BLACK VIKING

The saying is to measure twice and cut once but sometimes it is more along the lines of measure 3 times, look at it another way, measure again, walk away for a while to clear your head, measure again from a different angle, have a drink to cloud you head and get another perspective, measure again and finally find the mistake then redo the whole thing and finally cut and hope it is right! 
 
Ive actually seen this issue of the gun ports not lining up correctly on several builds especially of these larger first rates. I'm thinking that the problems are partially coming from translating the locations from 2D drawings onto a 3D object and also not having a solid reference point to start from. 
 
Plus side is the starboard side will be easier as I now know what to do to make the layout work. 

Wow well done on finding that out before you cut out all the gunports as that would have been a nightmare:-( . Looking forward to seeing your next update. 
 
BV

Wow well done on finding that out before you cut out all the gunports as that would have been a nightmare:-( . Looking forward to seeing your next update. 
 
BV

Looking good sounds about right with the bulwarks I had to do exactly the same thing 
 
 

Stage 7: Adding the bulwarks was no easy task. As predicted the stern former interdicted with proper placement of the stern bulwark and had to be resanded into a different shape. The scuppers on the left and right bulwark were sitting too high, easily remedied by taking off a bit at the bottom of the bulwarks. The bow section had to be refaired to allow the front bulwarks to sit at a proporly wide angle.

With stage 5 the hull planking is done for now. Before filling and smoothing a couple of other parts are added though.
 

 
First up as stage 6 is the stern part we prepared earlier. While it makes planking the hull much easier, it's not all that helpful in positioning the stern bulwark. Major adjustments are needed here.
 

I've been planking the hull some more on the port side and started to lay out the gun ports. I have quickly noticed that they are not lining up with the dummy blocks that were installed before hand. Not a big deal to move or install new ones but a little annoying. The more frustrating part is that some of the ports are intersecting the frames. So I had to do some shuffling of the ports and I think I now have a pattern that will work. We shall see... 
 
While laying out the port holes I got to wondering if S.R. had an actual entryway? As most 1st rates did and being as tall as she is I cannot imagine there not being one however, there is no detail showing an entry. I have no problem scratch building one as that is what I did for La Couronne but I thought I would ask if anyone knew the answer or had seen a model or drawing showing an entry. 
 
And now on tot he picture! 

Thanks Scott! Not throughout the whole ship but all the cabins and the stern lanterns. If the lower gun decks were detailed out and not just dummy decks I would probably do the whole ship but outside of the cabins, everything else can be fairly easily seen.
 
Now for the update: Admiral's cabin is complete! Spent almost the entire day minus a few breaks for food, drink, bathroom and puppy play time but still logged in 8 solid hours of building furniture and finishing the cabin today. The Captain's cabin is next but before that one gets built I think I will spend some time back on La Couronne. However, before that I think I need to give the eyes, fingers and brain a break from tiny detail work so I am thinking that it is time to run more planking. I have a lot of deck planking I can get started on as well as raising the hull planking up at least on one side. The other still needs to remain down till I can finish running all the wiring down through the hull. Plus, the table is in a nice messy state that is perfect for cutting wood and not so much for rigging so may as well keep on with the same type of mess!
 
As always thanks for looking in and for the likes and comments. More will be on the way!

I've managed to finish up this project. Lots of little fiddly bits like rope coils and flags and the last of the rigging. The reef points needed taming as they were all over the place, but a little bit of wood glue tidied them up. I had a go at making a lantern because the supplied on was too difficult to paint nicely and was only a cast metal one. I started off cutting the ornamental top and bottom from the cast lantern, and then making two hexagon shapes to frame the new one. It turned out OK I think. At least it's better than the original. That's it for this build. Thanks for watching.
Matt.

Thanks so much guys for the "likes". Working on the stern can't frames.
 
Bob

Thanks! I don't think I am going to lay carpet but, I was considering a rug...
 
So more progress tonight. Support columns dividing the sleeping area from the main space have been installed. Doors are also in place closing off the forward cabins. Little by little she is coming together. Next up I have started to build the table and then the chairs which are still under design. I think I am going to have a lot of good build time this weekend and if so then we may just see this cabin finished out.

Gun Port Framing
 
Well I surely didn't expect the complexity that this process has turned out to entail.  I think I put in 8 hours today and got 8 of the 16 frames in.  Going into it I thought it was simply a process of cutting these little 1/4 inch frames and gluing them in.  Not hardly.  Here's why:
1.  The two strips between which the frames sit are not directly on top of one another.  Because of the curvature of the hull the top frame sits a mm or so more inboard.  Chuck's instructions note that the frames need to be cut at an angle (turns out to be 76 degrees) in order for the top and bottom to seat under and over the two frames.  Interesting since I don't know of any miter box that will cut a 76 degree angle.
2.  Unless you've put the two strips on super perfectly (which I didn't apparently), the gap between them can vary from the 1/4 inch that the frames are supposed to fill.  In my case there were variations in the gap from less than half a mm to a bit over half a mm.  More or less a 1/64th to a 1/32nd of an inch.  This meant that each of the frames had to be measured, marked and cut individually to both length and the angle.
3.  There is nothing backing the two strips, so when a frame is pushed into its place, I had to hold a swizzle stick behind it so as not to push it too far in.  The framing will faired to the hull later, but I wanted these frames to sit flush to the strips.
4.  If I could get the frame to have a nice snug fit I used CA to hold it there.  It there was any wiggle to the frame I used carpenters glue.
 
It would be hard to describe the process I finally developed for marking the 3/32 inch strip of wood at 76 degrees, cutting it, filing it, etc.  Needless to say it was an interesting day.  The pix tell a better story.  I hope I've learned a few tricks (I must have cause the first frame took 4 hours and the last 7 only 4 more) that I'll apply tomorrow in doing the other side of the boat.  The last photo shows where I got the 76 degree angle from.
 
 

Ahoy Gents
                     Okay guys the Isabella is getting there I spent some time going back tuning up the build every time I finish a sequence in the build I stand back and marvel at the progress anything that don't look right or I over looked I tear it out and start all over again.  Tomorrow I should have the entire hull complete the opening of the gun shutter bays will be next along with the red and green stain  then the deck furniture will follow and add the fittings
Frankie Day

Some more progress on her,
 
 

Coming along very nicely Pucko. Nice idea with the templates for marking out the gunports a lot better than the Sovereign of the seas as you had to measure every one. Great work.  
 
BV 

Coming along very nicely Pucko. Nice idea with the templates for marking out the gunports a lot better than the Sovereign of the seas as you had to measure every one. Great work.  
 
BV 

Coming along very nicely Pucko. Nice idea with the templates for marking out the gunports a lot better than the Sovereign of the seas as you had to measure every one. Great work.  
 
BV 

Since I am not happy with the grating provided in the kit, I wondered what to do.
Today I spent half an hour at my local "second hand shop", and found a sheet of veneer, to my surprise mahogany.
It was thin to, so 50 cents later I had it in my hand and this came useful today.
It's perfect for the grating and making strips out of.
Sadly I don't have any mini table saw, so I used my Japanese fine saw and ripped the sheet.
One picture shows the strip in the boat

the other how it takes varnish.

Sanding varnish - sanding varnish and many more times will make the wood luster.
 
Edit: I am to experiment to make some plywood of this material and try making the steering wheel.

Well...work delay. Back in the saddle. Tired and a bit stressed, but nothing a few hours in Ship room can't cure. 
 
Put on fcsl deck.  Moving on...
 
 

Stage 5: Planking the hull
 
So Friday I came home to find Artesanias delivery of replacement strips...
 
.... rammed 20 cms deep into my angled mail box. Thanks, DHL delivery guy. After spending 30 minutes trying to pull, wedge and cut the package free I was surprised to find the strips entirely unphased and in top condition. Great quality and great packaging by AL.
 
So this means I can continue with my build, which I promptly did. The strips are very nice to work with so far. 
 

Phase 1: Hull structure.
 

As usual we start with fitting crossframes to the logitudinal main frame. This one's a single piece, sorely needed as it is only 3 mm plywood. A sub deck is fit which will carry the non functional model boat engine.
 

All cross frames fitted. There's minimal warpage on the top part of the main frames bow and stern halves. Not entirely surprising as the material along the sub deck is only a centimeter in height. Easily cured with a bit of filling and sanding until the level gives its okay.
 

Adding the mast holder and bow strengtheners. Those are roughly sanded a bit in preparation
 

The engine deck is painted white and then it's on to the main deck. Now we have both a camber and a positive sheer, so this is fun, as the main deck needs to wind against itself in different directions across its length and width. Pictured here is the deck drying for a day after a several hour watering session to preform it before glueing it down. The outer veneer of the decks plywood apparently wasn't glued down correctly in production, so it started to roll up from the board at one location. A bit of sanding solved this quickly.
 

Perfect fit, if I may say so myself. At least from my point of view. I don't usually build boats this small in size, so I wouldn't know. To close out this stage the hull is faired for the planking, which goes remarkably quick.

Stage 2: Building the stern former
 
ALs solution to the ridiculously difficult to plank stern section is to not plank it at all. Instead we build up a former out of overlapping wood pieces. Mare Nostrum veterans will notice this very different from the stern former used in earlier kits. Only the upper part of this is sanded to accommodate the stern bulwark right now. The piece itself will not be added to the boat until after hull planking is done and it will be sanded to form even later
 

 
Stage 3: Planking the decks
 
A simple alternating pattern is used to plank the deck. The veneer delivered is an absolute joy to work with. It's plyable and flexible and holds a very nice and clean edge. Other manufacturers could learn from this. I mean you, OcCre.
 


 
The tiny quarter deck is shaped, sanded and also decked with the veneer. Also pictured is 
 
Stage 4: Building the boat stand
 
The next stage is hull planking, which means we lose the option to use the assembly holder for a short while. Instead the boat stand is assembled and it will give the boat a place to rest in that time.
Not pictured yet: The stand was painted black.
 
And now we wait for my replacement planking strips.

Completed grapnel anchor installed. This was done in three layers: one line looped over the thwart, one rope coil over that, and another rope coil attached to the grapnel. I can see why Bob F removed the thwart to work in this tight space.
Steve

While I understand the reasons given for leaving masts unglued, my personal preference is to glue them in place. I would rather have the stability of a permanently mounted mast. Proper tensioning of rigging is difficult enough without having to worry about the mast moving about.
 
Bob

I got a lot done tonight and the great cabin takes on more life! Exterior bulkheads are up, doorways to the quarter galleys cut in and built a couple of bench/storage lockers. Next up I am going to try to build a table and a couple of benches and then I will be ready to run the wires to the lights. I plan on trying to design a couple of small hanging lanterns for the lights to go in. I bought flickering LEDs in hope to simulate candle lighting. We shall see.