vaddoc

Some progress and at last, a couple of nice photos to post!
 
I finished the pieces for the deck screwed things together, replaced with wooden nails, add reinforcing pieces underneath, glued everything together and sanded to 400 grit.

Then I had to decide whether to have black or light caulking. Admiral said black, so black it is! I masked the pieces, mixed black acrylic paint with Osmo filler and splashed it on.

Then removed tape and sanded everything smooth. The filler becomes light grey but with Tung oil will go ack to black.

Then I secured the grating with epoxy thickened with gypsum.

I also made a leg to support the deck using a drill sanding  against the disc sander - very fast results.

It does not look too bad! When I have time I ll glue everything together and move on


Regards
Vaddoc

It would be very worthwhile but British homes are tiny and the admiral would not have it...
 
Hakan, I ended up feeling I simply had not enough brain cells for the task! So glad finally it is done.
 
Good to be back Gary. The mould has disappeared now that the garage has been heating up. The shape incident is interesting. I think initially the ribs were pushing the planks outwards but as slowly they started accepting their new shape, the inward pressure from the planks overwhelmed everything. So thwarts are there really to push the planking outwards - had not realised till now.
 
I reworked the deck to make it look more proportioned and nice - photo bellow. Still needs work though

Regards
Vaddoc

Oh dear!
It has been 5 months since my last post. The cause has been twofold: Too much work but also serious difficulties with the boat.
 
I returned to the shipyard and found two major issues.
One was mould developing on the model. The garage where I do my modelling has not been heated for months with temperatures as low as -8 C. Thankfully it was like fine dust, easy to remove. But when mould starts growing on your model, it certainly is a subtle sign you 've gone into hibernation!
The other was that the boat had dramatically changed its shape. Initially, the beam wanted to spread so I had to make braces to hold the sides. However, now this was reversed. The planks appeared to push the sides inwards and the beam was drastically reduced, pushing the stem and sternpost outwards.
 
I started pushing the planking outwards with bits of wood, gradually increasing the beam, using the braces as guide - so happy I had taken this precaution. It took a few weeks to get the boat back into the proper shape.

However, the sheer was now a bit wavy so I fixed a couple of very thick strips on the inner aspect - this did the job well. I also heavily reinforced the flimsy braces.



Now, with the boat back in shape, I was able to proceed with the build. I am essentially making it up as I go as I do not have any detailed plans but I do not think I am actually far off. Now, I would like to have a deck at the bow. This proved a fantastically difficult task.
 
I tried all sorts of jigs to mark the planking so that I could install stringers to support the deck. In the end, I started screwing little pieces of wood, and using flat sheets finally got it close enough. This took weeks and months - very difficult.




Then I screwed the stringers which had to be soaked in boiling water as the curve was quite severe. The small wood pieces were then removed
 
Then, I started making a frame with beams to support the deck. I forgot to take pictures though but again, was not easy. In the next photo the frame is ready, waiting for the epoxy to cure.

Next, I slowly started adding the various pieces for the actual deck. It slowly is coming together now.



I hope things will speed up a bit now.
 
Till next time
 
Vaddoc
 

Greetings to all or should I say "Gratings!"? Yes, today we will be scratch-making gratings!
 
Honestly, it is far easier (and less bloody) to get them from Chuck. But I had an itchiness to try and either way, I don't think there are gratings at 1:10 scale.
 
Now, I did make gradings for the Deben but there I cut corners. They came out alright but were not done properly. I ve been scratching my head for the last 2-3 days and tried a few things that did not work. Sadly, a search on MSW was not too helpful.
 
The problem is the scale. If the size of the squares equals that of the table saw blade, things are easy. But in 1:10 scale, my squares are 5 mm and the tine Proxon blade 1 mm thick.
 
So here it goes:
 
I have the small Proxon table saw, it is very underpowered but actually quite accurate and easy to use. I first added a sheet on top of the table saw so that I could clamp something to act as a fence. Then, I  cut several 5 mm strips from a pear sheet, I think it is 3 mm thick.

Then, I glued the strips on another piece of pear sheet.

Then, I drilled, inserted treenails dipped in PVA glue, allowed a few minutes to dry (in the meantime worked on a second piece), then lightly sanded and cut a strip across.






I actually forgot to take pictures but the strips produced look like this

After I made very many, I managed to cut my finger, thankfully not deep at all.
 
Then, I started to assemble the gratings. I had to trim every single square with a sharp chisel, by afternoon the dining room was full of tiny wood chippings but the gratings came out quite acceptable I think. They still miss a few tree nails and need sanding, gluing and trimming but I am happy. Apologies for the terrible photo, I ll take a better one for the next post.

Of course they are far from perfect, the tree nails are in the wrong positions, the squares are not perfect or symmetrical, the grain runs parallel in all pieces instead of crossing 90 degrees (not an issue with pear) but I can live with these.
 
So I have 3 pieces, one will go on the small deck at the bow, one to the floor aft and the third one I have not figured out yet where I ll use it.
 
Best wishes
Vaddoc

@mtaylor Thanks Mark, I am sure I ll figure it out, as always lots of good info on MSW.
@Bedford I was not aware of Shackleton's open see adventure, amazing strength and indomitable spirit. Tiny boat!
@iMustBeCrazy Thanks Craig, very interesting. Could I ask, I see you painted the boat inside. Would you do it again, or would you leave it unpainted? I would like to paint it but I am concerned the paint will bring out the many imperfections and will not look good.
 
A bit more work done.
 
I finished the floors, they came out ok relatively painlessly.

I then started thinking how the small deck could be arranged. It took a long time and a lot of wasted cardboard, nothing is finalised but I have a vague idea how it will go.


Then I made again the breasthook. The one I made was fine but the pear wood was the wrong colour, I used a sheet of apparently unsteamed pear that came from a not so good order of wood I got years ago. I made it again but this took hours, I kept messing it up. Finally, it came out fine.


I then trimmed the excess plank length at the transom, I have been putting it off for some time now. This needed a seriously sharp chisel.
 
I then boiled some pear wood strips and wrapped them around the hull to take the shape, I think it is time to start putting the boat together.

Unfortunately, putting the end of the strips in boiling water had a dramatic effect on the wood. Even after it was cold, it was very soft and pliable and the colour changed from pink to a dead brown. The next photo did not capture the colours well.

I ve actually never steamed pear before, I hope the colour will return after it dries.
 
Vaddoc

Dear friends
 
Time for another post, some progress but also some unfortunate findings. Lets start.
 
So, there is an urgent need for the boat to have some structural support but it needs to be built from the bottom up. So, the floor needs to be installed.
 
I had previously cut the floor supports but I found some were off and needed adjustments or replacement. Finally they were epoxied in place and coated with Tung oil - for no reason at all really!
 


However, It was then that I noticed a rather big issue. The planks have pulled away from the ribs, the glue in the tree nails failed - but also the pressure from the planks must have been pretty substantial.
 

I do not think this can be fixed without disassembling the boat and in the end of the day, it does not bother me much. So on we go.
 
Next, I did some work at the gunwales and attached the stringer and the breast hook.




So far everything is screwed, later on will be replaced with tree nails.
 
Next, it was time for the false stem to be installed. Again I had to make adjustments but I got a good fit. I used thickened epoxy and it came out pretty good. Especially the joint with the planking, which in the past had caused me headache, came out also fine.



Ok, so far so good. Next it was the floor boards. This took a bit of work and some head scratching but actually came out better than I hoped. I am not sure if it is historically accurate but we do need a floor to walk on - so here it is.

And with some Tung oil on




All the screws need to be replaced with tree nails, so time to make a few hundred. I will be using the last of the cherry wood I saved from the fire wood pile 10 years ago.

Cutting one more slice was difficult, this wood is very hard
 

This wood is very dry and needs to get some moisture before we can drill the nails out. The slices are now submerged in water.
 
Till next time
 
Vaddoc

Dear friends
 
Time for another post, some progress but also some unfortunate findings. Lets start.
 
So, there is an urgent need for the boat to have some structural support but it needs to be built from the bottom up. So, the floor needs to be installed.
 
I had previously cut the floor supports but I found some were off and needed adjustments or replacement. Finally they were epoxied in place and coated with Tung oil - for no reason at all really!
 


However, It was then that I noticed a rather big issue. The planks have pulled away from the ribs, the glue in the tree nails failed - but also the pressure from the planks must have been pretty substantial.
 

I do not think this can be fixed without disassembling the boat and in the end of the day, it does not bother me much. So on we go.
 
Next, I did some work at the gunwales and attached the stringer and the breast hook.




So far everything is screwed, later on will be replaced with tree nails.
 
Next, it was time for the false stem to be installed. Again I had to make adjustments but I got a good fit. I used thickened epoxy and it came out pretty good. Especially the joint with the planking, which in the past had caused me headache, came out also fine.



Ok, so far so good. Next it was the floor boards. This took a bit of work and some head scratching but actually came out better than I hoped. I am not sure if it is historically accurate but we do need a floor to walk on - so here it is.

And with some Tung oil on




All the screws need to be replaced with tree nails, so time to make a few hundred. I will be using the last of the cherry wood I saved from the fire wood pile 10 years ago.

Cutting one more slice was difficult, this wood is very hard
 

This wood is very dry and needs to get some moisture before we can drill the nails out. The slices are now submerged in water.
 
Till next time
 
Vaddoc

Glad you are feeling better Hakan, hopefully no more bumpy roads. You are building a might nice model but indeed, enjoy yourself and leave things for later on. As Mark says, both the wood and us will be waiting patiently.
 
All the best
 
Vaddoc

Glad you are feeling better Hakan, hopefully no more bumpy roads. You are building a might nice model but indeed, enjoy yourself and leave things for later on. As Mark says, both the wood and us will be waiting patiently.
 
All the best
 
Vaddoc

Finally feeling reasonable well to sit in front of the computer again!
Without giving away any gory details - it has been a rough week. Period.
 
Though I'd catch up my log with my actual progress as it stands Sunday before last.
Deck framing is complete.
All frames are secured to the beam shelf with a 19 mm screw bolt, aka 1 mm bamboo tree nail. Actually done after the photo session below.
The entire deck will not need much fairing. The lighter carlings around the main hatch and the forward hatch needed a little shim to sit at correct height. Can not be seen in the photos below.
What is left is to trim some of the timber tops. I will probably add some filler pieces to have support for the waterway and covering board. 
There will also be filler pieces/carlings where deck planks are supposed to end. Not all ends land on a deck beam. These will come later I think.
So, this is where it stands at present.




I think I will go out and crank up the heat again in the shop now...
When I know there is a period where I will not be able to go out on a regular basis I set the heat to a minimum, which is 10 degrees to save energy. Otherwise it sits at around 15-16 degrees and with my 400V air heater it is quick work to get a descent 18-20 degrees out there. But starting from 10 is not okay since all the tools will be too cold for comfort.
 
Pax et bonum!

Best wishes for a speedy recovery Hakan. Morphine can cause hallucinations, so be careful who you chase around the ward.

Nope, no pile and hence no drum sander. I will probably start as you with a sanding drum and from the look of it the sanding sleeve should come right off which means easy going between grits.
We'll see what I can dream up... stay tuned.
Apart from dreaming about tools work is kind of slow with the carlings. Mast partners are in and a couple for skylights. The photo below is a couple of pieces old.
If you look closely you can see that I've tested a couple of different notch types. Right now I'm towards full width and full depth, unless the pieces are of same moulded size (depth/thickness...).
If the pieces are of same dimension I'll leave a ledge for the carling to sit on and cut a matching step out of the bottom of the carling (3), instead of doing a slanted joint (1). No 2 is what I used for the main hatch and for the main mast partners in the picture below. No 3 is actually easiest to get a good looking joint for me.


Cheers!
 

Salute @Mic_Nao and thank you!
Don't tell anyone but I have the "only show neat work"-filter on my camera when I take the photographs. 😉 

Oh, I have another confession regarding the deck beam installation. Of course there should be iron hanging knees all around if I was literally following the real build. 
But I'm not 😁

Thank you Per! 27, again, can you image?! (for the 27th time actually 😄)
 
In general or specifically for the deck beams?
Why apple and birch from the beginning? Because I had it 🙂 
Then, in general, I have used apple for frame and keel, the topmost outboard plank and the beam shelf. 
Planking and deck was always going to be birch and I thought, why not birch for deck beams as well? I confess to being a bit lazy since it is much easier to mill and sand to spec. 
Next build will probably be apple for all structural parts.
For mast and spars I have some very fine grained pine that I will try. 
So, no religious or political reason for any of my choices, just chance and opportunity 😛 
Thanks for asking.

A'hoy! Time for another update. I was constantly being interrupted out in the shop today so I finally gave up.
(Annoying, but it might have something to do with it being my birthday today).
So, deck beams.
I came to think that a drum sander with a fence could have been used for final thickness of the beams. But, I don't have one (yet).
All beams are in place. On the real ship they are fastened with a single bolt in center, so I intend to mimic that with a tree nail. 0.8 or 1.0 mm, but have decided yet.
Care was taken so the beams sat perfectly 90 degrees to center line using the gantry and a stiff paper board as reference. The scale gave the distance to forward perpendicular line and that measurement was taken from the elevation plan.

It payed off, the eye is sensitive to misalignment and there is none. 🙂 


Next up are carlings surrounding the hatches and mast openings. I started with the main hatch. The original drawing calls for dove tails, but that is above my current skill level, so I aimed for a recessed joint instead. Also, birch is kind of soft, and apple would probably been easier, but that is for next project.
It was around here today that all interruptions came so I'm more than happy with the outcome 🙂 


Thanks for likes and comments! Always appreciated 🙂 
 

A fair bit under the weather today, so instead of being totally useless at work I can always drop an update here instead.
Slowly chipping down on the 10000 hrs tally to become a master. I think I'm at around 2000 hrs in, leaving me some 8000 hrs to go. Cheerful.
Anyway, in my last update the rear fashion piece was under development. Now, it is glued in place. It doesn't seem to fit very well, but since I've 8000 hrs to go, and it will be covered by covering boards and deck planks, it's okay. Nearly all deck beams are also in place. Update to come.
Another thing that show in the below picture is my drafting "skills"... The beam has the correct height re the sheer, but does not rest on the stern post. Admiring the finished model no one will know bar the lot here and the entire internet.

Dear friends
 
Time for another post, some progress but also some unfortunate findings. Lets start.
 
So, there is an urgent need for the boat to have some structural support but it needs to be built from the bottom up. So, the floor needs to be installed.
 
I had previously cut the floor supports but I found some were off and needed adjustments or replacement. Finally they were epoxied in place and coated with Tung oil - for no reason at all really!
 


However, It was then that I noticed a rather big issue. The planks have pulled away from the ribs, the glue in the tree nails failed - but also the pressure from the planks must have been pretty substantial.
 

I do not think this can be fixed without disassembling the boat and in the end of the day, it does not bother me much. So on we go.
 
Next, I did some work at the gunwales and attached the stringer and the breast hook.




So far everything is screwed, later on will be replaced with tree nails.
 
Next, it was time for the false stem to be installed. Again I had to make adjustments but I got a good fit. I used thickened epoxy and it came out pretty good. Especially the joint with the planking, which in the past had caused me headache, came out also fine.



Ok, so far so good. Next it was the floor boards. This took a bit of work and some head scratching but actually came out better than I hoped. I am not sure if it is historically accurate but we do need a floor to walk on - so here it is.

And with some Tung oil on




All the screws need to be replaced with tree nails, so time to make a few hundred. I will be using the last of the cherry wood I saved from the fire wood pile 10 years ago.

Cutting one more slice was difficult, this wood is very hard
 

This wood is very dry and needs to get some moisture before we can drill the nails out. The slices are now submerged in water.
 
Till next time
 
Vaddoc

Dear friends
 
Time for another post, some progress but also some unfortunate findings. Lets start.
 
So, there is an urgent need for the boat to have some structural support but it needs to be built from the bottom up. So, the floor needs to be installed.
 
I had previously cut the floor supports but I found some were off and needed adjustments or replacement. Finally they were epoxied in place and coated with Tung oil - for no reason at all really!
 


However, It was then that I noticed a rather big issue. The planks have pulled away from the ribs, the glue in the tree nails failed - but also the pressure from the planks must have been pretty substantial.
 

I do not think this can be fixed without disassembling the boat and in the end of the day, it does not bother me much. So on we go.
 
Next, I did some work at the gunwales and attached the stringer and the breast hook.




So far everything is screwed, later on will be replaced with tree nails.
 
Next, it was time for the false stem to be installed. Again I had to make adjustments but I got a good fit. I used thickened epoxy and it came out pretty good. Especially the joint with the planking, which in the past had caused me headache, came out also fine.



Ok, so far so good. Next it was the floor boards. This took a bit of work and some head scratching but actually came out better than I hoped. I am not sure if it is historically accurate but we do need a floor to walk on - so here it is.

And with some Tung oil on




All the screws need to be replaced with tree nails, so time to make a few hundred. I will be using the last of the cherry wood I saved from the fire wood pile 10 years ago.

Cutting one more slice was difficult, this wood is very hard
 

This wood is very dry and needs to get some moisture before we can drill the nails out. The slices are now submerged in water.
 
Till next time
 
Vaddoc

Dear all
 
I am no wood worker but I have come to appreciate what a wonderful tool a very sharp chisel can be. However, no matter how expensive or cheap a chisel is, it will need to be honed continuously and will only work as intended if it is really scary sharp.
There are many ways to hone a chisel and various types of stones and jig are available, some very expensive. Please allow me to share how I sharpen my chisels. Now, there are a few tools that are needed but are not too expensive and will last for a very long time.
 
I recently bought a new chisel, an 8 mm Narex so I thought it was a good opportunity to show how it can be turned into a useful tool. I hope that this will be of help to others.
 
I like Narex chisels very much but out f the box they are of no use at all. The tip is covered but some kind of lacquer and is not sharp. The bevel and the back of the chisel are very rough.





Now, for the chisel to be sharp, both surfaces need to be as polished as possible. So lets start honing this chisel
 
We will first concentrate on the back of the chisel. This surface will only be worked once, on purchase and will not be touched again. Until the back is flat and polished to mirror finish, we cannot proceed.
 
I will use only a cheap combination diamond stone 400/1000 grit, a slightly more expensive 1200 grit diamond stone, an old leather mouse pad turned upside down, a sheet of flat MDF and green polishing compound. I also will use a honing jig I make myself. This jig is absolutely needed unless you have a very steady hand and lots of experience, it can be made with whatever scrap material but some accuracy is needed in its construction-basically a drill press or a very steady hand.


Another thing needed is some kind of jig to make sure the bevel is grounded at roughly the same angle each time the guide is used. I just use scrap wood for this

Now, we start by positioning the chisel on the jig, finding the angle and then marking this position on the scrap wood. The little pieces of wood are glued and then screwed on.



Now we start honing. I start with the 400 grit trying to remove the machine marks. This is the starting point

And this is how it looks after a few passes

Then we move on to the 1000 grit. This is how it look afterwards

Then on to 1200 grit, this is the result

However there is a problem. The back is not flat as the next photo shows

This is a problem. The back needs to be flat or better concave, so that less material needs to be removed making the job easier. So back to 400 grit to remove enough material to make the back completely flat, so the tip touches the stones. The diamond stones are very aggressive, they do not need any pressure, just to move the chisel back and forth. 
 
This is how it looks now at 400 grit...

at 1000 grit...

and at 1200 grit.

The chisel is already very sharp but we have a long way to go. Next comes the strop. This is how it looks after a few minutes of stropping.


I have found that the fastest way at this point is using MDF. I charged some MDF with the green stuff and starting polishing like crazy moving the chisels in all directions. After just two minutes the results are impressive.

30 sec later

and after 30 more seconds of polishing, we are there. These are my fingers holding the phone shown on the surface, it is like mirror.

Good, now we move on to the bevel. This is our starting point.

Using the jig we made earlier, the chisel is positioned on the guide. However although close, the positioning is not accurate so we actually need to create our own bevel. So we start with the 400 grit. This is how the new bevel is progressively formed.




Then on to 1000 grit...

and to 1200 grit.

Then we move on to the strop. The bevel takes much less time to polish than the back and actually the leather works better than the MDF. This is the result.



We now need to do a few passes on the back to remove the excess material hanging of the edge.
 
The chisel is now very sharp, sharp enough for what I needed for. It can of course be further polished, the green stuff I think is something like 25,000 grit but it is enough for now. During use, every few cuts, I make a few passes over the strop. With some use, it will get further polished.
 
I hope this has been helpful for some, a video follows showing the surfaces of the chisel
 
 
Regards
Vaddoc
 
 
 

Acrylic paint is easily damaged. Enamel paint is much harder but also can get damaged. I think the only part of the boat you should seriously think protecting is the hull. It will certainly get scratched during the rest of the build or during its life after. I use varnish, either water based or enamel. Water based is easier to use but enamel is overall harder and better - I think I ll go back to enamels for the boats I am currently building. I ve tried the Valejo polyurethane varnish previously, water based, seemed to be ok. Humbrol enamel varnishes are also very good, or at least this has been my experience.
 
Couple of things to consider
 
1. Spray cans can be temperamental and spray inconsistent or thick coats. Be careful
2. Satin finishes need good stirring to evenly distribute the media within. Matt varnishes are more difficult, they need some care to avoid inconsistent results.
3. Basically practice and test your finish on scrap wood, NOT the model! Seriously, you do not want to be sanding the hull down if something goes wrong.
 
I d definitely put something over the hull.

Acrylic paint is easily damaged. Enamel paint is much harder but also can get damaged. I think the only part of the boat you should seriously think protecting is the hull. It will certainly get scratched during the rest of the build or during its life after. I use varnish, either water based or enamel. Water based is easier to use but enamel is overall harder and better - I think I ll go back to enamels for the boats I am currently building. I ve tried the Valejo polyurethane varnish previously, water based, seemed to be ok. Humbrol enamel varnishes are also very good, or at least this has been my experience.
 
Couple of things to consider
 
1. Spray cans can be temperamental and spray inconsistent or thick coats. Be careful
2. Satin finishes need good stirring to evenly distribute the media within. Matt varnishes are more difficult, they need some care to avoid inconsistent results.
3. Basically practice and test your finish on scrap wood, NOT the model! Seriously, you do not want to be sanding the hull down if something goes wrong.
 
I d definitely put something over the hull.

Acrylic paint is easily damaged. Enamel paint is much harder but also can get damaged. I think the only part of the boat you should seriously think protecting is the hull. It will certainly get scratched during the rest of the build or during its life after. I use varnish, either water based or enamel. Water based is easier to use but enamel is overall harder and better - I think I ll go back to enamels for the boats I am currently building. I ve tried the Valejo polyurethane varnish previously, water based, seemed to be ok. Humbrol enamel varnishes are also very good, or at least this has been my experience.
 
Couple of things to consider
 
1. Spray cans can be temperamental and spray inconsistent or thick coats. Be careful
2. Satin finishes need good stirring to evenly distribute the media within. Matt varnishes are more difficult, they need some care to avoid inconsistent results.
3. Basically practice and test your finish on scrap wood, NOT the model! Seriously, you do not want to be sanding the hull down if something goes wrong.
 
I d definitely put something over the hull.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DecoArt-Multi-Purpose-Sealer-DS17-236ml/261972030617?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
 
Test your paint/finish on scrap and not the model! I use cheap plywood or plywood offcuts to see how various things react. 

I d say just buy the thinner, same brand as your paint. The cost is insignificant all things considered and you know you get the correct product. If the paint job goes wrong it is usually a much bigger job to fix things. Certainly for brush painting with Valejo, I feel it is a must to buy their thinners and retarders.