kruginmi

On Inspection
 
     When I initially examined the hull there were several problems that immediately jumped out at me.  The first I noticed, but the least serious, was how bad the sides of the ship looked near the gunports.  These were areas I had once planked, but the oversize diameter of the treenails I used didn't sit well with me and I decided to rip them out.  I did so hurriedly and without care for the hull beneath.  My impetuosity cost me as pieces of the yellow poplar hull ripped away with the planking.  Fortunately none were deep and caused no structural weakness in the hull.  There were however quite a number of them, spread all across the ship's side.  A few applications of plastic wood filler, some fine sanding, and all is well, at least on the starbord side.  The port side has a different filler that was applied long ago, and needs to be reworked.
 
Views of the starbord side
 

 
This is not a very good photo but it does show how liberal I had to be with the plastic wood to make the needed repairs.
 

 
Views of the port side
 
    
 
 

 
In this photo you can see hollow areas on the hull next to the middle and far right gunports.  Years ago these areas were sanded out too much, no doubt after I remove the planking.  These need to be built up again.  There are a number of areas on the port side that need more plastic wood.
 

 
 
     The second glaring error was where the keel joined the stem and sternpost.  At both the fore and aft joints the wood cracked and separated.  Twenty years ago I didn't fully understand the importance of joining wood securely; and doing it correctly using scarfs, mortices, tenons, treenails, bolts, butterfly plates (fish plates), and horseshoe plates along with glue.  This was no small oversight because I now had to remove the stem, sternpost, keel, false keel and knee of the head.  The bottom of the hull was leveled and, for the most part, sanded smooth.  However there are still a few spots on the hull that need work, especially where the keel pieces narrow at the bow and stern. 
 
     Next on the list of problems to be dealt with was the shape of the bow, specifically the shape of the hybrid bulkhead.  I say hybrid because it wasn't totally rounded nor was it a beakhead bulkhead.  When I first shaped the hull I used Howard I Chapelle and Harold Hahn's drawings for its contour, but as it turns out these were slightly different from the ones done by the British after Hancock was captured.  After spending time in Halifax, Nova Scotia the Hancock was sailed back to England, first to Portsmouth and then to Plymouth.  At the dockyard there, in the spring of 1779, the ship was measured and had the lines taken off.  A draught of the ship was made that fall.  I have to assume this drawing shows the correct shape of the bulkhead.  That established I now had to reshape the bow, but because I initially formed the hull inside and out I now had very little hull to work with.  It was clear I needed to build it up in places.  To assist me in this reconstruction I decided to make a template of the profile of the bow.  When I used it to check out the shape of the profileI I wasn't surprised to find an error.  I knew about that 20 years ago.  ;-)  Over the next couple of months I  started to reshape the hull.  Using small strips of wood glued side by side I carefully built up certain areas.  After sanding the end pieces to smoothly transition into the hull I would then start another layer.  This process went on, inside and out and top to bottom until the hull's bow had the proper contour to the bulkhead and the correct profile.  It's not completed as there is still some more sanding to be done.
 

 
     In this picture you can see all the layers of wood I used to build up the interior of the bow.  I needed to give it enough thickness to safely be able to shape the contour of the bulkhead.  Now that I have formed it to the proper shape I have to sand down the interior so that the bow has the correct thickness to a little below the gundeck.
 

 
Here you can see where wooden filler strips were glued to the hull both horizonally and vertically.
 

 
This is yet another bad quality photo, but it does nicely show the corrected bow profile.
 
Here are a number of other photos I took, from various angles, to show the overall condition of the model.
 

 
In this photo you can see the newly shaped contour of the bulkhead.
 

 
 
 
Tom
 
 

Hi everyone
 
Thanks for all of your comments and likes!  Greatly appreciated.
 
A very quick update.   I've been spending some time doing lots of work to get the internal layout correctly laid out.  Tedious work and, not much to show for it.
 
Nonetheless, I thought I'd loosely attach the lines drawing of the superstructure against the hull as a means of keeping me motivated.  
 
Anyhow, here are the photos.
 
Cheers
 
Patrick

I like roughing in as much as possible to make sure everything lines up and is accounted for - avoid the uh-oh moments when you can't do anything about it.
 
So before continuing on with the planking I wanted to verify the run of the mast and pumps foremost.  The plans show the rake of the mast and the pump locations at the gundeck level, so first is to figure that out.  The pumps foremost, and mast are on an angle so just duplicating the gundeck position would not work.
 

 
This is not 'true' build practice, but is very worthwhile.  I get model 1:1 templates and insure everything is good to go.  My inclination is to replicate the look of true practice on top of the templates made and I would be the only one wise.  The pumps are not the final ones, but are smaller diameter ones just for this exercise.  The final ones will be octagonal.  
 
Next up is defining all the carlings to lock in deck beam spacings so the knees can be started.  The hope is to build the decks removable until I decide to lock them in.  I also might be 'forced' to rough in the main yard.....
 
I beg forgiveness on yet another status overview:
 

 
Mark

Actually pulled the hull out of mouthballs for the next step, main section of the mast step.  A thicker piece of wood with several distinct angles and cuts.  I first templated it out with an index card before cutting.  Truth be told, it took three attempts to get everything right.  I didn't waste too much wood since I had only cut the mating edge, so resetting was simply cutting a new mating edge slightly above the failed attempt.
 

 
The square cut was achieved as shown above for the mast top shroud cut outs.  At the end it was very satisfying to almost click this piece into place - no glue necessary at least for now.  I also cut the tenon into the mast bottom and likewise a nice tight fit, allowing it to stand without other assistance.
 

 
This weekend I will add the positional wedges and the fixed bar.  This is different from what I used on the the full Druid but I consider it much more realistic.  I need to figure out the well and if I am going to keep anything open to view.  It would be a shame to keep all of this hidden.
 
Mark

Hey Jan Thanks for the input I took it to heart and modified my masts or at least starting too Used rope instead of the brass rings

I guess the question hinges on whether you use slings or trusses.  With trusses , pinning is fine.
 
I do agree most would never know the difference, so do what you want!
 
Mark

That is an awesome back story.  The current view looks great and I will look forward to your pictures of progress!
 
Mark

That is an awesome back story.  The current view looks great and I will look forward to your pictures of progress!
 
Mark

I guess the question hinges on whether you use slings or trusses.  With trusses , pinning is fine.
 
I do agree most would never know the difference, so do what you want!
 
Mark

I guess the question hinges on whether you use slings or trusses.  With trusses , pinning is fine.
 
I do agree most would never know the difference, so do what you want!
 
Mark

Understand what you are saying, I think we have all been there.  A note of caution:  continually re-doing items does not a finished project make.
 
You have to decide what is good enough.  Your skills will improve and by the time you are coming close to being done you will look at the early stages and probably see how you could do much better.  It was hard for me but I force myself to keep moving forward (most of the times).  I call my finished ships the evolution of Krug.  I can definitely pick the order but few others can.
 
Looking great and my compliments on overcoming adversary.  Keep the pics coming!
 
Mark

That is wonderful to hear about the craft store acrylics.  That is what I have in house for my testing.  Gives me hope!
 
Mark

That is wonderful to hear about the craft store acrylics.  That is what I have in house for my testing.  Gives me hope!
 
Mark

Thank you Mark.  I'm looking forward to the next phase and all the new things I will learn.
 
  Walter

Good and timely topic.  I am looking to do the same on my build.  I have picked up water based sanding sealer and a water based top coat to protect all.  I still need to create some samples and see how it turns out.   Sometime over the next couple of weeks.
 
Mark

Good and timely topic.  I am looking to do the same on my build.  I have picked up water based sanding sealer and a water based top coat to protect all.  I still need to create some samples and see how it turns out.   Sometime over the next couple of weeks.
 
Mark

It is hard to give a hard answer, but I would  venture in the 8-10 age group (and plastic).  I gave him flush clippers instead of a knife but still needed to be coaxed through how to use them.  Also gluing is an ordeal.  We spent some time talking about clamping and waiting for things to dry.  He really enjoys the application of the decals and after showing him one or two times he took off.
 
I think the hardest part is refraining from jumping in and taking over.  There is definitely an ebb and flow (as this build shows) but he proudly shows his friends his completed models on his dresser.
 
I have made a simple put the dowel into the boat shaped 2-D cut out for my five year old....
 
Anything to keep them off of digital stuff.....
 
Mark

Fine job.
 
Bob

It is hard to give a hard answer, but I would  venture in the 8-10 age group (and plastic).  I gave him flush clippers instead of a knife but still needed to be coaxed through how to use them.  Also gluing is an ordeal.  We spent some time talking about clamping and waiting for things to dry.  He really enjoys the application of the decals and after showing him one or two times he took off.
 
I think the hardest part is refraining from jumping in and taking over.  There is definitely an ebb and flow (as this build shows) but he proudly shows his friends his completed models on his dresser.
 
I have made a simple put the dowel into the boat shaped 2-D cut out for my five year old....
 
Anything to keep them off of digital stuff.....
 
Mark

Great stuff.  I enjoy reading about such builds.  Almost gives me the push to try one (I say 'almost' so far).
 
Keep the pics coming Daniel!
 
mark

Looks like a fun build. I'm hoping to get my son's into model building as well. What do you think is a good age to start doing plastic models?

Great stuff.  I enjoy reading about such builds.  Almost gives me the push to try one (I say 'almost' so far).
 
Keep the pics coming Daniel!
 
mark

I like roughing in as much as possible to make sure everything lines up and is accounted for - avoid the uh-oh moments when you can't do anything about it.
 
So before continuing on with the planking I wanted to verify the run of the mast and pumps foremost.  The plans show the rake of the mast and the pump locations at the gundeck level, so first is to figure that out.  The pumps foremost, and mast are on an angle so just duplicating the gundeck position would not work.
 

 
This is not 'true' build practice, but is very worthwhile.  I get model 1:1 templates and insure everything is good to go.  My inclination is to replicate the look of true practice on top of the templates made and I would be the only one wise.  The pumps are not the final ones, but are smaller diameter ones just for this exercise.  The final ones will be octagonal.  
 
Next up is defining all the carlings to lock in deck beam spacings so the knees can be started.  The hope is to build the decks removable until I decide to lock them in.  I also might be 'forced' to rough in the main yard.....
 
I beg forgiveness on yet another status overview:
 

 
Mark

I like roughing in as much as possible to make sure everything lines up and is accounted for - avoid the uh-oh moments when you can't do anything about it.
 
So before continuing on with the planking I wanted to verify the run of the mast and pumps foremost.  The plans show the rake of the mast and the pump locations at the gundeck level, so first is to figure that out.  The pumps foremost, and mast are on an angle so just duplicating the gundeck position would not work.
 

 
This is not 'true' build practice, but is very worthwhile.  I get model 1:1 templates and insure everything is good to go.  My inclination is to replicate the look of true practice on top of the templates made and I would be the only one wise.  The pumps are not the final ones, but are smaller diameter ones just for this exercise.  The final ones will be octagonal.  
 
Next up is defining all the carlings to lock in deck beam spacings so the knees can be started.  The hope is to build the decks removable until I decide to lock them in.  I also might be 'forced' to rough in the main yard.....
 
I beg forgiveness on yet another status overview:
 

 
Mark

Hi Mark, very nice work.