SkerryAmp

Hey All,
 
So one thing that I managed to accomplish while being out of pocket and away from the shipyard for so long was to tackle a problem with my workbench that had always bugged me.
 
The bench I had picked up was this one from harbor freight
 

 
It is a great bench if you are not familiar with it and probably one of the best purchases I have made.  The trouble I had with it was the drawers.  They don't open up quite all the way.  This leaves a very shallow access to the drawer and with small tools or fiddly bits it was too easy for things to get hung up in the back.  My hands just didn't like trying to dig around back there so it limited my use of the drawers.
 
This is a pic of the drawer as it comes
 

 
However, after looking over the bench and consulting with my father who I had gotten the same bench for and had the same issue, he came up with an idea that was far to simple in it's concept we both couldn't believe we hadn't thought of it before.
 
Replace the runners.
 
So we purchased some runners from amazon,  these runners to be precise
10 Pack Promark Full Extension Drawer Slide 14" 100lb Load Rating 
And when we replaced the stock runners with the above sliders...walla!!
 

 
We had full extension drawers.
 
They handle a nice load on the drawer, slide in and out quite smoothly and make the drawer 100% useful.  Now, there were some minor (very minor) modifications that had to be made to the drawers due to the depth difference of the runners, but a quick shave on the drawers and we were in business.
 
Here is a side by side for ya
 

 
 
Granted, not a huge discovery but I thought it neat enough and useful enough to share with ya all, maybe someone else can make use of it.
 
 
Enjoy!!

Using the sliders I linked we found they were a hair wide, so we had to take down each drawer and modify the back front and bottom just a hair to bring the sides in a smidgen to make up for the width.
 
Other versions or brands of runners may be different of course.

Hey All,
 
So one thing that I managed to accomplish while being out of pocket and away from the shipyard for so long was to tackle a problem with my workbench that had always bugged me.
 
The bench I had picked up was this one from harbor freight
 

 
It is a great bench if you are not familiar with it and probably one of the best purchases I have made.  The trouble I had with it was the drawers.  They don't open up quite all the way.  This leaves a very shallow access to the drawer and with small tools or fiddly bits it was too easy for things to get hung up in the back.  My hands just didn't like trying to dig around back there so it limited my use of the drawers.
 
This is a pic of the drawer as it comes
 

 
However, after looking over the bench and consulting with my father who I had gotten the same bench for and had the same issue, he came up with an idea that was far to simple in it's concept we both couldn't believe we hadn't thought of it before.
 
Replace the runners.
 
So we purchased some runners from amazon,  these runners to be precise
10 Pack Promark Full Extension Drawer Slide 14" 100lb Load Rating 
And when we replaced the stock runners with the above sliders...walla!!
 

 
We had full extension drawers.
 
They handle a nice load on the drawer, slide in and out quite smoothly and make the drawer 100% useful.  Now, there were some minor (very minor) modifications that had to be made to the drawers due to the depth difference of the runners, but a quick shave on the drawers and we were in business.
 
Here is a side by side for ya
 

 
 
Granted, not a huge discovery but I thought it neat enough and useful enough to share with ya all, maybe someone else can make use of it.
 
 
Enjoy!!

Hey All,
 
So one thing that I managed to accomplish while being out of pocket and away from the shipyard for so long was to tackle a problem with my workbench that had always bugged me.
 
The bench I had picked up was this one from harbor freight
 

 
It is a great bench if you are not familiar with it and probably one of the best purchases I have made.  The trouble I had with it was the drawers.  They don't open up quite all the way.  This leaves a very shallow access to the drawer and with small tools or fiddly bits it was too easy for things to get hung up in the back.  My hands just didn't like trying to dig around back there so it limited my use of the drawers.
 
This is a pic of the drawer as it comes
 

 
However, after looking over the bench and consulting with my father who I had gotten the same bench for and had the same issue, he came up with an idea that was far to simple in it's concept we both couldn't believe we hadn't thought of it before.
 
Replace the runners.
 
So we purchased some runners from amazon,  these runners to be precise
10 Pack Promark Full Extension Drawer Slide 14" 100lb Load Rating 
And when we replaced the stock runners with the above sliders...walla!!
 

 
We had full extension drawers.
 
They handle a nice load on the drawer, slide in and out quite smoothly and make the drawer 100% useful.  Now, there were some minor (very minor) modifications that had to be made to the drawers due to the depth difference of the runners, but a quick shave on the drawers and we were in business.
 
Here is a side by side for ya
 

 
 
Granted, not a huge discovery but I thought it neat enough and useful enough to share with ya all, maybe someone else can make use of it.
 
 
Enjoy!!

Hi Scott,
 
Coming along nicely on that Phantom.  You are going to have one very nice looking vessel when all said and done.   I used the Phantom to cut my teeth on the hobby myself and now am hooked!
 
As for your POB/POF question.
 
POB is plank on bulkhead.    Those models you use an inner skeleton made up of the bulkheads which give you the shape of your ship.  The planks are laid on the bulkhead with the deck laid atop the skeleton.  The ship is built up around the skeleton with it hidden once finished.
 
POF is plank of frame. Similar in that you build a skeleton to lay the planks on, however when the planks are done where you either pop the skeleton (frame) out (but not always) or build up and around.
 
 
 
-Adam

Greetings happy ship modelers!!
 
Tonight's installment of the Blue Shadow / "Kara June" is more of a question for you seasoned hullp plankers than it is an update.
 
The update portion is simply that I have sanded the fill and shaped everything so the basic shape of the hull works and is ready for planking.  
 
Then, I decided to get ready for planking.  I did a first planking on the Mayflower and got it to work but with a WHOLE lot of cheating   I figured I would try different approach which I have seen many use and see if that helps this "click" a little more.
 
So I referred to the Basic Hull Planking PDF here on MSW (Basic Hull Planking for Beginners).  Makes a lot of sense on paper and filled me with hope and promise.
 
I got up to the laying of the temp battens and looked at it and thought - that looks NOTHING like anything I have seen (at least to me).  There is certain shapes and patterns you see with all of these builds and mine just doesn't look right.   So, here are pics of the ship as she stands with the temp battens attached.   Which gives an idea of how the planks will lay.
 
Does this look right to you experienced or "in the know" plankers?  If so, great!     If not - help?!?!? 
 

 

 

 
 
 
Thanks for stopping in and for any advice !! 
 
Enjoy! And Happy Modeling!
 
 
-Adam
 

The blocks appear to be working out nicely, sanding them out is giving it a nice shape as well, can "see" the hull so am feeling better about the planking efforts!!
 
Thank you gentlement for popping in, more coming in the next few days - diligently working away. =)
 
 
-Adam

Thank you gentleman!   Appreciate it.
 
@ Russ:  I can definately see once I got them in place and once I sand them out they will be a HUGE help.  I am very much a hands on visual learner type, so many things don't click as to "why" they need to be done until I experience what happens if you don't .
 
 
-Adam

So, not a huge bit of progress on this one.  Am taking different approaches with it and experimenting with things.  Reading more on the site with regards to planking etc etc.   Also taking into consideration the advice of you guys here.
 
The filler blocks! YES, yes indeed.  In fact,  I did some filler blocks at stem and stern,  not enough,  stripped off the planks that went south and added more filler blocks .  I think I have good fillers in there now.   I am trying not only applying the blocks but also filling in around the block to give as much of a solid slope as I can.
 
We shall see how that turns out.
 
Here are the blocks as they stand now,  still need to sand out the filler, but they are on their way!
 
Thank you VERY much for the advice, and thanks all for stopping by!!
 

 

 

 
As always!  ENJOY!!
 
 
-Adam
 
 

Absolutely Sjors!  Popcorn for everyone!
 
 
-Adam

I picked up the Balsa yesterday and will be adding the filler this afternoon after I am done with some of the deck bulkheads on the Mayflower.  Thanks you two, for the suggestion!
 
Augie - trust me sir, there is absolutely no concern for Supremecy;  I am far too behind the curve for that
 
Maybe someday though
 
Thank you Sport - This one will be a bit interesting since I am going to be trying to recreate some of the parts - we will see how that goes
 
 
 
-Adam

Once I had finished the decking for the night and set it aside to let the stain set in and dry, I made good on my promise to start on the Blue Shadow "Kara June".
 
Started with the false keel and bulkheads.   I was pleasantly surprised .  The bulkheads fit in quite nicely, not much modification was needed and they set in place without much issue at all.   I used my high tech lego system to square them up and we were off to a great start!
 

 

 

 

 
The kit came with what they called stern fillers so I glued them in place.   Once everything is dry and solid I will fair the bulkheads and fillers at once.  I think it will be easier to get a consistent contour that way.
 

 
Additionally, they had bow fillers (how convenient).  Although I wouldn't call them "fillers" as much as extensions, but they will do the trick.
 

 
With all that in place, glued up and looking good I figured I would end the night by getting the falkse decks in place.  That way after I get more done on the Mayflower and Willie I can take some time to fair theh bulkheads, shape the fillers and get this vessel ready for the planks!
 

 

 
So far this one isn't to bad to do.  Everything has a nice fit and the instructions (the plans anyway) are easy to follow.  We shall see if it holds throughout, I will stay optimistic!!
 
Until later....
 
As always, enjoy!!!
 
-Adam

Good Evening folks.
 
This one has a bit of a backstory to explain why this kit and why a 3rd build log.
 
This kit was purchased by my wife back while I was building the Phantom.  She thought it was cool that I was taking up this hobby and decided to surprise me with a kit she thought looked "really cool".  It was on sale from Model Expo and sitting on my desk when I woke up one morning, wrapped like a christmas present (in summer).
 
It has sat on the shelf, not out of neglect, but other builds were in progress so it was queued.  She asked me a little bit ago when I was going to get to it, so I told her I would start it up as soon as I got the decking done on the Mayflower.  So here it is.
 
It is not a real ship, it is a fictional vessel put out by Mamoli under the guise of a real one. It even has a history and everything.   However, despite being a fictional ship it still seems to be an interesting looking one.   Since it is already a fictional one I decided to build it but recommision and name it after my wife.  So, while the box says Blue Shadow,  it will be the Kara June when finished.
 
I have read many comments from all over regarding the quality of the Mamoli kits and have even read a few questions regarding this particular one. So let's get to it and see where this one goes!
 
First:  The customary Unboxing.
 
The box itself is actually not to shabby,  glossy packaging with the ship well presented.
 

 
The documentation is interesting to me.  The written part is in some places a little rough to understand but they get the gist across.  The "plans" are more like giant pictoral  step by steps which at first glance at least seem to make it easier to follow via the plans than the written documentation.
 

 
It does come packaged with some decent variations of wood, well bundled and organized.   This will be interesting as I am mainly used to basswood so will have to learn to distinguish between the several varieties included.
 

 
Oddly, in contrast it also comes with an assortment of various odd lengths and sizes of a variety of woods.  This will get even more interesting I think.
 

 
The plywood parts are pretty familiar looking.  They are of good quality, nice and solid and well marked so that is good.
 

 
A random bag of parts, with one that looked like it is either scrap wood or a part that didn't quite make it. Hmmmmm.
 

 
Rigging!  Nothing much to say here.
 

 
Here are what I consider the "standard" parts.  Some grating, cannons, deadeyes and blocks etc.
 

 
And here, lastly are the parts which, well.   Okay - I don't like these.   I have looked at them on the ship and in the box and I just don't care for them.  They seem out of place to me.   So,  I will (deep breath) most likely be remaking them from scratch to make them fit in place a bit better. 
 

 
 
So overall this doesn't look too too bad.  
 
I hope
 
-Adam

Hello all,
 
Ever wanted to know what kits are available for 17th Century British Frigates?
 
How about what kits are beginner and which kits are advanced?
 
Worried about space and want an easy way to find out what ships are available which are a certain 
lenght or height?
 
 
Read on my friends, read on!
 
Since joining Model Ship World, I have continuously been impressed with the quality of its members and the level of help people get with their hobby.  It is incredibly refreshing to find a place where people of all skill levels and interests, from all over the world, can come together in one place and help, encourage and applaud the wonderful works which can be found from its members new and old.
 
There is one trend I have noticed, with regards to questions and requests for advice, and that is related to the kits themselves.  Questions regarding quality of kits, availability, types, subjects and overall level of difficulty.
 
We have great resources for that, several articles, build logs etc.;  but I got to thinking it may be helpful to have this information in one place.  Not to replace what is on MSW in its various forms, but to supplement it.
 
While not an expert modeler by any means yet, I am a code jockey =) and enjoy doing techy codey things (that is a technical term by the way), so I decided to try to put that to use.
 
This is to announce a project which I am working on and am making available as of tonight.
 
The Model Ship World Ship Kit Database
 
What is it?
 
Well, it is a database of Model Ship Kits.  A central repository for what is available out there along with as much data regarding each kit as I can scrape up.
 
Secondly, Model Ship World Ship Kit Database is a living project.  This basically means it is intended to grow and expand based on feedback and contribution from the model ship world membership.
 
What does it do?
 
Right now, it allows you folks to search for ships.   As of this evening you can search for available ships based on Manufacturer, Scale, Type of Kit, Type of Ship, Period of Ship and the Ships Nation of origin.
 
You can search for these ships based on one of the above criteria or build out the criteria to get as refined a search as you want.
 
So, for example, if you want to see all the ships Model Shipways Currently has available – you can do that.
 
If you want to find all the ship kits which are 19th Century French 1:64th scale Plank on Bulkhead Frigates – you can do that too.
 
Is that all that it does?
 
As of this evening, yes it does.  Is that all it will do? No.    I actually have big plans for this and was going to wait to announce it until much more was done.  However it will take a little time to get everything in so I wanted to “release” it in stages.  Mainly to get it out there and let people get some hands on it and start giving me feedback.   
 
The idea is to make this as useful to the MSW community as possible.  I think it is in a good starting point, but really want to hear from you guys regarding it so I can develop it over time to make it as great as it can be.
 
I can’t promise all suggestions will make it in, or that they will go in overnight, but this in my mind is for MSW so I look forward to collaboration and the discussions to do as best we can.
 
Where does it stand right now?
 
Currently I have identified the following manufacturers for inclusion in the database.  Some have their kits added while others are queued to be completed over the next week or so.
A.J Fisher: Data not started Artesania Latina: Data started, 80% complete Billings: Data not started Bluejacket Ship Crafters Inc.: Data Complete Caldecraft:Data not started Corel:Data not started Constructo:Data not started Dusek:Data not started Mamonli:Data started, test entries only Mantua Models UK:Data not started Midwest Prouducts:Data Complete Model Shipways:Data Complete OcCre: Data started, test entries only.  
You said there was a lot planned so what else is there?
 
I am so glad you asked
 
Not only is this meant to be a list of what is available but it is also a place where people can come and find out about the ships.   Here is what is on deck....
More refined filter parameters: Ability to filter on length and height Ability to filter on skill level General Search:  Ability to type part of a kit name and search for all related kits. Data page:   This will be a drill down into the kit including a picture of the kit completed and important details regarding the kit itself. Some of what is currently in the data view will be moved here to make the data view a little less cluttered. Reviews: The ability for those of you who have built some of these kits can review them for others.  The reviews will have scales for the quality of materials, documentation and plans as well as a way to rate the kit for accuracy and skill level.   It is one thing for the manufacturers to say it, it is more meaningful when those who actually have worked with it say it. Links to related build logs.   Just another way for the MSW to find build logs related to their ships or for people to get a preview of what they may be in for. Manufacturer Data Page:  Just a quick data sheet on the company itself, where it is, contact information etc etc. Search launch:  A simple mechanism for people who may have found a ship they are interested in to one click google search for the kit in question. That is what I have on my list, the best part (as is usually the case) what comes out of the community.
 
As I mentioned, my hopes is this becomes a think tank project and grows from ideas provided by the MSW Community.
 
Why announce it with so much more to do?
 
  Feedback. 
 
Like it, Love it, Hate it I can take it; let me know.  
 
Whether you like it or not; let me know.   What people like I will continue with and what they don’t I will try to change so that they do,  but I can’t unless I know.
 
I can promise to take all suggestions and comments under consideration, but can’t promise all will be done.  
 
I will do my best to address concerns and questions as quickly as possible; after all if you take the time to lend a suggestion I can at least take the time to acknowledge it =)
 
My only goal is to make this as useful as possible and make it a solid resource for the Model Ship World community.
 
We can use this thread (I think) as the think tank for this project.   I will post updates to the database as I do them as well as keep a running list of ideas and where I may be at with them.
 
Where is this database hosted? I see it doesn’t have an MSW domain.
 
This is true,
 
this project is hosted on my own hosting service. 
 
I have been using them for quite some time and have not had any issues so am fairly confident it will have acceptable uptime for us to use this. 
 
The ampitcher.com well, ampitcher is me =)  
 
There is no link behind the scenes to MSW so your MSW information is safe, and this database does not require any sensitive information for you to access it.  If you have any concerns please PM Me I will be glad to address them.
 
This is however an MSW resource, meaning I am doing this for MSW and the MSW community. 
 
People from the outside may find it in a search or what not, but all efforts are to grow from within MSW and to drive TO MSW from the outside. =)
 
Anything we can do right now to help?
 
Kit companies and information
 
I have several in there (see list above) but I know there are more.   If you see any companies that are missing please let me know.  Right now I am focused on wood kits, but will be adding in plastic and card shortly.
 
Likewise, while in the database you will see many entries have blank data.  This is because of one of several things; either I could not find it, couldn’t figure it out or had conflicting information so wasn’t sure what to put.  
 
IF anyone has any knowledge they can lend me towards those empty slots please PM me with ID (first column) and the information.  I will edit them asap!  And thank you heartily!! =)
 
Well, I think I rambled on enough.   
 
Here is the link to the database.  
 
http://mswshipkits.ampitcher.com/
 
Take a look, let me know what you think and I want to thank you for your time.  
 
Updates will be coming so stay tuned!
 
For now, if we can limit data error information to PM and leave the forum topic for discussion related to the database, new ideas, feedback and updates – it would be appreciated!!
 
Thank you again, hope you like it and looking forward to creating the best model ship database on the web – with your help I know we can do it!!
 
As always
ENJOY!!
 
 

So, catching up on the old shipyards out there,  wonderful pictures. liking this..really liking that...then  WHAMMO!!!!
 
I know I am late to the party (as is usual lately) but WOW!!!   Did not see that coming.
 
Sorry that it came down to that but boy do I give you some kudos!  I am not sure what I would do if I came to that....  you have gusto sir,  gusto!  
 
Look forward to part 2!!

Well here we are again!
 
As I continue to try to get all the exterior battens back into place I hit a spot where it felt time to get the forecastle deck done.   I figured this part was in very good shape so let's git r done.
 
I started by popping the false deck out of the sheet and then cutting strips to be used as the actual decking.  Very simple stuff really....   thank goodness I still had my Chopper!


 
Before I put the decking on I wanted to simulate the caulking.  I know there are many different ways to do this and just as many "tastes" as to what people like.  I kind of like a nice black line which varies a little bit between pieces (some darker, thicker than others etc).   So my preferred method which I picked up from the mayflower is to use archivist ink pens.

These are the ones I am currently using as they come in a set of various size tips (for various size jobs!) including a brush pen which is perfect for the caulking while the others are good for nails.  That is, of course, my humble opinion.





The brush, as I mentioned, makes it easy to vary the strength and depth of the caulking lines - for example
 

 
So, without further delay I "caulked" the edges and lay the deck
 

 
WOOOOO boy is that rough lookin!  One issue I did have was making sure all the decking was pressed tight and flat and even.  Wasn't completely sure what to do or what to use and then it hit me!

Under my mat is a sheet of metal I use for using magnets as jigs, squares and braces.. why not - a press!!


 
If this didn't flatten it - nothing would!

And it did!  NICE and flat - still rough.  So,  trimmed the edges of course to fit the shape of the deck and then after a quick round of sanding... whalla!


 
One deck!  Still wasn't quite right though - better, but not what I was really after.  So I cut out the hatch and the mast hole and sanded some more!


 
Ahhhh, much better - now lets see if everything still lined up!   OOOOOH the tension!
 

 
Now that made my day.    The battens were good, especially getting more on and feeling like things were moving in the right way,  but putting this deck on was a bit more of a move forward - very encouraging.  Although.... 
 
the color.     It obviously does not match the other decking - then it hit me,   I use mixes a lot - not straight stain (tends to be too rich or dark) so i cut it with natural to lighten it up or even with a gray to soften it a bit.   What on earth did I use for the deck!

Took some time but turns out it was 5:1 Natural to Golden Oak - or at least close to it
 

 
I think I matched it up pretty well.   I applied that after wiping it down with the conditioner which prevented a LOT of blotching (Basswood blotches something fierce).   There is a little, but nowhere near what it would have been.

At first I was like OH NO the color is not even, but after it dried I like the varying depths of color on the woods, makes it look like different deck boards were used.

So,  that is where we are at now.    I still have more battens to finish as well as the forward veneers but have to also work out the caps - I seem to be out of the walnut so have to find wood that is a reasonable replacement and a stain mix to come close to match it - this will be interesting!  FUN but interesting!

Until later - happy modeling!
-Adam

So next up we have the forward arch.   Of course the plywood is not pre formed so it is very stiff and while it could be muscled into place I no longer apply brute force - so soaking, bending and strapping it is!


 
That part went surprisingly well, so once dried and formed I slapped on the veneer (I think in the future I am going to stay away from veneer - something about it is odd)


 
And then - after carefully trimming - we attach it to the forecastle and things are starting to move forward!
 

 
Next up!   The forecastle deck!
 
Enjoy!

Okay, so we are back at the bench.
 
I am going to restart this log with one giant secret - I struggled with it.   The Santa Maria was perhaps in the best stage to return to work, however it turns out it was in pretty rough shape as well.  Some had to do with time but some had to do with me.   
 
Ever go back to something and spend time saying to yourself - what the heck was I thinking?   Well - that was me.
 
I even spent time deliberating over whether to even do it or to buy another kit and start all over.
 
After some deep soul searching I decided I would pay my penance so-to-speak and do the best I can with it.   There are SO MANY mistakes, errors and face palms - but I will just move on through and do what I can to fix what I can and live and learn from the rest.

I will say one thing - DON'T USE HOT GLUE TO BUILD A WOODEN SHIP MODEL - IT JUST ISN'T WORTH IT - trust me, learn from me - let me be an example for others 😃
 
Basically a lot of pieces popped off as I was handling it.

It was the result of pressure.   I was working a lot and felt I had to do as much as possible in what little time I had and well, rushing NEVER works out in the long run.

Anyway, enough lamenting, enough belly aching - on with the show.
 
____________________________________________
 
The first thing I decided I had to do was to "catch up" to the directions.  I had begun to put the side battens on the ships hull and left kind of in the middle.   Some had popped off and some were loose so I pulled off the bad ones,  left the good ones and started to go at it.
 

 
I made several changes in my approach to this task, as well as to modelling over all - go back to my plastic modeling days.
1- Patience:  It is okay to put a stick or two on at a time and wait!
2- The little things:  BENDING!!   These battens went on SO MUCH EASIER when I bent the wood - not a lot mind you, in most cases I was able to wet it and affix it to the hull to dry and it was bent just fine.
3- Wood glue - put the glue guns out of sight, shelved the CA and went with good ole fashioned Titebond.

Ahh, things are getting enjoyable again!


 

 
Once I was happy with the battens - or as happy as I felt I could be I decided to end the session by soaking and prebending the forward framing so I would not have to fight with that next time I am at it.


 
Oh look - the inside stanchions decided to pop off - 
 

 
 

Until next time - Happy Modeling!!
-Adam

Walking through the doors brought a familiar, comforting feeling.  Some of the decor had changed but the overall atmosphere remained.   The smell of sawdust and glue, paints and lacquers drifted softly in the air as the murmur conversation filled his ears.  It had been a long time since had taken a seat at the table or pulled up a chair to a viewing.  Three years, in fact, but never a day had passed that he didn't think about the camaraderie, the talent, the build, and being a part of it all.  Chaos and neglect had left the work shop in shambles, the husks of neglected projects gathering dust and cobwebs taunted him daily.  Three years before today, the day he said enough - it was time.

He took the Santa Maria down from it's shelf where it sat.   Out of sight enough to not be a daily reminder, but not so much that when passing by it didn't glare at him, judging his dereliction.   Looking it over he carefully dusted off what he could, removed the cobwebs and evicted the house spiders so as to see what he had to work with.

It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't pristine.   Mistakes made now obvious with time, wear from being moved from shelf to shelf, minor damage and some wood swelling at first made it feel lost.    But not today, today was the day - it was time.

Here is where he was starting from.....



 

 

 

 

 
He spent days and nights working cleaning the rooms which had been so badly forgotten.  In a matter of time the work room took shape.  It was a new room, a different room than before, but that made it fresh.   Fresh paint on the pegboard, tools large and small neatly organized on peg, on shelf and in drawer.  New lighting put in and new benches lined the walls.   The floor swept, the room was ready - ready to rekindle that joy and excitement of creation, of learning and of improving.

 
 

 

 

 
So - away we go!    Again.
 
 
 

So, once it was all unboxed and the instructions gone over and the mats inventoried i threw in some re-runs of "Frasier" and started at it.  The first step was very reminiscant of the Phantom.  
 
First was to mark the station lines, I used the 1:1 plan to get an accurate marking and the rails, then carefully extended the lines a bit down the hull side. 
 

 
After checking those a couple of times it was time to find the center line of the hull/keel.   That wasn't too bad actually. I was impressed that at least the roughed hull I was in pretty good shape.  I just measured, remeasured, cross checked and remeasured again using a digital caliper and sketched in the center line.
 

 
From there, it was sanding central.  If you have never done a solid hull let me tell you - there is a lot of sanding.  As I type this I am surrounded by the fruits of the sanding and trying to figure out how to vaccuum all of this up at 1:30 in the A.M without waking the Admiral.  Of course, if she walked into the office and saw this first thing in the mornign I am not sure I will fair much different .
 
Anyway,  I sanded.  Sanded and measured, and remeasured and sanded  Sanded some more, and then a little more.. until finally  - she took shape.
 
(I was going to take pics of each station but thought that wuld be a bit much since there are 15 of them)
 

 

 
 
So, the base is done. It is now sized, shaped and sanded.  Ready to be put aside and onto the next step tomorrow.
 
 
Until later folks!
Enjoy!!

Well here we are again!
 
As I continue to try to get all the exterior battens back into place I hit a spot where it felt time to get the forecastle deck done.   I figured this part was in very good shape so let's git r done.
 
I started by popping the false deck out of the sheet and then cutting strips to be used as the actual decking.  Very simple stuff really....   thank goodness I still had my Chopper!


 
Before I put the decking on I wanted to simulate the caulking.  I know there are many different ways to do this and just as many "tastes" as to what people like.  I kind of like a nice black line which varies a little bit between pieces (some darker, thicker than others etc).   So my preferred method which I picked up from the mayflower is to use archivist ink pens.

These are the ones I am currently using as they come in a set of various size tips (for various size jobs!) including a brush pen which is perfect for the caulking while the others are good for nails.  That is, of course, my humble opinion.





The brush, as I mentioned, makes it easy to vary the strength and depth of the caulking lines - for example
 

 
So, without further delay I "caulked" the edges and lay the deck
 

 
WOOOOO boy is that rough lookin!  One issue I did have was making sure all the decking was pressed tight and flat and even.  Wasn't completely sure what to do or what to use and then it hit me!

Under my mat is a sheet of metal I use for using magnets as jigs, squares and braces.. why not - a press!!


 
If this didn't flatten it - nothing would!

And it did!  NICE and flat - still rough.  So,  trimmed the edges of course to fit the shape of the deck and then after a quick round of sanding... whalla!


 
One deck!  Still wasn't quite right though - better, but not what I was really after.  So I cut out the hatch and the mast hole and sanded some more!


 
Ahhhh, much better - now lets see if everything still lined up!   OOOOOH the tension!
 

 
Now that made my day.    The battens were good, especially getting more on and feeling like things were moving in the right way,  but putting this deck on was a bit more of a move forward - very encouraging.  Although.... 
 
the color.     It obviously does not match the other decking - then it hit me,   I use mixes a lot - not straight stain (tends to be too rich or dark) so i cut it with natural to lighten it up or even with a gray to soften it a bit.   What on earth did I use for the deck!

Took some time but turns out it was 5:1 Natural to Golden Oak - or at least close to it
 

 
I think I matched it up pretty well.   I applied that after wiping it down with the conditioner which prevented a LOT of blotching (Basswood blotches something fierce).   There is a little, but nowhere near what it would have been.

At first I was like OH NO the color is not even, but after it dried I like the varying depths of color on the woods, makes it look like different deck boards were used.

So,  that is where we are at now.    I still have more battens to finish as well as the forward veneers but have to also work out the caps - I seem to be out of the walnut so have to find wood that is a reasonable replacement and a stain mix to come close to match it - this will be interesting!  FUN but interesting!

Until later - happy modeling!
-Adam

WOW - This is an amazing piece of work - the interior details are absolutely wonderful,   I can't tell you how much I admire the skill for a ship such as this.  Just fantastic.

Well here we are again!
 
As I continue to try to get all the exterior battens back into place I hit a spot where it felt time to get the forecastle deck done.   I figured this part was in very good shape so let's git r done.
 
I started by popping the false deck out of the sheet and then cutting strips to be used as the actual decking.  Very simple stuff really....   thank goodness I still had my Chopper!


 
Before I put the decking on I wanted to simulate the caulking.  I know there are many different ways to do this and just as many "tastes" as to what people like.  I kind of like a nice black line which varies a little bit between pieces (some darker, thicker than others etc).   So my preferred method which I picked up from the mayflower is to use archivist ink pens.

These are the ones I am currently using as they come in a set of various size tips (for various size jobs!) including a brush pen which is perfect for the caulking while the others are good for nails.  That is, of course, my humble opinion.





The brush, as I mentioned, makes it easy to vary the strength and depth of the caulking lines - for example
 

 
So, without further delay I "caulked" the edges and lay the deck
 

 
WOOOOO boy is that rough lookin!  One issue I did have was making sure all the decking was pressed tight and flat and even.  Wasn't completely sure what to do or what to use and then it hit me!

Under my mat is a sheet of metal I use for using magnets as jigs, squares and braces.. why not - a press!!


 
If this didn't flatten it - nothing would!

And it did!  NICE and flat - still rough.  So,  trimmed the edges of course to fit the shape of the deck and then after a quick round of sanding... whalla!


 
One deck!  Still wasn't quite right though - better, but not what I was really after.  So I cut out the hatch and the mast hole and sanded some more!


 
Ahhhh, much better - now lets see if everything still lined up!   OOOOOH the tension!
 

 
Now that made my day.    The battens were good, especially getting more on and feeling like things were moving in the right way,  but putting this deck on was a bit more of a move forward - very encouraging.  Although.... 
 
the color.     It obviously does not match the other decking - then it hit me,   I use mixes a lot - not straight stain (tends to be too rich or dark) so i cut it with natural to lighten it up or even with a gray to soften it a bit.   What on earth did I use for the deck!

Took some time but turns out it was 5:1 Natural to Golden Oak - or at least close to it
 

 
I think I matched it up pretty well.   I applied that after wiping it down with the conditioner which prevented a LOT of blotching (Basswood blotches something fierce).   There is a little, but nowhere near what it would have been.

At first I was like OH NO the color is not even, but after it dried I like the varying depths of color on the woods, makes it look like different deck boards were used.

So,  that is where we are at now.    I still have more battens to finish as well as the forward veneers but have to also work out the caps - I seem to be out of the walnut so have to find wood that is a reasonable replacement and a stain mix to come close to match it - this will be interesting!  FUN but interesting!

Until later - happy modeling!
-Adam

Well here we are again!
 
As I continue to try to get all the exterior battens back into place I hit a spot where it felt time to get the forecastle deck done.   I figured this part was in very good shape so let's git r done.
 
I started by popping the false deck out of the sheet and then cutting strips to be used as the actual decking.  Very simple stuff really....   thank goodness I still had my Chopper!


 
Before I put the decking on I wanted to simulate the caulking.  I know there are many different ways to do this and just as many "tastes" as to what people like.  I kind of like a nice black line which varies a little bit between pieces (some darker, thicker than others etc).   So my preferred method which I picked up from the mayflower is to use archivist ink pens.

These are the ones I am currently using as they come in a set of various size tips (for various size jobs!) including a brush pen which is perfect for the caulking while the others are good for nails.  That is, of course, my humble opinion.





The brush, as I mentioned, makes it easy to vary the strength and depth of the caulking lines - for example
 

 
So, without further delay I "caulked" the edges and lay the deck
 

 
WOOOOO boy is that rough lookin!  One issue I did have was making sure all the decking was pressed tight and flat and even.  Wasn't completely sure what to do or what to use and then it hit me!

Under my mat is a sheet of metal I use for using magnets as jigs, squares and braces.. why not - a press!!


 
If this didn't flatten it - nothing would!

And it did!  NICE and flat - still rough.  So,  trimmed the edges of course to fit the shape of the deck and then after a quick round of sanding... whalla!


 
One deck!  Still wasn't quite right though - better, but not what I was really after.  So I cut out the hatch and the mast hole and sanded some more!


 
Ahhhh, much better - now lets see if everything still lined up!   OOOOOH the tension!
 

 
Now that made my day.    The battens were good, especially getting more on and feeling like things were moving in the right way,  but putting this deck on was a bit more of a move forward - very encouraging.  Although.... 
 
the color.     It obviously does not match the other decking - then it hit me,   I use mixes a lot - not straight stain (tends to be too rich or dark) so i cut it with natural to lighten it up or even with a gray to soften it a bit.   What on earth did I use for the deck!

Took some time but turns out it was 5:1 Natural to Golden Oak - or at least close to it
 

 
I think I matched it up pretty well.   I applied that after wiping it down with the conditioner which prevented a LOT of blotching (Basswood blotches something fierce).   There is a little, but nowhere near what it would have been.

At first I was like OH NO the color is not even, but after it dried I like the varying depths of color on the woods, makes it look like different deck boards were used.

So,  that is where we are at now.    I still have more battens to finish as well as the forward veneers but have to also work out the caps - I seem to be out of the walnut so have to find wood that is a reasonable replacement and a stain mix to come close to match it - this will be interesting!  FUN but interesting!

Until later - happy modeling!
-Adam

Hey brother, not a big fan of veneers here either, always seemed to me like twice the work.... 
 
Good work, looking good... will pull up a chair if you don't mind....