druxey

Thank you, will try it, forgot about chisel...
 
 

Taking shape quickly! And a lovely shape, too.

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.

The preliminary design for the stern carvings are now complete, I’m going to review them and make any adjustments necessary and proceed with the prototype sets. Looks like I need to get moving on the model so I have something to attach these beauties to.
 
JJ

Close-up photography is the enemy of being satisfied with a job well done -- it highlights a wealth of tiny mistakes that no one will notice at normal viewing distances. I have to remind myself of this fact all the time.

Brush painting, I believe, is a skill that is developed over time through trial and error.  In my experience the key to a good brushed finish is to apply several thin coats of paint to let the paint level out between applications.  A good quality brush, such as an artist's brush also contributes to success.  If the paint applied is too thick, it won't level out properly.  Are you using acrylics?  I've read that some modelers use actual artists' acrylics from the tube because the pigment is ground finer.  I've had good luck brushing Tamiya acrylics thinned with 91% isopropyl alcohol.  Your pram is coming along nicely.  Don't sweat the mistakes.  They are inevitable and an opportunity to learn what does and does not work.  
 
Stay the course and enjoy the journey.  Sometimes I have to remind myself that we build models for enjoyment.  Carry on!  Keep up the good work.
 
 

Welcome aboard, Marcel!

Thanks to all❤️
 
 

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.

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.

For scuppers: My method (waterway in place) is, first accurate mark-out both inboard and out. Drill with a very small diameter bit from both sides. Hopefully the holes will meet - at least partially. Then progressively enlarge using larger diameter bits and needle files, making minor corrections as you go until you reach the diameter of the scupper.
 
I've not drilled hawseholes in years. I file the half-holes in the hawse pieced before assembly. Again, I make them slightly under final size, then file them out once planking is complete.

It's a very simple answer. You do your best, whatever your level of modeling achievement, you always give it your best shot. You should strive for perfection but you'll never get there because no one does perfect work though some get mighty close. 

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.

Saturday – June 15, 2024
 
Sign up information will be sent to all NRG members on or about June 1.
 
The workshop will explain materials, techniques and tools for creating realistic-looking sails for ship models. The first presenter’s section focuses on crafting working sails while the second presenter will explain techniques for creating furled ones. Both approaches use an inexpensive and adaptable paper-like material called “Silkspan.”
 
The Virtual Workshop is open to all NRG members to attend the ZOOM event on Saturday, June 15, 2024, at 10:30 AM CDS time.
11:30 AM – Eastern
10:30 AM – Central
9:30 AM – Mountain
8:30 AM – Pacific
4:30 PM – Greenwich
 
 

To scupper or not to scupper.
 
Most contemporary models do not show the scuppers.   In fact the contemporary model of Speedwell doesnt show the scuppers. I didnt add the scuppers on my Winnie build which was typical.  But I am going to show them on my speedwell.   Nothing fancy.   These arent too crazy to do.   Not like the hawse holes will be.  But you do have to be careful.  You need to carefully measure them inboard and outboard so they look like they line up.  You can actually use the deck planking templates because I have marked the inboard locations for all of the scuppers.
 
When I drill my scuppers I dont even try to drill them all the way through.   That adds unnecessary difficulty.   I drill shallow holes only about 1/16" deep or slightly more.   Inboard, I start with a small pilot hole with a small drill bit.   Then in this case, I used a #47 drill bit afterwards to make them larger.   Finally I used a round file to smooth out the hole’s insides.   I lightly sanded the inboard bulwarks over the scuppers with some 400 grit sandpaper to smooth out any fraying.  This will require some paint touch-up later when they are all done.  The scupper holes were made flush with the deck level or just a hair above.
 
I prefer to use a soft pencil to darken the inside of the holes.  I made sure to cover the entire inside surface of the scuppers including the back of the hole.   Then I touch up the red bulwark paint.  On this model I drilled the scuppers before I added the waterway.  I just wanted to try something new.  It worked out really well for me.  No chipping or fraying of the water way at all.  You can do it whichever way is more comfortable for you.
 
The picture below shows the holes drilled and darkened with the pencil.   They are nice and dark.  I touched up the red paint as well on the bulwarks afterwards.  You can see the waterway strip also prepared in advance and ready to be glued into position.
 

The waterway is a 3/64" x 3/64" strip of cedar.  I sanded one of the four corners of the strip down its entire length.  I used an Emory board or sanding stick.   Basically I made it triangular in profile.  Then I held it in position so I could mark the positions for the scuppers along its length.  I really tried to get these exactly where they should be located.  I used a round mini file to make the half round openings along the length of the waterway where the scuppers were marked out.  Once in position this really looked good.   I used the same soft pencil to darken the round notches I made along the waterway as well.   Below you can see how the scuppers inboard turned out.  I made the waterway in two pieces for the gun deck rather than use one long strip that spanned across the whole length.
 

I also prepared the waterway for the poop deck, port and starboard.   This was easy...no scuppers, LOL.   Just make the strip triangular.  Dont worry about trying to make it concave or anything fancy.   
 
Here is a photo.
 

Finally to the outboard side.  No difference here really.   I used those outboard templates we used way back when....remember those.   If you have to shift the template fore and aft a bit to line them up with the inboard scuppers you made on the opposite side of the deck/hull its no big deal.   But this template will give you a really good start and can be rested atop the wales.
 

 
I drilled with a small drill bit first and again made the holes larger using the #47 bit.   I cleaned them up a bit and darkened them with a soft pencil.  Once again...no need to drill all the way through and hope you meet the same scupper hole you drilled on the inboard side.  Fake it ...till you make it .....I always say.   I drilled part way through once again.   Make sure you really darken them inside the holes nicely and completely.
 

Dont add the waterway on the fcastle deck yet.   I think it best to drill the hawse holes first.   I will be doing that next me thinks.
 

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.

For scuppers: My method (waterway in place) is, first accurate mark-out both inboard and out. Drill with a very small diameter bit from both sides. Hopefully the holes will meet - at least partially. Then progressively enlarge using larger diameter bits and needle files, making minor corrections as you go until you reach the diameter of the scupper.
 
I've not drilled hawseholes in years. I file the half-holes in the hawse pieced before assembly. Again, I make them slightly under final size, then file them out once planking is complete.

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.

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.

For scuppers: My method (waterway in place) is, first accurate mark-out both inboard and out. Drill with a very small diameter bit from both sides. Hopefully the holes will meet - at least partially. Then progressively enlarge using larger diameter bits and needle files, making minor corrections as you go until you reach the diameter of the scupper.
 
I've not drilled hawseholes in years. I file the half-holes in the hawse pieced before assembly. Again, I make them slightly under final size, then file them out once planking is complete.

The futtock shrouds are attached to the futtock stave below and the futtock plate above.  An eye with a thimble is spliced into the upper end of the futtock shroud.  A double hook connects the shroud and the futtock plate. 
To make the stropped thimble, I took some line and unfurl the end.   Using a blunt needle, I made an opening in the line approximately the circumference of the thimble away from where the unfurling stopped and fed the unfurled end through the opening.  Once the line has been passed through the opening, the opening will naturally retwist itself.  A piece of  brass tube (the thimble) was inserted into the eye and the splice was glued.  The thimble was blackened after it was stropped because handling would have caused the patina to rub off. 

The brass tube is slightly wider than the diameter of the rope.  To keep the thimble from falling out of the splice, I placed it on an anvil and tapped each open end with a center punch.  This added a slight lip to the thimble. The double S-hooks are 1/8” long and were made from 24 g wire, using round-nose pliers.  The picture shows them attached to the futtock plates.

The futtock shroud was attached to the futtock stave by wrapping around the stave and securing it to the lower shroud with two round seizings.  In the drawing, the futtock shroud is shown in red and the lower shroud in blue.  After they were installed four rows of ratlines were added.

  

There are several holes in the top, which are marked in the picture below.  On the curved rim are eleven holes for the crow’s feet:  two between each slat and one through it.  There are three rectangular openings on each side rim for the futtock plates.  The four marks on the aft rim are for the railing stanchions.  Finally, there are four openings on either side of the center opening for the buntline and leechline blocks. 

Futtock plates are the metal straps that surround the lower topmast deadeyes.  The topmast shrouds are two-thirds the size of the lower mast shouds.  The deadeyes are 3” thick and 6” in diameter.  The futtock plate is one-third the thickness of the deadeye and three times its diameter long.  At 1:48 scale, that would be .02” x 0.375”.  They were made from 22 gauge wire.
 
The sequence of construction can be seen in the photo.  First, heat-soften the metal and wrap a piece around the deadeye.  Remove the deadeye and solder the ends of the two legs together.  Reinsert the deadeye to confirm the location of the throat and mark it with a Sharpie.  Determine the correct length for the plate by measuring 0.375” down from the throat and mark this measurement as well.  Remove the deadeye and  solder the legs together closer to the throat.  File the legs flat and cut the legs to the correct length.  Round off the end and drill a hole for a hook to insert into.  Pickle the plate and insert the deadeye.  Hammer or squeeze the legs of the futtock plate together for a snug fit and blacken. 

The holes in the top were enlarged and the plates were temporarily inserted.

Before the futtock shrouds can be installed, eight blocks must be stropped and installed on the undersurface of the top.  All my blocks are made of boxwood.  Blocks are not commercially available for all sizes.  For example, the quarter and truss pendant blocks should be 6.5 mm but the closest available block is only 5mm.  A good reason to learn how to make your own blocks!  The kit comes complete with all of the necessary blocks except the jeer blocks, which the modeler will learn how to make. 
 
Determining the dimensions of blocks is not difficult; all you need to know is the size of the line that passes through it.  The width of the sheave opening is 116% the diameter of the line.  For simplicity, call that  “1”.  The relative dimensions are as seen in the drawing below.  The only difference between a single and a double or triple block is/are the spacers between the sheaves The size of the strop grooves on the sides of the block varied; the relative size of the strop decreased as the size of the block  increased.
  
 
There are four leech line and four bunt line double blocks mounted under the top.  The bunt line blocks are closer to the center opening and the leech line blocks are closer to the rim.  The difference in the size of the blocks is small, so the kit will use the same size blocks for both.  They are secured to the top with a strop and peg.  To make the strop, I took a piece of 1” rope and untwisted both ends.  I cut across each untwisted end diagonally to decrease the thickness of the splice, wrapped the two ends together and glued the splice.  A simple knot was placed over the splice.  The block was inserted into the strop and secured with a throat seizing, hiding the splice.
 
The openings in the top were enlarged with a #11 blade, working from both sides of the top.  A thread was passed through the strop loop and both ends of the thread were inserted through the under surface of the top, pulling the strop through the top.  Wood pegs were used to hold the strops in place.  The futtock plates were inserted through the openings in the rim.

I made the top by laminating two layers of 1/32” basswood sheeting, each at 90 degrees to each other.  The kit will have a plywood template to trace the shape onto the basswood.  This gave the correct thickness and added strength.  On a real ship, the top was made up from tongue and grooved wood slats.  I drew the edges of the slats onto the top with a #11 blade. 

The top’s rim was made next.  I used template to trace the curved section onto sheet basswood.  The rim overlaps the edge of the top so draw another line onto the basswood 3.5” outwards from the first line.  I made a second template by outlining the top and drew another line 3.5” inwards from the edge of the template on the curved edge and both sides.  The template was trimmed at the inner line (see arrow below) and positioned on the basswood sheet 7” inwards from the first line.  This gave me the shape of the curved part of the rim.
  
The rim was glued onto the top and weighted down until dry. 

The front edge of the rim is raised.  I used a 3 mm chisel to remove one-third of the thickness of the rim.  If you do not have a chisel, you could use a sanding stick to shape the rim.  The inner edge of the rim was feathered so that only one-third the thickness was left where it met the top.

The side pieces also they extend 3.5” beyond the edge of the top and their thickness tapers to one third the thickness on its inside edge.  Because this piece is straight and with the grain, the tapering was done before it was glued to the top.  When you turn the top upside down, you can see the overhanging edges fore and both sides.
  
The top has multiple slats extending from the edge to the center opening.  The number depends on the size of the top.  I have penciled in the locations of the slats for this top (see two pictures down).  The slats that abut the curved portion of the rim have an unusual shape.  They are cut away to allow them to rest on top of the rim and tapered to a point as they approach the center opening.  Since they are all slightly different in shape, they were made individually.  The slat does not extend over the raised edge.  In the next picture I have incorrectly cut the side edges with a 45 degree bevel.  It should be a straight cut.  

The side slats pass through openings cut into the rim, and taper towards the center opening.  I laminated six pieces of wood together and shaped them into a triangle.  The height of the slat is flush with the rim.  The slats were unglued, openings were cut into the rim and they were installed. 

The aft slats are also triangular and extend to the edge of the top.  Lastly, a gunwale was glued on top of the aft slats and the side rim.  Take a look at this much later picture to see the relationships between the gunwale, side rim and aft slats. 


 
 
 
 

I moved on to work on the milling of the stepping line in the aft deadwood. I didn't want to ruin the deadwood piece on my first attempt so I quickly glued up a second iteration of the deadwood from some spare offcuts - it isn't quite the correct size or thickness but it did serve a purpose of letting me have a piece with which I could work out the best way to approach the task of milling in the steps. I used my mini Proxxon mill for this and was pretty pleased with my first attempt. Here it is with most of the steps milled in (or out?).

This gave me the confidence to try the same procedure on the proper aft deadwood assembly. Before I started the milling though I firstly drilled a couple of holes in the centre of the keel and the centre of the underneath of the aft deadwood so that it could later be pinned in place - this ensured that it sits centrally on the keel in the same position.
 
The dept of the milled area is 1/32", thereby reducing the 15" scale size timbers to 12" when repeated on both sides. The foremost step is so very very thin, much less than 1/32" high, and I was worried about the wood splitting there so I made sure to have a backing piece against it to avoid that. Here is the aftdeadwood pinned in place on the keel.

I need to do a bit more tidying up of the steps and the start of the curve of the bearding line with my chisels. 

I have a Veritas set up block set which includes pieces down to 1/32" and I have found these to be really handy for measuring depths or heights, and for use as shims on tapered pieces - for example if you need to cut a perpendicular edge on a tapered piece of wood. Above is the 1/32" piece showing the depth of the milled steps.
 
I have an also cut the sternpost and the inner stern post to size. Below is a mock up of the stern pieces all together on the keel. There is a lot more work that needs to be done on them yet though, including cutting out the rabbet, marking the bearding line and sanding the area below it before I can install any of them permanently to the keel.

 I have also cut out two lengths of 15" wide timber which will form the rising wood in due course, you can just see one of those to the top right of the picture above.

The planking of the orlop deck was flush also. The short planks were set into a rabbit or notch and they were lifted out to gain access to the hold.
 
The only areas where the long deck planks were above the beams and fastened normally like other decks were those areas with permenant cabins or walled storage areas.
 
The grating was to allow air circulation and minimal light into the hold.