augie

Congratulations to a little master piece, Sal!
 
Thomas

I’ve been working on the stern.  I didn’t like the look of the swiss pear.  I wanted more of a contrast with the boxwood.  So I removed the pear planks and replaced them with walnut.  The walnut is much darker and I like the color.  In the process, I re-did the ‘openings’ for the stern windows, I re-painted the windows, AND I re-printed the name on the stern.  All in all, I’m pleased with the all of the results.
 

 
I added the beams for the quarter deck as well as spare wood to support the opening for the stairs for the officers.  The stairs were built and added.  After a few tries, I think the stairs came out O.K. (even though I had to use swiss pear to get the size of the sides and steps right).  The color is not so important here.
 

 

Robbyn,
 
A "poor man's" waterline marker can be made by grabbing a takeaway coffee cup (preferably empty), turning it upside down, then inserting a pencil through one side and out the other at the required height. Then run the coffee cup around the ship. Voila - instant waterline!

Well it was a very productive holiday break.  While the wife and daughter were out shopping I got to play.  For this post I was going to do it a little differently.  Instead of showing all the steps and then the finished product I thought I would present the finished piece first and then show all the steps for those wanting to see what I did (it is rather long).
 
So ‘Ta-Da’…my longboat.  The oars and rudder have not been permanently glued in yet, because I’m trying different arrangements to see which I like best.
 


 
Now the steps.  Since this was going to be my first attempt at building a boat like this I thought I would make up some cross-section templates from the drawing to help me shape the hull.  The exterior of the hull was rough sanded and shaped with a ‘mouse’ sander and the interior was done using my dremel and a high speed cutter.  The final sanding and shaping was done with the dremel using a coarse and fine abrasive buff.  The sheer profile was marked out on the exterior of the hull and shaped with a drum sander attachment on the dremel.  All finish sanding was done by hand.
 


 
Instead of installing the center keel next and then the interior ribs on either side of it I decided to leave out the keel and install the ribs for each side as one piece.  I decided to do this since the floor boards will be covering the keel and it won’t be seen. The first rib was installed approximately at the center of the boat.  Once that rib was set I used a 3/32” wide plastic zip-tie to space the remaining ribs.  I saw this method used here on MSW but for the life of me I can’t remember whose log it was.  As careful as I was I found that even after soaking the 1/32” square strips for hours with ammonia that they still kink towards the bottom.
 
 

 
While waiting for the glue to dry between ribs I worked on the longboat oars and the ships sweeps.  I’ll describe how I did these later on.
 
 

 
Next for some unknown reason, well there was a reason but that’s another long story, I install the keel, stem and stern posts.  I would not do this at this point the next time. After staining the interior of the boat the floor boards were placed as described in the instructions.  I used sewing pins for spacers between the boards.  You need to be careful not to push them through the hull.
 

 
 
The thwart support was added next.  I used a drafting divider to mark its location on the ribs.  Note that these pieces and the floor boards were all stained prior to gluing them in place.
 

 
Next I wanted to see how the longboat would look with red bulwarks and caprail, so I cut out a caprail using some red construction paper and….well the wife and daughter put the nix-e-do to that and I agreed.
 

The grating and thwarts were done next.  The grating was done per the instructions and the thwarts were dressed up a bit by scribing the edges. By some miracle most of the thwarts landed squarely between the ribs.  The thwart with the iron strap to support the mast was cut out of the scrap 1/32” thick laser cut sheet.  The iron straps were made from blackened copper foil and the belaying pins were ones left over from my Phantom kit.  The idea for adding the scribed edges and belaying pins were gotten from Chuck’s Model Shipway’s Longboat kit. So were the split rings and mast step on the floor boards.
 


 
The windlass was made per the instructions.  I tried to make the shaft octagonal but it came out more roundish.  I should have tried to make it round and then it would have come out octagonal for sure.
 

 
Moving to the exterior of the boat the caprail and molding below the rail were added next.  I used the laser cut caprail with some modifications.  The rail provided was a little short, so I needed to cut the end off and add a piece.  I apologize that I don’t have any pictures of this because my phone (camera) went dead. After gluing the caprail in place I wasn’t too happy with the outboard side so I sanded it flush to the exterior of the hull and then added a 1/32” square strip to the outside edge. The molding strip was added as per the instructions.
 

 
The oar locks, splash panels, knees, and bowsprit step were added next and then the exterior of the hull was painted.  Once the paint dried I added the gudgeons and bowsprit iron strap. I also added some pins to the bottom of the keel and the chocks on the gallow bitts to help position the boat.  The rudder and tiller were made as per the instructions.  I tried to put the pins in the pintles but they were just too small.
 


 

Just came across your log, Ken and wanted to wish you luck on your first wooden ship build.
 
Just one comment.  I've worked quite a bit with basswood from MS.  I always use a pre-stain on it if it is to be stained.  It cuts down on blotchiness that you can run into without it.  Also, Golden Oak, as is, is pretty dark.  You might wish to consider cutting it down to 30-50% with a natural stain before applying.  As with any finish, it's best to make a sample of what you want to do before committing to the entire model or section. 

Shaz the easiest way to do a waterline is to make a fixture that will hold a pencil or marker at a specific height.  I made one a couple of years go and found it useful for waterlines.  Once the height is set you level the hull and move it around the fixture.  This is the easiest way I know on how to get  straight waterline.
 



 

 
David B

I finished the carronades. Below are some images showing the final result.
 
Thomas
 

 

 

 

 

My Admiral has a few of those Ott lights for her weaving.  They're pretty good as well.

Very well done, mate ...... all around.  Thanks for sharing with us.

Hi All,
 
Well finally finished the mainsail.  Process was the same as used for the smaller foresail, but as expected it took me a lot longer to complete. I still have a bit of work to help the sails hang more naturally, but I will wait to see how the mizzen sail hangs all the sails and lines interact before tackling this.
 
Images below as and of course, my thanks for all the kind comments and the likes.
 
Cheers,
 
Nigel.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 

We usually count on Sjors for the popcorn.

Like you, I have a goodly amount of natural light coming into the shop.  But I also have both incandescent and flourescent lights up on the celilng so I can check things out under all 3 conditions or combinations.  It's not a really big deal as our ships are mainly to be displayed indoors but it does make a big difference with flying model aircraft.
 
Whatever you decide, put in more than you think you need.  You can always turn them off!  And try to have light coming in on both sides of the ship.

thanks Patrick     ........baited breath........hmmmmmm,  I wonder how that saying came to be?!  did someone get drunk and eat some worms?  EWWWW!
 
sorry.......couldn't resist       we have that same phrase here in the states.......I believe George Carlin came up with the punch line    I think it was right before he came up with the seven words you can't say on television      you are very welcome to follow along !
 
as I was writing this update,  another idea came to me.   I have a few of the tack line decorations that I didn't use for the Half Moon.   all I needed to do,  was add the rings,  and came up with a pair of door knockers........courtesy of Scrooge and Marley !
 

 

 
well........the wax paper did work.......but the window maker took the finish off the paper,  making it kinda cloudy.   you know,  I really don't know why this is so important.   if I came up with crystal clear windows,  I would have to finish out the interior.  it would mean........interior wall coverings,  floor coverings,  furniture,  Tiffany lamps,  staffing and customers.   with cloudy windows,  I can skimp with just a couple simple oil lamps.  I ran it by the admiral.   she just gave me the look..  
 
right..........stick with the K.I.S.S. method.........I understand ..............
 

Very well done, mate ...... all around.  Thanks for sharing with us.

Good advice there from Chris.  Especially the fact that Model Expo, who carries all of the Model Shipways kits, does regularly offer specials  sometimes as much as 40-50 % off.  Check their website regularly as, with Christmas approaching, they are due for a sale.
 
I'm a big fan of Syren having completed here as my first plank on bulkhead wooden ship.  Keep in mind she's at a smaller scale (1:64) versus the larger 1:48 Fair American.
 
As for 'add-ons', of course you'll need paints and adhesives and manual cutting/sanding tools.  You do not NEED expensive power tools like mills or lathes to successfully build Syren.  As you move along, you'll see these tools can improve the level of your work but they can come later once you can see their utility.  And the woods supplied by Model Expo in the kits is generally reasonable.  You can easily drop $ 1,000's of dollars on power tools and hundreds on exotic woods.  Spending that kind of money would best be done as you progress in the hobby.
 
Whatever you choose, start a build log here on MSW.  There's a wealth of knowledge and help on board.....all you need do is ask.
 
Good sailing, mate.

Adequately psyched by Wes' words of encouragement (  ), we embark on the gun ports.  First the Quarter Deck.
 
As mentioned earlier, Chuck provides templates for the gun ports.  These are considerately placed on a sheet separate from the rest of the plans so you are not cutting your plans to shreds.  The first photo shows the template for the 10 Quarter Deck gun ports in place:
 

 
As can be seen in the above photo, one bulkhead extension needs to be removed as it falls in the middle of a gun port.  This will also occur on the gun deck.  This next photo shows the fine-tooth Exacto saw blade I used for this as well as the pencil marks delineating the upright positions as transferred from the template:
 

 
This last photo shows the quarter deck gun ports completed and faired, as well as the template for the starboard side gun deck gun ports now in place.  Several things worth mentioning.......  The gun ports are not meant to be squares at this point.  They are slightly wider than high.  This is true of the ports for both the 6 and 12 pounders.  Also, the lintel or rail above the quarter deck gun ports is only temporary and will be removed once (as) the bulkwark planking moves up the hull.  A formal cap rail will be fitted at that point:
 

 
With 28 gun ports to complete on the gun deck as the next step, everyone gets a few days off without having to listen to me (try to keep the cheers at a minimum).   I am almost caught up with PAGE ONE of Ben's log   :D .   
 
Everyone stay well 
 
 
 

Time for a small update.
 
The quarter deck sills and lintels are now completed.  After straightening out the 'glitch' from the last session (Igor ------ more isopropanol!!!), I used  3/4" spacers to set the sills.  This worked quite well:
 

 
Once that was completed, I added the top rail which defines the height of the gunports .  These will be 6 pounders and required a 5/16" spacer and some sanding/beveling of the upper tips of the bulkhead 'horns'. 
 

 
Did a little more fairing and removed the temporary protective timbers off the horns.
 
We will now be moving on to setting the uprights on all the gunports.  Chuck has provided a template for this (bless him).
 
Oh, we are 100 hours into the build
 
 
 
 

The lintels for the gun ports on the main gun deck have been completed.  I used 3/8" spacers to set the height.  And our paper cannon has returned
 

 
And here's just a longer range shot
 

 
Will be moving on now to the sills and lintels for the ports on the quarter deck. 

Work on framing the gun ports on the main gun deck has begun. 
 
A temporary batten was used to check the position of the laser drawn lines on the bulkheads.  Only minor adjustment was needed to yield a nice sheer line.  Lines were scribed on the bulkheads and the battens removed.
 
A paper cannon was made using a copy of the 12 lb. cannon from the plans mounted on a 1/16" thick strip to simulate the actual deck.  This was used to check the height of the cannon above the sills.  This photo, using tape to demark the port lines, shows where we are:
 

 
Satisfied with this positioning, I proceeded to install the laser cut sills, port and starboard:
 

 
The sills were roughly faired with the bulkheads.
 
Now that the sills are in, the lintels should go fairly quickly.  I will simply be using a 3/8" spacer to set them in position.  Then come the uprights.
 
SJORS - in anticipation of your comment, yes.......the paper cannon fires 12 lb. cotton balls.  The final versions will handle good old American iron.       
 
 

The beakhead and foredeck have been completed.
 
The planking is 1/8 x 1/16 basswood.  The finish applied was Minwax Pre-stain followed by Minwax 'Natural' stain.  Rather then go with the usual WOP, I chose this time to go with a coat of flat acrylic brush on (Testors).  Here is the inboard side of the beakhead.  It will most likely be ultimately painted red to match the bulwarks:
 

 
Here is the forward view of the beakhead and deck:
 

 
You may notice that the deck has been treenailed.  I use Chuck's method of simulated treenails.  Holes are drilled with a #72 drill, lightly sanded, cleaned with the sharp point of an awl (gently) and then filled with this wood colored filler:
 

 
After the filler dries it is lightly sanded and then undergoes the finishing process.  The simulated caulking on the deck is made with a #2B pencil applied to only one side of the plank.  I prefer the caulking to appear light.  The finished treenails are barely visible impacting more on 'texture' then standing out in color. 
 
Overall, I like the appearance of these elements and they shall contrast slightly with the hull and deck planking
 
Will now be moving on to setting the gun port sills and lintels.  First I want to make up a mock cannon so there are no surprises down the road.  Chuck suggested this on Syren ---- it worked.  So I'll use it here.
 
Have a few days of 'winterizing' to do so no updates for a bit.  Everyone in the Northern Hemisphere stay warm  
 
 
 
 

Chapter 3 has been completed.
 
I mentioned previously that the last bit on the stern was the addition of a few fillers.  This turned out to be an exercise in Olympic-level Freestyle Sanding...but I think the fairing came out OK.  So here's one last pic of the stern framing (I promise):
 

 
Yes, JP, the pencil sander came in handy again.  I'm sure both Proxxon and this Microlux are both worthwhile.
 
And that brings us to the false deck.  It is 1/32 ply, laser cut and supplied in 4 pieces:
 

 
Amazingly, the 4 parts slipped right in without any sanding whatsoever.  I laid them in one at a time being careful to line up the lazer drawn alignment lines around the hatches and masts.  Checking RustyJ and Trussben's logs, I decided to glue the decks down using 6 minute epoxy.  There are not enough clamps West of the Mississippi to use PVA.  The epoxy gave me time to maneuver and, with just weighting each section for about 20 minutes apiece, the job was done.:
 

 

 

 
She's back on her keel now and ready for starting gun port framing.  She's growing up  
 
 
 

Just a quick update.
 
The stern gun ports have been laid in:
 

 
As they are vertical to the deck, they do not match the angle of the canted stern frames.  I used plywood spacers to set the height and width of the ports so (hopefully) they are accurate.
 
Just need to add a few support fillers to the stern and fair them in.  Then it's on to the false deck    

Some additional progress on the stern.
 
Rather then fiddle with a paper template, I made a balsa spacer to set the height of the sills.  This will determine the height of the windows:
 

 
The sills were then installed.  Once again the pencil sander was used to fair them to the transom .... inside and out.  It has now been determined this tool IS the best thing since sliced bread:
 

 
As a final check, another paper template was used to see if we're in the ballpark:
 

 
Finally, here's an overall shot as it's been a while:

Framing of the stern has begun.
 
The uprights are installed in pre-cut slots in the aftmost bulkhead which establishes the appropriate angle preliminarily.  The final adjustment is carried out during the installation of the lintels and sills which frame the stern windows.  I'm trying to be very cautious with alignment here as tolerances are tight.
 
The lintels and sills are laser cut from 3/16" ply, 2 layers laminated together to form 3/8" fillers.  In the first photo, the lintels have been installed and faired to the stern.  I have taped a template of the windows to the stern for illustrative purposes:
 

 
The lintels need to be faired inboard as well because of their thickness:
 

 
 
Normally this inside fairing would be a chore around here.  But I used a 'pencil sander' (?) I got from Microlux to do the job:
 

 
I'm not certain this tool is the best thing since sliced bread but it just saved my butt.  I foresee more uses in future.
 
Tomorrow we'll start to get the sills installed and faired in a similar fashion.  I'll post some long range shots then.
 
Did I mention this is a lot of fun ???  
 
50 hours into the build.
 
 
 
 
 

The construction of the shadow box, and addition of the 'frames',  has been completed:
 

 
You'll note they are quite dark (60% Lt. Oak stain) as I want that contrast after planking.  The color is a very even although the photo doesn't show that. 
 
I think this is a very cool feature on the model.  However, if it's not your cup of tea you can either leave it out or plank over it.
 
The only thing of special note here is that the sheet containing the identical laser cut 'frames' is labeled 'Top' so you know how to orient them.  I'd advise you place a small mark on the unexposed (inside) surface so you don't loose track.  There's not much difference.
 
Will now move on to framing the stern.