druxey

I apologise for the tardy response ( to post #409), Steven, but I've been under the weather for most of the past month and am only just now catching up with you. You figured out what I used, I see; acrylic matt medium. If you need to dampen the sail to shape it, the bolt rope won't come undone like it woudld if you had used PVA.

Great progress since I last looked in, and it was nice to see a civilised discussion and gentlemanly disagreement, unlike some other threads I've seen elsewhere!

As for anchor design; would there have been much if any change between the 12th and 14th centuries? My instinct is to use the slightly later design as your starting point.

Nice, Chuck, and theoretically foolproof!

A nice rendering of Verne's original!

A very methodical approach, Keith! The hull shape is a very 'easy' one, so should require very little if any plank wrangling.

Well, that's an interesting change of pace! Thanks for the update.

Nice subject, Chris. And the prototype looks very impressive!

The color you show does look too intense. Even if this was what was used, it should be tinted (lightened) at scale size to look right.

Exemplary miniature work as usual, Daniel! Looks like it was a great exhibition and meeting as well.

Ah! Flanders and Swann, those were witty entertainers, worth revisiting. But we digress.... Penultimate is a good word, Patrick.

Excellent result, Marc!

Lovely curves that you've cut. I also enjoy your sense of humor. Building one of these models requires that, I think!

But, if the second set is the correct thickness....

Well, you got there, Aleksandr! An unorthodox method, but it worked for you. Well done!

Both those weathered looks seem fine on camera, even if the first was unintended!

I wonder whether a piece of tempered glass, shattered, would provide granules of the scale size?

Every model is a learning process and it looks as if you are doing well. 

Don't laugh at these batchelors: many if these rather eccentric but highly skilled men men were PTSD sufferers from WWII. This was their self-prescribed therapy.

Are those wooden plugs in the hawse holes?

It was articles on builders like him in The Model Engineer that inspired me as a kid.

Welcome back and enjoy your new home, Ben!

 If you can cut the joints with a very sharp chisel and avoid sanding, you may get better results. If you sand a piece in the vise you will 'rock'. It is almost impossible to get a flat, level joint surface using that method.

Taking shape quickly! And a lovely shape, too.

Scraping moldings: some tricks I found helped me:

1) Glue the blank strip down on a solid backing piece. I use  PVA white glue. This may be soaked off in 95% isopropanol (rubbing alcohol) when complete.

2) Make the strip no deeper than the deepest dimension of the finished molding.

3) Scrape lightly and gently. If you apply pressure, the scraper will wander with the wood grain. As the molding develops, you can add a bit more pressure.

4) When the blank edge of  the scraper runs against the backing board, you are at the correct depth and the scraper will not bite in deeper.

Lovely gratings, Alan. As long as the finished look is right, no-one will notice any little cheats along the way!

I prefer to rubber cement my sandpaper to a flat surface rather than tape.

That looks very sweet indeed, Mark! You might want to varnish or paint the lead to prevent future deterioration.