BLACK VIKING

... here we are again.
Before starting to cover the keel near bow, I noticed that the spur was not perfectly straight and therefore I added a little glue keeping it in tension:
 

 
By the way, the ship is still perfectly balanced:
 

 
For covering the remaining keel, I made 1 mm grooves in certain places and in others I have shaped the pieces of strip in a curvilinear way:
 

 
And so we arrived at the current situation.
Now I go back to work, see you soon!
 
 
Rodolfo

Good morning and thank you all, more photos.
 

 

 

 

 

 
Un saluto.

Yupp its me.....and its proudly displayed.   A wonderful piece that is among my most treasured.

Thanks guys, I've been busy this week with the deck. My strips came in and I got it all planks. Here's some pictures of the steps. This is just the raw sanded wood. I cant wait to get some Poly on the walnut to make the color and shine come out and it should really pop.

 
 
 
 

Gracias Matrim... continuo pasando imágenes...

I have achieved a significant milestone in the fitout, I have installed the quarter davits so finally all the ship's boats can be put in place.
Also, the gangway railings and gun port lids are complete.
Again, there were plenty of alternatives for these details but they were clearly shown on the Admiralty drawings in Lavery and Hunt's great book so confusion was avoided. The only odd thing about this drawing is the two piece gun port lids. This is the only place I have seen this detail and I have installed single piece lids. 
To complete the ships boats the oars need to be made. The rudders will be removed and stored inside the boats and the boats will be lashed into position as one of the last things to do.
Next the anchors and the parts of the running rig that I have left to last and some small items. I'm not too sure what to do about the stern lanterns, they seem to be fitted and removed as needed, sometimes a single central lantern, some time two or even three across the stern. I can't find any in premade kit form and they look very fiddly to make.
Cheers, David.

I've reached a bit of a breakthrough regarding the oarsmen.
 
The major problem I've been up against is that neither the oarsmen nor the spacing of the benches and tholes are terribly consistent. The first because they were all hand-carved. The second because when I was first building the hull I didn't realise how important it would be later in the build to have all the frames at exactly the same spacing, and I've had to make adjustments around this initial error.
 
Because of this, each oarsman has had to be dealt with separately - I haven't been able mass-produce a "standard" oarsman - and the same applies to the placement of their arms. A tiny variation in placement can have a huge effect on the relationship between the oar handle and the oarsman's hands. I can only mass-produce arms up to a certain point - I have to leave quite a bit of each arm unfinished till I can adjust it to the individual oarsman.
 
This has been bugging me for quite a long time - how to get some stable reference point so I can put the hands in exactly the right places for each oarsman. Well, I've finally worked out a strategy.
 
First I glue the oar in place on the gunwale so the blade is level with those of the lower oars (i.e. at "water level") and the oar is at the same position in the "sweep" as the lower oars - (so if you look down from above, all the oars are at the same angle with respect to the hull). That's our first reference point.
 
Then put a spot of glue on the oarsman's "sit-upon", to temporarily fix him to his bench. That's our second reference point.
 
Drill a hole through the top of the arm, which is then temporarily glued to the shoulder and the hole continued into the body. A bamboo pin fixes them together, then the arm (after breaking the glue bond) is swivelled till the hand is in place on the handle of the oar.
 

 
Then bit by bit I carve the hand so it has a hollow to take the handle, and then shape it until it is as much like a human hand as I can make it. Then I can glue the arm onto the body permanently, and repeat the process for the other arm.
 

 
After the first two figures (which was the experimental stage) I was able to improve the process. On the second figure I discovered the swivel hole in the arm was in the wrong place - the hand reached past the oar handle. I had to drill a second hole to get the swivel in the right place.
 

 
So from now on I'll be lining up the arm against the shoulder first, to check that everything fits properly before I drill the hole. 
 
Finally, when everything's lined up and glued together, I go back and trim everything to shape. I put wood filler in the gaps between arm and shoulder
 
    
 
 
 and smooth it off when it's set. That way I don't have to spend forever trying to get the interface between the arm and the shoulder perfect - I can just bodge it a bit. Once it's painted no-one but me will know the difference (oh, except you guys, of course).
 

 
Oh, and on the subject of arms, this is included for those Australians of a certain age who still remember the Aunty Jack Show on tv .
 
 
 

Mast stepped, guns dry fitted. Tomorrow I can do the riggings and ships boats 

Mark:  thanks for your nice post, as well as following along much appreciated indeed. Yes this was a wake-up-call. Never occurred to me that rigging plan sheets would have those kind of issues. Well this one is only my third build so seasoning is a bit newbie for me in that regard. Will certainly be more cautious here on out.
 
So, spent the last four or five sessions working on untangling all of the crossed lines - once I had found pin locations. More or less done (looks "ok")- now starting to add coil loops, and securing lines with pins. And, as you mentioned, needed to do some "creative" changes to rigging - and yes thankfully it's only one mast and four yards - sails certainly add lots of extra work next - just shrouds and ratlines - case is being built as well - --I won't post again until she is Finished ---- I'm sure you're all getting bored with my similar area posts of late.
 
Regards,
 

Hello everyone.
A little progress. I'm working to correct the bow area. The ship doesn't have the opening for the mooring chains to go through, so I am adding them. Also there are two guns molded into the bow area. The pictures that I am using show that there no guns in that area. There may have been guns there at some time, but to be consistent through the build I am going with the pictures I have access to. The forward rail plate in the model is way too thick and miss-shaped. I am correcting that.
 
I am new to ships and I do not know a lot of ship terminology, so if I use the incorrect words to describe a part of a ship, please let me know what the correct terminology is. 
 
Thanks, Bill
 

 

 

KAISAR-I-HIND (I) P&O Steamer coaling at Aden w/c 11” X 9"
Jim 

Following preparation tests...
 

 

Still waiting on the Walnut decking to come in, so I moved on with a few things. I decided on a paint/style I was painting this. Walnut clear poly deck, Blue body, and gold cowl. I also designed a little paint scheme for the back fin. So, I worked on that this weekend, I'll be clear coating everything afterwards. Also, since this boat will be a tribute to my dad, I remember when I was young he was part of a CB radio club and his handle was "TRUE BLUE". So that is was this boat will be named. I'm even making so decals from waterslide printer paper to go on the body.
 
I don't feel this is straying from the "Miss Unlimited" the kit is titled, because the kit is meant to build 1 of 4 or 5 separate popular boats from it's age, I'll just be customizing my own.
 

Did someone ask for throbbing engines...?
 
PT.wmv

Here is my latest addition to the fleet. Please go to my website for a complete build log.
 
http://geneberger-models.com/pt-117-motor-torpedo-boat/
 
 

I will see if I can restart this build in next few weeks.. 

Also the stay from the second level of the foremast to the bowsprit now made and attached. It was a tedious task to make sure that the two times three ropes were of correct length to ensure that there would be tension on all of them. The way it came out is not perfect, but good enough. It is nice to see that the tension on each of those 12 ropes is not that high, but the tension on the one rope for the stay is actually rather high.
 
And next also to the second level of the main mast: installed the platform (previously already made), the deadeyes on it, and installed also the second mast. Again, like the fore mast, with a fid and a rope to hoist the second mast up and down. Again, the second mast is not fixed by glue.

 

 

Hello everyone. This will by my first attempt at a build thread. Also, this is my first attempt at a ship model in over forty years.
I thought I would start with a easy build, so I picked up Revell 1:535 USS Missouri. There is not a lot of detail on this model and I can't find that there is a photoetch set for this model. I started by working to get the hull and the deck to fit correctly. The froward area of the hull was bowed in, so I added extra tabs to the underside of the deck to make it fit. After gluing it up and lots of sanding, the hull/deck fit is starting to look better. The anchor chains were molded in, so I removed them to the chain plates and will replace them with metal chain.
Please let me know if I have started this thread correctly and please feel free to add any comments to my build. Oh yeah. I don't know a lot of ship terminology, so if I use the incorrect terms please let me know.
 
Bill
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

Another filling update.... (moving towards a tastes better solution soon)
 
Port Side...

Port Side bottom...

That filled out nicely feels smooth to the fingers sliding over it... ready for a primer coat....
 
The Starboard side is a different story....

The starboard bottom Clearly gonna need more fill here, it was a deep dislocation of part....

Starboard Top.. I'm gonna wait for the next round of primer before I will say it's done.... But it looks good....

The pic is a little grainy but you can still see the hump that needs to be reduced/built up..... Another application of Mr Surfacer....
 
One thing I REALLY REALLY like is the rapidity I can get to sanding with this stuff..... using putty, I would still be waiting for it to cure.... The difference? I'm almost done with filling long before I would be even able to give it a first sanding....
 
Mr Surfacer, A must have tool in the box IMHO.... (especially if your doing smooth compound curved surfaces like aircraft)
 
And the obligatory disclaimer, I get no recompense from Mr Hobby, this is just my individual opinion based upon the usage displayed above...
 
EG

This is the 1:72 capstan kit from Master Korabel
It measures  18mm x 14mm actual size. 
 
I picked it up from one of our sponsors, Crafty Sailor,  and I feel it is a great value at $4.99 US.
 
Looking at the web site illustration, you might have your doubts about using this.
 
 

But we all know, kits are what you make of them..
 
Stay tuned..
 

 
As you might imagine, the contents are pretty sparse, but it is all you need.  I tore the plans taking them out of the little plastic bag everything came in.  
I forgot to include in the picture, a small length of brass wire, that is intended for making rivets on the completed part.
 

 
The quality of the wood is very good.  I believe it is pear.  The parts came out of the sheets very easily, with no risk of damage.  The holding tabs were very small and easy to cut and release the parts.
 

 
I thought I should remove some of the visible char before assembly, but I later realized it was really not necessary ..  I spent ( wasted ) about 20 minutes on the parts
seen above..
 
 

 
I assembled the main body in two halves, using very small amounts of white glue.   The fit of the parts is incredibly tight.  I don't really think glue is even necessary 
at this point.
 
 

 
With all the parts together,  I mounted it on my unimat for some finishing. This is where I realized all the visible char could be removed by spinning it like this.
 
 
 

 
It didn't take much work to have a nice looking piece. 
As I mentioned earlier, there was some brass wire included to add the look of rivets, but not knowing when I am going to use this, I decided not to add the rivets at this time.
 
I completed this in less than an hour, and I'm sure any of our members could do as well if not less.
 

 
I'm going to be needing a capstan for my Resolution, but this is a bit too small.  I hope Master Korabel issues some other sizes in the future..
It is listed at 1:72, but I put it on the 1:64 plans I have for Rattlesnake, and it looked pretty good.  
 
I highly recommend this kit.  

Firstly, I have changed the heading of this log from “Armed Pinnace” to “Armed Launch”. When I bought this kit about 20 years ago, I was given a review of the kit that had been published in, I believe, Model Boats and the author, Keith Julier, referred to the boat as a pinnace. I now realise that the boat is more correctly called a launch.
 
Thanks for the likes and the comments, Lou and Barnes.
 
On with the build. A short update.
 
The photo shows the gun slide and carriage almost complete and ready for fitting. The rudder has been painted and the hinges are ready to put in place. The tiller had not been made at this time, but was later cut and shaped from a suitable piece of wood, rather than trying to bend a piece of 3.5x5 as suggested in the instructions.
 

 
The making of the oars was tackled next. The photo shows the various parts for the oars, a partly completed one and a finished one (though not yet stained or coated with a satin finish). Cutting the slot in the central dowel looked as if it was going to be a real problem, as I don’t have access to a mill which would have done the job very easily. The plan suggests filing the slot which would have been an exercise in frustration. So, I mounted two Dremel cutoff wheels on the one mandrel, set up the Dremel on its stand and with the aid of a simple jig, basically ground the slots. The photo shows the apparatus. I anticipated lots of smoke, so this job was not done inside otherwise the smoke alarms would have been triggered. The slots were later cleaned up with a file.
 

 

 
The gunslide has now been glued in place and the rudder fitted. The boat has been given one coat of a satin polyurethane finish.
 

 
 

 

 
That's all for the moment. Cheers.

And finaly ...
Maybe, if I find a way to make it more elegant ... Once upon a time ... Maybe

And now all the oarsmen have been sanded smooth. What someone looking at the photo called a wooden orgy . . .
 

 
My immediate next job is to make arms for them and then fit arms to each oarsman. This will be a somewhat involved process - not only because half are port and half starboard, but each has to have his arms in exactly the right place to hold the oar so the blade is in line with the others and with those of the lower bank.
 
And I've made ringbolts for the tackle for the shrouds, which are tied down with blocks, not deadeyes. The ringbolts were done with a very wonky set of long-nosed pliers and some garden wire,
 

 
then a blob of CA to hide the join and look like a swivel for the ring.

To be trimmed to shape, painted black and inserted in the gunwale in due course. 
 
And I'm taking the time to take stock of where I go from here. I've started writing a "to-do" list sequencing everything yet to be done from now until the model is finished. There's still quite a lot to be done, but I do think I can see light at the end of the tunnel.
 
 

good morning everyone
 
thank you for comments and likes
 
deck planking continues, 
 
what ever error i have made is continuing through, even though i still dont know if it was a mistake by me, as i have to do the same repair to the foremast joggle plate
 
 

Post 14
 
Back on the deck
 
As I have completed the deck it seems appropriate to fit the timberheads at this time.
 
It is a tedious job fitting all these position specific tiny sections along the bulwark but Chris has done an excellent job with the etched pearwood, which saves a lot of extra fiddling which would otherwise be the case.
 

5601(2)
Care must be taken when handling these pieces, they have an inbuilt drive to ping off into the ether never to be seen again.

5608
I am now into that part of a build I like best, fiddling with the fittings. The fish hatch is the largest fitting on the deck and one that is easy to modify slightly to provide more interest.
 
The kit provides an all-in-one representation of the boards that form the cover.

5602(2)
I prefer to have sections open to view, with a glimpse of the  nets, (detail to follow) in the fish hold.
The boards were modified to allow this.
 
The board lifting rings are represented in the kit by less than convincing eyebolts. I will replace these with ring bolts, tedious as it is.
 
The Fore Mast Housing
This fitting allows the Foremast to be lowered by means of a Tabernacle. This is hidden below decks so it’s not something I need to be concerned about representing, but the model can still be displayed with the mast in the lowered position if desired.

5607(2)
The make- up of this part is a firm fit and I didn’t need to glue the side pieces in place.
The broad thwart is also glued into place.

5598(2)
I did test fit the Fore mast timber (6mm) walnut square stuff which was a tad oversize for the space, but rather than trim the mast I sanded the inside the side pieces to get a snug fit.

5600(2)

5605(2)
This is about as far as I can go with the deck fittings at present.
 
I have some concerns about the steering arrangements and representation and position of the wheel on this sail only vessel. There may have to be some deconstruction/ modification in this area.
 
I have to say I am thoroughly enjoying this build, a departure from my usual 18th century naval subjects.
 
Researching this vessel type is a new interest and I have been in touch with the Curator of the Scottish Fisheries Museum who has provided very useful additional information.
 
Cheers,
 
 
B.E.
20/06/20