augie

It's time to close down the shipyard and head 'Over There' on vacation.  Keep a lantern aglow in the stern galleries so we can catch up to the Fleet again in mid-October.
 
I wish everyone smooth sailing and good progress in the interim.  Leave me lots of catching up to do when I get back.
 
Fare thee well, mates !!!!

It's time to close down the shipyard and head 'Over There' on vacation.  Keep a lantern aglow in the stern galleries so we can catch up to the Fleet again in mid-October.
 
I wish everyone smooth sailing and good progress in the interim.  Leave me lots of catching up to do when I get back.
 
Fare thee well, mates !!!!

The bulk of the heavy lifting on the stern and quarter galleries has been completed.  Here are a few different angles:
 

 
The photo etched garlands and metal castings were finished with Model Master 'Wood' color (never claimed to have much imagination) then given a coat of clear flat acrylic.  We've already discussed the glazing.
 

 

 

 
And now for the classic CONFEDERACY shot: 
 

 
Have a few things to add to complete the stern.  Neptune (he's at about 11 o'clock) needs his Trident, the gun ports need hinges, eyebolts and lanyards and there's a little touching up to carry out (one or 2 stern lights needs 'caulking').  That will all wait until I get the rudder and it's fittings mounted.
 
I have to fess up and admit I didn't think I'd get it to come out as well as it did.  But thanks to Chuck's design and a little care with all the alignment going back to the stern framing I feel pretty good about the way she looks at this point.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Time for a small update.  The moldings on the quarter galleries and stern have been added:
 

 
The myriad of photo etched details to be added to this area are being painted and prepared.
 
And now for the windows.  The kit comes supplied with laser cut plywood window frames:
 

 
Clear acetate is also supplied.  I don't care for this.  It always looks like it's not there to my eye.  So I decided to try this stuff:
 

 
In fact, it's a water soluble adhesive similar to the canopy glue we use for model airplanes.  It is white when applied, takes a full day to dry and results in a semi-transparent glaze which you either like, or you don't.  To apply it, you affix your frame down firmly to a plastic bag.  Don't try wax paper or the glaze will stick to it.  For 'windows' of this size (about 5/32"), fill the cavity with the liquid glaze.  Once dry, you may spot some defects so plan on doing a second application (or third).  Here's what it looks like in process (the frames have been stained):
 

 
 
Now here's what the finished product looks like.  On the left is a frame backed with acetate.  You can see it's completely clear.  On the right, a frame glazed as above.  It looks like 'bottle glass'.  I prefer this appearance, realizing it won't be everyone's cup of tea:
 

 
All of the windows have now been installed.  As for photos, well, we'll have to wait until all of the leaves, branches, animals and assorted Gods are put in place.  And Spring is calling
 
 

Managed to get a few things done before Spring drives me outdoors
 
Firstly, I talked about thinning the bulwarks.  The first two photos show the 'before' version.  You can see the thickness of the bulkhead frames, combined with the outer planking, gives me an overall thickness of 1/4" +. 
 

 

 
This needed to be brought down to an overall thickness of 5/32" at the caprail and 7/32" at deck level which is seen in the next two photos:
 

 

 
The transom had been previously done.
 
It was then time to add the cap rail to the transom.  Although it may have been possible to do this with one continuous piece (I tried but couldn't), the kit provides two laser cut pieces to handle the curves and a third section is added to the center.  This worked quite well although I need to work on the seams a bit.  They are actually perfectly smooth to the touch, but not to the eye.  Here it is depicted from a few different angles:
 

 

 
Finally, the quarter galleries are making progress.  The first layers have been added.  There is an overlaying layer and additional vertical area to be added.  But I'm pleased so far with the arrangement:
 

 
The interior areas of the QG were stained before it was closed up.  Not much will be visible once completed but this was a good time to get it done.
 
That's it for the time being.  Everyone grab your favorite beverage and sing out a toast to the long-awaited Spring, 2014!
 
 

Thanks Mark.  Yup, what my Admiral calls 'the hole in your boat' will be the display side as she has already determined she's going the wrong way.  Wait until she finds out the masts are only 4" high .  I'm doomed.  But it's all part of the plan my friend.  She'll be so relieved to hear that the next one, according to her wishes, will be fully 'complete' and set to sail in the right direction (even if it comes in at 40" +  loa). 

When the mind is tired, it's time to put it down and turn out the lights Augie. Seems like we should learn that after all these years. I tend to fight it a little too long sometimes.
Like Popeye says.... "I yam wot I yam".
Thanks for dropping in.
 
Admiral just fed me a late breakfast....ready to roll.
Cheers

Good morning.  Hope the nights' sleep brought some revelations and confidence.  Works for me!!!!

Your primer coat looks better than some of my paint jobs.  Good progress!

Really good stuff there, Grant.  You have the patience of a saint.

Chuck,
 
Why wouldn't it be?  There are no "second-class" builds here and all are respected equally.

Spectacular stern.  Take a well deserved bow!

Spectacular stern.  Take a well deserved bow!

good afternoon 
 
thank you everyone for the comments and PM's
42 months after i bought her my build now has a name, 
apart from a repaint and fitting the emergency steering chain aft is now complete, good god i actually finished a bit - lol

Ok....
 
No bus but it is still me !
It's just like clothes......I'm chancing it everyday....
Same with the bus, every day another bus......
Even building....now and then another build.....
Only not Anja...I will keep her !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
@ Kevin,
 
Sometimes you have to change.
 
@ Grant,
 
Yep, a year ago.
Time flies....when you have fun !
 
@ Augie,
 
The passengers has taken the bus and leaving me behind.......
 
@ Mark,
 
Witch log you are looking at, it's always the right log !
 
@ Bindy,
 
Thanks for the good word about the coppering 
Wait and see when I'm done with the other side........
Maybe later today an update !
 
Sjors

Thanks for your comments and likes,jury still out on the painting,time will tell.

Nicely done Denis, the chute adds a completely different perspective to the hull mate.  
 
Continuing to watch with interest mate.
 
Be Good
 
mobbsie

Cutters Ver 2.5 continued....
 
Only a minor update today.  I've been painting the hulls for the last week or so.  Decided to break out the airbrush for this job and after six coats of white paint on top of the gesso undercoat, plus one coat of clear Satincote (one more to come), here's a quick sneak peak at the outside of one of the hulls - just to prove that progress is being made
 

 
As soon as I get another coat of Satincote on the external hulls, I'll move onto the interior, painting that in yellow ochre before proceeding with the fit out.  This painting lark is a slow process! 
 
In between watching paint dry, I've been working on the quarter davits to carry these Cutters.  I've mainly been working from the diagrams and description in Longridge for these.  The basic structure is boxwood, with working brass sheaves held in place with a copper wire pin.  I also manufactured the cleat for the base of each davit by silver soldering brass wire into a T-section and then cutting/filing to shape.  These have been blackened and placed temporarily in place for the photo.  The davits will be painted black prior to final fitting.  At the base of the davit, I have manufactured separately some brass swivel/hinge plates to attach the davits to the hull - these aren't shown in the photo below, but will be fitted in due course.  So here's what they look like (only 3 of the 4 davits shown in the pic):
 

I don't know the ship that well but the flush mount certainly looks appropriate.  Shaping up!

What happened to the bus?  There's some good looking guy in your avatar now!

I had to look twice to make sure I was in the right build log.  No bus.... Hmm...

I didn't update my log after my last regular visit to the museum as when I got there I found that I'd forgotten to pack the wood I needed to continue building!
 
I therefore spent most of the day talking to visitors and having cups of coffee in the members lounge!
 
On Friday I had some extra time at the museum desk so was able to do a bit of work on the 'counter rim frame' - pearling lugger jargon.  This is the frame that runs around the counter at deck level and onto which both the hull and deck planking butts.
 
Because it is fitted into the aftermost frames at deck level, fitting it is largely a case of 'suck it and see' (or trial and error).  So the roughed out frame is now glued and dowelled to the two aftermost frames ready for shaping.  By the time I'm at the museum next Wednesday the glue will be nicely cured and ready to work on.
 
The photos are, I think, pretty self explanatory.  The final one shows the typical kicked up stern of the Thursday Island luggers.
 
John
 




 

What happened to the bus?  There's some good looking guy in your avatar now!

What happened to the bus?  There's some good looking guy in your avatar now!

Good evening everyone
 
sorry about poor photos - i will harder better tomorrow
the six  quarterdeck cannons are now completed that leaves a couple to do forward in the future, as i am not sure where i am going to put them, after all i still need room for the band 
the next bit will be paint any showing brass bits and train the ropes to lie down they have been pva glued to stop the fuzziness biut as a result they need to be dampened again and some weights to make them look a little more realistic
believe it or not as far as i am concerned the worst of this build it now over, maybe another 20-30 hours finishing things off on the hull then into phase two of the build, the bit i am so looking forward to