glbarlow

Thanks Chuck. Yes the perfectionist in me overcomes my lack of patience. I don’t mind how long it took. I think I developed a system on the third to last port 🤣 Thanks for the advice on the stern frames. I’m going the #11 blade and a jewelers saw, I’m sure the Dremel would get away from me. 1/16th is really skinny. Thank goodness for sanding sticks.

Thanks BE. The Alaskan Yellow Cedar really is nice wood - easy to shape and sands to as smooth as butter. Any gaffer tape will do, I have multiple versions and multiple colors. The distinction of gaffer tape is that it is as strong as duct tape but it leaves no residue when removed - as long as it's not left on for too long. I agree with both you and BE. I think sanding sealer has a different purpose, perhaps as a base for acrylic's. The wipe on poly is itself a sealer and adds a whole different dimension to the yellow cedar, it brings out the grain, provides a beautiful finish and changes the wood from a light yellow to a golden color. The photos, at least my iPhone photos, don't do it justice.

The port side is now complete. Cutting and measuring these 64 planks (more like 84 including the ones I rejected after cutting them the wrong length or angle) was an exercise in patience and perseverance, but I like how it all turned out. I will make a few adjustments to the sheer once I start the cap rail step and a few minor modifications to some sills after I thin the inner bulwarks, for now though I’m content to move to the next step. Which is thinning these outer stern frames. I’m not excited about this step, not that confident with a Dremel, small drum or not. While I can paint a 1/64th rabbet with a 18/0 brush without concern I’m hoping not to gouge one of the inner stern frames in the thinning process. I’m going to have to think about this a bit. I may first try a jeweler’s saw. I do have one unbroken frame on the first now crushed hull so I get one practice run. If anyone has any suggestions or advice on doing this other than don't screw it up, I'd be happy to hear it. I noticed the photos of the SB and port side appear to be a different color - that's purely the affect of my iPhone. They are exactly the same in reality. At some point I need to get my camera gear out and do it justice. I can’t do anything for a few hours while the poly dries - so I’ll just sit and stare at it for now. Oh, I can never have enough ways to sand things. This latest acquisition from here at Amazon are thanks to a recommendation from BobG. Good stuff.

Well done. I like that the cannon jig has its own stand:-D and thanks for providing a nice reference example for when I get to HM Flirts guns someday. I'm hoping the 1:48 scale of Cheerful will help make it a little easier, maybe just a little.

It’s a nice looking kit, I’ll enjoy watching another of Chuck’s designs come together. where did you get those long brass clamps?

The AVS has always been one of my favorite builds. I had a great log here on it, but it along with my Pegasus log went down in flames in the great systems crash. I've backed up every log since, but not those unfortunately. I don't know if I had mentioned here the Bob Hunt Practicum on the AVS, which I believe is still available for sell. As far as you are in your build it would still be helpful for you when it comes time to do the rigging - its here https://www.lauckstreetshipyard.com/ if your interested.

Just got this set from Amazon - I haven't tried them yet but I like the concept, especially for curves. Thanks for the suggestion. I'm look forward to seeing how your joggles go - I've never tried this and also not really sure how you go about cutting them other than the sharp chisel route.

Nicely done! That's a bold move having it on a single pedestal, great look.

The galleries look really excellent. Great detail and craftsmanship. I would have needed more than one extra.

Agree with James, your revised waterline seems more how the boat would float. I often have the same issue thinking the plan water line (of almost every model) is too high. But logically they had to sit pretty low in the water to be under sail.

BE is right, this works and speeds the process.

And thank us 3 years from now and think this so much better with them rigged. I do have to acknowledge I never tried it with 4 pounders. That ship needs an armory upgrade. Actually I read the book on Cochran Chris recommended. He tried bigger cannon but it slowed the ship too much. He demonstrated he could carry the entire broadside of cannonballs in his pocket. The net result all these years later, you get to rig tiny cannons.

Best tool ever, glad you’re liking it too

I always look at the end of the section I'm working on, if I know what it's supposed to look like when its done its easier following the instructions to get me there. As others noted the first planking serves only as a base for the second. Be comfortable sanding the heck out of it and using wood filler as necessary. The smoother that base becomes the easier and better looking is the the 2nd planking. Think through any tapering you might need to do on the 2nd planking, better yet look at BE's and James builds, they've done one or two so steal, I mean learn whatever you can from their build on the second planking - even if its not in the words you'll see things in the photos. Believe me I'm doing that with my first scratch build in Cheerful - I have 4 particular build logs I look at, only at the post and pages that are at and just after the step I'm on. That's the best thing about this forum, you're not alone. Stealing, I mean adopting the best practices of others is how we all get better. If all else fails leave the area a few up from the keel and below the curve of the side until last. If you have to fill it in, fill it in a place where you can't see it when it's sitting on the shelf. Don't tell anybody I told you that, the perfectionists just fell off their chairs. Me I never make a mistake, that I can't hide. I'm a big fan of @chris watton and Vanguard Models, I'm first in line (at least in my mind) for his shipwright version of HMS Flirt and already have HMS Speedy. I believe you chose wisely, not only because of the superb instructions but because Chris is a world class designer. AND he's on this forum so you can always ask the guy who designed or his ace master builder @James H any question. Here's my modeling maxim: It won't all go perfect, mistakes are a part of the process. The best fun is to Adapt, Improvise, Overcome. Clint Eastwood borrowed that quote from me, no wait - I stole it from him. Have fun, power through any frustrating moments, get to the other side and enjoy your work. That's my whole list of platitudes for the day, I'm all out now.

Do a topic search on Chuck Passaro's plank bending and planking tutorial in general. It's a game changer. I works great and is relatively easy to do once you get the hang of it. The only tool you need is a small travel iron.

I know what you mean, planking below the wales is always an adventure curving both in and down or up depending on how you look at it. As I hope you'll see when I get there Chuck's bending method is even more mind blowing, I'll bend a board upward (in a 2D view) to get it to fit the inward bend of the bow. It doesn't look like it works until you lay the board on and then you go "wow."

Thanks Chuck, I understand and good point. I haven't touched the sheer yet, I plan to wait until the other side is done so I can even them both up at the same time. I'll run a board along the top with a level to make sure I don't get out of whack on one side. I left the top planks just a tad higher than the bulkhead extensions to make sure I had a little room to work with.

Interesting question Jim. I don't know a lot about sanding sealer but the big thing about wipe on poly is how it's absorbed into the wood and brings out the color. Again I'm no expert but I think that poly is a form of sealer and putting on actual sealer before would defeat part of the purpose of the poly. Perhaps the sealer, like gesso, is as a first step to painting? It would be interesting to hear from anyone with more experience with sealer, I haven't used it myself.

Thanks Rusty! The wow factor of a single light coat of wipe on poly (not even dry yet). While it serves to highlight where more sanding is needed (but I knew that) it certainly serves to demonstrate the Alaskan Yellow Cedar is pretty nice stuff.

I’ve finished Starboard above the wales. It’s very slow going measuring out each of the 4 planks (one just 1/16th, the others 5/32) between the ports to keep the 1/64th rabbet. I've only done preliminary sanding I don't need to go to far on that as yet. I wish I could impart some sage wisdom on cutting these, but its just grinding it out with careful measure and cutting. More finely and carefully than I’ve ever had to do on any kit. I finally determined the best way for me is using my Veritas mini- chisels to cut the planks on carefully measured and marked lines using the sides as the ports to mark the angle from the in-board side. I will have to build up the sill on port 3 by 1/64th. I have a plan, but it will keep until I thin out the bulwarks and before I put in the false deck, so a while from now. I’ve already tried it, it works. Still it’s pretty amazing to me with all that it took with aligning port sills and wales to the frame to get here that I was that close to being right. Once again I attribute it to the design, Chuck's great monograph, and some peaceful patience on my part (something I’m that good at). In case you missed it earlier, the green gaffer tape (a photographers best friend, it leaves no residue and is thicker than blue painters tape) is to protect the keel while the ship is in the Amati keel holder for working angles. Wondering if I should I apply a coat of wipe-on poly to this completed side above the wales, or wait until later. I’ve already lightly sanded parts of the stem and keel and plan to re-apply poly there after I’ve completed the above wales planking and stern before starting on planking below the wales. Any thoughts on the timing of the poly? I will be sanding it more later, just don’t want to over-sand at this point. This single planking stuff can cause some anxiety knowing what I see now is what I’ll always see… Now on to port side…

Chuck sells a 2.5mm block that will work for cannon rigging

I did full rigging for Pegasus, Granado, and Pickle. While it is hard and scale is a challenge it is worth it. With as good a job as you’re doing on Speedy I think you’d later regret not doing it. I’m looking forward to it for Cheerful at 1:48.

But no different than plans, they buy a superb model like Byrnes, then first reverse engineer it, then make it with cheaper parts and without R&D cost. Their primary fighter jet is a knockoff of a Russian one, they know no bounds.

Let’s not buy these. No different than buying ZHL models, it’s IP theft. Jim Byrnes shouldn’t lose money to Chinese knockoffs

The failure was with a cheaper version of aliphatic glue, not CA or PVA. I've used the same top brand of CA for my models for years, I've never ever had a failure. Some of my models are 20 years old at this point. I'm very comfortable with CA. I use only CA for planking, no reason or desire to change there. I know there are many that use PVA for hull planking, I'm not one of them. I was thinking about the aliphatic more for the deck and deck furniture since it dries clear and doesn't seem to stain. There is a difference between white PVA and Tite Bond, and even Tite Bond has three different formulas one of which I think is phatic I believe. I'm looking for those that experience with AliPhatic and its best use (if there is one)