CaptainSteve

CH, I wasn't at all impressed with the ME line in the Bounty Launch kit, and replaced all of it with Chuck's Syren rope. I plan on doing the same with my MS Constitution build, and have already laid in one order with Chuck for both rope and blocks.
 
I think you will notice a vast difference with the Syren stuff.

Hmmm ... maybe you could attach your keel-holder to a hat. Then balance the model on your head whilst working on parts at your desk.
Just don't turn around too quickly in that small space !!!
 
But, seriously, I know how you feel, UV. My own work-space isn't much bigger than yours ... at least not for another eight weeks. Then I'll have an entire bedroom dedicated to ship-building.

TWIST-TIES - These versatile strips of plastic-encased wire could have many uses. Here, I have sliced down the tie along the wire length to make the re-inforcing strips at the prows of two of my USS Constitution boats (1/76 scale).
To represent the bolt-heads, simply make a series of very small indentations (with drill or knife), then add a tiny drop of black paint using the sharpened end of a toothpick.

BEADS - There are thousands of different beads available. I strongly recommend spending a few hours browsing through the shelves of a good bead store, if you can find one. Otherwise, settle for a raid on the Admiral's sewing table. Try imagining each bead cut in half/sanded/sliced.
 
This pic shows a whale-boat (1/76th scale) I am currently working on. The central drum is a bead, with the wooden ends being former chopsticks.
 

A good source of fine absolutely straight wire (if rather short pieces will work) is a wire brush.  The wire is stiff but not so stiff as music wire and can be bent with needle nose pliers to a rather sharp bend. Good for railings, some jackstays, and other small fixtures.
 
To get the wire out of the brush, you'll probably have to cut the brush; the wires are usually anchored in their holes with staples.
 
Another source of straight wire, but softer and somewhat larger in diameter, is Christmas tree ornament hangers.  They come in several diameters and colors.
 
 
Chazz

For those who may have missed it, re-printed below, with permission, is MSW member donrobinson’s brilliantly easy method for making oars for your ship’s boats …
 
The dowels I am using are 2mm and found at a local hobby store. I soaked one end in water for fifteen-twenty minutes then put in my mini vice. I put them in at a depth of 15mm and left them clamped for about the same amount of time.


My vice has notches in the jaws for holding stock so that is why I am using the angle iron so as not to distort the dowel.

 
This picture is showing the initial dowel(at the bottom) how it comes out of the vice and then the various shapes that I made. They may look a little crooked in pictures but they are straight just the photo playing tricks.


These last two pictures are just trying to show the edge of the blade.
I show clamping two dowels at once but in reality just do one at a time by the time you take one out(and replace it) get it shaped properly the next one is ready and so on and so on.........

Try it out it is quite easy and beats laminating or carving down larger stock to shape. Different size stock can be used but just adjust your soaking and clamping times.
 
Thanks, Don.

Thanks, guys. I agree on the gold leaf, Jack. In daylight (from any angle), the carvings glitter and dance.

Verily, ‘t hath been some time since me last posting … but Chuck didst prompt-eth me to do some digging and I didst manage to recover-eth some lithographs.
 
What wit’ me limited carving skills, it took-eth many an attempt afore I were to have a full set of decorations for me barge. Fortunately, Chuck did provide two extra sets of carving blanks … and these were all eventually required to produce a full set.
 
Unfortunately, as I didst mention, pictures of those appear to be lost to the annals of time (and NiCad battery life-spans).
Fortunately, however, some later pictures DID survive …
 

 
(The general viewing public shouldst be aware that the above carving is approximately 1inch by 1 inch, in real life)
 

 
Next, an friend of mine (and the Barge’s eventual care-taker), helped with the gilding of my carvings, using actual gold-leaf …

 

 
 

 
Whilst I still need to take and post some final shots of me Barge, I were to be most impressed with the eventual outcome, Chuck …
 
                     
 
                     
 
                     
 

Hi Chuck,
My Queen Anne barge was completed some time back. The final scrollwork was completed with gold-leaf, and actually looks quite striking. I did have final pictures, but they were lost in the Great Camera Tragedy of 2019 (the batteries went flat). The barge currently sits at a friend's house (the one known as Snoopy). I will endeavour to take some photographs the next time I visit and will post them here.
 

Very well done, Steve.  And I'm with everyone else... that gold leaf is an impressive touch to some wonderful carvings.

Thanks so much for updating this! Missed hearing from you. Lovely work.

That looks fantastic.   Nice touch on the carvings.  The gold leaf looks very good.  I hope you enjoyed it.  You did well carving those.  I think folks underestimated to ability they have when it comes to carving.  I hope this prompts more carving to be done on other models and more discarding if the castings that come with kits.  Carving done like this really elevates a model.  Yours really look great.

Thanks, guys. I agree on the gold leaf, Jack. In daylight (from any angle), the carvings glitter and dance.

Verily, ‘t hath been some time since me last posting … but Chuck didst prompt-eth me to do some digging and I didst manage to recover-eth some lithographs.
 
What wit’ me limited carving skills, it took-eth many an attempt afore I were to have a full set of decorations for me barge. Fortunately, Chuck did provide two extra sets of carving blanks … and these were all eventually required to produce a full set.
 
Unfortunately, as I didst mention, pictures of those appear to be lost to the annals of time (and NiCad battery life-spans).
Fortunately, however, some later pictures DID survive …
 

 
(The general viewing public shouldst be aware that the above carving is approximately 1inch by 1 inch, in real life)
 

 
Next, an friend of mine (and the Barge’s eventual care-taker), helped with the gilding of my carvings, using actual gold-leaf …

 

 
 

 
Whilst I still need to take and post some final shots of me Barge, I were to be most impressed with the eventual outcome, Chuck …
 
                     
 
                     
 
                     
 

Hi Chuck,
My Queen Anne barge was completed some time back. The final scrollwork was completed with gold-leaf, and actually looks quite striking. I did have final pictures, but they were lost in the Great Camera Tragedy of 2019 (the batteries went flat). The barge currently sits at a friend's house (the one known as Snoopy). I will endeavour to take some photographs the next time I visit and will post them here.
 

Verily, ‘t hath been some time since me last posting … but Chuck didst prompt-eth me to do some digging and I didst manage to recover-eth some lithographs.
 
What wit’ me limited carving skills, it took-eth many an attempt afore I were to have a full set of decorations for me barge. Fortunately, Chuck did provide two extra sets of carving blanks … and these were all eventually required to produce a full set.
 
Unfortunately, as I didst mention, pictures of those appear to be lost to the annals of time (and NiCad battery life-spans).
Fortunately, however, some later pictures DID survive …
 

 
(The general viewing public shouldst be aware that the above carving is approximately 1inch by 1 inch, in real life)
 

 
Next, an friend of mine (and the Barge’s eventual care-taker), helped with the gilding of my carvings, using actual gold-leaf …

 

 
 

 
Whilst I still need to take and post some final shots of me Barge, I were to be most impressed with the eventual outcome, Chuck …
 
                     
 
                     
 
                     
 

Verily, ‘t hath been some time since me last posting … but Chuck didst prompt-eth me to do some digging and I didst manage to recover-eth some lithographs.
 
What wit’ me limited carving skills, it took-eth many an attempt afore I were to have a full set of decorations for me barge. Fortunately, Chuck did provide two extra sets of carving blanks … and these were all eventually required to produce a full set.
 
Unfortunately, as I didst mention, pictures of those appear to be lost to the annals of time (and NiCad battery life-spans).
Fortunately, however, some later pictures DID survive …
 

 
(The general viewing public shouldst be aware that the above carving is approximately 1inch by 1 inch, in real life)
 

 
Next, an friend of mine (and the Barge’s eventual care-taker), helped with the gilding of my carvings, using actual gold-leaf …

 

 
 

 
Whilst I still need to take and post some final shots of me Barge, I were to be most impressed with the eventual outcome, Chuck …
 
                     
 
                     
 
                     
 

Verily, ‘t hath been some time since me last posting … but Chuck didst prompt-eth me to do some digging and I didst manage to recover-eth some lithographs.
 
What wit’ me limited carving skills, it took-eth many an attempt afore I were to have a full set of decorations for me barge. Fortunately, Chuck did provide two extra sets of carving blanks … and these were all eventually required to produce a full set.
 
Unfortunately, as I didst mention, pictures of those appear to be lost to the annals of time (and NiCad battery life-spans).
Fortunately, however, some later pictures DID survive …
 

 
(The general viewing public shouldst be aware that the above carving is approximately 1inch by 1 inch, in real life)
 

 
Next, an friend of mine (and the Barge’s eventual care-taker), helped with the gilding of my carvings, using actual gold-leaf …

 

 
 

 
Whilst I still need to take and post some final shots of me Barge, I were to be most impressed with the eventual outcome, Chuck …
 
                     
 
                     
 
                     
 

Verily, ‘t hath been some time since me last posting … but Chuck didst prompt-eth me to do some digging and I didst manage to recover-eth some lithographs.
 
What wit’ me limited carving skills, it took-eth many an attempt afore I were to have a full set of decorations for me barge. Fortunately, Chuck did provide two extra sets of carving blanks … and these were all eventually required to produce a full set.
 
Unfortunately, as I didst mention, pictures of those appear to be lost to the annals of time (and NiCad battery life-spans).
Fortunately, however, some later pictures DID survive …
 

 
(The general viewing public shouldst be aware that the above carving is approximately 1inch by 1 inch, in real life)
 

 
Next, an friend of mine (and the Barge’s eventual care-taker), helped with the gilding of my carvings, using actual gold-leaf …

 

 
 

 
Whilst I still need to take and post some final shots of me Barge, I were to be most impressed with the eventual outcome, Chuck …
 
                     
 
                     
 
                     
 

Thanks, guys. I agree on the gold leaf, Jack. In daylight (from any angle), the carvings glitter and dance.

Verily, ‘t hath been some time since me last posting … but Chuck didst prompt-eth me to do some digging and I didst manage to recover-eth some lithographs.
 
What wit’ me limited carving skills, it took-eth many an attempt afore I were to have a full set of decorations for me barge. Fortunately, Chuck did provide two extra sets of carving blanks … and these were all eventually required to produce a full set.
 
Unfortunately, as I didst mention, pictures of those appear to be lost to the annals of time (and NiCad battery life-spans).
Fortunately, however, some later pictures DID survive …
 

 
(The general viewing public shouldst be aware that the above carving is approximately 1inch by 1 inch, in real life)
 

 
Next, an friend of mine (and the Barge’s eventual care-taker), helped with the gilding of my carvings, using actual gold-leaf …

 

 
 

 
Whilst I still need to take and post some final shots of me Barge, I were to be most impressed with the eventual outcome, Chuck …
 
                     
 
                     
 
                     
 

Verily, ‘t hath been some time since me last posting … but Chuck didst prompt-eth me to do some digging and I didst manage to recover-eth some lithographs.
 
What wit’ me limited carving skills, it took-eth many an attempt afore I were to have a full set of decorations for me barge. Fortunately, Chuck did provide two extra sets of carving blanks … and these were all eventually required to produce a full set.
 
Unfortunately, as I didst mention, pictures of those appear to be lost to the annals of time (and NiCad battery life-spans).
Fortunately, however, some later pictures DID survive …
 

 
(The general viewing public shouldst be aware that the above carving is approximately 1inch by 1 inch, in real life)
 

 
Next, an friend of mine (and the Barge’s eventual care-taker), helped with the gilding of my carvings, using actual gold-leaf …

 

 
 

 
Whilst I still need to take and post some final shots of me Barge, I were to be most impressed with the eventual outcome, Chuck …
 
                     
 
                     
 
                     
 

Thanks, guys. I agree on the gold leaf, Jack. In daylight (from any angle), the carvings glitter and dance.

Verily, ‘t hath been some time since me last posting … but Chuck didst prompt-eth me to do some digging and I didst manage to recover-eth some lithographs.
 
What wit’ me limited carving skills, it took-eth many an attempt afore I were to have a full set of decorations for me barge. Fortunately, Chuck did provide two extra sets of carving blanks … and these were all eventually required to produce a full set.
 
Unfortunately, as I didst mention, pictures of those appear to be lost to the annals of time (and NiCad battery life-spans).
Fortunately, however, some later pictures DID survive …
 

 
(The general viewing public shouldst be aware that the above carving is approximately 1inch by 1 inch, in real life)
 

 
Next, an friend of mine (and the Barge’s eventual care-taker), helped with the gilding of my carvings, using actual gold-leaf …

 

 
 

 
Whilst I still need to take and post some final shots of me Barge, I were to be most impressed with the eventual outcome, Chuck …
 
                     
 
                     
 
                     
 

Two last shots of Arabia in her display location in my model/nautical corner of the house. We might move her somewhere else once I get a full case figured out, but this is good for now. I like that the bookcase opens on both sides so it's easy to view the open and closed sides of the model. Out of shot on a lower shelf is my model of Bertrand, another open/closed sided steamboat, so the two go well together here. Note that the Arabia and the revenue cutter behind her are the same scale (1:64); I think it's a fun visual comparison.
 


 
Some of you asked about my next project. Having bought a Byrnes table saw over the winter, I had been planning to shift to scratch-building full-time using wood harvested on my farm. I have billets of maple, cherry, and various fruitwoods that have been drying for up to two years and will provide all the modelling wood I could possibly use. My goal was for the cost of the saw to replace the cost of kits and wood in our budget, which it should. There are a variety of interesting Missouri River craft on the agenda, including the boats used by the Lewis & Clark expedition and some smaller steamboats used on tributaries of the Missouri River.
 
However, the last few months have been extremely stressful for reasons from personal to global, and my brain is a bit fried with trying to keep track of this complicated build. Moreoever, the libraries and historical societies I might otherwise visit to do primary research in Missouri craft are closed or restricted. So I bought one last kit as a simpler relaxation project: the Dusek Viking longship in 1:35 scale (note that the scale of my builds keeps going up, from 1:87 Bertrand to 1:64 Arabia to 1:35 Viking ship; this could be a problem down the road). I am of Norse descent (my beloved grandfather was extremely proud of his heritage), my father-in-law was a scholar of Old English and the Saxon period, and I'm a huge fan of Bernard Cornwell's long "Saxon Tales" series of historical novels (better known as "The Last Kingdom" once a TV show based on it was launched). So this will have some meaning for me while at least letting me follow someone else's instructions. I do plan to make some modifications for authenticity/uniqueness and to replace some of the kit wood with my own home-cut-and-milled; I may also use the plans to build several versions using my own wood.
 
I'll launch a build log eventually, but will likely be dormant for a while. The next few weeks will involve helping my elderly in-laws move closer to us, which would be a massive enough undertaking if there wasn't an ongoing pandemic, so I don't think I'll have a lot of free time until sometime in July. I'll post a build log link here once I start it, for anyone who wants to follow along. Thanks once more for your support and interest.