glbarlow

I don't think I avoided all of them, but you're right. That's the fun on this semi-scratch build, not bailed out by laser cut kit parts. But then again, not limited by them either. Fun stuff...

Guys, I think this point has been asked and answered.

Before I get into starting the deck work I wanted to share the latest addition to my workshop, my framed print of HM Cheerful, a true copy from the UK NMM of the original plans. Note the matte color was selected to match my paint choice on the model. Cheerful joins a NMM print of the Pegasus on a different wall. It’s a bit high to get above the ceiling speaker volume control, but I’m out of other wall space. It looks really cool hanging there. Thinning the stern frames was the first frightful task, that one I avoided the Dremel sanding drum with the use of a jewelers saw (described earlier in the log). No such luck with the second frightful thing, thinning the bulkhead extensions and the port sills to a very thin 1/16th. So after convincing myself 1/8th wasn’t good enough I let the Dremel do its thing. However, the near magical step I did first was to line the bulwarks with 1/16th basswood strip between and below the ports. Aside from providing some needed strength these strips marked exactly how far and and how much to take out from the neighboring bulkheads and port sills with the Dremel. This worked great in keeping me and the sanding drum where it was supposed to be and not go where it wasn’t. I’m not sure how I’d have gotten an even 1/16 without a whole lot more trouble, not to mention not gouging my way through the hull planks. After getting the majority done with the Dremel I finished off with my chisels at the base where the Dremel couldn’t reach and then sanded it all out even with my various sanding tools. I used 180 grit to get the last little bit of the 1/16th thickness and 220 to finish it out. Did I mention 1/16th is very thin. My 1/16th thickness gauge came in handy to constantly cross check what was left of the once thick port sills. A lot has to happen right along the way for this build come together. The port sills were installed very early using reference lines on the bulkheads, later an outer plank was run beneath them following the sheer of the deck. That had to be done with a 1/64th clearance for the rabbet (and I thought 1/16 was thin). I actually did ok with that. I erred on the high side with the original port sills (no more than 1/32) because I knew, and did on a couple, I could file them down to the 1/64th rabbet height. Despite that I knew I had one port to address when I got to this stage. I filed this too low port sill completely flat to the hull, added a 1/64th strip, cut that flush, and painted it. You’d never know it was too low now. Improvise, adapt, overcome. I faired the top of the bulkheads and frame to provide a smooth surface for the false deck. Skipping this step would have resulted in a bump near the stern frames and a rough spot here and there along the frame former. It looks kinda pretty maybe I should just stop here. PS: I probably shouldn't have gotten carried away when I painted the counter and not painted the interior of the stern yet, kind of wasted work now. My process for cutting the false deck was to cut out the deck drawing from the plans, cut out the locations of the deck furniture and rubber cement it firmly to 1/16 basswood, and extended the center line through the openings. I cut it out with a #11 blade, the basswood was easy to cut, including the stern frame slots, skylight, and mast openings. It’s a tad confusing, you do cut out the paper to show the hatches and opening, but just on the paper (so I obviously did that before gluing it onto the basswood). Only the skylight and mast hole are cut through the false deck, the rest are place markers for other deck furniture. It was easy to peal off the paper, rub off the rubber cement residue with my finger and my false deck was ready to mount. I did have to do a little work to ensure it was centered, in addition to the dowel for the mast hole I jigged up a plug to fit into the skylight opening. Still not satisfied I cut little squares in the hatch openings (which I will cover or fill later). With the top faired there is a clear line down the center of the frame from the plywood lamination - the dark middle layer was perfectly centered, so I had only to match it up with the line I’d marked down the basswood. Now I won’t later be looking at off-centered deck furniture, at least not due to the false deck. So on went the Tite Bond III, a coulple of weights to hold down the center, and plastic clothes pins to push the edges down onto the bulkheads, and not mark the outside of the hull in the doing. A lot of tools got me to this point. Here are just a few of them. I’m on to planking the bulkheads followed by the moulding strips, I’ll save those for the next post. Thanks for stopping by.

I'm building Cheerful, a 1806 cutter, just as Chuck describes. It's fun to get all caught up in how it was done on a real ship, but there is the practicality of building a model that achieves the look, "faked" or not. I think your most recent drawing is consistent with what Chuck describes, and recognizing it is a block drawing, properly shows how it is done on a model. I built the Lady Nelson before knowing this and unfortunately without some of these features. I'd encourage you to look at https://syrenshipmodelcompany.com and Chuck's monograph on Cheerful. The middle chapters address how to represent the deck of a cutter from a modeler's perspective.

I’m trying to think what it means that you have or even know about a book with this title🤣😂

Personally I like fine brush strokes made from good paint with quality brushes. I enjoy the painting part of model building, plus I’m pretty good at it. I admit painting spars with an airbrush may be appealing and I’ve always used a cheap one for painting cannon barrels.

A decision I’m familiar with having removed so many on Cheerful. It’s the right step and one you won’t regret in the long run.

Thank you for these comments and likes. I’d do a few things different now (especially that winch), but I enjoyed this little kit. A quick and fun build.

The second half of that post was because I was going to have to read the entire log page by page since otherwise every other post would be bookmarked. I fully intend to steal every ideal and technique of yours. Between you and James I see no reason for a Flirt build log when I get to it. I'd just be embarrassingly repeating the phrase, "as I learned from Derek..." and showing photos that didn't match James'. You've probably mentioned it already, but what airbrush did you get? I have a really cheap version, but all I've ever been comfortable in painting is sheets of PE (which I've used a lot of, numerous sheets on Vanguard alone. I have no problem or issue with it in general, I don't know how we'd build large parts of a model without it) and cannon barrels.

As you should

I don’t quite understand the need for some to doubt or question the details or overall accuracy of Chris’ designs. Time and again he has demonstrated the work he puts in to his models being historically relevant and accurate to the degree he can make them based on the research information available. I’d think we’d all be pleased that is offering a unusual model like this, properly named, yacht based on an actual NMM available draft and not quibble over things that simply don’t matter. It’s.a.model. That said, I’m also not a fan of the flat ring bolts or belaying pins, mostly because they are flat. I’ll simply find or make my own alternatives.

I’ve done hundreds of these just this way. Perfect way to do them. I do them with the help of third hands like Derek’s (and my new) Quad hands. It’s also how I seize blocks and hooks.

Yay

I’d match the color of the rope and seizing, the black is going to stand out a lot. Definitely don’t worry about blackening, easy to touch up with a flat paint like Admiralty Ironwood Black and 10/0 brush.

No guts no glory 😀

I must be sick then. I have to stop every once in a while to clean up and reorganize otherwise I’m just looking all over for the tool buried in the rumble.

You’re doing nice work on your cutter, I’m sure the skills learned will transfer to Winnie. Just remember it’s single planked so the work will require patience as I’ve learned on Cheerful.

I’ve got some other work in mind as well, now that you’ve brought it up maybe some margin planks 😂🤣

I have a 25 year old model made entirely with CA other than bulkheads to frame. It’s fine. More impressive and a good way to put that fiction to an end is 25 year old CA made musical instruments that take far more abuse than a model on a shelf are still holding up.

The wavy thing is a common issue, it comes from either too much soaking or not forming it on a shaper of some sort. It’s not a big deal and as you noted can be resolved with sanding later. As Derek so noted, all you want from the first planking is a smooth hull for your second planking. However it is a great time to practice the bending, tapering, and bevel is you’ll need to do. I cover this a bit in both my Lady Nelson and Cheerful log. That in addition to chucks videos and .pdfs cover my highly recommended approach. Headline, it involves using CA and no water, vs. nails, clamps, and longer drying PVA. Enjoy the process!

The very advice I would give. Well said.

—I accidentally deleted this post, reposting just to put a cap on the tree nail discussion. —- After a lot of contemplation and with the input and encouragement from many of you I’ve made the decision NOT to tree-nail. I like the look of my hull as it is. I put these couple of rows on my broken hull, put on some WOP yesterday with the intent to practice practice today. I sat there looked at it for a while and said - No thanks, moving on. And so I

So many clever designs in this model, Chris finds the way to show a detailed model everyone can build, regardless of skill level, and enjoy doing it.

Instructive as always. I don’t see a scenario where there is too much detail. I’m going to add the Proxxon lathe to my bench as I get closer to Cheerful’s mast and spars. I did the ships boat for Speedy, they are far harder for me to plank than a ship. It was not fun.

I always do as much of the rigging as I can off the ship. My masts end up looking like a string filled mess before they go on the ship, but to me it’s so worth it. Many of the connections, knots, blocks, etc. and especially seizing would be sooo much harder to do reaching on the ship. Your new quad hands with the long extensions would make It somewhat easier, but personally I don’t see an upside doing all that with the masts mounted. I don’t glue the lines until everything is properly tension then they get a light touch of watered down PVA with a paint brush. That’s me anyway.