SkerryAmp

Sheesh look at you,  ratlines, full sails,  that there looks like a SHIP!!!
 
Outstanding job Sjors, really magnificent model you have going on.

Definately a right move upgrading those cannons, boy what a difference huh?   Those should look real good when you get them all painted up.  I like the idea of adding the touch of blue - will be looking forward to seeing how they come out (am sure they will be faaaantastic!)

Really like the colors.   Reading yours and some of the others makes it hard to resist pulling mine off the shelf.  I already have 5 kits going right now, I am sure I will cause a ruckus if I start yet ANOTHER... but you guys are making it look like so much fun!!

K, finally got some pictures.  
 
Not much but showing some progress.
 
Here's the form/building jig and the keel and transom have been completed.
 

 
This is the way I decided to do the outside of the transom (everybody knows about the word engraved on the part).  I decided that I wanted to plank both the inside and the outside of the transom so I bought a 1/32 sheet and cut three layers - a center one solid and planked both inside and outside.
 
Outside -
 

 
And here's the inside.  Got too close so a little blurry, but the pattern here was planked all the way across the transom.
 

 
If this is not appropriate for this boat, somebody let me know - I can still change it.  Just don't particularly like the solid transom look.
 
I've decided to NOT paint anything - all natural wood - figured that would go with any decor and might let someone buy it at the auction where they might not if they didn't like the color(s).
 
Comments/Critiques always welcomed.
 
 

this unfinished hull is really starting to bug me.........the Jingle Belle is starting to look like a boat,  while the tree boat looks like a half eaten carp!   not only that......if one of the ribs isn't resting on one of the stand ends,  it even flops around like one...   there are aspects I'm still looking into,  but it's getting to the point where I'll move on and deal with it later.
 
to complete the deck area,  the floor platform for the helm area was completed.   a locator tab was cemented on rib #2,  so the platform would sit level.  it's now roughed in....
 

 
then......I looked at the scuppers again......and gave a big sigh.   why did I make them ALL too big?
 

 
at this point,  it's more of a problem with the Jingle Belle,  than the tree boat,  since the J.B. already has had a filler treatment.  we can fix this though.   doing the same that I did with the Andrea Gail,  small pieces of wood were fitted in,  making them smaller.   first was the J.B.
 

 

 
....and then the tree boat
 

 

 
they were then dabbed over with white glue and sanded......the J.B. was especially interesting,  because it introduced primer dust into the repair,  creating a milky hue in places.   with this hull,  I'm also using lighter grit paper,  so I'm now beginning to get a smooth hull.    I was pleased with my earlier attempt with the rub rails.  the Andrea Gail looks much better for it........I used 1/8 square stock for them,  since they appear to be a dominant feature of the hull.   here,  I plan to used the 1/8 as well.
 

 
I stopped further back from the bow stem,  and even more so on the lower rail.
 

 
I left a 1/2 inch gap between the two
 

 
...and left the same spacing along the side
 

 
I put this to cap off the rails at the bow.   what I do for the bulwark cap rails will decide how these will terminate.......whether they will butt to the rail,  or shorted them and round them off.
 

 
I would have had a picture of the port side,  but I found that I didn't have the correct angle,  and I needed to correct it.   I'm going to add additional vertical rails,  but I want to see what I do with the bulwark rails before I install them.   I plan to do something a little different with the tree boat,   to give them their own character.

Today I started my work with the rear platform, after yesterdays mistake of the crooked eye I paid extra attention when gluing the planks that they were going to come in straight.  It worked!
 

 
I did notice that in the instructions the rear platform is cut so that it curves into a much smaller space as it moves toward the aft, after I finished I decided I was ok with the shape and size of mine.
 
I then proceeded to the risers, I was careful to use a spacer underneath the cap rail to ensure that I had consistent distances along the entire run as well as ensuring that both sides were mirrors.
 

 
I put in the front of the storage locker after completing the risers
 

 
In this picture you can see the run of the boat inside, I used a slightly different stain on the floorboards, risers, platforms and thwarts.  The planking and structure of the boat is MinWax Fruitwood 241 while the internal structures I went a hair lighter on and used Ipswitch Pine 221.  The Ipswitch pine has a nice light reddish hue that I felt matched up nicely with the red on the cap rail and knees (hard to tell from the photos)
 

 
I started playing around with the thwarts, I just have them dry fit and not accurately at this point
 

 
And then I pulled them out, scribed and stained them.  
 

 
That will be the beginning of next weekends time in the shipyard, finishing the thwarts, cockpit and figuring out how to make the all important thwart where the mast comes through.  I'll be poring over all the finished build logs to see how other folks have done that portion.

Thank you Dave.
 
Mizzen Mast Shrouds
 
The Standing Rigging for the Bowsprit is now complete, so I'm turning my attention to the Mizzen Mast rigging. The reason I'm starting back-to-front to real practice is one of access - once the mainmast shrouds are fitted it will make rigging the mizzen forestay a little more difficult.
 
 All the mizzen shrouds are served for about 6 feet below the mast top - unlike the other two masts the foremost shrouds aren't served for their full length as there is no Mizzen Course which could chafe them. I left them overlength for now, and lashed the pairs together around the mast :
 

 
Using a wire spacer between deadeyes I measured each shroud, starting with the foremost starboard pair, which are the first to be fitted. Then I removed the pair from the mast and turned in the deadeyes on the bench using a vise and a set of Third Hands - much easier than attempting to do them on the ship.
 
When all four pairs were done I fitted the Laniards :
 

 

 
  Danny

Thanks Brian, Steve, Nils, Grant, Ed, George and Mark - much appreciated .
 
Main Stay Collar
 
This is the largest Collar on the ship. Again, it is served all over.
 
After measuring and serving the line I "spliced" an eye into one end. Next I lashed the Heart to it. Then came the fun part - attempting to pass the line through the hole in the knee of the head. To assist me with this I tied a length of thin cotton to the free end and led that through the starboard headworks, through the hole, and then back up through the port headworks. All went very well .
 
Once the line was all in position I passed the free end through the first eye and seized the end back on itself :
 

 

 

 
  Danny

Looks really good so far,  those first planks are pretty important and yours look good.   Mine were just a HAIR off and caused me great pain!! lol.
 
Enjoying your work!

Fore Tack Step Blocks
 
These are relatively large Blocks which attach to the Boomkins - 14" in real life. I made them from English Box, the pics tell the story :
 

 

 

 

 
Their Strops are served :
 

 
  Danny

Gammoning
 
The Gammoning consists of 9 turns crossing over each other vertically, followed by the same number horizontally to pull it all tight. A couple of half-hitches complete it :
 

 

 
Boomkins
 
The Boomkins were made in similar fashion to the other masts/yards, with the exception that they are curved. I cut them from rectangular stock and "octagonelled" them before sanding them round. They have a step at their outboard ends for the shrouds and Fore Tack Block :
 

 

 
A Capsquare fastens them to the head :
 

 

 
  Danny

Thanks very much for looking in again Brian, Allan, Arch, Nils, Grant, and a welcome to George .
 
Work has been continuing on the Bowsprit Rigging.
 
Bobstays
 
These are the equivalent of the Forestays on the other masts. Like all the Bowsprit rigging they are served all over. The inboard ends pass through the foremost holes in the Knee of the Head, and are spliced together :
 

 
Bowsprit Shrouds
 
The equivalent of the Shrouds on the other masts. These are hooked through eyebolts at their inner ends :
 

 

 

 
The outer ends of both the Bobstays and Shrouds finish in a heart block, and are lashed to their respective Collars :
 

 
  Danny

..... continued.
 
I've finally come to making the actual rigging .
 
Collars
 
First step was to make the Collars for the hearts. These are Served for their entire length, so my new Domanov Serving Machine got it's first run :
 

 

 
For the serving line I used Quilting Thread, which is made from cotton with a polyester coating. It has no fuzzies at all, and is quite easy to work with. It also has no "rope definition", but at this scale that's not noticeable.
 
I used my vise to hold the eye and turned the excess serving line around the main line to make a very neat fake splice :
 

 
A couple of hearts with their strops. The larger is for the Forestay and has a double strop (one still to fit). The smaller is for one of the Bobstays :
 

 
A bobstay collar lashed to the bowsprit :
 

 
  Danny

Thanks Brian and Pat.
 
Hearts
 
The standing rigging for the bowsprit requires a number of Hearts, both open and closed. I made these from English Box in the following manner. First cut the groove for the strop using the table saw on both sides. Next I filed the groove on the end with a very thin needle file. I put the stock in my vise and tapered both sides, and used a 0.8mm "chisel" to recut the groove. Next step was to drill the centre hole using the mill - I drilled a number of holes and trimmed the excess with an Xacto blade. Finally I cut the heart from the stock on the table saw :
 

 

 

 

 
Continued next post ......

..... continued.
 
To drill the holes at an angle in the Saddle I set it up in my mill vise :
 

 
The Saddle and Gammoning Cleats fitted :
 

 
The inboard end gets a "iron" band made from thin card :
 

 
The outboard end of the Jibboom has a shoulder cut into it and a tiny sheave :
 

 
Some views of the bowsprit assembled. As with the other masts nothing has been glued yet (apart from the fittings) :
 

 

 

 

 
  Danny

And thank you Piet .
 
Continuing on with the Bowsprit. The Cap has been made - this one is considerably more difficult to make than the mast caps, due to the angle of each cut. The groove in one side is the seat for the Jackstaff :
 

 

 
I cut down and soldered one of my spare trunnion caps for the jackstaff capsquare :
 

 
Also made were the Bees and Bee Blocks, the Spritsail Yard Sling Cleat complete with "lead" liner, the Jibboom Saddle and a Woolding :
 

 

 
Continued next post ......

Thank you Mark, Michael and Kevin .
 
Bowsprit
 
The Bowsprit is tapered like the lower masts, that is it narrows inboard from the Knightheads. It has a tapered tenon which fits into the step in the support in the forecastle :
 

 
The forward end has two flat sections for the Bees. These sections are offset from each other :
 

 
Some views showing the bowsprit fitted into the step :
 

 

 

 
  Danny

Thank you Mark, Geoff, John, Allan, Nils, Grant and Ed - much appreciated.
 
 
Geoff, the idea was to give other builders another option for very small sheaves .
 
Thank you Ed. You were one of those responsible for me "lifting my game" .
 
Cheek Blocks
 
The Fore and Main masts have a pair of double cheek blocks in the Topmast Head. I cut these on the table saw from English Box. They are fitted with 0.6mm thick by 2.4mm diameter sheaves :
 

 

 
  Danny

Topgallant Masts
 
The Topgallant Masts are rather on the thin side, but still needed the same amount of detailing as the lower masts. The Hounds are similar to those on the Topmasts. There are 4 sheaves in each mast, although I cheated a bit on the 3 upper Mizzen mast ones - the two middle ones just have a sheave pin, and the uppermost one is a fake made by drilling two holes and filing a dummy sheave into it. The 1.0mm diameter sheaves which I made for the upper fore and main topgallants are about the limit in size that I can make, these needed 0.75mm which I put in the "too hard" basket :
 

 

 

 
  Danny

Thanks Grant, Pat, Remco and Cog.
 
Grant, first I drilled the hole, then I used a left-handed cutting tool set to cut at an angle of 45 degrees both ways for the groove. The sheaves were removed from the stock with a cut-off tool. I had to make them one at a time - drilling a 0.5mm hole any further than the thickness of the sheave plus the thickness of the cutoff tool (plus 0.3mm for good measure, a total of 1.8mm) risked a snapped drill.
 
Topmast Trestles and Crosstrees
 
These were a whole lot of fun to make. The Mizzen crosstrees in particular are very tiny - a mere 1.4mm wide by 2.8mm thick (don't try THIS with anything but the BEST timber ). The crosstrees have an aftward curve, and are rebated to the trestle trees in the same way as the lower ones. I found that the best way to make them was by first cutting the rebates into the stock, then cutting in the outside curve. Next I used a compass to draw a parallel line the width of the crosstree, marked and drilled the holes for the shrouds using my mill, and cut the inner curve on the scroll saw. Finishing off was done with a sanding stick. Here are a couple of pics of the Main and Mizzen ones :
 

 

 

 
The Fids for the topmasts were of three sizes, the Mizzen fid being 6.5mm long by 1.0mm wide by 0.5mm thick. I made them the same way as the lower ones :
 

 
A couple of pics of the topmast tops in place :
 

 

 
  Danny

Thanks once again for all the kind comments Geoff, Grant, Greg, Nils, John, Joe, David, Steve, Christian, Carl, Janos, Johann, E&T and Padeen, and also for all those who "Liked" my last post .
 
I somehow made a measurement error on the Mizzen Crosstrees, and subsequently had to remove all the pieces of the top (apart from the Battens), make new crosstrees and refit the lot. I'm very happy with the results now .... that kind of thing would have caused all sorts of problems later on.
 
Topmasts
 
The Topmasts are a bit trickier to shape than the lower masts. Starting from the bottom they have an octagonal shape, then a square, another octagon, a tapered round for most of it's section, a tapered octagon and a tapered square topped by the tenon for the topmast cap. It all sounds very difficult, but it was surprisingly easy (although time consuming). As with the lower masts most of the work was done with a chisel, rounding the middle section with sandpaper.
 

 
I made the Fids from brass strip. The rectangular holes were cut with a very narrow chisel after first drilling two small holes :
 

 

 

 

 
Two slots were cut for the Top Rope sheaves, which were turned from brass :
 

 

 
  Danny

Thanks very much Vivian, John and Pat - no Blacksmiths in my family as far as I know .
 
Mast Heads
 
Back to the Masts, I'd made the Crosstrees earlier. They are notched halfway through to match the notches in the Trestle Trees :
 

 

 
Before fitting them I fitted the Bands around the heads. I made these from thin card which I'd stained black - the finish has a slight metallic "sheen" at this stage, probably caused by diffraction of light, which may disappear when I apply Minwax - I hope not, as they really look like iron at the moment :
 

 

 
I also cut and fitted the Battens - they are 1.2mm wide by 0.6mm thick. These run 3/5 of the way up the mast head, and needed to be notched to fit over the bands :
 

 

 

 
Next I fitted the Crosstrees - a rather straightforward operation :
 

 

 

 
Finally, I made the Caps. These took a bit of careful marking out and cutting. Their eyebolts have also been fitted :
 

 

 
  Danny

Thank you mhegazi, and a warm welcome to MSW to you Mark .
 
Forecastle Railings
 
I'm nearly at the stage of "Stepping" the Foremast, but I realised that it would be nearly impossible to fit the Forecastle Railings if the Shrouds were already fitted, so this was my next step.

The Stanchions have a wide flair at the bottom, so to simulate that I silver soldered some 1.6mm tubing (ID of 0.85mm) to the bottom of some 0.8mm brass wire. I calculated the length of each stanchion first - none are the same length.

Then I soldered a piece of 0.6mm ID tubing to the top of each stanchion for the Eye through which the rope will pass :
 

 
I made the eyes a little on the large size to make soldering easier, then filed them down to the correct size :
 

 
The top rope has an eye seized into one end, and a lashing at the fore end secures it :
 

 

 
The aft end terminates with a seizing on an eyebolt :
 

 

 

 
  Danny

I have the gunports properly silled and sized (is silled a word?).  I've also hit her with another round of fairing and am almost comfortable with it but I'll hold off until the stern is built, checked, verified and approved as this was my Waterloo the last time.  Or maybe the wrong side of Trafalgar?   Hmm... 
 
Anyway, I've started measuring, scratching my head, and sorting out how I'm going to do this and get it right.  I'm thinking I'll have draw the transoms, make templates for starters.
 

 

A couple of more