augie

OK, here you go.  From that glimpse of the plans, it looks as if you've picked a formidable challenge for a build --- let alone scratch.  But I'm certain of 2 things:  it will be both a learning experience and will result in a model you'll be proud of.
 
I'll just pull up a chair here.......
 
Best of luck 'New builder'.  Perhaps time for a new name????

Well, here goes……my first nervous steps into the world of the scratch build! This will be my second model and as such, I think POB is a wiser choice. Maybe the next build will be POF, but that’s in the distant future.
 
I really have admired the beautiful and ornate galleons of the 17th and 18th centuries and was finding it a hard decision as to which one to build. The problem was solved when I received the plans for the San Felipe. They were 1:75 and I changed the scale to 1:96 so it would not take up as much real estate in our home and thus be displayed more easily. I know it will be more challenging to achieve the detail I want at this scale, but I will give it my best and am sure I will have help along the way from the talented and knowledgeable members here!
 
While researching the San Felipe, I stumbled upon some doubt as to whether she really existed or not. My conclusion is this: I am satisfied that the evidence for both sides of the debate is sketchy at best, so I have no solid reason to believe she didn’t exist. At any rate, I feel she is a wonderful and beautiful example of the Spanish galleon of her time – real or not!
 
Here is some of the history I have found on her:
The SAN FELIPE, launched in 1690, was one of the most beautiful Spanish galleons of the XVII century. She was the lead ship of the famous Spanish Armada and able to take on the most formidable ships in the French and British navies. The San Felipe's was used in the war against the British and French to protect Spanish settlements and harbors, to transport treasures, and to safeguard the long and hazardous passage back to Spanish ports. In 1705, she participated in a furious and heroic battle between 12 Spanish ships and 35 British ships. After 24 hours of battle, she was captured by an English ship, but was so badly damaged that she could not be salvaged as a prize. She went down to the bottom of the ocean with several tons of gold.
 
The story goes that the ship model is based on reconstruction drawings published by the Italian Vincenzo Lusci in 1966 who referred to some 19th century Spanish historian. Lusci described the San Felipe as a first rate ship with 104 - 110 cannon that was launched in La Coruna in 1690 and was lost in 1705 after a battle with 35 English ships.

Great work Andy, Knot far to go now.
 
David

She's looking good, Andy.
 
How about we club together and buy 'you know who' a talking parrot?  "Arrk, arrk, pictures, pictures, arrk!"
 
John

Finished the standing rigging?  Oh, I thought it was something significant.    
 
Seriously, mate, a beautiful job and very well done indeed.  I trust you enjoyed your favourite libation while admiring your handywork!
 
John

Looking good, Popeye!  Sjors - I have your first order ready - where should we send the bill?????

Holy cow ...... MSW is on fire today.  Thanks Sjors and Bob.
 
Foremast -- no sails for me.  As beautiful as they can be, I greatly prefer the clean look on a model.
 
Floyd ---- I lost count after 500
 
Anja ---- thanks for approving my vacation request
 
Thanks, Robert!
 
Dan and Frank --- I don't sweat the snow.  Had my backbone fused with $80,000 worth of titanium just for the occasion
 
Ben ----- Chuck must have a HUGE family by now.
 
And ANDY- stop pulling my leg.  You can handle the rigging.  Rumour has it even you-know-who can do it (but I've yet to see photos).
 
 
 
 

Sweet work there Andy, ahhh the joys of rigging, I'm sure you will do a first rate job like the rest of the build. Just keep posting photos for Sjors to keep him sane.
 
Ben

Great work!  Well done sir.  Oh and don't get lost in the snow it's crazy out there.  Think I'll stay in where it's warm with a cup of cocoa and a ship to build. 

Can we have a drum roll.........please!!!!
 
 
The standing rigging has been completed !!!!     :)                                     
 
 
In spite of a few ham-handed mishaps (see 'where the he_ _ did the Martingale go'),  I think it went well.  She is really taking on some character.  For the very first time, she looks better in person than i the photos.  But with Sjors looking on, ya gotta have pics.  Let me know what you think as I take a break for a day or two to shovel out from the in-process blizzard:
 
 

 

 

 

 
I am happy with the bowsprit as, just a few days ago, it looked like an explosion in a rubber band factory.  I need to complement designer Chuck Passaro (again) for not only the intricacy of the layout but also for taking the time to explain everything so clearly in his Practicum.  THANKS CHUCK!
 

 
And here's my favorite shot
 

 
OK, it's time to do some 'yardwork' and get the spars and yards together.  I'm thinking I will leave them in a natural finish but not decided yet.  After adding the dimensions of length and height into the ship, I look forward to now providing width    
 
Finally, thanks to everyone here on MSW for providing advice, encouragement and positive thoughts (you too, Sjors).
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Can we have a drum roll.........please!!!!
 
 
The standing rigging has been completed !!!!     :)                                     
 
 
In spite of a few ham-handed mishaps (see 'where the he_ _ did the Martingale go'),  I think it went well.  She is really taking on some character.  For the very first time, she looks better in person than i the photos.  But with Sjors looking on, ya gotta have pics.  Let me know what you think as I take a break for a day or two to shovel out from the in-process blizzard:
 
 

 

 

 

 
I am happy with the bowsprit as, just a few days ago, it looked like an explosion in a rubber band factory.  I need to complement designer Chuck Passaro (again) for not only the intricacy of the layout but also for taking the time to explain everything so clearly in his Practicum.  THANKS CHUCK!
 

 
And here's my favorite shot
 

 
OK, it's time to do some 'yardwork' and get the spars and yards together.  I'm thinking I will leave them in a natural finish but not decided yet.  After adding the dimensions of length and height into the ship, I look forward to now providing width    
 
Finally, thanks to everyone here on MSW for providing advice, encouragement and positive thoughts (you too, Sjors).
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I'll just keep in mind that Sjors would like photo-documentation of the minutiae of our lives.... Save having this "miss-understanding" in the future
 
Andy

Transom looks great.  Thanks for the blow-by-blow.  Should come in handy for the folks that follow us.

Thanks Augie, I'll give a look. I think, If a re-application of finishing product will be needed, it will be a problem of Hansa Ship's crew!!! With the delivery of the ship, every shipwright's obligations cease and begin captain's ones !!!!
To have a sailboat is a wonderful thing. Many years ago I often went by sea with friends on a sailboat up and down along Croatian and Greek coast and their isles during my holidays. Now you have made me remember just all restoration works, night shifts at the helm, and the countless times I had to go underwater to disengage the anchor in the port!!!! But .... what a joyful holiday was every holiday. A period by sailboat is one of the most beautiful things that one can do during his life; everyone should live this experience at least once.

Alex

Thanks Robert and Grant.  Your good wishes are a shot in the arm.
 
Now, as for SJORS.  You, sir, are photo-happy.  You want pictures of everything!  If I say I had ham and eggs for breakfast can't you just believe me and not ask for a picture of the dirty plate?????????  You need to understand that, at the height of the conflagration, so much steam filled the room (from coming out of my ears) that photo documentation was all but impossible.

Popeye,
 
Seems to me that you're having way too much fun in this building. . . Wait . . . Having fun is what it's all about . . . Never mind.
 
Bob

The carronades were mounted on the sleds and set on the deck temporarily.
 

 
Once satisfied, the carronades were permanently mounted and the breech ropes attached.  I could not manage the gun tackles this time around.
 
Deck fitting were begun with hatches, shot racks and the capstan.
 

 
This was followed by the companionway and the binnacle/belfry.
 

Sjors is right.....we have to get back on point.   Until the next mid-course correction comes up     .
 
I hereby certify, under penalty of law, to have a bona fide, ship-related, photographic update posted within the next 59 hours.

5) Prepping the hull for finish
 
The gaps and splits in the walnut planking that had occurred over the years due to dryness and wood shrinkage (shown in the earlier photos) were repaired with sawdust and thinned white glue and sanded. The triangular garboard fillers at the ends of the keel were stained for a better color match.
 

 

 
Then the fun part. Lemon oil was applied to all the bare wood. Instant magic! I just love the look of oiled wood. The main thing was to NOT use an oil with wax or silicone in it as that could interfere with my plans for a shellac top coat.
 

 
The exterior was rubbed down with a few applications of oil and the interior was oiled using a brush. The previously shellacked floorboards and seats were unaffected and any stray oil was wiped off of them.
 

 

 

 
This will need to sit for a few days before I apply a thinned out shellac wash coat to seal it.

Good morning all,
 
As advised, today, I am posting the pictures related to the construction of the main range finder/radar installation.
 
Here goes:
 
The start of the assembly - the main housing turned on the lathe.

 
The two binding components - the range finder housings and the range finder sleeve housing.

 
The structure of the two side housings made from styrene sheet.

 
Checking for correctness.

 
Another view.

 
The side housings, under the tension of the masking tape.

 
The side housings in place.

 
Filling the gaps with filler.

 
Adding on the final details - the lens housings and the connection flanges.

 
A bottom view.

 
A close view.

 
 
 
Shall try to post part two today.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Thanks all, for the interest and kind words. "Suicide" seems a fair description of the mission of this boat. Of the fifteen crew, two died and eleven were captured, but rhe mission was successful and the target sunk. There seems to be little certainty about how the torpedo was deployed and detonated, but it is clear that it involved getting right up to the target to place the torpedo.
 
Final work is now underway, with completion in the next few days.
 
Bob

I was hoping that you folks who know what they're doing would stay off here for a while and make the rest of us look better.  Oh well

Augie,
 
Correct me if I'm wrong….
 
You had Ham and eggs for breakfast and it don't taste….
So you trow the dirty plate to the room and it hits the bowsprit.
When that happened you see the kettle boiling at the stove and there was coming steam out of it.
Because you where so angry that you thought that is comes right out of your ears.
And because you where afraid of damaging your camera, you don't make pictures…..
Make this any sense???????????
 
Sjors

You are too kind, Sjors!
 
Sarah - to avoid cluttering your build, I am going to add some info to my build log on the masts and yards.  That work for you?

The instructions are rather generic - a couple of drawings in the instruction book, the plans sheet, but since it is at such a small scale (1:144) and the topmast and top g'lant yard are very small diameter, the detail can get lost or overwhelm the spars.  tapering the topmast is a very delicate operation since it starts so small.