CaptainSteve

I'm also pulling up a barrel, Matt. Thought I'd watch and see how you go with that fairing.

I hope you didn't forget the mast-step (flag-pole step ??), Jean-Paul. I haven't seen it mentioned in my instructions so far (I'm about two or three steps behind you, currently), but I saw it marked on the plans, so I installed it when doing the stretchers.

I'm certainly no expert in these matters, and I am sure others will wade in with more informed opinion to correct me where I am wrong. First up, Matt, allow me to just roll my lap-top over onto its' side in order to read these pics a little better ... From what I can see, they are NOT telling you to remove the tops of the frames at Step#6 .... it appears to me that all that instruction is telling you is to fair the forward face of the upright section, in order that your plank will sit against that upright as it curves around and into the bow and rabbet. You DON'T want to bend your planks around a 90 degree upright, where it will only touch the wood in one spot. You will pare/sand that face down to give your planks the maximum amount to hold onto. Look carefully at Step #8 and Step#9 ... that upright is still there. It is only AFTER your planking has been shaped and fitted to all of the uprights and after the glue has completely set, that you will then remove all of those uprights. I'll leave the floor open to those with more knowledge ...

JP. I have just spent a most enjoyable two hours reading through your build log. I'd say "Wow !!", except that I do not believe the word "Wow" can truly express just how good your work is.

Next up for Our Hero were to be-eth the plank nailing. A-first he didst take-eth up his knife and prepare-eth a bowlful of “nails”. “They be cut-eth from an roll o’ fine plastic filament o’ the type used in them new-fangled 3D printer thingamabobs,” he tried to explain-eth, perhaps confusing himself e’en more in the process. “Each be but a few millimetres long.” “There be more ‘an a few ‘undred in there,” he stated, with some degree of certainty. And, thus, CaptainSteve took up his pin-vise and drilled a series o’ holes up ‘n’ down the length o’ his Barge, a’fore dipping each miniscule nail in CA, and insert-ething it. Surprisingly, Our Hero were to deviate from the plans again … “Rather than adding nails betwixt the frames,” he meandered, “I be a-figuring that those nails wouldst have-eth nowhere to lie, and wouldst protrude-eth inside the bottom o’ me planking, and be-eth an most unsightly sight.” Instead, he didst elect-eth to add an additional line of nails along the top of Plank2 … “Methinks,” he didst try-eth to claim, “they make-eth the nailing appear-eth most prominent, indeed.” Upon completing the nailing o’ the exterior planking, Our Hero didst get-teth a little carried away. Still having at least half of the “nails” he had cut remain-ething, he next turn-ethed his attentions to the floorboards and didst, once again, begin-eth drilling … … a’fore insert-ething … …. and then a-trimming … “I be a-liking the effect,” CaptainSteve piped-up. “E’en though, most assuredly, they shall be-eth almost invisible.” Our Hero then took-eth it upon his ownself to paint-eth the various parts o’ the hull that wouldst end-eth up red. “First,” he were to explain, mayhaps unnecessarily, “I be tape-ething-off me hull to provide a nice clean paint line.” He went on, as always, to paint-eth the cap-rails, flying transom and the upper section of the prow … “Hence, t’was most necessary for me to clean-eth up a few spots wi’ me scraper wherewith the paint didst bleed-eth through.” This was then followed up with an lacquering o’ the exposed cherry wood plankin’, both external and, in the case of the 3rd plank (“Or the first. I still be confuse-ethed on that point”), internal, where it canst be-eth seen. Now, CaptainSteve doth understand that it be-eth difficult to improve upon perfection, and, without doubt, Chuck’s work be pretty darned close to perfection. But t’was at about this point where Our Hero didst take-eth it upon his ownself to make-eth yet another modification to his Queen Anne Barge kit. A’first, Our Hero didst fit-eth the bench-end arm-rests ‘ere install-ething the inboard panelling, as per the instructions. But upon having done-eth so, he be a-standin’ back and admiring his work … … whenceupon CaptainSteve didst decide-eth, “Nah !!!” “It be-eth but a wee thing, really,” he didst stammer, most nervously. “Jus’ a teeny-weeny kit-bash. Nothin’ to be a-getting upset-eth about, Charles.” And so he didst remove-eth the arm-rest pieces, attach-ethed a backing o’ masking tape, took up his trusty pin-vise and were to proceed-eth to drill a series o’ tiny, tiny holes around-eth the engraved panel. “I be a-realizin’ that I didst have-eth but one shot at this,” CaptainSteve realized. But, surprisingly, Our Hero were to successfully complete-eth the task. "I be spendin’ most an hour on each,” he whined. “But after a clean-up wi’ some files, they be done.” After a-fixing the arm-rests back into position, CaptainSteve be a-wondering which variation doth look-eth better. ... or “However,” he stated, most matter-o’-factly, “it be-eth too laterly now to be a-changin’ me mind.” Next, CaptainSteve were to turn-eth his attentions unto the construction o’ the bench seating. But whence measuring and fit-ething the parts for the seating, Our Hero didst happen to notice that the frame he had replaced a-time back had developed an stress fracture. Wanting to shore this up a’fore it didst develop-eth further, he didst rush-eth things somewhat wi’ the bench construction. Thusly, progress lithographs were scant. “It shouldst be-eth okay,” Our Hero bemoaned. “But the instructions doth state that the benches doeth overhang beyond the bench frame pieces by an tiny bit.” Finally, to round-eth out this entry, CaptainSteve didst needeth merely to cut and shape-eth another seat-back piece. “I were to getteth a little overzealous whence adjust-ething the kit-provided laserin’ to fit,” he tried to explain, somewhat sheepishly. Once colourated and fitted, all that remained were for Our Hero to fit-eth the two coxswain seats …

That looks great, Nenad !!

Very different ... and very, very beautiful. Well, done !!

John. I can only echo what everyone else is saying. That is most impressive for a first build. Heck. That's impressive for a third, fourth or fifth build !! So what's next ... a full scratch build of Sovereign of the Seas ??

I be confused enough on me own, Sam .... I don't need any help.

Outstanding work, Peter !!! You have every reason to be proud of her. Your log has been a joy to follow (which I did in a day and a half). So what's next ... the Nina, and the Pinta ??

Spectacular !!!

With the planking done, CaptainSteve were most anxious to free his Barge from its’ build-board, and to be a-flipping it right ways upwards … Despite his long-established track-record, Our Hero were able to remove-eth the frame centres without incident …. Well, ALMOST without incident. “A-first,” he began to narrate, “I doth be attempting to repair this piece.” But, as things were to turn-eth out, this part were, like his own self, under a lot of pressure. Thusly, it didst became-eth necessary to re-make this frame piece … When didst come-eth time to replace this frame, CaptainSteve tried many a-ways to a-fix and hold it securely into position. “Elastic bands be, again, a-bringing too much pressure to bear upon it,” he were to complain. Eventually, after a couple of do-overs, the solution didst present-eth its ownself in the form of a cable-tie … T’was about this point in time that Our Hero were to, yet again, go-eth off on a tangent. “Those wi’ a keen eye,” he stated, most nonchalantly, “may ha’ noticed something inneresting in one of the above pictures.” Indeed-eth, in the 5th photo down, above, the observant amongst the Horde can spot-eth the beginnings of another ship in the background. “It be-eth behind the flying transom,” he didst point-eth out, most helpfully.” Verily, Our Hero has begun another model !! It seems that CaptainSteve has secretly purchased and commenced his next build … HM Bomb Vessel Granado, by Caldercraft. “Ah, yes,” he explained, almost as an afterthought. “That were to be me next build … but I be a-moving me time schedule up a few notches. I be a-getting around to writin’ a build-log fer that one, in due course.” But, for now, at least, Our Hero were to forge-eth onwards with his Queen Anne Barge … “A-first,” he continued, barely missing a beat, “I were to take-eth up me Dremel to fair down the frame innards.” Thusly, with the wind at his back,” he began to wind-eth down this entry, “I didst next progress-eth onwards with the cap rails.” For the most part, CaptainSteve didst use-eth the laser-cuttings supplied by Chuck … “But, I be a-finding that the rear-most pieces didst not fit-eth well to me flying transom section. Thusly, I didst make-eth me own.” Somewhat fragile a-forehand, his barge now didst finally begin-eth to take-eth on a degree o' rigidity. To round out this entry, Our Hero next removed the floor-board pieces from the laserings and didst clean-eth them up a little … “I be a-marking the edges,” he commented, “with a black felt-tip pen, to simulate the caulkings.” As things turned out, CaptainSteve eventually sanded off the majority of the ‘caulking’, as they did bleed out, making somewhat of a mess. Next, he didst make-eth the depth gauge, as directed by Chuck’s plans … which meant a little extra frame fairing a-fore he could continue … With a little soaking and heat-bending to fit the central board to the frame curvature, Our Hero didst install-eth the main floorboards, a’fore adding the platforms, fore and aft … And, so, his Queen Anne Barge, now much sturdier and more stabilized, as she stands currently … “I be a-planning,” CaptainSteve concluded, most contritely, “to be much more diligent wi’ me postings in the future.” At least, that be the plan ...

Whilst there be all manner of different methods used by ship modellers for bending planks, CaptainSteve hath always been fond o’ his curling iron. “I be usin’ it,” he didst allow-eth hisself to meander, yet again, “to curl-eth the ringlets in me beard.” One point which Our Hero didst notice whilst attempting to form-eth his planks, were that it be-eth necessary to keep-eth each strake most goodly and straight, whence look-ethed upon in profile. “It be much-eth easier,” CaptainSteve didst bluster, “whence ye doth conceptualize-eth the plank. Be-eth at one with the plank. Become-eth the plank.” As Our Hero shaped each matching pair of planks, he were to-est compare-eth them one unto each other, port and starboard. “In particularly,” Our Hero bemoaned, “I didst have to remove and re-do the section around the flying transom a time or two.” Despite-eth, however, the difficulties he were to encounter in getting this section of the build most rightly, CaptainSteve didst work-eth onwards. Ever resourceful (“And stubborn !!”), Our Hero didst finally complete-eth his planking …

Verily, CaptainSteve didst let-eth things slide o’er the Christmas break and beyond. “I be putting in long hours on the Santa Claus contract,” he were to boast-eth (until very recently, Our Hero work-ethed in the freight & logistics industry). But despite this setback, he didst make-eth some progress, and the planking of his Dad’s Barge didst come-eth to fruition. First up, some light fairing of the frames and futtocks were done, a’fore tick strips were measured and cut … … and then marked … “I be a-figurin’,” he began, “that the positioning of the plankage be of utmost import.” ‘Twas only much later that CaptainSteve were to figure out that it be only of import to mark-eth the bottom of the first strake – the rest be taking care of itself. Moving onto the planking stage, Our Hero was a’first somewhat confused by the pre-cut planks that didst come-eth supplied in his kit. “Let-eth it not be said that Mr Passaro doesn’t think outside the box,” he was heard to say. “Indeed-eth, Charles doth thinketh so far outside the box that these days he be just keepin’ an picture above his desk to remind-eth himself what a box looks like.” Our Hero was struggling to understand why there were planks facing opposite directions amongst the supplied port and starboard planking pieces. “A-first, these didst somewhat flummox me addled brain,” Our Hero whined. But once he read through the plans a couple of times, things began-eth to make sense, and he didst see-eth the brilliance of Chuck’s designin’s. “I jus’ be a-needin’ to sort me port from me starboard, me inboard from me outboard, as well as me up from me down.” To aid-eth his ownself, he were to recall-eth a verse from his youth. “Me Father didst many a-time say-eth, ‘There be-eth some port left in the bottle.’” Alas, ‘twere many a-year a-fore Our Hero didst realize-eth the wisdom of this verse and not that his father was, indeed-eth, merely an ever-hopeful alcoholic. But a’fore moving onwards, to prevent-eth a further occurrence o’ such stupidity, CaptainSteve bemoaned, “I be takin’ steps …” Now, if only Our Hero couldst be a-figurin’ his “Up” from his “Down” …. “Oi !!! I heard-eth that !!” Ahem ….

Her Majesty is looking very majestic, Nenad. Great work. I am anxiously waiting to see how you will do these bilge pumps. The pumps themselves should be easy to produce with some short lengths of plastic tubing. Maybe some pieces of wire from a spare paper-clip to make the pistons. As for the fly-wheels ... that will require a lot of your skills. Might I suggest some small curtain hoops, with short lengths of wire shaped to make the spirals inner parts. I look forward to seeing your solution. (NOTE: Here's where Ed Tosti made his flywheels.)

Paul. I agree with JCF on the whole issue of having sails on a model of a sailing ship. However, there is also the other camp who do not like to hide all of the intricate detailing they have done. I can understand their argument. I think that you have found the middle path in having your lower sails furled. Your Vic will be able to show-off her deck AND it's got sails !! If the "cubes" on the sails are from the sewing machine tension, then mayhaps you could very VERY gently stretch each sail with your fingertips (just the sail; don't pull down on the spar). If they are caused by the glue, then maybe "paint" the sails with water and angle your model in front of a light fan (so the breeze reaches all sails). You might have to repeat this step a few times. PS: Luv the staining on your sails.

Chris. If it is normal round wire, then put a short length between two metal rulers. Hold the rulers together tightly, and move them back and forth against each other. The movement will roll the wire piece and straighten in out for you.

Gren, I am not aware of any modelling clubs in Perth at all (except for the radio-control groups). In fact, I only came to meet other Perth modellers after I had joined MSW. As others have pointed out, you can search the modelling index in the kits (or scratch-build) forum. I am sure that there are a few build logs for the AL Bounty kit.

Just beautiful, Tom !!

Best wishes for your upcoming appointment with the surgeons, Jon.

She's really coming together now, Tom !! I have been following you for some three years or more now. There's going to be a big hole in my life after you finish this model. I shall have to look to Jon, KMart and the others to fill that gap.

Grab me a large popcorn, please Mark ... I'll save you a seat.

Congrats, Jack. She looks just beautiful. The rigging detail is especially nice.

Verily, Ken, as this be a virtual build, everybody gets a front row seat. Ye shall find-eth the virtual popcorn machine to yer right ... just next to the virtual wet-bar and slurpee machine. The virtual mechanical bull and pool-table be-eth to yer left.

Following on, CaptainSteve didst affix-eth a newly constructed keelson unto the keel. “Most fortuitously,” he waffled, “Chuck didst provide-eth enough spare pieces to make-eth the job much easier.” Thence he didst attach-eth the new keelson unto the bulkheads. “I be a-needing merely,” he didst explain-eth, “to correct a few o’ the bulkhead frames by turning them a-sternwards in the provided build-board, and all be most goodly.” But ‘twas at about that time whence Our Hero were to notice-eth the following on Chuck’s plans … “Verily, Charles !!”, CaptainSteve didst address-eth Chuck directly. “Most assuredly, ye may-eth just as well ha’ wave-ethed a red flag at me bull-like head whilst taunting, ‘Toro, CaptainSteve, Toro !!’” And so, firstly he didst take-eth up his knife and were to hack-eth out a seating fer his keel-plates … Thinking (most incorrectly, as it didst turn-eth out) that the above feature were to be a copper keel-plate, Our Hero didst cutteth short lengths of copper foil tape (“O’ the kind used fer copper-plating an hull”) … … and thence didst embark-eth upon a quest to find-eth some substance to accurately reflect-eth iron bolt-heads. “It be not an easy task,” he didst detaileth. “A-first, I be a-clipping the heads from the smallest tacks that I didst possesseth. But e’en they be too large in stature. Hence, didst I try-eth to cut short lengths o’ blackened wire to insert.” However, alas and alack, the wire proved to be too random to represent iron bolt-heads. “I be not convinced by their appearance,” Our Hero grumbled. But then he didst decide-eth to try something which didst prove-eth to be an epiphany. Most assured wi’ his discovery, and his ownself, CaptainSteve didst dippeth the poppy seeds in black stain, allowed them to dry-eth, and didst attempt a testing-piece … “And here they be-eth,” Our Hero beamed, “affixed in place on me hull.” "Oh verily,” CaptainSteve were to bringeth this entry to a close, “I didst forgetteth to mention that I didst stain-eth the whole thing with Old Baltic.”