simulated the bolts in the knees.
 
Here's the aft bulkhead taken from the front.  I've also added the mizzen mast cap, some eyebolts and the speaking tube (only temporarily).  It's made from painted brass tubing and extends up to the quarterdeck just where the ship's wheel will go.  I'm not sure what the helmsman would communicate to those down below but I can't shake the mental image of John Wayne at the helm bellowing down "Engine room, more steam".
 

 
We'll be moving forward now to install that second bulkhead.  But first some gangway railings and the capstan need to be installed.
 
Best to all for 2015 !
 
 
 
 

As luck would have it, did manage to find some time to work on deck fittings over Christmas.  So, at about 800 hours into the build here's where we are:
 
THE CAPSTAN
 
Supplied as a laser cut sheet, this reminds me why I don't scratchbuild:
 

 
I'm leaving it with the natural finish to show off the pins made of 28 gauge wire.  The ring on top was photoetched.  She's just pinned on deck for now.  Still need to make some pawls.
 

 
And that brings us to THE STOVE.  Also supplied as (many) laser cut and photoetched parts:
 

 
The basic structure was assembled and brass strip cut for the corners and feet:
 

 
 
 
Lids with copper wire handles and more venting added (along with access doors)
 

 
 
Photoetched parts painted and brass tubes added to simulate stove vents:
 

 
Finally, the rotisserie was added!
 

 
Here it is just placed on my fine Italian brick hearth from fore/aft.  The vent stack will be permanently added once we fit the upper deck beams:
 

 

 
Lastly, just an overall look:
 

 
Sorry to be so long-winded but I thought a walk through the stove construction might interest some.  It was all given a coat of flat acrylic as a final touch.  
 
Much of this will be obscured as the upper deck beams and partial deck go in.  But I know it's there.  And, I have to fess up ---- this was a LOT of fun.
 
Hope to have some deck bulkheads and deck beams in place by New Years.  If I'm not back before then, Best of the New Year to all here on MSW!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Just a quick update.  The cannons have been painted .... and I included the anchors for good measure.
 

 
Wound up using 8 coats of my black/blue acrylic followed with a coat of Testor's Clear Flat acrylic.
 
Now, before anyone goes ballistic on the brass muzzle faces........
 
.....  About 1 1/2 years ago, I was very impressed with Mobbsie's treatment of the guns for his Agamemnon.  He leaves the entire muzzle section in natural brass as his trademark.  It was my thought that a scaled-back reveal of the brass on just the muzzle face might be attractive, if not true to actual practice.  As it turns out, I find this approach very appealing but the jury is still out until the guns are mounted in the gun ports.
 
Naturally, I requested Mobbsie's approval on this blatant pilfering of his idea.  He was kind enough to offer his tacit approval.  Yes, there was some discussion about renumeration for certain taxes on tea that apparently were overlooked a while back....but all has been resolved.
 
Work has already begun on assembly of the gun carraiges.  Hopefully, progress by Thanksgiving!!!

Augie,
 
It's just like a good book.
I have put away for a few moths, get back to a normal life, pick it up and enjoy reading again !!!!!
I don't know if someone told you this but you are a real master builder.....      
 
Sjors

Hi Frank,
 
My compliments for what I see now   
I wish I see this before, your furled sails !
That's really a great job.
I think I will follow lessons with you   
 
Sjors

Having just logged the 500th hour in the build log, it's time for a small update.
 
A portion of the photoetched parts for the outer hull have been added.  The first photo shows them blackened and ready to deploy:
 

 
For the blackening, I use the process described throughout MSW.  Specifically, the trimmed parts are degreased by bathing in acetone for about 10 minutes followed by an 'etching' in a household vinegar bath for about the same time.  They are then soaked in a bath of 50% 'Blacken-it' for 5-15 minutes, rinsed thoroughly then dried.  Before gluing (using either CA or epoxy), the surface to be glued is roughened with a 150 grit sanding block.  After the part is applied to the ship, a coat of Testors Flat Acrylic lacquer is applied.  This protects the coating and (I think) gives a nice appearance.
 
Stern gun port hinges and rings, keel fastener:
 

 
Bilge port and sweep port hinges:
 

 
Bridle port and forward keel fastener:
 

 
Finally, just an overview of where she stands: 
 

 
It is now time to bid a fond farewell to the outer hull for the time being.  There is still much to be done but we will now turn our attention to the innermost details of the ship.  But first, a short break in the shipyard to acknowledge the arrival of good weather, tend to the garden and (long delayed) Spring cleaning. 
 
Everyone stay the course and be well!
 
 

The planking on the foredeck has been completed with the addition of the treenails (drill and fill method) and the finish applied.  The belfrey and it's railing have also been completed.  I left this mostly in natural finish to complement the similar railing on the quarterdeck.  Here are a couple of views:
 

 

 

 
Now it's easy to see the alternating open decking areas fore/aft.
 
Next shall be the fabrication/installation of some head timbers and the catheads.  The cats are quite large and require some 'surgery' to install so I'll be moving slowly ---- only get one shot at this.  Cutting slots in the finished hull is not my forte.
 
 
 
 

She looks good, John.  And congrats on your starting the sail work.  

Great work Mobbsie. Two thumbs, 8 fingers and a whole lot of clapping!