glbarlow

Thanks Chuck, I appreciate your keeping an eye on it as I proceed. While the ports are new to me I know I have bigger challenges ahead. Fun stuff. Derek, I was never a fan of planes, or they weren’t a fan of me, but this little jewel is making me a believer. That photo was after I finished my last model and before starting this one. It was a momentary moment of being organized 🙂 We have our grandkids 3 days a week, so I’ve become a teacher following the online program her school put together. I had respect for teachers before now I an even greater appreciation. Yes, jelly is the same here and I know exactly what they mean.

Now interesting stuff starts to happen, or interesting for me anyway. Failing to find an outsourcer, (I didn’t really look, I instead did my isometric exercises Sand On, Sand Off) I spent a couple of days sanding to get to this point. I concluded it was time to stop and get the ports in before I sanded away the bulkhead extensions. Lining up the ports is so much more easy thanks to the reference lines Chuck provides on the starter kit bulkheads. I’m not sure I’d started this project if I had to cut them out myself, where’s the fun. I was prepared to make micro adjustments by measuring and doing the look test but frankly it was near spot on just with tacking the batton to the reference lines, though I still measured and looked to be sure. I later met with near disaster when I started the starboard side. The hard part of this task is getting the pushpins to stay in the bulkhead extension, I pushed a little hard and snap.:-/ I pinned it back with an inserted brass rod and splinted it up. It’s not so pretty now, but it will be covered up soon enough. I should know how to avoid this mistake, stupid pushpin, and I was even pre-drilling the holes…Oh well, I’ll be sure to check the fairing closely, though I tried to account for that as I repaired it. Modelers don’t panic, we adapt, overcome, and improvise - Clint Eastwood in Heartbreak Ridge would approve. I started doing testing what color red I am going to use. I’ve always used Admiralty Paints but their only red - Ensign Red - just wasn’t red enough and Cheerful has to be red, right. To be clear, I really like red with this ship. I settled on Golden Cadium. Go Red or Go Home. I’ve since tested it on a piece of Yellow Cedar thinned down and multiple coats (7 so far), I like the look of it. As I installed the lower port sill I made sure they were level with the hull, my many variations of little levels make this easy. I was working from outside in so I could have room for the clamps. There is a little fun beveling to get the outer ones to fit the shape of the hull, just a little bit. I went ahead and thinned down the bow port filler to about 1/8 with my Dremel after reading ahead in Chuck’s practicum, then cut the port. One of my many uses of left over MDF from past kits is in this case making port sizers. So yay, the chase port is a square smooth 17/32 like it’s suppose to be. I’m still having trouble adapting to imperial measurements, this is my first time not using metric. I’ll say it again, metric just makes so much more sense to me. Why is the US still stuck…he said rhetorically. Here is where I as a kit builder knew I wasn’t in Kansas anymore. The sides of the gun ports call for multiple, seven to be precise, different sizes to match up to the plan location and size for the ports between the bulkheads. This I where kits wouldn’t go, they’d be limited to a few sizes of stock wood, and of course gun port patterns. It took me a second to wrap my head around the fact I was no longer limited by what stock wood is included in a typical kit. I purchased the wood package from Chuck, this lovely bundle of Alaskan Yellow Cedar billets comes in multiple sizes, six of the seven needed were in the package. I used my Byrnes saw to rip ¼ inch widths of 1/32, 1/16. 3/32, 5/16, 1/8, 5/16 (all in the package). For the last one I just took one a piece of the 5/16 square piece I’d already ripped for the port sill and cut it to the called for 3/16. See how I did all that imperial thing there… I will say once again the best tool I ever bought for model building is my Byrnes saw. Now, with a little help from Chuck, Rusty, and Jim Byrnes, that I know how to properly rip a plank with the proper blade, I’m cutting and ripping whatever I need with joy in my heart and fingers still attached to my hands. If you don’t own a Byrnes saw, buy one. You’ll never regret it. (Though I learned he’s on Covid hold until the end of June for new orders waiting for his supplier to deliver 120v engines, he still has 220v). I made a longer gunport checker for the gun ports, which I will also use to make sure they are lined up with the other side. I also use it to double check the two side pieces will create the called for 7/32 opening. That whole measure twice cut once thing. I also determined I didn’t need the pieces quite this tall… So here she is with the port side ported and faired. The batten lays smoothly top to bottom. Now that I’ve splinted my broken bulkhead extension work can begin on the starboard side. Comments and feedback welcome. It will be a day or two before I can get back at it again, I still have to process my granddaughter’s 7th birthday portraits as part of my other photography hobby. On a side note, if you ever want to make a 7 year old's day, prevented from having a normal birthday party by Covid and 2020 catch phrases like lock down and social distancing, hold a car parade. Her parents arranged to have her friends and family do a slow drive-by their house honking horns, holding signs, and making noise. She got to see friends she hasn't seen since schools were closed in early March, her teacher participated as well. I have an English friend who shared the Facebook video with the very true statement "if this doesn't cheer you up, nothing will." She was sooo happy. And as a result, so was I.

Do both at the same time, maybe you’ll invent something new😂🤣

You aren’t familiar with the method. You don’t do both at the same time and when you have bent the plank right it does in fact fully fit. I did your way for a long time, this way works soooo much better for me. But then I’m very comfortable and have always used CA on planks. I don’t have time or patience to watch glue dry a plank at a time. But like you said waste wood trying new things and learning what works best for to get to a finished planking. It is true it’s not for gunport patterns, and there are different ways to do that too. I described my method in another Speedy log, though with Speedy it’s an easier bend than some. Lots of ways to do things, no one should inflict theirs on someone else, I’m just passing in what I think is a great technique for me.

Before you start boiling wood check out Chuck Passaro’s method of plank bending. I used it on my last model and it changed everything in how the planks fit to the hull. It’s worth the time to learn and much easier in the long run

Have you turned this battle ship into a freight hauler...?

The DFW metro area is reaching out ...

I don’t know if Chris’ instructions mention it: run a batten along the hull at various heights, when it smoothly touches every bulkhead bow to stern you’ve achieved a faired boat. Leave the char on the trailing edge of the several bow and stern bulkheads to not lose the shape of the hull and have a lopsided boat. Although maybe you want a lopsided boat, being from Ana.🤣

Looks like you haven’t yet truly enjoyed the fairing experience. You haven’t finished until you’re knee deep in sawdust.

I’ll be interested to see what you do next.

I built this model, my second build as I recall. It was a good learning experience, but not near as challenging as my first AVS. Honestly after seeing your work on the longboat I think you’d be disappointed with the materials and design. I’d recommend the Cheerful or if you’re not ready for that than one of the Vanguard Models kits. Much better design and far better materials. The instructions Chris provides are all lessons applicable to future models...like Cheerful 🙂

You did a great job on this, especially with learning new things as you did them. A lot to be proud of here. You’re ready to start your Cheerful. Well done.

She already wonders that 🙂

First off, your hull looks great! You may want to fit a small piece to cover that gap at the bow, painted you won't know its there but it will be obvious if its missing. At this point the fact that they don't line up is less an issue once the bowsprit and all the rigging is installed. I've never ever built a ship that I didn't have to get creative to modify, adapt, and overcome issues with the stern - there is always something. I think as I showed, I mean the other Glenn showed, and what you held up you can make it fit. Just do it concurrently with the boom crutch ready to go. Even if you don't install that until later you want to know how they look together and adjust from there - at least that's my recommendation. PS: I like your file stand, mine are just laying there in a pile though I did ask my wife to make be a little felt sleeve to store them in.

Very kind of you. I'm not at that point at the moment but I really appreciate your offer. Actually I've gone nuts and started building Chuck's Cutter Cheerful, I'll be way over my head in no time. I've started a build log if anyone's interested, the link is in my signature. I'm still buying the Master Shipwright version of Flirt as soon as its available. Chris, I also got an aluminum block brass rods, and a metal drill bit. I'm going to try to build your mast marker. I didn't know you could just buy a block of aluminum until now...

The goal is simply to wind up with the second planking the width of the stern post, really either approach will do it - gotta sand something.

Framed, taped, and ready for fairing to begin. I only had to make a few adjustments on bulkhead 8 otherwise everything dropped right in and easily squared up. I used my mini-squares and worked from bulkhead [+] in both directions, that gave me room to clamp the mini-square as I went. Not sure why the photo is so big, this is about twice the size of the actual tools. These little square have been one of my best buys. They come in handy a lot throughout a build. The bow and port fillers fit without adjustment, a testament to the design, but another of those positive affirmation things that let me know I’m doing ok so far. Now, unless I can outsource, the fun of fairing begins. First I moved to a stand that allows me to safely hold it upside down. I opt for function over form. I’m not a woodworker and just use what I have available, in this case adapting the fairing stand I had for Vanguard (why it’s oddly long). Furniture anti-slip pads on the bottom, some felt on top, sized to fit the deck and high enough protect the extensions and the stem. Nothing fancy and about an hour’s work. So yay. I’ll use the laser burn as a guide keeping the edge closest to mid-ships brown until the very end. Then finish it off. This will keep me from removing to much wood and/or losing the proper shape of the hull. We’ll see how that goes… Now to do a google search for model ship fairing outsourcing...

My bad, trick of light in the photo - once I looked on my computer instead of my iPad - never mind 😕

Smooth run of the second planking

The lower bow and stern with the second planking are interesting, is this a common design or because it will be painted white and not seen? Will the historical maritime police be out to get you? You work at the speed of light...I’d be 2 months in by this point. 😊

I’m thinking of taking mine to a carpentry shop to do the fairing, May not work out though😂🤣

Thanks Chuck, I have them all lined up and ready to face the right direction, I was confirming that the bulkhead marked wit + or is it an x doesn’t matter which way.

This is supposed to be fun, seems like you’re enjoying it. Congrats on the cradle, excellent work!

It’s fun to glue the stem and keel onto a bearing strip that is half its width while keep it it all centered well bound. I used my Admiralty White PVA glue here just to be sure I had enough time to make the alignments. I'm going to the yellow TiteBond glue for the frames so they can take the beating of fairing. First rule of modeling, when you think you have enough clamps, go buy more clamps. I’ve had these, and more of them, for a long time. The rubber bands though are new, the idea borrowed from another MSW builder. They are much more handy than I would have guessed in adding support. I have all the MDF waste from prior models, the Vanguard was a good source of quality waste. I have and use all sorts of sizes I cut for various jigs. In this case they came in handy by ensuring the keel was glued exactly center down the frame by placing then clamping them along the sides - the various MDF sizes are just what I had laying around. The rubber bands give me more room to use clamps both for the centering and the holding down. Was it too early to glue on the stern post and rudder, seems like it’s too soon 😄 Just kidding, both the sternpost and rudder are already put away for much later. It was nice to see how well designed the ship is, and a little positive affirmation that I got it on right - such a nice fit and look. I lightly sanded the keel and stem and made sure the bearding line was clear of glue. I now have the mounting holes 1 inch into the frame past the keel. An important step to make sure some future day the model doesn’t snap off at the keel when pushed or pulled by a small grandchild. Now I can put the screws away forget about this for about a year… The 2nd coat of WOP (the color is more even than it appears in this photo) and the frame is now ready to install bulkheads. I’m sure there is a very good reason for the out of sequence numbers aft and letters forward of those bulkheads. Doesn’t matter I just follow the plan and the clear direction to ensure the reference lines face the correct way. It’s my understanding it doesn’t matter which way the + bulkhead faces? I hope that’s true because I started with it and right now the glue is drying… I will install bulkheads 1 to 2 at a time triple checking each is square…and facing the right direction. So I’ll be back later with more excessive detail. Thanks for the comments, likes, and follows. It’s always nice to know someone is watching. I did my last build log (and it will be my last build log there) on that other site, it was like writing a letter to myself, in an empty room, where even the crickets were quiet.

Hey Rusty, where or how did you determine the length of the planks and with that the pattern, is that from the plans?