ChadB

1. Intro I realized some time back that I'm just not liking the prospect of building kits forever. The fact that I would look over the ME and Bluejacket catalogs almost obsessively probably didn't help that much, since I've looked at just about every kit out there about 8 billion times. I also think that while working on my second (kit) model at an astonishingly slow pace (not for want of working on it, just the rest of life doing whatever it can to keep me away), I've found that it's just so much more satisfying to take the time and replace all the garbage castings and alot of wood that is supplied. I still have the box in the closet and it now contains about 3 times the amount of wood that originally came with it, since just about everything has been replaced with something nicer. So slowly but surely I've started to accept the fact that diving in to scratch building is the way to go, and the sooner the better. I'm still pretty young (29) and I now have a new home with a garage that is just begging me to fill it with power tools. Originally my first build was going to be the 42 foot longboat practicum that I ordered from ANCRE. Now not to get off topic, but it is a very nicely done practicum that I really can't wait to build. I was all set to go when I came to the realization that I really need more practice on my recently purchased scroll saw and table saw (the Dewalt scroll saw and the Byrnes table saw- both HIGHLY recommended..) before I tackle some of the cutting for the longboat. This is what brought me into the Triton forums... I had checked out the Triton info before, and really never was that interested. Not that I didn't admire all the (free) work that had gone into the planning- that's something that goes on in very few places on the internet and just shows what an amazing sight this is. But once I really started digging into some of the build logs and seeing how everyone was making the build "their own" I became really interested. I also realized that the help would be there along the way as I get my feet wet in reading drawings and really planning just about every aspect of what I was gonna do.

LOL... you remember me too well! I have been working on another build, but life has me in the thick of it with kids and such. At some point I'll start a build log for that, but I figure I have a good 10 years before I finish ! -Chad

Back before the "Great Crash" of MSW I had built the Triton cross section. I had a pretty robust build log to go along with it where I detailed just about every little step of my build. As it turns out, a friend of mine had actually saved about 95% of it and it has been sitting on my hard drive for quite some time. I haven't been on here much at all the last couple years but I saw my wood list made it's way on here and has hopefully helped a few people. It got me thinking that I would be good to get the build log out there to help others, also. I am going to try to start parsing it out in posts over time starting from the beginning going step by step, but I also have no problem giving out the .xps file to anyone currently building who doesn't want to wait (just be warned it is 180 pages long and includes a lot of fluff you would have to wade through!). -Chad

I had the same exact issues nearly 8 years ago with whom I suspect is the second seller and ended up reordering from the forefather of your first seller when I built my cross section. I preferred paying the premium for the first seller from thereon out. It's ridiculous to assume that someone ordering milled lumber wouldn't mind something as rudimentary as squared pieces, but that's my opinion. Looks like a good start!

Go for it- life is short and building something that you WANT to build is half the battle. I had a supervisor in the Navy who used to say "Do you know how you eat an elephant? One bite at a time." Get started, concentrate on whatever the immediate task at hand is, take your time, and don't settle if you are not happy with your work. As I tell my kids all the time- don't be scared off by the "what-if's!" -Chad

Ex-chach86 here (now ChadB)... I can't remember the exact amounts, but I nearly doubled the amounts when ordering since I expected many screw ups along the way (I had my fair share). What I will say, though is that since it is all good hardwood any extra will more than likely get used down the road in another build so ordering too much is necessarily a bad thing. -Chad

Beautiful work Tadheus! How did you blacken the nails while they were already in place? -Chad

Very nice Gabe! It's going to be great to follow along and see how you deal with any problems from working in such a small scale. Keep up the great work! -Chad

Hi Mick- great start! I'm assuming the third thru sixth photo are the tool you used to scrape out your rabbet? Looks very crisp! Good luck with the rest of the build... I'll be watching! -Chad

Thanks Steve- I swung by your desk after you dropped them off but you were probably gone for the day at that point. I'll have to give them a go one weekend- heavy buggers!

60 inches long without the vice, and thickness is actually 1.5 inches, with the lip around the edge being three. -Chad

Very nice work throughout Mike! Does Jeff sell his plans or have them downloadable somewhere? I've been interested in the Washington for quite some time and it looks like Jeff did a great job on the plans. I'm sure you've read it, but for anyone checking in who would like some good reading- Benedict Arnold's Navy by Jeff Nelson is a great book on the Battle of Valcour Bay, and really makes you understand why Benedict Arnold turned traitor. Again, great work Mike! -Chad

I'm curious- has anyone tried replacing the drawer rails? I have two of these and love them- but the drawer movement is terrible. They really need to come out farther, too. For the price, though- they can't be beat. -Chad

I'll second Landlubber Mike's fix... I just switched to a slitting blade like Jeff mentioned on the Hobbymill site and had the saw bogging down once wood (pear- 1/4) got thru to the rear of the blade. I started tightening the front of the fence and giving the rear a tiny nudge outward, and that did the trick. No effect on thickness. -Chad

Just took all your surveys- I honestly can't think of anything more I can ask from your business. Your milled sheets are smooth as glass and spot on thickness, which I enjoy since I don't need anything besides a finishing sanding. Also, when I order a thickness, say 3/8"- I would expect it to be 3/8" and not 11/32"- and I've never had that happen. I really enjoy the individual packaging just as a way to keep different thicknesses together, too. Maybe I look at this hobby differently than most, but I would rather take my time and build 4 or 5 models in my lifetime as close to Bernard Frolich- standards as I can get using quality products rather than a roomful of models slapped together using subpar products, and until I get to the point of milling my own wood (Gilmer Wood is like 20 mins from my house) you provide that quality product. Thanks! -Chad

Beautiful work- your metal work is amazing! Your woodworking isn't too bad, either . -Chad